Inspired

I'm healthy again, that's the first thing.  Let me rephrase that... I'm no longer feeling the effects of pneumonia.  I'm back to where I was before I did my best to cough my lungs out for several weeks.

Things do change as I grow older, whether I choose to ignore the numbers or not.  Little aches that come out of nowhere and never seem to completely go away, fat bulges that poke out in the most unflattering places, and the odd skin discolorations here and there that the doctor insists aren't cancer... but are less than attractive.  Yes, things change, and it would be easy to sit still, bitch about it all, and pine for the "good old days," but the truth is that despite the normal wear and tear of aging, I'm much stronger, mentally and physically, than I've ever been in my life.  Why not push back, ignore the little physical distractions, and get busy doing things I've always wanted to do?  So I'm a rookie Magician at 55+, why not?  It obviously took me that long to be ready, and I'm going to embrace it.

I have many heroes in the magic world, but a handful I especially look to as inspirations.  Friends like Jay Sankey and Kenton Knepper (who you'll meet in a future blog) of course, however, there is one Magician I have never met personally who not only inspires me with his magic but also with his drive and self-determination.  If I want to give magic and life 100% every day, this man has drawn the road map to do it.

To call Richard Turner a skilled card manipulator is like calling Michelangelo a decent painter.  Mr. Turner is the best.  It's possible that you saw him fool Penn & Teller, which is no small feat, but "just another day in the office" for a man who has been fooling the best of the best for many years. He has traveled the globe, stunning both magicians and laymen, winning countless awards. He has appeared on television and in movies and has won the praise of magic greats. Even The Professor, Dai Vernon, said of Richard Turner:

 "Having seen countless numbers of card experts execute for over eighty years, I consider Richard Turner to be by far the most skillful. He performs the most difficult moves with the greatest ease. I doubt if anyone can equal him. He does things with cards that no one in the world can do – no one. I don't care if you go to China, France or Germany, he does things that no one else can do, and he performs them beautifully."

As you might imagine, years and years of tireless practice is required to become the ultimate master of cards, yet Richard has also found time to learn the art of the trapeze, walking a tightrope, and other stunts which require intense mental and physical discipline. If that wasn't enough, he has also attained the level of fifth-degree black belt in Wado-kai karate.

Richard Turner is an example of what can be achieved in life, if one fully commits and embraces the hard work.  A biographical movie of his life, "Dealt" will be released this fall, and I encourage you to see it, whether you're a magician or not.  I promise you that Richard Turner will inspire you as he does me.

I suppose I had no business doing it, but I reached out to Mr. Turner when I was doing my series, "WHY Do You Do That?"  I didn't expect a response, but it gave me an excuse to write a "fan letter," and perhaps connect with the Master.  Besides, he seemed the right person to ask the question to... after years of being the best, Richard continues to practice and perform and push the boundaries of the art.  I was pleasantly surprised to not only get a response but an answer to my question... concise, thoughtful:

After over 40 years as a professional performer why do I still keep practicing and performing?
Simple: I love the amazement and joy that radiates from my audience. It beats all drugs, drink, and anything else except holding hands and making love with my beautiful wife Kim of 27 years.

Above all else, Richard Turner reminds me that there are no limits, other than those we put on ourselves, and that really, truly living one's life is real Magic.