My story starts off rather simple, but the ending to how I got here is truly once in a lifetime.
I found theory11 from browsing YouTube. My brother showed me the 21 card trick and he wouldn't tell me how he did it. I looked up "21 card magic trick" and it brought me to some David Blaine videos and the This 'n That trick oddly enough. I didn't find any tutorials for the 21 card trick, but then I found the "Theory11 Beginner" video featuring a bunch of early theory11 artists. I was intrigued and typed in theory11.com in the search bar. On the front page was the new Andthensome DVD by the Bucks. It then led me to the Trilogy. I wanted this combo set for a while but knew it was too difficult for me. I then found the Forums page and saw a bunch of magicians talking to each other and helping each other out. I signed up and started asking questions. Ever since the release of the Andthensome DVD I was just there on the forums talking to people.
Here is where it gets crazy:
In 2010, theory11 uploaded a video titled "Theory11 reLOADED". A new theory11 was emerging, and they announced that something big was coming. They launched the Riddle-Scavenger Hunt contest; each solved riddle leading to newer clues as to what the releases were. I stayed up every night solving riddles. Asking my parents, my brother, all of them were helping me out in solving these riddles. Most of them I solved on my own, but the experience was racing faster and faster. The last riddle was to look at all previous riddle pages to find a secret email. The first few people who found the hidden email address and emailed their mailing address was going to be sent something exclusive. Little did I know that the first person was going to receive something in addition. I searched and searched each page until I found it. I was looking at the image the wrong way and missed the email several times. I looked directly up at the screen and saw it staring in my face. Pure genius.
I emailed them my mailing address immediately. And waited. They announced something was going to happen at 11PM on August 2nd. I waited on the website, and was Skyping with Zach Mueller. nothing happened at 11, until my doorbell rang. Zach smiled and said "You should go answer that". My heart was racing. I quickly left my chair and raced to the door. I opened it, and saw a package laying in front of the doorsteps. No one was around. Not a breathing soul. This seriously freaked me out. I grabbed it and ran to the street, trying to look for someone. Nothing. I ran inside and opened it up to find a book, along with a "Cerca Trova Official Notice" letter. This was insane. I read the letter to find that I was holding the first deck of Sentinels ever made. The deck was hidden in the book, pages cutout in the shape of the deck to hold it snug inside. This was probably the coolest yet freakiest nights of my life.
I didn't show anyone what I received until after the day of the launch. I felt like I was a part of the team. Keeping things top secret and having something no one else had. I immediately went to the forums and boosted my activity. I felt that if they went out of their way to do this for me, I should be more active. I posted more, helping people any chance I could, and i was always positive. Over the course of the next month, JB sent me a PM. He told me that the team wanted me to be a moderator for the forums. I said yes immediately. I felt as if I was something important to this community. Even if it wasn't a big "job", it was truly amazing to see myself be apart of a website that I've grown up with.
A few months later, JB emails me again. This time, he wants me to be a part of the official theory11 team. This not only included forum moderation, but many other things as well. Working on new projects, ideas, Customer Support, etc. This has changed my life in so many ways and I am truly thankful for everything that has happened to me since being apart of theory11. It gave me something to hope for while I was in a dark place.
If theory11 hadn't put up the Scavenger Hunt Contest, I wouldn't be standing up in this position that I represent now. It's awesome what little things can change your life in an instant, and it's something I will never, ever forget in my whole entire life.
That, my friends, is my theory11 story.
