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I've just finishd reading a particularly intriuing article from http://www.cogitations.net/

It is entitled The Next Book Syndrome by Darwin Ortiz and can be found in the PDF section at the above address.

I think Ortiz has alot of interesting things to say which are directly linked to Compulsory Unnecessary Purchasing Syndrome (C.U.P.S.) . In the article Ortiz focuses on books but I believe all of his thoughts are applicable to any magical purchase.

I whole heartedly suggest you read and digest this article; there is so much sense there.

I also suggest you take the time out to read the other articles from Cogitations, there is alot of valuabl information within the pages.

Hi

Thank you for posting the link.

I have read the article and it has taught me a valuable lesson and I will try and read it every other day to remind myself.

Thank you

Dean

Thanks for that Goldfish. An interesting read and something I am sure many can assoicate with.

just curious but is the cogitations site open to anyone now? when it was first started by Steven Youell it was a paid membership site *feeling somehow cheated now*... hehe

Mog, I think Cogitations has been opened 'for free' in aid of the crisis in New Orleans... I think you can access the information there, for free, and they are asking you to make a donation to a charity in return (I imagine the Red Cross or similar).

Absolutely first rate article. It is probably relevant to anybody with any hobby.

Of course this sort of article doesn't refer to me. I am not that sort of person.

I have just ordered The Magic of Michael Ammar which I await with excitement. Oh, and some new Bikes.

What was that article about now? How do you catch C.U.P.S.?

Sadly the link to this article referred to some years ago has evaporated from the annals of the internet, but like many of you I keep vowing to myself to stop buying magic and concentrate on what I know.

I think I've worked out what causes CUPS: for me at least. I often (i.e. daily) do an eBay search of my favourite magicians / manufacturers. From time to time, what I am looking for is at a cut price. However, as comparable to when on a peer to peer music program, and you find someone with a fast upload speech, and see what else they have in their music collection, I would routinely See Other Items. One innocent moment of weakness is all it takes for CUPS to take hold like a vice, as with all addictions.

Low and behold, this irresponsible seller has a plethora of magical items; an Aladdin's cave of a magic drawer to be pillaged and looted like Vikings raiding a village.

Now, some of these items I've never heard of, but luckily magic forums act as an online database of various Tricks and Props (thanks Replicant). Even the occasionally negative post about it is inadequate to distract from a desire to have said item.

Often one enters a bidding war, and with 3 subsequent increases in bids you realise it is an impulse purchase, and it is probably a good thing that you were outbid.

However, CUPS then kicks in in full, and you become fixated on this item, and read more reviews, looking for a magic forum which has three key words: "BUY IT NOW". Of course, this is all too much to take: becoming disheartened at the item now currently missing in eBay listings (apart from the token Buy It Now listing with a hugely inflated price and an incredulous £15 P&P when the price of a first class stamp would suffice), in the same way one would respond to negative feedback, you eventually make the plunge and purchase it at full price from a magic website...

The jiffy bag subsequently arrives and whilst there is that initial jiffy bag glow emitting from said item unfortunately, in sympathetic fallacy, the clouds darken as you realise how foolish the product is. In a fit of rage, you are already planning the next purchase... You are looking for that "good hit", like a particularly pleasant drug, in the same way you got that satisfying hit when you found out the secret to the ID for example. That elusive panacea, that final satisfaction before vowing to nip that insatiable desire for unnecessary purchases in the bud and focusing on prop-less magic, never arrives.

I'm pretty sure this was never for sale so I won't feel bad in saying...I have the PDF if anyone wants me to send it!

It's only a couple of pages, but certainly interesting.