I know I haven't blogged in a while and this blog is not about my hypnosis shows, I'll write about my month of June later (I promise). This blog is about the kindness of strangers. This is the kind of story we should hear more about in our daily lives. And I could not be more greatful.
I did have 2 hypnosis shows scheduled yesterday, a 7:30 pm show at Normandy Farms Campground in Foxboro, Massachusetts and my last college orientation show at Becker College, scheduled for 11:00 pm. I left my house very early. I was going to take my time and drive up and enjoy the blue skies that finally arrived. If you live in Connecticut and New England you know about how bad the weather had been the entire month of June. As I was approaching the Foxboro exit I saw some very dark clouds overhead. I decided to stop at the Wrentham Outlet Shops before going to the campground. There was too much traffic at the shops so I continued to the campground. I don't know what made me look but I noticed needle on the battery gauge on my dashboard start to move down to the red zone. Not a good sign. As I drove on Route 1 I passed the street for the campground just as the rain started to come down in buckets. A little bit up the road was a NAPA store. I thought my battery was going dead, so I pulled in just as my car lost power completely. I bought a battery but had no tools to install it. The sales people were of no help at all. They just wanted to sell me the tools to do it myself. They suggested I try the used car lot next door.
Through the pouring rain, I ran over and pleaded my case. They were willing to help. One of the guys came back to my car with a booster pack, jumped the car and had me drive it around to the back of their lot. They had a single garage bay to work on their own cars. He open the door which let a flood of rain in to the garage. By now the rain was torrential and it was hailing big marble size hail. This was some of the worst weather I have ever seen. And did I mention I was soaked from head to toe. As he switched batteries he told me my alternator was dead. I would have to wait until Monday to get this fixed. I told him about how important it was for me to get to my shows. He called his mechanic, who was at a family event and told him my problem. The mechanic did not want to come but eventually agreed to. I went back to NAPA, which was closing up, bought the alternator and waited for the mechanic.
I knew I had to compensate the mechanic for his time but I had no cash. The guys at the dealership let me borrow a car off the lot, drive to a bank and use the ATM. Route1 by Gillette Stadium was flooded, bad. I got back and the mechanic showed up and fixed my car. When all was done I offered a tip to the guys from the car lot, after all they did for me, changing the battery, calling the mechanic and letting me borrow a car. They refused my money. I did pay the mechanic and it was well worth it.
Total time from driving into NAPA until I drove away was less than 2 hours. My 2 shows last night were terrific. My only regret about this entire experience, I did not ask the names of the 3 men that helped me out. It didn't seem neccessary as it felt like we were old friends. We did talk about many things during my stay in the car lots office, and this conversation seemed natural.
I want to take this opportunity to tell everyone who these nice people are:
Foxboro Auto Wholesale
130 Washington Street, Route 1
Foxboro, MA 02035
508.698.8888
www.foxboroauto.com
To these 3 men, this is a day I will never forget. THANK YOU so very much for your kindness.
I wonder what would my day have been like had I stopped at the outlet shops.
Steve
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
How to hire a stage hypnotist...
A comedy stage hypnosis show can be the funniest entertainment ever. But knowing how to hire the right one can be a daunting task... so here's some of my professional advise:
Okay, so you have an event planned and now you are looking into hiring the right entertainment. There are many options for you, one of which is a hypnotist. But who do you hire. There are quite a few in your area and most hypnotists don't mind traveling if they are outside your area. First thing you should think about is a hypnotist the right choice of entertainment? If this is for students in middle school, high school or college the answer is an astounding yes. Is this for senior center banquet, no way. Statistic show that people that might volunteer for a show average between the ages of 13 and 50. There are always exceptions. Most people over the age of 50 would rather watch the show than be the show. Also you have to think about how many people will be at your event. A good show can have as little as 20 but a great show averages 50 or more. Now that you think a hypnotist is perfect for your event, how do you find the right one to fit your audience.
If you have seen a hypnotist perform, this could be your first palce to start. You will know if this hypnotist is right for you. Second, do a Google search. Use "stage hypnotist", "comedy hypnosis" or words to this effect as your search criteria. View their entire web site. If you like what you see, make a note of this person. Don't forget a web site will spell out the virtues of this person and each web site will say that they are the one for you. Do more research. Check out YouTube and do the same searches there. This way you can see the hypnotist in action. Is the hypnotist a family-friendly entertainer at all times or does he alter his act to accomodate the client. There are many adult hypnotists shows out there. Is this what you want or do you want to take a chance on an adult entertainer toning down the show to accomodate students. Many hypnotist do this very well but again many push the envelope beyond good taste.
Call the hypnotist. You can get a better feeling for this person with a real converstaion rather than through email. Ask questions, a lot of questions. Ask about their experience, their training and the specifics about the show. Most people don't realize that a hypnotist does not need any formal training or license. And a hypnotist with a degree in psycology may not be the right choice either. Many hypnotist call themselves "master hypnotists". There really is no such designation. Other say they are a "certified hypnotherapist". The hypnotist can easily be qualified as such just by buying a lot of books or tapes from some of the organizations that hypnotist belong to. Ask for these answers. Other hypnotist will tell you they have 'many' numbers of years experience and they are only in their early 20s. The good entertainers, and that's what we are entertainers, will have a comfortable combination of study and actual stage experience. And don't forget to call for referrals from past shows.
These are some of the ways you can almost guarantee a qualified entertainer for your event. I will say this, and this is not a popular staement amoung hypnotists, but is the truth: there are a lot of hacks out there. These are the ones that promise the moon. But remember a hypnotist is like a tour guide, we take you places into your imagination. We are not the stars of the show, your volunteers are. And they should be treated as such.
To close this, let me try and answer the question that is usually first on eberyone's mind. How much should a show cost? Prices like everything, has its ranges. What is a fair price in New England may be too expensive in Florida. Some hypntist charge very little and others will blow you away with their fee. Weigh the value you will get with the fee charged. If the hypnotist comes very highly recommended and has worked a lot or has lots of practical experience, you can be sure the fee you are paying is fair. I know, I evaded the question. You want a dollar amount... a show could cost a little as a few hundred dollars or a show could cost a few thousand dollars. The fee is uaually based on the show itself. How many people will be attending the event, what kind of event is it (a sweet sixteen party or a major fundraiser), where and when will the event be held and how long a show do you want. These are only a few factors.
Enjoy your show, laugh at the antics of your friends as they volunteer, and remember most of us do a great job. That's why we are in the business and why we have been doing it consistantly throughout the years.
Please go to http://knol.google.com/k/steve-wronker/how-to-hire-a-stage-hypnotist/3v7xpib0ho2uj/1#1 and write a review if you agree with my comments.
Here's hoping I have the pleasure of entertaining you soon.
Okay, so you have an event planned and now you are looking into hiring the right entertainment. There are many options for you, one of which is a hypnotist. But who do you hire. There are quite a few in your area and most hypnotists don't mind traveling if they are outside your area. First thing you should think about is a hypnotist the right choice of entertainment? If this is for students in middle school, high school or college the answer is an astounding yes. Is this for senior center banquet, no way. Statistic show that people that might volunteer for a show average between the ages of 13 and 50. There are always exceptions. Most people over the age of 50 would rather watch the show than be the show. Also you have to think about how many people will be at your event. A good show can have as little as 20 but a great show averages 50 or more. Now that you think a hypnotist is perfect for your event, how do you find the right one to fit your audience.
If you have seen a hypnotist perform, this could be your first palce to start. You will know if this hypnotist is right for you. Second, do a Google search. Use "stage hypnotist", "comedy hypnosis" or words to this effect as your search criteria. View their entire web site. If you like what you see, make a note of this person. Don't forget a web site will spell out the virtues of this person and each web site will say that they are the one for you. Do more research. Check out YouTube and do the same searches there. This way you can see the hypnotist in action. Is the hypnotist a family-friendly entertainer at all times or does he alter his act to accomodate the client. There are many adult hypnotists shows out there. Is this what you want or do you want to take a chance on an adult entertainer toning down the show to accomodate students. Many hypnotist do this very well but again many push the envelope beyond good taste.
Call the hypnotist. You can get a better feeling for this person with a real converstaion rather than through email. Ask questions, a lot of questions. Ask about their experience, their training and the specifics about the show. Most people don't realize that a hypnotist does not need any formal training or license. And a hypnotist with a degree in psycology may not be the right choice either. Many hypnotist call themselves "master hypnotists". There really is no such designation. Other say they are a "certified hypnotherapist". The hypnotist can easily be qualified as such just by buying a lot of books or tapes from some of the organizations that hypnotist belong to. Ask for these answers. Other hypnotist will tell you they have 'many' numbers of years experience and they are only in their early 20s. The good entertainers, and that's what we are entertainers, will have a comfortable combination of study and actual stage experience. And don't forget to call for referrals from past shows.
These are some of the ways you can almost guarantee a qualified entertainer for your event. I will say this, and this is not a popular staement amoung hypnotists, but is the truth: there are a lot of hacks out there. These are the ones that promise the moon. But remember a hypnotist is like a tour guide, we take you places into your imagination. We are not the stars of the show, your volunteers are. And they should be treated as such.
To close this, let me try and answer the question that is usually first on eberyone's mind. How much should a show cost? Prices like everything, has its ranges. What is a fair price in New England may be too expensive in Florida. Some hypntist charge very little and others will blow you away with their fee. Weigh the value you will get with the fee charged. If the hypnotist comes very highly recommended and has worked a lot or has lots of practical experience, you can be sure the fee you are paying is fair. I know, I evaded the question. You want a dollar amount... a show could cost a little as a few hundred dollars or a show could cost a few thousand dollars. The fee is uaually based on the show itself. How many people will be attending the event, what kind of event is it (a sweet sixteen party or a major fundraiser), where and when will the event be held and how long a show do you want. These are only a few factors.
Enjoy your show, laugh at the antics of your friends as they volunteer, and remember most of us do a great job. That's why we are in the business and why we have been doing it consistantly throughout the years.
Please go to http://knol.google.com/k/steve-wronker/how-to-hire-a-stage-hypnotist/3v7xpib0ho2uj/1#1 and write a review if you agree with my comments.
Here's hoping I have the pleasure of entertaining you soon.
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