Hi Franco,
Nothing to suggest really...perhaps when someone from the Aunkai, or when Mike Sigman is near your area, make sure to go see them. Learn what you can, and train hard. No worries about messing in the thread...perfectly acceptable.
Hi Andy, you don't seem so big online!
I'm not really worried about all of aikido. I just go to keiko and do the best *I* can do at that moment. There are a lot of things in the world I don't like, such as the situation in Darfor, or the war in Iraq...but I can't do much about them either. So I try to buckle down and deal with me...or maybe my neighbor, or the kid getting hasselled on the street right in front of me. That is more managable.
I think these skill are important to how I see aikido...how others see it is again not that crucial...they either get it or they don't when they feel it. The biggest problem again is me...will *I* make time in a very busy life to do the training you and your mates were kind enough to share.
Like everything else in life...
We'll see
Best,
Ron (waiting now to make a 6:00 pm change in a LAN routing card...ooooh what fun. But it pays good!)