Hi all,

Thanks to everyonw who not only attended but also has taken the time out to post here their own thoughts on the convention as a whole. I know it is a big help to the convention comittee as each year they strive to listen to the members to make it the best convention they can. Your opinions and ideas do count and we greatly appreciate them.

I honestly would have to say that this was one of the friendliest conventions to date. There were just so many people meeting others, saying hello and just sharing their magic together. The boat trip even helped this even more by having a chance for people to mingle and interact with each other.

I also got the chance to meet so many of you from the Café sticker idea that we started this year. I thank everyone who took part in that as I know for myself it was a big help in being able to find Café members and get a chance to talk with them and say hello. I will plan on doing that next year as well as I think it was very worth while.

I will say that I think everyone agrees on the competition show wishing it was at the theater. As far as I can tell from talking with folks, it came down to budgets as to why they had to have the competition back at the hotel. It certainly was not the best of situations but people made the best of it that they could and it was one of the best contests to date. I really enjoyed all the acts and I know that the People's Choice award was the hardest to figure out in a very long time.

Thanks to everyone who attended the Stars of Tomorrow show. We spend so much time getting it right, pre[aring for it and teching the show to make it an event the young members will remember for a long time. Hope Anderson and the rest of the crew work together with my wife and I to really try and create the best show we can. Hope foes an amazing job and I am just glad to be a part of the entire show and helping back stage whereever I can. thank you all who were there. I am also glad I was able to add a bit of comedy before the show started. just call me the foiicial bird wrangler of the SAM hehe. If you were not there, just ask anyone and they will fill you in.

In regards to sessions and such overlapping, I know the convention folks work very hard with trying to schedule things the best that they can. From feedback taken at past conventions, there was feedback that people wanted more things and more options to take part in at the convention. the sessions and such stemmed from this request to give people the option to take part in other things.

I would also like to say that I really did enjoy your act Joespeh. It was themed very well and I had a very good time watching it and your showmanship. The contest was very good and I had a great time watching. I know some folks thought it lasted too long, but for myself, I like to give everyone competiting the same exact attention as I do the first performer. I think they worked very hard to get there and I wanted to give each act my support.

You are most welcome Craig. It was my pleasure to start this post and I am so glad others have chimed in here with their thoughts. I also want to thank you for helping me with the Café stickers that seemed to be a big hit this year. Thanks again.

Joel:
Thank you so much for your heart-felt story. I appreciate your kind words. Everyone involved with the SYM activities strive to create a fun aptmospehere of learning for the young members and create an experience that empowers them to want to do more.

Kyle

Hi Kyle & Joesph

I am so glad & happy to meet both of you at the convention....me just back from US today...wow very fast, half a month gone.....I saw a couple of magiccafe members too

Wow! This SAM convention is great...meet tons of new magician friends....have a great time chatting with them.........hope to see you both in the future soon...

Take care guys
JY

I had fun at the SAM convention. I learnt a lot of things and I must say it is different from the other conventions I attended.

I wished I had hanged out more with you guys but the jet lag thing is making me really impossible to keep awake late at night!

Joe: It was a real pleasure meeting you and seeing you perform at the convention. I really enjoyed talking with you and sharing the magic. I look forward to seeing you in the future and please let me know if I can be of any help to you in the future. I am really glad the Café stickers went over as well as they did. I think it really helped me a lot to know who was who and get a chance to meet so many new friends

Kyle

It was fun to meet Joe. Now if we could just get him to slow down talking a bit..

Richard

And it was also very nice to meet my good friend Richard Hughes. =) Thanks Richard. Your products are wonderful and I am already using the ones I bought from you to great success. thanks again for all you do.

Kyle

Hi, Phil in KC -
Thanks for the kind words about the Improv Workshop. I believe it *does* take your performance to another level. Besides, it's fun!

Marlene Clark