I'm Carlos, a Student of Many, Master of None... and Loving My Magic Obsession
Hey everyone, my name is Carlos, and while I'm from Tenerife, I live in Terrassa (Barcelona).
In the world of magic, I've been a bit like a phantom, popping in and out, only to resurface again. I started with some college buddies in the early 90s, mostly just for fun at a bar table. As life goes, I put it away for a while, picking it back up whenever life and work allowed. Then, six years ago, at my son's school party, another dad was doing some parlor magic tricks, and my son asked, 'Can you do magic, Dad?' And I said, 'Hold my drink,' grabbed a deck, and here I am today.
I like to understand how things work (an occupational trait from my engineering background, designing special machines), and that's why I love tinkering with everything I find. I enjoy understanding a trick and seeing what can be done to improve it, simplify it, or complicate it—but most of all, truly understanding and enjoying it. All kinds of decks (my kids say I have too many; I don't believe it, I *know* it!) and gimmicks are a hobby of mine.
I always say that the first time I see a trick, I try to enjoy it as a layperson, not scrutinizing it with the jaded eyes of a magic student who wants to figure everything out. But the second time around... I guess, like many of us here, I try to replicate it, develop my own version, or adapt it to my style.
As Celtas Cortos used to say... “Catch you at the bars!”
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In the mid-90s, at a party at La Autónoma, I met some guys who were supposedly doing magic tricks on the lawn. They were cheap knockoffs of Tamariz (though they weren't funny), and I don't know if it was the beers, but not a single trick landed. I remember thinking they were a bunch of geeks who were about as much magicians as I am a priest. I also remember thinking that if that was magic, I'd better stick to my studies.
You weren't one of them, were you? 😁
😂 🤣 🤣 😂
Now, I'm not saying I didn't mess up a trick or two back then, but I wasn't doing it on the campus of the Autonomous University of Madrid or the one in Barcelona. Around that time, I was at the Polytechnic University of Madrid on a sports exchange with the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.
And even though I love Tamariz (he's one of my idols), my humor is a bit different. You've already gotten a taste of it when you've dropped a little zinger 😜, but I also love reading your posts here.
Best, and keep on learning!
P.S.: Good thing you kept up with your studies and didn't give up on Magic either!
I'm the same way when I watch Got Talent. First, I just enjoy watching the performance, but then the second time around, I try to make the trick my own and adapt it to my style.
Best, Carlos