Roberto Giobbi Lecture

Last Wednesday night I spent a few hours in the presence of greatness. I arrived in Everett Washington for a three hour lecture by Roberto Giobbi.


He is Of Italian descent but lived in Switzerland. He speaks and writes five languages fluently and has written many books on Magic, Mostly card magic. He has written a book series known throughout the world as the Card College series.
I purchased this five volume set a few years ago.


I started reading volume 1 and got side tracked.
I am always getting side tracked magically. Other books, DVD's, seminars, lectures, and performing gigs, not to mention a full time job, and raising a family keep getting in my way! :)
During this wonderful lecture Mr. Giobbi did several magical effects that are taught in his books, which I have. He also spoke eloquently about something called the "Magic Pyramid." I was frantically writing notes trying to keep up with this generous, deep man. Then he mentions that this whole talk about the magic pyramid is written up in his volume # 4 Card College... which I own but have never opened.
I am kicking myself about this. In his first Card College book, Roberto says this at the end of his "Personal Note, which is at the opening of his book under the Heading The path Of The Master: "If you master the techniques and tricks in this course, you will be more capable than ninety percent of all magicians who do card magic, and you will have the tools of a card expert."
Wow! What a statement!
And Knowing Roberto Giobbi, I know this is a true statement.
So why? How do I get side tracked so often?
There is so much great information available, and so much great card effects and magic available. Where does one start?
Well, it seems this Card College series would be a GREAT place to start, and if one really goes thru it diligently, painstakingly... in a few years you would be an expert at card magic and one of the few in the upper 10 percentile of card magicians in the world!
So why wouldn't someone get after it!?
Vision, perseverance, diligence, seeing beyond the here and now....
Putting up with failure. Knowing that thru failure you are on the path to success.
Today as I type it is Sunday afernoon. I have been reading and studying very hard since the lecture.
I have spoken in depth with my friend Steve Ameden about wanting to dig deeper into this card magic. He reminded me of how far I've come, of what I will have to give up to do this Card College study. Making choices. Do I want to really be a connosier of card magic?
Sometimes I feel so good about my place magically, and at other times I feel like I have SO MUCH to learn!
What about my "stage" act? Am I willing to give that up? Put it on the back burner? Or is there a place in between where I can marry it all together!?
I believe ther eis and that makes me a well rounded magician!