Patrick

Member Profile MasterPain (View Profile) Joined: October 26, 2010 Posts: 1,834 KarateForums.com Awards: Member of the Year (2012) and Funniest Member of the Year (2011, 2012) Interview Where are you from? Willow Hill, Illinois. A very small town with a population of 250. Why did you get started in the martial arts? I was being picked on in school and wanted to be able to defend myself. Also, I wanted to be like Van-Damme in Bloodsport. Why have you continued to practice them? Same reasons, plus I just enjoy it. I've met some of my best friends through training. Please briefly describe the styles of martial arts that you have taken. Bujin is a self defense art with a basis in Kempo jujutsu. I also train at an MMA gym with most of it's focus being BJJ. What is your grade or level? Black belt in Bujin, white in BJJ. Amateur MMA record of 1-1. Do you teach? Some. I don't have my own dojo or anything. What are your first memories from training? Doing angle drills (one steps) when I was 9. I was a very uncoordinated child... What has been the highlight of your training? Every Bujin black belt test ranks up there pretty high. We get some great guys together and train all day with an hour long sparring session at the end. What do you do when you're not training? Lately, mostly work and sleep. I'm doing 2 jobs now except through the winter, so there's not much free time. When I have time, I like to play RPGs and other video games, play with my cats and dogs, take walks in the woods and such. What do you do for a living? I install seamless gutters, and I print junk mail and magazine subscription cards. Who are or were your martial arts heroes? My instructors mostly. Also Bruce Lee, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Royce Gracie and Roy Nelson. What are your favorite martial arts films and/or shows? Bloodsport, Enter the Dragon, Kung Pow: Enter the First, Best of the Best, Five Deadly Venoms, Clan of the White Lotus, the Mr. Vampire series, Kill Bill, and The Perfect Weapon. Where do you see yourself going in your martial arts journey in the next few years? Who can say? But I'll still be training and getting joy out of it. Do you remember how you found KarateForums.com? Why did you join? tallgeese put me in an armbar and told me to join. Why did you stay? This is the only MA forum I've seen where people are respectful. You've been a member since October 26, 2010. During this time, how has KarateForums.com changed in your eyes, if at all? Not sure, I haven't had much time to get on lately, but I plan to change that when it gets too cold to hang gutter. Still a great site. How, if at all, have you used KarateForums.com in your classes or training? I've picked up a couple ideas for chaining attacks together in grappling. Are there any members here who have had a particular influence or impact on you? A couple members I know personally and have great respect for. Other than that, I like the mixture of traditional, sport, self defense and art-oriented martial artists here. I think the community has given me a better understanding of people who train for different purposes. Can you share a memorable moment within the community where you received great advice or an experience that really affected you and your martial arts journey? I remember one member talking about karate being a constant in a changing life, about the grounding effect of training. She had lost almost everything in a hurricane. While I haven't had that drastic of an experience, I have had some financial problems and life changes, and that has give me something to think about. Things are getting better now and training has helped me keep positive.

Thank you to everyone who has nominated already. If you haven't yet nominated, there is less than a week left! You have a great opportunity to recognize some of your favorite members through these awards. Your input is wanted! Thanks, Patrick

Thank you for sharing this with us, ShoriKid. I'm glad to have you and your brother at KarateForums.com. I appreciate the contributions that you have made to our community. Thanks, Patrick

Member Profile ShoriKid (View Profile) Joined: December 14, 2007 Posts: 766 Interview Where are you from? Oneida, Tennessee near the Big South Fork National Park. Why did you get started in the martial arts? I guess I have always had an interest in the martial arts. Like a lot of kids, I grew up watching action films and of course Bruce Lee and the old Kung Fu series played a part in that as well. In part, I wanted to better learn to fight and defend myself. Why have you continued to practice them? Is it okay to say that I'm addicted? A big part of what has kept me involved is the individual challenge that the martial arts pose. The depth martial arts offers has kept me at it as well. Whenever you think you've discovered everything that is out there, you find something new and that keeps you training. Please briefly describe the styles of martial arts that you have taken. I wrestled in school before anything else. Matsubayashi Ryu, a branch of Shorin Ryu was my first "martial art." It depends on high, mobile stances and close tight movements of offense and defense. Judo in college, but only for a few months as the drive was killing me. Aikido, also in college with the same man that taught defensive tactics at the state police academy. Shotokan karate from a very small linage with heavy aikijutsu influences. Arnis very briefly and through one of my instructors from Shotokan. BJJ thanks to my brother, pittbullJudoka. Finally, Makotokan karate, being the amalgamation of several arts with a karate core as taught by our instructors from the Shotokan linage. What is your grade or level? Currently 3rd dan, with a solid, no stripe white belt in BJJ. Do you teach? Yes, at a small dojo my brother and I run together. What are your first memories from training? I remember the first night in class struggling to get my gi on right and having the belt knot off to the side. It was how the kung fu guys in the movies did it and the thing felt in the way. It was a night of bare bones basics which I struggled with. What has been the highlight of your training? I have to say it's been a tie between seminars I attended by Frank Grant (currently Hanshi in the World Shorin-Ryu Karate Federation), and one with Luiz Palhares (7th degree black belt, BJJ). Both men had an incredible ability to teach and spot tiny details in what you were doing in order to help make improvements. What do you do when you're not training? I read a lot, mostly spend time with my family and make a few knives here and there. What do you do for a living? I'm a lender at a small local bank. Which is sort of funny as my first karate instructor had the same job. Who are or were your martial arts heroes? One was a pro fighter and friend Larry Jarrett. Another would be Frank Grant that I mentioned above. What are your favorite martial arts films and/or shows? I still love the old Kung Fu series, cheesy as it was! Fist of Legend, Best of the Best, The Karate Kid and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Where do you see yourself going in your martial arts journey in the next few years? That's a really good question. One I haven't sat down and thought on all that much. I think I really want to delve into application for our kata and start bringing along some of the more long term students on this path as well. Do you remember how you found KarateForums.com? Why did you join? I think I was researching something and kept hitting discussions on KarateForums.com. I lurked around for more than a year before I joined. What got me to join was the good, clean discussion that had really good content. Why did you stay? I've gotten to know, as much as one can, some of the other members here. The maturity, depth of knowledge and lack of teenaged ego have a lot to do with why I've stayed. You've been a member since December 14, 2007. During this time, how has KarateForums.com changed in your eyes, if at all? There has been turn over in membership, of course. The level of discussion and topics seem to have matured. That may be due to the age of many of the posters, or the community seems to have grown up a little. How, if at all, have you used KarateForums.com in your classes or training? Topics and posts on KarateForums.com have been the genesis of classes, lessons and drills in both my training and teaching. From large to small things, I've taken a lot from what is discussed here and put it to work on the floor of the dojo. A lot of it is a spark, driving me to think about what we train, how I train and what my goals are. Are there any members here who have had a particular influence or impact on you? If I had to single out just a few, they would have to be tallgeese, bushido_man96 and sensei8. All three are thoughtful, seem to come at things from an angle I can grasp even when they are very different than my own and they are honest in their approach to posting and martial arts. Can you share a memorable moment within the community where you received great advice or an experience that really affected you and your martial arts journey? This is something I find hard to pin down. Taking six years of exposure to thoughts and ideas on these forums and distilling it down to a single moment or piece of advice. It's been a culmination of things over the years. Is it fair to say I can't pick just one?

Thank you for participating in this interview series, mal103. I appreciate the kind words about the community and I am glad that you enjoy it. Thank you for the contributions that you have made here. I appreciate you re-enforcing this. I definitely encourage members to express appreciation in public when a member makes a post that they enjoy. It has an impact on people and is a great way to encourage more posts of that nature and to help great members feel appreciated for what they contribute here. Thanks again, Patrick

Member Profile mal103 (View Profile) Joined: May 21, 2011 Posts: 262 Interview Where are you from? England UK, currently live in Wiltshire. Why did you get started in the martial arts? It was always something I wanted to try as I don't like football but wanted to keep fit. MA didn't fit in with military life so I started late in my 30s. I'm glad I picked karate. Why have you continued to practice them? Karate is now part of my life. It enhances my life and I can no longer live without it! Please briefly describe the styles of martial arts that you have taken. I started in Wado ryu but then, after a house move, changed to Shotokan, purely because that was the style of the best local club. What is your grade or level? I have recently graded as Nidan in Shotokan karate. We are all still beginners though, I have just seen a picture of me and my boy doing kata and have feet/arm/etc. out of position. Do you teach? I started teaching as soon as I passed my black belt. This was early and I have learned a lot. The majority of my students have stuck with me so I must be doing a fairly good job. I try to mix up 3Ks, self defence, fun, fitness and anything else I see as being relevant. I now have 2 regular sessions a week and around 25 regular students, one of my first has double graded and is now a brown belt. All of them pass grades without problems and get good feedback. What are your first memories from training? Trying to figure out my elbow from other body parts. I remember on my first grading I changed from a turn to a slight jump and got told off! What has been the highlight of your training? Passing black belt was a big highlight. Although you don't suddenly become invincible, and the training afterwards feels the same, it is a good milestone on your journey. Since then, seeing my students grade and progress as I have passed on my good training. What do you do when you're not training? Work, study, fix things at home, fix vehicles, family stuff and keep fit - if any time remains then I will research karate and find things to add to my teaching or training. What do you do for a living? Ex-military submariner, now I work in IT databases and financial systems. Who are or were your martial arts heroes? Kanazawa, Bruce Lee, Mas Oyama, Enoeda, Gichin Funakoshi - anyone who has dedicated their life to MA and made a difference. What are your favorite martial arts films and/or shows? I love Master Ken of Ameri-Do-Te - I think he pokes fun at the daft things in MA and is a true Master... Where do you see yourself going in your martial arts journey in the next few years? My club became an association due to having 5 training locations after expanding, then joined the EKF. We are still growing in size and have 2 new instructors in training. I will do my best to support them and maintain our technical instruction as part of my role. I have 3 years to Sandan but lots more to learn yet. Do you remember how you found KarateForums.com? Why did you join? I was on a forum but KF is busier. I like to answer questions to help others and to get quick answers to mine. Why did you stay? The general attitude of the forum is very good. I think I have a good grasp of MA and the humility, etc, but I am in some member's shadows as there are some extremely good MAs on here. You've been a member since May 11, 2011. During this time, how has KarateForums.com changed in your eyes, if at all? It's gotten better! How, if at all, have you used KarateForums.com in your classes or training? I have emailed fellow martial artists links to KF, I have also taken and read some good advice in general. Are there any members here who have had a particular influences or impact on you? About 5 but I won't embarrass them... Can you share a memorable moment within the community where you received great advice or an experience that really affected you and your martial arts journey? When I have replied and really gone beyond to give a good explanation, to have someone else quote you and say "good post" is very flattering. It's simple but good to know someone agrees wholeheartedly with your opinion. There are plenty of opinions in the MA world, by our nature we should listen and learn where possible. KF is a good place to do this.

Thank you for your kind words about the community and how it is managed, Greg. I appreciate it. You were a great staff member and I appreciate the outstanding contributions that you have made to this community. I am glad that we have been able to stay in touch and I look forward to meeting you in person at some point in the future. One of my best friends lives in LaGrange, GA, so I'm sure it'll happen sooner or later. It's funny, as I was planning out the live stream, I was thinking about the staff that I have had over the years. I have always had great moderators, at any given time. But, in particular, there were two collections of moderators hat stand out as being particularly strong. The first group, which Tammy affectionately referred to recently as the "old guard": SBN Doug: 1/6/2003 to 2005 monkeygirl: 2/9/2003 to 8/6/2005 PunchPressQueen75: 2/25/2003 to 5/8/2005 SaiFightsMS: 5/19/2002 to 9/26/2005 The date spans represent when the person as a Sensei. The second group is the one we have now and that's saying something because of the people I've had in the past. Right now, I feel that the overall staff is the strongest that it has ever been. Led by these moderators: ninjanurse: 5/15/2005 to present bushido_man96: 1/4/2007 to present DWx: 10/30/2007 to present tallgeese: 5/12/2009 to present It is rare when you can have a great group of people like this together for 3+ years, to really meld and become a great team. But as I put these groups together, I figured out that you are sort of a link between the two groups as you were a Sensei from 1/30/2004 to 10/30/2007, you were with both groups, which contributed to them being so strong. You and Heidi are both connected to both of them. Thanks again, Patrick

Member Profile gheinisch (View Profile) Former KarateForums.com Sensei Joined: January 9, 2003 Posts: 2,134 KarateForums.com Awards: Article of the Year (2006) Interview Where are you from? Newnan, Georgia. Why did you get started in the martial arts? My wife thought it would be something my oldest son and I could do together. A fun manly way of bonding. My son trained for a couple of years and then high school and the Navy got in the way. I continued to train, I was hooked. LOL. Why have you continued to practice them? With the demands of my job, I currently don't participate in the martial arts on a weekly basis. I still participate in special seminars and events such as promotions. Love to see the younger students on their on journey. Please briefly describe the style of martial art that you have taken. I have trained in the art of Hon-Shin-Do-Shorei-Ryu. It's more than merely a method of fighting and physical fitness. There are mental rewards such as self-confidence, pride and patience. A new state of mind begins to form. The need to be a bully or overbearing is lost to the feeling of self-confidence. Pride in yourself overcomes a desperate need to aggressively prove ones individual worth. Patience and inner peace are found in training and performance of the art. Patience is a virtue that is a large and meaningful factor in the practice of Hon-Shin-Do-Shorei-Ryu. What is your grade or level? I have achieved the rank of 1st degree black belt. Do you teach? I have taught on a limited basis. What are your first memories from training? Haha, that would have to be our first introductory class that we attended. My son and I showed up in tight jeans and still wearing our socks. Trying to get into those stances sure wasn't easy. Our Hanshi told us to wear sweat pants for the next one. Good advice. What has been the highlight of your training? Has to be my black belt ceremony. A great feeling of accomplishment and knowing that all my hard work has paid off. A proud moment indeed! What do you do when you're not training? I enjoy photography and traveling to the beautiful places this great country offers us. What do you do for a living? I'm a Assistant Grocery Manager for Publix Super Markets. Who are or were your martial arts heroes? That would have to be my Hanshi, Leo Kozloski. He started his martial arts training in early 1965, first training in the art of judo. Later he started to train with Master John Pachivas in karate. Over the years Leo has had an opportunity to study many different styles of martial arts: Goju-ryu, aikido, Shotokan, kempo, Shorei-Ryu, jujitsu and kendo - the art of the sword. He started our school and has never charged a dime for any of us to learn the arts. He has given so much of his time and knowledge! A truly great man! What are your favorite martial arts films and/or shows? I'm a fan of the kung fu theater movies on Saturday as I grew up. Any movie with Bruce Lee. Where do you see yourself going in your martial arts journey in the next few years? I don't see myself advancing any further than the rank that I have achieved, but I truly enjoy going to our promotions and seeing the young ladies and gentlemen picking up where I left off and being able to pass along a little wisdom that might help them in their journey. Do you remember how you found KarateForums.com? Why did you join? I was researching different styles of martial arts online and ran across a link to KarateForums.com and thought it was worth a look. I was right, a great site! Why did you stay? An abundance of knowledgeable members without the in-fighting seen on other sites. Great advice given without being critical of one style over another. You've been a member since January 9, 2003. During this time, how has KarateForums.com changed in your eyes, if at all? It is still a tremendously ran site. Even when there are disagreements, it is done with courtesy and in a respectful way. If not, there's a great staff to step in and make sure that everyone stays civil. Always has been that way on KarateForums.com and I don't think that will change with the leadership we have. How did becoming a staff member change how you viewed the site? You get to see the behind the scenes part of the site. When being a staff member, you have some members that don't like you very much because of a decision you've made over a post, but the majority of the members appreciate and respect the staff for all the hard work they put in to keep the site the best martial arts site out there. How, if at all, have you used KarateForums.com in your classes or training? Many times I have used and shared information taken from site. I've also recommended the site to all of the students for great information and to have questions answered on many different subjects. Are there any members here who have had a particular influence or impact on you? They would have to be Heidi (ninjanurse) and bushido_man96. Heidi for her longevity and dedication to the site and bushido_man96 for his great advice and ability to be fair even in challenging discussions. Great staff members! Can you share a memorable moment within the community where you received great advice or an experience that really affected you and your martial arts journey? Not any one moment in particular but the constant support I've received from the community over the years. As everyone knows, martial arts training is much like a roller coaster with many ups and downs. During my down times, when I wasn't sure I could hang in there to reach my goal, I received words of encouragement and support from complete strangers. It was needed to continue and complete my journey. KarateForums.com is so much more than just a martial arts website, it's a community of fellow martial artists who understand and support each other through all the ups and downs. I would personally like to thank the community for twelve great years!

Hello, Thank you for visiting KarateForums.com. We recognize one member every month as the KarateForums.com Member of the Month for their positive contributions to this community. The November selection is... muttley. Congratulations! Thank you for all of your great contributions to our community. Sincerely, Patrick

Thank you, CredoTe. Patrick

Thanks for the response, michaelkar. If you are a student working on a paper, then this is fine. Thanks. Maybe you could share the points you have and see how people feel about them. Might help get things going. Best of luck, Patrick

Hello and welcome, michaelkar. What will these 10 points be used for? Thanks, Patrick

Hello, Thank you for visiting KarateForums.com. I am looking for members who would like to participate in the KarateForums.com 500,000 Posts Celebration Live Stream. I will be calling various members for short telephone interviews and would love to have you on. For more details, please see this thread: http://www.karateforums.com/i-want-you-for-the-karateforums-com-500k-live-stream-vt45798.html Thank you for reading. Sincerely, Patrick

Hello, Thank you for visiting KarateForums.com. As previously announced, I will be hosting a special live stream to celebrate our community milestone of 500,000 posts. The live stream will be on November 9 from 2 PM ET (GMT -5) to approximately 5 PM. I will be on video and will be calling various members of the KarateForums.com community for quick, 5-7 minute interviews. The members who appear on the live stream will not be on video - it will only be a phone call. We'll talk a little bit about you and then what KarateForums.com means to you. It will likely be these 3 questions: 1. For those who don't know, please tell us about your background in the martial arts. 2. What does KarateForums.com mean to you? 3. Last question: can you name some of the members on KarateForums.com whose posts you enjoy reading? I want you! If you are a member of KarateForums.com, I would love to have you on and I'm sure other members would love to hear from you. If you are interested in participating, there are three things I need from you: 1. A phone number. This is not limited to U.S. members only. I'll pay for the call, if I have to, no matter where you are located! Your number will be kept private and will not be displayed during the stream. 2. You will need to be available from 2 PM ET (GMT -5) through 4:10 PM on November 9. If you don't already know it, please look up your local time for that date and see what your local time is, relative to GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). Or ask me and I can look it up. When I call your number, you have to be at the phone, ready to answer because as soon as you pick up, you are live. 3. Please find as quiet a room as you can when you are on the phone. Also, please mute the stream on your computer so that the phone doesn't pick up the audio and echo. If you have any interest in participating, please don't be shy! You can send me a private message with your phone number here: http://www.karateforums.com/privmsg.php?mode=post&u=1 If you don't want to participate in an audio interview, don't worry, there will be a text chat room accompanying the stream where you'll be able to listen in and chat if you so choose. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Thanks, Patrick

Happy Halloween!

Congrats.

Thanks for the replies, all. Patrick

Just so that there is no confusion, I wanted to make it clear that if your name is not Adam, you should not post on this thread. This is an Adam-only zone. Thank you in advance. Heh. Welcome AdamE3.

Welp, the Dolphins have Thursday night football tonight. We'll see if we can get back to .500. From 3-0 to 3-4, like a shot to the gut.

I'm glad that you found the community, Gareth. I appreciate your kind words, support and your presence on staff. Thank you for the positive contributions that you have made here. Patrick

Member Profile Harkon72 (View Profile) KarateForums.com Sempai Joined: August 27, 2012 Posts: 1,070 Interview Where are you from? I'm from Anglesey, North Wales, UK, now living on the Welsh mainland in the Nantlle Valley. Why did you get started in the martial arts? I followed my Father into it, he was a soldier and boxer. His friend offered to teach me. Why have you continued to practice them? Totally addicted I guess, it's more spiritual than it ever was. Please briefly describe the style of martial arts that you have taken. Karate, kobudo, Wing Chun and ju jitsu. What is your grade or level? I have a Nidan, a 3rd kyu and a 4th kyu in three styles of karate: Shorin Ryu, Shotokan and Shukokai. Do you teach? I have assisted and I have taught privately to a family member who went on to win a kumite title. What are your first memories from training? Wrestling and sparring with my Father. What has been the highlight of your training? My Nidan grading; when I scored a wazari by uraken to the back of my opponent's head. Even my Sensei thought I had no chance in this kumite. I was attacked with a mae geri/oia zuki combination, I countered with gedan barrai, ashi barrai and uraken. What do you do when you're not training? I go fishing, I play Warhammer 40K, I follow our village soccer team, I'm an active Pagan and I'm studying for a degree part time. What do you do for a living? I work for a local recycling charity and I'm on the board of directors for an advocacy service. Who are or were your martial arts heroes? Terry O'Neill, Mike Finn and Marco Ruas. What are your favorite martial arts films and/or shows? The original Kung Fu with David Carradine, Enter the Dragon, The Last Samurai and Star Wars. Where do you see yourself going in your martial arts journey in the next few years? Gaining a Shodan in Shukokai karate with Dragon Martial Arts. Training in nunchaku with Sensei Chris Williams. Training with Sensei Julian Mallaliu, 7th Dan in Shito Ryu/Shukokai and kobudo. Do you remember how you found KarateForums.com? Why did you join? A random search on Google. I found the topics very relevant to me and interesting. Why did you stay? I found the conversation mature, well administrated and informative. I feel we are a mixed bunch with a rich and varied knowledge base. It's fun to see what people do in martial arts, to share and enjoy good banter and community friendship. How did becoming a staff member change how you viewed the site? I felt that I have a role as a guide and that I have a degree of responsibility. My posts have a lot more focus as I feel I need to set an example. I have a long way to go to catch up with a few members, but I'm almost at my 1,000 post mark. How, if at all, have you used KarateForums.com in your classes or training? I have taken on board a lot of advice, especially values in the dojo and my martial arts community. A few tips on training have been useful, especially the ushiro geri video posted by Danielle (DWx). Are there any members here who have had a particular influence or impact on you? I think Wastelander. He's a good martial artist, very mature for his age and I'm sure he has a bright future. Can you share a memorable moment within the community where you received great advice or an experience that really affected you and your martial arts journey? My highlight was the post about a sword I was gifted - a hand-and-a-half medieval sword that I knew nothing about how to use. The response was encouragement, keen knowledge and support. I look at that sword in a new way now. I have met more people in the UK that use them and I have an avid interest in western medieval martial arts as a direct result of the replies posted in response to my question about this unique weapon. View the thread, "A Hand and a Half - Practical or Out Dated."

Welcome aboard, Marion.

Thank you for contributing to our community as you do, John. You are a good example of someone who runs a martial arts business who adds value here without being commercial. I appreciate it and you sharing this with us. Sincerely, Patrick

Member Profile JohnASE (View Profile) Joined: February 6, 2008 Posts: 367 Interview Where are you from? I've always lived in Los Angeles, California, except during college, when I was in the OC, Orange County. I currently live in the San Fernando Valley (THE Valley as in Valley Girl) not far from Reseda, home of The Karate Kid. I grew up in Hollywood and lived there for most of my life. Why did you get started in the martial arts? When I was a kid, a neighbor was going to start judo under a friend of his parents. My brother and decided to join, too. I think my mother was glad we took judo, since she grew up in a house with my great uncle who was a judoka. Please briefly describe the styles of martial arts that you have taken. Decades ago, I spent about three years training in judo under the famous Gene LeBell. I stopped training in junior high school. I wanted to spend more time on my studies and on baseball and less time with my face pressed against the mat. I haven't trained since then, but I've been involved in the martial arts community in other ways. My first job was with Ohara/Rainbow Publications, the company that put out Black Belt Magazine, among others. My second job was with Unique Publications, mostly known for Inside Kung Fu Magazine. For the past 20 years, I've been in the family business, ASE Martial Arts Supply. Every once in a while, I consider taking up training again, but I don't want it badly enough to devote the time. What is your grade or level? After three years of training, I ended up still a white belt! We only had white, brown and black. What are your first memories from training? Learning to fall! It's the first thing they teach in judo, and I've found it to be one of the most important things I've ever learned. What has been the highlight of your training? Same answer as the last question, learning to fall. It's helped me in every sport I've played (well, maybe not bowling). I remember being pushed from behind when I was a kid, and rather than flop to the ground, I dropped into a forward roll. I've gone down on motorcycles a couple times and instinctively land in ways to minimize damage. I've always been athletic and willing to throw my body around. Judo helped me to do such things more safely. What do you do for a living? Our family business is ASE Martial Arts Supply. I work with my mother, wife and stepson. My father used to work with us, but he retired a few years ago. My mom has been involved in martial arts businesses since 1974 and is on a first name basis with many of the mucky mucks of the martial arts world. Our company dabbles in retail, but the bulk of our business is wholesale to martial arts schools. Most of our customers are in Southern California, but we sell all over the USA from Hawaii to Alaska to Florida to Maine. What do you do when you're not working? My main activity outside of work is playing a sport called wallyball. Simply put, it's volleyball on a racquetball court with a net strung across the middle and 2 or 3 players on either side. It's faster than volleyball as the court is smaller and you can play the ball off the walls. I'm short, so I'm not a strong spiker or blocker. I'm more of a defensive specialist and setter. I'm not young, but I'm a very physical player. I spend a lot of time diving across the floor or slamming into walls. My real passion is cars and other road vehicles. I love convertible sports cars, have a couple of motorcycles, and am in the process of converting my mountain bike to electric. I hope to move into larger DIY electric vehicles. Who are or were your martial arts heroes? There are so many, but I'll just mention my former sensei, Gene LeBell. He's a living legend! His pink judo gi is an icon. He was a champion judoka, professional wrestler and referee. As a kid, I remember watching him as a stunt man, letting himself be beat up by people like Hutch of the Starsky and Hutch TV show. What are your favorite martial arts films and/or shows? I'll name one modern movie, one classic movie, and throw in a classic Japanese television show just for kicks. Kill Bill: Vol. 1, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and Kage no Gundan. Do you remember how you found KarateForums.com? Why did you join? I'm sure I just searched for "martial arts forum" or "karate forum." I had been participating in non-MA forums and found communities sharing lots of great info and wondered if something similar was going on in martial arts. Why did you stay? I found people here to be more cooperative and interested in sharing than in another forum I found. The other forum had some great info, too, but it was interspersed with a lot more hostility and immaturity than here. Here, people seem to know how to disagree without it degenerating into personal attacks and name calling. You've been a member since February 6, 2008. During this time, how has KarateForums.com changed in your eyes, if at all? I would guess that KF has changed over the 5 years I've been here (5 YEARS?), but if so, I haven't really noticed it. I'm probably most active in the Equipment forum, since that's where most of my experience lies, and I suppose there are fewer questions there than there used to be. I assume info has built up over time, and fewer people need to ask new questions. Are there any members here who have had a particular influence or impact on you? There are many members whose opinions I respect and enjoy reading. If anyone stands out in my mind, it might be sensei8, Bob. I'm sure that's mostly due to his contributions to the forum, but it also might have to do with the fact that he used to live not too far from me. Can you share a memorable moment within the community where you received great advice or an experience that really affected you? I don't really remember "aha" moments, revelations, epiphanies. I tend to take in things more slowly. New ideas need to simmer before I'll swallow them. I'm sure such moments are there, but they're hard for me to pinpoint.

Thank you for the great contributions that you made to our community, Laurie. It is amazing that you were able to culture such a great friendship with Heidi through this community. I'm glad that we are still in touch after all of these years. Thanks again, Patrick