No. 9, Atlanta, Georgia – Georgia Magic Club

3^rd Monday, 7:30 PM, Dunwoody Library, 5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road

JOE M. TURNER, President (jmturner@mindspring.com)
RICK SILVERSTEIN, Vice President (rick@mindspring.com)
SCOTT HORN, Secretary (g.scott.9881@worldnet.att.net)

Ring 9 Web Site: http://rick.home.mindspring.com/ring9.html

January’s meeting began with introductions of guests (both domestic and international), members, and new Ring 9 officers: President, Joe M. Turner; Vice President, Rick Silverstein; and Secretary/Treasurer, Scott Horn. The business portion of the meeting consisted primarily of an overview of the ideas and activities planned for the coming year. Robert Stultz and his wife Debi were congratulated and thanked for their hard work on the recent successful IBM/SAM banquet. Turner presented a list of monthly meeting themes, a proposal to include "featured performers" at meetings throughout the year, and information regarding two upcoming conventions: the S.C.A.M. in Columbia, South Carolina; and the Winter Carnival of Magic in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Horn reported that he had already received some monies and is compiling an updated membership roster. Rolando Santos, who is heading up our efforts to submit a Ring 9 parade to The Linking Ring, encouraged members to contribute to that effort. Finally, John Miller and Tim Wolfe renewed their call for volunteers to assist with Project Magic at Northside Hospital. The evening’s door prize, a Japanese set of multiplying rabbits shaped like "Pikachu" Pokemon characters, was contributed by Christophe Fouquet and was won by Equinox newsletter editor David Oglesby.

With the business portion of the meeting completed, Silverstein took the floor as emcee of the evening’s magic performances. The theme for the January meeting was "Magician in Trouble" effects and/or effects related to Y2K disasters. King Chapman opened the Theme Magic segment with a funny presentation of the Vanishing Bandana trick in which the magician forgets to palm out the folded banana… er, bandana. After successfully showing that a spectator’s thought-of card was the only card in his wallet, Georgia TVP Dan Garrett got into trouble with his jumbo rising cards. He placed the deck in a houlette and made all but the last of three selections rise on command. For the third selections, instead of the 6H, up rose the 7H. It appeared that the Y2K bug had gummed up the works, but removing the 7H from the houlette revealed that one of the pips had been torn off and it really was a "six" of hearts!

Metro-Atlanta 1999 Magician of the Year Bill Packard never seemed to get his trick underway – every time he started, a loose "thread" of rope would be seen hanging from his sleeve or pants leg. He pulled out yards and yards of rope in an impossible manner – and with a final tug, he managed to remove his Mickey Mouse boxer shorts as well! Next, Rolando Santos demonstrated why he has never been able to get a "Sorcerer" ranking from the magician’s club – he can’t do the magic, but his volunteers can. His volunteer, Patrick Floyd, could make a selected card from a red deck turn blue by striking the deck. Placing that card aside, Santos tried to duplicate the feat with another selection, but failed – there was no blue card in the deck! Santos had to resort to snapping his fingers instead, and the first selection was seen to have transformed in to the second selection. In a close vote, Dan Garrett won the monthly Coveted Royal Blue Pen award.

In the General Magic segment, Stefan Bartelski amazed us with a jumbo cards across routine using envelopes with windows so that the cards could be seen continuously. Scott Horn presented a book report by performing two mystifying effects from Peter Duffie’s Effortless Card Magic. Jason Partin presented a strong mindreading card effect which fooled everyone. Young magician Chris Labowicz performed a mini-illusion by slicing his arm with blades and splitting it into two pieces. French cardman Christophe Fouquet performed an amazing effect in which a selection transposed with the ace of the matching suit while the aces were in a packet away from the deck. King Chapman and Bill Packard next asked the group to help them brainstorm additional uses for an expanding wand prop.

After a reminder about our next meeting, the group dismissed and the room became a collection of close-up teaching sessions. Several members dismissed to a local restaurant to continue the discussions.

Submitted 19 January 2000

Joe M. Turner