Seven solid reasons to give magical thanks this Turkey Day!
As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day in the United States, I thought it might be a nice idea to dedicate a short column to highlighting a few special areas in the magic fraternity where I feel some big thank yous are in order. Some are personal but most are general—here we go…
1 I want to begin with a big thank you to my two editors Alan Watson at Magic New Zealand and Paul Romhany at Vanish Magazine. Both of these gentlemen put a great deal of their time and energy into these two wonderful free magic resources. I am a small part in their publishing schedule but it does allow me to see from up close the very real commitment they take in adding something special to the magic world through their respective roles. Thank you Alan and Paul for your hard work and constant enthusiasm in spreading the magical word.
2 A big thank you to Stan Allen, Richard Kauffman, Sammy Smith, Michael Close and 
all the other editors who work hard at uniting the magic world with their publications. The written word is still the central currency in our fraternity and anyone who doesn’t appreciate the vital role taken by gentlemen such as these needs to think about it seriously. Editing a magic journal is hard work and above all a labor of love. Thanks guys keep up the great work.
3 A special thank you to everyone out there who is still fighting the times and tide by running a brick and mortar magic shop. The old fashioned magic shop is an endangered species and the efforts required to actually own a front door and keep it open to magicians is enormous. There are many pleasurable things about buying magic on the Internet, however there is NO sense of community. Let’s support those folk who are battling the economic difficulties of remaining physical in a digital world. You are doing a great thing with your commitment and dedication.
4 A huge thank you to the entire dedicated gang that make up the staff and officers of the AMA and the Magic Castle. It is wonderful to watch the Castle continue to go from strength to strength and build on its popularity into the second half of its first century. This crazy, impractical place is still working out beyond the wildest dreams of its architects and creators. Like every other member of a private club I occasionally like to bitch when everything isn’t accomplished exactly the way I think it should be done. However let’s just be grateful and give thanks for what a truly amazing job is being done of giving the world a classy, profitable showcase for the magical arts. I am truly proud to be a member of your amazing club and always excited to visit our visionary clubhouse.
5 Thanks to all the officers of the various magic clubs and societies around the globe that help unite our curious community of magical enthusiasts. These clubs don’t run themselves, and it is a dedicated bunch of volunteers that keep things running smoothly. Our magical lives are greatly enriched by these organizations, both big and small, that strive to create meeting spots for magicians to gather. Thank you one and all.
6 A big thank you to the television industry for apparently deciding that magic and magicians really can be a vibrant part of 
what you have to offer to the public. The high visibility that magic is currently enjoying on the airwaves is a boon and benefit to every performing magician. I don’t ever remember a time when there was more magic on TV. A particularly big thank you to Matt Franco for doing such a great job in winning America’s Got Talent; I for one never thought that this would happen. I am thrilled that magic achieved such a mainstream success due to Franco. Good luck with your Vegas show Matt, I can’t wait to see it.
7 Finally some heartfelt thanks to YOU — all the readers who allow me to be a writer. Next February marks the beginning of my 9th year as a columnist and writer in the magic world and it has been a lot of fun. After 45 years making a good living performing magic it has been extremely rewarding to be able to participate in the sharing of knowledge and information that is made possible with the written word. It has been my privilege and delight to become a small part in the fabric of the magic community in this manner. Thank you not only for reading my thoughts and opinions but taking the time to share your own ideas, correct me and inform me along the way.
REMARKABLE MAGIC 
And a huge thanks to you, Nick for your amazing energy and compassion in sharing all these entries with us …
Thank you Peter! It is truly my pleasure……