Stirred, Not Shaken

It’s commonly accepted that kids take on many of the mannerisms and mechanisms they see at home. We are their first and most persistent teachers, whether we know it or not. They model us.

Part of being a mentalist involves paying attention to the people around us, observing and mentally recording little pieces of information that could be helpful in the future.  I never realized, even that habit is transferable.

Today my kids told me (both of them agreed) that they can tell how I feel by the way I stir my coffee. I have a habit of adding stevia, then just a tad of sugar, and stirring before adding any cream.

(Part of being an Aspergic OCD involves developing rules and patterns, consciously or unconsciously, so that life can become a bit more manageable.  For example, I tie my shoes in a certain way, and that way has been carefully thought out at some time in the past. That’s just me.)

So the coffee is already swirling when the cream goes in, and the spoon, with no dairy on it, is reusable later. (I didn’t say it wasn’t gross, just previously thought through!)

 BUT, just after churning the coffee, I tap the spoon on the side of the cup. In fact, I play a tattoo on the cup. Sounds like a little bell. “tink-t-t-tink-tink-tink-t-t-tink”. Takes less than a second and is probably Freudian (or at least Pavlovian) in nature.

Today the boys said I must not be feeling well, because the cup only went “tink-tink-tink”.



Who can argue with that?

Time Out

I've always enjoyed playing with the idea of predicting the future, especially the question of whether the future is fixed or mutable.  If we know what's about to happen, does that change things?

My favorite mental image is one of a bug climbing a tree.  Every branch we move onto eliminates a certain number of other choices (i.e. The Road Not Taken) and presents us with still more choices not available from that other limb.

In my personal picture though, sometimes those separate branches do cross over and occasionally even touch, enabling us to move from one branch to another, literally changing our fate.  Unfortunately, it's all hypothetical imaginings...

...except when it isn't.

I've often said that anyone can predict the future.  I do believe this...to a certain degree.  One of the lines I use to "get a laugh" is that every mother who looks out the kitchen window and sees her ten year old son climbing onto the trampoline with his skateboard KNOWS what's about to happen!

Shakespeare suggested that coming events cast their shadows before them.  I think "really sensitive" or attentive people can have an instinct about sweeping cultural or political changes.  These, and the boy with the skateboard, are things that impact lives in a very direct manner.

On the other hand, this very reasoning can be used to "explain" why psychics never win the lottery.  While a load of cash could effectively change someone's life, the money is a secondary effect.  What the psychic would be trying to predict in reality is the random tumblings of a number of small plastic balls bouncing on a current of air.  Not much impact at all in the "natural world".


Can I predict the future? Most resoundingly YES, and most unreservedly...no.

It's all still a thought experiment, and one not likely to be solved anytime soon.  I can watch for a few moments and know what's coming, but the quality of my predictions can only be as good as the thoroughness of my observations.

Until I win the Lottery!

It's Been a While

Time to pull this thing out of the mothballs!

It seems that Mentalism has become quite popular in the years I've been performing.  Once I had to explain what, exactly, a Mentalist does.  Now people are starting to catch on.  Too late.

There's a growing notion that Mentalists use the same sort of trickery as Magicians, to the effect that many are now looking for other labels to use on themselves.  "Mystery Performer" is becoming quite common, with the result that, again, most people don't know what, exactly, that is.

Labels aside, call me what you will.  My guarantee has always been, and ever will be:

I will shape the very way you look at life.

I am Donatelli.

First Flight

Just got back from a weekend in Nashville, where I got to "try out" my new powers.  Sitting in the hotel hot tub with Nancy and two other couples, while our kids played in the big pool, eventually the question came around "...so, what do you do?"

Before I could speak, my gorgeous wife told everyone that I was starting a new career as a “Mentalist”!

Of course, the chatty blond immediately asked, “Oh, yeah, what am I thinking?”

Of course, I’m not supposed to rise to the bait like this, but just automatically gave a response.  “You think it’s a crock, but you really hope it’s true.”  …pause for effect… “AND you think you could probably get your husband to drive to Chattanooga to see the show IF it turns out to be true”.

Her mouth dropped open and she staccatoed “Oh…My…God!”

The little short haired brunette was next.  Her face carried the kind of tenseness that I’ve only ever seen on a very pretty girl.  She asked, “Ok, what about me?”  Her mouth was smiling, but her eyes weren’t.  It was showtime!

I started with the old joke “You aren’t thinking anything”, and then purposefully interrupted myself.  “Ungh, can I see your hand?”  To keep it light, I asked the husband, “Is it ok if I hold your wife’s hand for just a second?  I promise to give it right back!”  He just waved.

I held her hand in both of mine.  I didn’t look at it, just pulled the energy from it.  I looked straight into her tight brown eyes and said, “I’m not going to say anything, but you should know that when you forgive someone you not only release them, you also release yourself.”

Her chin dropped.  She didn’t say anything, but her hubby’s eyes got as big as saucers as he stared back and forth from me to her.  She finally drew back her hand and very quietly said “I know that”.

It was quiet for a few seconds, not particularly “awkward”, but everyone kind of felt like a moment of silence was appropriate.  Then the chatty blonde started talking again, deliberately changing the subject.  I left the pool a few minutes later.

This stuff is dynamite.