talkmagic.co.uk

dont take this the wrong way but why do you feel the need to constantly tell how old you are? do you think it matters? On this forum are people ranging between the ages of 13/14 to 60(ish) but you dont see everyone else doing it
Also please stop asking how do i do this and how do i do that..BUY A BOOK OR DVD! they dont cost that much when you think about it.. you were even given a link to buy an "ebook" version of Bobos Modern Coin magic which costs very little but you still ask. It seems to me that if you can spend money to get online then you can spend money to actually buy stuff.

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In response to this.

Lately, I've been posting, even though I didn't realize it, in quite a selfish manner. I'll admit it, I'll admit my mistakes before I critize, or state other peoples mistakes. For example, when people critize , they often use the word "but".

Which would be a better way to say this? You have a young man, a teenager, who isn't doing well with his grades. He did a little better this quarter

"We're really proud of you, Johnnie, for raising your grades this term. But if you had worked harder on your algebra, the results would have been better."

In this case, Johnnie might feel encourged until he heard the word "but". He might then question the sincerity of the orginianal praise. To him, the praise seemed only to be contrived lead-in to a critical inference of failure. Credibility would be strained, and we probably would not achieve our objectives of changing Johnnnie's attitude towards his studios.

This could be easily overcome by changing the word "but" to "and".

Like this:
"We're really proud of you Johnnie, for raising your grades this term, and by continuing the same conscientious efforts next term, your algebra grade can be up with all the others."

Now, johnnie would accept the praise because there was no follow up of an interference of failure. We have aclled his attention to the behavior we wishe dto change indirectly, and the changes are he will try to llive up to our expectations.

Calling attention to one's mistakes indirectly works wonders with sensitive people who may resent bitterly any direct critism.

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I was trying to say, I have MarK Wilson's book on magic, but I needed a specific book on magic, that teaches more complicated sleights, like the "heal clip", that even a google search won't turn up to.

I've got all the simple ones mastered, classic palm, pinch and vanish, finger curl, thumb clip, etc.

SpongeBallSlight-of-hand wrote:Which would be a better way to say this? You have a young man, a teenager, who isn't doing well with his grades. He did a little better this quarter

hmmm. same, cept with the part about this Quarter.

Sponge, you and I have been talking back and forth in pms a bit, and I enjoy our ongoing conversation.

No one likes getting criticism of any sort, but bro - that's life. I hear what you're saying, and I cna understand wanting people to cushion the criticism a bit, but things like that won't help you. Real life doesn't soften the blows or substitute words for you to make you feel better. Real life kicks you in the balls, my friend. Over and over again. Plain and simple. The comments you're getting here won't hold a candle to the ones you're going to get when you're out on your own. Trust me.

We can't teach you how to take criticism and learn from it - that's all on you. However, I (and I'm sure the others on this forum) can guarantee that no criticism here comes from a desire to make you feel bad about who you are and what you do.

To defend you for a bit, I have no problem with you asking for resources on where to look to learn things. You've been respectful about that and have never come out asking for exposure. That's cool, and I admire your obvious passion for learning more. All I can say to that is listen to what everyone here has to say. Participate - share your knowledge - and you'll find what you're looking for.

One of the problems with an open forum is that lots of people ask for info when they aren't even magi's, they simply want to know how something is done. Most members on here will be happy to point you in the right direction and occasionally we all fall foul of the sharp edge of someones tongue. Don't be disheartened, if info was given out willy nilly then there would be no mystery in magic anymore.

Even I have been upset by some comments made in the past, all I can suggest is have a large bag of salt next to you and take direct criticism with a pinch from the bag everytime. However CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM can be cutting but immensely helpful.

Your apology I'm sure is appreciated and taken on board by those responsible for upsetting you, I am unclear as to the situ that arose but I will say that if someone has made a mistake or annoyed others then had the heart to apologise then we must give that person the benefit of the doubt.

Age is irrelevant, maturity however is not so it comes down to who is most mature!!! Good luck searching, I hope someone has helped you.

Demitri wrote:Real life kicks you in the balls, my friend. Over and over again. Plain and simple.

Now there's a great quote!

Kati

I was thinking the same thing Kati.

I almost made it my signature. Immortal words there from Demitri.

"We're really proud of you, Johnnie, for raising your grades this term. But if you had worked harder on your algebra, the results would have been better."

In this case, Johnnie might feel encourged until he heard the word "but". He might then question the sincerity of the orginianal praise. To him, the praise seemed only to be contrived lead-in to a critical inference of failure. Credibility would be strained, and we probably would not achieve our objectives of changing Johnnnie's attitude towards his studios.

This could be easily overcome by changing the word "but" to "and".

Like this:
"We're really proud of you Johnnie, for raising your grades this term, and by continuing the same conscientious efforts next term, your algebra grade can be up with all the others."

Now, johnnie would accept the praise because there was no follow up of an interference of failure. We have aclled his attention to the behavior we wishe dto change indirectly, and the changes are he will try to llive up to our expectations.

Calling attention to one's mistakes indirectly works wonders with sensitive people who may resent bitterly any direct critism.

This seems v. familiar, did you copy this directly from "How to win friends and influence people"?

Demitri wrote:Sponge, you and I have been talking back and forth in pms a bit, and I enjoy our ongoing conversation.

No one likes getting criticism of any sort, but bro - that's life. I hear what you're saying, and I cna understand wanting people to cushion the criticism a bit, but things like that won't help you. Real life doesn't soften the blows or substitute words for you to make you feel better. Real life kicks you in the balls, my friend. Over and over again. Plain and simple. The comments you're getting here won't hold a candle to the ones you're going to get when you're out on your own. Trust me.

We can't teach you how to take criticism and learn from it - that's all on you. However, I (and I'm sure the others on this forum) can guarantee that no criticism here comes from a desire to make you feel bad about who you are and what you do.

To defend you for a bit, I have no problem with you asking for resources on where to look to learn things. You've been respectful about that and have never come out asking for exposure. That's cool, and I admire your obvious passion for learning more. All I can say to that is listen to what everyone here has to say. Participate - share your knowledge - and you'll find what you're looking for.

Great idea Demitri. That's the hardest part, to let critism roll off my back.

When I got mad, I'd practice magic more and more. I turned 18 about a week ago, and I feel pretty upset with myself because I watched another magician who is in his 20's and is much better at magic than I am. I've always focused on sponge balls and the magic gosh rountine.

I got Bobo's Modern coin magic and I'm working on mastering the the sleight where you keep the coin in the fleshy parts of the forefinger and thumb. My hands are trembling pretty hard right now, making sleights difficult. I've had severe ear infections when I was a child, I had tubes put in my in the past. You know when you're on an airplane and the altitude changes, then as the airplane is descending your ears "pop"? My ears won't pop. And this ear infection has been going on for months now. Only a few days ago did the pain become intolerable. This makes my hearing in my right ear very difficult. It makes me worry about the future because my former neighbor had severe ear infections and developed metiionus, a severe form of what I have. He became deaf in both ears. And he got it in his teenage years too.

SpongeBallSlight-of-hand wrote:I watched another magician who is in his 20's and is much better at magic than I am.

i guess that could be another goal to work for. some people just have a knack at doing things while others need to pratice alot to get it down.
its like the coin roll or the tenkai coin pinch, i sucked at it when i first tried, but after a few months, i almost got it down well (cept for the coin roll, still kinda slow...)

and about your ear thing on airplanes, i remember seeing earplugs that you put in before the flight and you dont touch them till you land. it keeps the pressure the same in your ear so you dont have to do that popping thing.