Stir every day to break up any lumps of cards.

Tip bowl of water (with the broken down paper pulp) onto the compost heap and include into your normal ‘Composting cycle’.

This is the best use I can think of for ‘playing cards’.

W W J D?

What Would Jason Do
(or in this case, suggest)?

Why would YOU give a tip to a ‘Street Performer’ (or anyone else for that matter)?

If you can identify 2 or 3 reasons WHY you might be tempted to give a tip, use these reasons to help you build your tips. Just to make sure we are all on the same page, “A Tip” is the gifting of money to (in this case) a Performer in appreciation of the work & effort they put into entertaining you.

So, the first thing I would say is; you HAVE to be Entertaining.
This is easier said than done. It is not the purpose here to define what is entertaining for either you or your audiences. But of course, you already knew this didn’t you.

Your Audience has to LIKE you. (see post above)
If they don’t like you – for whatever reason – they will ‘mentally deduct enjoyment points’ from your working material. It comes back to one of the ‘Truths’ in Performance, “If they like you, they’ll like your performance”. IF they don’t like you, they may still like your performance but they will (probably) not give you a tip.

You have to communicate with your audience about several things that have nothing to do with what you say in your ‘act’ or ‘show’
• That you have worked hard for your audience or SHOW that you have worked hard some time in the past by the demonstration of amazing skills or developed talents. ‘They’ will be less inclined to reward you if they don’t think that you have worked long & hard to polish your Show.
• That YOU WANT THEM to enjoy themselves and have a good time: the more they have enjoyed themselves, the more they may wish to think about ‘rewarding you’ for your time & effort.
• I believe that you must give them a reason to respect you, to appreciate you. The fact that you fell off your 6’ unicycle 6 times – thereby breaking 6 different major bones in your Body, tells them that – yes, you ARE stupid for not quitting earlier BUT you had the determination to ‘stick at it’! This could be a demonstration of a widely held and approved ‘Community Value’. “The Good Old College Try”, “Mom & Apple Pie”, “Honesty is the best Policy”.
• Make them understand something that you and they have in common. Shared Values is a good reason for someone to approve of you. If they APPROVE of you, they will probably LIKE you.
• Let them know that you are doing this for money (in whatever way works for you) AND that you would like them to show their appreciation of your work by making a donation. Take it one step further and tell them how they will feel “all warm & fuzzy” if they give you a big tip.

I don’t want to say too much more here because I am from a culture that is not really ‘into’ tipping. My experience is limited and my words are sage.

The only conclusion you could come to after reading this is to say: “decide for yourself & take your own situation into account!”

I feel that the ‘support’ a “Good relationship” with the Staff of a Magic Shop is a great comfort. I get given their ideas about what’s hot & what’s not, what suits me and might be within my technical capabilities & what would be a waste of money – for me.

-Matt =]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XOn9MI-9XQ