I'm trying to think of what inspired me to write it...
and I'm drawing a blank. Writers block if you will.
Oh well.
This ramble is about a man named Jon Racherbaumer (Jon, if you're reading this, please forgive my poor use of the English langquage & punctuation & stuffs.) Yes I misspelled language on purpose... but the remainder of the misssspelllings are unententioal <-;) Oh: I also overused the ampersand symbol (incorrectly) just to piss ya off ;) So, do me a fave, lax on the text and just try to get through the 'real work'
Jon's magical life began well before "At the Table" but that was his first book I'd read. Rock's "At the Table" was, borrowed from the shelves of LaRock's fun & Magic (Charlotte, NC) my first magic counter job.) I was much younger (18) and thought most of this overwritten craps was pipe dreams. My mistake... live & learn: Years later, Rock would fool me with much of this material (at the table during our Monday sessions) Funny how life can show up and give ya a bitch slap to the brain :)
The first book he penned was a smaller work titled "Artful Dodges of Eddie Fields"
At some point he decided to lecture on this passion. of his. As he enters his 7th decade on the blue planet, he still travels the earth, sharing the work
(the real work?)
(the real work?)
Ok... "onward" (one of Jon's favourite terms)
for better or worse (lots of both) there were the 'zines'
for better or worse (lots of both) there were the 'zines'
This is just a few examples (above / below) There's LOTS more where these came from :) Hierophant, Olram File, Swipe, Marlophile and many more.
These mags often caused trouble and were the case of many a controversy.
Yet... Jon kept pumping out the work.
These mags often caused trouble and were the case of many a controversy.
Yet... Jon kept pumping out the work.
Here's another (obscure) one. My first published effort (Chameleon Sandwich) was seen in Modus Opernadi. This is issue # 7 which featured the (lil known) 'real work' on my Plastic Surgery handling (damn, I can't believe Rock had the ability to describe that monster!)
He's also appeared in many publications... here's one (a great pick & article)
Sidenote: Jon penned the Linking Ring's "Parade" section for over a decade (this is the International Brotherhood of Magician's Monthly Rag.) The amount of material he penned within those pages alone is mind boggling. (FYI: I'm in August of 97 if anyone is interested :)
At the time of this blog-post (10/10/12) Jon is working for Genii magazine where his "On the Slant" Column delves into some of his 'other explorations' (it would serve you well to read his recommendations: I found Josh Foer's Moonwalking With Einstein through that column & it has become one of my favourite non-magic books (and also inspried me to attack mnemonics which lead to memorizing the aronson stack!)
As many of you know: Racherbaumer was very close to Ed Marlo. Here's one of my fave works of the duo. Many magi consider this to contain some of the Marlo's best.
When cardicians speak of favourite Rock books, the one usually mentioned is:
I agree, it's a winner (as it's companion: Card Finesse 2)
My all time fave Rach-comilation (for lack of a better adjective) is:
Cardfixes has some amazing material (much of it is buried. Good.)
I could go on (and on and on) These are just a few of the books that have touched me
Want more? Here's a good start:
Genii's "magipedia" lists over 60 book-titles to Rocks's name (that's just the books!)
I can also recommend the wonderful interview on Dodd Vickers Linking Page:
Sheesh, I could recommend stuff till the cows come home. I have to stop at some point. Alright, so, enough rambling about Jon's incredible output.
Let's talk about the man. "The Dude" The guru.
I got to know the Jon thanks to Greg Gibson (THANKS Greg!) I snuck behind the curtain and got to meet the wizard... and he is real! I've seen it time and time again: from neophyte to obnoxious know it all "expert" everyone who walks before him, he welcomes with a warm eye, never judgemental and is ready/willing and able to talk the walk as far as you wanna go.
Jon is SO much deeper than the lil card tricks he writes about. He has mentored me in many, many ways beyond that of the wizard (&as a father of 6? or is it 7? I lost count how many he's had! He's always had a word of wisdom and advice towards fatherhood (I myself have 3)
It's a shame he doesn't have two heads and four arms/hands....
I'm sure we'd be privy to much more 'work' (and maybe that fabled novel?)
Damn, I wish I had the same, I'd like to keep writing, but... at some point to day, I have to move beyond publishing opinions.
One day behind the counter of the Big Easy Magic Co. (RIP) I took a poll.
I asked everyone involved in our art "Why do you do magic?"
(it was a trick question... the only correct answer I could think of was; I dunno!)
I figured anyone who had an answer (for money, to meet girls, etc) was doing it without a pure heart (that might be a bad way of looking at things, but that was my mindset) I did get one answer that came close to my ideal response. This from my good friend Elliot Gorton: "I do Magic Because I have too"
Indeed! Nail - Head -Whack!
I think Jon writes / shares because "he has too" and I'm blessed to be part of that book. Thanks Rock
Onward!
See ya Monday ;)
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