R.M'S THE TRUTH ARCHIVE

Perceptions

2012-02-13T10:39:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how, and what perceptions others have of what I do...
Nuff said!

Performance Environments

2012-01-04T18:23:00.000-08:00

Performance Environments are not just birthday parties, living rooms, or your crappy local magic meeting groups.
If you just do this shit in the above mentioned environments... I strongly advice you get the fuck out of your comfort zone one way or another.

Sink or swim bitchesssssssssssssssssssssss!

The Retail Sales of Magic BuSiNaTch!

2012-01-04T17:39:00.000-08:00

The sad reality of retail sales of a brick and mortar magic shop...

So terrible to behold. I speak from first hand experience. I owned a B&M magic shop for about 5 years in a the 7the largest city in the U.S. and all I can say is that the shit is demoralizing, saddening, aggravating, and all around fucked up.

I had an awesome shope (if I say so my self...). It had a great ambiance, good products. I manufactured about 40% of my stock (from gaffed decks to gaffed coins, the woiksssss...). I loved that place. It wasn't a gunky magic shop. I only sold magic, not jokes or gags, make up or masks, no costumes or clown shit. It was a legit, nice clean, and elegant magic store in every sense of the word. In it's fixtures and furniture, the lighting, the merchandising, everything.. it was awesome. It had a workshop in the back for manufacturing and production, a lecture room to host magic lectures and workshop. It had a small proscenium stage complete with lights, front travelers, and backdrops. The whole thing was really nice.

And the best part was that not only did I enjoy myself greatly with my business, but I actually made some money at it.

And then some things happened...

- Every one and their mother decided to open up a B&M magic shop in the city.

For some reason the "monkey see, monkey do" applies to everyone. I open up my shop, a friend of mine opens up a shop, and every one in the so-called local magic community figures that this is the thing to do. At one point there were 7 to 8 B&M magic shops scattered around in shopping malls, flea markets, and shopping strips. That definitely did not help things any.

- Every computer dork, geek, nerd, and all around social miscreant of the sort... out there in the inner webs fells that their dicks will grow an inch if they open up an online magic shop. So all of them did and do so now.

This is by far one of the most detrimental things that can happen to the business. These fuking fucks have a regular 9 to 5 in some kind of well paying IT job, dabble in magic so they figure "I would be cool if I had a magic shop, an online magic shop" so they want to brag to their other magic geek friends, and in the process they screw everything up for the people that actually have to wearhouse inventory, worry about real markup on product, pay overhead, marketing, and payroll. Fukheads...

- My most favorite magician in the world Criss Angle (scumbag) took the attention of the mainstream populous.

So all of a sudden Mr. Angle is every were and his junk is every were too, Walmart, Target, Dollar stores… every were! In the mind of the layman consumer – “why would I go to a B&M magic shop when I can get my C.A. mind fucks at Walmart.
Thanks a lot Mr. Angle.

- Fantasma went with the Communist bastards hard core.

I don't know what kind of misplaced sense of patriotism the guys at Fantasma magic have that they get all their product manufactured on the tiny bleeding fingers of Chinese children working in factories that don't abide to any health or work standard that may be humane... but whateva... The thing is the "F" product is cheaper than dirt and in supper mass quantities. Before long there are Fantasma magic stets and products stocked up in local grocery stores, gas stations, dollar stores etc... All of a sudden magic is sold and can be purchased anywhere! Thanks Fag-tasma Magic. Thanks for hanging out with those Comi bastards, putting out cheap as shit quality product, and special thanks for flooding the market with it.... Big thanks.

- The U.S. and world economy took a huge shit...
Nuff said on that... peps need to eat, and pay the light bills first before buying magic tricks.

All this stuff begins to formulate a miasma, a mind set in my costumers of total idiocy, stupidity and over all shit.
People come into the shop wanting to haggle on prices, ask for special deals just for them, return merchandise, exchange merchandise... and a fine woven tapestry of incredibly annoying circumstances illustrated as the following:
"why would I buy it from you when I can get it online..."
"Can you demo this $68.99 item, and this, this $94.95 item, and this this $43.99 item, and that... thanks I'll buy this $1.50 item that you didn't demo"
"My wife will kill me if I buy that... even do I really want it and have the money on hand for it"
"I can get this at walmart..."
"I saw that at the Dollar General...."
"They sell these at the gas station..."
"Do you have this? answer: yes, do you have this? answer: yes, do you have that? answer: yes, do you have this? answer: yes, do you have that? answer: yes, do you have such and such? answer: no, oh that's to bad that's the one I was looking for..." (Dumb ass turns around and walks out of the store)

And so I realized that my prospective "loyal" and "dedicated" costumer base consisted of nothing but slags.

Sales decreased over time, my over head was horrendous and hard to cover, I was not having fun any more, at times I wanted to jump over the counter and hit people in the jaw with my closed fists.

The over all cultural context of the city became very clear to me... it was shit... "Walmart or bust".
I had had it! I shut the store down before it was to late, before the very real possibility developed that I would go to jail for assault, before I would go into massive debt.
The far lands of Spain were calling out to me and the very last things I wanted to deal with were these.

The end to the whole experience was absolutely horrible.

Al Cohen of Al's Magic Shop used to complain that the sandwich shop next door was a much better business. People go in buy a bag of potato chips and leave. If he sold potato chips in his magic shop, customers would spend an hour looking at all the different packs. They would want to see and taste the chips. Then they would ask for a different color packet - one that he didn't have. They might try to make the potato chips themselves at home, and finally they would order a bag online!

So Beware of opening a B&M magic shop... and for crin' out loud if there is one in your area go support it! Don't be an absolute fuck head to the people who operate it and own it. Support it! That means buy shit there, not online! not at walmart! If you can't afford shit save up. B&M magic shops are few and far between so cherish them, look after them.

Pinky Disease - An Uncontious Deformity.

2011-08-05T11:43:00.000-07:00

www.RolandoMedina.com

Now let me begin by stating that if you are a novice in sleight of hand and applications of misdirection the topics that I will discuss in this blog entry might go over your head. But alas do not disregard, and do not grow frustrated... for one day the information contained within this writings will come to you as understanding comes in the late hours with the very first rays of of darkness at dusk.

I am addressing the subtlety which I refer to as the pinkie disease. This is commonly seen with in the circles of more advance practitioners on close up magic. As they perform and weave their miracles through hand choreography or improvisation (do seldom seen).

I make reference to something that I am guilty off in my past as a practitioner. Allow me to paint the a scene.
An adept practitioner is earning his ill gotten gains by performing for the beautifully naive and the sophisticated elite, which appreciate our art so well. As the performance ensues and the audience is taken up and down, left and right by the movements and gestures of the artist. Then the point of crescendo manifested in the forms applause and adulation of the practitioner for his or her skill. But alas something is not right, something does not quite sit well after the experience for the audience.
What is described here is an aberration in hand posturing in such artistic endeavour. In retrospection what dislocated my centered peace was that the performer seemed to have something wrong with one of his fingers (the pinkie finger to be exact). The last flange from the thumb. As memory serves me right I began to notice in multiple instances during the performance the said extremity to be rigid as if damaged by unforeseen circumstance, or curled inward while the curl protruded past the natural line of the back of the hand as if deformed by terrible arthritis.

The execution of slights, patter and timing were impeccable and yet this bothered me to no end...

Well after the performance I asked casually to spectator what their opinion of the performance was (layman's opinion bear in mind). The response was mixed but over all favorable, with some particular patterns evolving from the responses.

1. "The performer was very flamboyant".

2. "I don't know what he was doing, but he was doing something!".

3. "Very elegant movements "when he did his moves...”

Looking back upon this given consensus in audience opinion it is clear that the pinkie deformity had registered in their memory of the performance. Yet it played no deliberate specific role with in it.

"The performer was very flamboyant"

This is most likely derived from the populous frame of reference regarding perceptions of the kind.

The more I thought about it the more I began to narrow down were the hand gesture would arise naturally in "natural reality" vs. "fabricated reality". The only instance of correlation in western understanding I could arrive at was "High Tea".

"High Tea" is commonly perceived as an elitist gastronomical custom popular in Brittan. The origin of the pinkie use is not proper during High Tea yet the association is there. The practice of the "pinkie up" is believed to derive from ancient Rome. A cultured individual ate with 3 fingers, a commoner with five. Thus the birth of the raised pinkie as a sign of elitism. This 3 fingers etiquette rule is still correct when picking up food with the fingers and handling various pieces of flatware. Since ancient Rome, "up” descended from a misinterpretation of the 3 fingers vs. 5 fingers dining etiquette in the 11th century.

Even so 99% of audiences do not know this fact the subconscious association of elitism, sophistication, and flamboyancy is very much present.

If this subconscious association is not intended and placed in the construction of the presentation, it becomes a disturbance with in the performance flow for the audience. A point of misconception, a "why?" that has no answer in the spectators mind. And so it becomes a form on nonsensical patter.

"I don't know what he was doing, but he was doing something!".

This comment is by far one of the worst reflections of this erroneous subtlety.

The audience perceived the sleight. It registered as a sleight at some point during the performance.

This is obviously something that can not be covered up by patter, prop, or shade.

The pinkie disease at this point becomes a subconscious neon sign to the audience that a slight has been used or is in use. Something very similar occurs in poker players, they "tip their hand", "telegraph their hand", this is also known as a "tell". A subconscious non verbal communication that occurs from the performer to the audience.

Think of this as a form of reversed cold reading. Reverse cold reading that becomes automated in the audience. They perceive the sleight even so they do not posses the technical know how to understand what the sleight is or how it is employed.

"Very elegant movements "when he did his moves"...".

Again it is obvious by this statement that the sight has registered in the mind of the spectator.

So in conclusion be aware of all your gestures, conscious and unconscious, as they communicate to your audience and register with in their memories of your performance. Don't let the "Pinky Disease" limit you and your abilities to be a great practitioner of sleight of hand.

Discuss, comment, subscribe....

Dress Nice! No mater what!

2011-08-04T12:42:00.000-07:00

www.RolandoMedina.com

So I was reading this awesome blog by Jeffrey Tucker.

http://mises.org/daily/3372

And it got me thinking of how we dress as magicians and why? Especially now during these times of great economic turmoil. Read Jeffrey Tucker's blog (link above) and then continue with my following thoughts.

The gamma of magician attire ranges from the elegant and sublime to the ridiculous, the slob, and extravagant. Fashion and style are in the eye of the beholder, but what does this really communicate to the outside world, to the world of the layman. Attempting to categorize magicians by dress style is almost like categorizing fictional comic book characters that wear costumes in their super hero/villain roles and "normal attire" for their regular 9 to 5s.

The whole thing is pretty sickening to me as it reflects duality witch in term can be misinterpreted into very perverse ways.

Lets try to generalize categories shall we:

The Slob.

The Social Inadequate.

The Penguin.

The Pirate

The 90's Music Video Star.

The Spaghetti Western.

The Liberace.

The Aflictioned.

The WTF.

And there are so so many others... but we will address just some at this time.

"bums sleeping in the park benches looked better than the average workers and even CEOs today"

- Jeffrey Tucker

The Slob.

Typical of most magic clubs out there. The guy or gal that wears sweats pants, gym shorts and t-shirts, which are unclean or stained. They appear to not bathe, are unshaven and over all un-kept all the time

Ages vary but most commonly "The Slob" are male in their mid 40s.

The Social Inadequate.

This particular type of character is also quite common. Characteristics include things like slacks with sandals, a tucked in t-shit with print, and a fedora or some other form of head ware that has nothing to do with the rest of their attire.

Ages vary but most commonly "The Social Inadequate" range from early teens to mid 40's or 50's.

The Penguin.

The tuxedo clad "Penguin" wears this formal attire to any and all things having to do with magic, 99 degree weather at a children's party or pick nick. Feeding the stereotypical image of the magician and finding acceptance in this bracket of perception. A bracket of perception of what magicians look like, or what they should look like, inclusive of a toy top hat and cape. Often they seem uncomfortable and stiff in what they wear.

The Pirate.

The understanding of this attire escapes me. "The Pirate" is usually characterized by piratesque clothing, jewelry and hairstyles. More of a costume than real clothing. Magical pirates....? Com’ on you have to be kidding...

The 90's pop Music Video Star.

O yes! The almost neon bright red or blue blazer jackets combined with some long sleeve solid color t-shirt and slacks.

Ages vary but most commonly "The 90's pop Music Video Star" range from mid 40’s to 50's.

The Liberace.

Flashy Flashy Flashy! Rhinestones and glitter everywhere. Attire worthy of a 1970's Las Vegas lounge. More costume than clothing. Rarely seen any more the "The Liberace" are usually in their 60's

The Spaghetti Western.

Magicians that look like Howdy Doody. Stylized western wear that is out of place in any context or any social situation.

The Aflictioned.

The perpetual cool teenagers, desperately trying to hold on to their youth and their boyish good looks, tons of print on every article of clothing with a fuck you attitude. Walking billboards that advertise nothing.

The WTF.

This is by far a mix of comic con attendee mentality combined with the attributes of The Slob, The Social Inadequate, The Penguin, The Pirate, The 90's Music Video Star, The Spaghetti Western, and The Liberace. An example of this would be tennis shoes with dress socks while wearing shorts and a heavily printed t-shirt with a loud obnoxious coat. All of it topped with a rabbit's cottontail pined to the back of the shorts, and rabbit ears head ware. Commonly not very well kept. Unshaved, and grungy.

"in the boom times, the message of fashion is "It's all about me!"
-Jeffrey Tucker

Now place your self on the outside. The outside of all of this nonsense and look in...

I you where a layman? What would you think of any person with the above descriptions approaching you to regarding any thing to do with magic?
Would you run? Would you laugh?

Now from a professional perspective…
How would you’re character be scrutinized by a possible client?
A possible client that is to hire you for your services as a magician if part of their perception is on how you look, and how that relates in these tough economic times?

"The boom times led to great shabbiness. Workers have lived in wrinkles and jeans. The guy with the shirt with buttons is derided by others — "You going to a wedding or something?" We were all encouraged to look up to the slobwear of hotshot traders and stock jobbers and the others, who revel in the fact that they look like heck all of the time. Even the billionaires have looked like hobos (who themselves looked pretty great in the 1930s)"

"The idea behind shabby vogue was to give the impression that you don't really care what others think. You are the cutting edge, the smasher of idols and conventions, a person who doesn't give a flip about how society judges such artificial external superficiality as pant creases and ties and things. Your value is in your very person, the fact of your existence on this planet."

-Jeffrey Tucker

So mentally diagest all this stuff.

And while you do so go get yourself some real clothes, learn about the well dressed gentleman and lady.

Buy yourself an iron and an ironing board, get shoe polish. Purchase a razor and some shaving foam.

Get a hair cut and tell your wife or mother to go take care of something else.

"Start dressing like you are worth a dam."

-Rolando Medina

THE MAGICIAN & THE MAGICIAN'S SPOUSE

2010-10-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

www.RolandoMedina.com

I am writing this blog based on many, many observations and personal experiences regarding the magician and the magicians spouse or significant other.
There is an alarming pattern that I have been observing as it unfolds time and time again, and that is:

Interpersonal conflicts with in relationships in which one of the involved parties is a magician (professional) or is extremely dedicated or focused in the practice of the art.

Yet another one of my friends who is deeply involved in magic is getting a divorce. Coincidence? most likely not.
It seems to me that when a couple begin their relationship, or are in a relationship and one of them become ever so more involved with magic conflict arises between the two, personal freedoms are challenged, self entitlement comes into play and the relationship deteriorates to the point of the relationship ending.

I can only begin to speculate what might be thinking process that occurs in a woman's mind when their "boyfriend" or "husband" dive deeper and deeper into the art (as it is a male dominated art here in the west).

For you consideration I will present to you one of my personal experiences.

It was a Saturday morning and I had just received a phone call from a magician friend of mine. He had told me that there was some one trying to set up in the same area he was, and give fierce competition. So I told him that I would go and lend a hand to help him out.
Once I shared this with my girlfriend at the time, and that I had to leave at that moment, she responded with this: "oh come on... come back to bed. You are just going to go play with your friends".
After that point in time I began to experience continuing conflict with her and was repeatedly placed in the position of having to choose between her and any one thing that was magic related.
Fits of jealousy and rage toward the people I performed for, the amount of my time dedicated to magic, etc... To say the least this began to spread to all other areas of the relationship until it disintegrated entirely and the relationship was ended.

At fist I thought the relationship had ended because of mutual character flaws, and growing incompatibility, and then I realized that there is a pattern, a phenomenon if you will.... in the ephemeral inner workings of relationships between men and women, a interaction pattern between the sexes that is universal, and when it comes to magic it is amplified in exponential amounts.

Something similar happens with actors, and musicians, but it is so incredibly amplified with magicians it works as in a cause/effect structure.

The nature of being a magician in popular social consciousness is to be able to do the impossible, to do what others can not. This brings in to question the societal side effects from it; such as attention, appreciation, jealousy from others, instant gratification etc.... When this is applied into the model of a personal relationship between a man and a woman, conflict is inevitable.

I can not recall all the numerous instances when I have been asked for advice, or I have leant an friendly ear to fellow magicians (Professional and amateur alike) regarding this.

There was this one guy that had grand aspirations and an incredible desire to be a professional, and yet every single "but" or excuse for him to not go and seek his dream repeatedly went back to this same issue with his wife.

In another instance; I had just meet a magic aficionado that was beginning to get passionate about his magic at a local magic store. We hit it off and became really good friends, I had told him to watch his relationship with his wife closely as it would be challenged because of magic, and true to be... two years later him and his high school sweetheart were getting a divorce.

I believe there are multiple factors that attribute to the downfall of relationships due to heavy involvement with magic.

1. The social interaction it dictates.
2. The amount of focus and attention that derives from the practitioner.
3. The secretive nature of the art
4. A none shared frame of reference regarding what magic is to the practitioner.

The following is brief description of the above mentioned.

1. The social interaction it dictates.

Magic as an art inherently demands interaction with other people, whether it be from a stage or in a close up intimate settings.

This usually crates conflict due to perceived flirting from the performer to the audience, and from the audience flirting with the performer. If the girlfriend or spouse has jealousy issues they surface and flare up greatly due to this. Which in tun lead to the challenge of perennial freedoms, and issues of self entitlement from one party to the other.

2. The amount of focus and attention that derives from the practitioner.

Magic requires a good amount of dedication and attention from the practitioner, a mix between research, new learning, rehearsal, and the actual execution of it in front of an audience. It is time consuming and may cause the spouse or girlfriend to feel "left out", ignored or neglected. This is greatly aggravated if there are issues of insecurity involved.

3. The secretive nature of the art.
There are role expectation in relationships on both sides of the table, unfortunately I believe one of those relationship expectations is for the the male counter part to share every single thing about himself with the other person, thus creating conflict due to the traditional secretive nature of magic.

4. A non shared frame of reference regarding what magic is to the practitioner.
Unless the spouse or girlfriend practices magic as the male counter part does, there will always be a huge gap in understanding of what it is to do magic, and what are the personal gratifications in doing so. This may very easily be aggravated by issues of low self esteem, and insecurity in either or both people with in the relationship.

So in conclusion I do not believe there is a solution to this conundrum of magicians in relationships, but I can and will do offer the following warnings.

Be prepared to make a choice between your art and the person you are emotionally involved with because the time will come when you will be cornered and forced to make a decision to chose one or the other. It is inevitable so be prepared.

If you are involved with some one who has control issues, suffers from jealousy and insecurity issues cautiously reconsider your relationship with that person, as there will be constant and ever increasing turmoil and conflict between the both of you. The deeper your involvement with magic, the worst the relationship will become.

So there. You have been warned...

So here it goes….

2010-09-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

www.RolandoMedina.com

My name is Rolando Medina, and I have been at this for quite a while… My background in magic ranges from having done the mandatory kids party (shruuugs...) to performing street magic (busking), to performing magic on stage with a horror punk/thrash band called the Cutthroats, to entertaining guests at a major international chain of hotels… my experiences have been varied and of a wide range.
I have owned and operated a brick and mortar magic shop called Conjourum Magic Supply and Studio; I have also competed and won…. And lost… at magic conventions, I have done table hoping at restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. I have lectured and thought magic formally and now…. Presently I manufacture coin gaffs and apparatus. (And write this Blog).
Some of the topics to look forward too in this Blog will be:
“Wand Envy”
“I could never do that…”
“Bad effects vs. Good effects”
“Maintenance and care of your gaffed coins”
“Magician’s guilt”
“The Pompous and Egotistical Magician”
“Follow through”
“Accountability”
“Professionalism”
“R-e-s-p-e-c-t”
“Bull… Buullll…..Buuuullllshit!”
“Expectations”
“Reality Checks”
“Allayed arts?”
and much more…
So stay tuned for all these topics… and please remember that after you read each one you are more than welcome to email me & let me know how much you like the topic, if you agree with it, if you hate it, or just hate me…. hahahahahah!!!!!!! (Just kidding), but I would love to hear from you… just one favor… pretty please… with sugar on top…? No anonymous comments and emails; I personally can not read emails from people who are coward enough, or that lack such accountability as to remain anonymous and yet try to make their voice heard.
So there… enjoy the Truth Archive.