I now have a new version of my website, specifically for the Peoria area. It's at www.peoriamagician.com. It has some subtle differences from my main site, including my promo video: UNFORGETTABLE EVENT ENTERTAINMENT on the homepage.
I also just learned about a new tool for helping to integrate your social networking. If you use more than one social networking site, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or MySpace, Ping.fm is a way to update all of them at once! How cool is that? (I got this tip from my friend and business associate, Cindy Fleming, President and founder of VisionShift. Thanks, Cindy!)
Here's my video, in case you haven't seen it:
Friday, May 15, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Press Release
I just put out a press release on our upcoming show at the Apollo. You can view it HERE.
We're really excited about how the show's coming together, and about our support for Look! It's My Book! They've only been operating since January, and they've already adopted two schools in the Peoria school district, and have raised enough money to date to add a third school
Great work!
We're really excited about how the show's coming together, and about our support for Look! It's My Book! They've only been operating since January, and they've already adopted two schools in the Peoria school district, and have raised enough money to date to add a third school
Great work!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Two Save the Date Resorces
Here are two more online event planning resources to share.
WhichDateWorks gives you a simple, easy to use way to decide on a date for an event. Basically, you create an invitation to your event, enter the email addresses of the people you need feedback from, and send it out. You can choose a range of dates from the entire year down to limiting it to two days from which to vote on. The recipients don't need to sign up to use the service, they simply follow the link that arrives in their email and select the date that works best for them.
If you need to do the same thing, but want to include more detail than just the date (specific times, locations, activities, etc., for example), you can use Doodle. It gives you more variables and it also integrates with Facebook. Also, with Doodle, you don't necessarily need each person's email address, just a way to get them the link where they can vote on event details.
One of these days I'll have to compile all the various online event planning resources I've written about in my blog so they'll all be in one place... Maybe in my next newsletter? Speaking of which, if you're not already on my email list for my newsletter, The Magic Word, that's filled with news and updates on my activities, a "trick of the month" that you can learn, event planning tips, and lots of other fun stuff, just send me an email with Subscribe to MW! in the subject.
WhichDateWorks gives you a simple, easy to use way to decide on a date for an event. Basically, you create an invitation to your event, enter the email addresses of the people you need feedback from, and send it out. You can choose a range of dates from the entire year down to limiting it to two days from which to vote on. The recipients don't need to sign up to use the service, they simply follow the link that arrives in their email and select the date that works best for them.
If you need to do the same thing, but want to include more detail than just the date (specific times, locations, activities, etc., for example), you can use Doodle. It gives you more variables and it also integrates with Facebook. Also, with Doodle, you don't necessarily need each person's email address, just a way to get them the link where they can vote on event details.
One of these days I'll have to compile all the various online event planning resources I've written about in my blog so they'll all be in one place... Maybe in my next newsletter? Speaking of which, if you're not already on my email list for my newsletter, The Magic Word, that's filled with news and updates on my activities, a "trick of the month" that you can learn, event planning tips, and lots of other fun stuff, just send me an email with Subscribe to MW! in the subject.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Magic, Music, Art, and Harriet
Just a quick announcement. Here's an opportunity to see me in one of my public performances.
On May 31, as a kickoff event for the One State: Together in the Arts Conference in Peoria, I'm doing a special show at a really cool little theatre, the Apollo Theatre, in downtown Peoria. I'll be performing my one man theatre show, The ART of Magic. Joining me on the program will be Edith Barnard with her one woman portrayal of author Harriet Beecher Stowe. We're calling the show Magic, Music, Art, and Harriet, and you can learn more about it or order tickets HERE.
On May 31, as a kickoff event for the One State: Together in the Arts Conference in Peoria, I'm doing a special show at a really cool little theatre, the Apollo Theatre, in downtown Peoria. I'll be performing my one man theatre show, The ART of Magic. Joining me on the program will be Edith Barnard with her one woman portrayal of author Harriet Beecher Stowe. We're calling the show Magic, Music, Art, and Harriet, and you can learn more about it or order tickets HERE.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Online Meeting Planning Resource
Just a quick note to share another event planning resource I just came across. It's meetingpages.com, and it's a very comprehensive set of online resources for meeting planners, including a searchable database of vendors and a variety of meeting planning tools, including free enhanced meeting planning software.
The only drawback is that they are targetted mainly to events and services in Colorado, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. But if you're planning an event in one of those areas, I think you'll find this very useful. And even if you're planning your event somewhere else, there's certainly enough helpful information and resources that it's at least worth taking a look!
The only drawback is that they are targetted mainly to events and services in Colorado, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. But if you're planning an event in one of those areas, I think you'll find this very useful. And even if you're planning your event somewhere else, there's certainly enough helpful information and resources that it's at least worth taking a look!
Friday, March 20, 2009
I'm On Twitter!
Well, I did it! I just created an account on Twitter. If you're not familiar with it, it's the latest craze in internet social networking. You can "follow" what your friends are doing, throughout the day.
I'm interested to see how it relates to business, promotion, marketing, and just staying in touch with customers and for networking opportunities.
You can follow me at: www.twitter.com/MagicalMitch (My real name was already taken!) Check it out!
I'm interested to see how it relates to business, promotion, marketing, and just staying in touch with customers and for networking opportunities.
You can follow me at: www.twitter.com/MagicalMitch (My real name was already taken!) Check it out!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Finding the Right Hotel, and a Magical Experience of History
Today I'd like to share a new event planning resource, and a "magical experience" I just enjoyed.
First the resource: it's a new web based system for finding the right hotel for your event. It allows you to directly contact all the participating hotels in a specific area, all in one shot, and provides a platform in which the hotels can choose to send proposals, and you can interact with them. Thus avoiding the need to either go through a professional event planner, or call all the hotels individually. It's called GroupEventsPro.com, and you can read more about it here.
Last weekend was my 22nd wedding anniversary. My wife Kathi and I decided to visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield, Illinois. What an absolutely amazing place! And an extraordinarily magical experience. The museum is an exciting mix of modern high tech wizardry, detailed historical drama, and a plethora of fascinating facts, narratives, and historic artifacts. The unique combination really takes you into the experience of Lincoln's life in a way that's like nothing you've ever encountered.
What a great way to learn about the past! It really is a multi-dimensional, multi-sensory experience of sight, sound, emotion, much more,... in which history comes alive all around you. (And there are some actual magic techniques in use in at least one of the presentations,... but I won't let the cat out of the bag-- you've got to see it for yourself.)
If you have the chance to get to Springfield, I highly recommend that you take the time to spend a few hours at the museum. I guarantee you won't regret it.
First the resource: it's a new web based system for finding the right hotel for your event. It allows you to directly contact all the participating hotels in a specific area, all in one shot, and provides a platform in which the hotels can choose to send proposals, and you can interact with them. Thus avoiding the need to either go through a professional event planner, or call all the hotels individually. It's called GroupEventsPro.com, and you can read more about it here.
Last weekend was my 22nd wedding anniversary. My wife Kathi and I decided to visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield, Illinois. What an absolutely amazing place! And an extraordinarily magical experience. The museum is an exciting mix of modern high tech wizardry, detailed historical drama, and a plethora of fascinating facts, narratives, and historic artifacts. The unique combination really takes you into the experience of Lincoln's life in a way that's like nothing you've ever encountered.
What a great way to learn about the past! It really is a multi-dimensional, multi-sensory experience of sight, sound, emotion, much more,... in which history comes alive all around you. (And there are some actual magic techniques in use in at least one of the presentations,... but I won't let the cat out of the bag-- you've got to see it for yourself.)
If you have the chance to get to Springfield, I highly recommend that you take the time to spend a few hours at the museum. I guarantee you won't regret it.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Positive Change
The weekend before last, I presented a program for Carver Pump Company in Muscatine, Iowa. In addition to the family atmosphere amongst their staff and co-workers, I was also impressed to learn that, in the midst of the current economic climate, their biggest challenge at Carver Pump Co. is going to be keeping up with all the orders they already have on the books for 2009. In the words of one of their staff members, "We've elected to not participate in the current recession."
This really is the attitude to have. It's easy to get caught up in the worries over downturns and shortfalls. But our perceptions really do, to a very large degree, determine our reality. So a realistic, but positive attitude of confidence and determination to succeed can go a long way, even when things are tough all around us. And of course it's also important to note that a huge part of Carver Pump Co.'s success is based on the spirit of community within the company.
You can see the recession as a reason to fail: everyone else is doing it, it's a handy excuse if things don't go your way. Or you can see it as a challenge to be met; one that urges you to rise to the occasion. It's really up to you... and if you manage or supervise other people, you can lead in this way as well, and use the challenges as a motivating factor: "We're all in this together!"
Personally, I see the current situation as inevitable and necessary. We've been running things, politically and economically, in a totally unsustainable, inequitable, unjust, and unrealistic manner that was doomed to eventual and unavoidable collapse. We just didn't realize it. This is the necessary end to that way of doing things that had to happen in order to awaken us to the realities of the results of our collective actions, so that we can find a better way of being in the world.
This is a historic turning point, and a monumental opportunity to create a better way of living on our planet; one that is more just, purposeful, healthy, and sustainable. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, I believe we are on the cusp of a totally new way if life... IF we can accept that business as it has been is no longer tenable, IF we can let go of our irrational attachment to over-cunsumption, greed, and "more!", and if we can choose to truly move forward in a more rational and humane manner.
Change is good.
This really is the attitude to have. It's easy to get caught up in the worries over downturns and shortfalls. But our perceptions really do, to a very large degree, determine our reality. So a realistic, but positive attitude of confidence and determination to succeed can go a long way, even when things are tough all around us. And of course it's also important to note that a huge part of Carver Pump Co.'s success is based on the spirit of community within the company.
You can see the recession as a reason to fail: everyone else is doing it, it's a handy excuse if things don't go your way. Or you can see it as a challenge to be met; one that urges you to rise to the occasion. It's really up to you... and if you manage or supervise other people, you can lead in this way as well, and use the challenges as a motivating factor: "We're all in this together!"
Personally, I see the current situation as inevitable and necessary. We've been running things, politically and economically, in a totally unsustainable, inequitable, unjust, and unrealistic manner that was doomed to eventual and unavoidable collapse. We just didn't realize it. This is the necessary end to that way of doing things that had to happen in order to awaken us to the realities of the results of our collective actions, so that we can find a better way of being in the world.
This is a historic turning point, and a monumental opportunity to create a better way of living on our planet; one that is more just, purposeful, healthy, and sustainable. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, I believe we are on the cusp of a totally new way if life... IF we can accept that business as it has been is no longer tenable, IF we can let go of our irrational attachment to over-cunsumption, greed, and "more!", and if we can choose to truly move forward in a more rational and humane manner.
Change is good.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Two More Event Planning Resources
Here's another new event planning site that I just came across. It's called PLUQ. I found this article about it that spells out its various features. It seems to be similar to some other event planning sites, but this one is geared for casual use, for parties, dinners, and such, with lots of interactivity possible.
(Update: 2/24/09: here's another article that describes the difference in PLUQ as compared to other event planning sites, and how it's more interactive.)
And if you're looking for a speaker for an event, you may want to check out the SpeakerSite.com. You can search for speakers by topic, post an "open call" for a speaker, or have the folks at the site find a speaker for you.
Have fun exporing!
(Update: 2/24/09: here's another article that describes the difference in PLUQ as compared to other event planning sites, and how it's more interactive.)
And if you're looking for a speaker for an event, you may want to check out the SpeakerSite.com. You can search for speakers by topic, post an "open call" for a speaker, or have the folks at the site find a speaker for you.
Have fun exporing!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
A Few Quick Thoughts...
Just got back from Des Moines, Iowa, where I worked over the weekend at the Youth Strike for Christ conference. I performed a customized version of my one man theatre show for a group of about 600 teens. What a rush! A big thanks to Margo Fuller and Jim Oberbroekling with the Youth Strike group for inviting me and for being such gracious hosts. They put on a very impressive event.
I'm working on my latest email newsletter which should go out in the next couple of days sometime. If you're not on my list, and would like to be, send me an email and mention that you'd like to receive the newsletter. It's full of my thoughts, what I've been up to, and fun tidbits such as vegetarian recipes and a magic "Trick of the Month" that you can learn to do.
If you're in the Peoria area, have you been out to see me at my Wednesday night spot at Tyroni's Italian Cafe in Bartonville? If not, come on out, you'll love it! Here's the scoop.
Finally, a Happy Valentine's Day this weekend. Hope you find time to spend with those you love. Stay in touch!
I'm working on my latest email newsletter which should go out in the next couple of days sometime. If you're not on my list, and would like to be, send me an email and mention that you'd like to receive the newsletter. It's full of my thoughts, what I've been up to, and fun tidbits such as vegetarian recipes and a magic "Trick of the Month" that you can learn to do.
If you're in the Peoria area, have you been out to see me at my Wednesday night spot at Tyroni's Italian Cafe in Bartonville? If not, come on out, you'll love it! Here's the scoop.
Finally, a Happy Valentine's Day this weekend. Hope you find time to spend with those you love. Stay in touch!
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