This story comes from a much earlier fork in the road, back when my life still involved other people deciding what tasks I had to do and what “professional” was supposed to look like. I’ve continued digging through old writing lately and found this one, which feels like an accidental origin story. It’s not about … Read more
Professor Rem had a rule. And I broke it. A lot. Jim Reminicky, known to most as Professor Rem, was a magician, well-known in many magic circles, not so much for his performance skills, but as a scholar of magic. He read every book on magic he could get his hands on. Early in my … Read more
By 2009, I had already done a number of large-scale projects around the world. But between the exotic adventures, I still did regular work closer to home, including elementary school assemblies, or the occasional library or museum show. One of those “filler gigs” was scheduled at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York. … Read more
I just finished a performance and was driving home, carefully replaying in my head how well the show went. I was proud of myself. Suddenly, I saw flashing lights in my rear view mirror. And, well, we know what that means. The excitement I was feeling about my show suddenly turned to concern. So I quickly … Read more
The platform beneath me vibrates slightly as I’m slid into the capsule. The soft hum of machinery fills the air, steady and unchanging. The smooth, curved walls close in just inches from my face—a confined tunnel. I inhale sharply, my breath misting against the cold air that seeps from the chamber. This is it. I’m … Read more
Anyone who’s ever visited a hospital emergency room knows the drill: the excruciatingly long check-in process, the wait for triage, and then the endless anticipation of seeing the right medical staff. But I’ve discovered a surefire way to skip the line: slice open an artery—yes, even a small one—and you’ll get expedited treatment. Recently, I … Read more
I’ve been a storyteller my whole life. Some of my earliest memories are of sharing tales—not as dry recountings of facts, but as a way to entertain, connect, and sometimes make sense of the chaos of life. Over the years, these stories have found their way into my talks, lessons, performances, and even the large-scale … Read more