"The Magic Rainbow" Once upon a time, in a land far away, there was a magical rainbow that brought happiness and joy to all who encountered it. This rainbow was no ordinary rainbow; it had the power to grant wishes and make dreams come true. Legend had it that those who followed the rainbow to its end would be rewarded with a special gift. People from near and far would travel to seek out this magical spectacle, hoping to have their deepest desires fulfilled. The journey to find the end of the rainbow was not an easy one. It required perseverance, courage, and an unwavering belief in the power of magic.
Leodini's Inner Magic
It required perseverance, courage, and an unwavering belief in the power of magic. Many would give up along the way, believing that the rainbow was simply a myth, but those who remained determined would be richly rewarded. As they followed the rainbow's vibrant hues across meadows and mountaintops, travelers would encounter various challenges.
~ A Magician in the Philippines Shares his Views on Entertaining Family Audiences
The Amateur Magician’s Handbook
07 Friday Oct 2022
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I’m ecstatic. I received the other day my new copy of The Amateur Magician’s Handbook by Henry Hay.
It’s not a “new” copy in the sense that it came fresh out of the printing press. The book has been out of print for quite some time now.
What I got is a second-hand copy that my brother in the US bought for me from Amazon.com.
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Like Loading.Break a Leg for Good Luck
13 Wednesday Oct 2021
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As a magician, you must have heard of the phrase “break a leg.”
It is a theater jargon that has spread in other live performing arts.
People tell it to you before the show when they want to wish you good luck.
Wait a minute. Confused why “break a leg” means “good luck”?
Well, that is the idea of the phrase—to confuse.
Theories abound about the origin of this phrase. One is that back in the 1920s, in American theater, some stage actors coined it out of superstition.
In those days, they thought fairies and evil spirits haunted the theaters. They suspected these resident spirits were pranking the performers. That they used their malevolent powers to wreak havoc on stage plays.
This belief came about after they noticed something unusual. Every time they wished fellow performers good luck, bad luck happened. Props failed, scenery dropped, actors lost their place in the script, and so on.
It didn’t take long for stage performers to assume saying “good luck” moved the evil spirits to bring bad luck. So, to confuse the evil spirits and spur them to bring good luck, they changed tactics. They wished the performers bad luck before the show.
Yes, the strategy was to wish someone bad luck to bring good luck. Confusing, but that’s the idea—to confuse the bad spirits.
The phrase for bad luck they come up with was “break a leg”. As you well know, breaking a leg is the nastiest accident a performer can meet during a performance. It is the worst form of bad luck.
Photo by Leon Liu on UnsplashAccording to superstition, a wish for bad luck confuses evil spirits. When they hear someone wishing a performer to “break a leg”, they bring him the opposite. They give him good luck instead. The show then runs smoothly, free of accidents, mistakes, and bloopers.
What has all this to do with your magic?
Well, the pandemic has been upon us since last year. The virus has wiped out the local magic entertainment industry.
Unless you didn’t notice it, we have been in a long spell of bad luck.
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on UnsplashI’m not superstitious, but I have this sneaky idea we need people to tell us to “break a leg” for a change.
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Like Loading.Magic on Ice: Find Time to Catch this Show
02 Wednesday Jan 2019
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I brought my whole family to Araneta Coliseum last night to watch the last-day performance of Magic on Ice. Surprise, surprise! The show gets an extended run until January 6.
The show is worthy of Las Vegas—glitzy, theatrical, lots of beautiful girls in skimpy costumes, spectacular magical illusions, and magnificent plays of lights. (More of this later.)
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Like Loading.The Magical Joy Of Reading
19 Monday Nov 2018
Most people believe that persons who read a lot are intelligent.
Omnivorous readers have a reputation for being profound thinkers. Having a good grasp of everything, they can converse with anyone about many topics.
To make it to the list of intellectuals, I read everything that is dangled to me. It is a time-consuming habit, but I invest several hours a day on it just so I can sound erudite.
I read not only posts on online forums of magicians, but everything else. Including labels of corned beef cans.
I also find palm-reading interesting. I mean more interesting—especially if at the other end of the palm is a good-looking girl.
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Like Loading.Bohemian Rhapsody Schools Leodini
16 Friday Nov 2018
So I watched Bohemian Rhapsody. I liked it more than I was willing to admit.
I won’t comment on the film’s music. I don’t have the musical depth to qualify as a critic of music. But I know the kind that pleases my ears. Queen’s music does. I find most of their songs have a frenzied but sweet euphony despite their intensity.
Nor will I share my thoughts on the artistic and technical strengths of the film. Even though I’m a hopeless movie buff, moviemaking is a puzzle. My consolation is that I know what movies entertain me. Bohemian Rhapsody pleases me…immensely enough to make me write this piece.
And this piece is about the lessons I learned from Queen. Or from Freddie Mercury, as portrayed in the film.
Lesson One: a performing artist must strive to distinguish himself from the masses. He should aspire to be exceptional. Or different to stand out from the crowd. If Freddie Mercury were a magician, he would not wear a tail tuxedo as most magicians do.
Lesson Two: Queen’s music is plain different. It is uncommon, unusual, and even unprecedented. Their songs are not mere screams, shrieks, and screeches. Their blistering instruments are not playing decibels merely amped up to the stratosphere. There’s an electrifying melody in the madding cacophony. If Freddie Mercury were a magician, he’d not be performing appearing canes and Snowstorms in China. He would show something else, something unusual to be different.
Lesson Three: in a live performance, audience participation is king. No doubt, Freddie Mercury possesses an irresistible stage presence. Still, he dishes out songs that encourage the audience to perform with him. The fans clap their hands, raise their arms in the air, and stomp their feet on the ground. They sway. They shake. They sing along with him. A hundred thousand strong mass of humanity moving in euphoric unison. A spectacle so magical to behold. And yet, Queen’s Freddie Mercury performs neither magic nor illusion. He performs music that is stupendously fun by involving the audience in the act.
These are good lessons performing artists can take to heart. It needs work to digest them, and even more effort to apply them in real-world performances.
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But with each hardship, the rainbow seemed to shine even brighter, filling their hearts with renewed hope and strength. Finally, after days or even weeks of tireless pursuit, the travelers would reach the end of the rainbow. Here, at the point where the mystical colors touched the ground, they would find a small, shimmering pool of water. The magical properties of this water were said to be life-changing. It could heal sickness, bring love to those who desired it, and fulfill the deepest desires of the human heart. But the true magic of the rainbow lay not in the water itself, but in the power it held to transform those who believed. As travelers dipped their hands into the pool of water, they would close their eyes and make their most heartfelt wish. It was said that at that moment, the universe would conspire to make their dreams a reality. The magic rainbow taught people about the power of belief, hope, and perseverance. It reminded them that miracles are possible, and that sometimes the journey is just as important as the destination. The rainbow inspired people to never give up on their dreams, no matter how impossible they may seem. In the end, the magic rainbow served as a symbol of hope and a reminder that there is beauty and magic in the world, if only we choose to see it. Its vibrant colors and enchanting powers continue to captivate the hearts and imaginations of people to this day, reminding us all that anything is possible if we have faith in the magic of the rainbow..
Reviews for "The Magic Rainbow: Bridging Cultures and Communities"
1. Jane - 2 stars - I was extremely disappointed with "The Magic Rainbow". The plot was predictable and the characters were one-dimensional. I found it difficult to connect with any of them. The writing style was also quite bland and lacked depth. Overall, I felt like I wasted my time reading this book. I would not recommend it.
2. Tom - 1 star - "The Magic Rainbow" was an absolute bore. The story was slow-paced, and it lacked any excitement or compelling moments. The descriptions were mundane, and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. I couldn't help but lose interest in the book after a few chapters. This is one novel I regret purchasing.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "The Magic Rainbow," but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The plot was unoriginal and lacked creativity. The characters were underdeveloped and lacked depth, making it difficult for me to care about their journeys. Additionally, the pacing was uneven, with moments of extreme slowness followed by hurried resolutions. Overall, it was a forgettable read that I wouldn't recommend to others.
4. Mark - 1 star - I found "The Magic Rainbow" to be a complete waste of time. The story was confusing and had too many unnecessary subplots. The writing style was dull and uninspiring, and the characters were uninteresting and forgettable. I struggled to finish this book and, in the end, felt no sense of satisfaction or resolution. I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a meaningful or engaging read.
5. Emily - 2 stars - I am sorry to say that "The Magic Rainbow" did not live up to its hype. The world-building was shallow, and the magical elements felt half-hearted. I struggled to understand the motives behind the characters' actions, as they lacked depth and complexity. The pacing was inconsistent, with moments of excessive detail and others where important events were rushed over. Overall, I was left wanting more substance from this book.