And I'm baaaaack!

...Not that anyone is listening.

But I am back! Really. In the physical sense as well as in the virtual sense. After a two year hiatus (teaching English in China), I am back in the United States. I DID perform magic over there... once at the beginning of each semester for each of my classes, once at the end, and once as the intermission of a school-wide English speech contest for non-English majors.

All that was good fun.

I even got to try out that use-a-clothes-hanger-as-a-microphone-holder trick that I picked up from somewhere. I can't remember where I got that idea from, but it worked wonders, and everyone just got a big laugh out of it. So thanks.

(To the nameless person. I speak to voices in my own head sometimes, so it's not weird at all to speak to nameless people).

Anyway - back in the USA. And after what was essentially a two-year hiatus, I brought my show back onto the streets of Philadelphia. I performed today for two hours at Rittenhouse Square (and I really really REALLY need to find someone who can take pictures for me, otherwise I'll just bore you guys my random ramblings and musings).

When I was hunting for a spot to perform in, I ran into another magician. !!!! I was very excited (just in case you can't tell from my exclamation marks). I watched him for a little bit, but I didn't stay for too long. One: I had my own hat on (which I promptly took off as soon as I noticed that he was trying to build a crowd); and two: I had my table, my straight jacket, and all my gear with me. I really didn't want to distract him, and I really didn't want to distract his audience. Not that I would. I think he knew exactly what he was doing.

So I watched (very briefly) and wandered off on my own way through the park. I finally settled at a spot at a different entrance from the main one, where I spotted the first guy (who later introduced himself to me as Sonny Holliday).

And there I dove back into my busking act. It was slow going at first. It took a while before anyone decided to stop... and when they did stop, they only had time for a short effect or so. A couple people did stick around for a little bit longer, but I never gathered a large enough crowd to start my actual fifteen minute act. And since the groups were so small, I never felt comfortable using my hat lines - which was a shame, because the people who did stop were great audience members. They had fun, they laughed, and we had an all around good time. Still, hat line or no - because we had such a great time, I got a few tips from them.

After an hour, I left the area to add money to the meter (for parking... though my dad told me later that parking might have been free on Sundays. Oops). I put all my stuff away. And I wandered back to the front entrance.

At that point it was 4:00pm, and he was packing up. I introduced myself, and he passed me his card as he packed up the last of his stuff. There was a lady with him who asked me for my email address. She wanted to know when I would be performing again. And then they were off.

I watched for a little bit, excited - curiosity not at all satiated.

Then resolved to stay out for one more hour. This time, I set up in the spot that Sonny Holliday had just - and like magic, people came up to me and asked to see me perform. Before, I was saying "hello" and introducing myself to everyone I saw, even though they were trying their best to ignore me. Now, people walked right up.

It was an amazing spot.

And on I went with the show.
I got through it ok. Did only one show... but, looking back, I think I'm way out of practice. My lines aren't as smooth as they used to be - and there were some points in the show when I was sure what I should say. My audience wasn't as responsive. Not as much laughing or joking around as before... not as much applause, and - even though I DID get my hat line in this time - not as much tips.

Also, even though I only technically did just one big show, my voice was squeaking by the end of that show. I need to learn how to project my voice so that people can hear me better.

...So. Yes. At the end of the day, I pretty much broke even. I made up in tips what I ended up paying for in parking and tolls for driving into Philadelphia.

Still.
It's great to be back.