Just wanted to give you guys an update on my holiday season. For Christmas I went out-of-town to see my grandmother. Christmas morning came and I got a shitload of decks, totaling 10, and no 2 the same. Casino decks, colored Bikes, clear Bikes, Iraqi most wanted, they were all there 
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Fast forward to Wednesday evening. My parents take me over to a Holiday Party, which I turn out to be the life of. I was in constant demand throughout the evening after I did a few flourishes when I got bored. I performed for about 20 people throughout the party, and at the end, after 1 family had left, I did a final mind reading effect in front of the entire group. It was so quiet, I've never heard a party like that. It was pretty cool. Anyway, what I did was have 3 people pick cards, and then, one by one, I read there minds. So, yea.
Flourishing Update: I've been working on and developing my Hotshot Cobra Cut, which I think is pretty cool, its like any cobra cut (actually, it has to use a triad, but so it's either a triad or a king) but as you strike, one card comes shooting out of the deck, then you strike at that card again. I'll have a shoot a vid when I get it just how I want it. I've been mainly working on that and some other original cuts, such as a cool-looking Line display I came up with, a two handed cut (not a sybil, but similar) which I'm not sure what to name yet, and A sybil that form into a mirrored display (also not sure what to name yet.) I was planning on a video called "Who is Michael Marino?", involving not only cards, but more of a short, narrative-less documentary of a day in the life of...Me! I had thrown together some footage of me doing some parkour (free running), some coin and chip flourishes, skateboarding, and card flourishing, but it didn't have that, "feel" that I wanted. I have since planned out the structure and storyboard of the video, and am working with a close friend (and professional music composer) to see what I can get worked out for this video. Don't hold your breath though, many of the shots I have planned are outside, and this time of year, it's freezing out there. I'm expecting it in late Spring 2006.
Happy Holidays!
-Michael