* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #541 Date: Sunday 21st October 2007 Editor: Alan Watson www.magicianz.com www.Alan-Watson.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. FBI Raids Warehouse of Las Vegas Illusionist David Copperfield 3. Sue-Anne Webster's FISM Reports 4. Magic Encyclopedia For Magicians 5. "That Reminds Me" By Mike Close 6. Remarkable Magic #27 - Nick Lewin 7. Creativity in Magic: Throw The Directions Away! - Kyle Peron 8. Entertaining On The Ocean #6 - Paul Romhany 9. The Psychic Game Show At Bar XS 10. "Boris Goes Wild in Africa" 11. About Kyle Peron's Post On Creativity 12. Robert Bone - Magician 13. A Season On Board The Achille Lauro 14. Disabled Magicians 15. Tommy Orchard - I'm In Shock!!! 16. The Amazing Orchante Saga 17. e-zine Archives 18. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- Important message - The next issue of Magic New Zealand is not going to be published until Sunday 11th November as Michele and I and the family are in Vanuatu for two week performing. ---------------------------- Results for the Variety Artist Club of New Zealand annual Awards are as follow: 2007 Benny Award - Ray Woolf - Singer Agnew Excellence Award - Guy Cater - Hypnotist / Comedian / Magician Comedy Award - Kevin Greaves - Comedian / Singer Rising Star Award - Elizabeth Marvelly - Singer This year's Scroll of Honour Winners: Mike Colonna - Clown - Service to music industry Gordon Joll - Drummer - Service to music industry Dennis Huggard - Service to Jazz and Blues Genre Rob Innes Singer - Service to music industry Tommy Orchard - Magician - Lifetime achievement ----------------------- Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com -------------------------------------------- 2. FBI Raids Warehouse of Las Vegas Illusionist David Copperfield -------------------------------------------- Message from Steven Pradell (Alaska) You may have already heard about the raid on David Copperfield's warehouse in Las Vegas on Wednesday, where the FBI confiscated computer data and almost 2 million in cash. Here is a link to an article with photos: http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7234182 -------------------------------------------- 3. Sue-Anne Webster's FISM Reports -------------------------------------------- Message from Tim Ellis (Aust) For those who have enjoyed Sue-Anne Webster's FISM reports, they now have a new home on the web at http://fismreports.blogspot.com/ Take a look at reports, pics and video clips from FISM 2000, FISM 2003, and FISM 2006 -------------------------------------------- 4. Magic Encyclopedia For Magicians -------------------------------------------- Message from Barry Khoo Finally, a Magic Encyclopedia for Magicians. Great for your magic research works! Genii magazine has established a wiki called MagicPedia, patterned after Wikipedia format. To visit MagicPedia, go to: http://geniimagazine.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page ----------------- 5. "That Reminds Me" By Mike Close ----------------- Message from Steve Walker (Aust) Mike Close has a new book out called "That Reminds Me" subtitled "Finding the Funny in a Serious World". You can get it from http://www.lulu.com/content/1280866 . You hear a great joke and you can't wait to tell it to your friends, it gets a big laugh and you continue to tell it until you hear another great joke and the cycle starts again. You'd think that after a while you would have a string of great jokes but unfortunately it doesn't work that way. Roger Miller [King of the Road singer/songwriter not the former IBM International President] once said your memory starts to work the second you are born and it stops when a spotlight hits you. Michael Close's method of remembering jokes is to recall people. and that reminds him of places.. and times.. and jokes, and now he's done all of us a favour by writing them down together with some wonderful stories of the people, the places and the times he spent there with them. I'm lucky to have met and in some cases [except for James and Michael B. and Mike's Dad] to know well many of the people he writes about so the fear of a spotlight hitting me has been somewhat reduced. Now I can get on-stage inspiration from the likes of Jay Marshall, Billy McComb, Eric Mead, Chuck Fayne and Aldo Collumbini Not only does Mike tell you the jokes, he tells you how, and more important when not to tell them and believe me they are all "tellable" as Mike has often proved, given the right occasion. One chapter which stands out for me, and I'm sure many others, contains no Joke "jokes", to use Mike's own words' but more laughs than I care to remember, I simply refuse to believe that there won't be another story, another string of laughs or another beer with our great friend Bob Read. When people ask how they can be funny I always quote Bob who said "When you know why 4x16 is funnier than 8x8". This book is full of "4x16" lines and stories..BUY IT NOW.I read it and laughed until the "tears ran down my leg" then I got to the chapter on Bob and I read it and wept. Steve Walker -------------------------------------------- 6. Remarkable Magic #27 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message from Nick Lewin (US) Remarkable Magic a la Burt Sperber. One of the side benefits (?) of performing on a cruise ship on a fairly regular basis is the fact that you get to meet quite a few magicians. It is very seldom the close-knit group of peers I might wish to spend an hour or two swapping stories and gags with - they are all busy working a gig somewhere else! Often on a ship I will meet up with a socially inept amateur who insists on showing me the three rows of seven cards and then deals them into a pile and after getting the card wrong restarting the entire process complete with reassurances; "Oh no, you haven't seen this one." No when I see it the magician often gets the card right. These can be the moments when you either lock yourself away in your cabin for the rest of the cruise or try and construct a makeshift escape raft out of your bed in order to escape from the ship! There are also times when you can get a delightful surprise and this is about one of those times. I was sailing on the Crystal 'Galaxy' and a note arrived for me that someone would like to meet me. The note was from Burt Sperber. I didn't know Burt but very gladly met up with him and his charming wife. We had a delightful chat and arranged to have dinner in the Italian steakhouse the next night. Somewhere along the line I discovered that Burt was a magic collector. Now when I say Magic Collector I had better use capitol letters because he obviously has a world class collection that could even cause David Copperfield's eyes to turn green! I am in no way a collector of magic (accumulator yes!) but Burt was describing items that were even making me foam at the mouth! After we had eaten Burt dropped the bomb. "Oh, I also perform a little magic too, maybe you want to come back to our suite and see a couple of tricks?" Well to be honest when someone defines himself or herself primarily as a collector it doesn't exactly scream out to me that they are going to be snappy close up performers! However short of pretending to have some kind of seizure I couldn't think of any way out of it. I have never been happier about saying yes to an offer of watching a magic show. I sat in Burt's suite for over an hour and gasped as he fooled me with card trick after trick! These were some of the snappiest and most commercial pieces of card magic I had ever seen mostly, if not all, were originals. His presentation was deceptively casual and initially gave no idea of how carefully he had prepared and planned his demonstration. After he finished performing I congratulated him on doing something that very seldom happens to me- being both entertained and fooled by great magic. I then performed my very best original card trick (the one I keep for just that kind of occasion) and quickly put the cards back in their case and onto the table. When you're socks have been knocked of it is best just to admit it! Burt then asked me if there was anything I particularly liked and said he would be happy to teach it to me. I said; "YES." There were two items that I had seen performed that I considered as commercial as anything I'd ever witnessed. The next two hours flew by as he took the time and trouble to really teach me these tricks. I don't mean show me how they were done; I mean teach me the tricks. I haven't yet had a chance to take up Burt on his offer to view his Magic Collection but let me tell you it has a tough act to follow with his close-up show! As always send any bricks or bouquets to nicklewin@earthlink.net and check out my website at http://www.NickLewin.com -------------------------------------------- 7. Creativity in Magic: Throw The Directions Away! - Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message from Kyle Peron (US) Magic4u02@aol.com Directions: instruction or guidance for making, using, etc. To tell someone how to do something and the way in which to do it. By now you are all probably wondering what this has to do with anything and how it is even remotely related to creativity. Allow me to explain if I may. In this day and age of mass marketing of magic effects, the magic dealers and manufacturers do a great job of putting out on the market effects that any magician can buy. However what they also are doing is creating effects that are more than just effects. Instead, you as a consumer have the ability to buy an effect that tells you how to perform the trick, what to say, what patter to use, how to move and even comedy lines to enhance the routine. In fact you now even have the power to buy a DVD that shows you the full routine word for word. Now what is wrong with this picture? What is wrong is the simple fact that this hinders creative thought. It stifles magicians and forces them into a one way street. It is basically like putting blinders on someone and forcing them not to see. Throw the directions away. Sounds harsh now doesn't it? I am not saying to not learn to do the effect you bought. Everyone needs to know how the trick works. I think that is safe to say. What I am saying is after you learn how to do the trick, throw out the rest of it. Why do you need someone else telling you what to say, how to say it, how to move or what comedy lines or props to use? You don't need it. A creative thinker is one who strives to look beyond the obvious to create something unique and special to him or her. There are several reasons why magicians are attracted to this thinking of buying not only an effect but an entire routine. First, magicians are. here's that word again..LAZY! Face it folks we are lazy. The reason why magic dealers and creators are packaging effects as full routines is because we as magic consumers want it that way. We are a lazy bunch. We realize that being creative takes effort. Why work hard at being creative if I can buy something that tells me everything to do. Secondly, there is that false belief that the effect and routine you are buying will actually work and play for you just as it plays for the person who created it. We are all under this false assumption that every routine we buy can be great for us if we just follow the directions it gives us. But what is really happening here folks? Well for starters, you are unique. Every performer reading this article has a unique character on stage and a unique way of presenting their magic. It is what makes us human and what makes our magic so much different and a part of who we are. Our magic and the routines we create should be as unique as we are. Why would I want to take something someone else created and try and force it and do it in their style or their patter? It doesn't work that way. What works for one person may not work for another. In many cases the patter just is not right or feels awkward or out of place. So why do we try and force it on ourselves to think this way? Why? The reason is that it is so easy for us to fall into the trap of being another magic clone. Creativity takes effort and hard work. No one said being a creative thinker of magic was going to be a piece of cake. It simply is not. However, every single one of you has the ability to be as creative as you want to be. The problem is that you have to be willing to work at it. The first step is to break down the barriers or traps that so many of us fall into. That is being too lazy and just doing what has been done before. Demand yourself not to think that way. Tell yourself to throw the directions away and to rework the routine so that it fits who YOU are on stage and how you perform. You are unique and your magic needs to reflect that. Start to open your eyes and look past the obvious solutions. Refuse to do the effect the same way everyone else does. Find out how to make the routine fit who you are and the style you present. So I ask of you to start by throwing those directions away. By doing so you open yourself up to a world filled with creativity and opportunity that will take your magic farther then you ever thought possible. Sure it will take hard work and it will take time, but masterpieces of art always do. Besides, doesn't your audience deserve that from you? As always, I encourage you the readers to let me know your thoughts. So if you have any thoughts on my articles or suggestions or comments, please feel free to e-mail me directly at magic4u02@aol.com. I would love to hear from you. Kyle Peron Magician / Illusionist Graphic Designer / Illustrator http://www.kyleandkellymagic.com -------------------------------------------- 8. Entertaining On The Ocean #6 - Paul Romhany -------------------------------------------- Message from Paul Romhany (NZ) This week I introduce Mac Frampton who shares with us all two very funny stories. I first worked with Mac several years ago on Princess and have worked with him many times since. He is a concert pianist and gives one heck of a show with an ending that leaves the audience standing up chanting MORE! As well as being a favorite on ships Mac also performs in large theatre style shows around the USA and produces large orchestral shows. Here is Macs story about working on his first cruise ship. "I think the funniest thing that ever happened to me on a ship was my very first cruise on Holland-America. I'll try to encapsulate it for you: "On my first cruise ever, I walked on stage in my tuxedo and started playing to a full house. When I rose from the piano after my first number, I heard something 'snap.' I didn't have any idea what it was, but suddenly I felt my pants beginning to fall. It was then that I realized that the adjustable piece that so many tux pants has had broken on mine, and I suddenly was wearing pants about 6 sizes bigger than I needed. There was nothing at all that I could do but hold my pants up with one hand and hold the mic with the other. Finally, I'd had enough, and I told the audience that I needed to leave the stage for a moment because of a 'wardrobe malfunction.' (This is well before the famous Janet Jackson Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction.) The audience laughed, I raced off, found a safety pin, gathered my pants together, and came back on stage. When I finished the show, the cruise director came to me and said, 'Mac, that is a great bit you have in your show where you pretend to lose your pants.' I looked at her and said, 'That was no bit! And I hope it never happens again. "So far, so good." The other good one is this: "I arrived at a ship having just barely made the plane from home. I literally had thrown my clothes and boots into a bag and raced to the plane. Well, show time arrived, and I hadn't even unpacked my clothes. When I did, I realized, to my horror, that I had pulled two left boots out of my trunk (I have two pairs). I had no choice but to cram my right foot into a left boot. I had to walk the entire length of the ship to get to the show room, and I was in pain. I told no one. After the first show, I decided to tell the band. They lost it completely, barely able to even play the second show from all the laughter. But the audience never knew. My right foot definitely knew!" Mac Frampton Paul Romhany paul@chaplinmagic.com www.paulromhany.com www.chaplinmagic.com www.magicmasterclass.com -------------------------------------------- 9. The Psychic Game Show At Bar XS -------------------------------------------- Message from Quentin Reynolds Quentin Reynolds presents his one-man show The Psychic Game Show at Bar XS, 341 Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield, Manchester M14 6XS on Monday 12th, 19th and 26th November at 8pm. Tickets are £6. Presented in game show format, Quentin and his audience will explore the psychic and the paranormal, using intuition, hunches, psychometry and telepathy. The show promises to leave audiences both laughing and amazed, and there's the chance to win prizes too! Reviewing Quentin's show in The Irish Independent, Nick Kelly wrote: "If you're the kind of person who thinks that people like Uri Geller should be beaten with a sharp spoon, Quentin Reynolds' show will have you reaching for the cutlery only so that you can eat humble pie." Experience a fun and amazing evening. Licensed premises - patrons must be 18 years or older. More details and directions: www.psychicgameshow.com -------------------------------------------- 10. "Boris Goes Wild in Africa" -------------------------------------------- Message from Craig Mitchell (South Africa) Boris Wild has just spent the past week in Cape Town at the College of Magic - presenting an intensive workshop, seminar & lecture ... sharing his knowledge, skills and love of magic with the students (especially from our outreach initiatives ... who as you can imagine were simply gobsmacked at the opportunity to learn from a FISM champion) as well as staff members, graduates and the local magicians. It was a fantastic experience - and what an inspiration ... to see the famed "Kiss Act" Live is a joy to behold. If you ever get the opportunity to see Boris live - make sure to get there at all costs - he truly is one of the creative powerhouses in magic --  with so much to share. He touched so many young lives this past week -- its amazing what one person can achieve in such a short space of time! Full pics are online at: http://www.collegeofmagic.com/albums/view/Flash.view/cover.php?name=Boris_Wild_Secret_Session -------------------------------------------- 11. About Kyle Peron's Post On Creativity -------------------------------------------- Message from Brad Manuel (Australia) Just thought I'd drop you an email about Kyle Peron's post on creativity. Some great points mentioned and I sincerely hope that all the readers go back and read it again. Creativity will be the difference from you and all the other "magic clones" out there (which I agree there are far too many) Magic is such a unique and creative art, but sadly it seems most of us as individual "artists" seem to fall short on both the unique & creative fronts. If we all do the same tricks, say the same lines - we all end up looking exactly the same to the audience. Which is why as soon as you bring the cards out, some people will say "I've seen that trick before" - even before you start and chances are they probably have seen it before! Or at least something that similar - it "looks the same to them" If you are the same as everyone else, then you are just another magician (just a commodity that people can book/see down the road for half the price) It is so important to be different especially when you want to make a living and a good living from performing. If you've got something only you can provide - They will come to you to get it, which puts you in demand. A very good position to be in. So be different, don't just say your different or you want to be different to everyone else - BE DIFFERENT! It so easy to do what everyone else is doing, simply because all the hard work has been done by someone else to create the trick and routine it so it works well. It can take a lot of time to develop something, but when you've created something unique from scratch, it's so satisfying to see the end result. So like everything, if you put the effort in you will get the rewards. Even if you are doing a "generic" trick, you should put your own personality into the presentation to make it you, just because you see someone do the trick and it looks great, doesn't mean you should (or have the right to) do exactly the same presentation. Which brings me to another important point I would like to touch on - Just because you've seen it on TV, promotional video, youtube etc. doesn't give you the right to do it! Again, just because you've seen it - does not mean you can/should/are allowed to do it! Unless of course it is a marketed effect that you have bought and paid for in which case you have bought the performance rights for the effect & the suggested routines. But even then, if you see someone doing a better routine/presentation for the same effect, you still don't have the right to use their routine. If you feel you need to use some of the routine, you should do the right thing and contact the performer and "ask" their permission or even better ask for help to develop your current presentation. If they say NO, then you can't use their material, it's as simple as that! The bottom line is if you work hard enough on your own material, it will pay off because you will end up with tricks, routines & shows that are unique to you and your personality. Just imagine going to a comedy club where you have 3 performers on the bill, the first act is great, great jokes, lines and gags. The second act does the same jokes/lines & gags (That doesn't look so great) and then the third act does the same stuff again. Not good for all 3 performers, or the industry as a whole. Just thought it was a good post to expand on & hopefully it gets us as magicians thinking about being a bit different to everyone else. I'll step down off my soapbox now. Please feel free to contact me with any comments brad@bradmanuel.com.au Regards Brad Manuel Comedy Magic Pty Ltd www.bradmanuel.com.au Brad Manuel's Products: www.thecomedymagicshop.com 10/26 The Barage, Groningen 10/27 Heemskirk, Holland 10/29 University of Agdar, Kristiansand, Norway 10/30 University of Agdar, Kristiansand, Norway -------------------------------------------- 12. Robert Bone - Magician -------------------------------------------- Message from Steve Walker (Australia) According to the News Quiz, I was listening to on BBC Radio 4 October 12th Friday Night Comedy podcast, they read from the New Forest Post an ad for a magician as follows: "Robert Bone - Magician...Robert can turn your wedding into something to be remembered" -------------------------------------------- 13. A Season On Board The Achille Lauro -------------------------------------------- Message from Paul Romhany (NZ) It is amazing who reads Magic New Zealand ezine - imagine my surprise when an email arrived via Alan Watson from Robert Boltom. Magicians may not know Robert by name, but you will certainly have heard of his stories. I thought losing my show TEN times in one year was bad luck but Robert takes the cake losing his twice ... I'll let him tell you in his own words. "First a big thank you for keeping Magicians in touch with each other around the world. I had the pleasure of sailing around New Zealand in the 90/91 season on board the Achille Lauro. There was an article in the Magigram about me on the ship and imagine my excitement when a group of Kiwi's came down to the ship to visit! It was a wonderful day and the guy's left me with a parcel of Magic books and magazines for my travels. Thank you guy's for making the effort and also making someone feel so welcome in your country. I have been reading with interest all the articles, especially the cruise liner stories, because I have been working the ships since 1984. I eventually became cruise director as well as still performing on the cabaret floor. Talking as your guy's do about lost luggage- has anybody lost their luggage twice- all their clothes, props, souvenirs, through SINKING? I have! I sank on the Oceanos and during the mayhem I took over the bridge in the absence (?) of the crew. I then had the chance to sink again on the Achille Lauro. Well, Alan, to cut a long story short - I've written a book which comes out this month entitled (bearing in mind the stupid questions passengers ask you when they're lost) "Do these stairs go up or down?" It's all about my travels, people I've met and places I've been to with loads of anecdotes and of course the sinkings." Great to know that Robert reads magic-ezine and I urge everybody who wants to read a great story to order Roberts book when it is released. Paul Romhany paul@chaplinmagic.com www.paulromhany.com www.chaplinmagic.com www.magicmasterclass.com -------------------------------------------- 14. Disabled Magicians -------------------------------------------- Message from Don Drake (US) Jim Passe and I are thinking about having a disabled magician's convention, possibly in Santa Barbara, CA or somewhere near. I would love to hear from any disabled magi from any walk of life. I once had the pleasure of lecturing at the Deaf Magician's Convention, and I never felt better about doing a lecture. Now that I myself am disabled, I can think of nothing better to brighten up a person's life. So please e-mail me privately if you are interested at dondrake@blackartsecrets.com. Many thanks DD ---------------- 15. Tommy Orchard - I'm In Shock!!! ----------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) I'm In Shock!!! Have just received a phone call from Alan Watson, and an e-mail from Guy Cater (with photo), of congratulations on having been awarded - 'A Scroll Of Honour' ; My old friend, Tom Sharplin, famous N.Z. Pop Singer, received it on my behalf. Thank you Tom, you're a champion - a true Leg-end! I stand to be corrected, but I believe this is the first time that ANY 'Variety Artists Club Award', has been awarded to a performer outside of N.Z. I'm rather proud of that as well. Would have much preferred to have been there in person and, to have been in the 'Photo Shoot' with all the other recipients but, unfortunately, my lungs, what's left of them, would not have allowed it - C'est La Vie... My thanks also, to the Variety Artists Club committee, and those of you who voted for me. After all these years, it's quite humbling to think that my fellow Artiste's, from way back in the very early sixties, still remember me, especially when I haven't lived or worked in my home country of New Zealand since 1976, when Veronica and I emigrated to Sydney. Made it back briefly, in 1984, when my mother passed on...We have been living, and performing in the U.K. (well, the world, really) since1985. Also, I would like you all to know that we have always, proudly, waved the - 'New Zealand Entertainment Flag', up high, wherever we have voyaged in the world - and I still retain our own, unique accent; "I'm bloody Kiwi mate, and proud of it!" Thanking you all, once more, Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchanté) ---------------- 16. The - Amazing Orchante Saga ----------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) Page 22 "Hello mate, G'day, Howzit goin" I replied, more than a little edgy I might casually warble - I was fully expecting a 'Mike Tyson' job on my ear! Hanging onto the ladder, I gradually descended through the tree branches, feeling a little bit like 'Long John Silver'! All the while, I 'chatted' away to the oversized cockatoo - which was quite happy, to all intents and purposes, to sit balanced on my left shoulder. Reaching the ground, I walked very slowly out of my neighbour's gate, down the footpath and into our front yard. Veronica in the meantime had raced ahead and opened the front door. As I climbed up the short flight of steps and onto the veranda, I fully expected the cockatoo to take off, but no, he just sat there on my shoulder, obviously quite at ease as I entered the house, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do. It was quite apparent that this cockatoo was very tame and had escaped from its owners. 'Aussie', our pink cockatoo, was outside sitting in the tree, so the 'cocky' stand was free; I lowered myself down so the that the cockatoo was level with it - he stepped off my shoulder and perched himself onto it, then walked along to one end and got stuck into the sunflower seed -evidently he hadn't eaten for quite a while. For those of you who are unaware of what a cocky stand is, I try to will describe it. You have a large rectangular tray made out of aluminium (the whole stand is aluminium - less weight), that sits on the floor; it has a hollow pipe attached to the centre of it, that rises up to about a height of about four feet, to which another hollow pipe, centred and horizontal to the floor - is soldered. At each end are two aluminium dishes; one holds water and the other, birdseed. All cockatoos throw birdseed all over the place as they eat - the trays' supposed to capture most of it Yeah, right! In spite of placing an advertisement in the local newspaper - nobody ever rang or contacted the paper to claim him. We now found ourselves with two cockatoos - 'Aussie' the Pink cockatoo, and now a magnificent Sulphur-Crested cockatoo; I named him 'Big Bird' because of his larger than average size. Veronica called him 'Big Bastard Bird' as he took an instant dislike to her, especially when she was wearing her glasses, and she still has the scars to prove it! He preferred men to women; birds are like that for some reason, showing a preference to one human partner from the other. Veronica and 'BBB' as she called him, came to an amicable agreement in the end - she stayed well away from him, and he only bit her when she had to walk past the cocky stand - although Veronica remembers an instance, shortly after he'd arrived, when I had the cocky stand, complete with Big Bird, at the doorway into the kitchen. Veronica was doing the dishes, when she heard a human voice, with an impeccable English accent, say; "What are you doing?" She began to answer, "Just washing the dishes" looked round and there was BBB, leaning precariously around from his stand, trying to see what was Veronica was up to. He was so damn intelligent and curious (like all cockatoos) - he once took a friend's typewriter to pieces, screw by screw, when he offered to look after the birds while we were on a tour. When I was away for a month performing in Darwin, which is right up at the top end of Australia (can't remember why Veronica wasn't with me), I received a three-page letter from Veronica, most of which was about Big Bird and the shenanigans he got up to while I was away! By now it must be quite apparent to all, or at least to those of you who have enjoyed my on-going narrative about our cockatoos and parrots; that they played a big part in our lives during our nine, going on for ten years, in Australia. We finished up with six cockatoos and one parrot, apart from two poodles and two Siamese cats! There was 'Aussie' and 'Big Bird', whom you have already 'met' (I'm not counting the first sulphur crested cockatoo we bought from the unscrupulous market dealer), then there was 'Little bird', 'Beauregarde',' Jackie', 'Tutu' - a 'Peach Faced' parrot, and another sulphur-crested cockatoo. Then there was 'Misky', a toy poodle, 'Shannon' a standard poodle and, not forgetting 'Sheba' our Siamese and later, her son 'Spook-Easy'. There are a few (?) more stories to tell, about each of them. Veronica said, "Don't you think that folk might be getting a little jaded with all this burble about our birds?" "Maybe" I replied, "but they were a big part of our lives. C'mon, I am writing about MY, OUR life story, in which our pets have always been a major part. I want to get everything down on paper, while we can still remember incidents and things - before it is too late! Not just for the thousands of magicians who are reading this (courtesy of Alan Watson's 'Magic New Zealand' e-Zine), BUT FOR OUR OWN RESPECTIVE FAMILIES (and friends) AS WELL". So, on the stories go - with all the little details. Am I sorry about that? Nah! -------------------------------------------- 17. Magic New Zealand e-zine Archives -------------------------------------------- Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/fezine.html Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. User Name: magic Password: kiwi When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order and are coded. Eg 001 Nov06 1999.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999) -------------------------------------------- 18. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to any other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. You can subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand® E-zine at www.watson.co.nz/fezine.html. Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday. The opinions expressed therein are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via Magic New Zealand® E-zine. Subscribers to this publication and authors who contribute to it by doing so agree they will not hold Magic New Zealand® or Alan Watson, jointly or individually liable or responsible in any way for the opinions expressed therein. Magic New Zealand® reserves the right to alter, correct or disregard any articles submitted. Readers are encouraged to submit timely articles or news items which may be of interest to subscribers. By submitting articles to this e-zine, the authors grant Magic New Zealand® the right to publish such articles and such authors confirm their copyright of the material submitted. 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