Mike Becvar

Mike’s Take on the World

Last year, when I decided to become a clown, I realized that I would need to learn a few new skills. I wanted to learn how to ride the unicycle, juggle, face paint, twist balloons, and do a few magic tricks. For some reason, doing magic has been the most intimidating. I signed up for unicycle lessons, started practicing with my juggling balls, joined a face painting group, and bought balloons and a pump.

I had a magic kit when I was a kid. I learned a few of the tricks, but never really good. And, I never figured out the patter and jokes needed to keep a magic act flowing. I remember some of those tricks as cheap, plastic tricks. I figured that all kids got them at one time or another. I convinced myself that I should avoid the cheap, plastic tricks and only go for professional looking tricks.

When I got to Moose Camp last year, I stopped in the Dealer’s room and one of the first tricks I was shown was one of the tricks I remembered having as a kid. He made it look better than I could have done. I was shown a few more tricks over the course of the week, but managed to avoid buying any.

On the Clown Cruise earlier this month, I learned a few more magic tricks. Earl Chaney demonstrated many of his pocket magic tricks. A few other clowns also showed me some tricks. I managed to buy a few things from Earl, but haven’t had the free time to really learn the tricks.

Last night, I went to a George Schindler Lecture at Barry’s Magic Shop (http://www.barrysmagicshop.com/). George put on a good show. He had a lot of jokes and stories to keep everyone entertained. He did a dozen tricks using small objects that all fit into his various pockets. After a brief break, he traced through his show and told everyone how he kept his tricks organized in his pockets and some of the secrets behind the tricks.

I think that knowing the secret behind a trick and being able to perform the trick are two different things. But, I hope to find the time in the coming months to learn a few magic tricks. It will be good to be able to have something up my sleeve when I am out clowning around.

We had snow on Tuesday. It really wasn’t that bad. When I got home from work, I had about two inches of snow on my driveway. It was light snow and only took a few minutes to clear. A little later, when I was walking my dog it started snowing a little heavier, I wondered if I would need to shovel again before going to bed.

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It may happen for the first time this winter, a measurable snowfall. Forecast calls for between 1 and 4 inches of snow with heavier amounts to the north and west. We have seen a few flurries this winter, but nothing that could be measured or needed to be shoveled.

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I just got back from the Clown Cruise 2009 on the brand new Ruby Princess. I started looking into the cruise last September and I booked a single room on the cruise just days after returning from my last cruise.  The cruise set sail from Ft Lauderdale, FL and sailed through the Western Caribbean. We stopped in Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Cozumel, Mexico and Princess Cays, Bahamas.

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Well, we are half way into the first day of 2009. If you agree with me and you think the millenium officially began in 2000, then you know we are starting the last year of the first decade of the newest millenium. I had a debate at work with a co-worker about the naming of the decades. Most people will recognize the 1950s as the 50s and the 1960s as the 60s, but what will they call the first decade of the 2000s and when it is 2060 and someone talks about the 50s will people still think of the 1950s or will they be talkding about the 2050s. I guess time will only tell.

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