I Feel Like a Proud Papa!
/I am legitimately shaking with how thrilled I am about this post.
Look, I’ve had this site for years. It’s led to me having the opportunity to interact with a lot of people I admire in magic. I’ve written a number of books that many consider to be landmark volumes in the history of this art form. I’ve had a lot of success in magic and a lot of things to be excited about. But they all pale in comparison to what I get to announce today.
The title of this post says that I feel like a proud father. But honestly, it’s something more than that. Any asshole can make a baby. I mean, think of your dad; he’s nothing special. But what I’ve done (with the help of a partner that I think will surprise you a little) is create something that is going to revolutionize magic. It goes beyond that even. This may seem too ambitious… but I think maybe I might have had a hand in creating something that is going to help heal our broken planet.
That’s right. Me and the boys at Ellusionist have put the Mnemonica card stack on a watch.
Ellusionist, the company that is best known for making wristbands and fidget dildos, reached out to me a couple of months ago and asked if there was maybe something we could collaborate on. I was psyched because—while I occasionally tease Ellusionist—I really thought we could work together and make something pretty cool.
So I sent them this video of my Mnemomica Stack Watch prototype that I’ve been working on for a few years.
And from there we were off to the races! It’s been a real whirlwind getting this product to market. The guys at E are totally great to work with. I want to thank them for being such amazing partners.
I figured there might be some questions about our new baby, so I’ve put together this FAQ.
FAQ
What the fuck?
Thanks! We’ve been getting that reaction a lot. People’s jaws drop (from surprise) and then they shake their head (because they’re astonished by how clever this thing is) and then they say, “That’s retarded” (street slang for “really great.”)
Isn’t that crib completely unreadable from more than 4 inches?
Precisely! Remember… if you can read a crib, so can your audience. At Ellusionist, we always question the status quo. Everyone: “Cards need to be white and nice and not badass.” BOOM - We give you the Black Tiger deck. Everyone: “ESP cards shouldn’t be see-thru.” BOOM - We give you the ESP cards in the How To Read Minds kit. Everyone: “No, no. We shouldn’t do ninja.” Boom -
So when someone in our meeting room said, “Of course the crib will have to be legible.” It was no surprise when Brad Christian turned his swivel-chair to face us, pulled his sunglasses down to the tip of his nose, stroked the baby ocelot in his lap, and said, “Yeah… but what if it wasn’t?”
That’s boldness. That’s creativity. That’s leadership. I still get chills thinking about it.
How am I supposed to justify looking at my watch so much?
Think about it… When you show people your card magic, what are they doing throughout the effect? That’s right! Looking at their watch! You’ll fit right in with all of your spectators.
How do I go about finding the right card on the watch bezel in order to know the stack number?
What?
The cards on the bezel. They’re in an order I don’t know. So if someone says the Jack of Clubs, I’m just supposed to stare at my watch, scanning my eyes around until I find it?
Oh, of course not. That’s would be ridiculous. We recommend you memorize the order of the cards on the watch so you can find them quickly.
Why would you rip-off the exact look of one of the most famous expensive watches in the world?
The whole purpose of a fake Rolex is to draw attention to itself. Wouldn’t you want to avoid that, lest they see the 104 letters and numbers around the bezel and the big “Stack” logo on the face (which, when googled, leads directly to the Ellusionist website)?
See, when you put it that way it sounds really poorly thought out. But I assure you, every design choice we made is absolutely no dumber than the idea of putting the stack on a watch in the first place.
I have a question about the ACAAN method mentioned in the ad:
HOW IT WORKS - EASY, NO MEMORY ACAAN
Twist & track every card in every position of the deck. If the spectator names position 16 and the 5 of clubs, you just twist the dial to that position. Now it shows that you need to cut the 8 of hearts to the face of the deck to ensure the ACAAN is bang on.
So let me get this straight. You would have them name a card. Then you would search around your watch to find that particular card. And you’d have them name a number. Then you’d carefully twist the bezel around and adjust it to the point where the named card is on the minute that corresponds with the number. Then you’d look at the top of the watch to see a different card. Then you’d spread through the deck to find that card. Cut it to the face. And then, finally, you’d be in a position where you could count to their card at their chosen number?
It’s just that easy!
Okay guys, I have to run now. We’re getting together to work out some other products in the Stack watch family. We have an Aronson stack version on the way. And we also have another version coming out that will hopefully give you a better grasp on new deck order, for those of you confused by that. Exciting times ahead!