Ok, my math paper is done and my macro paper will be done tomorrow (dammit!). I just realized that my first final is next monday! GAHHH! I’m really going to put most of my efforts into the math course, it’s the only one I’m in jepordy of failing. I should put some time into the macro one too, I’m still pretty fuzzy on the Austrian and real business cycle theorists…
OK, as if I needed another thing on top of grad school, work, photography, and music to take up my time, I’m getting interested in aikido again. Talking to my cousin Beth has got me chomping at the bit to give it another try. I last went 4 or 5 years ago and I hadn’t gotten very far but I’ve always loved the techniques. I figure i could probably go twice a week if I organized my time better. like not staying up till 2AM and getting up at noon… I’ll have to think about it. I’ll also have to think about which dojo to go to. There are two within driving distance. The lovey dovey, softer style of ki-aikido over in fairfax, or the more traditional AAA (Akido association of America) sanctioned style over in Arlington. i went to the Ki-aikido dojo for a couple of months, but maybe I could go to both and at least try both styles…
Isaac
3 replies on “Coming down to the wire…”
You shouldn’t commit to a dojo without visiting a class or two. Pat’s folks got him a membership to an Aikido dojo just a block away from us. Pat went to visit during the day, but eventually ended up in the night and weekend classes that were made up of really wierd teachers and students. Didn’t like it at all and peetered out of the training without any ability to get a refund. Some of those places can be quite expensive. Go observe! And good luck – this sounds like a good match for your style of prefered exercise.
Commit?
Commit to a dojo, I can’t even get off my ass to get to one let alone commit:-) Seriously, I am all too keenly aware of the differences between dojos. I took some Karate classes in college and was really weirded out by the whole, “I’m going to kick your ass” kind of vibe. The Aikido dojo in Merrifield that I went to was just the opposite, everyone was having a good time and everyone was very worried about hurting the other people. Since the last time I went, another dojo has opened in Arlington. This is affiliated with Saotome Sensi’s dojo in Takoma Park. Saotome was a live in student of O’Sensei (the founder of aikido) for 15 years or so. Most believe that it is a little more “authentic” style than the Tohei based ki-akido. It’s also a bit “harder”, there’s less rolling out of throws and more hard breakfalls. There’s a couple of reasons I’m intrigued by that school. One of which is just to learn the harder Ukemi techniques. The ability to land hard also allows you to be thrown in ways that you can’t be if all you can do is roll. I’m also intrigued by the stricter, Japanese style of teaching. A friend jokingly referred to the Ki-aikido atmosphere as dojo-lite.:-) Anyway, it will be a month or more before I am able to do anything at all like this, I’ll see what happens. BTW, I’m not interested in it for “exercise” per se. I am much more interested in the movements, body awareness, and the internal teachings. I originally went to get exercise and was severely disappointed to find the head of the dojo, Simcox sensei enormously fat. I’m talking 400 pounds, he couldn’t even bow properly. Once I got over my disappointment (I was expecting a lean, wiry martial artist), I realized that there was a reason that he was in charge. Although I doubted he could take Ukemi, he was one hell of an aikdoka!
Isaac
Oh right – that was from Kelly 🙂