I Say It’s My Birthday!

What makes a good birthday? Friends, family, time off? OR you work all day long rush through rainy day thick Seattle traffic to go to an Aikido class. Then have a great meal of Afghan food with two glasses of wine, then get a latte from Stabucks and go to your hotel room, all by yourself. THAT is a great birthday.

Tonight I went to Tenzan Aikido in Seattle taught by the Sensei Bruce Bookman . This was special since I originally tried Aikido for 9 months way back in 1988 and Bruce Bookman was my first Aikido Sensei. I enjoyed it at the time but I lost interest as I changed careers. Howerver I remember it as a good experience.

So how did this all line up, my memory, my current experience at Plano Aikido and my time tonight? First off, Bookman Sensei put more exercise into the beginning of the class, and that loosened us up greatly.

Then we practiced "tai no henko", shiho nage, nikkyo and something else. It was a good time but I noticed a difference form my home dojo. The techniques were louder but the instruction and practice was quiet. Meaning people slapped out loud and hard on falls, but neither my partners nor Sensei talked much. And the break falls were loud.

At Plano Aikido Shiba Sensei is very soft spoken and his technique is quiet. His rolls are soft and any breakfalls are gentle. BUT, he makes a real effort to explain what he is doing and talks frequently with the students and welcomes questions as he walks around. I got the impression tonight it would be poor etiquette to ask Sensei a question as he walked by.

But it was nice to make that connection with my younger self, and to realize I’m happy with the dojo and the Sensei I go to now.

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The video is of me in an alternate universe, much like a star trek episode without the evil twin.

But really, I must rent Metropolis by Fritz Lang.