Naquada

Dynamo is one the UK’s young an bright magicians.. In huge demand for a number of high profile companies, he’s now turned his hand to helping Nokia with their new Nokia Connectors campaign

Both videos feature some nice magic with the Nokia phone’s

It’s nice to see magic coming back into the mainstream again.. and it’s nice to see it’s the UK guys working in conjunction with companies like Nokia to bring it to the public eye..

If you read my blog, you’ll be aware that Dynamo did his first UK lecture last year at the International Magic Convention in London

Today marks 10 years in my current employment with IBM, although not all my time has been with IBM, my acquired years still count, and hence I have received my 10 year service award.

It’s funny the things I have experienced in the last 10 years, the changes to both people and things. The people that have come, and gone..

Who knows what this year or next will bring..

..we will have to see.

iTricks ran a post yesterday about a debate that was running over on the View Askew message boards; a battle between the home-site favorites Jay and Bob and the Bad Boys of Magic Penn and Teller.

Today iTricks picked up my comic run of exactly how a Penn and Teller Vs Jay and Silent Bob run in would turn out…

The internet life’s been like a roller coast ther last few months.. Obvisouly my blogs been going for a good few years now, with intermittant random posts about just about everything and anything.

Then I started work on the Home Counties Magicial Society website, and then went from strength to strength, I then took over the Magic Convention Guide, which again has met with great reactions and feedback, after that I was asked on-board at The Magic Woods, a modern magicians forum, and then last week, Justin Robert Young over at iTricks asked me if I’d like to take up a role as a weekend poster for them.

Phew!!! between all of those forums and sites, I actually reach a huge number of readers on a regular basis, but it’s safe to say that I think now I’m full on the intenet writing side!!

It was a real blast, honor and somewhat nerve wracking writing this weekend writing for iTricks, I can’t quite remember how I found iTricks initially, but it’s been a staple part of my daily life for quite some time, reading the posts and listening Justin’s dulcet tones drifting through my earbuds from my iPod and now my iPhone on the train into London. So it’s been kind of strange sitting on the other side creating the content!!

I’d really like to thank Justin and the iTricks team for the opportunity to help out, and I hope that weekends will be just as good for the iTricks readers as weekdays are. Even if they do have to listen the slightly insane rants and babblings of an Englishman…

iTricks really does break some HUGE stories, and you’d be surprised who in the industry actually keeps a very close eye on them… so make sure you head over.. pick up the Podcast on iTunes and enjoy…

Yesterday was Marvellous 2008 down at Wellington Country Park.

Despite the forecast of rain.. the day was scorchingly hot and sunny.

Playing the tribute list were Bob Marley, The Gee Bees, T-Rex, Abba and Earth, Wind, and Fire.

We always love marvellous, its a great day out, and we get to spend the day with friends, drink wine and eat.. and you can’t get much better than that really!!!

It seems like not that long ago that I was rushing back from London to get to Marvellous 2007 , how time flies!!!

I took a few photos.. and ‘edited’ some as well…

We had a slight hang over this morning..

I’m not quite sure how I agreed to go to a Bon Jovi concert, except that Michelle loves them, and I love her..

We spent last Friday night at Twickenham stadium for the lost highway tour..

It was loud, and the lights were pretty..

It’s been an absolutely mad few weeks, hence having quite a few posts queued up to go..

In the last few weeks we’ve be up to Scotland for a break..

We managed to get a small cabin on the shore of Loch Awe near Dalmally about 2 hours north of Glasgow and about 45 minutes from the nearest bit of civilisation, a small village shop.

It was a fantastic week, even with the midges, and please if anyone says ‘mind the midges’ if you go to the western side of Scotland, don’t think they are joking.. The place is full of them.. Not rain, shine, wind or flame thrower will send them packing!

We did spend a lot of our time in the lodge as the weather wasn’t wonderful, but it was a good time to get on with some magic books, kick back, and relax.

We did wander out to Loch Ness about another 2 hours north. The scenery on the way up was just breath takingly dynamic. It was, between the rain, a great chance for photos, especially some good sky and cloud shots at Loch Ness.

Loch ness itself I guess needs no introduction, except we saw no monsters, no midges either strangley. Loch ness itself I knew was big, however I didn’t quite realise exactly how big.. If Loch Ness was emptied, it would cover the UK in 6 inches of water from end to end, there is also not enough water in the uk to refill it..

The last day we spent in Glasgow and I took the opportunity to visit Tam Shepards magic shop on Queen Street, owned by the legendary Roy Walton, we had a great chat, and he was kind enough to sign two copies of the complete Walton (volumes one an two)

We returned home to our ‘under construction’ bathroom and a comfy bed..

Jack Parker passed away a year ago, on the 30th June 2007. It is no exaggeration to say that Jack was one of the best card magic creators of our time. He was an inspiration to many card magicians and showed just what it takes to develop a great magic trick. A lot is owed to Jack Parker.

His good friend Andi Gladwin, published a book on his card magic last year; 52 Memories, with contained 52 pieces of Jack’s best work, and you known when people like Richard Kaufman, David Acer, J C Wagner, and Paul Harris and David Regal sing his praise, it was a huge loss when Jack died long before his time, and we should remember his life.

To celebrate his magic, Andi Gladwin will be sharing a video of his magic every day for the next week. If you’ve never seen Jack Parker perform before this is a perfect opportunity to experience him performing some of his best creations. The video marathon will have a new video posted each night at 12am (GMT) each day this week at http://www.andigladwin.co.uk/jack-parker/

You can also get the book 52 Memories directly from Andi, which without doubt is one of the best books on cards I have read from some time.

So its been a little quiet on the blog the last month, mainly due to wedding planning commitments (invites, information sheets, websites and so on), but also due to some of the other projects I’ve been working on.

The Magic Convention Guide is now up and running well and attracting a lot of visitors, especially now that you can search for and book hotels for conventions through our partners on the site. The Home Counties Magical Society Website is also going great, with literally thousands of visits now per month!! I’ve also now joined the management team at what I think is one of the best Magic forums on the internet, The Magic Woods.

I’m very proud to have been asked me to come on board to The Magic Woods Team and help further the forum. There are some exciting things that I hope to do with conjunction with The Magic Woods Forum over the next year.

Recently The Magic Woods completed a Q&A session with Teller from Penn and Teller that ran for over a month, and other names that have frequented and openly discussed magic with the members have been Ben Hart, Simon Drake, James Randi, Jeff McBride, Jason Palter, Dynamo, Angelo Carbone, Justin Miller, Michael Paul, Jay Sankey, Whit Haydn, Eugene Burger, Cardone, Zenneth Kok, Paul Zenon, Keith Pascal, Nathan Kranzo, Banachek, Paul Daniels, Daniel Garcia, Steve Dela, Luke Jermay, and Daryl.

It’s also always been my goal to join The Magic Circle, in fact I actually joined as an associate member when I was much younger, but neglected to really pull my finger out and do my exam. The Magic Circle don’t run associate memberships anymore, so it’s all or nothing now!!

Our Society now has in it’s midsts The Regional Representative of the Magic Circle for the Home Counties, Keith Churcher who is a Member of the Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star. This of course means that if your in the ‘Home Counties’ area, which includes Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, arranging your Magic Circle entry has never been easier. and you can contact him for more information.

This morning Keith kindly delivered my welcome pack, which is a bit daunting when you see it in black and white (and a splash of colour!).. It looks like our regional exams might be around September, just in time for the wedding!!

So I just need to work out, and polish my routine, practice, relax and practice a bit more!!!

Fingers crossed, and sorry to everyone over the next few months who will have magic forced on them whilst I’m practicing…

Today is our anniversary, it’s also one year to the day since I asked Michelle to be my wife. For the last 365 days I have realised how lucky I am to have her in my life, and how lucky I am she said yes. I have also loved her more with each passing moment..

It seems like only yesterday that we were out in Paris, the sun was shining, and we were drinking wine at the top of monmatre..

A while ago, I gave Michelle a book of things I’d written with her in mind.. One of pages contains this, and I think it probably makes it clear why I’m very happy that soon, she’ll be my wife..

Have I told you today..

That my mind feels quiet when it’s restin on your shoulders..

That my heart beats stronger when its next to yours..

That my breathing matches yours in the middle of the night..

..and that when we are together, it just feels so right..

We’re off to our favorite restaurant tonight.. champagne.. and the best company in the world.. each other.