07.08.2005 Good-bye My Friend ...

Let me tell you a story about a boy and his dog ... it has a very sad ending though ...

Yesterday I had to let go of my best buddy, Rocky. My poor dog has been struggling for months with an illness that takes away his ability to walk. Only about two months ago .. he was getting better .. but that was short lived .. and I reluctantly brought him to the vet for one last visit. The thoughts and images are still clear in my mind .. I feel defeated, I let him down, how could I do this to him .. there was nothing more I could do for my trusted friend. I dreaded this day for years .. I didn't want to hear of it .. but I knew the day would come.

We started off the day as usual with his meal .. and he was still eating like a horse. I brought him to the park one last time and asked God to take care of my puppy while we're apart. I never wanted to say good-bye to my buddy .. never .. but like my Dad had told me years ago .. You'll be together again one day ..

I hope he's right ..

Steve

06.27.2005 Hot in the Shade ..

It's been hot in the Chicago area .. too hot. We need some rain too. We've been busy with show .. in fact this past week I did ten shows in six days. I know, I'm starting to sound like Paul Lee .. but anyway. That's the good news .. but things haven't been going so well for my poor dog, Rocky. About a month or two ago .. he was actually walking again. It was amazing and I would drive him to the park every day. For the past ten years we walked over a mile every day. We both kept in shape that way. Right now, I walk alone .. and it's sad .. my trusty dog has to stay at home. I'm now at the point where I have to make the decision .. but I just can't do it. He's been my loyal companion for so many years ... how do you say "Good-bye?" I've dreaded this day .. but we are running out of options. I don't want him to suffer. With him .. I will lose a piece of me ...

Steve

06.07.05 Breakin' the Law ...

Got your attention?? Once again .. I'll come back to that. So .. I lose my cell phone the other day .. I thought it would turn up .. but it didn't. I head out to the mall with my sidekick Dan .. actually he looks more like Sideshow Bob, now that I think about it. Anyway .. I'm looking for a new phone and the sales dude is trying to up sell me everything. He's too pushy .. so I bail out. So we go shoppin' .. and sure enough we wander into Wilsons Leather. I need another jacket like a hole in my head. So I'm trying on jackets, meanwhile Dan is making fun of the messenger bags. I said that's a "man purse" .. what are you doing?? Next thing I know he's buying a man purse and I'm buying a jacket I don't need .. but it was on sale!

Now for our lead story .. I get pulled over last night by Naperville's finest. I'm just out taking mom for some dinner and to Kohl's. Next thing I know we've got a cop on our tail ... great. We're in mother's Town Car .. I'm not speeding .. so what's up?? Sure enough I forgot to buckle up .. a simple mistake. I was honest about it and I still got slapped with a $55.00 ticket. I understand it's the law and all .. but do they really need to pull me over for something stupid like that?? Shouldn't they be going after "real" criminals instead of collecting revenue for the city?? I feel so much safer now.

So, I'm out $55.00 .. I still have no phone .. but, I do have a cool jacket!

Steve

06.02.2005 Road Trip??

I'll actually come back to that story .. lot's to catch up on. My birthday was last Monday .. and it was simple and quiet. The "Inner Circle" went out to eat and back to the house for a game of cards. Let's see .. what else .. oh had a nice weekend and saw Star Wars .. again .. cool stuff. Just the other day, Marshall Brodien stopped over for a visit. He was Wizzo on the Bozo show .. and ironically we were watching old tapes of him the night before. He's an amazing man and always fun to be around.

Now back to the road trip ... Dan (as seen in photo on home page) had the brilliant idea to see a magic show in Battle Creek, MI last week. We started our journey at 3pm for a 7:30 show, miles away. We made it to New Buffalo, MI. when I began to have my doubts. Dan forgot about the time change .. we lose an hour .. oops! So, I call Greg at our Vegas office and give him our location. He's always sitting by the computer. Using the internet, he calculates that we still have 92 miles to go in 90 minutes. That's cutting it close .. but it get's better. I had him check on the show time ... sure enough it starts at 7:00 not 7:30. Now I know it's not going to happen .. especially as three lanes are merging into one. Dan throws in the towel .. and we turn around. I told him that I would be reminding him of our little road trip for years to come!!

Steve ... Freak!

05.20.2005 May the Force be with You ..

Yes, we were among the freaks that went to see Star Wars at midnight on Wednesday .. my mother even came with. The movie was amazing .. lots of eye candy .. almost too much. I'm still a fan of the originals .. that's what I grew up with .. but it's all good.

Things are warming up out here ... the weather has been a bit crazy near Chicago. I know if I wash the car .. it's going to rain again. Our summer tour will kick in soon, some of the dates are in the show section. My birthday is on Monday .. ya getting old ... but it's better than the alternative ...

Steve

05.12.2005 Broken Wand ...

I've got some good news .. and some sad .. first the good. Rocky is doing a bit better .. my vet actually came to the house and gave him a shot. He showed me what to do .. and I'll be giving them twice a week. He's been getting around without help most of the time. We still have to skip our walks .. but I'm still hopeful we'll get to the park again one day.

Now the sad news .. the magic world has suffered a great loss. The Dean of the Society of American Magicians, Jay Marshall passed away on Tuesday. Jay was actually a good friend of mine .. always with advise ... and a joke or two. He was in the hospital for a week or so .. but I thought he was going to pull out of it .. but his time was up. I thought that I needed to do something special for him ... so I went in the shop and made him his last wand. This is what we magicians call .. the Broken Wand. It's actually snapped in half at the funeral. We live our lives sharing our magic ... now the spell is broken ... "snap." I'm honored that I could do a little something for someone that has brought me so many memories ... and sunshine everyday.

I'll miss you Jay .. and lefty too ...

Steve

05.02.2005 Miracles ...

It looks beautiful outside .. I love this time of year .. but my heart is aching right now. My poor dog Rock can barely walk right now . and it's killing me. I knew this time would come .. but it doesn't get any easier. He's still awake and alert .. he just can't walk. You can see what a beautiful dog he is ... the pic on the first page is from just two weeks ago. I'm praying for a miracle .. he's too good of a dog to let go. A little prayer for my puppy can always help.

In other news .. Mom is coming home tomorrow .. and she's doing well. She was off in Florida for two weeks. I also started working a regular gig at Max and Erma's in Woodridge, IL. I'm actually doing table magic on Sundays from 5 - 8pm. It's something a bit different for me .. but I like being with people and it's very interactive. So if your in the area ... stop by and grab some dinner.

Steve

04.27.2005 Photo Shoot ...

We had a fun weekend .. friday was Magic Master, an annual show and banquet. I actually helped out on stage with my friends Mike Di, Dan Sperry and Bobby Hunt. The show went smooth and we all grabbed some late night breakfast and caught up some fun. Sunday we set up for a photo shoot ... right here at the house. My good friend Barrett sets up shop and we get all dress up. We'll have some of the pics up here eventually. We were joined by Angel, Valerie and Dan. We finished up around 9:30 and finally had some pizza for dinner. After a short break we began to pack things up. I was exhausted after a long day. All in all we had a fun time. Nothing is better than spending some time with good friends .. thanks guys!

Steve

04.13.2005 April Showers ...

Yesterday I was pretty bummed out .. it was cold and rainy all day. I've also been a bit worried about by shepherd, Rocky .. he's been having problems with his back legs. He's doing a little better .. so that's all I can ask for. He means the world to me and I'll do what ever I can for him. He has faithfully watched over us for ten years now. We still go for our walk twice a day .. just at a slower pace. I'm just grateful for everyday that he is here with me.

In other news .. the summer line up looks pretty good. We'll be at a lot of fairs and festivals though out the Chicago land area. We'll also be at Santa's Village in Dundee , IL on select dates. Look for details in the Show section of the site. In the mean time, get off the computer and get outside ... enjoy the weather!!

Steve

03.22.2005 Now I know why ...

Sure ... I've got no excuse .. I'm like a broken record .. it's been a few more weeks here. I was the kid in school that waited till the last minute to do my homework ... not much has changed .. but I do this for you ... the fans. It also helps me sort out some things here .. and speaking of .. I had a show the other night with Valerie. I was quickly reminded why I'm not married .. only a few hours with her is enough to drive someone crazy. I could go on for days on this subject .. but I won't. Maybe one day in my book .. hey, that would be pretty funny .. she would have her own chapter.

OK .. enough of that .. let's see, Greg and Quissy will be in town this week .. that will be fun. I caught a movie the other day .. Robots .. that was cool. Oh yea ... it's spring in Chicago and it's still freezing .. enough already .. I've got to get outside and get some sun .. so I can look just like Jack!

Steve

03.05.2005 Snuggle Up ...

So it's Friday night .. most normal people are out .. I'm home giving Snuggles a bath. I do take good care of my pets .. and in the summer, she's even in some shows. I guess I've been a bit distracted lately ... my mother was back in the hospital for a weekend away. It's one way of looking at it .. but she's doing better now. I'm actually working on an interesting project .. that some .. including myself, never thought would happen. I'll have the full story once things are set. Let's see ... not too much other news .. but I can't wait for the spring to break. Winter wears me down .. and I like to be outside when I can. I still take Rocky for two walks everyday .. no matter how cold it is ... because whatever Rocky wants ... he gets!

Steve

02.19.2005 Back to Work .. ..

I know .. what's the deal here .. a few weeks go by and no updates .. I do see a pattern here. We got back from Ohio .. and we had fun time. I needed to get away for a few days .. but of coarse there wasn't much rest. We got to visit old friends and make some new ones. Magi-Fest was a good time .. it would be even better if there were more girls interested in the art of magic .. but that's just how it is. We also made our annual stop at Cabbage Cases and had lunch with my buddy Mike Hannah. I even performed some magic for them .. right in the shop. We had time to catch my good friend, Tom Rozoff perform his Fire Safety show and stop at Skyline Chili afterwards. I could really go for some of that right about now ... it's only a five hour drive!

Lately I'm playin' catch up on the multiple projects I began long ago. I always have too many things going on. This weekend we're out doing shows ... so that's cool. Little Ashley will be joining me ... getting sliced and diced three times daily ...

I still like that line ... who else can claim anything like that?

Steve

01.29.2005 Magic Therapy ..

Last night I got the cleaning bug and began in the Magic room. I started in what I call Sheppard's corner ... that's where I keep my treasures built by the master craftsman himself. Walter Sheppard is one of my dear friends ... he fine tuned my building and painting skills ... and along the way taught me a bit about life. I'm actually going to visit him next week ... any time I'm in Ohio .. I'm there.

As I was cleaning some of the magic pieces he had hand crafted .. it was almost therapeutic. The hours of time that went into each prop .. the sanding, the coats of paint. All the lessons I learned from him .. all come back. He changed the way I look at things .. and I even picked up some of his bad habits. I asked him one time in the shop .. "Why do you have so many things going on at once? Why don't you finish one thing at a time?" He replied .. "I get bored with it. When I do get something done ... I get a lot done all at once." That's a typical answer from the master ... and that's what I look forward to hearing each time I visit ...

Steve

01.25.2005 Open Up and Say Ah ...

I'll get to that in a bit .. let's see .. lot's goin' on as usual. We're actually hitting the road next week for Ohio .. we'll be at Magi-Fest in Columbus and making a few stops along the way. I'll be traveling with my new Cabin Boy .. Dan Sperry. He's also a magician ... a freaky looking one at that ... but I'm one to talk.

So I went last Friday to the eye doctor for my first check up since I was a kid. I've been noticing some of the stuff in the distance is getting a little blurry. I've never had glasses .. so I figured it was time to get checked. I was a little nervous .. but it was kinda fun. Turns out my eyes are in good shape .. so that's cool ... no glasses for now.

Next stop was the vet with two of my snakes. Snuggles, my boa .. had a case of the sniffles .. so she needed some antibiotics. Samantha ... my albino burmese python had some swelling in her gums. It took three of us to control a snake her size ... it was almost comical at times .. really. Looks like they'll both be fine after a series of injections and a cream that needs to be applied daily to the inside of a pythons mouth! Yes .. I am out of my mind ... I actually inject my own snakes to nurse them back to health. Let's just say it's not an easy task and the chance of getting wrapped up in my work ... is a very real danger. It's just one of my occupational hazards ...

Did I mention I'm out of my mind??

Steve

01.11.2005 The Old Can of Snakes Trick ...

Today I write a bit sad and confused. I drove far west to visit one of my old girlfriends and her family. She recently had her second child and found out some scary news about her health. It's very serious and hard for me to come to grips with it all. She's been through so much ... but faces the toughest challenge of her life now. If anyone can beat the odds ... it's gonna be her.

We had a fun visit and broke out the old magic videos ... the memories came rushing back. We had some really great times ... I'm just surprised we didn't go further.

I really got a kick out of her little boy .. he's three and full of energy. I brought him the old can of snakes trick ... you know .. where the snakes pop out. Well he really enjoyed that ... over and over again. I know if I'm every lucky enough to have kids ... they'll be pretty messed up with a dad like me ... but in a good, messed up kinda way .. right?

Steve

P. S. If you get a chance .. maybe you can say a little prayer for Teen. The man upstairs will know who you're talking about .. just mention my name.

12.31.2004 And Time Goes on ...

Oops .. I can't believe I haven't written in a few weeks ... but it's been a rough month. Things are getting a little better each day. My Mother is at home getting around a little easier ... she still has a bit to go. One of my good friends told me ... "A mother can take care of ten kids .. but ten kids can't take care of one mother."

Lot's of crazy things are happening around the world .. I can't even believe all the people lost on the other side of the globe. Never in my lifetime have I seen such a tragedy. Yet we are helpless ... there really wasn't anything that could have prevented this natural disaster. I'm still stunned .. maybe we should pull the troupes out of Iraq and send them to India to help .. call me crazy?? Something to think about ...

I know I should be talkin' magic stuff here ... but there are more things to life. Actually I did have some fun performing with one of the former Chezababes on Christmas Eve. Lenny .. as we call her ... was at my side, doing her old poses and everything. It was alot of fun .. maybe the reunion tour will be in the works .. ya never know?

I hope you had some special memories from the holidays ... and may God bless you and your family in the coming year ...

Steve

12.15.2004 Mayor to the Rescue ...

Thanks to everyone's calls, prayers and e-mails .. my Mom is feeling much better. It was real scary last week .. I can't even tell you how messed up that was. I wasn't sure if I was ever going to talk to her again .. a very unsettling feeling. I have a close circle of friends that I've been sending updates .. and our prayers were heard.

When Mother was still on the machine .. she also spelled out M A Y O R .. one letter at a time .. just like before. She wanted the Mayor of Naperville to know she was in the hospital. A few days later I relayed the message to Mayor Pradel. Sure enough he was there the next day to visit with my Mother. Her face lit up like when a child see's Santa for the first time .. really. He held her hand and stayed for a good long time. It really lifted her spirits .. and mine too. He told me he was proud of me .. taking care of my Mother .. that made me feel good. Sure it doesn't hurt that I went to school with his son Gary .. but he really came through in a time of need. I'm proud to have a Mayor that really cares about the people in his town .. it really makes a difference. Your a good man Mr. Pradel .. I'll always remember your kindness ...

Steve

12.10.2004 Unspoken Words ...

Sorry for the delay here ... but my Mother has been in the hospital and everything else is on hold right now. She has pneumonia and is on respirator .. and to tell you the truth ... it's really scary. She is sedated and can't even talk right now. she know's I'm there and can nod"yes" and "no" ... she's been trying to tell us something and I finally figured it out today. I went through the alphabet ... and stopped on "J" ... for Joe ... that's my Dad. Then she was tapping my hand with one finger ... her ring finger. She wanted her wedding ring ... that's all she wants. I feel a little better tonight and maybe I'll get some sleep ... She is in God's hands right now ... so if you can put in a good word for me ... and say a prayer for my Mom ... I would be forever grateful. Sure I don't go to church every Sunday ... but maybe God will overlook that for now ... and help my her out. All I want this Christmas this year is to have her healthy again ...

Steve

11.22.2004 Steve's Movie Review ...

this could be a fun new feature on the site .. but I don't get to see too many movies anymore. I've got tons of DVD's .. but they are all still wrapped .. until I sit and watch something. Think is I don't sit still too often .. but I do enjoy movies .. really. Ok .. back to the Incredible's .. wow it was fun. The story was great .. the graphics .. amazing and it was a fun movie for the whole family. In fact .. I'd even see it again .. a very rare occurrence .. but I might have to take Mom to this one. If you haven't seen it yet .. it's really worth going. We had some shows on the weekend ... so Monday rolls around and I'm a bit tired .. and sore too. Lot's to catch up on this week .. and Thanksgiving will be here before you know it .. hope it's a good one for you and your family ...

Steve

11.16.2004 Doing Dad's work ..

So over the weekend I'm cleaning out the garage ... making room for my van. I figure I'll get some stuff in the shed. Well the shed is a mess .. Dad's got stuff all over the place. I took it upon myself to clean it out and organize it a bit. We had not one .. but two lawn mowers, a trampoline ... all kinds of junk. Almost like no one had been inside in years. The garbage comes on Monday .. so it was time to clear stuff out. Ok ... I know it's not a big deal .. but this is stuff my Dad should be taking care of ... the problem is ... he's not really here. Yesterday was eight years that I last said goodbye to him ... the time is flying by. Now, it's my job to take care of things around the house ... and take care of Mother ... which is not always easy .. trust me! I'm guessing Dad will help move things along with my "Sainthood" application. If anything .. he knows exactly what I'm talking about ... I'm sure he's looking down and laughing right now ...

Steve

11.08.2004 Magical Friends ..

This weekend some good friends from across the country were in town for a seminar. The Lauflins were in from Montana and Barry Mitchell from Tennessee. They made time to get the tour at Chezaday Manor .. then we had some food and fun at the local Bakers Square. The magic world is small and it's always great to spend some time with good friends like them. Have a safe trip back home .. see you at Magi-Fest.

So .. I wake up this morning and Bands Reunited is on VH1 .... and the wheels in my head start turning. With all the different line ups we've had over the years ... we are very much like a band. We've traveled across the country together in a beat up Chevy van. Stayed in cheesy hotels, spent countless hours together .. the fun ... the fights .. just like a band. I still keep in touch with just about everyone that has been with the show ... and we're like family. Even though they have moved on with their lives ... we still have a cosmic bond. If you ever run into one of them .. I'm sure they'll say the same.

"Oh ... I use to work with Chezaday .... would you like fries with that?"

I'm just kidding of course .. I'm the one that will be working at Mc Donald's soon. Anyway .. they all have a special place in my heart and I wouldn't doubt it ... if we got together for a special "Chezaday Reunion Show" ... ya never know ... stranger things have happened!

Steve

11.03.2004 All American ..

Freedom is what this country is all about .. and although sometimes it seems like we are choosing the lesser of two evils .. we still have the freedom of choice. I took the time to vote yesterday .. and it felt good. Sure I don't agree with the War in Iraq and all that .. but we do have to support our country and our troupes .. I'm sure I've written this before.

Back to the crazy little world I call Chezaday ... first off .. I crashed my iMac ... so it's been a while since I've written. I've got it back and everything is up an running. We had a busy week last week .. lots of shows .. and it was great to see all the kids dressed up for Halloween. In between shows I stopped by a friends for a bit of Halloween fun. I was already in spandex earlier in the day .. so I opted for something different. I grabbed a red tail coat and a microphone ... and went as .. Steve Perry. You say .. Steve Perry?? Ya I know .. that's what everyone else said too. He was the lead singer in an 80's band called Journey. They are still one of my all time favorites ... if you haven't heard of them .. ask your parents .. Ya I'm gettin' old!!

Steve

10.20.2004 Magic Steve ....

Let's see .... I just got back from a road trip in Ohio .. went to Kevin's wedding with Greg and Quissy. We had a fun time .. Greg was dancing the night away on the dance floor .. anything Michael Jackson .. gets him going. I also got to visit some friends out there ... Tom Rozoff, the Sheppards and Owen Redwine and his family. He's has two little boys ... and Conner is one of my biggest fans. When I arrived at his house it was pretty dark outside .. but as soon as little Connor say me ... he yelled "Magic Steve!" and jumped into my arms. It was really cute. The rest of the night he was showing me all his toys and videos .. Owen had to wait his turn ... to show me all his toys. Owen sparked up the grill and we had a little dinner before I had to head back home. It was a busy, but fun weekend. I'm pretty lucky to have friends all across the country ... they make me feel at home ... when I'm miles away ...

Steve

10.11.2004 Fallen Heroes ...

Well .. lots of thoughts tonight .. another of my childhood heroes past away over the weekend .. Christopher Reeve. He played Superman in the movies .. some of my all time favorites. He had suffered many years .. now he is finally at rest.

The war is hitting close to home these days ... I attended a wake for a fallen soldier here in Naperville, Sgt. Jack Hennessy. Sure .. I didn't know him or the family .. but he served our country and gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. It tears me up inside seeing someone so young ... gone. My thoughts go to his family and friends.

That's not were the story ends though ... Ashley's family has been in the news today. The good news is ... she became an aunt to quintuplets .. the bad news is .. her brother, the father of the children, was badly injured while serving in Iraq. All this is happening at once .. but little Ashley is doing fine. The Horton family will need all the help they can get .. and donations can be made at any Chicago land Harris branch for the Horton Five.

I haven't said too much on the war thing .. but something's not right here. Sooner or later it's going to hit closer to home for all of us .. and I don't see an end in sight. Sure the election is coming up .. but I don't think it's going to change things one way or another. If anything .. get out there and vote ... if you're old enough. It's all about freedom ... that's what we're fighting for ..

Steve

P. S. One last thought .. I'll be running for President in 2008 with my webmaster Greg as my running mate. We'll get things back to normal around here .. no really .. I mean it! I'll need a first lady though .. send your applications now or call the Chezaday Hotline ask for Steve!

10.08.2004 Fall Colors ..

It's kinda rainy out today .. the leaves are changing colors. I'm in town this week so I'm trying to catch up on stuff I started in the spring ... ya I know ... I'm a bit behind. Last weekend I cruised up to Crystal Lake to see some friends perform in a Magic show up there. I spent some time with the Brodien family ... and that's always a fun time. I saw a lot of magic in the past few weeks .. some good .. and some really bad. I do have an acquired taste for "bad magic" but that's just me.

We recently paid $25.00 a ticket to see an amateur stumble through a performance. I only mention it .. because I felt ripped-off. I'm all for local theater and support other magicians .. but you've got to know what you're worth. For a little more I could have seen Copperfield ... really! This show was a joke .. but I really felt bad for the family of four who dropped $100.00 for an evening of entertainment, and went home disappointed. I could go on and on .. but I'll save it for another time. I don't want to put a fellow magician down ... but he's the kind of guy that gives magic a bad name .. bad jokes, insulting volunteers .. it was sad. Normally I would say ...you get what you pay for ... but I guess we got $25.00 worth of laughs!

Steve

10.01.2004 Branson Magic ...

I know ... it's like I dropped off the planet .. but I've always got things goin' on. I just got back from Branson, Missouri to work on a project with Brett Daniels. Brett's always a fun time .. and we saw his show the first night ... and it's the biggest magic show out there .. really. We also got a chance to see the Hamners show ... and it was excellent too. We've got some shows in the Chicago land area ... so check and see if we're near you. Lot's going on this month .. so hope to see ya soon ...

Steve

09.17.2004 A Chill in the Air ...

M an .. summer is over .. it's a bit chilly out tonight, but I do like sleepin' with the windows open .. a hint of smoke in the air. I did a lot the past few days .. including a road trip out to Abbott's Magic to pick up an illusion with my good friend, David Seebach. We had a fun time and even went to lunch with the owner, Greg Bordner.

One of the topics that came up on our drive was the recent Seigfried and Roy interview. To tell you the truth .. this really makes me sad. Here are two of my magic heroes doing what they love and their dreams are shattered in a few moments. They made the dangerous look easy and that's why everyone was shocked. Working with exotic animals always has an element of danger. I love my animals, but sometimes accidents happen. It does make you realize how fragile life is. Roy Horn survived against all odds ... but he struggles in pain every day. He doesn't blame the tiger .. and I understand that. Sure ... I've got cuts, scrapes and scars from various animals .. but that's part of the deal .. an occupational hazard. I don't know ... it just kills me inside seeing them struggle, mentally and physically. They were larger that life and changed the art of magic forever ...

Steve

09.06.2004 Funny thing happened ..

So the other night I was meeting up with my good friend Franz Harary and his wife. He had some merchandise for me to take care of ... so he opens up the suitecase ... and it's not thiers! It was really funny to see the look on his face ... but the hotel had given the wrong one. It was already late .. so I said I would take care of it. They still had a few more hours of driving. Franz couldn't remember exactly where the hotel was ... no problem. He knew it was near O'Hare airport .. right? So I'm on my way there .. calling one of my friends in the area ... trying to figure it out. Well .. that didn't work. Then I call Greg out in Vegas ... he looks it up on the internet and gives me directions over the phone .. Greg saves my butt again! Out of no where ... the flashing lights are on me .. yikes! I pull over and the nice officer writes me a warning for not using my turn signal to switch lanes. No big deal .. glad I didn't get a ticket. Any way .. I finally get to the hotel ... switch bags and give Franz one last call that night .. mission accomplished!

Steve

08.30.2004 On the Road ... Again ..

Looks like I'll be hitting the road for the forth trip this month ... up to Madison, Wisconsin for the Houdini Convention. I'll be there with my good friend Erick Olson .. who is now living in Florida. We will no doubt .. bring chaos to the convention .. but that's how we have fun ... it will be kinda like when we were high School. Were always the "bad kids" sitting in the back of the class ... fun stuff. Back at home .. I'm slowly catching up to things around here. I can actually see the carpet in the "Magic" room .. but this is still much to do. I'm also studying for a state explosives test .. that is required for the pyrotechnics used in our larger shows. I haven't taken a test .. since college .. so it should be interesting. The sun is shining ... so I've got to make the most of the day .. .I think I'll go wash some cars .. stop on by ...

Steve

08.27.2004 It's a Dry Heat ...

ya .. like sticking your head in an oven. Actually Vegas wasn't too hot .. in the 90's. I haven't been home much this past month .. so I'm catching up on bills and things. Vegas was a fun time and spent most of it with Greg, Quissy and Morgan. We attended the MAGIC "Live" convention and it was cool. A few weeks before that I was at the Abbott's Get- Together and that was a blast too. My head is still spinning ... I have to hop in the shower soon .. got shows tonight .. more later ..

Steve

08.02.2004

Movie Night ... We finally had a chance to relax and go to the movies .. we were celebrating Tony's birthday .. a couple of days late .. but it's the thought that counts. We had dinner at Bob Evan's .. then picked up Angel and went over to the AMC to see the Village. It was a bit difficult to agree on one movie ... and my brother bailed out ... he missed a fun time and a good creepy movie. It was a little like the Blair Witch .. with out the headache afterward. ... lots of fun twists too. Afterward the weather was great for a ride in the jeep with the top down ... a fun time for all ..

Happy Birthday Tony!!

07.30.2004

Mom's Car ... so I'm washing my mom's car ... like the good son that I am, actually there's a special place in heaven reserved for me .. but anyway ... so I'm on the edge of the door sill. I'm wiping the roof dry .. I loose my balance and fall backwards .. landing first on my ankle, I hear a snap .. not a good sign. I fall flat on my back .. I'm looking up at the sky .. thinking I broke it. I had the day off but, I had three shows the next day .. you see we don't get the day off if there's a show. Luckily I'm indestructible and I just kinda sprained it. I'm limping around like and old man .. well I'm almost there anyway. Today I'm fine ... trying to catch up on things as usual.

It's 2 AM. and Rocky is laying near by .. snoring no less. Next week I'll be heading out to Colon Michigan for the Abbott's Get-Together!! This is one of my favorite times of year .. it's like going home again, kinda like a family reunion .. except its magicians from across the country. I can't wait to see my friends. I'll be staying in the "Chezaday Suite" at the Knight's Inn located in Sturgis. The funny thing is .. I really do have a suite there ... well .. at least its the same room I've had for the past five years ..

Steve

07.21.2004

From Another Planet ... time to vent for a moment .. we're performing at the Du Page Fair this week ... been there on and off for about twenty years. I know the gig .. the set up ... all very routine by now. We work with other acts between our shows .. no problem, professional acts work together, that's just how it is .. no problems .. until today.

So were setting up our show for 10 am .. ya I know that's a bit early for me too. Some lady runs up on the stage and tells me to "get my stuff off the stage ...NOW!" ... so .. I'm listening .. she tells me her band is playing and they will need the entire stage. I calmly told her to check the schedule .. because she was wrong. Then I told her we have to work together and I would move my equipment to the back corner as we have two more performances that same day. This wasn't good enough for her ... I went further to explain to her that there was no other space for my equipment and we had no time to pack the show in the van just to accommodate her. She .. then tells me ... " we won't be responsible if your things get damaged". I'm baffled .. was she threatening me?? Was she out of her mind ... yes!! I had to stick around between shows just to be sure this nut-job didn't mess with my equipment. This is how my day started ... some "lady" is yelling at me in the morning. This "lady" was rude, unprofessional and from another planet. I've got nothing against the Home School band ... the kids work hard and did a great job .. but who ever is running your group needs to get her head examined!! At this point in my life, the only person that's allowed to yell at me is my mother!

I hope today goes a little bit better...

Steve

07.18.2004

You Wanted the Best .. you got the best ... KISS!! That's how the concert starts ... and they really are the best .. no one can top them. Like I said before, if you haven't seen KISS live you just don't get it. I actually got to meet the band and get my photo taken with them. My brother and I had some special passes to go back stage ... just like in Wayne's World .. back stage!! The band was really cool .. my brother was ready to pass out. They walked in and are about seven feet tall ... I looked like a little kid .. and felt like one too. We got a couple of things signed and asked a few question ... then they had to hit the stage. We were in the second row .. covered in confetti by the end of the show. KISS has been a big part of my life since I was a kid ... so to finally meet them and get a pic was a dream come true ... I was lucky enough to meet my heroes ... not everyone gets to do that ...

Steve

07.05.2004

Like a Bad Movie ... yesterday was a strange one ... the day started out normal .. we did our shows at Santa's Village, everything was fine there. Then it was off to the fireworks in Lisle. I was meeting up with friends out there ... still everything was fine. So we're hanging out on the hill watching the Big Voodoo Daddy's .. or something like that ... then the fireworks .. still a fun time. Then in the distance we could see some lightning ... oops. We watched the fireworks ... cool ... then the rain .. no big deal. Well, we still had to wait for a bus to take us back to the lot my Jeep was in. Of course the top was down ... so that's all wet .. no big deal. For some reason we had to wait for almost an hour in the rain ... nice. Finally the bus arrives and we pile in the Jeep ... four adults and two kids .. not an ideal family vehicle .. but that's what I've got for cruising around. It was a bit nutty .. but still a fun time .. oh yeah .. almost ran out of gas too ... like a bad movie .. ouch!

Steve

06.25.2004

Rainy Days.. it never fails, as soon as I wash my van .. it rains. That's all I have to do ... so if your area is in need of rain, just have me come by and wash my van .. it's just that simple. Today was a five ... if that. We were scheduled to perform at Santa's Village and due to the rain the park closed early. It's a bummer when your ready to go .. but that's how it goes. We made the most of it and I had lunch at Wendy's with Angel and Ashley. We'll be at the park later today .. in fact I should be getting to bed soon .. I'm beat.

Steve

06.17.2004

T.C.B That's short for takin' care of business ... you know ..the Elvis thing. I'm just sitting at my desk ... don't like to do that much .. but I had to do calls, book shows .. pay bills ..that kind of thing. I see on my ca lender that it's my good friend Terry Evanswood's birthday today!! He's actually my brothers age .. but I can't say cause Terry will get mad. He's a few years younger than me ... so that will do for now. Terry was always my local com petition... we both have an illusion show so there's only so much work in an area ... that's why he move to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee ... really .. he's performing down there now. People would even get us confused .. it was funny .. even his dad. Happy Birthday Terry!!!

We've also been doing shows .. our newest Chezababe Ashley has joined the crew. We performed outside this weekend and the wind made it a bit challenging for her first show .. but she held in there and did a fine job. We'll be at Santa's Village next week .. you can see her there ...

Steve

06.08.2004

Frazzled .... I'm working on a million things at once ... but that's not new. We're gearing up for our summer tour ... and we've got two new Chezababes joining the crew. We had a fun party last Friday .. a long list of friends came over ... in fact .. if you're in the Chicagoland area .. and wanted a magician ... they were all at my house. We all did a bit of magic .. which was kinda different.. we usually don't break out the cards at my house. We feasted on a spread of food from Portillio's ... a Chicago favorite. Everyone had a fun time ... no injuries .. no fights .. that's a good thing.

We'll be at Santa's Village on Saturday for three shows and we recently booked nine shows at the Du Page Fair in July ... I'll have the dates in the show section.

Before I forget... my Uncle Anthony is in town .. so I got to visit with him and the family on Sunday. We had a big Italian dinner at Barone's in Lisle and then had some Coldstone ice cream .. we ate well that day.

Steve

05.31.2004

Dreamage ... I've been having some strange dreams lately .. I actually do write some of them down ... but it will take an expert to decipher them. My dreams are pretty whacked .. really ... I can look back over some of my notes and I hope one day they will make sense. Some of them involve my past and some could be things to come ... who knows??

In other news ... Flounder got married yesterday .. he was part of the show in the early 90's ... good luck Craig!!

Steve

05.26.2004

Summertime?? Ya .. we're still waiting for summer here in the mid-west. We've had plenty of rain.. but everyone complains if we have too much or too little .. so you can't win. Our summer shows are coming up and I've got a few new Chezababes to get ready .. I'll keep you posted on their progress. I've got a few minutes before I have to run out the door .. so I thought I would catch up on things. Tonight the family is going out to celebrate my brother and my birthday ... we're going to one of my favorite restaurants .. the Mongolian something or another. You get to pick out your food and they cook it on some kind of thing. It's fun and we eat way too much ... I think its healthy at least ... better than the Culver's I had last night .. I couldn't help that though. I watched an episode of the Soprano's last night before falling asleep .. I'm on season three now.. I know .. I'm a bit behind.. maybe one day I'll catch up to the times ... maybe ...

Steve

05.23.2004

Another birthday ... today was a picture perfect day ... I took Rocky for his walk and the sky was beautiful. I had a show earlier in the day then went to a surprise party for Robin Balster. It was a special birthday for her... I'm not going to mention any numbers...but I've got a few more years till I catch up with her. They even had a cake for me too .. complete with a lightning bolt design. So even though I worked ... magic is what I love to do .. then I got to spend the rest of the day with friends ... what more can I ask for ...

Steve

05.18.2004

Watermelon ... that's what popped into my mind ... nice color. Let's see ... we had a fun magic gathering last Friday.. it was a fun time ... the list of names was a who's who in magic. Some of the high lights included Ken Mate playing songs for us ... I grabbed a guitar and set up an amp ... and he was all set. Ken and Marshall Brodien showed up in red satin costumes complete with capes... funny stuff. I gave some of the new visitors the "tour" of the Chezaday Estate ... then I led them to the gift shop. Later we grabbed some pizza and watched some "bad" magic videos... a fun hobby of mine. Greg, Quissy and Angel were also there... paging through the wedding album. Rocky was on patrol and greeted everyone at the door. Everyone had a fun time ... I'm lucky to have such good friends...

Steve

05.06.2004

My rooms a mess... so I bought a new fax machine ... I know .. it's about time .. anyway I had to dig up the phone line and stuff .. so my rooms a disaster area. I figured I should straighten things a bit while I had my desk apart. Instead of completing one project I start more and everything is up in the air. One day I might just catch up. So ... I was going to wash some cars today.. but it looks like rain. I guess I'll give Rocky a bath instead ... that's chore itself ... he's 104 pounds of German Shepherd .. and he doesn't like it!

Tomorrow is my little brother Jeff's birthday ... he'll be 34 .. ouch. He'll be leaving on a cruise to some far off land on Saturday .. so once again I'll be heading to the airport ... I might as well get a Town Car and a little hat and become a limo driver!

Happy Birthday ... Nerd!

I figured I'd would right something today as the weekend is fast approaching ... I might not have time to sit and write. Saturday Mother comes back from Florida ... and it also would have been my Dad's 63rd birthday. I still think of him everyday that goes by ... he taught me so many things that I realize as I grow older. I can still see his eye's and his smile ... we had so many fun times together with the family and at work. Many say I'm just like him in so many ways ... the apple doesn't fall far from the tree .... Happy Birthday Dad .. I still miss ya lots ...

Steve

05.04.2004

One Long Day... so today today starts off with phone call at 7:00am .. it's my brother at the airport. Apparently a cab would cost a small fortune .. so I get my butt out of bed to spend the next two hours in traffic. I'm not much for getting up early .. I'm on a different schedule. I had to get up early any way.. I had to get to the bank to close an account.. ya.. I fell for an internet scam .. and gave up some info. to some crooks. If I could find them ... I would take justice into my own hands ... an eye for an eye ... I think that's what it says in the Bible ... well ... at least that's what Dad use to say.

I don't remember much of the weekend ... I did spend some time with a good friend, Dan Sperry .. we hung out at the mall and it was fun to see all the girls check him out ... or get freaked out with his "look" ... he's got his own site.. dansperry.com . Sure he's a little freaky... but some think the same of me ... you can't always judge a book by it's cover ... right!

Steve

04.28.2004

In Just One Week ... my head is spinning ... I worked a show Saturday, at the Arcada theater with my good friends, the Holsteins and Marshall Brodien. We all had fun and I picked up Mom for the evening show ... I like to get her out of the house when I can. Later we had a little party at the Holsteins and everyone had a good time. I was joking with Marshall's wife, Mary, about being a "Chezababe" ... and she starts dancing around ... she's a lot of fun.

Sunday I was off to Milwaukee for the annual Magic Auction .... it was basically a bunch of junk.. and I got ripped off ... again. I bid on a set of Abbott's Hippity Hop Rabbits, won them for $25.00 ... not a bad deal ... we'll until I saw them up close. Sure enough they were just a copy out of cheap plywood. I'm such a sucker! Later that night I went to visit with David Seebach, just outside of Milwaukee. We had some dinner .. well, stolen chicken ... but that's another story.

Then on Monday, I made the trek to Magic Inc. in Chicago to visit with Jay Marshal and David ... again. We had a fun lunch ... then it was a race against the clock to avoid the traffic ... but got stuck in it anyway ... I hate traffic!

Steve

04.22.2004

Bargains Galore ... The other night was the annual Magic Flea Market held in Elmhurst, IL. I had a table there along with some of my friends .. it's quite a site. All kinds of gadgets, collectibles and just plain magic junk. Some of the same items keep coming around ... it's funny. Angel stopped by to help me out, sorry no photo ... ouch! We saw lots of old friends and met some new ones. The magic community is pretty small .. so every one knows everyone ... pretty much. It was a guys night though ... you could count the number of females on one hand ... no joke. I'd like to see that change of course ... but girls usually stay away from magic ... well unless or coarse you are female and you're reading this ... uh... magic is really cool!

Maybe I should have picked up a guitar when I was little ... and started a band ...

Steve

04.19.2004

Road Trip .... I just got back from a trip out to Ohio ... my first stop was in Indiana to visit Al Purintun and his wife ... down on the farm. He bought a farm ... really. Al and I came up with a lot of crazy illusions over the years and he would build part of the prop and I would finish it off. We came up with some really cool stuff, including the Vertical Sawing and Walking through a Mirror. Now he's a farmer with a good chunk of land. The next stop was near Dayton, Ohio to visit and work with master builder Walter Sheppard. I actually go there to learn more on my craft and Walter has shared his magic with me. Then it was off to Cincinnati to visit with my long time friend Tom Rozoff. I've known Tom since I was just getting started in magic. We had some Skyline Chili... then watched Stephen Kings "IT" ... which was long and stupid ... but it was still a fun time with Tom and the kids. Now I'm back and I've got some catching up to do ....

Steve

04.12.2004 Part of the Family...

This past Easter we were asked to perform at the Sabre Room in Hickory Hills. It's a banquet hall that's kinda stuck in the 60's but I'm all for time travel. We haven't been there in a while, but all the same characters were still there. Angel came with for the adventure... no you won't see a picture of her just yet... as she still complains that her picture isn't on the site. Anyway... it was a fun time... the show is slapped together... but Rudy "from the Saber Room" makes it all flow like we've done it a hundred times. We also ran into my good friend Bobby "Circus Boy" and got to spend some quality time with him. He's always selling his stuff ... so before I forget ... here's his site ... he's a nut. All in all it was nice to see everyone again and travel back to the days of Frank Sinatra and Elvis!

Steve

04.06.2004

Now this is a nice shade of purple... it's finally April and Easter is coming up.. it's a nice time of year. Summer is fast approaching and we'll be hitting the road soon. I'll actually be traveling to Ohio next week to work with Master carpenter, Walter Sheppard ... it's actually part of my apprenticeship. He's one of the best magic builders out there... and has taught me his secrets ... yet there is still more to learn. He has done so much for me and has changed the way I think and work ...

I'm under his spell .. I be hypnotized!

Steve

03.27.2004

Today was a good day... I got a lot of things done... and I completed a classic side show illusion known as the "Blade Box" for Marshall Brodien. He was like a kid with a new toy... really. I had to finish the project in a rush...but that's a whole other story. I got to relax a bit with my pets ... I gave Jenna and Samantha a bath today... Jenna is my parrot and Samantha one of my pythons .... totally normal... well around here at least. Then I ran over to the Leather Smiths and picked up a cool new vest with flames on it, all in leather. After that,,,I dropped off the illusion at Marshall's and played with that. If that's not enough... then, I picked up Mom and Nerd (that's my brother) and did the Spaghetti Warehouse and Walmart thing... it keeps Ma happy. Now I'm going to veg and play on the internet ... watch some TV and listen to my dog Rocky snore at the foot of my bed. That was my day....

Good night all... have a great weekend...

Steve

03.23.2004

It's spring time in Chicago.. today it's finally nice out. I've been a bit busy and the program on here was messed up... but as you can see we've added pictures and more will be added... I can actually figure it out now. So on the front page you can see Franz and I ... he's been a good friend of mine since the 80's and I'm still stuck there. Franz designs and performs his illusions around the world... I here he's huge in Malaysia... no really. He and his wife Akiko stopped over on Friday and we had Connie's Pizza ... for a nice quiet night. They both had a nice time and loved the house. I'm lucky to have such good friends... oh... Happy Anniversary to them too.. I hope you didn't forget Franz!

Steve

02.27.2004

Before I get on with today's cute little story... I have to mention that it's Quissy's Birthday today!! Looking at my calendar she is still trailing behind me about 10 years... that would make her .... um in her early 20's... how's that Quissy.

So... things weren't going so well for me today... but that's another story. I'm at the local Blockbuster, visiting Tony (see story below) and I see a familiar face... but I couldn't quite figure it out. She had a cute little smile but there was something about her eyes. I was too cur ious... I had to ask her if she was from this area ... and she said ... "No, I'm originally from Iowa" ... that was just the clue I needed. In an instant, I knew it was her.... I remembered her from over 15 years ago... when she was just a little girl. She danced with a magic troupe all the way in Colon, Michigan. She was with her family and participating in the jr. contest at the Abbott's Magic Get-Together. So ... I asked her if she use to work with a magician.... then she knew who I was too. Time seemed to melt away... even just for a moment.

For some odd reason we ran into each other tonight... it was really weird .... it really felt like Magic!

Steve

02.24.2004

So I've been busy as usual... Mom comes back from a cruise tonight, Tony will help you find your favorite movies at Blockbuster and I'll soon have a basement you can actually walk in. This past weekend Tony and I tore up the basement and garage trying to make some order of the dis-order. We're almost there ... you can see the floor now. I also had some fun visits with friends on Sunday... first we stopped over at the Holstiens, I'm working on a project for them. Then on to the Ken Mate family...... I learned a little about selling stuff on ebay. Finally we stopped at Paul Lee's to pick up the Blade Box to work on for Marshall .... it's a long confusing story. I'll be teaching Magic class at Beebe on Wednesday.... so I still have to figure that stuff out... there's not enough time in a day.....

Steve

02.12.2004

Slacker... I know.. it's been almost a month since the last entry... I won't do that to ya again. Anyway ... lot's going on ... just got back from a crazy tour with Terry Evanswood... at one point we were up 24 hours straight... it was insane. I'm not a youngster anymore... everytime I'm with the Evanswood crew... I never get any rest. Well we survived and had a fun time in Ohio. I also got to visit some of my close friends out there ... Walter and Helen Sheppard, who are featured this month on the front of the "Linking Ring" magazine. We also spent time with Tom Rozoff. We saw his Fire Safety show and had some Skyline Chili. Almost forgot .. but we had a quick tour of the Cabbage Case Factory in Columbus... and I did some tricks for them... it was totally cool.......thanks again Mike for being such a friend!!!

Steve

01.19.2004

The weekend flew by fast.. I kept busy thought... went to IKEA on Saturday.. its a cool home improvement place. Sunday took Mother and the Aunts out shopping ... helped them pick out a TV that was too big for the car... that's another story. I know there is a special place in heaven set aside for me. Later Greg and Quissy stopped over... we ate at El Centro in Naperville... good stuff. We watched some fun magic videos... then Quissy kept busy playing PS2 Simpson's Hit and Run while Greg and I looked at stuff on the computer. Now I'm heading out the door to take Rocky for his vet appointment.. that's always fun time...

Steve

01.14.2004

So last night .. I did the "take mom out to eat and shopping thing." Tony came with because he's currently unemployed and he was hungry. We worked in the shop later that night... on a smoking guitar for the KISS tribute band "Kings of the Nighttime World." The next thing... it's after mid night and I'm hungry again.. so I check the fridge ...and there are some innocent looking Eggo's. I pop them in the toaster for a quick snack.... the results were strange. Tony couldn't keep from laughing at my attempt at breakfast. They were hard as a rock... we ate them any way....

Steve

01.12.2004

Tony needs a job... that's today's news. He was previously employed at the Fanny May Candy factory... he was the guy that makes the little swirls on top of the candy. Fanny May is closing it's doors ...so Tony needs work. If you might have a job for him... he's honest, hard working and likes candy.... you can e-mail me @ chezaday@aol.com. Not much else going one... let's see ... Paul Lee and Cherie got married in Vegas this weekend...Congrads to them. Andrew still hasn't updated his web site... yet.... or Erick's site.... ouch!

Steve

01.08.2004

First ... Happy New Years to everyone ... I guess it's been a week or two since I've written ... did you miss me? It's 1:00 a.m. I'm watching a repeat of Howard Stern ... I might watch a movie tonight ... who knows. I went shopping today ... picked up the new Aliens box set and some bananas for my parrot Jenna ... really. It's been pretty cold up here ... it was like -3 degrees the other night and we've got some snow ... it's all frozen right now. That reminds me ... I broke a shovel the other day .... got to put that on the list.

Magic news .... let's see ... well the summer is looking good .... really. I've already got plenty booked .... so I guess I'll starve until then .... unless some birthday shows come along

Help!!

Steve

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12.26.2003

Hope you all had a pleasant Holiday ... what ever you celebrate... its all good, just as long as part of your beliefs include peace on Earth.... then its cool. Today is Ma's birthday ...she still claims she's 29 .... but I'm not buying it!

On a sadder note we lost a fellow magician a few days ago... Ralph Beck . He was well known in the Chicago area... he passed his secrets on to many others... including Terry Evanswood and Jeanette Andrews , who are both from the area. Terry called with the news and asked if I would make the special wand for the ceremony.. know as the "broken wand'. Its a tradition when a magician passes, that the "spell is broken" and the wand is snapped in half. There's more to it but you get the idea. To me it's an honor that I can do something special for a fellow magician and hand-craft this special wand as one last symbol of his magical life. The secret world of magic has many traditions... and it will always be a part of my life... and one day too ... the same tradition will be done for me....

not for some time at least... I hope....

Steve

12.23.2003

The eve of Christmas eve... that's today. I know I should be talking about magic stuff.... so I'll do that right now... then I'll tell you about some crazy stuff going on ...on the roof tonight!! We will soon be announcing information about our new Mega-Illusion that will be featured in out show next year. I'll give you a few hints... it weights in at 650 pounds, all metal and it will blow you away!

Now back to reality... we've pretty much finished up with out holiday shows... and January is usually slow.... but I'm thinking about some travel in Ohio early February so well see about that. Right now its 3 am and I hear noises up on the roof... and its not reindeer. It's a racoon tearing up something.. I've got a sky light and I can see him ... its really gross. So I cant' sleep at the moment.... let's see what else is going on? I'm fine health wise.... thanks for asking... I'm back to 100% or so.

I've got to wrap some presents ...... before Santa comes... so I guess I'll get to bed....

Merry Christmas to all......

Steve

12.17.2003

Today was interesting.. I was tossing and turning all night in pain ... so it was time to go to the hospital and see what the deal was. My brother brought me in... and many hours later .. they found a kidney stone that I have yet to pass. For the kids out there... lets just say it makes you hurt a lot.... a real lot. I'm pretty stubborn.. so I lived with the pain over the weekend... but it wasn't getting any better. It was my very first time one of those gowns with out the back. First ride on a stretcher and had a CAT scan ... something like that. Tony Andrini also came to my rescue and picked me up. I'm feeling better now... it takes a lot to keep me down... this did it. I hopefully will be back to full speed by Friday... I'll live.... don't send flowers...

Steve

12.09.2003

The weekend went fast...and I'm beat. We had a lot of shows this weekend and we do it all again this weekend. The Strait Jacket escape has been added back in the show and it's tough one. I pay for it the next day... ouch, not to mention the load-in and load-out of the show. It's all a lot of work but I've got the Illusion Crew to help me out ... Jeff, Tony, Angel, Greg and Quissy . Greg carries in the light stuff while the girls lift the heavy illusions... I'm joking of course.

Not to much rest for me... but January is usually a slow month.... I'll rest then....

Steve

12.03.2003

The cold has returned to the Windy City... we haven't seen snow yet... but it is getting cold. It's December and we'll be performing through out the Chicagoland area. We've got a lot to prepare... I just remembered I need to get some Twinkies.... really. It's getting late and I'm trying to get to bed earlier... its almost 3 am now... so much for that idea. I did get some stuff done today... but never enough... no rest for the wicked as I always say...

Steve

P.S. Tony ... put down the knife....

11.25.2003

I know... some time has passed... but here's the deal... something happened with the web program and it messed up things on the new iMac . Then I had to upgrade to Mac X point something... and paid another $129.00 for that... thanks Apple . So... everything seems to be working... we'll see. Lots going on... we had a photo shoot over the weekend... so the whole gang was here... it was a three ring circus. Hopefully we'll actually have some new pics on here soon... really. We are also getting ready for the holiday shows... so... I've got lots to do ... but I'm back online.... and keepin' you up to date with what's on my mind....

Steve

11.08.2003

Earlier today I headed out to the airport with fellow magician Paul Lee to pick up a new Mega - illusion shipped from Florida. This is an amazing new illusion that will be a perfect closing for my show... we're keeping it quiet until it's ready to add in. Its big ... in fact it weighs in at over 600 poounds... yikes! It also has the element of danger ...real danger... but you'll be the first to hear about it here on chezaday.com . It's getting late after 2am so... I'm heading to bed... gettin'

seepy... rabbit stew....

Steve

11.04.2003

Scary is right... ya, ever take a wrong turn... and almost get killed... well that's what happened tonight. I had every intention of seeing my good friend in magic Barry Mitchell , conduct a lecture for a group of magicians near Joliet. I took a few wrong turns, as I couldn't find the "Timbers of Shorewood," and wound up in a very bad part of town. In fact this is something right out of a movie... but I was in real danger. I do come from a nice town, Naperville . .. probably the safest in the Chicagoland area... so I guess I'm not too use to seeing some stuff on a regular basis. Let's just say I won't be traveling down that way any time in the near future. So... I found my way back to Bolingbrook and stopped at " Noodles " for something to eat.... I'm all better now.

Halloween was fun... I was with my good friend Terry Evanswood at the Paramount Arts Center in Aurora . It was a fun time being with him and the crew again. The next day I took my crew up to Milwaukee to see David Seebach's show at the Mojeska theater. It was a drive... but always worth seeing David. We went out to eat afterwards with his cast and talked shop. I've got a new illusion that's underway and I wanted his input on it. Right now it's still top secret... but the secret will be out soon...

Steve

10.27.2003

Ooooh Scary.... Halloween is near... we did a bunch of shows this weekend.... and it's always fun to see the kids in their costumes. I'm experimenting with the site a bit more.... I've got Contribute on my my Mac now... so its a bit easier to play with... Mac's are still for the cool people.... sorry Greg. I picked up my friend Dan Sperry from the airport last night.... we hung out at his place and talked shop.... you know ... secret magic stuff. Dan is originally form Minnesota.. now he's near Chicago... so we'll be working on stuff soon...

Steve

10.21.2003

So its about 2:30 a.m... that's when I'm usually on the computer... in my room... so the updates may take an unusual twist... as I'm half asleep. I didn't get too much done today... just catching up to things left over from the weekend. If the weather is nice ... I've got to get a coat of wax on the new van. I went shopping at the grocery store the other night... I did pretty good... I went with the intension of getting some salad in a bag... and I usually wind up with a cart of junk food. I did have a taste for salad ... then I had some brownies to finish off the meal.... oops. I know this isn't really news.... but if anything.. it should be amusing and its therapeutic for me.

As far as show stuff.. there are some cool shows going on during Halloween.. first is David Seebach's "Illusions in the Night" that's up in Milwaukee.. but its worth the trip if your in the area. One other show on Halloween is the Terry Evanswood show at the Paramount theater in Aurora, IL. Then to finish off the night .. you can see the KISS tribute band at Synergy in West Chicago, IL. Lots to do that night... along with scaring some kids... I'll find the time....

Steve

10.20.2003

Get this.. I'm hooked up on my Mac now ...really ... so updates will be almost daily... if I've got something to say... like now...but I've got to run out the door to get some lunch. I'll be back later for some up dates... the site will have some dramatic changes... well it will be full of something...

Steve

10.14.2003

I think it's the 14th.. ya it is.. just looked at the girlie calender in my brothers room. Lot's going on ... let's see.. happy birthday to one of the Chezababes in training.. that little Lauren in Geneva. I've known her since she was just a little girl. It's officially Roctober...and we've had some nice weather ... but its been raining for 12 hours straight... makes it easier to sit on the computer instead of playing outside.... but I've still got to take Rocky for his walk as soon as I'm done here.

Now with the recent news about Siegfried and Roy ....where to begin. This team made magic history over and over.. one of the most successful acts in the world of entertainment. I hope its not over for them... as its such a sad way to end the show and their long running career. I guess a lot of people saw them as a joke... dressing as they do and playing with tigers... but now I think people see them in a different light... and they care.... it's amazing how much they care. I heard the news before it came out..... and I knew when critical was mentioned .. that the tiger must have grabbed his neck. I've worked with tigers and lions over the years.. but they always remain in their cage during the show. I know and respect the power these animals have. The saying... you play with fire you're going to get burned ... kinda applies here. I know.. I do some dangerous stuff here and there.. but I try to keep things as safe as possible at all times... just ask my crew.

So .. it's all over the news about the tiger attacking.. but I don't think it meant to kill .. because it didn't kill. These cats are treated better then most people and they live with the animals.. I think it was an accident... I don't think the tiger meant any harm... really. I watched a recent interview with Siegfried and I felt so sad for him... you could see how much he was hurting inside. I hope things will turn around for both of them.. and if they make a comeback ... it will be huge...

You're in my prayers...

Steve

09.30.2003

Rocktober is near... ya tomorrow is October...time is flying by fast. We recently were in Crystal Lake for the 2nd annual "Nothing up my Sleeve" show and we had a fun time. It was a magic marathon.. with almost a dozen acts on the show. Most of the performers are good friends of mine and we met some new local acts. Angel was the box- jumper for my act and she was tired by the end of the day...so was I. We also had some time to goof around with Marshal and Mary Brodien , I talked Mary into trying on some of my costume pieces .. and she started dancing around like she was a Chezababe. That really made my day... thanks Mary!!

I was still recovering from the night before... my brother and I went to see KISS and Aerosmith . We were in the eleventh row... and my ears were ringing into the next day. KISS was everything you would expect and more... soon we'll have a picture with the band up on the site... trust me!

So let's rock and roll all night!!

Steve

09.18.2003

So there's a little gap in time line here for all those who really read this stuff. Apparently we changed servers or something and some stuff got lost.. mostly the entries from August... they are floating around somewhere in cyberspace for all to see.

Lately I've been in the shop trying to catch up on projects for other magicians ... so I've got paint on my hands and glue on my pants. One day I'll catch up to things... then maybe I'll sit and watch one of the many DVD's that have been stacking up next to the TV. This weekend we're at Santa's Village for one last time this season. Summer has come to an end...let the the fall begin...

Steve

09.04.2003

Looks like the summer is over... but it was a good one... we were busy!! I'm glad I got to do some traveling and see some of my good friends. Now its time for fall... and I do like the fall. The cool nights are great for sleeping.. and I love to see the leaves change color. Halloween will be coming up too... and that was always my favorite time of year.

We are heading up north at the end of this month to the Raue Center , 26 N. Williams St in Crystal Lake. The show is called "Nothing up my Sleeve" and it features a half dozen or so magicians from the Chicagoland area... including myself. Showtimes are at 3:00 and 7:00 on Saturday, Sept 27. We're at Santa's Village for a few more shows... hope to see ya soon...

Steve

07.21.2003

Ya, I know... where have I been... well I've been a bit busy... we just did a week at Santa's Village and this week we're at the Du Page County fair. Let's see what's new... Greg and Quissy are on their honeymoon in Hawaii , my brother has an internet girlfriend now... and I added a new Chezababe to the show. Her name is Angela and she just started at Santa's Village .. she did a really good job and was fun to work with. Angel helped train her in the Chezababe tradition....get her in the suit and push her onstage.

Just kidding of course...

Steve

07.07.03 Yikes... almost a month has past since I sat at my brother's computer and updated this thing. Well ... I've been busy as usual.... we had the big Greg and Quissy wedding on the 4th of July .. congratulations to both of them. They will have a long magical life together... almost like a fairy tale wedding. It was a long, hot day but we all had a fun time. Chrissy made a beautiful bride and Greg looked ok too, for a guy that is. I was also stuck in a tux all day.... not my favorite thing to wear... but at least I didn't have to waste any time figuring out what to wear. It was a multi- media event with videos, music, magic and more. We even hopped on a bus and went to see the fireworks... still in our formal wear.

Will the grass stains come out??

Steve

06.16.2003

Time is just flying by... but the big news is that we opened up for Rick Springfield last Saturday at Navy Pier. We got a last minute call from my good friend, comedy - magician Ken Mate . Well it all worked out and the next thing you know we're onstage. We met with Rick before the show and he was awesome.... a real nice guy. I'm pretty sure it was the first time an illusionist had opened for him. I wasn't sure how the crowd was going to react... but they really liked it, they cheered at points and it was great! If you haven't see Rick in concert... he's is something else... at one point he's in the audience standing on the seats playing his guitar...with the crowd surrounding him. He tosses his guitars around like they're toys... smashing a few in the process.... what a fun show!

Special thanks to Jeff and Valerie for getting it all together, the crew at Navy Pier and to Ken Mate for all his valuable advise over the years... you're the best!!.

Steve

05.29.2003

Yep... I'm back from a world wind tour of Florida ... I did more in four days than most people do in two weeks....really. I was in New Port Richie, Clearwater , Winter haven, Orlando and Silver Springs... to name a few! Spent some time with friends as I mentioned before and even got a backstage tour of Disney ... wow!! Now its time to get ready for our summer season... check out our tour dates in the show section... Fairs, Festivals and More!!

Steve

05.20.2003

Wow.. it's been quite a month... we saw a bunch of magic friends at the Magic Flea Market ... sold some stuff... and bought some cool stuff too. We also performed at the Magic Collectors' Weekend in Schaumburg, IL. Greg, Quissy and Angel were onstage with me on Friday for a special show called " Magic Old and Seldom Seen" and no its not referring to me...ouch! My good friend Terry Evanswood told me that one ...pretty funny... and by coincidence my birthday is in just a few days... yes... I'm somewhere in my 30's ..ouch! I'll be flying down to Florida to visit with Terry along with my other good friends Erick Olson and Steve Zigmont ..to name a few. Erick and his family will keep me occupied ... going from the beach to amusement parks... stuff like that... maybe I'll have a tan when I get back... I'll be older if anything... cool!

Steve

05.08.2003

Time is just flying by... it's already Thursday and I'm a bit behind on projects. We're performing at another Magic Convention next week, with an old illusion that's still in my shop...ouch. We went out last night for my brothers birthday to one of his favorite restaurants, the Mongolian Barbeque.. good times!

Today would have been my Dad's 61st birthday... although his life ended much too soon. Not one day goes by without me thinking of him. He was always a fun time, he would play tricks on the family... sneak up on us and stuff like that. He taught me right from wrong and always took care of his family. He gave me the freedom to pursue my dreams..... and I'm still chasing them.

Each day I remember something he told me... and the time we had was special... I miss him so much...it hurts. I'm not sure if they have the internet up there in Heaven...but I have a feeling he may be watching over my shoulder ...right now... Happy birthday Dad!

Your boy... Stevie

05.06.2003

We're back... just returned from Peoria with Angel and Valerie . We performed for a great group of magicians and the puplic at the Lake View Museum . We had a full house and the crowd really liked what we did... thanks to everyone involved.

Birthdays... yep...my birthday is later this month on the 23rd but tomorrow is my little brothers... he'll be 33... ouch! Jeff has been involved with the show since he was a little boy... he didn't have a choice ...as I'm the older brother and that's how it goes. He's been on the side running the lights and the music ...along with pyro, confetti and anything else I throw at him. Many times, I don't know how he does it with just two hands.

He's always been there ....except when he quits the show,

which is less frequent now that he's older...

Happy Birthday Nerd!!

Steve

04.28.2003

Thanks to everyone who celebrated at the Magic Masters banquet this past Friday. Special thanks to my crew, Valerie, Quissy, Angel and Greg for makin' it all happen and to everyone involved with the Magic Masters Show. The stage was tight and there were props than it could hold... no rehearsal time...but we pulled it all off without a hitch. We premiered a new levitation called Samurai ... and the audience really liked it. We also had a film crew following the action before and after the show... interesting stuff.... more on that later.

The Land of Cheese & Fireworks ... yep we ventured up to Wisconsin this weekend on Sunday for the Milwaukee Magic Auction and the we stopped over at David Seebach's ...again. The weather was great and the company was even better...

Steve

04.21.2003

So... it was a busy weekend... everyone is moving and of course Chezaday Movers is there to help.. ya.. because I've got a big van. Also got a chance to catch up with some friends.. Tony Andrini was in town...hi Tony!!

I spoke with the infamous " Flounder " on Sunday... he's doing fine and last but not least ... Mr. Sheppard and Tom Rozoff ... both in Ohio. They have both helped me in many ways over the years.

We have been preparing for Magic Masters this week ... we may have a new Levitation in the show... we'll see.

We just added some new dates to the Summer Tour of 2003..... including nine shows at the Du Page County Fair

More soon... Same Bat-time ... Same Bat- Channel..

Steve

04.14.2003

Wow... what a weekend... we were all over the Chicagoland area, including a performance at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum as part of the Magic: Science of Illusion display. We had a great crowd and after the show we went through the exhibit. The displays are all hands on and you can even loose your head in one illusion....really. If your in the Chicago area... I highly recommend going... its fun for the whole family. Special thanks to Jeff Bibik for inviting us to perform. Just down the street on Fullerton, we stopped at Demon Dogs and had some lunch... we had a great time in Chicago.

As far a world news goes... it looks like the War in Iraq will soon be over and our troops will be safe at home. . Its amazing to see the people in Iraq get a taste of freedom...something we sometimes forget. I hope peace will prevail and the world will be a better place for everyone....

Steve

04.07.2003

What's up? It's finally spring in Chicago and we had snow last night...... perfectly normal, for this part of the country that is. We had a magic slumber party this weekend.. my good friend David Seebach spent some quality time at Chezaday Manor . We went to a comedy club on Friday and worked on some new illusions on Saturday. We even made a stop at a local magic shop, Midwest Magic in Franklin Park. I kept him busy... we watched some DVD's and ate a lot of popcorn. I'll have to stock up for the next visit. Thanks again David for sharing your time with the Chezaday Crew .

The Vegas Connection ... our web master and Cabin Boy Greg is currently in Las Vegas right now. He's probably hanging out with all the magicians out there ...including the soon to be famous Morgan and Mikala . Actually it's going to be Morgan's Birthday on Thursday... so Happy Birthday Morgan!! Good luck with the new show at the New Orleans!!

Steve

03.28.2003

Lots of stuff coming up... April we have shows all around the Chicagoland area ... check out the tour dates in the show section. I will be headed down to Florida at the end of May to attend the Florida State Magic Convention . I'll be visiting with some good friends including Erick Olson and family, Steve Zigmont and the Terry Evanswood Crew . It will be a fun time and maybe I'll catch some sun...

Steve

03.21.2003

Love, Peace and Magic ... words to live by... once spoken by one of my hero's Doug Henning . Doug was the country's top magician back in the 70's when I was just a little guy. The world was a different place and although War should always be a last result .... we have to support our country and the troops around the world. I usually steer clear of such topics but... it drives me crazy seeing protesters causing trouble in cities across the county. We have enough problems here...now we have to deal with this?? I'm not one for war.... but, sometimes its the only way we can keep our freedom and our world a safer place.

Hello...this is America ... support your country!!!

Steve

03.17.2003

More birthdays!! First up is one of the Chezababe's... Angel . She has been with the show for some time now.. I think its been ten years! She deserves a medal. Angel has always been there for me... sometimes running back and forth between the game show and the magic show at Santa's Village . She has survived many road trips and arguements with me...ouch! Angel has always seen things a bit different.. and that's why she's still with us... we could always use a laugh...just kidding babe.

Happy Birthday... how old are you now??

David Seebach also celebrates a birthday this week! David is one of my closest friends in magic... you'll see more about him in the news below. We spend time together when we can ... sharing our knowledge and experiences in the magic world.

Happy Birthday David!!

Steve

03.03.2003

Tomorow..its Greg's Birthday!!! He will be and even 25 years old. I remember the days Greg's mom would drive him to see my shows... he was a little fan of mine. A few years later he was behind the register at my father's grocery store, Cee Bee's Foods in Naperville. I also worked at the store and we had a lot of fun times there.

Its been many years and many road trips we have traveled...Greg is one of my closest friends. He is also the creative force behind my web site and the media projects. If it weren't for him..I'd still be doing birthday shows....

Wait a minute... I'm still doing birthdays!!! Ouch!!

Happy Birthday Gregory!!

Road trip ... just got back from Milwaukee.... Valerie and I went to visit David Seebach. We picked up an old Abbott's "Shredder" illusion for an upcoming show, and we learned all about the "Broom Suspension" illusion. It was like " Illusion Show 101 " with David... he is a great instructor. We also dragged out the "Impailed Illusion" and gave Valerie a spin on top. Later ..we grabbed some dinner at Milwaukee's Champian Chicken with another friend and fellow magician, Glen Gerard. It was a long day, but a fun one...I always enjoy spending time with David.

Thanks again David , you're the best!!

Steve

02.27.2003

Finally some good news... it's Quissy's birthday!! Of course we can not reveal her age.. it's a secret!! Quissy has been a Chezababe for five years now... quite an accomplishment... putting up with me for so long. She is also getting married this summer to Greg. . who has also been part of the crew for some time now.

We first discovered Quissy working at Party City in Wheaton... we use to call her " Party City Chick." I talked her into doing shows the following summer and she's been a box jumper ever since. She has been a valuable part of the show... I even remember someone telling us that she "sparkles on stage"...thats pretty special... and so is she.

Steve

02.25.2003

Lots of questions. first of all many of you have seen the video footage of a nightclub tragedy that involved pyrotechnics. The art of pyrotechnics is a very dangerous field and always should be in the hands of trained professionals. Safety has always been our main concern when using these devices. We have never used them when the venue is unsafe for these effects.

I spoke with Steve Zigmont just yesterday about the situation. He agreed... that in the wrong hands, pyro can be deadly. Zigmont is one of the county's top pyrotechnicians and was on tour with KISS . He also is a good friend and has helped me in many ways.

Check out his web site @ Zigmont.com

Thanks Steve!!

02.24.2003

A quick and speedy recovery goes out to my good friend and fellow magician, David Seebach. On a recent trip to Oregon, David fractured his foot preparing for a show. Believe it or not.. the show went on, performing in a cast! I can't tell you how much I look up to David (well, he's taller than me) but seriously. he is one of the top professionals in the country. When I have questions. I go to him... he knows it all.

I'm grateful to have such a friend.

Steve

Check out David's site @ davidseebach.com

02.18.2003

What's up? Long day yesterday.. we went to the vet with "Snuggles" she is one of the snakes in my show... but she's also a pet. She has a bit of a cold, so we had to get that checked out by Dr. Woods . Congratulations to a former "Chezababe" Tina, who recently got married on Valentine's day .

Steve

02.13.2003

OK, today is Thursday. the day before Valentines day .. I'll have to get some flowers for mom... I hope I remember. I'm going to update the tour dates

so you can actually come and see us LIVE! We've got some cool stuff coming up in the summer including a performance at the Abbott's Magic Get - Together !!!

So check it out.. oh..and buy some stuff from the Chez Depo section. We've got some new 8X10's that will be added soon. We take all the proceeds from the merchandise and place them i n a bottle... and at the end of the year ... we have a pizza party...cool...

Steve

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