A time to share

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Workin Towards The Day

When I won't be nervous to perform magic for people...
I practice and practice, but still... I think it will come as I perform more often.
Adding new material all the time, working on my chops and my stage presence. Becoming larger than life. A star! At least for the people I am in front of at that particular moment. Touching lives, young and old and in between. I may be their first introduction to magic. I want to make it a positive one. A feeling of joy and happiness. Having fun creates this affection. Hard to have fun when to much concentration is going on, smiling and relaxing, trusting the work I've put in... Saturday looms large as I prepare for a 40 minute show. Excitement and dread intermixed. Sunday a couple of effects to be performed for the people I go to church with... which effects to perform? New material, egg bag, amazing banana bandanna... new stuff... looking for laughs and fun! Theatrics, being theatrical, entertaining, beyond the know how of how to simply do the trick...
Trusting yourself, knowing that all is well because you've put in the hours...
That's right! I'm there!

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

His Reply

hey dad its great to hear from ya! im at the dam now in haditha. its a pretty cool place actually. i live inside the dam, its kinda wierd and there are plenty of stairs, but kinda cool too. im sorry i havent been able to write or phone home. it costs like four dollars an hour to get on the internet here and i am not able to make phone calls from this place very easily. i am getting ready to go on my first mission tomorrow morning. most missions are like a day or two, this one is twenty! we are expected to get back here to the dam on the twelth of october. im excited to go and a little nervous at the same time. anyways, sounds like the fishing is going alright (except for the mishap with the waders and the rod lol). how do you like fishing in the river? i wish i had more time to write, but i kinda need to figure out exactly how i need to pack for this mission and start getting ready. i got my address here also, so i will give ya that. i wont be able to get back on here for at least three weeks. i am doing well though and i hope everyone back home is as well. i love you all and cant wait to hear from you again.
love eric

Friday, September 21, 2007

I Tried

To honor our son by using his fishing rod on the river yesterday, I thought it would be good to use his rod, thereby he would be with me as I fished, which he was. Funny thing though, I casted with his rod and the outer half flew off into the river, I tried to retrieve it but had no success. I emailed him in Iraq and told him when he gets back I will buy him a new rod and we'll go break it in together.
Miss ya son.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

New & Better

Awhile back I traded a magic table that I built, a special magic table... one that is heat and fire resistant, for a dresser drawer unit. I finally got around to staining the unit!
Turned out really nice!

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

River fishing...

My friend Erik took me fishing to day on the Puyallup river. I met up with Erik at the Auburn Denny's, followed him to the happy fishing grounds...

He tied up a special leader just for me... maybe he shoulda kept it for himself... After about 5 casts into the river I had "Fish On" a nice 3 lb Humpy... Erik was excited for me. I know the feeling, when you take someone fishing, you want to make sure they catch fish... I feel that way when I take someone out on my boat...

I wasn't watching but I heard a "SNAP" over by Erik. Him and another angler got tangled up and the tip of Erik's rod was broken, bummer! He told me as he was leaving that it was the first day this season he has been skunked. Double ouch!

I caught one more fish about 7:30 and since the chest waders I have leaked, my feet got really numb so I called it a day. I stopped on the way home and picked up a nice neoprene chest wader. I plan on going again on Thursday!
I had a great time, the second fish was a little larger and peeled some line. I have a lot too learn at this type of fishing. All the anglers seemed friendly and helpful.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Yesterday...


Sunday evening dinner, Seahawks football, church and son Ryan joining us for eats!
He brought his friend Vong with him. We enjoyed Steaks and chicken and more. A good time visiting and talking.

War man!

our son Eric is in Iraq. Age 20 and serving YOU! Many do not believe that we as a nation belong in Iraq. Sometimes I agree, but on the whole, I do not. I find it ironic that we Americans, who have so much, are spoiled rotten, and do not want other nations to enjoy the fruits we take for granted... the right to vote, the right to voice your opinion, without fear, the right to assemble, free speech and on and on..
Eric is a fine young man, I wish more of our youth were like him.
Funny but we received an email from Eric and in it he said he is eating fantastic in Al Asad. Four great meals a day. And here's the kicker, he feels guilty about it. That's right, he feels guilty for eating well as a Marine.
They are putting him thru the many classes necessary to be careful in a foreign land, then he is of to Haditha.
Keep praying for him.

A Week Later

And still thinking about what to post on here and where I am going in life...
The main question is... what do I want to be when I grow up?
I have been battling that question for over 30 years, (I'm 48) and still searching and playing... I have been a working man for 33 years, having started working at age 15... YIKES! :)
Been married for 26 years and along the way we have enjoyed? three children, two of which are grown men and moved out on their own.
Flying kites, raising children, making friends, losing friends, work acquaintances, harmonica playing, boating, fishing, partying, Christmases, Thanksgivings, playing softball, coaching our kids in both baseball and basketball, playing in many sports leagues, flag football, a bit of travelling and golfing... learning and performing magic, swimming, being a sinner and saved Christian, battling with God, giving in and taking back, and the beat goes on...
Went fishing last week and got skunked, I guess the fish moved on up into the rivers to spawn...
Heard there is supposed to be a large run of Silver Salmon heading into the Sound? Dunno..
Going to fish the Puyallup River on Tuesday, a new adventure for me, river fishing...

Saturday the wife and I went to see Sterling Dietz perform at the South Precinct in Seattle (Police precinct)..
We invited some friends and they went as well.
Sterling is just 16 years old and inspires me magically, for some reason I think it is supposed to be the other way around, me being older, but I am inspired by his magic and his hard work. Makes me swallow my pride and realize I ain't practicing as hard as I could be!
Funny, as I watched him perform, I realized that my "chops" are probably equal to his and yet I am not in his class. Why? Because of fear, and not performing. Sterling's father told me that Jeff McBride and others told him to perform, perform and perform some more.
That is great advice! Beat your fear down, find who you are as a magician... and thru performing you will gain knowledge and find yourself magically.
Sterling had fun during his performance and it doesn't seem to be a "contrived" thing with him, heck, he is only 16! Wow! I am excited for him.
I will be performing on the 29th of this month and again on Oct. 12th.
I need to get some business cards made and get after it.
I met Sterling because he was interested in purchasing one of my magic tables, which he did!
I hope he really enjoys it and gets much use out of it.

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Day of Magic

Well why not?!
I got up early and watched the Huskies defeat the favored Boise State team this afternoon, I watched the game (the first half anyway) with my friend Dan, He says I can call him a friend now that he is retired, before, when we were co workers, we were... co workers...
Dan left at halftime and so did the Huskies offense, neither team scored the rest of the game. It's just as well because I made a journey to Seattle to see a fellow magician at the West Police precinct where he was performing... His dad had called me and wanted to purchase one of my magic tables. His name is Sterling Dietz. He is a fine up and coming magician, you will certainly see and hear more about this young phenom. He chose the table with the opening in the back. Right on!

I hurried home from Seattle because I had a couple of magi coming by for dinner and a magic session. It was a great time and the food was good too. We worked on the newspaper tear.
Other things we worked on were card warp. Everyone had their two cents worth on this one.

Friday, September 07, 2007

An Other White Meat!

I fished Redondo from about 6:30 to 11 am.
I started out with the Purple Haze trolling about 2 mph...
Not much happenin on the water. It was a nice calm day as far as wind & rain and chop. I was enjoying the day, more relaxed than I normally am. Wanted to catch fish but, after the last couple of skunks, I decided to just enjoy myself.
Low tide would be around 7:45 And that would suit me just fine. Got a strike at about 7;30, right on time... it was a small 18-20 inch Blackmouth, well it was a start. I noticed some bait on top of the water and steered towards it. I was thinking how I never seem to get a bite when trolling thru bait, must be a myth... when my down rigger pops off, I chuckled to myself... the fish was a there and gone, see ya later fish... a temptress, a tease... that was about 8:15... These two strikes were at 45 feet on the Purple Haze.
I didn't see many nets but people claimed to be catching fish...

I switched to the tri colored blue/green/yellow hootchie but had no success.
I figured since I had the two earlier strikes on the Purple Haze... so I put it back on...

I planned on getting out of the water at 9 am but then moved my out time to 10 am. I was making my last run of the day towards the dock, I had to troll thru a bunch of seaweed and dropped to a depth of 70 feet, I didn't bother cleaning the weeds off my line as it began to build, figuring it was my last run, all of a sudden I noticed a bump, bump bump on my rod tip and then it popped off, line began to peel from the reel and I got excited!
It ran a few short bursts and finally just allowed itself to be reeled to the boat, then it got belligerent, and just kept circling as it got nearer the net and the boat. Finally I landed him, a nice 7 lb. Buck... later when I got home and filleted him, I noticed it was a white meated salmon. I have caught these before, not often, I hear they are somewhat rare and supposedly a treat for the taste buds... we'll see!


THIS FROM THE WEB:


Some Salmon meat is referred to as "white" Salmon. This designation refers to a Salmon that has had been born with a genetic difference resulting in a deficiency of their pink pigmentation resulting in a meat that is all white or a combination of white and pink. When the meat of the Salmon is both white and pink in color, the fish may be referred to as marbled or creamsicle meat. Although there is no nutritional difference, the more white meat existing on the fillet or steak, the milder the flavor.


Another view:

The rich, red meat of a wild Alaska king salmon is a vivid sight. Translucent and buttery, the deep red color comes from pigments in crustaceans in the salmons’ diet. Some king salmon – about one in 20 – have white meat due to an inability to process these pigments in their food. Although these white kings have long been coveted by many Alaskans, the pale meat typically fetched a lower price from fish buyers and was considered commercially less desirable. But now white kings are making a splash in the commercial market.

In past years white king sold for about sixty cents less per pound than the more familiar red-fleshed king, and some fish buyers enjoyed this rarer king salmon for a bargain. Nowadays many believe white king’s flavor is more delectable than their more common cousin. The marketing tide has turned and now the fairer fish, marketed as “ivory king,” brings a higher price.
Sherry Tuttle of Rose Fisheries in Sitka said her East Coast customers covet the white king, and they’re willing to pay more for it.

King (also called Chinook) salmon with white or red meat are the same species, Onchorhynchus tshawytscha. From a nutritional standpoint, research has shown the white kings and the red-fleshed kings are identical in composition of lipids, moisture, protein and omega -3 fatty acids, the “good” fats that can protect one from heart disease. But white kings are preferred by many fans of king salmon.

“White king is the best, a true melt in your mouth delicacy,” said Linda Belarde of Juneau.

“It is much oilier and hence, tastier,” said Donald Gregory, an Alaska Native of the Tlingit people. “When home-canned you can really see the difference in the amount of oil produced.”

Some sport anglers believe that white kings fight differently once hooked. “When you’re sport fishing and you get a king on, sometimes you can tell if it’s a white because they tend to take off swimming straight down, a red would swim out away from the boat,” said Gregory.

Regardless of how that king fights once on the hook, red and white king salmon look the same when hauled out of the water. It isn’t until the fish is sliced open that the lucky angler learns the color of the flesh. In the past it was believed that white and red king salmon consumed notably different diets, leading to their flesh color distinction. Scientists now believe that variation in flesh color is controlled by genetics.
The meat of a typical king salmon may range from reddish-orange to pinkish-red.

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

The Joy of practice...

I was going to write tonight about the lack of motivation I have right now for practicing my magic. I have a gig coming up on the 29th of this month... I need to practice some new material that I have pretty much down, but still it is ALWAYS in need of repeating the reps. I also want to start working out but lack the motivation for that as well... I just stopped by my friend Tom Franks' blog and he has just uploaded a picture about practicing as well. I find it interesting because someone left this comment there. "RA Swigert said...
Ahhhh... The joy of practice. It's a great feeling to dust off an old routine and bring it back to life. I wish you the best out there, with reborn tricks in your arsenal.
-RA"
And while it is true that it is great and fun and wonderfully anticipatory to get new and exciting tricks going... I am felling rather old and tired at the moment.

Maybe all the fishing is wearing me out. Fishing is supposed to be a relaxing endeavor, or so that is the mindset most people have. I find it to be a lot of work, launching your boat, baiting your lures, keeping them active, driving the boat, cleaning your catch and your boat ans gear afterwards... perhaps it is because of a lack of sleep? I continually stay up for 24 plus hours at least once a week, often stretching that into 30 hours or more. Most "normal" people cannot even fathom this idea, sure, they can wonder and think how it might be, but to actually live it for 12 years...
I am not trying to whine here or complain about my lot in life, I have a great life and have been blessed beyond what I deserve, nice home, great family, three children all doing great, loving wife and dog... decent job, good health and a somewhat sharp mind...
It's just that recently I am having trouble wanting to work on magic, I love magic and I have several "free" hours a night to devote to practice. I mean really practice, another blessing I am squandering?!
Magic like many worthwhile endeavors is a loner activity in that it is something you must work on by yourself for the most part. The saying, "If it's to be, it's up to me." has never been more appropriate.
I wish I had a magic buddy that lived close by to work with, someone to challenge me and keep me motivated.
Perhaps if I keep this image in mind it will help!

Thought Triggers

We have been growing delicious Asian "pear apples" for years. First at our home we used to own, and we planted two trees at our new home which ain't so new, now that we have been in it for over 15 years...
Here are some of those delicious apples, they are really sweet and juicy. I usually give them away because there are too many for my family, especially now that the boys are grown up and moved away. Every year i would make sure and give some to my younger brother Ted. He loved them. I have been giving him some ever since we found out you could grow them in our state. The tree costs about 20 bucks and they really produce.
The last time I saw Ted alive was last year when he brought a broken three wood to me to repair and at the same time I gave him a large bag of these apples. That was probably last November. We have two of these trees, one produces it's harvest now in early september and the other later, more like in October or early November. As I walk out into our backyard and see the fruit growing I am often reminded of him.
Here's to you Bro.

Gone, in a snap

A three day weekend and it's gone as fast as you can now snap your fingers...
I was asked by my boss to work Saturday and Sunday... I didn't even know it was a three day weekend... I thought about it for a minute and answered yes to working the weekend(I thought it only a two dayer)... My boss said something like," as of right now we're not working Monday..." this clued me in to the fact that it was a holiday weekend... I said something like is this a three day weekend? He said yeah, Labor day.. and you're not going to let us work the Monday? Nope,he replied. O.K. here's my thoughts. You work the weekend because it's really good money, a trade off, you trade your family time for extra pay. They pay extra for your valuable time, but to not give you the Monday is criminal to me.. especially on 3rd shift... It messes with your sleep routine which is already screwed up enough as it is, but to have you take a day off in the middle is really difficult... So I told him, I don't want your overtime...
Went fishing on Friday with Katie and we got skunked, didn't see many fish caught by other boaters either. We had a great time just being together and of course, we brought her dog Cub along too.
Saturday I was in a foggy mood, this happens after staying up for some 28 hours straight... it catches up with you and knocks you down, but I eventually got some things done, I changed the oil in both the car and the truck, they both are purring now! We don't drive the Suburban too much, it got driven about 5500 miles in the last year, price of gas being what it is... the Intrepid, well that gets about 20,000 miles a year, just replaced the tires again...I still like that car, we bought it new in 1996 and It still looks great.
BBQ'd some of that King Salmon in the freezer, it was excellent!

Sunday we attended church and then went home and vegetated a bit, watched some t.v. took the dog for a walk and relaxed in our hottub.
Monday I slept in and finally got rollin' around 10:30, knowing I had to work that night, Joan let me sleep in...
I talked her into going out on the boat around 1:30 in the afternoon. Not the best time to fish, but I wanted to see how the adjustments I made to the "new" kicker motor would work. We took Cub with us and spent about three hours on Puget Sound. It was a nice peaceful time. Didn't catch any fish...