When you’re twenty you care what everybody thinks about you.

When you’re forty you stop caring what everyone thinks about you.

When you’re sixty you realize that no one was ever thinking about you in the first place.

– Winston Churchill

The Baby Boomer Era vs The Millennial Era

A youngster asked his grandfather: Grandpa, how did you people live before with
– No technology
– No aeroplanes
– No internet
– No computers
– No dramas
– No TVs
– No aircons
– No cars
– No mobile phones … ?

Granddad replied: Just like how your generation live today
– No prayers
– No compassion
– No honour
– No respect
– No character
– No shame
– No modesty

We, the people born between 1940-1970 are the blessed ones …
Our life is living proof.
While playing and riding bicycles, we never wore helmets.
After school, we played until dusk; we never watched TV.
We played with real friends, not internet friends.
If we ever felt thirsty, we drank tap water not bottled water.
We never got ill sharing the same glass of juice with four friends.
We never gained weight eating plates of rice everyday.
Nothing happened to our feet despite roaming barefoot.
We never used any supplements to keep ourselves healthy.
We used to create our own toys and play with those.
Our parents were not rich. They gave love … not worldly materials.
We never had cellphones, DVDs, playstation, XBox, video games, personal computers, internet, chat – but we had real friends.
We visited our friends’ home uninvited and enjoyed food with them.
Relatives lived close by so family time was enjoyed.
We may have been in black and white photos but you can find colourful memories in those photos

We are a unique and the most understanding generation, because we are the last generation who listened to their parents … and also the first who have had to listen to their children.

We are a LIMITED edition … enjoy us … learn from us … treasure us!

Smile if you enjoyed our era.

I follow a few magicians online. I learn magic as a hobby. I don’t think I am a good magician, but I love the storytelling that goes along with all magic performance. Storytelling is what I enjoy.

Here is an extract from one of the wizards I learn from online – I like the message here:

I recently heard a magician, reply to the applause from his audience by saying, “Thank you so much. It’s a very difficult trick.”

And it got me wondering, “What makes magic impressive?”

Traditionally, it’s the mystery of the secret method: The Unknown.

Though more recently, there seems to be a trend towards overt displays of manual dexterity: The Difficult.

But if literally ANYONE can learn the secret to a trick, and MANY people can learn to execute a difficult sleight or flourish with enough practice…

…what’s so impressive about either?

Maybe this is why so many comedians, TV shows and movies make fun of magic.

Because they know, almost anyone can walk into a magic shop and buy the secrets, or lock themselves alone in their bedroom and practice shuffling cards for hours.

But the art of magic isn’t about buying secrets, or easily gained dexterity – any more than the art of music is about buying a guitar and having nimble fingers. (Though at least guitarist don’t walk around saying they have super natural powers!)

The art of magic, is about what we DO with the basic tools of knowledge and dexterity.

And especially how our performances inspire people to think and FEEL.

At its best, a magic performance is also a creative expression of the magician’s unique perspective on the world.

If we share nothing about our personal selves through our performances, then in a sense – anyone could have done it. And there’s nothing inherently creative or original about mere dexterity and keeping secrets.

Knowledge in itself is nothing. Skill in itself is nothing.

As performers, I think we should keep in mind the Greek myth of Narcissus, and how he fell in love with his own reflection – with disastrous results.