I spent the afternoon preparing for my New Year's booking. I bought a new trick, it's called the Flying Carpet. It really achieves quite an effect. There is a small possibility of injury (as with any trick worthwhile), but I've prepared enough that I shouldn't incur any problems in that regard. I'm more worried about my delivery of the scripted patter. I'm having a hard time saying Ali Baba.

Maybe I can substitute Ali Baba with Aladdin. I don't have any trouble at all saying Aladdin, plus I think more children are familar with him anyway. These patter cards were probably written before that movie came out.

This will be my first time working on New Year's Eve. While my magic show captivates children in one room, all the parents will be off saying goodbye to 2006 in another. So this really just makes me a babysitter with a cape. And a wand.

Wow, it's the end of another year. What a good year it was. Because my magic is going so well, I now only have to work part-time down at the natural history museum. And it's all because I took out that ad in L.A. Parent. What a risk that was, but it paid off. I could have easily afforded a cheaper, smaller ad, one that didn't include my picture or a graphic. But how far would that have gotten me?

I don't know what I would have done if things didn't work out. I suppose I would have at least gained the knowledge that I wasn't meant to waste my time performing magic. But it did work out, all because I took a risk. And the magicians and birthday clowns who settled for smaller ads probably didn't have as good a year as me (though I'm sure they're no less talented).

That is something I learned this year, not enough people are willing to risk everything for what they want.