And have been for as long as I can remember. Before you judge me, let me just say something. I'm under no delusion that someone actually is magical, that someone can actually levitate things, make things disappear, etc, I know better. But the tricks, the way they are done, the bamboozling is just amazing to me.

Yes, before you ask, I've been to Vegas. Five times actually, and yes every single trip I went to go see magic acts because that is how you do it in Vegas. There are so many magicians that in order for you not to see someone pull a magic trick, that means you walked around with your eyes closed.

They are everywhere, and that is almost literal. But, that is the good news my friend, because it means that there is never not a good reason why you missed a good show.

Now, here is the deal.... I know a lot of tricks, a lot of them. I can't perform many of them myself, but that is because I don't have the hand dexterity to do them. However, you could say that I know how all the traditional tricks work, the three cups with the little balls, the hat that has the bunny, the levitating cards, the penny that moves on his own, the coin that goes through glass, all of those. I've actually played scenarios in my head over and over figuring out how to do the tricks and then later confirmed it with some magicians.

So, as you might guess, it's difficult for a magician to bamboozle me, very difficult. I even bought a few book on magic back in the day, when I thought I would be able to do some tricks myself. (I got the levitating penny one down) But, there has been a time or two were a magician has just blown my mind and even though I've researched over and over, I can't seem to figure it out.

I love it, and I hate it so much, like you have no idea. I need to know, I just need to. I mean, I don't consider myself stupid, crazy at times, but not stupid, so I expect to be able to figure it out eventually and when time goes by and I can't I get upset, but I freaking love it too.

Dude is next to me... WHAAA

In one of those Vegas visits I went to see an up and coming magician do his thing. I wish I could remember his name, but honestly it escapes me at the moment. Good act overall, but I knew all the tricks he was performing that night. He did the cage, with the girl that turns into a tiger, you know, the classics.

Almost towards the end of his act he pulled a tiny Copperfield and made a trolley car first appear, and then disappear. Being someone who has seen that trick before and know how it's done, I thought he did pretty good, but not amazing. He lacked some umpff to his performance, it's hard to describe.

At any rate, I would have given him a 3 star rating out of 5 for the show until he blew my mind for his last act. I was sitting on the second row, a table at that with a lady having some drinks, as one does in Vegas. Then all of the sudden the magician gets the shower curtain circle thing out, and I immediately thought to myself. - "Oh... the box underneath, I know this one all too well..." - He did the typical moves, the changing the tie color with one movement up of the curtain circle and immediately down, that kind of deal.

Then, he lifted his arms up into the air, all the way and dropped the ring. Out comes a model, the assistant to the magician of course, smiling, waving at the public looking beautiful and then...... as I turn around to tell my date that the magician was inside the box underneath, I turned right to find the magician sitting there with me on my freaking table... BOOOOOOM!!!!

Needless to say, I've never recovered... Still can't figure it out. There was just no time, no time.... BUT!!! One day my friends, one day.... I will figure this one out too, I will have my revenge!