Austin Still Keeping it Weird

Austin, a strange mix of cowboys and college students, of politicians and programmers, creates an atmosphere where almost anything, even magic can happen. Austin is full of eclectic eccentricities. It's a place where Michael Dell started a computer company and Willy Nelson lost everything to the IRS (and now has a street named after him.) Both strange and wonderful is this city on the Colorado River. And the Austinites know it. In fact you can often see them wearing the slogan on a tee shirt, "Keep Austin Weird." Weird yes, but the one thing that almost everyone says who goes to school there or practically anyone who has ever  lived there is, "I love Austin."

Brittnay Lynn in Cid's Apartment

Having spent time as a student at the University of Texas, I too say, "I love Austin." In my book, THE MAGIC LIFE, the main character, James, first comes in contact with the magician at a street festival in this magical place. The scene in the book is actually based upon my own experience of performing on the street at the Pecan street Festival. Austin is indeed a magical place, which has several note worthy magicians.

When I  put Austin on my map, I figured I'd go ahead and stay with one of my old college buddies and call up one of those local magicians for an interview. I called my old college compadre Cid Galindo, an amazing friend I've had for all these many years. Cid gave me the thumbs up and pretty much said, "mi casa es su casa." So Austin was going to be included and I'd also get a chance to see my friend and patent attorney, Anthony Campbell, who was my first editor in grad school.

My intention was to get an interview with one of the local magicians there in Austin, but my magic life seemed to take an interesting turn which never included interviewing a magician. First there was meeting Cid's wonderful little girl Lola. That was where I got to use some of my own magic, Lola wanted me to do a couple tricks for her, so I did. When her Mom came to pick her up, (Cid and her are separated) she wanted to see some too. So I showed her and Lola magic, and also sang them a couple of songs which I figured I'd video for you there in Austin, because after all it is a music mecca.

Brittnay in workout shot for LTBOMG

Wow!

But I decided to get some work done and unfortunately, or actually amazingly fortunately, work led to fun which led to never interviewing a magician or even recording my songs.

Instead I have to share my wonderful happenstance meeting with a beautiful model named Brittnay Lynn. I decided to shoot some workout shots with her for the Lions, Tigers, and Bears, OMG! website. Which led to trying to find a bikini bottom, which she didn't have, and eventually buying her a pair of tie-dyed shorts for the workout shots. Cid offered the use of his Hilton Fitness Center membership and I was allowed to use their gym for the shoot. This was a great location and Brittnay was absolutely beautiful and she actually got a pretty good workout during the photo session too.


We had so much fun at the shoot that she asked me to take her out afterward for a drink, which led to dinner, then more drinks. She started getting really hot, and I'm not just talking about my "beer goggle eyes" here either. No her skin was getting hot and flushed. We then discovered that Brittnay was allergic to something we had for dinner. Soon she was breaking out with hives. (End of the evening for me unless I take care of her.) So of course we had to go back to Cid's place and get her an allergy pill and lay her down in his bed. I gave her an Allegra and put some cold wash cloths on her, and we watched "Adult Swim" cartoons for a while. Eventually she was OK. And she was actually ready to rally just as Cid came in the door from his evening out. He had quite a surprised look on his face when he saw me sitting on the bed with Brittany in it wearing wet wash cloths. Come on, she was hot, she had to take her cloths off to put the wet wash cloths on her. (I know your minds are in the gutter at this point.)

Even Hot with Hives

But this was the beginning of a wonderful, magical night with Brittnay and Cid in Austin.We went out 'til way too late, and Brittnay led the way. By the end of the evening, or about when the sun was to come up, we had to call it a night, so we went back to Cid's to dance in his gallery and continue the night. My diet certainly seems to be going to hell on this trip as we not only stopped for a slice of pizza but then Cid made us all a sandwich at his place. And of course the magic life wouldn't have been complete without a little bit of the bubbly.

And such is another night in the magic life.