this is my 718th quality post derek

i dont try to post to much i do read alot though i just think before i hit the reply button maybe im just shy who knows.

anyway to finish the post off im now a white belt in BJJ

Sorry just doesn't cut it I'm afraid.

How could you miss the one and only;

Raul Perez - 8.8.02

Should be in second place on the list.

In addition, Raul and I were (to the best of my knowledge)the first forum members to meet and train together. We rented a small room for an hour (No snide comments please ) and went of Bunkai for Tekki Shodan (Naihanchi for Raul) and followed this with beers at a local watering hole.

And now we have the East Coast get togethers.

From small acorns, great oaks may spring!!!!!!

It's been a journey.

No offense, JohnL. We probably missed Raul because he wasn't wearing his platform shoes.

ALL HAIL RAUL!

Not only that, but;

Schanne - 2.18.04

and

Gojuwarrior1 - 12.24.02


Now Matt. Is it just that people have something against the east coast get together folk.

In August, we'll have to have you at the front of a line drill, and all the people who weren't recognised in this thread in the line!!!!

Hey Steve and Jordan, I wouldn't forget you!!!!

Hey ... there were a lot of pages and I was skimming pretty fast as it was taking forever. Again apology to those I missed ... which I did put a disclaimer into cover my ass. And it wasn't Matt is was me so I would be more then happy to be at the front for the line drill.

Geez, Dereck. 210 pgs? Haven't you figured out the 'sort' function at the top of categories yet? LOL!

I recall LAFF and me volunteering for clean up...

I did, I sorted it by "date" so had to go through a lot of names. I could have done it by post counts but if I did that I may not have found some people ... or I thought I wouldn't so missed some anyways.

You mean I won, where is my prize, what do I get and who pays the taxes.

It was pretty tough the first 4 years for I only had myself to talk to......But over the years I've met Ed, Matt, Scottie, Sharon and a few others.

I've tried to keep on focus mostly talking about karate, kata and kobudo and several Chiense arts I've experienced.

Actually I started with FA.com as a contributing author and my older pieces keep coming back, as my current collaborative effort with Christopher Caille currently leading the site.

I must say I'm much deeper into my own studies these many years later, far more important than posting.

I enjoy the discussions especially when we get a chance to explore our passions.

Remember it's not how many posts you make, but what they actually say that matters...

so sayeth the soke-dokie...

I've been on the forum for a long time, but my posts are few and far between. I'm more of a lurker!

I think there are others just like that.