On April 25th, 2001, I had the privilege of making my unprecedented debut as a commentator on this wondrous conveyance you Mortals call 'radio.' Through the good offices of the Teachers' and Writers' Collaborative of New York, Inc., Nancy Larson Shapiro, Executive Director, and producer/supervisor Mr. Irwin Gonshak, your Dragonmaster made his remarks over WNYE-FM Radio here in New York, as part of the Collaborative's "Anything Goes!" series. The program originally aired on Tuesday afternoon, September 4th, 2001. One week later, of course, 9/11 changed the world forever. Even so, your Dragonmaster continues to realize that there may be many of you who may not have heard the programme for yourselves (and some of you who are connected here 'pon the Aether expressed similar wishes to me personally); and so, for that purpose, and the benefit of those of you who did miss the broadcast, 'tis me pleasure to present to you my hopefully inspirational thoughts on the subject of.......

"Why New York Needs Wizards"

reetings, Mortals! Now, if thou hast seen mine website of late, thou knowest by now that I, Blackwolf the Dragonmaster, Duke of Talisker --- Master Mage and Sorcerer in the Service of Her Majesty, Margaret, Queen of Scotland and the Isles --- often refer unto myself as "New York City's first and only Unofficial Wizard." Almost from the very moment that I materialized hither within thy wonderful Shire, some five years ago, Mortal-reckoning, a good many of you listening hither hath attempted to discover exactly why the Big Apple, as you so legendarily call this place, should have a Mage of its very own.

Well, before I answer that question, permit me to recall a certain recent incident which involved myself and my Mortal-born alter ego, Master Richard Washington [who, not so incidentally, also happens to be, among other things, my business manager, apprentice --- and my very best friend!].

'Twas late on a certain Monday during the Winter Solstice just now ended, when, having spent a considerably long day exploring the Aether --- or, as you Mortals more popularly call it, the Internet --- Master Richard prepared to make the journey back to his Upper Manhattan apartment (where also lies mine humble hovel). Regrettably, however, the lad did experience a slight degree of difficulty in terms of being permitted entry into New York's incredible subway system, of which I have heard so many wonderful stories! Forced to depend upon the kindness of total strangers, lest he make his journey back home on his own --- in the dark, mind you, and in 20-degree temperatures, no less! --- Richard was indeed allowed the said entry, despite hearing in the background one or two rather rude complaints about 'holding up the line' and some such.

Upon finally reaching his beloved domicile, young Master Richard then settled down peacefully, and began reading his copy of that chronicle you Mortals call the New York Daily News, which he had been carrying about his person for much of the day. And that is how he came to notice the following letter, as printed in that portion of the said chronicle bearing the designation 'Voice of the People': "Isn't anyone happy anymore? Why has the Voice of the People column become an obnoxious, cats-in-an-alley, nails-on-a-chalkboard, car-alarm-at-five-o'clock-in-the-morning (Where in thunder is that noise coming from?!) rant? Life is not all that bad, people. Sing a song, or something......"

Would that I could convince the author of that letter (whose comments, by the way, I very much approved of!) that indeed there might yet be a means whereby Happiness could be restored unto the City, County and State of New York! Alas, this being the year 2001, Mortal-reckoning, it has become increasingly apparent to this old beetlehead of a Wizard that New Yorkers, as a rule, and regardless of whether they cast their lot in the name of good or in the name of evil, share a common, albeit somewhat curable, affliction:

The environment wherein the common New Yorker dwells has been permeated over a 2000-year period by constant surfeits of cynicism, pessimism and just plain old everyday bad manners! Indeed, such incidents have plagued Mankind for far even more millenia than I myself would dare to count; frankly, I do not expect such traditions to change any time soon.

And yet, since I happen to be a charter member of that fraternity of do-gooders known as the Masters of Good Magic --- those would be the various Wizards, Witches, Warlocks, Mages and Sorcerers throught the Greater Multiverse who have devoted their lives --- and powers --- to fighting eternally for the virtues of Justice, Wisdom, Honor, Compassion, Loyalty and Mercy --- I have a vested interest in seeing to it that this wonderful City of yours is indeed rescued from the abyss of eternal doubt; and so, in an attempt to achieve that purpose, I have asked the goodly gentles of the Teachers' and Writers' Collaborative to allow me this time upon this incredible device you call radio, that I might address my thoughts with regard to answering the question: "Why does New York need Wizards?"

One of Master Richard's most favorite sayings (it's certainly one of mine as well!) reads as follows: "I've lived long enough to have learned that, no matter how nice you are, there will always be times when the world will find a way to break your heart --- but only if you let it do so. Never let it do so." I think --- and you must note that I am, after all, speaking strictly for myself at this point --- that New York should have someone who, among other things, can remind the populace of this kindly philosophy on a daily basis. Oh, 'tis true that such a person need not necessarily be of Mortal-born stock, but I would remind you goodly gentles that it was our own Exalted Brother, the wise, powerful and incredibly fabulous Merlin --- he who is sometimes called "the Father of all Mages" --- who regularly took on such baggage without so much as contemplating even the consequences of his every action.

Indeed, as King Arthur's staunchest, noblest ally, Merlin did his level best to symbolize the very conscience of Camelot. And that, I think, is what has separated us Wizards from you Mortals over the aeons: whereas we Wizards have long reminded ourselves each and every day of what our consciences represent for all of us, sadly, you Mortals have forgotten what your consciences represent. How else, then, do you explain that mindless garbage which you ever so often dismiss with the epithet "reality television"?

In a world where anything --- even, to some extent, Magecraft itself! --- can be exploited for personal gain, 'tis enough to case even this Mage to cringe in utter horror, especially when one considers the toll that such exploitations can often take upon our very spirits!

So canst thou provide another reason, I can sense thee asking, as to why there should be Wizards walking the pavements of New York?

Well, I remember young Master Richard making the rather frustrating error (as he is often wont to do) of taking on far too many projects for his various business affairs --- a situation best blamed 'pon the overwhelming obsession of the typical everyday New Yorker to keep up with the world's ever-quickening pace. Now, none of us need be Merlin, let alone possess his far-seeing powers --- or even his knack for knowing practically everything about present-day trivia --- to sense that we have reached a crossroads whereby, more often than not, we fail to keep an eye upon what is happening around us at all times.

Then again, of course, Merlin possessed those abilities in abundance!

Ironically, then --- and this may shock a few of my fellow Magic-users --- I am of the notion that there exists a source which has, in a similar vein, taken on Merlin's propensity for constant, non-stop knowledge. I refer in this instance to the all-local news cable network calling itself New York 1.

"New York 1? Now why in thunder would you dare suggest that New York 1 --- a harbinger of Mortals, of all places! --- should possess even the slightest hint of Merlin's magic?" I can sense thee asking. And, as usual, I am only too ready to offer thee mine answer.

Know you, then, that what hath afforded New York 1 such knowledge is the fact that it hath taken its cue from its 'big brother,' if you will (that, I believe, would be the Cable News Network, or, more simply, CNN). By presenting local, national and international news from the perspective of the average New Yorker, New York 1, in its nearly 20 years of existence, hath come quite close to doing the one thing we Wizards have spent centuries trying to accomplish, but could never really hope to do: New York 1, simply put, is this City's version of the Philosopher's Stone (or, as my distinguished colleagues at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry would refer to it, the Sorcerer's Stone); it transforms heat into light via its non-stop coverage of the day's news, and, in so doing, likewise transforms lead into gold!

Oh, you Mortals may laugh now, if you so choose, but I would ask thee to heed well the words of one of thy more popular eccentrics, one Dennis Miller by name: "These are merely mine own observations; if I have erred in making them, pray accept my humble apologies." English translation: "Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong."

Another of my reasons for the necessity of Wizardry hither in New York concerns another of these same aforemention'd eccentrics for which your mighty metropolis is quite legendary. His name was Henry J. Stern, and of old he served as steward of thy City's forests. Or, as you refer to him, he was what ye wouldst call the Parks Commissioner. I imagine that a considerable amount of stress does at times go with being Seneschal of..... er, how dost thou call it again? Oh yes, the New York City Parks Department. Anyway, in order to deviate from the apparent Sturm und Drang which accompanies ye aforenoted stress, Sir Henry, taking the knightly name of Starquest, reliev'd himself by dressing up in some of the most outlandish costumes that I have ever seen!

Why, each year, during our very own Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival --- which, by the way, it has been my pleasure to attend dressed in mine own full regalia for some eight years running (and, frankly, I can't wait to go for number nine! Huzzah!) --- this same Sir Henry hath dressed himself in the very trappings of Royalty. He does, I think, have quite a lot of work to do as far as improving his "King Henry" outfit goes; at least, the members of Whittier, California's own Guild of St. Olaf bother to take their costumes extremely seriously, often triple-checking if necessary to ensure that every last fragment of their own, sometimes self-constructed, regalia is in fact historically accurate.

This, of course, is not to state that those who attend our Medieval Festival do not triple-check their costumes for historical accuracy; I once suggested that Sir Henry follow the example of the St. Olaf Players, and dress himself as King Henry in a more befitting, more historically accurate costume. The Renaissance, I must own, has had a sizable amount of coverage on the History Channel; however, I think that if you are to become a proper part of the Renaissance, you should learn to dress though you were indeed an actual participant therein!

Having said thus, I hope that those of you who take part in, attend, and are otherwise involved in our Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival will provide a proper tribute one of these years to us Mages; given that we stand as the Shire's proverbial 'voices of reason and conscience,' I imagine that we are due for at least some form of recognition!

There is one final reason to make the case for our wizardly presence in this wondrous Realm where 'the Bronx is up, the Battery's down and the people ride in a hole in the ground;' and, sadly, that reason has its roots in a very simple truth: one never truly appreciates a good thing in New York until it is gone. Case in point: the stranger from Marysville, Kansas who, for a short time, was the very epitome of the true New York eccentric --- the composer, singer, poet, inventor, and occasional Viking warlord, Louis Thomas Hardin, also known as Moondog. In 1999, these Dark Chambers joined the rest of the avant-garde classical music community in mourning Moondog's passing, at the age of 83, in his adopted country of Germany.

He had settled there, in the tiny village of Recklinghausen, in late 1974, after having spent over 20 years standing on the corner of 53rd Street and Avenue of the Americas in Midtown Manhattan, selling his own recordings, poetry and other works. Though he was classified as being legally blind, the heavily-bearded Moondog made his name by mingling unexpectedly with some of the greatest Mortals in New York's celebrated legerdemain --- from Marlon Brando to Allen Ginsburg.....and even sitting in, during his first years spent hither in this City, with our own renowned New York Philharmonic!

During his years in Recklinghausen, Moondog first encountered the woman with whom he would spend the rest of his life: Ilona Goebel. Working as his business manager/translator, Ilona eventually coaxed Moondog into abandoning his trademark Viking costume, along with his trusty spear. From then on, he continued his composing-performing career --- and never looked back!

Moondog's last known public appearance occurred in Stuttgart, in the late summer of 1994, when he staged a 30-minute recital devoted solely to some of his finest compostions, as part of the annual Stuttgart International Jazz Festival. At the time of his passing a little over 4 1/2 years later, his New York Times obituary made reference to a then unpublished biography of Hardin, The Viking of Sixth Avenue, which, fortunately, has since, after some time, been made available to ye general publicke. I myself have since had the chance to read said tome; and it does me heart good that we can now discover Moondog's full story for ourselves, with a view toward exploring the Hardinian Valhalla in greater and more extended depth.

Well, Mortals, there you have it --- New York 1, Parks Commissioner Henry J. Stern, and the late composer Louis (Moondog) Hardin: three examples of why I believe that New York City is in desperate need of Wizardry. You see, these three entities have, in their own ways, symbolized the unique qualities of wonder that Imagination and Magic can sometimes accomplish when both are realized to their fullest potential. This is especially true whenever a child --- or perhaps a young adult --- decides that it is worth it to simply take matters into his or her own hands, and follow his or her own special star. Granted, there may yet be other reasons for the necessity of Magecraft hither in this unusual Metropolis; but in the end, if one were to learn, as that Daily News 'Voicer' had hoped, to sing a song; or take in the peace and comfort of our City's forests; or simply revel in the company of friends...... then maybe, just maybe, New York could indeed be free of the pessimism, the cynicism, and the bad manners which have plagued it so constantly for lo, these many aeons.

Still, I believe that --- and here, I speak as both a New Yorker and as a Wizard --- there are those who will likely wonder if indeed New York can be rescued from all its cynics, its pessimists, and its naughty people. Well, in a larger sense, that is why I am here: to make certain that New Yorkers do not abandon their imaginations, as another of my colleagues, the brilliant author/artist Tony DiTerlizzi, reminds us in his two children's books (I've personally looked through them both; and find them very imaginative indeed!); to inspire those with forward-thinking hearts to to believe in something far greater than themselves --- and, in accordance with mine own nom de plume (Heh-heh!) to remind at least one or two of ye out thither --- who are into noble Quests, Renaissance Faires and Festivals, and the like --- to only support (and believe in) the Good Dragons of the Multiverse.

Ah yes, 4987 years old I may be, but I'm a wise enough Mage to understand and speculate upon the destiny of New York's Mortalfolk. The problem is simply that there ought to be someone who, at least unofficially, should stand up and tell this town what to go and do with itself. And since no one is apparently around to assume that mantle and take up the challenge, old Blackwolf figured..... well, as you Mortals so bluntly put it, if ye want something done, go do it yourself.

That said, know ye this, Mortals of New York: thou and I art stuck with one another; and accordingly, as your Unofficial Wizard, I shall continue to do my level best to keep thee each and all upon ye straight and narrow. This, of course, is where I believe every Mortal belongs. And anyway, with our valiant Sir Rudolph scheduled a few months from hence to vacate that castle known by ye as Gracie Mansion (that, if my memory serves me correctly, would in fact be this coming New Year's Eve), well, someone's got to replace him as a major voice hither in thy noble Shire --- at least, in a strictly non-political manner.

And that, hopefully, is where I come in. Oh, I'm sure that I won't be making the history books any time soon (well, at least those that truly matter, anyway! Heh-heh!), but I will say that if I can contribute in some small, albeit unsung fashion, towards increasing New York's continued prosperity, then I'm a happy Wizard, truth be told. Even if, at times, I end up getting the funniest looks from all my fellow New Yorkers ..... well, one must expect, and ultimately put up with, such things. Besides, hast thou truly seen a Mage of mine abilities and capabilities before? I think not! Hopefully, in the end, I trust that you will find me to become a very quick and most eager student.

Oh yes, we have much to teach one another, you and I. I'm sure that none of you have ever been known to keep a Dragon in thy bathtub wherever you are out thither; but please be aware that indeed there are Good Dragons in our Multiverse in general; and in ye Big Apple in particular. And even though ye may not be able to see them (unless of course you are deep in the Realm of Dreams!), chances are, they might be watching you! And listening, too!

Speaking of listening, I would be remiss if I did not take a few moments to explain to you about a few of the goodly gentles to whom I have referred over the course of these remarks --- starting with the Guild of St. Olaf. As I mentioned earlier, the St. Olaf Players take their costumes extremely seriously, triple-checking them whenever necessary for historical accuracy, and never failing to entertain their loyal subjects throughout the Realms of Southern California, as well as educating them about the Renaissance; the First Elizabethan Era (I refer, of course, to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth I!); and the rest of the Royal Courts of Europe during the 14th through 17th Centuries, Mortal-reckoning. And, naturally, I have found a noble friend and occasional "pen pal," as the Mundaners call such people, in His Majesty, King Johannes III Gustavus Vasa of Sweden --- also known as Ole Olausson, the Guild's wise and venerable Founding Guildmaster.

[Incidentally, 'twas from His Swedish Majesty, by way of Sir Ole, that I first began picking up something the Mortals in that particular Kingdom refer to as "Hollywood savvy"; ironically, I possess not that essential 'cool element', the cellular telephone. I guess I still have much to learn as far as completely understanding the virtues of modern technology is concerned! (Heh-heh!)] Nonetheless, I am certain that the King of Sweden and his Court would enjoy hearing from thee; and if thou so desirest to communicate in said manner, pray, contact them by writing to His Swedish Majesty at his Royal Manor House, 11423 Miller Road, Whittier, CA 90604. Ye might also wish to reach the St. Olaf Players 'pon ye Aether, at www.guild-of-st-olaf.com.

Then, of course, you have others amongst my dear friends and conspirators: the former Knights of the Heights, for example. They are, of course, the ones without whom 'twould be impossible to put together our annual Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival each September; as I have told ye many times through these years, I have never missed out on the chance to be part of the festivities, and I don't mean to do so in 2001, either! Anyway, Eileen Merle-Rao is the beautiful maiden who coordinates our single-day Feast; and ye may reach her by contacting the Washington Heights/Inwood Development Corporation, 57 Wadsworth Avenue, New York, NY 10033; or by e-mailing Milady at songbird@uptownwench.com; or else, by giving her or her colleague Rose a call at (212) 795-1600.

One last hello, before I forget, to Their Majesties, High King (HojKonung) Rohan Lochlann and Queen Guinevere Lochlann of the Empire of Ironthorn, with whom I hope (next year) to spend the weekend. They, and their predecessors, King Alphonse d'Orleans and Queen Rhiannon MacLochlainn, have provided much wisdom and counsel, not only to myself, but to Master Richard as well; and for that, I shall always be grateful unto them. If ye would seek to know more of their further good deeds, please contact Their Majesties of Ironthorn at Royal Palace Headquarters, 4042 Lunns Store Road, Lewisburg, TN 37091; or e-mail the HojKonung at writer1001@hotmail.com. The Empire may itself be found 'pon ye Aether, the address thither being www.angelfire.com/yt/Ironthorn/.

But you know, methinks that I have talked enough for now, as the realm of radio does not allow even a Wizard to ramble on for all time. So, before I take my leave of thee, let me invite ye to explore mine own humble homepage 'pon ye Aether. Thou shalt access my Dark Chambers at www.geocities.com/blackbeardian/Magecraft/bwolfmain2.html --- or, better still, ye may wish to e-mail me, at either electric_pirates@hotmail.com or blackbeardian@yahoo.com.

And now, if you'll all kindly excuse me, I must away to mine humble hovel, that I might yet partake of a well-earn'd nap. (We Wizards need our sleep, too, you know! [Yawn!]) And so, for the Teachers' and Writers' Collaborative, this is Blackwolf the Dragonmaster, New York City's first and only Unofficial Wizard, speaking on behalf of my director and engineer, Sir Thomas of Ronan; and bidding thee farewell, each and all!

Well, Mortals, I hope you enjoyed this (slightly semi-updated)transcript of Why New York Needs Wizards. I had a lot of fun working on it; and I'm sure it was inspiring enough to remind some of ye out thither to re-awaken the Wizard in thine own secret heart! Anyway, if you wish to obtain any further information regarding the Teachers' & Writers' Collaborative, please consult their homepage, as shown above. If you prefer, you may e-mail them at info@twc.org; or write to them at 5 Union Square West, New York, NY 10003. You may also phone them at (212) 691-6590, or give them a toll-free call at 1-888-BOOKSTW.