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Thanks to a technique taught in one of the excellent books by Lewis Jones I can now work out the day of the week of any date of any year between 1900 and 2099, usually within 4 seconds. If the spec goes for a date in 2009, 2010 or 2011 it's more like 1 second. This only took 10 minutes to learn and is really easy if you can do basic maths and a little memory work.

But I'm not sure when this will ever be useful in a magic context. Most people don't seem to remember the day of the week that corresponds to any particular date. The exception is their wedding day, but as the vast majority of those are on Saturday they are not impressed that you know that. I could just give them a diary and ask them to look up a random date, but that seems a bit weak and limits the range of years.

I'd be interested to know if anyone has got a strong presentation for this ability that they're happy to share? Thanks!

There is only one major problem with that. You don't have any proof if somebody says "October 26th 1903" I believe Osterlind talks about this on the 13 steps DVD and says that you should just stick with the current year and could Harry Lorrayne method for it.

Randy wrote:There is only one major problem with that. You don't have any proof if somebody says "October 26th 1903" I believe Osterlind talks about this on the 13 steps DVD and says that you should just stick with the current year and could Harry Lorrayne method for it.

haha, would you like the day for the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd sir?

I've just seen that in Paul Brook's "Polymath" book it describes the following...

"A participant is asked to write down three important dates, from his past, on the back of the performer's business card. In just over 60 seconds the performer has written the correct day of the week next to each date. This is a fast, fun, and effective way to know the day of any date that is given to you and is utterly impromptu."

If that plays as written then it takes 20 seconds to get the day of the week for each date, which is much slower than the Lewis Jones method. If you are interested then check out "The Magic Gourmet" for details of LJ's genius approach!

A guy, somewhere, has a whole mental math type routine. It isn't presented as magic, just amazing brain power. He does the name a day style routine, but then he goes on to give out a huge laminated calendar thing, on the last n+1 years...he then gets dates named and names the day and has it verified.

I'm sure I've seen Derren do something like this in one of his shows a few years back...

Possibly. If I learnt it, I'd probably just use it to be a smarmy smart ass.

"Don't mind Lenoir. He's just a smarmy smart ass." Much better.

I could see a hot-reading use for it (using peeked info to reveal a supposedly unknown DOB becomes a lot more interesting if you throw the day of the week in there, especially if the spec can verify it, as some people can - if they can't then and there, they'll go home and check and the effect becomes a hundred times stronger for that one person) or as part of a Rain Man bit, not sure if it's an effect in and of itself. It's certainly a curious talent, and if I didn't know how it was done I'm sure I'd have lots of fun with a calendar and a mate that could do it.

I've used this as a throw away comment before after asking someone their date of birth. 'Hmmm interesting, born on a Wednesday then...' Most poeple don't know what day they were born on but it makes a nice little side piece which is even better if they do know the day.

As for a routine based around this, all I can think of is a maths based routine, or perhaps a memory routine...

It would depend on the situation but I like Paul Brooks method as it gives ultimate flexibility for choice of date with no indication to it's importance, I think you could take this further too by not only telling them the day as a warm up but then telling them why the date is important which should be simple enough.

Most people have some stupidly ott phone which can verify a day if necessary but if the dates are that important they will probably remember the day of the week.

if only people carried with them small electronic devices that could let you look at dates in the future...hmmm...

IAIN wrote:if only people carried with them small electronic devices that could let you look at dates in the future...hmmm...

You could go even further with that, perhaps some sort of communcation device could be included or even an image/audio capturing/recording feature?

Now I've thought about learning this for readings, it just adds a bit more to it.

From a date of birth you've got a life path number, their star sign and then the day of the week they were born.

Lets look at mine

29th June 1977

Life path: 5
Star sign: Cancer
Day of the week: Wednesday


Life path means:

As a life path number, five signifies love of freedom and adventure. As an expression number it suggests growth through change and different experiences. Five is a number which represents service to others. It is highly analytical and has the ability to think critically, but can over-ponder an issue to the point that its significance is no longer relevant. This number governs our ability to think clearly and our intellectual capacity. Five represents openness to new experiences as well as new ideas. Seeking freedom, it is often the adventurer. Five is about pushing life to its limits. It is a multifaceted number with links to our state of physical and mental health.


Typical Cancer:

Emotional and loving
Intuitive and imaginative
Shrewd and cautious
Protective and sympathetic

Changeable and moody
Overemotional and touchy
Clinging and unable to let go

and now day of the week:

Wednesday's child is full of woe

If you throw in some stock lines and maybe some Richard Webster you've got at least a 5 min reading

Sorry I forgot to say I wouldn't name the day they were born, maybe hint at it as in Your's has not been an easy lot has it? Quite a bit of sorrow, but you've managed to get through it and learn valuble lessons from it.

Mandrake wrote:

IAIN wrote:if only people carried with them small electronic devices that could let you look at dates in the future...hmmm...

You could go even further with that, perhaps some sort of communcation device could be included or even an image/audio capturing/recording feature?

You two should go on Tomorrow's World. This time next year, you'll be miwwionaires.