|
8/9/2025
There are three things I get asked all the time at events, parties, and even in the checkout line at Trader Joe’s. I love these questions—not just because they show how curious people are, but because they give me a chance to talk about something I love. So here they are: the Top 3… 1. “How did you get into magic?” I tell them it started with a magic set I got as a kid—and it did. But the real answer? It was the look on people’s faces when something impossible happened in my hands. That reaction… stuck with me. It still does. 2. “Can you make my spouse disappear?” (Ha. Never heard that one before.) Truthfully, magic isn’t about making things disappear — it’s about making things reappear. Wonder. Joy. That wide-eyed feeling you had when you were 8 years old. That’s the real magic trick. 3. “Do you ever mess up?” I mean… do I look like a real wizard? But seriously—part of the magic is knowing how to recover. Like a jazz musician who hits a wrong note and plays it twice so it sounds intentional. And honestly? Half the fun is improvising in the moment. That’s when some of the best magic happens. Want to know a secret? The best magicians aren’t just good with cards or coins — they’re good with people. They know how to read a room. How to turn a moment into a memory. How to leave someone feeling like maybe, just maybe… anything is possible. And that’s why I love what I do. Thanks for asking. —Ryan 7/2/2025
Not all magic happens with top hats and flash paper. Some of it happens in Target parking lots. Or in your pocket. Or in the middle of a Tuesday when you’re already running late. Here are 7 everyday things that are basically magic — no sleight of hand required. 1. When your charger works at 1% You’re down to a single red sliver. Your phone is fading. The world is going dark. And then… BOOM. Charging. Not all heroes wear capes. Some are just the perfect angle of lightning cable tension. 2. When your pet just knows You didn’t call them. You didn’t say a word. But somehow, they knew you needed company — and there they are. On your lap. By your side. Looking at you like they get it. Magic. 3. The green light gauntlet You’re running late. You’re hitting every turn just right. And somehow — miraculously — every. single. light. is green. The universe just whispered: “You got this.” And you did. 4. The mystery of the missing sock (and its dramatic return) Where did it go? Why just one? Why that sock? But weeks later, it reappears. In a gym bag. In your hoodie sleeve. In your soul, you hear a tiny applause track. 5. When a stranger smiles at you and you weren’t expecting it You’re lost in your head. In your schedule. In the grind. And someone—a real-life person—makes eye contact and smiles like they know something good about the world. That’s magic. No coin needed. 6. The perfect bite of comfort food It’s grilled cheese and tomato soup. It’s a $1.25 gas station donut. It’s buttered noodles you didn’t even know you were craving. For just a second, everything feels okay again. Comfort food = edible magic. 7. When a kid shows you a “magic trick” and you let yourself be amazed It’s a quarter behind your ear. It’s a card they’ve somehow bent beyond repair. It’s them believing that they made something happen. And for a moment, you believe it too. That’s the kind of magic we need more of. Real Magic Happens All the Time I love the impossible. I love sleight of hand. But more than that, I love the moments that don’t need a setup. The shared laugh. The moment you almost cry because something hit just right. The unexplainable-but-undeniable things that make life feel a little more alive. You don’t have to be a magician to believe in magic. You just have to notice it. 6/7/2025
On this date in 2017, the Chicago Magic Lounge broke ground on its new home—and Cook County marked the occasion by declaring June 7 “Magic Day.” Since then, that space has become a kind of sacred place for magicians like me. So it felt like exactly the right day to explore why I think the world still needs magic. Why We Still Need Wonder We live in a world where almost nothing is allowed to stay unexplained. There’s a tutorial for every effect. A “how it’s done” video for every stunt. A spoiler thread for every twist. The internet doesn’t just solve mysteries—it smothers them. And don’t get me wrong: I love learning. I love breaking things apart, finding the seams, figuring out how they work. But I also believe in this -- We still need magic. Not just the tricks. The feeling. That quickening in your chest when something impossible happens, right in front of your eyes. That shared laugh when you’re surprised and delighted at the same time. That moment — brief and electric — where you lean in and whisper: “Wait… what just happened?” Magic Is Medicine (The Good Kind) We are taught to value certainty. Logic. Explanation. And all of those things have their place. But so does wonder. So does surprise. So does mystery. Because those things remind us that not everything has to be known to be valuable. Some things are meant to be felt. That’s why I love performing magic. It’s not about fooling people — it’s about freeing them. For just a few moments, they get to step outside the ordinary, and live in a space where anything is possible. Wonder Isn’t a Trick. It’s a Gift. When I walk into a room as a magician, I’m not trying to prove something. I’m not there to make people feel small or “gotcha’d.” I’m there to offer an invitation. To remind people — gently, playfully, honestly — that joy still exists. That wonder still has a place in our grown-up lives. That curiosity isn’t something we have to outgrow. I sometimes say that magicians are like quiet whispers in the universe. We don’t shout. We don’t preach. We just tap you on the shoulder and say: "Hey… don’t forget. There’s still magic in the world.” Not Just Magic Shows — Magic Moments It doesn’t have to be a card trick. It might be a song. A perfect bite of food. A small kindness when you need it most. It might be a memory. A person. A look that says, I see you. Magic lives in more places than people realize. I just happen to carry a deck of cards in my pocket to help point it out. —Ryan 5/21/2025 Most people assume I’m from Chicago. I mean, I live in the suburbs now, I perform in the city every week, and I’ve got enough black T-shirts and show flyers to qualify as local. But truth is—I’m from what I lovingly call “almost Iowa.” Rock Island, Illinois. The far west side of the state. Right on the Mississippi. A river town with good people, backyard fireworks, and a deep affection for midwestern diners. It wasn’t exactly a magic capital, but it had what mattered: Passion. Curiosity. And a handful of people who kept showing up—to clubs, to shows, to libraries and school gyms—to keep the mystery alive. How I Caught the Bug I was raised on TV magic. If you remember The Bozo Show, The World’s Greatest Magic, or David Copperfield’s annual specials, you know what I mean. I didn’t watch those shows like most kids. I watched them like they were sacred texts. I studied every gesture, every pause, every dramatic flourish with fog and lasers. And when Copperfield came to perform live — not in Vegas, but in Davenport, Iowa—it hit me like lightning. Magic wasn’t just something you watched. Magic was something you could do. And if you had a microphone, a story, a deck of cards—you could hold an entire room in your hands. That was the real trick. And I was hooked.  The Magic Club at the Hasty Tasty
Every Saturday, a group of local magicians would gather at the Hasty Tasty Food Shop in Moline. Just a big table full of bigger personalities. I was the youngest one there by a long shot, but I didn’t care. I showed up. Week after week. I soaked up stories, lectures, card tricks, and diner coffee (lots of it). Eventually, I worked at the local magic shop. I joined a water ski show team (yep, really). I got into high school theater. Started learning how to really connect with an audience — not just fool them, but move them. And slowly, all those pieces came together. I may not have been the slickest or most technical magician -- but I always showed up prepared, present, and ready to delight. Why Am I Telling You This? Because I meet a lot of people—performers, artists, creatives, kids who love magic—who say they’ll show up once they feel perfectly ready. But here’s the truth: You’ll never be perfectly ready. I mean, yes—you have to be ready. You rehearse, you pack, you prepare. But what matters even more is showing up enthusiastically ready to give people a great time. Every show I do is the result of hours of work behind the scenes—scripting, packing, rehearsing, resetting, refining. I don’t just walk in and wing it. I show up polished and dialed in—because that’s what your guests deserve. You become ready by showing up consistently — and doing the work. Not the other way around. That’s the real trick. And honestly? It works. Comfort Food Magic I’m not the fanciest magician in the world. I’m not trying to be. I’m the comfort food of magic—the grilled cheese and tomato soup. Dependable, well-rehearsed, and here to make your night memorable. I’m the kind of magician who shows up on time, brings the joy, reads the room, and makes sure every spectator feels like a VIP. I’m not here to impress other magicians or go viral. I’m here to give you—and your guests—a show worth remembering. If You’re Still Reading… Maybe you’ve got a dream you’ve paused. A hobby you’ve let slide. A creative part of you that’s been waiting for the “right moment.” This is your nudge. Show up. Practice. Prepare. Perform. Even when it’s messy. Even when it feels imperfect. That’s where the magic—and the real growth—begins. —Ryan 4/14/2025
People ask me all the time: “Why magic?” It’s a fair question. Some people think magic is about fooling others, or pulling rabbits out of hats. For me, it’s never been about that. Magic is about creating moments of wonder—those brief seconds where the impossible feels real, and everyone in the room shares the same gasp, laugh, or wide-eyed silence. I called this space the Blog of Mystery because I want to share more than just tricks. I want to share why magic matters, how it connects people, and what it feels like to see the impossible unfold right in front of you. Sometimes that means reflecting on the deeper side of wonder, and sometimes it means telling you what really happens when I try a brand-new trick at midnight and my cats are the only audience. So if you’ve ever needed a reminder that life still has surprises, or if you just need a laugh in the middle of your day, I hope you’ll check back here. I’ll be posting thoughts, stories, and behind-the-scenes looks at the life of a magician. Because at the end of the day, mystery isn’t just for magicians—it’s for everyone. —Ryan |