ZEP Biographies — May1999

For this, the 3rd Anniversary of the ZEP mailing list, I am proud to present to you the Biographies of members!! First, I was going to format everyone's bio very specifically, so that they all matched, but as the personalities of the list are varied and special,so are the bios and their format. They are similar, and offer much the same types of information, but they are not all the same. Dear Glenda did a Glenda, and shared all that she always does, and Donna's bio is as original as most of her posts. Everyone's bio shares about them, and allows us to know more about those we care for! I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed putting them together. —Anne

Now, we shall begin with our beloved leader....Roger. Roger who is always concerned, and hurts for us, and started the Zone Enchanted Place where lovers of Pooh and Friends could talk and share and be there for one another—all in the spirit of the Silly Ol' Bear!

Everyone else is in alphabetical order for convenience and can be accessed directly using the locator bar below. Thank you to everyone who chose to participate, and I do hope you all enjoy this as much as I have...

Name : Roger "CR" Penn

As the best place to start is often at the beginning, I'll commence with August 7, 1968, the day that Portland, Oregon, and indeed, the world, became one Roger larger. Not that it wouldn't have done just fine without me, but there I was—wrinkled, and naked and covered in mucus. Needless to say, I've changed somewhat.

I was introduced to Winnie-the-Pooh at an early age, 3 in fact, when my Uncle gave the 4 volume set to me and my brother (who was born that year). Keep in mind that back then, Pooh was not a Disney phenomenon. They had produced the first two of four eventual short films, but Pooh was still very much an A.A. Milne/E.H. Shepard bear. And as I was a voracious reader from an early age, and preferred to let my imagination bring the 100 acre wood to life, rather than some Disney animator, I remained steeped in the books.

As I blundered my way through high school, with complete disregard for my future and no thought for academia, I didn't think much about the Forest. It was a short while later, while doing my eventual 9 years in the U.S. Army, that I found Pooh and the rest to be a wonderful escape from the less hospitable world around me. As I began to re-read the stories, which I had never ceased loving but only set aside for a while, I discovered why Pooh is so wonderful. It's not about Pooh at all. It's about the wonderful writing of A.A. Milne. I then began to read his poems, his plays, his essays, and anything else I could get ahold of, which is rather difficult in the US these days.

With the proliferation of the internet and the increasing popularity of the WWW, I knew what I had to do. After getting my bearings (pun intended) by learning HTML while constructing my own homepage, I turned my effort to Pooh. The first thing I found was that many people already had, and that if I was going to have any success at all, I was going to have to do something that hadn't been done yet.

Thus was born the Zone Enchanted Place, the JavaScript amenities on the pages, and the focus on Milne and away from Disney-the-Pooh. About the same time however, Disney discovered the huge cash cow that they had been overlooking. Through television cartoons and aggressive marketing, they managed to create thousands of "Pooh fans" overnight—fans who had no idea that Pooh was not a Disney cartoon, but in fact a hugely popular and well written children's book that had been around for almost 70 years.

As I have now left the military behind in favor of returning to school full time, my resources, both in time and energy, have kind of brought work and development of the site to a halt. At the same time, the ZEP has grown into a virtual family that has literally been through thick and thin together. I never thought it would turn out quite the way it did, and now we have three years worth of laughter and tears to look back on, and hopefully many more to come.

That's all fine and good, you say, but this is supposed to be about me. What about me? Okay, fine. I'm still in school, once again blundering along aimlessly. I've so many interests and so little time. I had planned to finish my Associate's degree this term, but it will now take another year. Ugh. I'm still in Portland, and hope to remain so indefinitely, barring any sudden urges to move to England proving fruitful. I still have no idea what degree I'm going to pursue, but I plan to do it at George Fox University in Newberg, OR.

Along the way, people like Donna have awakened and encouraged my latent interest in poetry, Robin has inspired me to resume the reading that I so much enjoyed when I was younger, and Sarah has shown me that you can't flatten a Tigger — He'll never fail to bounce, and neither should I. And if things go as planned, I will have met all of them in person before the year's out. All thanks to the internet, and a Silly Ol' Bear called Pooh.

Name: Ai-Ling Lin (Randi)
Location: Hawaii, USA
Birthday: Oct. 14, 1983

Family: daddy and mommy and 5 sisters...=) i am very very proud of them... and glad to be part of it too...=)

Career: still a high school student in 9th grade this yr.

General: I am originally from Taiwan.. i have been in the US for 4 years. English is my second language, and Manderin and Taiwanese are my first. I learned a lot from the boarding school that i am in right now and being independent.. also, surfing on the net for my favorite "Pooh!" that's how I found out about zep. It's a great community. I am proud that i am being part of it.. although i don't post a lot but i do enjoy reading other people's posts. I think it's incredible that people share bits of their life in zep. And we are gathered by the same interest "100 Acre Wood".

Also, I am trying to build my webpage. It's at http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Tower/2944. I am still adding stuff every now and then.. but i got a lot of info from u guys...=) i just wanna say thank you very much for letting me being part of u guys. Take care and Aloha!

Full name Alain Antonia Kemper.
Born in Montreal, Quebec, November 29, 1974 and (to the shock and amazment of many of those around me) am still not dead. So that makes me 24...meaning that my family is starting to give me the "why aren't you married yet" looks.

I had my early schooling in Quebec and Europe, but came to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to attend the University of Alberta (same as Erin). I graduated last year with an honnors degree in Forensic Anthropology and Paleoarchaeology...so far the majour benefit of this seems to be that it's fun to try to get people to say it in the bar around midnight...just kidding.

I work in retail and am a semi-pro racing driver. Older sister to three little brothers. Light of my Father's life, source of my Mother's grey hairs. Love well but not always wisely. Old car junkie and self proclaimed Volvo Fanatic. Cancer survivor. Organization freak with a messy apartment. Great cook.

I've loved Pooh and friends for as long as I can remember. When I was tiny I had Pooh (or as we call him in French Winnie L'Ourson) wallpaper in my room, and I still have my first Pooh bear, purchased by my Uncle at the Simpson Sears in Pointe Claire as he was driving to the hospital to meet me for the very first time. He takes credit for the pooh fixation to this day!

At the precarious point in my life where I'm trying to decide what to do and where to do it.

Name: Amber Geraldine Smith
Location: Cromer, Norfolk, UK
Birthday: September 11 1975.
Status: Engaged to David
Career: Unemployed, but I am a care assistant and a qualified Horticulturer.
Family: I am adopted, so I have basically two families: { Adopted side } mum { Mary } dad { Kelvin } one grandma { Mary } and one granddad { Edward } and { natural family } mum { June }, step dad { Tony }, one half brother { Mark } and one half sister { Kelly }
Favourite ZEP moment: will have to be when Donna was telling us all about her ferrets
Hobbies: Reading, collecting Pooh and Friend's thing's, writing poetry, and collecting things on Egypt.

Name: Annemarie Martin
Location: Colorado Springs, CO (State of the Avs and Broncos!!)
Age: 24
Family: I have two sisters, one in Alaska and one in Hawaii (as if they could get any further apart!).  Each of them has two children - two boys for one, two girls for the other.  My mother lives in Alaska with that sister, and my father died on May 10, 1994.

Career: Given a choice, I would spend my life writing and raising a family, but as I don't have a family to raise yet, and writing alone does not pay bills, I work as a Software Test Analyst for a company that designs Automated Banking Solutions. Sounds impressive, huh?? NOPE! My job is just to break code that I probably couldn't write myself to begin with!

Life: I spend time writing, reading, drawing, painting, and watching hockey (not only is it the best sport - the guys are cute!!). I also adore the theater and music, as well as just spending time with my dog and my roommate - no, he's not my boyfriend! Just my best friend. I'd like to go back to school soon, and the dream and goal of my life is to be published.

Pooh: The silly old bear has always been a favorite, but never meant much beyond that to me until my father's death.  Kenny Loggins released "Return To Pooh Corner" near the same time, and the words and what they stood for just seemed so appropriate to me..they still do.  Pooh has all of the qualities I wish I could, and is the kind of friend that I hope I am.

ZEP Memory: Though there are SO many, I'd have to say my favorite was meeting Alain, through her turkey recipe.  She helped me through my very first Thanksgiving turkey, not to mention becomming one of my best friends. And I love "Glenda" letters from anyone, Jeff's sense of humor, Channon's caring, and the little bits of personality that everyone on the list can provide at any given moment. And I adore how we are all there for eachother, whether someone has sad or happy news, discussion of tragedy, or babbling galore...that's what the ZEP is for.

Name: Barbara Szombara
Occupation: Student Teacher, Primary Age Range, specialising in Mathematics
Location - Term time: Northampton, England
Location - Holiday time: Basildon, England
Family: Frank and Chris (mum & dad) , sister Amanda and brother-in-law Brian, niece Kayleigh and nephew Christopher, sister Donna and brother Konrad.
Family name origin: Poland
Age: 26
Birthday October 9th

General information: I joined ZEP when I found the list by chance one day when searching for winnie the pooh pages, this is about a year and a half ago now. I had already been to the forest and played on poohsticks bridge. I remember having my first Pooh book when I was about 7 or 8 and have been interested in Pooh since then. My favourite character is eeyore because although he is gloomy, he can also be quite witty and if you look at him from a different angle he looks happy instead of sad.

Favourite ZEP memories: All the help, prayers and support given when my niece natasha died at 10 weeks. The debates that happen every year about Pooh's real birthday August or October??? Being able to celebrate the births, marriagesand special occasions and share in the loss of loved ones.

A reason for staying on the ZEP list: Because there's always someone there who cares.

Name: Betsy (Veal) Jones
Location: Dallas, Texas
Age: 27

Family: I'm married to the sweetest guy in the world, Michael. My parents are still alive and living happily in Florida (where we all grew up -- no, they didn't retire and move there! ;) as well as my grandmother and my younger brother.

Career: I hold a bachelor of science in public relations from the University of Florida and worked as a PR account executive with an agency for four years, but now I am a homemaker and genealogy researcher. I like what I do now much better!

General: Laura from the Kindred Spirits listserv (discusses Anne of Green Gables and other works by L.M. Montgomery) introduced me to the ZEP sometime back in summer of 1996. (I don't know if she's still a member here or not...) I think I was part of the second card exchange, but I was too new to know if it was or not. Believe it or not, I was quite a lurker when I first joined, but once I posted I was so warmly welcomed that I refused to stay hiding for very long!

Favorite ZEP memory: All of the card exchanges, the Rabbit essays, any of Jeff Travis' posts (they're hysterical!), each time a ZEP baby is born (Eliana, Elysabeth, etc.), the way folks warmly support and encourage one another.

Name: Bonny MacLeod-Dennis
Location: Orlando, FL
Age: 40
Family: Husband, Brad, Mom, Three sisters and a brother
Career: Stage Tech-Props Crew Chief for the Beauty and the Beast Show at MGM Studios FL.
General : Always too darn busy! Slow to answer mail. (Actually I answer it fast; I just don't always read it fast.)
Favorite Zep Memory (ies): Meeting Glenda and her husband Jim.

Name: Channon Moore
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Age: 29

Family: Complicated... Married, with a six year-old step-son, who doesn't live with us, but visits often, and loves Pooh almost as much as I do. My husband is Mark, my childhood sweetheart. I have one half-sister on my father's side, who lives about two hours away. I live a mile from my inlaws - hubby's parents and his brother and sister inlaw - and I get along very well with all of the above. Then, there are our two dogs, my "children", Mugsy, the three year old Jack Russell, and Fred, the almost three Basset Hound...

Career: I've worked for the Charlottesville Fire Department for ten years. I'm a fire fighter by trade, but due to a back injury, I'm now "Communications Liason" which means that I run our dispatch center.

General: I stumbled into ZEP somehow, one slow day in dispatch, and didn't lurk for long! I'm not much of a Pooh expert, but I've loved him for a long as I can remember, and my childhood best friend has always given me Poohish gifts to keep me focused. I keep an emergency Pooh in my car, at the suggestion of my step-son, and I won't tolerate any jokes about my pewter Classic Pooh keyring either!!

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NAME: Cheryl Anne Wheeler
Location: Bremen,Georgia
Age: 31
Family: I am the oldest in a family of 2. I have a brother chris who is going to the aviation schoolIn texas. He is studing to work on aircrafts. I am married to a very good man named Aaron and I have two children: a boy named Tyler who is 9 and a girl, Savannah, who is 2. I work at a kindercare learning center. It is Like a pre-k.
General: i first learned of The zep mailing list by just searching for winnie the pooh stuff off of Yahoo. I love the mailiing list. I have met a lot of new friends. Each and every one is special to me. I can not wait to check the email everyday!!!
My favorite zep memory: my favorite Zep memory would definately have to be the spring card exchange,because It is my first. I have enjoyed it so much.

Name: Christina Viramontes
Location: Riverside, California
Age: 21
Family: Mom and Dad, Maria Antonieta and Louis, and sister, Cindy (19)
Career: I am a full-time student at La Sierra University in Riverside, California. I also work part-time in the Periodical department at the University's library.
General: I looked far and wide for a Pooh mailing list, and I am so glad I came upon this great group of people.
Favorite Zep Memory (ies): I have only been here for a short time, but my favorite memory so far is the Spring Card Exchange. I love to receive cards, and the thought of receiving Pooh was even better. I also love how everyone is there for each other.

Name: Danae Troutman
Birthday: January 14, 1963
Family: Husband - Donny (Occupation - Chef)
Son - Spencer - 7
Daughter - Morgan - 4
Daughter - Kendall - 1 1/2
We live in Nashville, TN
Career: Training and Quality Assurance Special Projects Manager at Opryland USA
General: I love pooh, scrapbooking, hand tinting black & white photographs, music (any kind, excluding country) coffee and spring!

Donna was born nineteen odd in lovely, yet remote Fort Saint John, British Columbia, Canada. Oh, forget that, it's a boring little snowfilled town. This is why she left before the age of 2. After living in Scurvey... er, Surrey, she met the man of her dreams, and uprooted to beautiful Victoria,BC.

Donna was an only child most of her growing up years, parents divorced when she was but a wee thing. Her mother remarried when on Donna's 11th birthday, her father a month before. A few years later, Donna's half-brother, Alexander, was born to her father and step-mother.

Donna graduated from high school in 1997, and spent a few months afterwards living in Salem, OR. Just for fun. Alas, she came back in time to do a semester of college and start an illustrious career in Technical Support. On her third Internet Service Provider, she is constantly amazed by the ... questions.

Donna has a passion for carpet sharks... better known as ferrets. As of this writing, she currently has 4 of the little darlings - Flower, Pongo, Wink & Ness. They keep her on her feet. Donna is in the midst of starting the Victoria Ferret Association (http://www.arwen.org/vfa/).

Donna also enjoys writing HTML, and currently maintains a website at http://www.arwen.org. Of course, her ferrets have their own site at http://www.fiercecreatures.com. Donna likes to think that she owns this site, but it is overrun by ferrets, and we all know that they're the ones who really do the work on that.

Donna is also considered slightly insane, which is why she wrote this entire biography in the third person. It is thought that sometimes, she shouldn't be allowed out without her keeper, but she is of the mindset that life is so much more entertaining if you don't worry about being normal... or if you just have absolutely no sense of logic... For more information, email: areyouinsane?@arwen.org

Name: Elisabeth Maxham-Lee
Location: Sunnyvale, CA, just outside San Jose, at the south end of the San
Francisco Bay area
Age: 24, born 1/15/75 in Udon, Thailand

Family: Dad and a 21-year-old brother, Mike, in Alexandria, VA, just outside Washington, DC (which is where I lived, for 18 years, before moving here Dec. 31st). Mom, and my stepdad Joe, and my 12-year-old half brother Jimmy, in Naples, Italy, on a three-year tour of duty (Joe's in the Air Force). I was briefly married to my high-school sweetheart, we're still good friends. Just recently started a new relationship, after finding that an old friend had become much more than that over the last year or so of my life. This one's a keeper, only problem is he lives 3000 miles away, but is making plans to come here. I also have two great roommates, Jason and Becky, plus their dog Rudy, their cat Romeo, and my own cat, Sabrina.

Career: I'm job-hunting yet again. I've been working in retail and customer service since high school, when I got out here I took a job with a smoothie chain, having been promised management. That hasn't panned out, so now I'm looking to do something else. I have interviews all this week, keep your fingers crossed for me! I plan to return to college, when i figure out what it is that I'd like a degree in. I love writing, though, and hope to have something published someday.

The ZEP: I can't think of a time when I didn't love Pooh. I'm a charter member of the ZEP, having been a member of its parent group, the Zone, way back when we originally broke off after having discovered a number of members with a common love for the bear and his friends. I've been here almost all the time since then (though you wouldn't know it, as infrequently as i post :) ), save for a few months last year. You may not hear from me much, but I do love reading all the posts, and keeping up with everyone's lives. My favorite memories are of the first card exchange, and of receiving the first-anniversary card from Roger. The best thing, though, is all the support I received--and still am--as I triumph over cervical cancer.  And all the wonderful people and lasting friendships here...i would never have met these people otherwise. Isn't the internet grand?

Name: Emily Wagner
Location: Denver, Colorado
Age: 33
Family: I'm the middle of three sisters. My married sister lives with her hubby and daughter in North Carolina. My other sister and I live together to share the mortgage payment.

Career: I am employed at an environmental engineering firm and I am learning the marketing coordinator duties. But if that really stinks, I may give up office work altogether and go back to school.

General: I think I found ZEP through a search engine. I was having so much fun with my other e-mail lists and bulletin boards (Colorado Avalanche, historical fiction, Are You Being Served?) that I looked for more lists to sign up for. I have been a Pooh fan for most of my life and my favorite character is Tigger. My first stuffed toy was a tiger named...get this...Tigger! I have collected more stuffed tigers over the years and even photos and paintings of tigers. (No, Frosted Flakes isn't my favorite breakfast cereal, but it ought to be.)

Favorite ZEP Memory: No favorite yet...I haven't been here long enough. But I enjoy hearing from the other folks from all over the world. I guess I didn't realize how universal that silly ol' bear is!

Name: Emma Steel
Location: During term time - Wrexham, Wales.
Location: Hoildays - Chester, England.
Family: Adoptive parents (Will and Ceila) 1 sister (Bev) and neice (Catilin Emma) who all live in Chester.
Occupation: Student at NEWI - Wrexham, studying HND Computing, hopfully I graduate in 5 weeks !!!
Age: 22
DOB: 14 May

General: My nickname is Tigger, because people say I'm very much like him, bouncy, springy and full of fun, most of the time. I got onto Zep, through my Ex, (who rekindling my love of all things Poohish) because he found the list and put me on it, as I suprise. In December, my sister's baby was born, the weekend before
christmas, she was named Catilin, but my sister wanted to name her after me in some way, so she became Catilin Emma. I'd like to be a computer engineer evently, but the kind that go out to people house's and fix their PC's in the customers home, I'm not the sort of person that can sit in an office all day, as I'm a fairly active person and a people person at heart, I love meeting new people, like the friends I've found here at Zep.

Favorite Zep Memories: Well for me, it have to be all the births that have been annouced on here, sending and receiving cards via the card exchanges, which are great fun - Supporting Glenda through all her chemo and stuff, getting to know people in the forrest and just all the support, love, friendship and fun that comes from this list. You're all wonderful and loved by me, and I've really missed not being in the forrest.

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My name is Erin Aldrich, I am 23 years old and currently reside in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. I was raised in Toronto, and lived in Ottawa, Ontario 8 years previous to moving to Edmonton. I hold a degree in music from the University of Ottawa, and am finishing up my elementary Ed degree at the University of Alberta in April, 1999. I love to read, and sing. I have two cats and a dog back home in Ottawa, who I miss a great deal!

I have loved Pooh ever since I can remember, in fact when my Mother was pregnant with me she made me a stuffed pooh bear, who to this day sits on my bed. I think I am a combination of Tigger and Eyore, with a slight bit of pooh thrown in for good measure.

Name: Fiona Coleman
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 25

Family: I'm the youngest of two girls. My sister is currently living in Galway, which is about three hours drive from our house. I'm still living at home with my parents and five cats! My other half, Dave, is in Ballina- nearly four hours drive away, but we still see each other every weekend.

Career: this is where is gets a bit strange..... I'll be working as a test engineer until the end of April, but then I'm leaving my current job and starting a new job as a "Configuration Engineer"..... when I know what that means I'll tell you all!!!

General: I found Zep while bored in college on day! Never having Internet access before 3rd year in college, it was a new toy for me, and I found the group after searching for Pooh related things. I've always been a Pooh fan, but as with most children, "grew to old" for reading what I considered kids books. Then one day (I think I was babysitting) I picked up a copy and started reading....

Favourite Zep moment: coming back of holidays last September to find that Glendas tests had come back clear!

Name: Glenda Helmick

DOB: 3/26/47
Location: Orlando, FL

I was born in Kansas, grew up in Nebraska, and then lived in Ohio from 1965-1983. It was in Ohio that I met Jim...we started dating 33 years ago; have been married almost 31 years! In 83, we decided that we had seen more than enough cloudy days and moved to Florida. We have two handsome sons, two beautiful daughters-in-law, and two precious grandchildren.

Even though I read avidly as a child, I never was introduced to Milne's books. I learned of "Winnie-the-Pooh" while pregnant with Mike. On Dec. 1, 1971, I watched the first Pooh special I'd ever seen on TV...I had Mike at 6:00 A.M. on the 2nd. The boys had the Disney long-play records; they played them over and over and over again. We would always cuddle up on the couch to watch the Pooh specials that were on TV yearly. My sister gave the boys the boxed paperback set of all four of Milne's books. Each book cost 95 cents! I read them to the kids, and then they read them over and over again. They had matching Pooh pajamas; Pooh blanket sleepers; Pooh toys. The only thing that we have from that era are the records...complete w/ Greg's orange marker scribbles all over the pictures.

Pooh came in and out of our lives from time to time, but landed with a boom when we knew that Justin was on his way. Christine wanted a Disney nursery. Living in Orlando area, I wasn't wild about a Mickey Mouse nursery, but it wasn't for me. I did remind her of Pooh, however. During the pregnancy, she and Mike would come over and watch the classic videos. Mike read both Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner to Christine while she was pregnant. Of course, Justin came out reciting the first three chapters-ha! I've often wondered, though, if that was why a child of just two years old could listen to Peter Dennis read each chapter word for word.

When older son, Mike, wanted to get me on the internet, I was leery. Why would I want to do on that? This was probably four years ago. He told me to type in something I was interested in. I typed in Pooh and got...are you ready for this...five (only five!) Pooh sites. One of my favorite ones was "The Page at Pooh Corner." I started corresponding with James Milne after Jim wrote him a letter telling him how much I liked his pages. Then in late May or early June of 1996, I stumbled across ZEP and signed up. The first letters left me quite puzzled. Who were these people? I'm not sure that I wrote any letters to the group until someone asked for the reason that different ones had come to love Pooh. I'm sure that I wrote a *long* letter. School started the end of July that year; can remember writing to alt.fan.pooh as to ideas for Pooh bulletin board; wonderful ideas were sent to me from a "Katie Prunka!" By that time, I had discovered her pages and of course, loved them.

Breast cancer was diagnosed in August. ZEP seemed to be an anonymous group to express my fears. Little did I know what a support group it would become. The mastectomy was no big deal. The chemo was quite another thing. Quite scary being told that I was going to be poisoned w/ nasty stuff that would strip every hair of my body off and leave me with a white blood count so low that Jim had to give me daily Nupegen injections. When I came home from that first chemo treatment, there was a package by the door w/ MA postmark; I was sure it was from my niece living in Boston. But no...it was from a ZEP friend who took the time to find my address and sent me "take my hand...songs from the 100 acre wood" tape. Later came a package from Norway with a paperback of _Her Kommer Ole Brumm_ on which the back pages were just covered with the longest letter to me. Ahhh...my kind of person; knowing that writing in the book makes it all the more special. On days when I was too sick from chemo to raise my head much off the bed, I'd stumble in to the computer and see a message asking, "Glenda, are you still there?" Of course, my family and friends were also writing, calling, and visiting. But it was to this group that I could bear my soul.

Thankfully, that period of our lives is over now; I go in every three months for blood tests and exams, but...so far...2 1/2 years clean and wanting to stay that way forever!

Family today: Jim and I are both teachers; he teaches AP Physics at our local high school; I teach third grade. My students and I have been reading A. A. Milne books for the past six or seven years. Jim is the kind of teacher that kids dream of having in high school. Greg, being more geared toward language arts, didn't want to take AP Physics. Older brother, Mike, insisted that he take it. After two weeks in Jim's class, Greg came home beaming, "Dad *really* teaches!" Mike is an environmental engineer, but has been fortunate to use his hobby for his job. He does programming for the company instead of having to go out into the field. He has just been put into a management position.
Christine taught for two years and then decided that time with Justin was more important than money, so she has been a stay-at-home Mom since Kenzie's birth! Somehow at Kenzie's young age, she must know that I'm a Pooh freak. She can have so many toys in her toy basket, but she'll bring me Pooh or Piglet when I first go into their home. I can't wait until she first calls them by names. Her vocab is somewhat limited at the moment, although she goes on and on and on in baby gibberish...must be related to her grandma.

Greg graduated from FSU w/ a Master's Degree in Spanish Literature. He and Joanna were married last year and are working for Americore in Denver, Colorado, helping immigrant Mexicans learn the language. Greg has just accepted a fellowship from the University of Texas to work on his doctorate degree.

Many, many friends have been made through this group; we've been fortunate to meet several. Brad and Bonny walked us through constant e-mails to the spot they were visiting in Florida. We have also been to their new home here in the area. It's fun to know that they are less than an hour away! Jim and I meet Phil and Jeanne in St. Petersburg where we sat on the front row of a little intimate theater and experienced Peter Dennis reading selections. Then...last year...both Jim and James humored me by driving to Ames, Iowa, while we were visiting my sister in Iowa. James Milne was so much fun. He would talk to me about Pooh and this group; then he and Jim would talk physics, engineering, and computers, then James would indulge me by oohing and aahing over pictures of grandchildren.
This year, Peter surprised me by offering to send Katie and Molly to help during our Tech Expo. What a thrill it was for my students to be able to meet the girls behind "Winnie-the-Pooh: An Expotition." It was a wonderful experience.

Gloria Wheeler/ Age 24/ Douglasville Georgia.
Birthday ? August 13, 1974.
Hi all, My name is Gloria Wheeler. I have been married to the love of my life for almost 5 year."Adam". No children (yet). Two parents. Mary Cleveland & Bob Cleveland. I have 3 sisters and one brother, all which are scattered all across the USA! I also have 3 dogs. Emma (Chinese Pug), Noel (Cocker), Duke (Australian Shepherd). No job as of yet, but looking. I would LOVE to get a job doing internet type work!! I have always adored Disney, but after my first expenses with that "SILLY OLE BEAR" it all changed! Most of us recall POOH at a very young age, and have very found memories. The day I really realized how much POOH ment to me, was when I was at Disney World!! I was only 21 then. I had never been to Disney World, or have I never been back since :(! "not by choice" He came right up behind me and gave me a big bear hug! He was so sweet and warm. Just like in the stories, you know! Now I know he wasn't real, but you can't imagine the love I felt....

I have other interest too. I love the outdoors. I also travel allot. "money pro meting ".My husband and I keep the road pretty HOT. I love to plant flowers, and sing. Cooking is also a hobby of mine. "My husband's favorite hobby, hehehe".. That is one hobby that can get me in trouble. I have all the Disney's Bean Bag Plush Characters, and I also have all the Disney movies! Disney books? Oh I have those too. I just love to collect Disney.

My favorite Quote from The Complete TALES of Winnie the Pooh reads as follows:

Name: James Milne
Location: Reston, Virginia, USA
Birthday: July 30, 1975

Family: 2 parents (one mother, Jean; one father, Robert) and 2 younger sisters (Jeanna and Terri) all living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, along with Missy, our Pomeranian/Shelty orange ball of fur.

Career: Six months as a network engineer for Sprint. Which matches my degree in computer engineering rather well. I moonlight as a Pooh scholar (although it doesn't really pay what you'd expect it to).

General: Wide ranging interests include ancient history, anime, mythology, astronomy, Greek theater and literature, science fiction, King Arthur anything, and a Silly Old Bear. I found Pooh thanks to my last name (found a book in the library with my name on it -- literally! -- and I had to read it) and have been a fan since the 3rd grade. Discovered ZEP (May 28, 1997) for the most part thanks to the encouragement (or was it goading?) of Glenda. Discovered Glenda through her husband, who discovered me from my web page.

Favorite ZEP moment: Tough call. I have to say one of my favorites was around last Easter, when I posted a small essay on the evil that is Rabbit to the group, and immediately had attacks coming back from Glenda Helmick and Jan Martin. (Mostly Jan.) I laughed a lot that week. I also really enjoyed the whole ferret thread, even though I don't have any experience with the critters. It could very well be that Donna has single-handedly made her ferrets the official ZEP mascots. (And if not, I propose that we hold a vote immediately to name them as such.)

Name: Jan Martin
Location: Aliso Viejo, California
Age: changes yearly
Birthdate: December 22

Family: Married to Jim Martin. We have no human children, but our fur-children include Toby, (cat), Thelma, and Louise, (dwarf bunnies).

Career: (I guess you can call it that). I retired early after 14 years with Pacific Bell. I operated my own photo retouching business for 4 years. I worked as an Administrative Assistant, then as an Operations Manager for a software development company. Currently I am an independent consultant, creating web pages and chat environments, and occasionally providing computer training.

Hobbies: I am a digital artist, trying to be a better photographer! I love music and film, sounds and images, so I always seem to have some sort of project going which involves those interests. I love to learn!

Pooh History: My first memories of Winnie-The-Pooh were the Disney animations. I read the stories later, when I acquired "The World Of Pooh" book from my cousin. After many years, I rediscovered the book and read it aloud to my husband. We are both friends of Pooh now.

How I found ZEP: I created a graphical chat environment called "Hundred Acre Wood Palace" and I wanted to encourage attendance by fellow Pooh Lovers. While searching for web links relating to Pooh, I found Roger's page. I joined the Zone Enchanted Place on January 27, 1998.

Favorite Zep Memories: Every Glenda letter, and my first card exchange.

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Name: Jeff Beltramo
DOB: 10/17/66
Location: Santa Rosa, California

Born and raised on the left (west) coast in the South part of the San Francisco Bay area. After Graduation from college with an engineering degree in 1990, I decided to see what was east of the Sierras since everyone else in my family seemed to think the world ended there! Oh before I forget, upon graduation, in fact on the same day, I married my lovely wife. My wife and I have ventured around the country a bit....California -> Orlando, Florida -> Idaho Falls, Idaho - > Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania -> and back to California for good measure. Along the way my two beautiful sons were born. They are currently ages seven and four and continue to daily amaze my wife and I.

Career: I am a Mechanical Engineer with just enough sprinkling of Nuclear engineering knowledge to truly make me dangerous ;-) Seriously though, I am an engineer at heart and really can't fathom myself doing anything else. In fact, it was during a business trip that I was reading the Tao of Pooh and I came to an incredible realization...I am very much like Pooh. There is a chapter called the Uncarved Block. I related very much to it. Pooh knows his limitations and what he can do and so he operates very comfortably within that. This is very much me. I realized early on that I engineering was my lifes calling and passion and I would be wasting my time pursuing anything else. Anyway, I have worked various position for Westinghouse in their Naval Nuclear program and now work for the Compumotor division of Parker Hannifin. For the truly nosy and high tolerance for things that would bore everyone but an engineer, you can check out the products I design at:
www.compumotor.com/products_servo_motors.htm

How/Why found ZEP: During our last transcontinental move, I had to move out here before my family to start work, while my wife and kids in remained in PA to sell a house. We had never really been apart and it was a tough time for all. During my lonely nights I was surfing the web for all things Pooh and discovered James' and Roger's websites. Have been a member since about August, 1997.

Name: Julie L. Atkinson
Location: South Carolina: Columbia, Sumter, and various other places
Age: 21, as of September 10

Family: Mother and Father living in Sumter, SC. 18 year old sis living in Columbia with me currently.

Career: A student who graduates May 8, 1999 with a BA in Sociology and a minor in education. I have NO CLUE as to what I am going to do next year. I may take the year off, get a real job, or go to grad school. Who knows?!?!?!?!?

I became interested in Winnie the Pooh when I was little. I can remember my parents letting me stay up "late" to watch the Pooh cartoons on TV when I was 3 and 4. They are convinced I just never outgrew the bear. My room (in my first apartment I might add) is totally Pooh. I don't think I will ever outgrow him!

Favorite list moment: I don't know that I have one. I look forward to reading the posts from everyone everyday. It has been great getting to know people from around the world!

Name: Jo Ann Champion (my first name is Jo, but I like Jo Ann better-sounds less masculine)
Location: Austin, Texas (but I was born in Corpus Christi)
Birthday: September 20, 1976 (In case James mixes it up again!)
Age:22! =)

Occupation: This is complex. I am a senior music education major at UT, but I also am employed by the illustrious UT Division of Housing and Food as a clerical assistant for Andrews, Blanton, Carothers, and Littlefield Residence Halls (AKA "The QUAD"). I love housing! I get to meet all the residents and make friends with them and their parents. =) And I'm known as the "Singing CA" because I sing with the radio very loudly at work, so everyone passing by stopps to listen. Talk about a captive audience! I've actually gotten gigs this way!

Family: Yes. =) My mother (Leonila, which is an Indian name that refers to the flower on a dogwood tree), my father (Joseph Allen), my OLDER brother (John Adam), my OLDER sister (Jeri Ann), my kitty (Margarita, who is going to have grandkitties for me next month!), and me! =) I also am uninvolved at the time. I'm looking, but I'm not finding. (I think all the good ones are gone already!)

My hobbies: playing my flute =), writing music, singing music of any kind, though I prefer country, folk, Christian, and opera for singing, though Sarah McLachlan works well, too. =), drawing pictures of Pooh & company for James' page when I have the time to do so..., and writing to my pen pals (I have a number of air force soldiers in Europe that I write to). My favorite thing to do overall, however, is talk aimlessly with James Milne on ICQ before I go to bed at night. No matter what stress the day brings me, knowing that he listens and so often makes me laugh is the most secure feeling in the world.

What do I do?: I am involved with a number of campus organizations....I march in the Longhorn Band, I jump, jive, and wail in the Basketball Band (Go Chris Mihm!), I toot my flute in the Symphony Band, I am co-Vice President of Mu Theta Chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon Professional Music Fraternity, I am Historian of Gamma Phi Alpha honor society (yes, that spells GPA!), I teach cute midgets how to play trumpet at Murchison Middle School, I serve on the Lutheran Campus Ministry Council, I play my flute in church every Sunday morning at 9:30 am (stop in any time!), I am in the Texas Music Educator's Association, as well as the UT Student MEA, and I serve on the Alys Bodoin Scholarship committee. As people who know me will tell you, I don't know the meaning of free time. I love to be involved in everything-there's so much for me to experience at UT, that I don't want to leave here knowing that I limited myself to anything. I want to know it all! =)

My favorite Pooh memory: When I was a little midget of the ripe old age of three, I had these awesome Sears Pooh pajamas that were furry and yellow, with cute little feet and paws on them. They were so snuggly soft that I hated the day I outgrew them, but then again, the slick paws and feet prevented me from getting into things when I was little. I couldn't climb onto countertops and reach the cookie jar in those!

My web page: Everyone can learn more about what makes me tick at my web site:
http://users.interconnect.net/wamp/joann/

Name: Lyn Minay
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Age: 29 (and hitting the big 3 - 0 this year!)

Family: I'm the eldest of four children, and single. My sister who is about to get married in April 99, lives in York in England with her fiancee, and all she wants to do is settle down and have lots of children. I have two younger brothers as well. One is at University in Leeds studying music, and the other is about to start training to be a nurse. They are both single. Mum and Dad live in a little farming village just outside York, with 3 cats(Pippin, Spooflet and Teazle) and 1 dog (Sula)

Career: Have a degree in humanities - where I majored in Literature, and minored in sociology. I knew I wanted to go into publishing to work with books after I'd finished my degree, but it is a hard career to get into. I started at the bottom as a shop assistant, and moved over to the marketing side. Several jobs later, and a move 400 miles north from London, England to Edinburgh in Scotland, I am now a marketing executive, putting together book cover designs, writing back cover blurbs, and having my own business cards (first time I've ever had them as well!) I love my job, but wish I had some spare time to indulge in my passion for writing a novel!

General: I actually joined the group through another group, of which several of the old-timers were part of! - I sent an email one day to this group with a 'spoof' on one of the poems, and Roger emailed me and said why didn't I join the group if I liked Pooh! Now I've been with the group for the last 2 years, and although I lurk much of the time - (I only have email access at work - and no free time!), I do love to read all the posts and feel part of the group. The support and help that come from the zep is wonderful, and I know if I need to talk, there will be someone there!

Favourite Zep memory: I have no favourite memory in particualar - I have received posts that make me smile, and lighten up the rest of my day, I have received the most beautiful cards from around the world, and I have a new group of friends, who all share a common love of the work of A.A. Milne!

Name: Melissa Cole
Location: Henderson, North Carolina
Age: 27 birthdate: July 12, 1971
Family: Mother and father; oldest of three girls. Single mom with 7 yr old named Amber. Not currently involved with someone. Wouldn't mind getting to know other people, but not looking.
Career: I work for Wal*Mart. I have been there for four years now.  Helped set the store before there was product to sell. I am department manager of the food department. I really enjoy my job.
General: Always loved Pooh. Can't remember not loving him. Eeyore is my favorite with Tigger a close second. I met a friend through ICQ that was nicknamed Tigger; we started looking pooh related things on the internet and I found Zep. Been here since March of 1999, just in time for the new millieum.
Favorite Zep memory: Was just getting accepted and feeling welcomed by this great group.

Penny Meyer
Buellton, California USA
January 9, 1956

My mother is 73 years young. My father is 80. They are among the Morning Glories of Senior Citizens who have never fallen out of love with each other. They have six children. Three boys and three girls. The first son,  Dennis, is very studious and proper, and now is the head of the Cancer Research Department of University of Utah. The second son, Gordon, was always kind of the Dillon of the Leavitt clan. He completed a successful career in the US Army, and during his early retirement therefrom is driving a big rig back and forth across the country. Mike, the youngest son, is the quiet one who has always believed actions speak louder than words. He now runs a thriving cement company. The first daughter, Nancy, was Mother's little girl. She is very feminine and angelic. Nancy is 25 plus years into a successful career in law. The next daughter, Susan, was a little tougher around the edges and always very diligent and now owns the popular "Office Helper." Penny, the youngest, is me. The baby. Spoiled and protected and now somewhat umbilically connected to my 'puter.

Growing up in a small town farming community atmosphere with a steadily increasing influx of migrant workers, we saw our share and, in some cases, did our share of fisticuffs. The words of advice from our dear, quiet, gentle, hard-working father that ring in my ears, heart, mind, and soul would be, "Your rights end where the other fella's nose begins." I hope you don't mind, Poppy, if I tailor these words of wisdom just a tad to more fully include the changes in our individual worlds. Something like this: "Your rights end where the other fella's begin."

I have three grown sons, of whom I am extremely proud and very much in love with. The things I get paid to do is manage property and help people make their computers do what they bought them to do.

I love the outdoors. Chloe (Our American Eskimo Dog) and Patrick (My  ever-so-kind-wonderful-sweet-loving generous husband) *smile* and I go walking as much as possible. We live on the edge of wilderness territory and love exploring the surrounding mountains. I love to read, learn more about programming, play the piano, take pictures, do plastic canvas stitching, and write short stories. I'm very interested in American Eskimo Dog rescue efforts.

My granddaughter, Khristin, idolizes Pooh. I hope she continues to love Pooh and learns Pooh phylosophies as she grows older. She's three now. From her car seat inside the van, she can spot a Pooh in a car window a block away .. and she lets you know it!

Name: Rachael Page
Location: Madison (actually Waunakee), Wisconsin
Age: 23
Family: Mom and Dad Jim and Judy, younger sister Rebecca (age 21), wonderful hubby Paul, and two beautiful children Alexander (age 4), and Elysabeth (age > 4 1/2 mos)
Career: I suppose you could say I'm officially still a student, but I'd rather consider myself a teacher even though I haven't quite graduated yet, because I have a wonderful job as a lead toddler teacher in the day care right next to our apartment.
General : I found the ZEP by inquiring on alt.fan.pooh if there was such a list like this. I received a reply from Roger that yes, in fact such a group had just been set up. So I've been here since almost the beginning and have enjoyed every minute of it.
Favorite Zep Memory (ies): Watching everyone come together to support and stand by Glenda through her cancer, getting the same concern when I announced my Mom had ovarian cancer, feeling the excitement when I said I was pregnant and then announced the birth of Elysabeth, and just the general love and support that is hard to find in most of the people you physically know, and here it is on the internet. I really love that.

Name: Ragnhild "Robin" Sandlund
Location: Telford, UK (Norwegian in voluntary exile)
Age: 24 (going on 25, b.d. 10 April)

Family: Mother and father and seventeen-year-old brother all living in Trondheim, Norway. Fortunately they've all got e-mail now, and the phone isn't that expensive either. Plans for getting a dog, it's just that I'd really like a big one (grand danois or irish wolfhound) but my flat's not quite large enough for that.

Career: Coming up to six months at EDS. I figured it to be a great deal when they offered to pay me to learn programming. This was a carreer change, though, as I had previously just finished a Master of Arts degree in English literature.

General: I actually found the zep while searching for material on Milne the author rather than Pooh as such. There isn't much out there, something which I'm trying to fix now that I've got an internet connection proper again. I've been in the forest almost since the beginning, it cannot have been many months after it started that I found it. I'm going to have to search through my files to see what the earliest posts I saved are...

I love the silly old bear, of course, despite having been looking for other things when I stumbled on the zep. I can probably divide my Love of Pooh into two phases. When I was a kid there was the Pooh a.k.a. Ole Brumm that existed in a Norwegian translation by a man called Torbjørn Egner. This was all very nice, but largely forgotten about until the age of 17 when I wrote an essay on the use of animals to portray human  characteristics in books, comparing the Pooh books and Animal Farm by George Orwell. When, of course, I discovered the Joy of Pooh all over again.

Favourite zep moment: This is going to sound slightly strange, but I think it would have to be when I first read the mail from Glenda saying she had been diagnosed with cancer. It is certainly the only zep moment I can pinpoint in space as in "Where were you when...". I found myself getting tears in my eyes at the possibility of losing a person who I at that time had not even communicated directly with (I don't think I'd been that active at all yet at that time), and that was when I realised how much the zep as a group had come to mean to me. (And oh, Glenda, I can't even begin to express how happy I am that possibility never became more than a possibility...)

Name: Ryoko Yanase
Location: Osaka, Japan
Age: 30 (Born on Sep.22, 1968)
Sign: Virgo/Monkey
Family: A husband, no kids yet. I have an older sister, parents and a grandma who are all too nice to me sometimes. But I'm not complaining!

General: I went to a college in Missouri, USA from '92 to '95. Studied computer science and now works as a technical translator. I love traveling, backpacking, shopping, reading, eating, movies, flowers, spring and animals (especially dogs). I started to collect Pooh related goods when I was in high school and started to read the stories right after that. My husband had a stuffed Pooh when he was a baby (I saw the picture in his grandma's photo album) so he is a lot ahead of me when it comes to Pooh-career.

Favorite Zep Memory: Oct. 5 '98: First day I signed up Mar.15 '99: I fell and broke my foot for the first time in my life. Got lots of comforting words from fellow zeppers around the world! And of course my first two card exchanges.

Name : Samantha-Karen Dube
Location : South Bend, IN
Birthday : August 23, 1976
Family : Well, that's a little complicated...so we'll just stick with the basics, I guess :) Dad is remarried in California, Mom is living in Massachusetts (where I grew up...and still consider HOME), and my one older brother lives out here in Indiana with me(for another 3 months - then he and his soon to be wife will live in another apartment..and I'll finally live alone!!)

Career : full time student...full time employment. I work as the assistant manager at a sandwich, pasta, salad (pretty much everything other than pizza) shop that was started by a friend of mine almost 2 years ago.(It's called "Wolfie's" and it's was received greatly by Notre Dame students...now we need to get the rest of South Bend to realize how magnificant we truly are!) During the summer I plan to work that job and waitress somewhere else and then once school starts up again, I'll just waitress next year.

General Stuff : I have a strange set of intrests...things such as civil war history, READING (especially in the summer sun) :historical fiction books (for anyone who doesn't know what that is - an example would be the North and South trilogy by John Jakes. It's fiction that is based on actual events, and uses actual people in history), lately I've also been interested in Piers Anthony, but not so much the famous Xanth novels as his Geodossey series of books (Isle of Woman, Shame of Man, etc), I do some cross stiching-which reminds me...I need to really get started on that one for my brother's wedding...it's creeping up on me :), and some other little crafting things.

I collect Teddy Bears...and when I was in high school started naming them either for the person that gave them to me or the next letter that came up in the alphabet...I think I'm up to "L" now :) Of course Winnie the Pooh is by far my favorite. When I was younger, I always liked Disney's version of Pooh best...it was the one that I grew up with. But now, as I'm getting a little bit older, I have to admit that I'm getting more and more attached to the classic Silly Ol' Bear..and this year for Christmas my brother gave me my first Classic Pooh :)

How did I find the ZEP?: Well, my best friend from out here moved to Oregon early last year, and we've only been able to email each other(and very rarely talk on the phone since she moved). One day I received an email from her with the subject line "thought you might like this". Apparently she was 'surfing the net' and stumbled across the ZEP FAQ page.. so she emailed me the URL and of course...I had to investigate. I think I spent about 2.5 hours that night looking around at all the links that I could find to other Pooh pages before I decided that I was going to join and see what this whole ZEP thing was really about. I have to admit, I'm certainly glad I did. What a great bunch of caring people (family-like) that inhabit this forest!

Name: Sarah Dubeau
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Age: 21 birthdate: May 1, 1977
Family: Well, first there is my natural family, which consists of my Mom and Dad, and my younger brother James, and then there is my family at my new home which consists of two of my best friends, Heather and A.J.
Career: I work for Nedrebo's Formalwear, a tuxedo company here in Madison. I am a Sales/Formalwear Consultant, and I hope to become an assistant manager soon, as I just went to full time. I am thinking about changing my major to Business, but at this time school is on hold, while I do something that I really enjoy.
General: My life has had quite a few ups and downs, but the ZEP, and all the friends that I have made here have kept me going! I am currently single, but I hope that will change sometime over the summer, although I am really not in that much of a hurry. :)
Favorite Zep memory: Helping Roger decide if we should make a Pooh mailing list, and being there when the first few e-mails started flying.

Name: Sheryl Ishii
Location: Bedford, MA (near Boston)
Age: 31 Birthdate: August 21, 1967
Family: Wonderful DH Ken, my terrific toddler Eliana (Ellie)- age 2 on May 9/99 I have a great extended family (Mom, Stepdad, sister, brother, nieces, nephews, grandmas, aunts, uncles, cousins) that I don't get to see often enough since we are spread out across the country.
Career: Currently a stay-at-home Mom. In a previous life I was a museum professional working in curatorial offices of historical museums. But for now, my one small child and our new house is plenty of work for me! *grin*

General: I've been a member of the ZEP since June 1996. I found the ZEP following a link from alt.fan.pooh at a time in my life when I was looking for a friendly place to do a little healing from some of the hard knocks life occasionally throws at you. I think that this list embodies the gentle friendliness that you find in Milne's forest, and the camaraderie of the group is salve for the soul.

Favorite ZEP memory: Well, you might think this one is a bit odd – but my favorite ZEP memory in recent times was the little blow-up we had a little while back when Roger inadvertently offended some people on the list. I think that the quick resolution and the open airing of feelings really illustrated what a terrific group of people we have here, and the groundedness and humanity of our members. You don't find that very often in this world... when you do, it's worth holding on to. Other favorite moments include any time you get someone talking about something they love and are very enthusiastic about (Alain on Volvos or Donna on ferrets), the yearly debate on Pooh's birthday, and any Glenda letter that people post (be they actually from Glenda or someone else giving us a newsy glimpse into their lives!).

Name: Stacy Oliver
Age: 18 (19 as of May 9, so include whatever age you want). :)
Occupation: Student at Ohio University majoring in News Writing and Editing. Also pursuing a teaching degree in Integrated Language Arts.
Location: Born and raised in Canton, Ohio, but currently living in Athens to attend school.
Family: Mother, Father, Stepmother. I also have an older stepsister (24), an older brother (21), and two younger stepbrothers (13 and 6). I have two cats (Zelda and Kippur) who miss me very much when I am away from home. :)

General: My best friend Erin is the one who got me interested in Pooh. At first, I loved him for his cuteness, but now I see that below the fluff is so much wisdom for my life! :) My roommate (and best friend at college)and I met as a result of comparing Pooh day planners on the first day of classes. Our room is plastered in Disney Pooh (though I think we both prefer Classic), and it is starting to resemble a child's bedroom. I love to read and write, and hope one day to write for a newspaper as a columnist.

Favorite ZEP Memories: I don't have any specific ones, really. I think some of my fondest memories have come from sharing milestones with one another such as births, graduating, starting college, marriages, etc. To me, that shows how close we are as a group and how important we are to one another. We are a support system and a family.

Name: Yiah Chan
Gender (put in only because of the amount of confusion my name seems to generate!): F
Location: Canberra, Australia
Birthdate: 27 April 1969

Occupation: Currently back to being a student again for the nth time, studying law. This is my <counts fingers> fifth degree and somehow I managed to fit in working for 3yrs there as well...don't ask!

Why I joined zep: Because I love Pooh and because I love Milne in general; I'm in the middle of reading his poem »The Norman Church« atm; it's very Milnesian and so far I'm quite enjoying it. My favourite Pooh Moment was probably back in 1992 when I was living in London - for my 23rd b'day I'd dragged two friends of mine out with me to play Poohsticks at the original Poohsticks Bridge, taking along with me the Pooh that I had gotten from Disneyland when I was about 8, much to the amusement of a visiting Japanese film crew, who clearly thought that we'd lost our collective minds....

It's been a wonderful year, this third year...and my first. Full of tragedies and triumphs, both for ZEP members and around the world. Our next anniversary will bring us to the Year 2000.  A new beginning for the world, and a time when I hope that we shall all once again be there for one another....Happy Anniversary Everyone!!