First off, I would like to thank Slyhand (Alec Negri) for introducing me to this great forum!!!

My name is Arnie and I have been practicing magic since March of 1993. It all started when a friend of mine, in the Navy, showed me Color Monte and made a silk disappear in front of me. Ummmm...I "convinced" him to tell me the secrets and teach me. Over the next 3 days we hit the 4 different magic shops in the San Diego area. Ironically, it seemed we went from worst to first...ending up at Brad Burt's Magic Shop the 3rd day. Brad quickly realized I was just beginning and put "Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic" in my hands and I just took off reading everything I could get my hands on...

...that lead to my first performances at the Enlisted Club in Long Beach, California. From there I was transferred to Sasebo, Japan and quickly became a hit where most of my weekends were booked when I was in port and I was always doing performances for the base and my ships' Morale, Welfare, and Recreation functions...

...around 1999 I was still doing shows for my commands, but concentrated on my Navy career as an instructor where I incorporated my magic in lesson plans. I always started with a short routine and promised my students that if they achieved a 90% or higher at the end of the sections I taught...I would teach them a couple of self-working card effects. It was often comical the thanks I would get when a student would graduate and would tell me their sole motivation was my magic...

...anyway, I did my last performance for my last sea-going command in December of 2006 and then for South Beloit High School in the Fall of 2009.

I have more time now that I have retired after 20 years of service and the magic bug is biting me. I've gotten back in touch with Brad Burt and look forward to learning more...picking up where I left off.

First of all, thank you for your service! And, welcome back to the world of magic! You will find a great deal of help here...including some from living legends in magic.

Welcome SlyArnie,

Running into Brad Burt was a stroke of Luck.

Thank you for your service to the USA. Are you teaching in South Beloit High School?

-Mary Mowder

Thanks Mary and Mike!!!

I really miss the Navy and it's been only 8 months since I retired!!!

Yeah, Brad is amazing...thankful he went on-line...

No, I'm not teaching at SBHS, I honored a request of a good friend who works there to do a show.

Sorry for the delay in my response, after I initially changed my password...I couldn't log back into the forum for some reason (even after resetting my password).

Brad is one of the best. He'll lead you in the right direction. Welcome to the Café!

Thanks for the welcome Leland...and yes, Brad is great!!! I've been learning from him since 1993!!!

Hey SlyArnie. Just saw this post. I'm glad you made it to the Café.

Arnie
Welcome to the magic Café, I am also a Navy vet. I started my full time juggling/magic career at the age of 42 so have fun. Brad likes to post at the "new to magic" forum.