talkmagic.co.uk

Hello there, I've just registered so thought I'd post a brief introduction.

I grew up in the 70s and 80s, and magic was one of my many hobbies. Around the age of ten I became more involved when I joined the junior section of the British Magical Society. I attended the conventions and bought tricks at a furious rate, but I performed only irregularly, at BMS Christmas shows and family parties, and eventually my interest dwindled when I started college at 15.

I always retained an affection for magic, and could usually dredge up a dining table trick from memory at Christmas time, but it wasn't till I had children of my own a few years ago that the interest began to rekindle.

I have two boys, John aged 7 and Frank aged 4. They love me to perform magic for them, so before long I was exhuming my old box of tricks from my parents' loft, and dusting down gimmicks that hadn't been used since the mid 80s. Then I started subscribing to magicians' YouTube accounts and magic shop email bulletins, and before I knew it, the collector in me was hooked again.

Since then I've taken the family to some Magic Circle shows, and have put on some slightly more ambitious Christmas performances for them. I would guess that the last time I performed for a non-familial audience was 1984. Do I want to do so again? I'm genuinely undecided. At the moment I'm just enjoying acquiring some new bits of kit, and watching the boys' eyes light up when I demonstrate them.

Hiya and welcome along to TM

It's great to hear that you've refound your love for the magic

I thank you...

Welcome, good to see you here.

Welcome on board..
can't think of a better thing that being re-born back into the magic world.. I bet by now you have realized how things have changed.
Enjoy you time again.
Regards Garry.

Hello Senor Blues

How nice that that dormant love of magic has burst into life again. Magic can be a hobby, a profession, an obsession, an interest or any combination of these, all are legitimate. Magic as a profession is different from performing as a hobby. Someone much wiser than me once wrote that, it's one thing performing magic because you want to, but it's another thing entirely performing magic because it's 21.00 hours on a certain date because you have been paid to.

Most professional magicians (if not all) love magic, and most come into the profession through magic as a hobby. So enjoy your magic, enjoy performing to your family and friends, gain confidence in your performances, gain experience and who knows what opportunities may present themselves in the future.

One tip about collecting magic, concentrate on a theme or type of magic.

Anyway, welcome and all the best of luck.

Keith Hart

Thank you all for the kind words of welcome. Mr Invisible, yes things have indeed changed. There were no such things as iPhone or Sharpie tricks back in the 80s for instance.

And Black Hart, I agree, there is something to treasure about keeping magic as a private pleasure, to entertain family, Charles Dickens-like, at Christmas and birthday parties.

Another thing I'm aware of when I indulge another one of my hobbies and deejay for long sessions is that too much concentration can sicken one of a subject. I've come out of a seven-hour deejay session before now thoroughly sick to death of recorded music. I don't think I'd care to put myself in the same situation with magic.

It's strange, the way an effect seduces you with its impossibility and presentation, and yet once acquired you can never look at it in that way again. All you can see are the humble mechanics and trickery, and hope that somebody else can enjoy that pleasure which you once experienced.

Paul

Hi Paul,

Welcome aboard!

Do what you enjoy in magic and see where it takes you.

Join a society if you can. It's a great way to learn, and share your hobby with others.

John