I completely forgot that it was Wednesday until early Thursday morning, and since I haven’t decided upon protocol for missed posts, I just skipped it completely and waited until today. Got it? Good.

I saw a couple movies in the past few days, Observe and Report (don’t waste your time) and Knowing (decent, but I wasn’t a big fan of the ending). I’m aware it’s not the greatst creative leap ever taken, but Knowing made me start thinking about prediction effects. I’ve got a bunch of thoughts right now, and I’ll probably expand on this at a later date.

Briefly, I started thinking about the impact of predicting multiple events, instead of just one thing. How would a publicity stunt be affected if instead of predicting one set of winning lottery numbers, the magician predicted a couple month’s worth, along with winner’s names? What if someone accurately predicted the weather and high temperatures for a long stretch of time?

I also thought about how I could heighten the impact of a prediction. Sure, knowing the lottery numbers is fun, but what if I could play them, or show evidence that I played them? Would it be any more or less realistic to show that I knew what the numbers would be, then pull out the prize money as proof?

I kinda wish I hadn’t started writing about this, because now I’ve got a lot more I want to say but I’m late and need to leave. I’ll revisit this on Wednesday (maybe before if I’m inspired and have free time) but in the meantime, please leave your thoughts in the comments.

Andster

This counts as a post. Sue me.

Andster

According to my stats, this is my 400th published post since starting this blog so long ago. I wish I had something memorable to say, instead of sitting in front of my laptop trying to bang out a scheduled entry before I have to go to work.

Having this blog is one of the best things that’s happened to me. It’s given me a place to vent, to brain dump, to make smart ass comments and talk shit, and a place to write about things that are important to me. I’ve shared a lot of my life with complete strangers (some would probably say I’ve shared too much) and have come out of that for the better. (Hey, it’s cheaper than therapy!)

When I first started blogging 4 (or was it 5?) years ago, there weren’t many of us out there. I remember being inspired by the handful that were around and thinking, “Hey, I could do that!” So sure as shit I signed up for a bloglines account and started writing. Somewhere along the line, I did something right and got noticed and got popular and that made me happy.

I fully realize that this “magic blog” is anything but at times. Hell, at most times. But I’m really trying to get back into the swing of things. It sucks when real life takes its toll and I can’t perform as much or keep up with all the magic news. Although in the era of iTricks it’s almost futile to try to find and post magic news of your own because they do such a damn fine job of it. I am working on my magic more and trying like hell to actually do something, although I’m well aware I’ve been crowing about that for 4 years now. Maybe this time it’ll actually happen.

I’d like to send thanks to everyone who’s kept me going this long. First and foremost, a big thank you to John LeBlanc for creating and hosting this site. Without you, I literally would not be here.

Thanks are also due to JB of the Magic Mafia, if he’s still around somewhere. He brought me out of the shadows and drove lots of traffic to my site, as well as listening to God knows how many emails full of whining bullshit.

Thanks to the guys at iTricks for being awesome and supportive, as well as Andrew Mayne for all the sneak peeks and review copies that will some day get fully reviewed.

Big big thanks to my friends Sam Blankenship, Peter McKinnon, and Jen from DC for being wonderfully great people, who’ve spent lots of time bouncing ideas around with me and giving advice. Jen, I owe you a cake. Pete, I need to sit in on a podcast with you. Sam, why the hell does California have to be so far away?

Also a thanks to everyone who reads my “other blog” by following me on Twitter. It’s even more boring and sporadically updated than this is, but it’s still neat. I think so, anyway.

Finally, thanks to everyone who’s ever stopped by to read something, left a comment, or even just heard about andster.com accidentally. If I didn’t have an audience, I wouldn’t keep going. Without you, I am nothing. And I am eternally greatful to not be a nothing.

Andster

While flipping through the latest issue of Cosmo (don’t ask) I came across some information that could prove to be invaluable for all the magicians out there still trying to get girls with their tricks. Pass this on to everyone you know (or at least post it in the Ellusionist and Penguin forums).

In an interview with actor Taylor Kitsch, they talk about his role as Gambit in the new Wolverine movie and call his ability to throw cards an “awesome party trick.” He responds with “…It would be pretty sad if I were in a bar trying to impress people with a deck of cards. I wouldn’t want to be that guy.”

So let that be a lesson to you. If “Man on Fire” Taylor Kitsch wouldn’t use a deck of cards to impress people, you shouldn’t either.

Do a 3-Fly instead.

Andster

I almost didn’t write anything today, because I don’t want it to be interpreted as an April Fool’s Day joke. But I know how easily skipping one day will turn into skipping all of them, so I decided to write about April Fool’s Day and why I don’t like it anymore.

When I was younger, I used to love this day. I’d plot and plan and come up with devious pranks and laugh and laugh and laugh when they actually worked. But as I grew older, I started to like April Fool’s less and less. I’ve finally gotten to the point where I can honestly say I hate it. Last night I came up with a reason why.

Let’s for a moment change playing jokes into punching people. Let’s pretend that when you punch somebody, everybody laughs and congratulates you because they didn’t expect it, and you all have a grand old time. Now pretend that on April 1, it’s National Punch Everyone Day, where you’re expected to go out and punch everyone you can.

So on April 1, you manage to hit someone and instead of going, “Boy! You really got me! I wasn’t expecting that at all!” they say “Yeah, today is National Punch Everyone Day, isn’t it? Well, you caught me with my guard down. Oh, well. Live and learn, right?”

April Fool’s Day has changed from a day when it was simply socially acceptable to play a joke on someone to a day when it’s expected that you’ll play a joke on someone. When people expect the joke, it lessens the impact and it’s nowhere near as funny.

This is also true in magic. If you telegraph your ending, it lessens the impact on your audience. Surprise them, and enjoy their true reactions. And also surprise them with pranks on days other than April 1.

Oh, by the way, I’m quitting blogging.

Andster

April Fools!
(Yes, I hate myself.)