from Seattle

Hello from Beautiful Seattle where it never rains but we tell people it does.

It is definately always warm and sunny on the mat where I train. We are the Tenzan aikido dojo at the Seattle Holistic Center with Bruce Bookman sensei presiding. (www.tenzanaikido.com)

I am married with 2 boys who also train with me. I'm 2 years into aikido, 2nd kyu. I used to dance and teach ballet but now this hobby eats up all my spare time, if you know what I mean. I assist Bookman sensei with the kids' classes, quite an honor.

Stop in if you ever get out this way, we love visitors! Ask for

Melissa

Welcome Melissa,

enjoy and train

Hi Melissa,

Welcome to the AikiWeb Forums! Seattle is one "hotbed" of aikido from what I've heard -- you're lucky to be practicing in such a place...

-- Jun

Jun Akiyama (akiy) wrote: Seattle is one "hotbed" of aikido from what I've heard -- you're lucky to be practicing in such a place...

Especially in Bookman Sensei's dojo. Nice dojo and very nice man (plus his aikido is pretty good, too!).

Hi Melissa,

you can revel in the fact that its cold and raining where I am at the moment. I know what you mean by eating up time! Aikido seems to me to be one of those things that you always feel you should doing more training than you do!

Ian

Thanks for the welcome. I've actually been spying secretly on this site for a while. I've learned quite a lot except I don't know how much is true. It is the internet, after all. Until I can grab your wrist, I'll never know!

Bookman sensei is amazing and it seems like everyone knows him. People come into the dojo all the time with stories of the young "Bruce". We pretty much try to stay in the moment around here, not dwelling on the past but training like crazy in the here and now!

It is an aikido hotbed in Seattle, it's true. Also kick boxing, tae kwon do and a bunch of martial arts that I've never heard of and can't pronounce. Lots of women martial artists,too.

...still warm & sunny,

Melissa