I am very touched, humbled and gracious.

This last weekend was a very busy one for me. A quick summary would be:

3 days, 2 shows, 2010 driving miles through 7 states, 2 audiobooks, 7 podcasts, 1 rental car, 1 lost wallet (later found), and a return to home when it was all done.

My last program was in Yankton, South Dakota, which I am finding has many connections with my own town of Mora, MN.

Last night, as I laid in bed, I checked me email one more time, and was reminded just one more time why there even IS a DonB! Ministries. Here is the email, with the identity of the writer protected (typos have been left intact):

MESSAGE:
Don came to Calvary Baptist Church in Yamkton on April 25th 2010...I have been going through a really hard time over the last year and drifted away from church. On April 19 2010 my dad passed away and I slipped into a huge state of anxiety and depression. I came to church for the first time in like a year on the 25th and heard Don was gonna be there that night so i decided to go. For the first time since my dad ended up in ICU and on life support then passed away, i laughed and had a real smile. i was able to focus on the things I do have like God. I just wanted him to know how greatful i am that he came right when he did. in my mind it was a God thing. I needed that. I was ready to give up on life and throw everything away. after Don preformed at the church...i felt like it was okay to be happy. my dad would not want me to give up and i may not have my earthly father any longer...he is my gurdian angel now. but i still have my heavenly father...Don helped me realize that with God I can heal...so thanks Don. You helped give me back the hope that i thought i had lost and could never get back. in time i know i will heal and it will get eaiser and giving up is not an option.

I was absolutely touched and humbled. I simply responded to her:

XXXXXXX,

You have no idea how much you have now blessed me.

Making people laugh is the strange gift that God has blessed me with, and I know that God has put me in the right place at the right time on many occasions. Your comments mean more to me than anything else.

If you were blessed by my program, please give God all the glory. His mercies endure forever.

With great love and thanks,

Don Bursell
DonB! Ministries

Some ministries seem "big", and some seem small. I'm simply thankful that God has put me where He has, when He has. And for this young lady, "He who began a good work in you, will see it through to completion". Philippians 1:6

Humbled,

DonB!

DonB! creates in another direction

My brother, Bob, plays in a band named "Juan Roberto and the Bubble Bakery Orchestra". For an upcoming show they are doing, I created a poster, basing the design on one of their songs, "Tightrope Dancer".

Another piece that I put together was the opening splash page of their website, using floating bubbles (you'll have to go to their website to see the floating bubbles effect).

Check out their music and schedule www.juanrobertobbo.com

It has been fun creating new things, and learning more about Photoshop and Illustrator at the same time.

And now, off to tour for a month with Harris III, EverLife, and the show, "Sens de Vie". See you on tour.

DonB!

Kidz Blazt 2010

Kidz Blazt 2010 is a conference of kids and leaders from Wisconsin and Northern Michigan, all gathered together at the Kalahari Water Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. They spent the weekend playing at the waterpark, but they also attended classes that can help each of them be more bold in their faith. The theme was "Rock the World", and those kids were-a-rockin!!!

I had the opportunity to perform and speak during the three large sessions, and here are a couple of videos that one of the leaders (known as "flossindaflava") posted from the conference.

First, the unicycle:

And here is the plate spinning:

I had a blast, but can you tell from the video clips that I was having fairly bad asthma

problems during both routines?

Life is good though. No complaints from me.

DonB!

The Great Audience in Detroit Lakes, MN

Here is the great audience I had last night in Detroit Lakes, MN., at Community Alliance Church. It is funny how mellow they all went when I snapped this.

Earlier in the day I did an assembly for the 1st-5th graders at Roosevelt Elementary School, and they were great also.

Thank you to Connie Johnson for arranging both programs in the same day. Plus, her son rides a unicycle! How cool is that?!?!

See if you can find yourself in the picture...

Don

It's Such Great Frosting

James 4:14

Last week, at Camp Lebanon in Minnesota, I did two shows, both of which were very high energy, and the audience is what I would call a "perfect" one. Kids and adults, all laughing REALLY hard. Feeding off of the frenzy, I used my absolute best improvisational skills to add lines here and there, try out funny moves, etc. Both shows were "perfect" shows for me.

Right after the 2nd show, while packing my sound equipment up in the sound booth, the 2 guys up there asked me the question I get quite often: "We were trying to figure it out: Do you mind us asking how old you are?"

I said I would tell them, but only if they tell me how old they THINK I am, along with any interesting reasons why they came up with that guess.

He answered simply, "By watching you and listening to you, you've had so many amazing experiences already in your life, it forces me to guess that you must be at least 50. Maybe even 55?"

I loved his reasoning, and told him that I was 44.

Later when I thought about it, I realized that he was indeed correct.

My time spent with circus travels, 3 years at Disneyland, 2 years of school tour performing that took Deb & I through 42 of the United States, and working cruise ships alongside many HUGE names in the music industry. I've flown on a flying trapeze, walked a tight wire 30 feet off the ground and rode my unicycle in the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf of Mexico. I became a Christian in 1985 and have shared the Gospel in at least 5000 shows since then. I've been to Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, Bahamas, Ukraine, India, England, Germany and Amsterdam.

I actually have more friends OUTSIDE of Minnesota than I do INSIDE my home state. And the "inside" group is pretty big.

All of this before my 40th birthday!

I remember commenting to my wife, when I was about 40, that I felt that I had done so much in my life already, that if I were to die tomorrow, I could do so very happy. Very "complete" and very fulfilled. I remember also saying that "everything from here on out is really just frosting on the cake."

Well I have to admit, the frosting is really, really good. Here are some things I've done since turning 40:

More cruise ships, huge music festivals, multiple tours with other performers, including the "Sens de Vie" Shows twice and the L.O.L. tour with my 2 buddies, Randy & Ben Christensen. I've spoken and performed at national conferences, as well as taught on Wednesday nights to the 1st-4th graders at my home church.

I have taught myself how to use PhotoShop and InDesign (two HUGE computer programs). I continue to add new routines to my shows. I still read at least 30-60 minutes every day from books in my library (origami boxes, circus history, magic history, magic tricks and routines, Christian topics, the Bible, promotional materials, graphic arts, old movies).

I've watched our 2 kids grow up way too fast (something I wish WOULD slow down). Point: Our little curly-haired Deanna, goes to test for her driver's license on Monday. Wait a minute: little kids are not supposed to drive!!!

I remember, as I was growing up, always looking for that one experience that would make my life "complete,", or convince me that I had "made it". I realize now that it was ALL of those little details that have made my life complete. Not just one of those things. All of them together.

It's pretty incredible that the "cake" that made up the first 40 years of my life was so amazing, but I have to say, the frosting is even better. I get to enjoy it for the next 40+ years, and I can only imagine what is still in store. What will I have with my frosting?

Something to think about: What are you doing? Where are you at? Are you still mixing ingredients? Are you enjoying the cake? Are you savoring the great frosting?

Because it really is GREAT FROSTING!

DonB!

Matthew 6: 19-21

-

New artwork for DonB!

I have been experimenting with some new artwork to be used within DonB! Ministries, and here is one of the first trials:

The plan is to have pictures available after each program. Kids, and adults, can take them, color them, cut them up, and do any artistic treatment to it. They can them send it to me in the mail or over the internet, and I will draw from the returned ones, awarding some free DVDs or DonB! t-shirts to the winners.

The unicycle one is next, followed by the juggling one, and then a plate-spinning one. However, each one can take up to 4 hours to complete, so it may be a while between the completion of each one.

Alright, copy this to your computer, and color it. Send it to me. The 5th one I get back will get one of my DonB! T-Shirts as well as my new "illusions!" magic DVD.

DonB!

UPDATE (1-26-2010): Here is the next one, and please, no Herman Munster jokes.

New Sens de Vie video is Online

After selling out the entire tour in the Fall of 2009, we are doing it again in 2010: We are touring with the "Sens de Vie" show across the United States.

The new video has been posted, and you can see it HERE.

Enjoy the video, and then entertain the idea of having "Sens de Vie" perform in YOUR CITY.

DonB!

Oh, I saw you on TV last night

Last night, on our way to California, we were interviewed on the news regarding our travels.

Here is the link to the video:

http://www.kare11.com/video/default.aspx#/Local/Delta+already+canceling+Thursday+flights+at+MSP/48173211001/48322959001/58898377001

DonB! "illusions!" DVD released

Well, it wasn't finished in time for Christmas, but it is done.

My second DVD, titled "illusions!" is ready for purchase.

On the DVD I perform, and then teach, 15 really good magic tricks. All of the tricks can be performed with things found around your house, such as paperclips, dollar bills, paper cups, paper, paper cups, communion cups, a piece of rope, a ping-pong ball, rubber bands, envelopes and playing cards or pictures.

I also have a trick that has been hiding in multiple books for years, titled "Ticket to Heaven", which is a simple object lesson that anyone (and I mean anyone!) can perform, either with words or to music.

If you click on this LINK, and click on the ROTATE button at the top of the screen, you can view the contents inside, plus see the wonderful artwork (thank you Photoshop).

The DVD is only $10.00 plus shipping. If you order more than one copy, the site will automatically calculate shipping discounts.

Once you get your copy, please let me know what you think, or what you'd like to see on the next one. I value your feedback on anything I do, so don't hesitate to let me know your thoughts.

Also, watch this newsletter for the release of my origami DVD, expected by March 1st. It covers basic-intermediate origami, some utilizing dollar bills (great for tips at a restaurant).

Click HERE to order "illusions!", or if you would like to order the JUGGLING DVD (including 3 really nice juggling scarves) I released last year, you can order that from my website by clicking HERE.

To everyone that finds this newsletter, have a very merry Christmas.

DonB!

James 4:14

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. -James 4:14

How short and precious life really is.

Yesterday I saw an email that made reference to a small plane crash just outside of Tampa. Within the article I saw a name that I knew, and my heart sank.

Dave Berman was my juggling instructor in Clown College, as well as a friend for many more years following my circus days. He was a full-time performer for many years, and then decided to settle into Sarasota, Florida, as a UPS driver. Some years back he took up flying, and purchased a small plane, flying it successfully many times.

Witnesses said they heard sputtering as the plane was taking off yesterday, and the plane then nosedived to the ground, flipping onto its top. When rescuers arrived on the scene, both people in the plane were pronounced dead. Dave was only a couple of years older than me.

-------------

Life is short.

Eternity is forever. I rest, knowing that my friend, Dave, knew Christ personally, and is sitting with him this day. In peace.

Please pray for Dave's wife, Nancy, as well the rest of his family at this time. I cannot imagine what they are going through.

Thanks for sharing with me,

Don

DonB! appears in Everlife video

Alright, it's not an official video, but one that they recorded on the last tour. I appear for a moment, making a comment about Sarah getting cut in half during rehearsals

Click HERE to see it.

DonB!

Home after touring, but only for a few days

Recently I've had the opportunity to perform with two of my favorite illusionists. The first one is a friend that I made way back in 1989, when Debbie & I travelled with his illusion show, Toby Travis. Toby was in Minnesota performing in Lindstrom, and he invited me to perform some of my things in the shows. I had a great time, and was able to swap life stories with Toby once again.

After the programs (we did 2 of them) we looked through the comment cards, and I found 2 that mentioned me.

This one reads: "DonB - you're a dynamo!
The other one simply said:

I also have been traveling for the last 12 days with illusionist, Harris III, and his show, "Sens de Vie". As stated in a previous entry, there are 10 of us on the road for this tour. Harris, his wife, Katie, Beth (road manager), David (sound engineer), Adam (lighting engineer), the 3 girls from Everlife, their friend, Aaron, and myself.

On my last flight to meet them, I boarded the plane right behind actor, Hugh Grant. I had actually been talking with him in the terminal for 10 minutes before realizing who he was. I didn't want to hound him for a picture, so this is as good as it gets. I know, no photography awards for me.

I had some time while on tour to do a little sight seeing and geocaching, and while out running around, Adam & I found this place:

It is where Jimmy Buffet got his start as a college student playing music on campus. If you look in the lower tight hand corner you can see his name listed along with other greats that have performed at this club.

On the entire tour, we played to sold-out houses, and received very warm standing ovations at the end of every show.

My own personal moment is as all of us are introduced to run out onstage for our final bows, I get many loud whoops and hollers when I run out there. I love to know that the audience appreciates what I do in the show. Warm fuzzies...

Here is a strange picture I took of the Sawing in Half illusion sitting under the glowing red of the backstage lamps. This is one of my favorite illusions in the entire show. For the last 2 performances, Sarah, from Everlife, was the lady that was sawn in half. Neat integration of her into the illusion part of the show.

I'll finish up with some fun, random photos taken while on tour. Here they are...

Getting ready to go onstage and spin my plates. I set a new record: 16 plates broken in one show. That's a lot of trips to the Dollar Store.

Our second show took place in this auditorium. What you can barely see are the full extended bleachers on each side that were full about an hour after this picture was taken. They were a VERY excited crowd.

Amber, Julia and Sarah

Everlife

Katie Harris, playing Jazz Singer-like dress-up backstage during set-up.

Don, David & Adam, out geocaching on the campus of the college where we performed that night.

I leave you with some words of wisdom from 2 Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

DonB!

DonB! back on the road with "Sens de Vie" Show

I flew to Nashville last week, and arrived with 2 of my 3 suitcases. The other 2 arrived later that night and were delivered to us where we were rehearsing.

This tour is lead by illusionist Harris III. The music on the tour this time is Everlife, 3 sisters (Sarah, Julia, Amber) originally from Pennsylvania, now living in Nashville. Some of you may know them from a tour they did with the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus. They are really very talented, and their music can be found on iTunes and YouTube. Here they are doing sound check at rehearsals:

We were looking forward to taking out a new illusion, one we refer to as "Chateau", a play on the word "shadow". Now that we've performed it twice onstage, I really like it. I get to perform some basic hand shadows before the shadows begin transforming into Harris, the magician.

After 2 days of rehearsal and illusion building, the RV rig was loaded, and we headed out on the road.

On Sunday we drove to Moss Point, Mississippi, and loaded into a beautiful theatre there.

We did two shows, both of them completely sold out.

The next day, Katie Harris' dog, Tucker, was having problems with his eye. A quick stop at the vet resulted in eye medicine that turned his eye green, making him look like an evil one-green-eyed dog:

The only injury of the tour was during the 2nd show, when I made the mistake of trying to re-spin one of my spinning plates, but not noticing that it had a sharp chip on one side. I slit the tip of my right hand middle finger, so I finished the routine with my hand in a fist. I ran off stage and ran it under water, and then realized how deep it really was. I did not have it checked for stitches, but probably should have. Oh well.

On the way home we made a quick stop at Arby's and I took a group photo:

Me, Harris, Katie, Adam (lights), Beth (road manager) and Dave (sound tech)

Now we have 2 days off back here in Nashville, then a day of rehearsal, and back on the road again. Be sure to take a look at my website to see if/when I will be in your area of the country.

Until next time...

Come to OHIO and see DonB!

Here is the poster from Austintown Community Church, where I am performing this weekend:

If you are anywhere nearby, please come over, enjoy the food and catch one, or both, of the shows.

DonB!

DonB! at KidZ BlaZt 2010

Here is a LINK to the website promoting my performances at the Wisconsin/Northern Michigan District Assemblies of God kid's gathering at the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells February 26th & 27th.

Should be a great time performing and ministering to all the kids and families that will be there.

Plus, I might get a chance to play on all of the water slides. YES!

DonB!

Smart words from the cafeteria

It may seem strange that I would find inspirational words of wisdom at a museum, especially one as strange as Wisconsin's House on the Rock. But while I visited there last month with Ben & Randy Christensen, we took a few minutes to sit down and eat lunch in the public cafeteria. On each table throughout the room, sayings were carved into the tables, many of which I really enjoyed.

Here is one:

I love this one, maybe because I use it to justify my strange, but wonderful way of making a living.

Another saying that I've liked says, "Life doesn't consist in having what you want, but in wanting what you have". Here is one that goes alongside of that one:

It's not always about learning new things, but instead, figuring out ways to do the same old things with a new perspective. In the hard times of our economy, maybe one part of the solution isn't to change our circumstances, but to change our perspective on what we can do with what we already have.

Sometimes results come from personal sacrifice. If so, then this one makes complete sense:

Are we willing to pay the price of what it takes to accomplish great things in our lives? Or are we living in the age of "entitlement", where we should be allowed to have everything we want without the personal sacrifice it takes to reach those goals?

I am encouraged by what I have heard spoken lately from some teenagers. They are many times referred to as the "generation of entitlement", but I have heard quite a few of them talk or write about doing without, whether it is designer clothes, expensive hobbies, etc. To those teens I say, Right On! (How 80s is THAT saying?!?!?)

He was a smart man.

Over the years, another way that I have justified my performing for a living is by comparing myself to others that complain about their jobs, their bosses, their co-workers. And I've wondered, why not go out and find a job that you love? One that brings you some joy?

My work isn't all joy, but I sure do love it.

Kids have very active imaginations. They can be Superman today, and working with Legos on Mars tomorrow. Carl Sagan said this:

"Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were, but without it we go nowhere."

Carl probably had a great imagination, but I fear that it could have taken him to a world that he never dreamed of or was willing to acknowledge.

When I was young, people would watch me learning to ride my unicycle, and would say "those are impossible". It wasn't, and here is a confirmative quote about it:

To a 10-year-old, nothing is impossible. Obstacles are ONLY illusions.

Another "enjoy your work" quote is this one:

And finally, to all the critics that think adults don't have time to play games, or that a 16-hour work day is the only way to succeed, I give you this wonderful quote from T.S. Elliot:

And now, I'm going to waste some time cleaning up my office. And yes, due to all of the weird and fun things I know I might encounter in there, I will make the best attempt to enjoy it.

Have a great day.

DonB!

My good friend is a new Dad!

I want to tell everyone about the good news of one of my close friends.

His name is Mark Zubert (many of you know him already), and he and his wife, Erin, gave birth to Lincoln Beckett yesterday. Mom, Dad, brother Westin and new baby are all doing great.

To top it all off, today is Mark's birthday!!! A double hitter.

Congrats to the growing Zubert family.

Mark and Lincoln Zubert

Anyone want to attend a Photoshop Seminar with me?

On October 21st, I plan on attending a seminar at the Minneapolis Convention Center to learn more about Adobe Photoshop.

The seminar is all day, for $99, and even though it is geared toward CS4 users, all Photoshop people will learn an extensive amount from it.

You can see more about it HERE

If you want to go, let me know, and I'll see you there.

DonB!

DonB! Partial Itinerary

These are some confirmed dates so far:

Sept 16 - Faith Community Church - Hudson, WI (15th year in a row!)

Sept 19 - Private Party - Cambridge, MN

Sept 20th - First Free Church - Benson, MN

Oct 3, 4 - Michigan (strolling + 1 show)

Oct 9 - Ohio Outreach

Oct 10 - Lindstrom, MN with Toby Travis

Oct 18 - Sens de Vie - Tuscaloosa, AL

Oct 24 - Sens de Vie - Ashland, OH

Oct 25 - Sens de Vie - Pittsburgh, PA

Oct 27 - Greentree Church - Egg Harbor, NJ

Oct 31 - New Life Christian Center - Princeton, MN
Nov 6 - Sens de Vie - Ohio

Nov 12 - ForeverFriends - Wooddale Church - MN

So much in the works coming up: "Sens de Vie" tour, DonB! shows in 4 different states, 4 solid bookings for 2010, and a whole new year ahead of me. Isn't life grand?

DonB!

Article Online includes DonB!

I will be performing at Ashland University in October with illusionist, Harris III, and an article is online promoting the event. Click HERE to read it. It's a quick read.

DonB!