Spending Time

Yesterday morning I couldn't sleep...
Thinking about magic, and how little I know of it!
Recently watched a dvd by David Stone, he is a french magician and really has awesome chops. He impressed me immensely. He talked about the amount of practice time he used to put in, and where he would isolate himself in a cold basement that he didn't really like being in. This forced him to really FOCUS on his time in the basement!
Some people tell me I've come really far in the last seven years magically, and they are right, I have, stop and smell the roses, have some pride in your accomplishments... Often times though, as I see how much more there is to master, I feel like WOW! I know so little, and this is also true.. A conundrum, how could both ideas be true!? :) Because they simply are, what barometer do we use to measure ourselves? Who do we compare ourselves with!?
Got to be careful, each of us has different talents, time and challenges in life to overcome. We each have different dreams about what it is we want to accomplish as well.
Last night I watched a dvd of Geoff Williams that I have had for a long time an finally took/made the time to watch it... again, BIG WOW! Awesome stuff, had me giggling inside! Like a little school child... Thinking of the wonderful possibilities with magic to have fun and entertain people kept me awake. It was so bad that at about 10:30 am, I got up and called my friend Chad Reibman, a fellow magician.
He was at work and we talked about things magic, He asked me if I wanted to meet for lunch, that's affirmative!
I drove to Bellevue, met Chad at the Bellevue Hyatt hotel. I brought several of my hand built magic tables with me... Chad did some Matrix work on each surface, and selected the one he wanted, we went up to his office to drop it off and then went and had some sandwiches for lunch, during lunch we talked magic, practiced magic and shared with each other some tricks, effects, and sleights!
Chad has really come a long way in the last several years. He works hard at magic, it occupies his mind 24/7. he has been performing EVERY chance he gets, whether it is for pay or free, doesn't matter, Chad is fired up and wants to be the best! He kind of rubbed of on me. He talked to me about watching myself on video, of which I have several, it is painful to do. I just watched a video of one of my "shows." While everyone was having a great time at the show, I noticed many things that I can and will improve upon.
Mostly, I need to slow down, let the magic register with the audience before moving on to the next part of an effect. I also revisited an effect that Tom Frank taught me years ago. I could not do some of the sleights he teaches in the effect then, but now I can, it is great to be able to stream line the effect and make it smoother!
Had a great time with Chad and re inspired!