RIP

Do you have a family member going under anesthetic for a medical procedure anytime soon? If so, I think you should try this, and, in fact, I will spot you the money to do so. 

When this person wakes up from the anesthetic, have a nurse say, "My god, it's a miracle," and run out of the room. 

Then have a doctor (or someone pretending to be a doctor) come in the room and say something like, "Karen... it's... it's so good to have you back. My name is Dr. Roberts. Karen, do you remember why you came to the hospital originally?"

She'll say it was to get her appendix out, or whatever. 

"Yes. Yes, good. It seems your memory is still intact. Karen, I don't know how to say this, but there was an issue with your surgery and you slipped into a coma. You've been asleep for 25 years."

"We've notified your family." He points to a dusty stack of presents in the corner. "They never forgot you, they would bring you a gift every year on your birthday and they'd throw such a fit if we tried to move them. They had faith this day would come." 

There's a knock on the door and you and another member of the family come in wearing full old-age prosthetics. Ideally you have some 30-year-old playing your friend's grown-up five-year-old kid. 

Just cry a lot and at some point ask your friend if she wants to see what she looks like now. Reluctantly hold up a hand-mirror to her face which you've pasted a picture of the Crypt Keeper or Zelda Rubinstein or something to.

This isn't a magic trick, of course. I guess it's a practical joke. But really, I'd like it to be more than that. I'd like it to be something people do even if the target knows what's coming. This may be ambitious for something so complicated to pull off, but I'd like it to become a fad that sweeps the nation. Like planking or Tebow'ing once were. VanWinkl'ing.

Non-Magicians Talking Magic: Tom Scharpling on Criss Angel's Vegas Show

I'm a big believer in the benefits of listening to non-magicians talk about magic to other non-magicians. I think they speak a lot more candidly. If you can ever get someone to talk about magic before they know you do it, it can be very enlightening. At the very least it's much more worthwhile than listening to other magicians jabber on about magic. That echo chamber produces logic like, "If you're a good magician, people don't want to look closely at your props because they think you're real." That's magicians talking to magicians about magicians. And magicians aren't known for the keen insight into the ways real people think.

This audio is of Tom Scharpling who hosts The Best Show—a weekly, three-hour, radio show turned podcast—as he talks for 21 minutes about going to see the Criss Angel show in Vegas (the story doesn't end there, if you listen to more of the show you'll hear about the next night when he goes to a benefit show put on by Criss Angel which sounds insane). I think it's rare to hear a non-magician talk about a magic show for that long, and I think there are a couple good insights into how a layperson perceives certain effects, and there are some good laughs too. If you've got some time to kill, give it a listen.

"His style is like a dude who saw a Nine Inch Nails video and then saw the movie The Crow, and he's like 'Yeah, that's everything I need right there. Got it.'"

And if you're not familiar with The Best Show, here is one of the classic moments from the show as Tom Scharpling and Paul F. Tompkins discuss the upcoming Gathering of the Juggalos in 2009.

Jerx On Your Side: Forcing Pads

It's always a little odd watching trends come and go in magic. When I had my old blog there was a deluge of self-levitations and torn and restored card tricks. Then there was a haunted pack phase. And in the past couple years there have been a lot of "slide a card thru a dollar bill" tricks for whatever reason. Unlike trends in movies or music, magic trends have nothing to do with the audience and what they want, nor are they about a bunch of artists boldly following their muse. Instead it's just the insular and incestuous magician-centric creative process. 

A recent trend comes in the form of pre-made force pads. A year or so ago, a professionally made pad came out that was universally praised. And it wasn't long before someone came out with something very similar, but quite a bit cheaper, cleverly called The Force Pad. Then, a little while after that, Alan Wong released The Svengali Notebook.

But this post isn't about which of these force pads is the best, this post is about if it's even necessary to buy a commercially available force pad in the first place. That's why I asked The Jerx On Your Side Consumer Action Squad to make one of these pads to evaluate the cost and feasibility of making one yourself.

What I wanted to determine is if a homemade pad was workable or if it would be too clumsy and finicky to use in the real world. So Chip, Tina S., Trent, Marsha, and Tina P. went out to see if they could make one of these pads. 

First they went to Walmart and bought a 4-pack of notebooks (3 pictured).

Chip from the Jerx On Your Side team says, "Yes, you can buy notebooks at Walmart." That's a hot tip, Chip.

Then they went to a print shop and asked if they would use their guillotine chopper to cut a millimeter or so off the bottom of one of the notebooks (cut next to uncut).

Tina S. from the JOYS team tells us, "Yes, a print shop will cut a millimeter off the bottom of a notebook for you. They will ask you, 'What is this for?' You'll be like, 'Uhhh....' They'll say, 'You trying to fit it into a box or something?' You'll say, 'Sure, that's it.'"

Next they took a pair of pliers and bent up the end of the wire on both ends of the spiral from two notebooks (the cut one and a normal one) and twisted out the spiral.

Trent from the JOYS team astutely points out, "Yes, you can do this. That's how spirals and holes work. It's kind of fun."

Next they alternated sheets from the short notebook with sheets from the long notebook.

Marsha chimes in, "This just takes a few minutes, but it is the most time-consuming part of the process. And it is not fun like twirling around the spiral."

Then they took half the pile they just made, squared it up as best they could, added a back and front cover, reintroduced the spiral, bent in the ends of the spiral, and they had a force pad.

The JOYS team's Tina P. says, "There's not really anything for me to say. You just said it. It doesn't take five people to do this."

The edges of the pad looked fine. Essentially identical to an ungimmicked cheap pad.

In fact, maybe it was too good. Maybe the JOYS team didn't cut enough off.

I decided to test it with a scintillating trick I just came up with: forcing my favorite conjunction on someone from a book of conjunctions. What could be better than getting people to think of the word "and"?

I wasn't particularly confident as I held the notebook in my hands. Would it work?

Yeah, it worked completely fine. 

The Jerx On Your Side Consumer Action Squad's Final Thoughts

Chip: "If you're performing professional shows, you may want to buy the commercially available pads, but these homemade ones work pretty much perfectly. As a bit of an amateur magician (with the ladies) I would be perfectly content to use the homemade version."

Tina S.: "Even the pros might be content with the homemade ones. Especially when you consider the commercially available ones are $25 a piece and you can make your own in about 12 minutes for, literally, 22 cents (the notebooks were sold in a 4-pack for 88 cents) plus whatever you want to give the print shop for chopping off the bottom of the pad. They don't generally have a set price for such a thing. The professionally made ones might be twice as good, but they're not an order of magnitude better."

Trent: "You might think the pages would shift around with the thin wire going through larger holes which would affect the riffling of the pages. But it doesn't. There's a lot of friction between pages. We tried to get the pages to shift around or to make the gimmick not work and we couldn't."

Marsha: "Here's what I would do differently next time. Walmart also sells notebooks that look like the ones below. These are 3 for 88 cents (a bloodsucking 8 cents more per pad than the others). But these have plastic covers which will hold up better to the bending and riffling. And they don't have curved bottoms (Like your girl Marsha do. Heyyyyy!!) so the bottom of all the pages would be two right angles which would further disguise the work. I would use those in the future."

Tina P.: "Dammit. You took all the good stuff to say! Why am I even on the team?"

---

After this hard-hitting investigation, I have to say I agree with Trent. If you have a big gig, and want to be extra cautious, I would go with one of the professionally made pads linked above. Otherwise, I don't really see a reason not to DIY even for someone as lazy as me. The notion that you could toss four of these on the table, have four people choose any notebook they want and flip open to any page they want, and you could tell them what word or picture they're looking at (you know which notebook is which by cover color), is a pretty nice effect to make for under a buck. At the very least you may want to put together a "rough draft" version of an effect with the homemade version before shelling out the big bucks. 

This concludes the Jerx On Your Side Consumer Action Squad's investigation.

Statuses (Stati?)

The book: If you have paid in full, and completed the pre-shipment questionnaire, your book is on its way to you. I had originally planned to send them out in batches over the course of a few days, but then I just decided to push through and get it over with.

We bum-rushed a half-dozen different post offices today (because I didn't want to be the dick who was holding up the line forever at one). And it gave me 6 opportunities to use my standard post-office joke. When they ask in regards to whatever I'm sending, "Anything fragile, liquid, or perishable?" I always let my eyes get wide, clench my teeth, act real nervous and say, "Oooohhhh... it's a glass jug of buttermilk... is that going to be a problem?"

Good times.

What was the biggest mistake I made during the shipping process? Well, according to every post-office lady it was not sending the books media mail. "This is $12 to California! It would have been $3 media mail." I get it. I'm an idiot. I just didn't want to be murdered by people who paid for their books last October and now I'm saving a few bucks cheaping out on postage.

No, my biggest mistake was saying to myself, "For every person that asks that the book be inscribed, I'm going to write something different!" like a dingbat. I ran out of clever things to say after three books then I just sat there staring at each book for 5 minutes. I ended up putting something unique in each one (although there were a few major themes that came up again and again). Also if you put all the inscriptions together my identity is revealed. So someone try and track them all down. 

AATKT: If you ordered this individually it will be going out today.

The Jerx App: If you ordered the book, whether you have the app or not, you will be receiving an email Wednesday morning (my time) linking to a URL that describes the app, what it does, how it works, and some new tricks I've been working on with it: A Cute Memory Loss, ScribBold, and Chocolate & Vanilla Twist. What the app does is so simple I can show you in a 5 second gif. But it's also probably one of the most versatile magic apps out there. I know some of you are going to come up with some great ideas for it.

The new version of the app, which includes the main functionality the app was developed for, is a few days to a week away. Those of you book buyers waiting on promo codes should receive them soon after that.

This Site: Taking a day off and returning with a ton of non-book content starting at the end of the week.

Wrapped Up In Books

Now Shipping.

The Amateur at the Kitchen Table describes a set of precepts that, I believe, produce the strongest magic performances in casual, non-professional settings. However, the goal is not only to produce strong magic. The goal is to practice a philosophy of performing that spectators find natural and attractive, and eliminate those elements of amateur performing that often foster the belief of magic being hokey and magicians being weirdos.

This is, essentially, a 46-page essay. There are:

• No tricks

• No illustrations

• Few jokes

While I've discussed some of the topics on this blog before, the book contains no material from this site. It's all new content.

If you ordered The Jerx, Volume One, you're already receiving this. 

If you didn't, and you're interested, you can click the button below. It's $22 shipped anywhere.

[Update - April 2019 - This is now sold out. A reprint may happen, but not anytime soon.]

---

The Jerx, Volume One is also shipping this week.

Once this week is over I will assess how many copies I have left, how many of those I need to last me the rest of my life, and how many are available to sell. At that point the price will probably go up a little bit. So if you definitely know you want a copy, order one this week (see link in the menu bar), or email me and let me know you plan to get it and I'll make sure to hold onto one for you at the current price.

Don't let this opportunity slip by or you'll never get a chance to assemble the complete library of modern magic classics.

---

I want to thanks my friends who have helped with the book launch. Especially Andy #2 who has essentially had his Paypal hijacked by this project all year, and Andy #3 who is helping with the packing and shipping. (I'm not being clever with the #2 and #3. This isn't like The Donnas where we've all adopted that name. We just all legitimately have the same first name, so it's confusing.)

Regular posting will resume later this week, once the bulk of these books have shipped.

Dover, Overs, Cover

I have some really exciting news. First, I should probably apologize to those of you who donated $260-$300 to this site, in part because you were promised some exclusivity to the material in The Jerx, Volume One, but I've had to backtrack a teeny-tiny bit on that promise. You see, I've sold the paperback rights to Dover Publications and the mass market version should be out in time for Christmas at a cost of $6.99.

Uhm, that's a joke. You wouldn't think I'd need to explain that's a joke, but you haven't seen my email. I definitely need to explain that's a joke. I do get a lot of people asking if there's going to be an ebook or a second printing. I've tried to make this pretty clear, but the answer is "no." I realize it's fairly common in magic to try and weasel out of your claim of something being "limited edition," but these are legitimately the only copies that will be printed. Those who get it will be the ones who get it. That's it. The new material—which accounts for about half the book—will not be re-printed anywhere. I don't need to. I have plenty of other material for future publications if need be. (Need won't be. I'm never writing another thing in my goddamn life.) 

I do have a few more copies of the book than anticipated. Apparently book printing companies can print more copies than you ask for, and you have to pay for them! They're called "overs." This is standard in the publishing industry, or so I've been led to believe. But it sounds like a big scam. I can't imagine this working in any other industry.

"Uhm, Miss? I think the fried shrimp was supposed to be $8.99. The bill says $10.99."

"That's right. We gave you 12 shrimp instead of the 9 the menu indicates."

"Ok, but I didn't ask for more. I just ordered what was on the menu."

"Yeah... well... we were just having so much fun frying up shrimp that we fried up a few more. Now pay up."

I didn't realize book printing was so inexact. "Well... we turned on the book printing machine and it started spitting out books and we just kinda guesstimated when the pile looked about the right size. Go get your checkbook and pay for these extra books."

It's alright. There's not too many. And they'll either sell eventually or they won't. If they don't I'll give them to public libraries. Scar some kid for life who just wants to learn the french drop from Bill Tarr.

Oh, the fake Dover cover above reminds me of an alternative cover I seriously considered for my book.

A Simplified Card Coding System

After last Thursday's post I received an email from friend of the site and GLOMM Elite member, Les Allen. He recommended a change to the card coding system I mentioned in that post. I think his change makes the system easier to execute on both ends (the sender and the receiver). It turns a two step process into a two or three step process, but those steps are all easy. As opposed to the original code where one of the steps could be a little iffy and might require a bit more scrutiny.

To start with, you need a point to build your coding system around. If you're performing on a close-up pad, a small table, a couch cushion, or some other easily defined space, your locus will just be the center of you're performing surface. If you're at a big table or on the floor or on some other undefined surface, then your midpoint is going to be some imperfection or some aspect of the design of the surface. Or you can create a point to work around by placing any small object on the table, like a coin.

For the purposes of this example we'll say that the point we're building our code around is the tip of the dark wood triangle on this coffee table. 

A vertical and horizontal axis go through the midpoint. When you place an object on the table relative to the midpoint, it will either be on one of the axes, or it will be between two. This is very easy to differentiate. 

You imagine a clock-face around your midpoint. This is how we will code (or start to code) the values.

If the card box is on your center point, it's a king. If the card box is on an axis, you know the value of the coded card. If it's between two axes you know it's one of two values. So, for example, if the card box was in the south-east quadrant, you'd know it was a 4 or 5.

We determine which of those two values by whether the card case is front-side up (in which case it's the even value) or back-side up (in which case it's the odd value). Remember, the back of the case is odd. An easy mnemonic for this is that, when you make love, you should see the front of your partner because sex should be had face-to-face, in the missionary position, for the purpose of making children. It would be very odd to see your partner's back when making love. Very odd indeed. (Now is probably a good time to mention this site is transitioning to a Christian/gospel magic site.)

So if we go back to the box in the south-east quadrant, if we can see the front of the box, we know it's a 4. 

The suit of the card is coded as in the previous version of this code.

The good thing about this version is there's nothing to interpret. Nothing is unclear or riding the line between a couple different options. What this means is you can glance at the box for just a moment and remember the details and then decode them in your mind. You don't need to intently stare to know if something is closer to being a three or a four or whatever.

With certain card cases, like the modern Bicycle case, it's pretty easy to discern the top and bottom of the back side. If you're using some other deck, you can untuck the flap to make it easier.

So the steps to determine the card (or determine where to place the card) are these:

Step 1 - Determine if the box is centered on an axis. If it is, you know the value, go to step 3. If not, you know it's one of two values, go to step 2.

Step 2 - If the box is front-side up it's the even value. If it's back-side up, it's the odd value.

Step 3 - Determine what direction the box is pointing to figure out the suit. (Suits are in CHaSeD order going clockwise.)

Let's Practice. Scroll over the picture and the name of the coded card will be revealed at the bottom of the pic. Remember, the top of the dark triangle is our midpoint.

Queen of Clubs

Three of Diamonds

King of Spades

Seven of Spades

Nine of Diamonds

Jack of Diamonds

Five of Spades

What makes this extra-versatile is you don't need a deck of cards. You just need any object you can identify the top and bottom and the front and back of. As I mentioned in my original write-up in X-Communication, your cell phone would be good for this. But maybe you don't want to be seen handling something electronic in the process of coding something. In that case, use whatever you want. 

Imagine you had a little stuffed reindeer. You ask your spectator to think of any card and you hold up the reindeer and ask them to tell that card to it. They do. You put the reindeer back on the table. Your friend comes in, picks the stuffed animal up, and starts talking to it like a psychopath. "What's that, Chip? Someone is thinking of a card? What is it? The two of clubs?"

Let's practice with a reindeer.

Three of clubs

seven of spades

Nine of clubs

five of hearts

two of clubs

---

Of course, the coding is only the set-up. There are countless ways you could proceed. 

It can be enjoyable to claim you've been practicing card cheating with you're friend and you've learned to code cards between the two of you. But come up with some ludicrous method as to how you're coding the information. I'm particular to this one, "We've codified 52 different locations along the length of my closed lips, so depending on where this toothpick sticks out of my mouth, it will let him know what card I need." Meanwhile you place the deck in the location that identifies a card your spectator has named or selected. When your friend turns around or comes back in the room he quickly gleans the coded card and then makes a show of calculating the exact location the toothpick is held between your lips.

Another thing that's fun to do, if you're with a large group, is to send your friend out of the room. One person freely chooses a card that only he knows (well, you have to find out what it is too, either directly or indirectly) and puts it in his breast pocket. He then whispers the name of that card to someone. That person, in turn, whispers it to someone else, but when he does, he changes either the suit or the value. And it goes around the entire group this way with everyone changing an element of the card that gets whispered to them and whispering it to someone else. It's a big game of telephone, and at the end you have a seemingly completely random card named by the last person. Your friend comes in the room and is told the name of this random card. He asks everyone to line up in the order they whispered from person to person in. Then he starts mumbling and pointing indistinctly at people, his head lowered, as he attempts to backtrack the decisions made along the way. This is "A Beautiful Mind" type stuff.

"Ok, six of clubs, six of clubs. So that means you said the six of something or the something of clubs, so if you changed that variable we'd have to go back and think what would that have come from... we have to step further back...a three probably or a seven... spades...spades, spades, spades... but then a heart is likely... you wouldn't jump too far from your input card... so a single standard deviation...."

He's just mumbling this type of stuff under his breath. He's not speaking it so much as buzzing it. As he carries on he's walking backwards along the line of people until he's getting closer to the person who took the card. 

He is still concentrating deeply, staring at the floor. "We follow the precepts of the decision tree... probably plus two... maybe shifting to a minor suit... taking it back three steps or forward one..." he drones on until finally he stops walking and raises his arm in the air, extending his index finger. Speaking clearly now: "And if all that is accurate," he says, then pauses. He is still staring at the floor, but he slowly lowers his arm to point directly at the pocket of the guy who choose the card. "The card in that pocket is the ten of diamonds."

Which, of course, he knew two minutes ago when he walked in the room and saw the card case you placed on the table while the game of telephone was going on.