# The first 3 times Kenpo made you said WOW...



## ikenpo (Jun 27, 2002)

It's easy enough to tell about the first time you saw or felt someone do some thing in Kenpo and it made you say wow, but tell us (briefly) about the first 3 times.

Here are mine...

1) In 1987, as a white belt I saw Mr. Schmidt do a Kenpo demo at the NCKKA annual banquet. About 10 people came running in from the back and surrounded him and it was my first look at a demo with multiple people getting worked over....Back then he was bigger then life to me and I was like WOW!!!

2) The first time I saw Mr. Parker move on tape. He was sitting and explaining a principle and then broke into an inward block and a few other hand movements and I was like...WOW!!! Then I rewound it and looked at it again to see if I saw what I thought I saw....

3) In 1999 when I got to hang with Mr. C. We were in my room in the Ritz Carlton in Phx and I asked him about the video I saw and how SGM could move so fast. I asked him to show me. It was the first time I saw and felt the RIP face to face...WOW!!!


My meeting with Dr. Chapel and the first time I saw Paul Mills on video tape get honorable mention...they came later, but the feeling was still WOW!!!!

jb:asian:


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## Kirk (Jun 27, 2002)

KEWL JB!  Great tales!  So far, my wows have been when 
learning a tech, and how brutal some of them are.  Then after
Huk's seminar, big wow there!  That's about it so far.  Mr Parker
Jr's this saturday, maybe I'll get another one!


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## Scott Bonner (Jun 27, 2002)

My first seminar time with Mr. Planas was a "wow" moment as well.  And maybe my second and third.


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## pineapple head (Jun 27, 2002)

My taster session with Mr. Grihault 2 years ago , after 5 minutes that was my fisrt WOW of Kenpo.
Still 'WOWING' today.


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## jfarnsworth (Jun 27, 2002)

1.  Mid May 1994, I saw my first kenpo class and made the transition about 2 weeks later from previous instructor to new one.

2.  Oct. 2000, my first seminar with Mr. Planas that ended up being 7hrs. long and we covered only 6 techniques and I decided I barely knew kenpo.

3.  April 2002, My first seminar with Mr. Conatser then I really found out that I knew even less about the kenpo system & actually wanted to leave my belt behind. (chuckle)

Well that's it in a nutshell (I guess).
Jason Farnsworth


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## satans.barber (Jun 27, 2002)

I think the first time was probably on my very first lesson, me and Dave crept though the door in our jogging bottoms and sneaked away to one end of the hall, and were unsure of what to expect. Some of the higher belts were working over a few techniques and I think we both realised we'd found something special, and weren't going to be stood in neat lines punching thin air all night...

Second time was probably the first time Phil came up for a grading and seminar. At the seminar, after working with us for 50 minutes or so, he and Glen (my sensei) demonstrated a lot of higher belt techniques at full speed, and then slower with explanations. That was the first time I'd seen two senior belts (I think Glen was a 1st Dan and Phil a 5th Dan at that time) showing kenpo the way it should be, rather than the way we could do it as we were just starting out.

The last time was probably when I watched Paul Mills in that little inwards block video at the AKKI site...

(http://www.akki.com/_videos/vidclip280/mov00280.mpg)

...I realised that the proper application of principles, coupled with very little actual exertion can still lead to a devastating effect.

Ian.


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## Goldendragon7 (Jun 28, 2002)

It was my very first lesson...... I was so excited about learning this stuff that I could hardly stand it.  (seems so silly now but back then I was really excited)

The second time  was when I finally hit a guy with a reverse punch at the Long Beach Internationals, I  said WOW I did it.... Yo Adrian!

Last I can remember was breaking a 2" x 4" x 8' with an inward strike, man that was a difficult break I said ....... never again.:rofl: 

:asian:


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## Seig (Jun 28, 2002)

1.) The first time I saw Long 4 done.
2.) The day I first picked up I.I. Vol 1
3.) Every day


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## brianhunter (Jun 28, 2002)

I havent been around that long so my experiences might not be as exciting.......


The first was when my brother made me watch this "Perfect Weapon" movie and told me that they actually teach that stuff at a school.

My second would be walking in to a class one night and seeing Tom Kelly doing a technique and being amazed at his speed for being a mountain of a man.

My Third would be actually learning delayed sword it was great! I finally had some Kenpo of my own that nobody could take away from me


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## tonbo (Jun 28, 2002)

My three "WOW" moments:

1)  My first lesson, taught by a 4th Black.  I was completely amazed at what I saw, and was hooked from there on out.

2)  When I put myself into perspective in the art:  I had just gotten my green belt, and was doing some student instructing.  In a moment of self-doubt, I went and watched some white belts in class, and was amazed how far I had come.  Then I watched a Black Belt class a few nights later, and was even MORE amazed at how far I still had to go..... 

3)  Every class period, demo, seminar, and practice session (impromptu or planned) since my first class.  There has never been a *one* of those that I haven't walked out with something new, no matter how small.

I would actually add a fourth:

4)  Any time one of the advanced Black Belts I talk to shows me something new or corrects something I am doing.  I see the application, and it never fails to amaze.

Pretty much, I think that it's a simple math equation:

Kenpo = "WOW"..... 

Peace--


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## donald (Jun 28, 2002)

1st one was observing  brown belt test as an yellow belt. Watching my instructors just exploding into their techs, and through the ukes.

2nd one was the first time I watched Mr.Tatum on tape,
(Walls of Defense) going through a self defense demo on two of his instructors.

3rd one was at a seminar featuring Mr.Palanzo in about "86".
I was amazed at not only his command of the art, but his self deprecating attitude. He truly impressed me.

Salute :asian:


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## satans.barber (Jun 28, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Goldendragon7 _
> 
> *
> 
> ...



Dennis, you're mad! I'm surprised you didn't break your hand!

Respect for going thought it though!

Ian.


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## Goldendragon7 (Jun 28, 2002)

it wasn't my hand but right forarm.  Inward Block.  I nearly did break my arm.  The person swinging the board tilted it a bit on the first pass so the edge of the board hit my arm..... it cracked but didn't totally break..... the second attempt broke it.

My entire forarm was "BLACK" for 2 weeks.

thats why.......... never again....... too close for comfort.... but when you are young and dumb....... hee hee you do silly things.

 :asian:


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## Quinn-child (Jun 28, 2002)

Heh, okay.
1) My first one had to be at one of my very first lessons after I got my yellow stripe, when my instructor was showing us a blue belt technique, and he showed us how it worked and he did it with all this flow and it looked absolutely perfect.
2) My second Wow was probably when my instructor was telling my mother, two friends of ours and me about the seminar Mr. Parker is holding tomorrow (Saturday June 29) and he showed us a takedown that involved a pressure point.  I was down on the ground before I knew it and it made the left side of my body numb for three minutes. 
:shrug: 
I'm still waiting for the third, though there are lots of things I could put for my third.  I'm hoping one will show up tomorrow  

Oos - 
Quinn


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## OZman (Jun 28, 2002)

Mine were these.

1) The first time I saw Mr. Parker blew my mind he was big, he was tall, and he was FAST, and he hit very, very hard, with such small movements. I kept thinking, there's no way it should hurt this much. I had a hand print on my chest the next day.

2) The first time I took lessons from Dennis Conatser was an unintentional lesson, I sparred Mr. C when he was in Australia. I am very short with very stocky legs, and few have been able to disrupt my center of gravity, I was sparring away and holding my own, (so I thought), a couple of seconds later; I was looking up at him from the floor thinking "Where did that come from". For a second I actually thought I had fallen over my own feet, a thought that was dispelled quickly by reality.

3) I had always heard that Kenpo was a slap art. I was working out with Mr. Speakman and he performed Leaping Crane, and was trying to be nice and slapped me across the kidney......WOW is the edited version of what came out of my mouth, last time I ever let anyone say Kenpo is just a slap art.

All privileges, all amazing, all painful.


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## Kirk (Jun 29, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Quinn-child _
> 
> *Heh, okay.
> 1) My first one had to be at one of my very first lessons after I got my yellow stripe, when my instructor was showing us a blue belt technique, and he showed us how it worked and he did it with all this flow and it looked absolutely perfect.
> ...



Quinn, introduce yourself tomorrow ... I'll be the largest orange
belt there


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## Kalicombat (Jun 29, 2002)

My first Wow from kenpo came when I saw the Kenpo Crest on a store front in Corpus Christi and made a U turn so I could get in there as fast as I could. I saw Mr. Greg Hilderbrand going over yellow belt techniques, full tilt, and was amazed at what I saw.

My second wow came when I attended Mr. Duffy's Spirit camp in 1999 and got to meet Mr. C for the first time. That camp was a great experience, I got to meet a great friend you all know as JBKENPO, Mr. C, and alot of other kenpo seniors.

My third WOW came when I attended Mr. C's IKKO camp in April of this year. I saw kenpo the way Mr. C teaches it. I met alot of great people, OZman, Jason Farnsworth, D Shell, and some of Mr. C's students. Actually, I said WOW a bunch of times that weekend. 

Gary Catherman, Kenpoist.


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## Chronuss (Jun 29, 2002)

My first "wow" was meeting Sensei Seigel at my girlfriend's house.  The man was...quite large, and from Karen(girlfriend) telling me he was in Martial Arts, I was like "whoa."  She had told him I was studying Tae Kwon Do and that gave him a deer-in-headlights gaze, I guess he was thinking "fresh meat."  He and I got to talking and eventually he started showing me some things.  He said "Come here Mr. Stewart, I'm going to show you the basics that an orange belt would know."  He told me to grab his shirt collar, and me being the easily persauded fool I was did so.  Sensei then proceeded to put me into the first hand position and I thought my arm was going to fly off; then I was the one with the deer-in-headlights gaze. Wow number one.  Wow number two came about two seconds later when he transitioned into the second hand position. This one felt like he was going to rip my arm off at the shoulder and conk me over my head with it. There weren't actually three wows, but five, he did all five positions on my young dumb:cuss:.  That was almost two and half years ago, now the wow's come every tuesday and thursday when we go down the line and I come to Sensei and spar him, counting how many times my head woulda flown off or how many times there would have been a dimpled Chad(had to use the pun) or a Kool Aid man sized hole in the wall.


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## Quinn-child (Jun 30, 2002)

I think I might've seen you, Kirk, but I can't be sure.  I'm so sorry, I just saw this post five minutes ago.     I'm sorry, I would've loved to meet you.  I was an orange belt with Mr Billings's Austin group, if that helps any.     Sorry again, dude!  Maybe next time  

Oos - :asian: 
Quinn


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## kenpo3631 (Jul 2, 2002)

1. The first time I ever met Mr. Parker...It was at a seminar in Saugus, MA. I was about 15, just a yellow belt at the time. He was demonstrating Lone Kimono and he asked for a volunteer to demonstrate with him. Someone who had just learned the technique. Out of all the people there he picked me! We did the technique, it was awe inspiring....

2. Was in 1989 in my home town of New Bedford. I was a green belt and Mr. Parker was covering "grafting". Well as he was walking around the room while we we were working out, I kinda free-lanced on the technique with "Flashing Mace". Well...as my looping backnuckle was coming up to strike my opponent I caught a glimpse of Mr. Parker...he had been watching me the whole time! I just froze... He smiled at me  and gave me a nod, as if to approve of what I was doing. I still feel great everytime I think about that night...

3. When I first called Mr. Wedlake to do a seminar at my studio. I introduced my self by saying "You probably don't remember me but my name is Lance Soares, you sat on my testing board last year" and before I could say anything else, he says "Yeah I remember you, you were the guy doing all the extensions" (that is a story in itself) Well when he came up for the seminar he told everyone in attendance that I was the "shining star" of the test and that he was glad to be at my school to teach. Coming from a first generation student of Mr. Parker was something to be proud of.:asian:


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## Klondike93 (Jul 2, 2002)

1.  The first was my first kenpo lesson ever. My first instructor was David Hemingway, a second degree at the time. I had just made black belt in TKD and watching him go through the yellow basics on me was, well, Wow. I was hooked on kenpo from then on.


2.  Number 2 was the only time I ever got to meet Mr. Parker. Mr. Hemingway brought him in for a seminar which I got to attend. Watching and listening to him was sooooo cool and I was in such awe of him, and I still am.


3.  Third was when I got my first lesson from my current kenpo instructor, Brad Scornavacco. He's a Lee Wedlake black belt and has been with him for all of his kenpo learning. It was his lineage to Mr. Wedlake that brought me to him because Mr. Wedlake had such close ties to Mr. Parker.


More "wows" to come though.


:asian:


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## WilliamTLear (Jul 2, 2002)

#1) The first time Kenpo made me say wow was when I saw Rick Jeffcoat doing five swords in Larry Tatum's Kenpo Studio in Pasadena, back in 1994... before I signed up.

#2) The second time was when I saw Larry Kongaika performing techniques on a student at Ed Parker's Karate Studio in Pasadena.

#3) And, every now and then I get the itch to see Tatum beat the hell outta Clyde over and over again on his Kenpo Video Tapes... WOW, that had to hurt (rewind)... OH, that had to hurt (rewind)... he he he, look at Clyde scream like a woman!

All in good fun,
Billy


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## IKCAMemberGary (Jul 2, 2002)

... was my first seminar with Chuck Sullivan and Vic LeRoux in Florida. After spending years in Shotokan, it was certainly different. And just when I thought I had seen it all, LEG CHECKS, LEG BUCKLING... Man oh man! A front stance that could be used to take someone down???? WHAT????

That was what did it for me.

Gary


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## FUZZYJ692000 (Jul 4, 2002)

I honestly can not remember the first time Kenpo has made me say WOW, there's been so many.  Let's see, it can go from one of the first days of class when i got my arm twisted and face on the ground, to seeing a few peers being thrown and slammed on the ground, ouch, probably when a few of them have gotten some extra flier miles when getting a jumping side/jump spinning side, hook or anything else and sending them across the dojo or down the hallways, my brother walking out with blood in hand from not putting his gear on right and having it come back and hit him in the mouth....Can you see the dilemma of remembering what all came first?   

In the end I think every class makes me say wow or ouch!


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## big351stang (Jul 5, 2002)

#1.    The first night of class at college, when I first saw my soon to be Sensei. When he walked in i was WOW this is going to be awsome.

#2. Was about half an hour later after the whole role call and BS was over and we started the hurtin stuff. As Mr. Stewart put it whe fellign that your arm was falling off durring the first 5 hand positions.

#3. Was the first time I earnd my wing and got the first of my many flier miles. after I cought my breath I said wow.

#4-infinity. Comes every night when I realize something new that makes my head spin or makes me fell pain of fly high in the air.


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## M F (Nov 18, 2002)

This thread hasn't had a post in a while so I'll add my two cents here.
My first three Kenpo WOWs.
1-I walked into a little white buliding with a red roof in West Jordan, Utah.  I met a man named Paul O'Bray, who was teaching a class at the time.  He stepped off the mat to wlecome me.  He left one of his Brown belts(Mike Arnold) in charge of the class.  He talked to me about MA for a long time.  Then as a demonstration that Kenpo was not a "Slap Art", he hit me with a hammer fist in the ribs from about 3"-4".  I said WOW(among other things) when I caught my breath.

2-When I tested for Blue Belt at my first AKKI International Camp.  Just trying to remember Form 1 while standing in front of 30 or so high ranking black belts for the first time was tough.  I'm sure many of you know the feeling.

3-At this same camp I saw Paul Mills move for the first time.  I had been in awe of all my instructors before this, but Mr Mills was on a different level.  I've heard people say they could feel the room shake when Mr. Parker hit people.  This is exactly what I experienced with Mr. Mills.

I enjoyed the WOW moments I read here, so I thought I'd leave mine.  I'd also like to hear some more.  Thanks.


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## shotman (Nov 18, 2002)

1)My first ever viewing of a Larry Tatum seminar tape,his speed was well WOW
2)All the Ed Parker Principles in motion tapes!!
3)When I first got made a Blackbelt

In fact kenpo as a whole is still WOW, what an awesome art!!:samurai:


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## Nightingale (Nov 19, 2002)

The "Wows"

1.  The Compete Tournament at the Pomona Fairplex.  The kenpo guys were KICKING ***! 

2.  The first lesson I had with Mr. Darrin Phillips and Mr. Michael Grilli.  It was a moment of clarity and a thought of "now THIS is Kenpo!"

3.  Visiting Mr. Larry Tatum's school and watching him teach a private lesson.


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## Brother John (Nov 19, 2002)

1st Time:
1984: I was studying Tae Kwan Do, had been for a while. My instructor, Mr. Manual C. Pina, made a friend of Mr. Jack Farr, a student of Mr. Parker's. The two really hit it off and Mr. Farr made it to our school often times to teach us and help "Kenpoize" what we were doing. It made a big difference. Really my first WOW in Kenpo came not from the impressiveness of getting struck, or in anyone else getting hit... it was through the power of the logic and practical knowledge/principles that changed our practice from the ground up.

1987 (might have been 88', can't recall right off) Mr. Parker did a Seminar in my area. I attended. I was ASTOUNDED when I saw him and some of Mr. Kelly's upperbelts move!!! That was my first WOW over the speed and power of Kenpo.... it's sheer destructive value!!!!!!

1999, My best friend Sean J. Carey, who was also a student of Mr. Pina's, had moved away and had studied under Mr. Ron Boswell and then Mic and Lori Holgate... all three of whom are Mr. Mill's students... Sean calls me up and says that he is flying me and my wife and our 1 year old son out to Las Vegas where he was testing for 1st Black in the AKKI. That was 3 solid days of having my jaw ON THE FLOOR! I'd NEVER seen such power, speed and destructive AWESOMENESS!!!!!!
I was hooked...
and it's only gotten better from there.

Your Brother
John


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## JD_Nelson (Nov 19, 2002)

Okay the movies served its purpose and brought about my interest.  With that said.......


#1.  The perfect Weapon.

#2.  Seeing clips of Mr. Mills on the AKKI website.  
         (Sorry to bring up Organizations, but to a potential kenpo student those clips are very impressive.)

#3.  In class and executing Grip of Death and watching the attacker sail through the air with very of the chest beating type effort.  

The third example was a real turning point.  I realize the techniques and practicing the basics are a necessary essential for any level of student.  But the drilling of these makes these second nature.  

Every class I make it too, leaves me in a WOW state.  It is truly amazing to me that once the yellow belt curriculum is learned a kenpo player has an arsenal that will help him/her to cover her butt.  

Sincerely WOW   :asian: 

Jeremy


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## Michael Billings (Nov 19, 2002)

Kenpo related only, I had a decade of other Arts prior:

1.  Tournament as a Brown Belt in Taekwondo and a saw this tall skinny dude come out into the middle of the Black Belt ring and his hair was in a pony tail to his waist.  He cleaned house on everyone else in the weapons & empty hand divisions.  Well it was Brian Duffy in Austin, where I was living also.  Sharp shiny swords and Tiger and Crane.  Gave up my Brown Belt (it was tough) and started over in 1979 in Chinese Kenpo.  

2.  Watching Tom Kelly at camp circa early 1980's do American Kenpo.  I was used to Sigung LaBounty (punch their heart out, build the spirit, heart, and body) or Sifu Gary Swan (Hung Gar and Kenpo, way cool), but Sibok Kelly was a big man exploding and totally Annihilating any and all, opponents lucky enough to be selected as a "dummy" (yes, me included.)  But he was so much more sophisticated than than I was in the Art.  I was "Primitive" at best.  Mr. Swan and Sigung LaBounty were not, but not enough had rubbed off on me yet.

3.  Dennis Conatser (darn him)  He came and did a seminar in Poteet, Texas in 1984 or 85 and lured Mr. Duffy and all his students at the time to the Dark Side ... You know, American Kenpo.  He made techniques we stuggled with for years easy.  I quote him regularly, "If it's hard, you are not doing it right."  Mr. Duffy talked with all of us about switching over, and we were given the option, all of us switched - I am eternally grateful he trained in American Kenpo, but stayed with the Chinese Kenpo an extra year to allow me to get my Black from Sigung LaBounty, Sibok Kelly, and Gary Swan. 

Between he and subsequent Mr. Parker seminars, visits from Tommy Burks, Bob Liles, Dian Tanaka, Howard Silva, John Sepulveda, etc., etc.  My mouth pretty much just hung open in a constant state of WOW!

To all those who came before - OOS and Thank You,
-Michael


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## satans.barber (Nov 20, 2002)

> _Originally posted by JD_Nelson _
> 
> *O
> #2.  Seeing clips of Mr. Mills on the AKKI website.
> ...



Having scoured the Net for hours and hours over a long period of time, I've managed to gather just about every kenpo clip out there, and the Paul Mills ones are the best I can assure you!

They're the ones that I always show to people if they're curious as to what Kenpo is like.

I wish they'd make some more!

Ian.


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## Brother John (Nov 20, 2002)

> I wish they'd make some more!



They do Ian! And they really rock!!!!
Those on the web-site are only a few, there are others out there on the net, but there are still more. Mr. Mill's has made a DVD of many of them. If you visit the AKKI website you might find a way to buy one. WEll... it might not be available YET, but it may be soon.
later...
Your Brother
John


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## pineapple head (Nov 21, 2002)

Having scoured the Net for hours and hours over a long period of time, I've managed to gather just about every kenpo clip out there, and the Paul Mills ones are the best I can assure you!

They're the ones that I always show to people if they're curious as to what Kenpo is like.

I wish they'd make some more!

Ian.

Hi Ian,

You seem to admire Mr. Mills and the AKKI for there techs ect....
Im curious, they is an AKKI club not too far from yourself (you are lucky) why don't you pay us a visit , it would be great to train with you.

Regards,
Gary.


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## satans.barber (Nov 21, 2002)

> _Originally posted by pineapple head _
> 
> Hi Ian,
> 
> ...



Firstly, I wouldn't call Durham 'not that far' really, it's still a pretty expensive train ride away for me, however, I might come up one day.

At the moment I have terribly little time, I'm in my final year at University, and working on the big project that I have to do, so I really haven't been anywhere very far afield since I started the semester!

If I did come up, there might be some differences of opinions though! We tend to irk EPAKers a bit sometimes I think...

The IKKA don't like us, but I think that was something to do with us winning every category at those competitions, hehe 

Ian.


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