IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY would you honour bookings, and what would be your plans. Let's not be greedy now, let's say you won £3 million pounds or $5 million dollars or the equivalent wherever you live.

We would honour probably the next three weekends of children's parties and any weekday bookings say over the next 7 days. By and large it would take a long while to sort your life out, i.e. we'd ultimately rent out our present house and buy real estate in North Wales, Spain and USA. We'd not publicise the win but just say "a change of circumstances" had forced us to cease trading as kids' entertainers.

DREAM ON!

Yes, I would honor my bookings.

And all other contractual agreements.

It's the right thing to do.

Of course, you don't really think all these people in the Café are into Magic for the money. There are a lot of empty wallets out there and a strong love for magic.

A million wouldn't make a difference except I'd have more magic!

Guess having been a pro. musician and entertainer for SO many years we could stand the different life Dennis. Appreciate your point though.

Best Wishes - Tony.

Hi Aceparties, Yes, no doubt in my mind that I would honor the contracts. If I was performing for my regular clients I would even say "You know what?" "For hiring me and using my business, I'm doing this show for free". Sigh, wouldn't it be nice to do that for our loyal customers? I agree with Den most of us don't do it for the money but the love of the art. Once all the fullfillments were made I'd go on a nice vacation (probably to a couple conventions..ha ha) returning full of renewed vitality and carry on as usual with lots more props and effects!

Absolutely Dennis and Chrystal! Most of my regular clients are like friends to me, and to do the show for free is a beautiful thought.

If I won the lottery, which would be unlikely as I don't buy a ticket, I'd be free to do what I want. And one of my main 'wants' in life, a compulsion almost, is to be creative, and express myself. I can, and indeed do, strive to do that without much money. I honestly can't see that changing with a full wallet.

You sound a bit weary of performing Tony, to me. I hope I've misread the situation, and wish you well.

Regards,

Caleb Strange.

Aceparties asks: "IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY would you honour bookings. . ."

Certainly, because with my luck I wouldn't win the $5 million prize; I'd win the $2 prize!

Tony,

I spent a life time, on the edge, with many near death experiences fighting over 8,000 structure fires in an urban city for 28 years. As a fire officer, the pressure and concern for my subordinates and not making any mistakes made for a lifetime of real serious stuff.

After retirement, it is a pleasure making people smile and laugh, heck I seen my share of death and tears from the deadly effects of fire.

With a lottery ticket, it would mean I could make more people laugh because I would hire a bunch of professionals and come up with a Kohl and Company type comedy routine. Trying to do that on my own is real tough after being serious for so long.

Absolutely!

I think the difference here is that since 1976 every Penny we have earned has come out of the 'business' (apart from recent other interests in buying/renting real estate). First as a musician then as kids entertainers. It is not a case of becoming 'weary', but when entertaining has been a lifetime's necessity it would be nice to pursue other interests without financial restrictions. I know you truly love magic Dennis, your enthusiasm and sincerity in your postings shines through. But could you now during retirement be as enthusiastic about the Fire Service (not firemen's welfare, but business procedures)? and are parties a financial necessity to you? No doubt other lifetime pro's could now appear and say "I am lucky to still be doing something I love" and we would say the same - we love working with kids. But as a multi-millionaire I doubt if I still would be singing "The farmer's in the den" or making balloon red nose reindeers at 11.30 a.m. on a Sunday morning! Re; free shows. It would be nice to do these for friends, but anyone else it could be taken as 'patronising' - plus it would harm other entertainers who had to carry on earning. I feel very strongly about the plight of kids on the African Continent, and with the greatest respect to our own chicken McNugget eating junior citizens (mine included), would like to have time and money to be involved in something here. Not much chance though - I never buy a ticket as I disagree with the present UK national lottery system.

Same here, I very rarely buy a ticket because I know he likely hood of being bit by a shark, struck by lighting, die from a bee sting, or being bit by a poisionous snake are betters odds than winning a lottery.

And you are correct, I still do seminars for the fire service, and I am really procrastinating in setting them up (Business end: mailers, booking, development and improvements, even though it makes 10 times more money than magic shows.)

As for solving world problems, we can't solve our own in-country problems because of politics, let alone other countries. ("Black Hawk Down", movie is a true story in our government's attempt to help children in another country.)

Tony, you are right. My life is set and I don't need to work...but I do need a reason to go forward in life instead of sitting and waiting for life to take it away. Why not do something that is fun, funny, and funding.

Cheers,
Den

Hi Ace, I think you may have misunderstood what I was talking about when I said Free shows for my clients if I won the lotto. I would only state that, if I had already been hired and was fullfulling my contract. Would then be a nice suprise to say "my treat".No different from saying "hey I won the lotto to your friends..drinks are are me!" They would have hired me already so not taking away business for anyone else..(would never be so crazy as to advertise that I do free shows!) gasp! I only meant my regular clients that already had me booked previous to my supposed winning.Um, should mention here my pet peeve is the oodles of people that sometimes call and ask for free shows.However, this is all speculation as my chances of winning the lotto is as good as being hit by a Tsunami in the Sahara. Nice to dream about however!

Not only would I honor my bookings, they'd get one heck of a show.

Let's see, a birthday party complete with a levitation, maybe a school show with interlude.... maybe a close up restaurant gig with a buzz saw....

I'd have so many new toys in my arsenal, I'd probably be begging for places to perform!

Yes. By all means.
Vaclav

I would move on from kidparties where I am now to doing magic for adults. I would charge really much, because I can afford not getting the job. That way I would feel more appreciated. Besides that I would do some really luxuary things: I would get a car so I wouldn't have to share the bus with the alcoholics and drug addicts with the risk of getting my throat cut, I would buy things for my appartment, like furniture, so it would not be as empty as now, I would go abroad sometimes, to warmer countries.

I would also investigate how I can use the money to do some good in the world. I would contact orphanages in poor countries and help them. I would do something for the street children etc. $5 million is so much money I would become ill if I kept it all for myself.

Mikael