Why I become a magician?

Okay, so what got me into magic?  When I was eight my parents bought me a magic kit for my birthday: the My Favorite Martian Magic Kit. (Based upon the 1960’s TV series starring Bill Bixby and Ray Walston.)  The kit didn’t contain particularly sophisticated stuff, it was easy enough for any child to do.

Now, most kids play around with magic for a little while and then lose interest in it.  I, on the other hand, was absolutely fascinated. I kept learning more and more.

Houdini was my hero; I studied every book I could find about him.  When I was a teenager, I found a magic shop owned by an old magician who worked for Houdini and started going to his shop on the weekends. He would show me some of his Houdini memorabilia, etc. and teach me some of his escapes.  Like Houdini, I wanted to be an escape artist – which I became in my twenties.  

Learning magic, as well as being incredibly satisfying, can really help boost your self-confidence. At school, I used it as way to talk to other kids, particularly girls. When I was in high school, I’d perform for my friends and even put on magic productions. I continued practicing and improving my magical skills while in college.   

Nowadays, I no longer pursue magic as a profession.  However, magic and performing magic in front of an audience is still one of my favorite hobbies and I guess it always will be.  The joy I get performing magic for friends and family and seeing the astonished looks on their faces is priceless.  

There’s a lot more to the story, but that’s a short version on how it all started.