IT’S THAT MAGICAL TIME – BACK TO SCHOOL!

Posted on August 14, 2016September 14, 2016

“All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten.”

The end of August, beginning of September always holds a special place in my heart. It’s a magical time of rebirth, celebration and the excitement of future adventures.

Firstly, starting on August 17^th and running through to September 5^th, it contains the birthdays of my wife Suzanne, our daughter Jacqueline, and myself. A definite time to celebrate and appreciate all that we have.

It also signals the return to school.

And having a spouse (very recently retired) who’s whole career was in the educational sector, as well as our daughter who is into her next level of education (University in Toronto and LA), it signals a very special, emotional response from us all. A “childlike” excitement of what the future holds.

But more importantly it serves as a cue to myself that there are some very basic teachings we have to remind ourselves of time and time again. We innately know these lessons, but sometimes we need to revisit them.

In this regard I think Robert Fulghum said it best…

“All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten.”

All I really need to know about how to live and what to do
and how to be I learned in kindergarten.

Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the
sandpile at Sunday School. These are the things I learned:

Share everything.

Play fair.

Don’t hit people.

Put things back where you found them.

Clean up your own mess.

Don’t take things that aren’t yours.

Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.

Wash your hands before you eat.

Flush.

Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.

Live a balanced life – learn some and think some
and draw and paint and sing and dance and play
and work every day some.

Take a nap every afternoon.

When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic,
hold hands, and stick together.

Be aware of wonder.
Remember the little seed in the styrofoam cup:
The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody
really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even
the little seed in the Styrofoam cup – they all die.
So do we.

And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books
and the first word you learned – the biggest
word of all – LOOK.

Everything you need to know is in there somewhere.
The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation.
Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.

Take any of those items and extrapolate it into
sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your
family life or your work or your government or
your world and it holds true and clear and firm.

Think what a better world it would be if
all – the whole world – had cookies and milk about
three o’clock every afternoon and then lay down with
our blankies for a nap.

Or if all governments had a basic policy to always put thing back where
they found them and to clean up their own mess.

And it is still true, no matter how old you
are – when you go out into the world, it is best
to hold hands and stick together.

(© Robert Fulghum, 1990. Found in Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten, Villard Books: New York, 1990, page 6-7. )

WOW! Let’s face it – this really says it all. When we embrace, and put into action, these simple lessons what a magical difference we make in ourselves and the world.

As we move into a new school year please remember the “Magic” that special lessons like these – and more importantly the difference that YOU – can make! It can be REAL MAGIC!

After all, Real Magic is nothing more than coming up with simple, effective solutions to complicated problems, and then doing something about it! But Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus! Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!

PS: My BAND TOGETHER – No Bullies Allowed is a great way to reinforce these important messages. For more information on how this can happen please CLICK HERE.

PPS: Have a great time in school this year!

Canadian’s Making The Impossible Possible!

Posted on July 1, 2016August 8, 2016

Revealing some Magic Secrets behind these, and many other, Canadian Credited Inventions.

There are hundreds of great inventions from all over the world, however in honour of Canada Day I wanted to explore the magic behind some of our own inventions.

If you were to ask any Canadian to name something invented in Canada, the more common answers you most likely would get are Insulin (Banting and Best), the Telephone (Bell) and the Robertson screw (Robertson). In reality there many more, such as those listed in my title.

The Light Bulb, although credited to Edison, was actually first patented by Henry Woodward and Matthew Evans in Canada in 1874 two years prior to a patent being granted to Thomas Edison. Edison later purchased this Canadian discovery when he was making his original investigations and before he obtained his own patents.

Five-Pin Bowling was invented in 1909 by Thomas F. Ryan in Toronto, Ontario, at his Toronto Bowling Club. It was created in response to customers who complained that the ten-pin game was too strenuous and took too long to play. He cut five ten-pins down to about 75% of their size, and used hand-sized hard rubber balls, thus inventing the game of five-pin bowling.

Instant Mashed Potatoes was invented by the Canadian scientist Edward Asselbergs in 1962. Although the mashing of a potato probably dates from antiquity, the industrial method of “preparation of dehydrated cooked mashed potatoes” was not created and patented until 1962 by Asselberg.

The list goes on and on: the Canadarm, Electron Microscope, Wonderbra, Basketball, Superman, the Paint Roller, Bloody Caesar, the Pacemaker, IMAX, and the BlackBerry, just to mention a few more. For a more complete list of Canadian inventions visit:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_inventions

However as diverse as all these inventions are, the systems behind their creations remain quite similar (and not just Canadian).

SOLVE A PROBLEM! The most successful inventions and innovations BEGIN by someone having a desire to “solve a problem”. There is a need that already exists (whether commonly known or not) for something that solves a problem or advances our way of life. And the greater the problem the easier to fuel the next step, passion!

PASSION! Once you discover that something needs to exist to solve this problem, and YOU realize you can do this, a fire is born. This fire becomes a burning passion! An itch that cannot be scratched enough until this problem is solved – no matter what it takes! You need to constantly feed this passion so seek out those who can help you do this and ignore the naysayer.

NEVER GIVE UP! This in many cases is actually the hardest step – doing whatever it takes to achieve your goal, for as long as it takes. In reality it can be easier said than done; because no matter happens you have to keep moving toward you goal! The magic word here is “sacrifice” – how much are you willing to give up to do what needs to be done?

As a life long “magical student” I have become quite attuned to these “simple steps” that when employed correctly can produce truly magical results. These are powerful results that can benefit not only our own lives, but the world at large.

So what is the take away? Are there some basic steps that just might help us create our own magic?

Life is about the moment! If something ‘sparks” a great idea in you – act on it – NOW! .

Hang around positive people who will support YOU! If you want to move forward you will need help from those that will build you up – not knock you down.

Be passionate! Sorry, life is over way too soon – go for it NOW!

Never quit. As the old saying goes (but hey its true), when life gives you lemons make lemonade – or better yet a “new style” lemonade stand. Keep going and always look for a better way to help others.

That’s how we make Magic happen!

Remember Real Magic is nothing more than coming up with simple, effective solutions to complicated problems, and then doing something about it!

But Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus! Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!

PS: My program THINK LIKE A MAGICIAN – How to create a “making the impossible, possible” FOCUS shows students exactly how to do this.

PPS: HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Day Of Pink Magic!

Posted on April 15, 2016August 8, 2016

How We Can All Make A Difference!

April 13th, this year, marks the International Day of Pink. This is a day where communities all over the world unite in celebrating diversity and raising awareness to stop all forms of bullying.

To help celebrate Centennial Senior Public School in Brampton Ontario (REPEAT PERFORMANCE – they had me there 2 years ago) featured my BAND TOGETHER – NO BULLIES ALLOWED presentation as part of their SAY NO TO BULLYING PINK DAY. Here is what they had to say…

“Mr. Rick Rossini, a former victim of bullying shared his story of how bullying affected his life, and the marvelous ways he learned to over- come it by practicing magic. Incorporating his magnificent acronym of B.A.N.D. TOGETHER.

Mr. Rossini really showed Centennial that no-body deserves to be bullied, and that there is

always something you can do to help out. The presentation from start to finish was fun and engaging – the students loved it!”

“The International Day of Pink was started in Nova Scotia when 2 straight high school students saw a gay student wearing a pink shirt being bullied. The 2 students intervened, but wanted to do more to prevent homophobic & transphobic bullying. They decided to purchase pink shirts, and a few days later got everyone at school to arrive wearing pink, standing in solidarity. The result was that an entire school stopped homophobic & transphobic bullying.

The message was clear: anyone can bully, any can be victimized by bullying, but together we can stop it. Each year on the second Wednesday of April, millions of people wear pink to remember that positive actions make a difference. And that the change starts with each one of us.” (courtesy of dayofpink.org)

Out of all the shows and presentations I do BAND TOGETHER – NO BULLIES ALLOWED is one of my very favorite. This is because I get the chance to “share” part of what happened to me in a way that just might really help someone else, and make a difference. And best of all when it really works – you feel the connection with ALL the kids!

Thank you Centennial for allowing me to share my magic with your students.

For more information on Day Of Pink please check out http://www.dayofpink.org/.

And for more information on my No Bullies Allowed Presentation click here.

VISIMOTION MAGIC!

Posted on January 5, 2016August 8, 2016

The Real Magic Of Applied Vision And Emotion!

Let’s be honest for a second – did you do it?

Did you let everyone know you did it or did you do it in private, when no one was looking?

When asked did you admit doing it or did you just brush it off?

Maybe you really didn’t do it. At least not this time. But I bet that you have at least done it once before. I know I have.

What is it?

It’s that little thing that pops up every New Year. It’s the New Years resolution. That little promise we make to ourselves to either start doing something we know we should be doing (more exercise, eating healthier, improving our marketing) or something we would like to give up (smoking, some extra pounds, too much TV). YAWN…

If you are anything like me, while the initial intention and dedication level might be good, the end result can be the same. Lets give it another shot for next year. However this need not be the case. Not if you use the magic of VISIMOTION!

VISIMOTION is a little word I created that simply stands for “the magic of applied vision and emotion”! And while simple in concept, VISIMOTION’s power can be truly magical and can quite literally change lives!

The problem with the typical New Year’s resolution is that we focus on a “to do” or a “not to do”, and as we all know with “to do lists”, they can get very tired very fast. Unless of course you can create a real vision of what you want to achieve AND support that vision with real emotion. And herein lies the magic.

The trick is to not focus on the action, but on the vision you want to create and the way it will make you feel. The vision then fuels our emotions and our emotions fuel our actions and results. And the more detailed and emotional you can make your vision, the more passionate (and empowered) you will become in transforming your vision into a reality. It’s the magic that transforms a task into a sacred magical quest!

This VISIMOTION is exactly the same technique a magician uses in creating an illusion for the stage. You start with a beautiful picture in your mind of what you want to achieve and what you want the audience to see in every detail – the action, lighting, sound, music, etc, and then work backwards. This vision then creates an emotional need that can only be satisfied once the vision becomes a reality. But there is one further trick here that our magician knows.

The secret is to make the vision as completely detailed as possible. The more detailed in what you see, hear and feel, the easier it is to work backwards and put into action the correct elements you need in the proper order. This can drastically reduce your learning curve and time spent. So how can you use this?

Use this technique to achieve your own magic in the upcoming year in your business and your life. Create a detailed vision of what you want to achieve and make it as emotional and real as possible. Then focus on what needs to be done and do it. And like our magician, make it fun, powerful and exciting! Enjoy the process.

Right now take a moment and start creating the visions of all that you want to achieve this year and get started making your own real magic happen!

Remember Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus! Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!!

PS: Anything you can imagine can be achieved. You can dream big or dream small. Dream BIG!!

Yes Meagan There Is A Santa Claus!

Posted on December 19, 2015August 5, 2016

The Real Magic Of Christmas!

Her name was Meagan and from what I would guess, she was probably about seven or eight years old. She was very tall for her age and very, very thin. But most importantly, she had a twinkle in her eye and a rich joyous texture to her laugh. And unbeknown to her, she was about to make magic happen.

Standing up on stage with me I asked her the question, “do you think you can do it?” “No”, she laughed. I asked the audience “Do you think she can do it?” “YES” they all shouted.

The routine Meagan was helping me with is called Silken Sorcery. A young lady is selected from the audience and comes on stage to become one of the world’s greatest magicians.

However from the get go things just don’t work out and scarves fall when they are not supposed to, magic wand and fans break, and general mayhem ensures. The audience loves it!

And at Christmas time when I get to perform this routine for those who are not as fortunate as us (such as at this Woman’s Shelter) , it goes over big time. But today something was different.

As Meagan was helping me I noticed there was something wrong with her arm. However this impediment did not slow her down in the slightest. Meagan’s desire to make the magic happen won over the slight awkwardness she had in manipulating the props. The wands, fans and glasses broke right on cue and the audience loved it. As did I!

And right now at this critical moment “Real Magic” was about to happen. We all shouted the magic word “Abracadabra”, Meagan waved the wand and the handkerchief flew through the air; the magic worked! The audience cheered and applauded. And Meagan beamed as she took her big bow!

As I thanked Meagan and she went back into the audience I saw a little tear come to Meagan’s mother. And then, as I looked around the room I saw the “Real Magic” that was being created.

What I saw was not mothers, kids and families who needed help, but a group of people who had come together to celebrate life. A phenomenal “group of winners and survivors” whose common goal was to be together, to have some fun and joy as they shared this Christmas magic.

Regardless of what they had been through, these Mothers were determined to make a great Christmas for themselves and their loved ones. And just like Meagan they were determined not to give up!

This is the real magic of Christmas. The caring for one another and the sharing.

My Christmas wish for you is that you too will get the opportunity to share in this magical spirit with those you care about. And to be thankful of how blessed our lives are in comparison to many.

From my family to yours Merry Christmas!

PS: After the show on the way out Meagan’s mother came over to me and quietly said “thank you”.

BACK TO THE FUTURE AGAIN!!

Posted on October 21, 2015October 22, 2015

How to make our own Future a great one!!
If you have ever seen the sci-fi action, movie trilogy “Back to the Future”you know that today is a very special day.

Today, October 21st, 2015, is the exact date the movie’s main characters Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and Marty McFly (Michael J Fox) traveled into the future to (from the 1985). And what a ride it was!

So how does our real future compare with the movie’s image of the technological advancements supposedly made?

Well some ideas are bang on: 3D movies, giant flat screen TV’s, video/computer glasses, finger print security technology, video calling, hover boards and flying cars (primitive, but they do exist), and cars using alternative fuel sources.

Some not so; home food re hydration machines, nuclear fusion powering for cars and house hold appliances, time travel, self-tying sneakers (although Nike says they are very close and the first pair promise to Michael J Fox), the prevalence of fax machines, self-drying clothes, anti-gravity boots, and the legal banishment of all lawyers (darn).

They also totally missed the mention of the internet. No one saw that coming.

But still it is kind of neat to be in the supposed future that was imagined back then.

And if you really think about it, many of the future inventions that have been realized are really the creative extensions of what existed back then taken to a whole new level. You just have to be open to the possibility that “anything is possible” and can be achieved.

So how can we do this in our own lives to create our own future?

It is a process I call The Magician’s Magic Formula, and exactly what every professional magician from Houdini to David Copperfield have used for turning something imagined into reality.

The first rule that every magician is taught is that, “nothing is impossible”! There is no trick, illusion or piece of magic that cannot be created. What the mind can conceive and believe can be achieved. Such is the same with life and our goals in creating our future.

If you can imagine it, it can happen. It is only a matter of time, effort and constant determination.

Real magic is nothing more than coming up with simple effective solutions to complicated problems and doing something about them. The trick here is to take the first step and make a passionate, radical commitment to what may seem to be an impossible future or goal. Then just follow through. Constant action!

Your passion in wanting the attainment transforms your goal into a“sacred, magical quest” that can inspire yourself and others to provide you with the answers and resources you need. And remember, your passion is the key!

The second rule on how to making your magic happen is “the vision” of what you want to achieve. This is critical!

To create a magical illusion for the stage, like say floating a person in thin air, the magician visualizes how everything (the action, sound, lights and choreography) will look and feel to the audience and then works backwards. They put together step by step the elements that are necessary to make this magic happen and then do it.

It’s like the artist who chips away the parts of the block of marble that are not in their vision – what remains is “the vision” they had originally imagined.

The trick here is to make the vision as detailed as possible. The more detailed the vision, the easier it is to create the steps to get there.

Do you have a detailed vision of what you want to achieve and how to get there – or what it will look like?

And here lies the real trick – the real magic secret to making our dreams come true and the future WE want to create.

We have to really want it. We have to be prepared to do what it takes to make our own magic happen.

Knowing what it is you want, figuring out a way to get it, and staying with it to turn our dreams into a reality.

Are you up to challenge?

Remember Real Magic is nothing more than coming up with simple, effective solutions to complicated problems, and then doing something about it!

Or as Doc Brown would say, “Your future is whatever you make it, so make it a good one.”

PS: See Doc Brown himself make this happen at https://www.facebook.com/BTTF/videos/vb.141545972523915/1041479309197239/?type=2&theater

PPS: Go Cubs Go!!

The Wait Is Over – Heroes Reborn!

Posted on September 20, 2015September 30, 2015

The wait is over!

Finally I can talk about it. Earlier this summer I had the pleasure of doing some “magic consulting” on the forthcoming Heroes Reborn TV show which starts this week. Looking forward to see what actually made it into the final cut.

Heroes Reborn is an upcoming 13-episode “event miniseries” scheduled to premiere on September 24, 2015, as a continuation of the NBC science fiction serial drama series Heroes.

A REAL HAT TRICK!

Posted on April 5, 2015April 5, 2015

The Real Inside Secret Of The Rabbit From A Hat Trick And How We Can Use It In Our Life And Business!

Quite often the actual history of the “art of magic” is more deceptive than the illusions it creates. A perfect example of this is the “rabbit out of a hat trick”.

This particular illusion is probably the one most thought of illusion when talking about a magician’s tricks. And yet how many of us have actually seen this trick performed?

I have been in the magic business most of my life and can only recall seeing this done maybe once or twice. However even more bizarre is this trick’s “origin” and the power in the real life lessons it teaches.

It all begins in merry old England with this recorded tale.

“Some time in the late summer of 1726, Mary Toft, the wife of a charcoal burner living near Guildford, one day returned home to pour out to her husband Joshua, a distressing story that whilst coming through the forest she had been assaulted by a huge white rabbit. Some time later, following the development of the usual symptoms, the local physician Dr. Howard attended her and later certified the delivery of a number of white rabbits.

Not unnaturally, her notoriety spread far and wide and it was even rumored that the King, George II was considering the question of a pension for her. So gullible were the people of this time that it needed little else but audacity to trick one’s way into fame and wealth.

Possibly in an endeavor to hasten the decision on a Royal Bounty, Mary announced a further event of a similar nature. Sir Richard Maningham, Physician to the Court, was not at all happy with the situation and had the lady conveyed to London and placed under the strictest supervision. Eventually, Mary Toft was brought before the Courts on trial, charged as a common cheat. Evidence was produced that the girl in question had attempted to bribe attendants to smuggle to her the rodent animal.

A confession was obtained from the prisoner but there appears to be no record as to the method by which the woman duped both the attendant midwife and then the local practitioner.

At the time, a magician in the City whose name unfortunately is not recorded advertised in the Broadsheets that at his entertainment the following day he would produce his latest illusion, “The Birth of a Rabbit”. The announcement brought him a packed house.

In the course of the program, the performer borrowed from a spectator a tall hat, then much favored by fashionable people and, having shown it empty, produced alive and kicking, a large white rabbit. The effect was an instant success and as is so often the case, was immediately copied by other conjurers.

From that moment, right down to the present time, magicians have been producing bunnies from hats.”

Source – Will Ayling – Author, Magician and MIMC.

I love this story, not only because of (if you pardon the pun) the tale itself, but also because of the three important lessons it teaches about being successful in life and business.

Lesson number one – “learn to see normal things in unusual ways”!

If you want to come up with creative, simple solutions to complicated problems develop a knack to see life and things in a completely new way.

Obviously Mary Toft’s story is a great example of this, but so is the use of the Top Hat! Our magician did not use a “magic box” on a dimly lighted stage to create the bunny.

Instead he borrowed a gentleman’s top hat, which was the common fashion at the time, to make the magic happen. The use of a “regular, every day hat” to produce magic of this type was unheard of back then. The end result was an iconic creation of a magic trick that has endured for hundred of years. Mike Yurosek also knew this secret. Mike Yurosek?

Mike is the “think outside of the carrot patch” carrot farmer that created the packaged “baby carrots” that we now all enjoy. Tired of seeing regular carrots tossed out because they were twisted, bent or broken, he created a way to repackage them into the perfect 2-inch minis that have taken off as THE nutritious snack. Just like our magician, Mike learned to see normal things in an unusual way. How can you use this in what you do?

Lesson number two – “learn to ask the question how can I make this work for me?”

Our magician took Mary Toft’s unique story, and publicity it was generating, and made it work to his benefit. His advertisement of the new illusion “The Birth Of A Rabbit” drew people’s interest and created packed houses all because he asked “how can I make this work for me”? Bill Gates also knew this secret.

Having Bill look at Apple Computer’s, people friendly, operating system and asking how can I make this work for me created much of Microsoft’s initial success. He created Windows for PC’s and the rest was history. What can you create by asking this question?

And finally lesson number three – “emotion sells!”

In life EVERYONE buys with emotion and justifies with logic. This applies to buying goods, services, and into ideas and beliefs. In order to entice people and get them to take action you have to appeal to their emotions. Our magician understood that the public was emotionally charged with Mary Toft’s story, and so by appealing to their curiosity and interest he got them to buy a ticket to his show. Mother Teresa also knew this secret.

Throughout her life Mother Teresa was a tireless advocate for the poor and helpless, who was able to use the power of emotion to inspire many others to aid her cause. Countries, politicians and people around the world were sincerely touched, and moved to take action. What can you achieve by touching people’s emotions?

There you have it, three simple actions that were understood by three simple people – a carrot farmer, a computer guy, and a simple nun – and produced “magical results”!

Yes these “ordinary” people were able to influence our entire culture in ways that have touched all our lives. So how can you use this magic in what you do?

Only you can answer that question. But you can achieve remarkable things for you business, your life and the lives of others. It all starts by asking some magical questions and taking action.

Have a vision.
Start seeing normal things in unusual ways.
Ask the question how can I make this work for me?
Remember emotion sells!
Go for it and never give up.
And soon you will be doing more than pulling a rabbit out of the hat. You will be making your own real magic happen!

PS: I have to go now. I am practicing this great new trick with our bunny “Chocolate” and an iPod!

A Magical Salute To Some Special Ladies!

Posted on March 11, 2015March 16, 2015

The best is yet to come!

I wanted to celebrate International Women’s Day with a heart felt thank you to the two very special ladies in my life – my wife and daughter. Two women who have excelled in creating their own magic and in making the world a better place.

My wife Suzanne is very recently retired from a very remarkable carrier in Education. She has been a Teacher, Special Education Consultant, Vice Principal, Principal, Special Consultant to the Ontario Ministry of Education, and for the last five years as Superintendent of Education in charge of Special Education and Twenty First Century Learning for the Halton Catholic District School Board.

She has spent her whole life in improving the education and quality of life for so many people she has touched. And still she has found the time to remarkably, and unselfishly, impact the lives of myself, our daughter and our families. Thank you so much.

The other special lady in my life is my daughter Jacqueline. Just in the process of finishing her grade 12, she has excelled at becoming a Nationally competitive synchronized swimmer, a continued honour roll student, and a smart, funny and very gifted young lady.

That’s her in the bottom middle with her BOSSC team mates.

She has gone from daddy’s little girl – to an amazing magical assistant and gifted artist – to a beautiful and talented young woman who has touched the lives of so many others.

Both are currently away in Florida as a week long, intensive, final training camp is underway in preparation for the upcoming National Synchro competitions in Quebec. However they are so much in my thoughts and heart right now.

My wish in celebrating this special day for women everywhere, is that you too are graced in having special ladies in your life that continue to make the world a better place. A magical place.

Remember Real Magic is nothing more than coming up with simple, effective solutions to complicated problems, and then doing something about it! But Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus!

Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!