Portland, OR - NTP 1.0 Seminar w/ John Clements

[GeoffGagner]

Just wanted to announce we are considering hosting an NTP 1.0 seminar with John Clements in Portland, OR on Saturday AUG 5 2006. Cost will depend on the number of attendees. As this is the a perfect introduction to longsword and ARMA the event will be open to non-members. If anyone is interested in attending please contact me at armapdx@yahoo.com .

[GeoffGagner]

The seminar is officially set for Saturday August 5 2006. If anyone is interested please contact me at [email]armapdx@yahoo.com.[/email] Cost will be determined by the number of attendees. Final cost of attendance will be announced on July 14th. The more people contact me prior to this date the lower cost will be for everyone.

[Ken Dietiker]

Hey, this is something I can go to. Only two and a half hours away. Is there an update on the price for this?

Ken

[GeoffGagner]

Hello all,

Sorry for the delay updating this post.

The NTP 1.0 Basic Longsword seminar with John Clements we are hosting is set for Saturday AUG 5, 2006. We will start around 10:00 AM and run for 6-8 hours with a break for lunch mid way through. The cost is $130.00 and can be paid via PayPal, or money order unless arrangements are made through me. The deadline for payment will be August 3, 2006.

Non-members are required to complete a short battery of questions so we have an idea just who will be attending. When you decide you want to attend or if you have any questions, or need to make special arrangements email me at armapdx@yahoo.com.

[Ken Dietiker]

Damn! Don't have $130. Plus the cost of the trip, stay over, etc.
It seems I'll have to wait until some other time in the future.

I guess I'll have to continue figuring things out for myself.
You know, shadow-boxing.
Or would that be shadow-swording?

(sigh) Aint that a thing?



Ken

[david welch]

Ken ordinarily I don't recommend this kind of thing... but in this case, beg, borrow or barter a place to stay and the money to go to the seminar. See if someone will let you pitch a tent in their yard if you have to. Starting out, getting to one of the seminars as fast as possible will make more difference to you down the road than you can imagine, and you can't beat the information you get from JC, on top of seeing how you should learn to move.

[Jake_Norwood]

I'm sure everyone else will be echoing David here in a minute, but you really are doing yourself a massive disservice if you don't beg, borrow, and steal to attend this thing. The money will be very, very well spent if you consider this a hobby worth pursuing at all.

I've been to six 1.0 semiars by JC, and I got something out of it every time.

Jake

[Ken Dietiker]

David and Jake,

I'm absolutely sure that my attending the seminar is more than just worthwhile. I'm also sure that most people would find a way to beg or borrow the neccessary funds to attend, regardless of the concequences. Forgetting for a moment about the stealing part , but if I don't find the money I need to pay for this event in a responsible and legitimate way, I just won't go. Besides which, it isn't just the money. I do have a family and a business to run, and I only have certain periods when I can legitimately take a vacation, so finding the free time is also difficult. If I don't make it, there will be other seminars in the future. Maybe not so close to me, but there will be others and when I can afford it, I will certainly go. I'm sure that John will be doing this for a little while longer.

Not that I need to explain myself to any of you here, but for now I have duties that I must attend to first. It would be irresponsible of me to forgo paying my bills and feeding my family for a simple "hobby", or letting the duties of my business laps, whether it's worth pursuing or not. And it's not like I don't feel like pursuing it, I certainly do. I've been following the movement of WMA reconstruction on and off now for the last eight years, albeit mostly from a chair and not so much on the field. And always from a bubble of circumstantial solitude.

So if I don't make it because I don't have the money and refuse to toss away my integrity (for a few dollars now becasue I don't have the patience to wait another year or two), please don't assume I do so out of indifference. I am well aware of the importance of such a hands on experience, whether with John Clemens or someone else, and I don't take the decision to not go lightly. But, it is a hobby as you say, and those of you who are professional, or are/were in the military, should at least understand where I'm coming from. I make the sacrifises where I have to, on myself.

Fortunately, Christopher Eastwood was so kind as to take a few days during his vacation up here from school to put together a little group practice in Seattle. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. Even with only three days, I have learned quite a few somethings already. He was a great help and will be so in the future when he returns for good (or so he plans).

Then again, if I do show up there in Portland, which is still entirely possible as I continue the process of balancing the key elements of time, duty and money, consider that I am there under some small emotional and mental duress. I will have had then, for some impulsive reason (but after meeting certain obligations) decided to throw the sheets to the wind and taken the chance that everything would fly smooth during an impromptu trip south for the weekend. According to Geoff , the host of the event, I have till Thursday to make a final decision.

Thanks for caring though. It is good to know that there are some out there who wish me to get legitimately started on this thing with an NTP 1.0 seminar, at least on the practical parts. Since my kids are now all grown up, as soon as I can ease them out the door on their own, the sooner I'll have more free time to pursue my little "hobby" anyway. That's a near-future goal of mine.

Cheers!
Ken

[Jake_Norwood]

Hey Ken,

Can't make it, no problem. "Beg, borrow, and steal" is Army slang, and while sometimes we mean it literally, here I didn't! No one is advocating theft, heh.

I sypathize with your budget having once been a small business owner.

Anyway, do whatever you can to make the next one. It's beyond worth it.

Jake

[Ken Dietiker]

Hey Jake,

Hey Ken,

Can't make it, no problem. "Beg, borrow, and steal" is Army slang, and while sometimes we mean it literally, here I didn't! No one is advocating theft, heh.

Ah, you must be an officer.

I sypathize with your budget having once been a small business owner.

Anyway, do whatever you can to make the next one. It's beyond worth it.

Jake

Well, I tried, but this time around it's a no-go. I have a decent contract, but the next net-30 check doesn't come till September.
Does anybody know if it's cool to advertize for interested practice partners? Maybe I can drum some up on Ft. Lewis and the local community.

Ken

[Jake_Norwood]

Hey Jake,


Ah, you must be an officer.

LOL, busted! Yeah, I'm one of them damn officers...

Heads up, though, if you're an ARMA member or plan on becoming one in the next year start saving now for the August ARMA members-only International Event. It will be the must-attend ARMA event since the last one and until the next one (which isn't yearly, unfortunately). If I'm not in Iraq, I'll be there.

Jake