My favourite author blogging about magic and sleight of hand is Andy of The Jerx. (Warning: Andy writes with a lot of vulgar language. Reader discretion is advised.) I’ve been following the blog for ages, but had not read his early essay on amateur magic. A long while back, he wrote The Amateur at The Kitchen Table, an essay about his take on the difference between amateur and professional magic. The title is a riff of the (in)famous The Expert at The Card Table. I decided that I needed to finally read the essay when Andy posted about Tweaking the 100 Trick Repertoire.
Amateur magic creates a personalized moment of wonder. One that feels unique and special. And the way such moments resonate with the spectator is that they will feel unique and special for being part of it, especially if you’re not clamoring for credit.
… doing something for the purpose of entertaining people and bringing joy to your family, friends, and the people you meet in your day to day life — without looking for anything in return — is probably one of the most worthwhile things you can do.
Andy has this very nice golden rule inspired question for identifying the kind of magician that you want to be.
What are the traits I’d want in a “magician” friend who was just a normal human with an interest in magic and not a supernatural being?
I think that this golden rule mindset is a more general thing than just magic. If you want to do X, think about how you would like someone to do X for you.
I consider it fun to build this repetoire and keep it up to day. It gives me a focus I didn’t have when I was just learning tricks, forgetting tricks, and practicing in a more half-assed manner. Now, when I read a magic book or watch an online lecture, I feel like a talent scout in basketball… As a hobby it feels more like the process of perfecting a garden or building the perfect model train display, as opposed to standing in the driveway shoot hoops with just the goal of “getting better”.
The blog has come a long way in honing the ideas in the essay. If you like the idea of the essay, then you might consider reading these posts.
Andy’s writing about magic often makes think about teaching. Here are two pieces that spoke to me as a math teacher:
Published: Jul 13, 2024
Last Modified: Jul 18, 2024
Thanks for reading! If you have any comments or questions about the content, please let me know. Anyone can contact me by email.