Once upon a time, I treat magic just as a "thing" that I can show off to my friends and maybe, impress the girls. I tried every ways and means to learn "free" tricks from people and in turn, after performing the tricks, I would proudly teach them how I did it (I thought I am doing them a favour). So it happened one day that I found myself with nothing new to impress anybody anymore.

After I got a bit deeper into magic, I still couldn't resist the urge to "teach" people the secret when they bug me for it. I thought, maybe they really love the art as much as me. But after learning, most of them NEVER perform for anybody, except telling others the secret to make them look smart. I promised myself I would never teach anybody again.

When I stumbled upon SMC last year, from reading the threads, I realized how little I know about magic. Not just the techniques, but also the psychology and the philosophies involved. Magic is so much more about impressing friends and girls (in fact, if you started with that mindset, you have a high chance of getting heckled). Magic is about communication. Communicating that moment of magic and who-you-are. It's the difference between 2 magicians performing the same trick and getting 2 different reactions.

I don't know about you guys but I guess most of us here started in magic through E or Penguin or a local magic shop. Nothing wrong with that except they usually neglect (through no fault of theirs, they are dealers afterall) the more important aspects of magic besides the techniques.

I mean, through hearing from the more experienced guys (eg. Uncle Bob, Enrico, JC Sum etc), I know there's so much more to know and to learn about performing. Just a simple question like " What's misdirection?" or "What's a DL to the audience?", made me go "HUH?" because I never really give a thought to it.

So after all is said, if you guys REALLY think magic is an art worth pursuing, reagrdless you want to go pro or stay amatuer (both are still performers), please.... learn the right things from the right people.

AND where better a place to learn than going to our SMC Gathering on 3rd of FEB!!!!! (haha blatant advertising!!! Didn't see it coming right?! :lol: )