Has anyone here ever read anything by Thomas Crum?
He also has an awesome Video series called "The Magic of conflict".
basically, he teaches people to use Aikido principles in everyday situations. This does not mean doing a "shiho-nage" on your boss when you get mad, but rather using Aikido priciples to communicate better with people and avoid conflict.
In short, this to me, is what Aikido is all about.
Here is a link on the subject.
http://www.aikiworks.com/html/magicofcon.html
If you live in Los Angeles, the Video series is available for free rental at the Glendale public library.
-Tomu