Focus & Finish

My magic mentor Jeff McBride, wrote me a letter. “It’s great Romany, that you’ve lots of creative new ideas but it seems to me that you avoid finishing projects and don’t spend your time to polish the piece until it’s really finished.” Deep in denial, I ignored Jeff and I ignored his letter. Except that I did pin it on my notice board where I could see it every day. Each time it caught my eye, I...

Dear Abbi, A Word from the Wife

“Women have served all these centuries as looking-glasses possessing the magic and delicious power of reflecting the figure of man at twice its natural size.” — Virginia Woolf Recently, one of Jeff’s students was sharing how he really hates to show his wife any magic.  He said he feels like she’s his worst critic; she’s not enthusiastic about watching his...

Magic of a Great Wizard

I know a Great Wizard. He has great powers that could boggle the mind. His abilities and agility are so great that human eyes will never see the subtleties of his magic. He can read minds; but he does not. He can foretell the future, but he does not. He can make things appear and disappear, of course; but does not. What kind of wizard is he? He is a wizard of possibilities. In his world he is...

To Be A Magician

“Magicians are born, not made.” — Carl Herrman, Personal Recollections It’s an experience most of us have in common. My first recollection of understanding of the uses of magic was many years ago on an exploratory walk through the east side ghetto of my hometown of Newburgh, New York. A child of maybe six was sitting on a dirty stoop in the middle of a deserted block,...

Pondering About Magic and Creation

It was my 5th birthday. Although he was no magician my father knew some magic tricks and he was going to do a small show for my friends. But before they arrived he took me into his room, lit a cigarette, took a few puffs. Then he closed his hand into a loose fist. I watched with amazement as if I felt something extraordinary was about to happen. He took the cigarette out of his mouth, dropped it...