Reflections Of A Woman At A Magic Convention
Image credit: Microsoft Clip Art
First Impression: Where are the women?
Answer to First Impression: They’ve been replaced by playing cards, trick ropes, and coins.
Interesting Factoid: I still hold sway with the tiny demographic of paunchy, pull-a-rabbit-from-a-hat, older men.
Some of my new friends.
Most Uncomfortable Social Interaction: One of the aforementioned new admirers approaches me, winks, and says he likes my ‘wild cat’ boots. Given this Big Hoss sports a wicked cowboy hat, a bold western shirt, and butt-hugging wranglers, he knows of what he speaks.
My ‘wild cat’ boots. Proof that when I’m not wearing ugly man shoes, I’m wearing ugly man boots.
Non-Magician Recommendation: If a magic convention hosting more than 500 magicians sets up a dealership room where well-known magicians display, demonstrate, and sell their wares, said room should be large enough for said attendees. Making it Sandwich City horrifies introverts with a strong adherence to the three-foot personal space rule. Oh, and if I receive a quarter for every time I hear someone say, “They need a bigger room,” I can pluck a coin from each of your ears.
Calgon, take me away…
Cutest Gesture: Passing out cards and coins to me at the door before a how-to lecture in case I want to practice my technique along with the rest of the audience. Thanks, boys, but I’ll power up my iPad and write a ‘Reflections of a Woman at a Magic Convention’ blog post instead.
Surprising Discovery: A man who invaginates his body into an enormous red balloon can still find a wife.
Hey, ladies, look at me. I’m a human condom.
Unpleasant Discovery: When using the hotel fitness room, wondering if you’ll survive a treadmill run in the ninety-degree sarcophagus, approximately 100 pink pudgy faces peer at you through the glass window as they make their way to breakfast.
Wisest Decision: Working out in the hotel room thereafter.
Most Fantastic Outcomes: Seeing your son quiver in excitement with each new experience. Watching him attend lecture after lecture, taking notes and learning new concepts. Witnessing truly kind magicians take time to engage and encourage him. Realizing I am part of a unique and wonderful adventure.
Mark Mason and the future David Copperfield…
Have you ever stepped into a world entirely foreign to you? What kind of conferences have you attended? Do you have ‘wild cat’ boots?
***Know that the above post is all in fun. The convention was a delight, well-organized, and full of great people. And the final show was fantastic, including a performance by Justin Flom (who’s been featured on the Ellen DeGeneres show), demonstrating cool musical card magic like this. What a special opportunity for my budding magician son.
280 Responses to “Reflections Of A Woman At A Magic Convention”
Wonderfully funny and insightful! I love your writing and your boots. (No, the second compliment does not cancel out the first.) I’ve never been to a Magic Convention but I did accompany my son to an Anime Convention (Think Comicon for serious Asian Animation Nerds or AANs) a dozen years back. You know it’s time to go home when you start to think, “I could do a way better job on that Sailor Moon.”
Haha! You are a brave woman. My sons were into Anime for a while, but thankfully, they never asked me to take them to a conference. I bet there wasn’t a lot of females there either. Well, maybe there were. Some of those comics are female-centric. (And I probably just committed a major gaffe by calling Anime ‘comics’…)
Thanks for the visit!
[...] post was inspired by the redoubtable Carrie Rubin, who braved a magic convention with her son. She also wrote a book while still being a doctor and a bunch of other stuff, and I am [...]
please explain to him while he’s young what a chick repellant too much magic can be. hahaha.. Sounds so fun tho, to be honest! Love the boots.
The good thing is, my son does mostly card magic, and the tricks are pretty cool. Hopefully he won’t repel too many women. I think David Copperfield and Criss Angel have done all right with the ladies.
Thanks!
This is true… I was just thinking about all those fellas at the conference. Hehehe. I have a friend who does magic. He bought an original Houdini signature for his wall, very cool. A smart girl will appreciate the skill it takes!
One can only hope…
I was going to ask what in the world had brought you to a magic convention, but of course it would be your child. The things we do for our children’s dreams and aspirations, right?
Indeed! But his father gets the next one…
That’s fantastic that you took your son to this — and that you got the opportunity for some highly entertaining photos.
My favorite conferences that I’ve been to in the past were camp counselor conferences. You get to be surrounded by grown ups playing kid games for 3 days — super fun (and also on occasion, highly entertaining).
Oh, now that sounds like a fun conference! And how weird is it that while you were over here commenting on my post, I was just commenting on yours? Telepathy, I’d think, if I wasn’t so pragmatic.
But telepathy makes for such a better story!
Good point!
That is just too weird an experience for me. Red pudgy faces? Human condom? Way out of my comfort zone on that. Well done for getting the pictorial evidence tho
It was definitely interesting. And as far as the pictures go, let’s just hope those guys never head over to my blog and see themselves in action…
Thanks, Lyndsey!
Good on you for making the time (and putting in the effort) to take your son on the trip!
And if any of the crowd gives you a hard time, tell them you’ll show them the trick where you make your wild cat boots disappear.
In their…well, you get the idea…
Haha! A perfect comeback!
good for you! If it brings a gleam to their little eyes, it’s usually worth it. That said, do all kids go through a magic phase? Mine did, for as much time as it took them to lose the pieces in the magic set.
I think a lot do, but my son’s been going strong for over five years now. Watches the experts’ instructional DVDs until he has the tricks down pat (mostly card tricks). He’s certainly well surpassed the point of me having any idea of how he does them. And he’ll never reveal the secret to me!
Carrie, what a wonderful experience. You made me chuckle, but it must have broadened horizons which were not narrow to start with…(Doctor, Doctor, my horizons are flapping…)
It did broaden horizons, that’s for sure. And thank goodness the balloon-invaginating man did not collapse from lack of oxygen, otherwise I would have had to offer my services.
Are you certain the guy in the red balloon was married? His poor wife!
Haha. Indeed he was. Some kids, too. But he was very funny, so something tells me he’s a pretty fun guy to have in the house.
Absolutely awesome! So magical your writing, it’s like I was right there! Strangest convention, a women’s conference where everyone is in a shopping frenzy but no one visits the grief booth. Only I. Yup. Now THAT was strange.
Well, I guess you had it all to yourself then. That’s not so bad.
Thanks!
So happy for your little guy that he got to go to this. It will be the highlight of his life for many years, I’m sure.
For sure. He’s already talking about next year’s convention…
Thanks!
Hilarious post, Carrie!
An unforgettalbe, delicious slife-of-life offering.
Thank you! And thanks for stopping by to read it.
Hilarious! I can’t help but think of Howard from the Big Bang Theory (his interest in magic). Also, the fact that on the show they are always joking about there being no women in the comic book store, etc. Maybe all these guys are hoping their magic skills will help them get chicks. Fail. LOL.
That’s actually interesting though. There really isn’t anything “manly” about magic. I wonder why it’s more a guy thing…
Love the Big Bang Theory! The thought of dating a man like Howard gives me the willies.
Actually, the up and coming magicians are more hip as they do a lot of card magic and illusionist tricks (in fact, they prefer the much hipper term of ‘illusionist’ to ‘magician’…). My son focuses mostly on card tricks, for which I’m pleased. That means no geeky outfits and no female assistants.
Thanks!
Never attended a strange conference before (although technically, most academic conferences have a lot of strange attendees…), but did feel very out of my element when I attended my first body building show. Kind of a cross between an anatomy class and a strip club. I had to keep stifling the urge to stuff $5 bills in the front of the men’s posing suits…
Oh, I imagine. And I suspect there was a lot of self-tanner on display, too.
Saw a woman in half on stage and you’re a magician, do it in your basement and everybody condemns you.
Oh, so true. Talk about a double standard. Luckily, there was no sawing at this convention. Or any mindless female assistants.
Fun post Carrie. I’ve never been to a magic convention, though I have gone to several conventions including: a boating show, a gun show, a running expo, a poker convention at the World Series of Poker, and NACS a few times (National Association of Convenience Stores) when I worked in Consumer Goods. My favorite, hands down, was NACS because everyone handed out free candy–I had enough Cow Tails and Mike & Ikes to last a year! (almost)
If I ever go to Comic-Con, I’m sure I will feel much like you at your magic-con.
PS- Hot boots!
Those sound like some pretty male-dominated conventions, too. I bet you stood out a bit. Probably made some new friends like I did.
Glad you like the boots. They’re about as fancy as I get…
I’m on my way to a convention right now! This one is right up my alley–mystery and thriller. I’ve been to a boat convention, and a Dunlop Tires convention. Both were not magical to me. LOL I suppose one person’s “junk” con is another’s treasure.
A boat convention and a Dunlop Tires convention, huh? I bet there were some boys there that liked your wild-cat boots, too.
Have fun at your mystery and thriller convention! Sounds great.
Love the comment about the boots.
I was planning to ask you how the convention went. Bet your son loved it, and it sounds like he got plenty from it which is a bonus.
I think the strangest place I ever turned up in was moving to the US! I spent the first few weeks feeling like I was on holiday and that slightly sad feeling of having to return home again soon. Also attending baby classes several months in was the oddest thing at the time.
Oh, yes, baby classes. Don’t even get me started on those. I was a baby class dropout. I know they serve a good purpose, and most of them are wonderful, but I just couldn’t jibe with my nature-worshiping, epidurals-are-evil teacher.
I think in that class we had an experienced / old teacher who just explained it and what to expect. No opinions on what you should or should not do. Only really tried to put forward why breast feeding was a better option. She did have a weird way of “acting” certain scenarios where she said “Oh honey” a lot. She didn’t, as the fake baby entered the world, say “Now that’s magic” – ok, I’ll close the browser now…
Hopefully she never said, ‘Oh honey, that’s one ugly baby.’
Nice post – I profess to be not mad about magic at all, but when I meet it say, at a wedding with a table magician, I am totally blown away.
Once did a selling job and attended the ‘carrot and stick’ presentations connected with it. Weird. So predictable, but people fell for it all. I have to say I didn’t last long….
Don’t have wild cat boots, but am an ankle boot addict. Don’t have many shoes. Vary from flat, walking, and sensible to high, heeled, and buckled or trimmed with velvet. They are all yummy!
I’m not really a shoe person. In the winter I basically alternate between my sensible black man shoes and these boots. I’m not one for heels or shoes that hurt my feet. In the summer, I really shake things up by having two pairs of sandals, one brown, one black, usually of the same style. I don’t believe I’ll be on the cover of Vogue anytime soon…
Thanks, Pat!
Currently wearing very soft, very soft black with white spots boot style slippers. Very… comfortable. And my alternative would probably be crocs.
I can do smart. I can do high (though not very high) and do own a couple of pairs of shoes, but not often. I think Vogue will have to keep searching for their cover girl – no hope here either!
That’s okay. I think we’d both prefer to be on the cover of Writers magazine or something along that vein, anyway.
Oh, yes…. pick me, pick me! Pretty please
What fun for your son! Just think, as he gets older he will want to saw you in half then his first girlfriend.
Oh, yes, that sure sounds like fun… Luckily, he’s mostly into card tricks–the ‘cool’ magic.
I can’t say I’ve ever been to a magic convention. I bet it was very entertaining!
That it was!
We should get our kids together! I’ve always been into magic, and own some professional tricks. Recently, we attended a magic show (with buy the tricks after options) at Universal Studios, and my son Begged me to get some tricks (of course I caved) He was disappointed when he saw how “simple” the reality was of how they were done.
However… after WOWing the pants off everyone fron three year olds to grandparents at a his brother’s birthday party, he was hooked.
It didn’t matter that there wasn’t any real “magic”. The magic happened when he made that card float through the air… when that light flew across the room and came out of someone’s pockets… when he poked a hole in someone’s $10 bill and then gave it back undamaged.
He realized the magic came in a good performance… and the look on people’s faces as he performed.
Incredibly cool.
I hope your son has the same great experience.
Oh, he does, and he’s so good. He does mostly card tricks, and some of them knock my socks off. He studies the instructional DVDs for hours. I keep waiting for him to lose interest, but after 5 years he’s still going strong. He’s performed at a nursing home to practice his presentation skills. I told him if he can do it there, where they’re saying “Huh? What’s that you’re saying, boy?” then he can do it anywhere.
Too bad the tricks are quite costly though. But he saved up his allowances and was able to buy a few.
We’re going to go to Universal Studios this summer. I’ll have to be on the lookout for that magic show.
Oh! Definitely. The show is in a little hut-like-thing near Poseidon. It is right beside where the magic talking fountain is. They close the doors like it doesn’t exist when a show is going on, but then open it again after the show is over and people have made their purchases. They show you a professional doing the tricks and then you can buy them.
I am still wowed when I see my 11 year old making things float trough the air, and the lights that fly through things — even through I know how it’s done. He’s pretty good at it.
We purchased all the tricks they offered except the burning wallet. Expensive, but worth it for the quality of the tricks.
Good to know! Thank you. We’ll look for it when we’re there.
Oh…. The boots that I have! My husband calls me “Boots” for a very good reason
Kids do stretch us in many directions, don’t they?!
That they do, but at least he’s broadening my horizons.
Personally, I dig the boots, Carrie. It’s funny how magic really is a guy thing. Mr. Weebles is into magic too, and it looks like all of those conventions really are sausage fests, but not in an ideal way. I’m glad you and your son had a good time! I’ve been to fountain pen conventions, which are, oddly, also very male-dominated, also 60+ in age. For the first time in I don’t know how long, I was one of the few hot young things in the room. I asked one of the dealers why fountain pens seemed to be such a male thing. He said, “Because they’re basically gadgets. Men love gadgets.” So there it is. Magic is probably similar–the tricks are gadgets.
I think you’re right. And although I’d love to have seen more female magicians there (my son informed me that there were two), I’m relieved there were no scantily clad female assistants. These guys didn’t need any assistants; they did it all on their own.
But fountain pen conventions? Really? Those exist? Who would have guessed…
I know, it’s uber-geeky. But I love fountain pens. They have cool stuff at these conventions—pens for sale, demonstrations, inks, papers, callligraphy lessons, all kinds of wacky stuff. And some of the people there are really interesting and fun to talk to. But it always tickles me that I’m one of the youngest people there and one of the few women not dragged there under duress by a geeky husband.
Yes, a little attention goes a long way. Even if it is from the 60+ crowd.
Us ladies are naturally magical. We don’t need no stinkin’ convention.
Happy your boy was in his magical element. Sorry that hundreds of attendees have no social skills. Welcome back!
Thank you! And he was most definitely in his element, though he was by far the coolest one there. And since I’m his mother, you know that must be true…
This convention was all about your son so it’s great that he enjoyed it. By the time he becomes an engineer he’ll be be making bridges disappear so he’ll always have lots of work.
Haha! Loved that comment! Thanks for a good laugh. (And let’s hope the engineer plan holds up. I’ll be a little nervous if he hangs his hat entirely on this magic thing…)
Carrie, as a teenager I used to drag my mom to comic book convention. This is back in the 90s before it was cool for girls to like comics. We were the only females there. For me, it was awesome. For mom, it was a weird experience. But we had fun together.
Good for you for shaking the boys up a bit! I’m surprised my son hasn’t asked to go to a comic book convention (and relieved). Comic books are another love of his. In fact, this kid has so many interests, if I’m not careful, I’ll be heading to a conference every week…
LOL. It’s funny the places great moms find themselves.
She also got dragged to pottery painting and an archery range.
Fun, Carrie. Sounds like an interesting introduction into a great foreign world. Glad you survived…
You and me both. Thanks!
Before I could comment, nature called…I took my phone with me. Not one to waste time, I read HF’s post and your comment about making changes. What a timely re-affirmation. I can’t imagine you being able to accompany your Magic Mikes if you were knee deep in sick babies during flu season. Win win. Those memories are going to shape them into caring men with their priorities clearly planting IMHO.
And those didn’t look like guy boots to me. They looked like Katniss boots to me. Or biker babe boots. Those are gr-r-r-r boots, girl. I’d have been surprised if someone didn’t put the moves on you! -Nikki
I’m so glad you liked my boots! I don’t mind being compared to Katniss. Much prefer that to being compared to a 5-inch, stiletto-sporting, bunion-producing bubble head (not that women who wear 5-inch stilettos are bubble heads; in fact, I greatly respect their ability to walk in that footwear; they are much smoother than me).
And it’s funny about what you said about me not being able to attend the conference were I knee-deep in flu season, because that’s exactly what I thought on our drive home from the convention–how nice that I could take the time to go away with my son. It wouldn’t have been possible in other chapters of my life.
Isn’t it great when a plan just seems to fall into place? And you find yourself thinking, “This was meant to be.”
No other place on the face of the earth that I would rather be right now. I love those moments.
For sure. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, woo hoo!
That sounds amazing and hilarious. That said, I would not like to go.
If I’m being totally honest, this WordPress blogging world is pretty foreign to me.
What blogging platform do you use? I’ve been to your ‘place,’ but I can’t remember. I need to go back there and add you to my reader.
I was on Blogger but recently changed to WordPress self-hosted, which is better, I guess… but more difficult.
Yeah, I don’t think I could manage a self-hosted site. My hat’s off to you.
Never mind. I just buzzed over there, and it looks like you use a self-hosted WordPress blog. I would imagine much of it is the same, though you have more control than us dot com minions.
How cool! Sounds like an interesting experience and a wonderful time for the two of you!!!
It was. And anything that nets me a blog post is well worth my time.
The human condom! I kept wondering how he was getting the air to blow it up!
The only convention I’ve ever attended was a computer one in Las Vegas a million years ago. I actually won a piece of software but lost it in transit from Nevada to Australia. -sigh- I did manage to bring home a very large porcelain vase I bought from a street stall in San Francisco though. Stuffed it full of dirty laundry and sat it on my lap the whole way home on the plane.
Not sure why the stewardesses didn’t scream ‘Projectile!” Maybe they figured if we were going down in the pacific somewhere it wouldn’t matter.
Haha! I’m wondering how good that vase stuffed with dirty laundry smelled. I wouldn’t want to put my used workout clothes in it. That alone would stop those plane engines, and down we’d go!
lol – aircon on planes always messes with my sinuses so I didn’t notice. Not sure about the rest of the passengers though.
Well, it’s a good way to keep people from bothering you.
Maybe we could market it as Eau de Sox?
I’m sure somewhere there would be a market for it…
Mmmm….
I am a huge fan of weird conventions for all the amazing discoveries; unpleasant, cute, surprising or otherwise. Most of my bizarre experiences are from my husband’s chess tournaments and his tales of metal detecting tournaments. He hopes to indoctrinate both of our boys into these things. I am reassured by this because it means I probably won’t have to worry about them having girlfriends and such.
I am glad you had a good time, and that your son got so much out of it. It’s cool that they even have a magic convention!
Haha. Your comment about not having girlfriends made me laugh.
And chess and metal detecting conferences? Wow, I bet you are definitely the lone wild cat woman at those conventions. Meow. 
If it’s all right with you, I think I just found the topic for my next post!
Oh, yes, you must! I look forward to reading it!
Hope your son remembers this special day when it comes to mothers day this year. ‘Best Mum ever’ card and don’t settle for ess.
Marti
Hey, you’re right! I need to get some mileage out of this thing, don’t I?
Carrie, that’s such a nice thing you did for your son. It’s great to hear that he is passionate about something.
I love your boots! I don’t have any “wild cat” boots, but my work boots do have some “attitude”.
Oh, I bet they do. In fact, I should have worn some work boots. This crowd would have loved those. And yeah, it’s pretty cool to see my son so passionate about magic. I keep thinking he’ll lose interest, but after five years of the hobby, he’s still going strong.
I think it’s just fantastic that you took your son to this. He will never forget it and has learned that his parents support his dreams, no matter what they may be. Good for you and good for him!
Thank you.
And he was so dedicated to it. Did not want to miss a single lecture. Much to his mother’s chagrin…
LOL but what a good mom you are
I was wondering how this turned out! Very funny post as usual–glad you all had fun.
Thank you! It was an interesting experience to say the least.
Come to think of it, I’ve never seen a female magician. On a side note, the last time I tried to invaginate myself, I almost didn’t live to tell about it. Thanks for reminding me! I think.
Well, we should all try to invaginate ourselves at one time or another…
My son tells me there were two female magicians at the conference. Sadly, I never saw them. Well, maybe I caught the back of one’s head, but I can’t be sure.
If I had to guess where the ladies were in a magician’s convention, I’d suggest you look just off to the side of the stage, where they were probably standing, smiling in fishnet stockings, sequinned bathing suit and top hat, gesturing lovingly at the magician, who is at center stage, smiling in a smarmy sort of way…
I am pleased to report that there were no scantily clad female assistants at this convention. In fact, none of these guys used assistants. Let’s hope that’s the wave of the future. If I ever see my son using a female assistant in a traditional fashion, I think I’ll puke…
The scantily clad girls provide much needed visual distraction, and they’re usually good sports about getting sawed in half.
I’d like to see one of those guys try that with me. I think I’d probably invaginate him into a balloon…
When you use the word “invaginate” it just comes across as so…..clinical.
Well, that’s good, considering it’s most often used to talk about one part of the bowel invaginating into another. But I was thrilled to get a chance to use it in my post. How often does that happen?!
counting the Nelson Demille post? 2
Haha. True.
[...] action, thrills and the love’em and leave’em kind of plot. I like humor,suspense,(Carrie Rubin you are next on my list) mystery, horror and well, anything quirky. My idea of romance is when my husband makes me [...]
It’s amazing the different worlds people live in. I’ve only been to English teaching conferences and while those are a rocking good time, they don’t pass out coins and cards at the door. We just get free textbooks.
Free books! That works for me. Especially considering that at the magic conference, they asked for the coins and the cards back after the lecture.
My magic hat is off to you, Carrie! You must REALLY love your son to do that for him. Did anyone make chocolate magically appear? That would be a trick worth learning (I would have to learn it from you). Yes, I have wildcat boots, but don’t wear them often. They aren’t comfortable and always give me leg rash where the tops rub my skin. Lame, I know.
You never cease to make me laugh. You’ve got that silly sense of humor that’s so refreshing. And would you believe, I had very little chocolate the entire time?! My son didn’t want to miss any lectures, so we rarely ventured out of the hotel, which left all eating to the hotel restaurant. It was good, but I passed on the desserts, and the one vending machine did not have treats that tickled my fancy. I think I went into withdrawal. But I had some M&Ms when I got home.
That’s probably very good you didn’t eat junky while you were away. Save the chocolate for true relaxation at home. And I think I should go purchase a few 5 lb bags (or whatever high poundage they come in) of M&Ms to go in my emergency staples (now that you mention them). If a winter ice storms takes out power and I can’t cook or things like that, I can survive if I have chocolate. And I’ll even be happy about surviving. If I’m eating some pasty chalky power bar, I might wish not to survive.
You are just like me. I buy the huge bag of M&Ms from Target to make sure I always have some on hand.
Mmmmmmm Good!
This post really made me laugh and smile! What an awesome mom you are! (Justin Flom was waaay cool to me) Your son is a Cutie~
I have sat through a 2 hr Monster Truck show with my husband and 2 nephews…. trucks that look like Godzilla shooting fire out of the engines and you have to wear earplugs so you won’t go deaf from the roar of the engines (you would think this would be an Outdoor event)….but they enjoyed it.
Great post!
Thank you! And as for who’s awesome, I think that award goes to you for attending a monster truck show. Now that was nice of you. Although, I suppose once you get past the noise, it’s probably pretty fun to watch. I used to like going to demolition derbies, myself.
And yeah, Justin Flom was pretty cool. He did that musical card trick, and it was even more cool live. When you can impress a room full of magicians, you know you’re onto something!
Demolition Derbies! I’m impressed!
Well, not much to do in North Dakota growing up…
I think it’s great that your son has found his passion so early in life. Even better, he has a mom who encourages and participates in that passion.
I learned early in my relationship with Big D that guitar players live in another world with a whole other language – “T top pickups, tube amps, capacitors, humbuckers, ABR’s, kit mods, tailpieces. . . .” You get the idea. I’m learning this foreign language, but I’ll never be fluent.
I keep waiting for my son to lose interest, but 5 years in now, and he’s just as passionate for magic as ever. Who am I to tell him it can’t be done? (Even if I am skeptical…)
And now I’ll have to ask him if he knows any of those guitar terms, since he enjoys that, too.
I’m stuck on the wild cat boots. Made of wild cats? Made for wild cats? Made for kicking wild cats?
Sounds like the convention was great, in its way. You are a good mom. So fun to realize you are making memories and are part of something your kids really want to do.
Thank you. And I guess if it doesn’t work out for him (because, let’s face it, there can only be so many famous magicians in this world), he’ll at least know it’s not because his mom discouraged his dream (though I’m sure glad he’s also talking about becoming an engineer…)
And yeah, I’m not sure about the ‘wild cat’ thing. Let’s just say I cut that conversation short!
Even if we can’t realize our dreams, support for the thought goes a long way.
Agreed.
So glad you and your son had fun!! Sounds like it would be a fun time!! Hope he learned a lot of tricks. And I love your boots!!
Thank you! And he did pick up some new techniques and tricks. More ways to astound his mother.
Carrie, I dig your cat boots. You must be tall. Shorties can’t get away with a completely flat soles or we look, well you know.
Anyway, the magic show — it sounded very cool and the way you’ve described all the festivities with your signature humor was so fantastic. What I find most satisfying of all — this writing of your adventure — is that you are a Mom that is encouraging your child to follow his passion, his dream. Many parents wouldn’t do this and would shrug it off as nonsense or a passing phase. Whether your son becomes the next David Copperfield or whether he loses interest in a few years, this adventure, this caring, crazy goodness will be with him and you forever. I already respected the heck out of you — you’ve taken it to a whole new level.
I’ve not attended any conferences that were this exciting and I don’t have any cool cat boots. My snow boots do have grey fur on them though.
Gray fur, you say? Definitely cool cat boots then. And I think my Texan friend would agree.
Thanks for your sweet words, Brigitte. My son is so passionate about his magic, I don’t feel it’s my place to dismiss it. I let him take the lead on it, and after 5 years, he’s still highly dedicated to it. He studies the instructional DVDs by the experts until he perfects the trick (mostly card tricks). He knows that not many magicians make it big time, and he says he’s going to study engineering as a back-up (don’t you just love 12 year olds?), so who am I to tell him it can’t be done?
Oh, and I am tall. 5’8″ or so.
How do you do a workout in a hotel room? I only know of one and you don’t do it in front of children. Seriously though, is there anything worse or more random than the hotel gym. They always have some really old, out of date equipment too, like those chest exercisers that make you punch yourself in the face.
Isn’t that the truth? And this tiny little gym was an embarrassment, in all its overheated glory. I always bring a couple exercise DVDs and an elastic band so that I can work out in the room if I need to. Of course, not every room has enough space, but I have some good DVDs that can be done within a couple feet radius. I just hope I’m not annoying the people below me with my jumping. (But of course, I am. I just choose to pretend I’m not.)
Yeah, I think that’s why God invented yoga. I too have the jumping problem, hence no actual DVDs that would raise my heart rate (other than scary ones)!
Cathe Friedrich came out with a low impact, high intensity series last year. Really good stuff. Gets the heart rate up without a lot of jumping. These are ones I’ll often do in hotel rooms.
Good tip! Thank you.
I actually DO have wild cat boots…in fact, I’m wearing them right now. But enough about my mental issues.
Looks like you’ve taken a few bullets in order for your son to have a great time – happy to hear that he did!
Haha! I am totally picturing you in big, black, thigh-high boots right now. And I assure you, it’s quite the picture.
Conventions I have felt out of place at? Pretty much every one I’ve ever been to, regardless of subject. And no one would believe me in wild-cat boots.
I hear you on feeling out of place at conventions, Carol. I often have to go eat my lunch in private just to regroup. As for the boots, I would never have guessed mine were ‘wild cat’ ones. So grateful to Big Hoss for pointing it out to me.
PTA conferences are the craziest to me. Mommy central with their french tip nails and eating all the free be cookies from vendors trying to get their products sold in the school. It is a sea of carpi pants.
Kudos to you for going to them! I would be so out of place there. No french tip nails on my part. No fancy hairdos. No fancy clothes. Good thing my kid attends a granola-ish Montessori school. I don’t face that issue there.
Yes very smart. Well I only went to one. I love Montessori schools.
We’re really lucky to have a great one in our town. My kids started out in preschool there and have stayed up until middle school.
I have wild cat boots – but can’t wear them any more because of the tropical heat I’ve found myself in! I miss them
The human balloon is just plain scary (don’t try this at home kids!)
Yes, the human balloon seems a good way to asphyxiate. Best to leave that to the experts…
I wish I had the problem of tropical heat. I’d gladly turn in my wild cat boots. Of course, I say that now that it’s January. I might feel different in August.
I would have gone to a hundred magic shows if it would have just released me from having to attend one dance recital. Guess what? Not all little girls are dancers! However, laughing out loud is a no no. And that gosh darn place never had any parking, either! HF
You raise a great point! Who knows what I might have faced should my son (or daughter if I had one) have chosen a different hobby? And you’re right. Laughing out loud during pediatric performances is probably never a good thing. Unlike you though, I found plenty of available parking. Perhaps those magicians make their cars vanish for the night.
Tricky fellows!
This sounds so sweet — it seems your son really appreciated the experience, taking notes and all that — adorable! I love it!
And you seemed to be one of the hits, huh? Those sexy boots! All those men watching you exercise! But no seriously, those boots are hot Carrie.
Me? Hot boots? I didn’t think such a thing was possible, but between you and the magic men, I’m thinking it just may be…
And yes, my son got so much out of it. He’s already an impressive card trick illusionist, and now he has even more tricks up his sleeve. (Sorry, couldn’t resist the pun.)
Thanks, Sandee!
Sounds like you had a great time and I think working out in your hotel room a wise choice.
Oh, you and me both…
Thanks!
Love it! I love the wildcat boots… I have also found that boots hit an older gentleman demographic. I’m sure my husband would be jealous if I told him all the 80-year-old men I could pull in mine! ; )
I’m glad your son had a great time. All joking aside, you are a fantastic mom for accompanying him and letting him have this opportunity. When we were at our annual writing convention last year, we met a 17-year-old boy whose parents had driven him down from Ohio (I think) to South Carolina and stayed there with him over the weekend so that he could attend all the writing workshops. Awesome.
Well, thank you for saying that, but him getting a scholarship to the event kind of sealed the deal. But I would have taken him anyway. The kid’s devotion is uncanny. I thought for sure he’d tire out, but he went to every single lecture from morning till evening. He definitely outlasted his mother.
And thank you for solving the mystery. I didn’t know boots and older men were connected. Now it all makes sense!
I don’t have wild cat boots but considering we have the same tastes in shoes, maybe I should invest in a pair.
I’m glad to hear your son had a great time. This sure was a great experience to share with him.
When I did a lot of tradeshows for work, the visitors were mostly engineers (I sold factory electronics, mostly). The shows eventually banned booth babes and a lot of them were replaced by magicians. I loved stopping by those booths to watch them perform. I have no idea of the exhibitors got their money back in sales but it was very entertaining.
As for the giant balloon guy, a fellow blogger once said the video of a super talented guy who did this for a living in Germany. I couldn’t believe the stuff he did with it. Check it out, you don’t need to speak German to admire the guy’s talent. Have your sons watch it too, I’m sure they’ll love it!
“Booth babes”—I bet that’s as disturbing as it sounds. Glad they went the way of magicians. It’s funny—jokes are often made about magicians being geeky, but my son is definitely not geeky. In fact, he’s probably the coolest one in our family. Of course that’s not saying much…
Thanks for the video link! I’ve opened it on You Tube and will watch it with my son later.
Booth babes are actually what they sound like. Babes to attract men in your booth/stand. The thing is, they really work, so many exhibitors have been upset at not being able to hire them for shows with lots of geeks walking around.
Doesn’t say much for men, does it?…
Give them food and attention and they’re happy. Pretty simple, huh? No wonder they don’t seem to understand women!
Exactement!
Even the air in the rooms looks charged! Very cool.
(Used to travel..hate those windowed exercise rooms on the main hallways!)
My daughter and a friend were really into magic elementary school ( Christmas gift selection was so easy then!). They found a magician in Estes Park, CO who for some reason delighted in their enthusiasm and would meet them at lunch and they would all practice magic under a tree by the river. They did that for several years – then one year the store/he was gone…magic…did he really exist or….? Anyway all the magicians we meet were very nice.
Sounds like a great time
I’m so glad to hear your daughter did magic. The field could use a little more estrogen! And it’s only fitting he and his store disappeared. What else would one expect from a magician?
It was truly an wondrous adventure in a perfect place…hmmm, sounds like story inching close by
Absolutely.
But why is it that there are so few female magicians? Women magicians would seem to have certain advantages. They could hide things in their brassieres. They could make men disappear, which is another thing they might want to do. They could…
All valid points for sure. Hmm, maybe I’ll start practicing folding my body inside a giant balloon…
I like your boots. Are males more into magic than females? I am not too interested but thought it was just me. But letting your son have that experience… priceless!
I think more females are getting into it now, but it’s still predominantly males. Who knows why? Apparently there were two female magicians at the conference according to my son, but I never saw them.
Welcome to the world of fandom, where virginity is the way of the land and your Neil Young boots look sexy.
I thought you had made up ‘invaginated.’ I was so sure that I almost didn’t look it up, and when I did, thought “Well, this is a waste of time.” Can you imagine my delight when I discovered I was wrong?
Also, don’t you think it’s a little mean (for you, I mean, not me) to pick on them for their “cute gesture” of trying to include you, rather than correctly reasoning that girls don’t do magic. Sure, if they’re really highly talented, they can probably be somebody’s assistant.
In all seriousness, the very best thing is that you and your boy have this memory together. Speaking from personal experience, memories like this may someday be the most valuable thing your boy owns.
MAGI FEST!
Yes, I did pick on them a bit, didn’t I? But they’re too busy practicing their craft to worry about me. And now they’ve even further ensconced my son in their grip. But that’s okay. As long as he doesn’t make me disappear or saw me in half, I’m okay with it.
And would I make up a word like invaginate? It’s a useful word when talking about the bowels–when one segment of the intestine invaginates into another. This isn’t a good condition to have, by the way.
Yes, he and I both will have good memories. And apparently there will be more, because he’s already talking about next year’s Magi-Fest…
And now they’ve even further ensconced my son in their grip
See, I would have used ‘invaginated’ rather than ‘ensconced.’
Yes, but that sounds a bit creepy when talking about magicians and my son…
Right, because talking about grown men who go about town with twenty white doves shoved down their pants hanging out with your adolescent son isn’t at all creepy until “invaginate” is thrown into the mix.
Haha! Now you know why I attended most of the lectures with him. (Thank goodness for iPads.)
Love the superlative/observation approach to writing about a conference (any conference). Also makes me realize I need to start going to more interesting conferences. Not that I don’t love writing and international education, but there are clearly some more….creative? inspiring?…options out there. This whole having a kid thing is making more sense!
Haha. And I’ve learned about so many different conferences from the commenters here. Who knew there was a Lego’s conference and a conference on calendar/date books? I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg with this magic one!
I saw the Lego comment, too, and I’m a little glad we didn’t know about that one while my brother was growing up. Who knew conferences were a writer’s gold mine…on second thought, maybe an extroverted writer…I’m feeling a bit twitchy just thinking about your sandwich factory experience…I enjoyed reading it though
Yes, some things are better read than experienced…
why no my boats are red today … and otherwise not very catty …and yes chamber concert, what a weird experience, they frown upon you hum min or singing along
Haha. I have the image of you humming along in the concert, prompting weird looks from your seatmates. All while wearing your red boots.
of course I also get weird looks when I tuck in other peoples labels … so distracting when they are hanging out the back of shirts/blouses etc
Ha! Do you pick stray hairs from their sweaters, too?
well yes, why not?
Always, no matter what a parent has to suffer through, seeing his/her child light up with excitement makes any ordeal worthwhile. I feel that way about Chuck E Cheese — do you have those out where you are? I personally can’t stand the place, but it was tolerable because my kids had a good time.
We do have a Chuck E. Cheese near us, and I’ve been there many times in the past. My boys are past that now, but unfortunately, they still love arcades, and I’ve had to endure…I mean, enjoy…many of those.
I laughed out loud at the hotel fitness thing. Yep. Last time, it was separated from the pool by floor-to-ceiling glass. So all the paunchy, hairy guys lounged in the hot tub and watched me work out. I won’t lie, it was soooo tempting to do something truly outrageous and watch them have coronaries, but I refrained.
To answer your questions: 1) Often the “real” world feels entirely foreign to me… 2) Only boring business conferences; and 3) Oh, hell, yeah, I have “wild cat” boots. I think they’d revoke my motorcycle license if I didn’t.
Haha. I bet your boots are far more wild than mine! And I bet you’ve had your share of workout admirers. It’s really kind of gross when you think about it. I’m sweating on the treadmill, no make-up, white legs a-shakin’, and still they stare. I guess at their age, they gotta take it where they can get it. Oh wait, maybe that’s me…
Thanks, as always, Diane for making me laugh.
It’s great that you made that memory with your son and got a fun post out of it to boot. HA! I once went on a Boy Scout weekend tent event to the sand dunes in Alamosa, Colorado. There was lightening, rain, hail, snow, high winds, and sand in every orifice. Oh, and no showers. Yeah, only did that once. The organizers did plan a caravan stop at a nearby hot spring pool so the boys could “freshen up” on the way home.
See? You are a much better sport than me. I have ixnayed ever going on scouting trips. That is for dad and dad alone. He and my oldest took a 12-day hiking trip in New Mexico last summer for scouts. No showers. No toilets. I took my youngest to Vegas at the same time. You tell me who came out ahead…
Hey, I’m with you. I was not a “good sport” about it. I had no idea what I was getting into and wanted to go home the first night. I’d been camping plenty, even enjoyed it, but never on one of their survivor man bonding weekends. And I never went on another one. For sure, that stuff is for dad and dad alone. The dunes were amazing though.
You better have received a lot of kid hugs and “Mom, I love you”s after that trip!
I’ve blocked it all out. Sometimes though, I get a nice reminder of how much my son appreciates those times. A simple “Thanks Mom” goes a long way, doesn’t it?
Oh, does it ever!
Justin is fantastic! How the heck does he do that?
Isn’t that cool? And it was really neat live. The crowd–a crowd of magicians, mind you–was really wowed. He got a standing ovation.
It is pretty strange that magic appeals to those paunchy older men more than women, but maybe they got into doing those tricks to impresss women and all we have to do is wear wild-cat boots to impress men.
Thanks for making me laugh with all these strange and crazy things. I’m glad your son had fun and that he’s learning new tricks for those book signings!
That’s right! I never thought of how this convention could benefit my book signings, but it absolutely could.
And yes, I imagine those men used their tricks to seduce their ladies. I mean really, what women doesn’t want a coin plucked from an orifice?
Thanks, Sheila!
Bonding time and blog fodder. How much better could the trip have been?
I’m curious if there were other moms there with their kids, any female magicians, or young girls who were into magic?
There were some moms there with other kids. I think there were about 40-50 kids there in total. But there were far more dads than moms. As for female magicians, I didn’t see a one, but my son tells me there were two present. On the other hand, there were no scantily clad female assistants, so I guess I should be grateful for that.
It was a fun experience, but I’ve already told his father, he’s up next year…
World entirely foreign to me? Pet ownership. I’m vacuuming dog hair and typing at the same time, which is kind of like you reading blogs and walking on the treadmill. Well, not really, but still. =p
Wow. Vacuuming while typing. You always impress me, but now you have gone above and beyond. You should put on your own conference: The Impossible Feats of Stacie–Her Knowledge Can Be Yours…
And talk about myself in third person as if I’m an omniscient narrator? AWESOME!
For sure!
For a price….
There’s nothing like one-on-one time in your kid’s world. Great story.
We were leaving Europe when my son was in his rollerblading phase. We had been to Paris but he hadn’t been to the Louvre. So he and I spent 3 days in Paris together. My only requirement was that he spend an afternoon in the Louvre. The rest of the time he skated around Paris with mom stopping traffic and pedestrians for him. It was a magical time and we went up and down the Seine, across the bridges, through the Place de Concord, to Notre Dame. Wonderful, wonderful memory.
Oh, you just took me to my happy place. Paris. I spent a year as an Au Pair girl there after high school. I was broke, and the family I worked for treated me poorly, but I was in Paris, so nothing else much mattered. And now I’m envisioning my son doing magic tricks along the Seine. Lovely.
He could pay for the trip that way! It really was wonderful. What a place.
It’s been a while since I’ve been there. Hmm, my husband and I have a 25-year anniversary coming up. Hmm… (Minus the kids. Guess my son will have to do magic on the Seine some other time…)
A lovely place. Of course, my very favorite will always be Venice …
Oh, yes, that’s wonderful, too.
Sounds like you had a great time with your son Carebear. I know of that world you speak of. When I went to my first 1/4 mile drags, I knew that I wanted to learn more about cards and soon afterwards, registered myself for an auto mechanics course. It was a brand new world for me but I just loved the sights, sounds and smells of a dragway.
Oh, I could so see you rocking a dragway. If somebody asked me “Which blogger do you follow who digs dragways?” you would have been high on my list. And that’s a compliment.
Personally, I know nothing about drag racing (yes, that shocks you, I know), but growing up in North Dakota, I was a big fan of demolition derbies. And I have the wild cat boots to prove it.
Thanks, Wendy!
Love this Carrie! Have been waiting (with bated breath) to hear how it went! What a good mom for going and embracing the whole thing… even if the small room made embracing unavoidable. Admittedly, I got stuck: “Hey Beavus, she said invaginated, he he he he.” (can’t help myself!)
Oh, yes, invaginate is a great word. Invites so many adolescent images…
I was surprised by how much my son got into this. I mean, I knew he would be excited, but that kid went to every single lecture, from morning until late in the evening. Tirelessly. I think he’s my new hero. (But I’m so glad I had my iPad…)
It is truly magic, when we see our children catch fire. Nothing better! Nothing.
So true.
“Surprising Discovery: A man who invaginates his body into an enormous red balloon can still find a wife.”
Hahaha! That is hilarious!!
I hate working out in hotel gyms, too! All the staring, the heat, the rickety equipment. Ugh! But it must be done…
This was one of the worst hotel gyms I’ve encountered. So tiny and hot. I always bring along some exercise DVDs to do in the hotel room if need be. But you are right, it must be done. How else can one eat the desserts that are an absolute necessity when one travels?
Glad you enjoyed the balloon man joke. I bet he wouldn’t…
Oh, Carrie! I so feel for you! Three foot personal space bubble! Hahahahaha. Sorry, can’t stop! Better not come to the UK, then! Sandwich is a good word here. So funny. I am happy to say, hand on heart, I don’t remember ever going through the sort of feelings you had to deal with at that convention. I imagine it took a lot of will power to stay past the first five minutes. What am I saying? Past the first glance!
Well, it’s amazing how much iPads can help one tune out everything else. I could blog, use Twitter, read novels, check my email–all without ever having to pay much attention to what was going on around me.
As for the crowded nature of the UK, I’ve experienced London. Oy vey, the crowds! Not a square meter of space to be found. But we loved it!! Great city.
Wonderful post, Carrie. I have to second the comment about your wildcat boots. They are uber cute!
Worst convention-type thingie I ever attended: One of those Zig Zigler workshops on how to use their calender/day book. It’s a f**king calender, people! Everyone in the class had at least a BA or BS, but some people were really into it, nonetheless. I just kept wondering if Zig was gay or pro-gay rights because the calender was rainbow color-coded. That last thought was the highlight of the entire experience. That and the breaks. I enjoyed taking the breaks.
How did your son feel about all of these middle-aged men flirting with his mom? I suppose there isn’t much he could do about it. If he’d said anything, he could have ended up trapped in that giant condom. ‘Course that would be a great story for the grandkids.
Oh, my poor son would suffocate in that giant balloon. As for the middle-aged men’s attention (and I think you used the term ‘middle-aged’ generously…), my son was too much in heaven to notice. Probably a good thing.
Now, about that conference you attended. There is really a workshop on how to use a calender/day book? That wins the award so far for most esoteric convention. They better have been serving some fantastic food for that sacrifice!
Glad you liked the post and the boots. My footwear sees a lot of use, considering I only alternate between these man boots and my man shoes. Except in the summer when I switch up between black and brown sandals. Both of the same design.
As I’ve gotten older, my shoes have gotten far less cute. A knee injury prevents me from wearing any cute, spindly-heeled suckers, so I’m mostly a flats girl myself. If I’m being honest, my feet probably spend most of their time encased in the awful looking slippers that I wear around the house. I think I may have turned into my grandmother.
Yes, this was a real workshop. It took the entire day and it was so incredibly boring. Yet, I suspect that most of the people there were really into it. If that’s what makes me quirky – as I’ve been called in the past – then amen to quirkiness! As for the food, I don’t remember it, so it couldn’t have been all that good.
Well, it sounds like you took one for the team with that one.
And yes, except for a rare night out, all my shoes are flats. I don’t want bunions and shortened calf muscles. Which apparently means I, too, am my grandmother.
Does that make us GILFS?
Haha! As scary as that sounds, I think it does.
“I still hold sway with the tiny demographic of paunchy, pull-a-rabbit-from-a-hat, older men.”
HAHA, and you mentioned just a few months ago how you were “too old” for these things
Well, when you get to be my age, I guess you take the attention where you can get it. Too bad this is my new demographic now. I’d prefer one of a younger and leaner persuasion. And one that didn’t pull items from body orifices…
Guess I’ll have to continue to live vicariously through bloggers like you.
Haha, well at least you get fine reminders and good stories!!
Indeed.
So glad you and your son had a good time, Carrie. I certainly miss when our son was young, and he relied on me to help him fuel his interests. Where your son is excited and drawn to magic, our son was into extreme biking. I drove him around to indoor bike parks in the winter. In the summer, he came home with some pretty nasty scrapes and bruises, but we only had to drive out a back road once, scrape him off the gound, pile him in the car and drive him to the hospital. How I wish he had loved magic.
Oh, wow, you really got the short end of the stick with that one. So glad magic does not result in hospital visits. Well, unless you’re David Blaine, I suppose…
It is nice when they’re passionate about something though. I don’t push him towards it, but I also don’t discourage him. If this is his dream, then so be it. But at least he’s told me that in addition to performance art, he wants to major in engineering. Phew.
That’s what I tried to do, too. I never wanted to dissuade him; I always tried to support his interests. Dad kept him supplied in bikes. You are fortunate he has his eye on engineering as well. Our son’s second passion was wheeling and dealing with the local antique dealers. I always thought he would be a salesman. He’s not. He’s learning precision honing skills and works in a machine shop. He loves it.
That’s great your son found something he loves. I’m sure the engineering thing will fall by the wayside for my son (he only chose it because one of his hero magicians double majored in performance art and engineering), but as long as he can support himself doing something he loves, that’s all I ask. I really don’t want any adult children living at home…
Performance art – does he also like acting in plays? Or have the desire? I feel you on the adult children. Ours was 25 when he moved out …
He’s never wanted to act in a play. I wish he would, because I know he’d be good. But magicians do a lot of performing. Much of their act is comedy and distraction, so it’s good he doesn’t share his mother’s verbal tongue-tie and face-to-face awkwardness.
I’m glad your son had a great time…it chimed with something I’ve just been reading, Mark Charlton’s ‘Counting Steps’ where he takes his boys to a moth and butterfly fest….
I too had been wondering about the scantily clad female assistants….when will the world turn upside down and we have female magicians with scantily clad young male assistants….
I hear you. I’ve made my son ‘promise’ he’ll never stereotype women in this fashion. Luckily, in his pre-pubertal state, the thought hasn’t yet crossed his mind…
And I’m pleased to say there were no scantily clad women there. Just the men and their acts sans female assistants.
Carrie, I think I would feel the same way and just start writing a blog post. Ha ha. I feel this someway when I attend comic book conventions with my husband and two boys. Everyone there is SO into it, and I’m not!
Oh, man, a comic book convention. I don’t even dare tell my son that’s an option. He would pester me non-stop to go. I think I’d definitely delegate that one to his dad. Then again, think of the blog fodder…
Carrie, that’s an excellent point. Next time I go, I will have my notebook with me! Although you don’t get a chance to sit much.
Ooh, I look forward to reading your post: How I Survived a Comic Book Convention…
Great post! Your boots aren’t ugly or manly. Yes, I do have wild cat boots of a different stripe. Out of comfort zones are the best material, and being able to support your son while getting material is a double WIN. My last out of comfort zone experience was being a volunteer at my youngest’s cross country ski meet, the first one I have attended. Bitter cold, big task pressure AND socially intimidating. Trifecta.
Oh, you are a braver woman than me. Social intimidation is enough, but add pressure and freezing temperatures? I’m out. Your son owes you big for that.
Thanks, Lynnette!
heh-heh … no ‘wild cat’ boots here (not any more!) just Uggs.
Love this post, Carrie. So thrilled to see that your boy enjoyed it so much ~ and glad that he got encouragement ~ so important.
Glad you debunked to the hotel room for exercising
heh-heh
Oh, I tell you, never before have I tried to work out with so many eyes upon me. It was just because of where the tiny gym was located; it’s human nature to peek in. But it was creepy, nonetheless.
And surely a poet like you needs some wild cat boots!
Just the hat will do!
First, I absolutely love the boots! Go wild cat! The human balloon boy is frightening. Are you sure there is proof that he is, in fact, married?
He must have secured his wife before learning the red condom trick! I am still dismayed at the lack of capes – I thought that was a magicians costume. So sad…
A few months ago, my dudes and I attended the huge Lego convention. I basically stood around all day and watched as they built Legos, witnessed others building Legos, and stepping on Legos. I could have done all of those things in the comfort of my own home. But the dudes loved it – and that is what matters most!
A Lego convention?! Oh, my youngest would love that. I’m not going to tell him there is one…
According to my son, the magician who performed the balloon act is married with children. In fact, he admitted as much before he did it. So I guess that goes to show there is someone for everyone.
I’m only kidding. He was really funny, and it was a cool trick.
I laughed out loud! It did seem like an interesting trick – I just wonder if he can breath in there. Bubble Boy from Seinfeld comes to mind!
Haha! Yes! I forgot about that Seinfeld episode.
No offers of ‘lovely assistant who gets sawed in half’ or ‘to get knives thrown at while spinning on a hypnotically colored wheel of death’? Just ‘wildcat’?! Boo-urns!
Haha. Despite my chagrin over the lack of women at the conference, I was thrilled that there were no scantily clad female assistants present. That’s one part of magic I hope my son shuns. And I also hope he doesn’t want to saw a woman in half some day…
Thanks for stopping by!
I love your boots and would definitely wear ones like that myself.
I also love conferences as long as they are not of the endless death-by-powerpoint variety.
Also, you and I have both used the word ‘magic’ in our blog post titles today (mine was on my second blog, the sugarness one). So does that make us like magic sisters or something?
Well, ever since you dreamed about my fridge at the same time I was actually cleaning the floor underneath it, I’m convinced you have some strange magical telepathy. Our use of the word ‘magic’ today in our posts just offers more proof. And now I’m a bit scared…
Oh gosh I had completely forgotten about that fridge thing! Of course there’s a perfectly logical explanation for today’s phenomenon – you had previously mentioned that you were going to this magic thing, and that subconsciously registered in my mind so that when I was thinking about what recipe to do on my blog this week, my magic saucy chocolate pud popped into my mind! Yep, that’ll be it. Either that or we are twins, separated at birth.
Of course, the pragmatic, practical me says your reasoning is sound. And I can’t wait to make my way over to that post. Chocolate pudding? Did someone say chocolate pudding?…
It’s pudding as in the British use of the word, which pretty much just means dessert, rather than American pudding. But either way, it’s chocolate and that’s what matters!
Absolutely!
This reminds me of the time I went to a Japanese Anime Convention. Those are mental scars that will never fully heal…
Oh, my boys would love that! Where did you go for that?
Oh jeeze, they have them all over the place. I can ask John Hamm – she used to work at them.
My oldest son devoured the Eyeshield 21 series, and they both love anything Japanese (ever since Pokemon). You’ll have to let me know if there are any near here. But I’m letting their dad take them to that one…
I’m glad your son had fun. I love your Wild-Cat boots. Annually I have the opportunity…if one would dare call it that…to attend something called, Husker Harvest Days. This is a farmer’s paradise. Every tent has some man talking about seed genetics, or the latest hybrid of something, the best fertilizers to use, or some new piece of equipment. The rest of the tents are politicians talking about Farm legislation and then the rest of the tents…food, man food, big plates, usually free. Long lines. This is actually an event old farmers and their old wives go to with great excitement! They get bags and walk around collecting free things from every vendor. They walk around all the many, many rows of tractors and planters and combines and dream big about buying them. The old wives in polyester and floral prints are excited to sit in the tent where they have a cooking show…the many uses of soybean oil…or something like that.
I went once in my 20s and haven’t been back since. I think I’ve managed to be a decent farmer’s wife without the “education” Husker Harvest Days provides!
Oh, but what great fiction fodder you can get from an event like that! Sounds like my days long ago at the North Dakota State Fair, which to me at the time was the best thing ever. There was a lot of farm equipment and info there, though I don’t think I focused much on that. I was more focused on the rides, those cheap kinds that I’m not sure I’d even dare get on today. And the carnies. Well, the ones with the teeth, anyway…
Carnies. Now THERE’s a world I’d like to explore…but from a safe distance I think. That and Gypsies.
Oh come now, think of the nonfiction best-seller you could have: “My Year as a Carnie” by G. M. Barlean.
Let’s join together. We can co-author it.
Okay. But we’re going to have to cover ourselves in tattoos first.
I thought you’d never suggest it! I’m like…come on…tattoos. We have to have tattoos!
Really funny stuff…and slightly unsettling, too. =)
Thank you! Funny and unsettling sits nicely with me.
Thanks for stopping by!