More 40th anniversary musings

Even though this is my 40th year in aikido, it is my 41st in martial arts. In 1968 I took a couple of beginning judo classes, then began studying Shotokan karate at UC Santa Cruz. Even though I started aikido in fall of 1969, I continued with the karate, finding an instructor of the same style in Sacramento while I was in my second year of graduate school at UC Davis. I also began studying tai chi chuan a couple of quarters after aikido, taking a beginning tai chi class in spring of 1970.

The picture of me in the karate class was taken at the Sacramento judo club, I believe. And the tai chi photo is of a class I taught for Master Choy at UC Santa Cruz somewhere winter-spring of 1974. The other photo is of me training in a Menlo College Retreat class taught by Robert Nadeau shihan. I believe my partner is Frank Bloksberg sensei of Grass Valley. I've really enjoyed training with him at the last couple of retreats.

So aikido was not my first and not my only art. But it has been the defining thing in my life for the last 40 years. How time can fly. Last Tuesday I had lunch with my good friend Linda Holiday sensei, and we together bemused this fact.

We are planning an event to celebrate the 40th year for sometime early in October of this year. It will be on a weekend. I am going to try to get people who have been significant in my training and also in ASJ's history to attend. Some teaching. Some history. A party of some sort. It is not yet fully formatted, but with the help of Lou Bermingham and Frank Silvey senseis, hopefully we'll figure it out. If you have any suggestions, please e-mail me at jack@aikidosj.com. All input welcome.