There's an organization in Orange County, CA called HomeAid Orange County; they work with the building industry to build homeless shelters. Every year they have a fundraiser called Project Playhouse: the local building contractors build these elaborate playhouses which are auctioned off, some for over $30,000! (I once did a New Year's show for a gentleman who bought two of them!) Before the auction the playhouses are displayed at Fashion Island, an uber-high-end shopping center in Newport Beach. And then there's the attendant party and auction; I've done shows at a few of these over the years, but the last one was probably 5 or 6 years ago.

Well, today I got an e-mail from the Director of Development at HomeAid asking me if I can do strolling magic for this year's party: it's their 21st anniversary, so they're having a blackjack theme. It's a great gig, doing strolling magic for people who can plunk down 30 grand for a playhouse!

Alas, it's September 13, and I'm going to be in Lisbon, Portugal, vacationing after the TREC World Championships.

Sigh.

Easy come, easy go.

I do travel...refer them to me.

I already referred them to a local friend who's given me a lot of referrals. But if he's unavailable . . . .

This year alone, I have been booked for strolling work in both Cleveland, OH., Norfolk, Va., and Bolder, Co. Green is Green...I don't discriminate!