Top 5? Just FIVE? Really?

Nopes, can't do it......

Bryn

I agree with mindhunter, just too many to choose from.

I seldom do more than one or two things I've learned from any single performer or creator (because I prefer to learn from people and then use what I learn to craft my own performances instead of copying theirs), so I can't list five. I will, however, mention that I have enormous respect for Richard's thinking, his attitude, and his personality. He's one of my top three votes for world's most awesome mentalist.

I perform a modified version (won't go into details here) of O.D.D.S., which is one of the best things that ever happened to me and my thinking about mentalism when I was new to it, and The Blindfold Book, though I've never owned his version of the blindfold, and can't even remember how I ended up owning the book (that was a lot of partying ago), is almost totally responsible for my having learned to do blindfold work in any form.

And he's also the only other person besides my first mentor who's ever seemed to know who Faucett Ross was, and that wins a lot of respect points from me. Faucett Ross was a huge influence on me in my early days in magic.

So yeah, I don't do lots and lots of his effects, but I like to think that what I've learned from Richard goes beyond mere effects. He's one of the people who's helped me learn to think like a mentalist, and helped me to be a better entertainer in general.

Love this thread! So much appreciation for one of the best teachers of our art ever and a wonderful man as well. I couldn't possibly choose just five Osterlind routines... There's a little bit of Ridhard in every routine I do.

Inside the fold
PCT
Watch Routine
Spoon bend
Hands Off


I just received his ForeSign and ThoughtScan Compact in the mail and very excited to add these to my show!

It' like....well, there are whole websites devoted to "Top 5" categories, bazillions of them:
http://top5ofanything.com/

And I take it as an affront that there is NOT a RIchard Osterlind category!....haha

Bryn

Bryn, George, Robb and all the rest of you - what an incredible way to end 2014! Thank you so much for your wonderful and gracious comments!

May you all have a wonderful and prosperous New Year and thank you again for making me feel so good!

Richard

And thank you too, Richard.

Without you and Bob existing in this world, I'd just be doing tricks with little pieces of paper.

I, for one, feel I owe you more than I could ever repay.

And you're just so freaking nice, too! XD

In no particular order:
Card Calling/Miracle Card projection from Mind mysteries 2
Magazine Test MM1
Watch Routine MM1
PCT MM1(The endless possibilities)
Spoon Bend/ Spectator Reads Mind
plus too many others I can't recall at the moment, and thank you so much Richard for the gifts you continue to bring, the knowledge you share in your DVDs are just as valuable if not more than the actual tricks.

Richard has many, many commercial routines. He has too many good ones to select only five. One of my very favorites is Bank Night. I can't go wrong with this gem.

Happy New Year Richard and to everyone else on the café.

Ray

Today I performed the Viewed ESP Prediction from Dynamic Mysteries for the first time publicly.

I really had no idea what an impact it could have on an audience until I tried it. They were all completely blown away. I mean completely.

I was as amazed as they were when I saw their reactions, and I think it's definitely a keeper. I just wish I'd tried it out a lot sooner. I feel like I was cheating myself and everyone else by not bothering with it before. Finally, I have something I can do with those old ESP cards that actually makes them all go "WHOA!"

And it's one of the few routines I've ever done that I didn't feel needed to be changed in some way to make it more suitable. It plays like a miracle right "out of the box".

This isn't an effect, but I just want to say Richard's customer service is great. A few months ago, I emailed him late at night, and he responded early the next morning...which was Thanksgiving! I certainly wasn't expecting that

Mortimer, did you do Viewed ESP Prediction from stage or parlor or close up or...??? I've been working on a stage version, not using ESP symbols, but same basic idea...

I do most of my stuff fairly close-up. This was in a surrounded performance, for about 20 people.

Richard mentions that it's adaptable for different-sized venues; you can use large ESP cards (or whatever you're using) for it and draw the prediction out on an easel facing half the audience or so, even make your own cards if need be.

A second easel with double-sided tape laid out in the proper positions can hold the cards as they're chosen, and they can be unstuck and re-stuck as they're revealed, even. 'S'what I'd do, anyway. Just put the tape on the board backing, then handle it a bit so anything stuck onto it won't stick permanently, but can be pulled free easily. Laminate your cards, and you're good to go for multiple performances.

It kills. Seriously. Totally worth incorporating into an act, in whatever way possible, as long as it can be done properly. Do it with the right emphasis on the right points, and you will bring the house down.

One that I've always liked that you rarely see mentioned in these threads is Change of Mind

I'm not familiar with it. For all I know I've read it before, and forgot. The stuff I choose to perform is all that tends to stick sometimes... I'm bad about that.

What's it like? Now I'm curious.

It's on Mind Mysteries Volume 3. Essentially, they pick a coin out of their stash and reach into your pocket and pick a coin out of yours. You knew what each of the coins would be, and the year they were minted. Not a mind blowing routine, but it's nice how consistent the two phases are given the method at play, and the gimmick employed is quite a unique solution that I haven't seen elsewhere.

I think that could actually be a pretty mind-blowing thing, really.

Sounds cool!

I thought the best part of Change of Mind was the fact the predictions are all signed by the spectators. Very nice.

The problem with Euros depending on where they are from is that they have no date on them.