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Suddenly October 2014 seems to be looming ever larger on the horizon...

Thanks, Tenshin! (sorry about the long absence). I think I'm good to continue practicing for another couple of years. The spinal stenosis hasn't gotten any worse, which means I haven't lost any strength or functionality in my arms and legs yet. I'm still trying to figure out what's causing...

Took test. Passed test. :) :) :)

Suzi is our SuperSpy who finds the best pictures of our Steven (I love you, Suzi, my dearest!). I'm known around here as 'TD' ;) Thank you for your support. I think what I will do is send mehtta to him and perhaps he will be able to open himself to the learning the way of aikido and to...

I've learned to be careful when I'm nage to make sure my partner doesn't get injured, but there's not much I can do about preventing injury to myself when I'm nage (except to be really solid in my stance) when I'm working with someone who lacks the understanding about what 'going with the flow'...

A brief update: Shodan test may not happen. I was in class and I fell as a result of my partner's action - right down on my tailbone. You may recall my doctor 7 years ago (has it been that long?) said he would allow me to practice only if I never fell straight down on my tailbone. The...

Just an update to let folks know, I am taking my shodan test October 13th. All positive energy gratefully accepted!

I don't know about cleaning carpets, but at most dojos I've been to, generally speaking, the floors that are surround the practice area are usually wood or cork. We put down rubber backed mats in the winter time to catch snowy boots, and those are vacuumed weekly. The tatami we wash with water...

I'm curious: how long have you been practicing aikido, with whom and at what rank are you? (Rank really isn't important, it just gives me an idea of where you're at in your training, so you don't have to tell me that if you don't want to.)

I get a whiff of the political issues in the US surrounding aikido from time to time, but I can tell you that here in Canada, for the most part, the aikido dojos are not-for-profits - the fees are only for expenses (dojo space and all of its attendant costs, gis, etc.). Even the ones not...

Umbrella organizations, as Tenshinaikidoka mentioned, for which I have been given the following information (I may be wrong): There is Ki Society (which is the type of aikido I believe Seagal refers to as 'dancing'); there is Aikikai (includes various styles developed by various students of O...

Heather, you are the best. Keep it coming!

Thanks, ladies! All good thoughts and healing energies accepted gratefully. Went to practice yesterday, felt really relaxed, did some ukemi, had a great time, got up this morning and.... Oi. Stiff, mostly, with a side order of spasms, but they didn't last long and the pain was mostly gone by...

Brief update. Quit a job that was causing me severe back pain. I don't know how long it will take before my back is back to normal but at the moment taking ukemi is out of the question. I'm trying to return to my regular schedule for practice but between the back pain and the horrendously hot...

Very cool, Craig. I'm still getting used to it, though, and tend to get lost.... :o!

Thanks, Kotegashi! I'm going to continue on for as long as I can. I hope that next year I will be reporting on my shodan test!

Brief update. Got my hakama. :) Like, wow! I never in a million years thought I would get this far. There's a lot of responsibility attached to wearing the hakama. I don't, of course, get to teach a class, but as a visibly senior student, I do have to tread a fine line between helping my...

A couple of weeks ago Steven was in Toronto for the UFC fight - his protege Anderson Silva was participating. One of the students from my dojo was there with his girlfriend who is a big fan of UFC. After the program, they found themselves in a corridor and lo! look who came down the corridor but...

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Kotegaeshi on the foot - ouch!