After being sick as a kid for the better part of two years and teaching myself magic to give myself something to do, I came out the other side having accumulated an unusual skill set, having literally spent hundreds of hours with a deck of cards in my hands. I was the only 12 year old that could shuffle with one hand. 

Ultimately when I was 14 I had kept up with my practice and was one of four junior magicians from around the world selected to perform in New York City as The Society of American Magicians—founded by Harry Houdini—celebrated their 100 Year Anniversary with their Centennial Convention. While I he other kids showed up with expensive props and teams of people, I arrived with some cards and eight wooden billiard balls, unique props that I had had no idea would get me so much attention due to their difficulty to manipulate with most performers having switched to rubber balls. It was all I knew. 

Let’s just say I’ve kept up with it and will be putting this type of act back into my show…I’ve made some “updates” over 20 years.