Hello Again. I brought balloons.

After a one year hiatus, I'm back, and thinking about trying this all over again. I stopped writing after an article that I wrote a year ago on another blog was sussed out, and misused.
I'll give this one more try.

So dear readers, both of you, here is something new.

The work of the very talented JoAnn Gray.

Once again, the magic of Jon Levit

Here's my friend Jon during a December performance at the Magic Castle. This is a version of the Memorized Magazine trick. If you've never seen it, it will give you chills.

A Random Clown Sighting

Yesterday, the youngest was watching the Disney Channel, and lo and behold, Chris Dollard was on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Chris is a Clown College Grad of 1990, same as me, and was one of the nicest and funniest guys there.
Over the years, I have seen him selling everything from soup, to cars, to towels. It was nice to see him in a show for a change. Way to go Chris. Haven't talked to him since he was on the road with the show, but I hope he's doing well.

Xin Nian Kuai Le!!

February Seventh is not only the beginning of the Year of the Rat, but my son, Dashiell's birthday. So to one third of the world, Happy New Year. To my son, Happy Birthday, I love you. When you have a son as full of life and energy as Dash, the other one third of the planet really doesn't matter so much.

For those of you who would want to fold a rat, here is the first part of three in a YouTube series on how to fold the rat created by the wonderful Eric Joisel.

Reunions, Conventions and blah blah blah....

I know it's been a long while since I have posted. But sometimes life gets in the way of doing all the fun things that you want to do. So for you dear readers, (both of you) I figured I would post today to share my excitement for 2008.
Well this year looks to be the year for another Clown College reunion. And we're headed to Baraboo Wisconsin. After bandying about on the list for months about when we're having it (this year, next year, a week after Armistice Day) and where we're having it (on a boat, in Florida, two miles NNW of Tobago). It has been nailed down. Greg and Karen Desanto did all the leg work and got prices and dates and all that stuff. My hats off to them, I can't even get it together long enough to plan dinner some days, let alone plan a reunion for 1000 or more far-flung circus gypsies. I will be attending this reunion, and not my 20th high school reunion. I don't think that St. Louis U.High will be holding a pie throwing contest, if they did it would be a tough call. But the last reunion was such a blast that I think the Ol' U. High would still lose out.
This year is also the year for the Mega-magic convention in Louisville. The International Brotherhood of Magicians, and the Society of American Magicians will be holing a joint convention this summer. This will be something to see. Books, props, shows and late night BS sessions held in hotel bars, stairwells, and hallways. Man I miss those. If things go right, I will be hanging with my high school partner in crime, Jon Levit. The fickle finger of fate messed with me and Jon in 2006 (details here), and we hope to duck under the finger this year. I also hope to see the infamous Joe Stringer, a man that I caused a lot of trouble with in New Orleans during my years there. The last time I saw Joe, he was wearing a cheap gorilla suit and harassing tourists in Jackson Square. Why? Because he felt like it would be fun to do on his last day in town. Then he was off to parts unknown. Louisville could be a good time.
I hope that these two events will kick start me into working as a performer again. At least have it get me off my ass to go out and do something, anything, with plans and ideas that I have had sitting in my skull for years. I miss the rush I got being in front of an audience. From the first days of grade school show-and-tell 'til now, nothing beats standing up and saying "Look at me look at me look at me look at me!!!"

Sleigh bells ring, are you listenin'?

I have now come to that point in the year where I have to decide: Do I want to purchase really cool Christmas cards or do I want to make them. I have made them in the past and they have turned out well. Like the one above. But the time it takes just kills me.
There are all sorts of really cool things out there. Robert Sabuda always has cool cards for sale. Masahiro Chatani has a wonderful book on making Christmas cards.
Hmmm. What to do what to do.

Where the F#@K are my shoes!!

I have two pair of clown shoes both made by the wonderful Wayne Scott & Marty Scott (pictured above). However, I our recent move I can't remember where I packed them. I am preparing to break a self imposed rule of mine and wear my clown costume out on Halloween. My kids have requested that I wear it because they haven't seen me in it in well over a year now. So I am off to search piles of boxes to find my beautiful and elusive shoes. Now where did I put my greasepaint?

When looking for clown shoes, there are only two options in my opinion. Wayne Scott or John Spears. Both are top quality craftsmen, and damn fine people.

Wayne Scott shoes - http://www.clownshoesandprops.com/
John Spears - http://www.spearshoes.com/