It's been exactly one year since the very first entry of the Toledo Aikido Blog. And it has been quite a remarkable year for our dojo community. We had three students become the dojo's first Shodans. Later, our "Fourth Musketeer" returned to the community after an extended absence away from the dojo. Furthermore, the dojo's first ever wheelchair-bound practitioner passed his 6th (and later 5th) Kyu test and still continues to practice, which is remarkable and inspirational to all martial arts practitioners everywhere. We had our friends from Canada visit and practice with us during a Gasshuku, and yours truly "invaded" a few dojos in California. And of course, a certain Aikidoka got married a few months ago. The dojo took field trips to Chicago, Oberlin College, Boston (which I will put up pics from that trip, I promise), the Toledo Mud Hens game, and the Okugyo retreats in Vermont (www.shobuokugyo.com). In addition, we had special workshops going on at the dojo including the Bonsai and Zen training workshops. Meanwhile, Michael Chikuzen Gould Shihan provided Shakuhachi lessons, and our very own Mike Mulvaney - with his background in Judo - started teaching newaza classes. Sensei and the dojo were featured in two local newspapers, not to mention appearing on the front cover of the Toledo City Paper. And Sensei even got a gig playing with members of the Jazz Faculty of the University of Toledo! And our dojo continues to grow in number, strength, and spirit.
Throughout this past year, I am surprised how many people across the globe visit our blog. I want to thank everybody who contributed to the blog and all of you who checked out our website. I hope you have found the contents in this blog to be enlightening, or at the very least, decent bathroom reading material. To the members of the Chikyokan Dojo, please continue to contribute to the blog. And to all of you, please continue to check out our humble website and you are welcome to visit and train with us anytime. I look forward to another good year of training, beginning with the New Year's Keiko. Gassho.
-Andre ("Muketsu")
very funny no gaps.
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