Magical Mystical Michael

Michael was born, number two of four, in a small ‘hood’ of a northeastern city, the Bronx. As a child, he spent his time mastering the arts: switch-blading (roller blading was not yet ‘in’), picking pockets and deception. Not unlike his parents, he became versed in the arts of survival.

When the family moved to Queens NY, Michael, away at summer camp, was, unfortunately, not informed of the move. Eventually quilt soon reunited him with his family. In his late teens, with Michael this time included, his family moved to southern California. Presented with profound choices, college or Viet Nam, he opted for college. Degree in one hand and outstretched thumb in the other, he hit the road in search of himself. Two years later, running out of thumb, he accidentally changed his life forever by purchasing a magic trick. Attempting to master this effect, he had to either learn Japanese, or use a magnifying glass and decipher secret clues hidden within the tiny pictures of these super secret instructions. After mastering his first trick (color changing handkerchiefs), his brother surprised him on his 24th birthday with a set of linking rings. For the next 3 days it was the mirror, the rings, 2 pizza boxes and the instructions, this time in English, although it might as well been in Japanese. Now, with a few more tricks up his sleeve, cocky, confident and 24, he hit the street to see if this new-found craft could pay the bills. Indeed, a career was born!

Now, with a new skill and the weapon of youth – and not to mention the transformation of a 1953 International Step Van (an old UPS truck) as his traveling throne, the adventure unfolded. He traveled from coast to coast, from the streets into the living room, from festivals into the theater, from cruising the seas to exploring Hawaii, Alaska, the Thai Islands also Canada, Mexico, Europe and hiking through the Himalayan Mountains. Michael has touched the lives of those who might never have experienced such magical moments.

After many years of magical weaponry and skillful enactment, Michael is entering a new phase of maturity, or maybe it’s just another 60’s flash back. It doesn’t matter, it’s more empowering than that.

Now, many, many and many, many years later, still traveling the world, he is still looking (within) and is truly the master of his own enchanted existence. Finally mastering the art of roller blading (switch-blading’s not ‘in’ anymore), he makes his home in Austin, Texas.