Evening ladies and gents! *tilts hat* Hoping you're all diddling well tonight

OOo err what to say really!...

I'm a relative neeeewbie to all of this (well certainly in relation to some of the people I'm hanging out with) and despite flitting in and out of magic since I was 16 and I've only managed to slip back into it in the past few months and I'm well and truly hooked this time! Some might even say obsessed *glances around room which is surrounded by cards and balls and all sorts of trinkets and treasures!* Hahaha! I love it! Joined up the local club recently where I've managed to be a very lucky lady and have stumbled into some stupendously lovely and incredibly talented people! It's been through Gary Jones I've met Chris Williams, who really I have to thank for directing me here to your wonderful forum (thanking you Mister Williams!)

My first ever memory of magic was of my Grandpa pulling a card out of my belly button when I was about six. I was absolutely flabbergasted and spent the rest of the day squeezing my belly button expecting another bunch of cards to fly out any minute! He wasn't a magician of any sorts though, just your typical Grandpa who did the odd silly thing to entertain wee me! But since then I apparently have always asked for magical sets (as usual, had the Paul Daniels set and what not) and yeh! There's actually no one in my family who's into things like this... no performers or anything. I seem to be the odd sprog! It was when I was 16 I reeeeally became fascinated when my French teacher started up a magic club at school. Loads of people went initially and within weeks it had died down to just enthusiastic me, who would skip writing up coursework to hide at the back of younger years French lessons to hopefully get a quick glimpse of a trick or be shown a sleight of hand.

Sadly exams, Uni (aka drinking), jobs, moving houses etc etc took the spotlight for a while and I only really used magic to sort myself out a free drink or three at the bar! But now... I'm settled and self employed and my boss (mu haha) thinks it's a grand idea to play with magic ooooh... at least an hour or two a day! Hehehe! Well I say that but sometimes I am mega busy and don't have the opportunity! Boo hiss!

My idols in magic? Top of the list, Tommy Cooper. Makes me crease up until my legs are jellified and my tummies had a marathon work out from giggling too much! Derren Brown is a complete legend too!

Personally, I love close up magic. Impromptu stuff ideally. Although gimmicky things are cool, I like to be able to get my hands on something from peoples around and have a giggle and wow them with that

Where do I want to go with this?! Well at the moment it's a hobby. A veeeeeery very big hobby of mine! Hopefully with some teaching and prodding by some peoples I can improve massively, get my sleight of hand and little group of tricks off to a T and well. Who knows If I could do it for a profession one day I would be one happy girl

I'm sure the people who have met me already will know this, but I'm also known here there and everywhere as Clare Southern (Phoebe is one of my middle names to which most people tend to call me by due to, apparently, similarities in my inability to sing and play the guitar very well and being a bit scatter brainesque like the wonderful wonderful Phoebe Buffet!).

So... hello there those of you I know and a big hello to those I don't! Pleasure to make your acquaintances!

Believe it or not... I am generally quite quiet (on forums before any of you lot who know me come nudging in here ) More of a browser and odd commenter! But I will be here and lapping up all there is to learn!

Keep smiling peoples and nice to meet you all xx

Nice to meet you Pheebs,

I am sure you will love the Café, and there are many people here who will be all too happy to help and navigate you to what areas of the forum will interest you the most.

Chris

Pheebs,

Hello and welcome hehe!

You will love the Café.

Gary.