Today's Schedule:

5:15-6:15pm Beginning Aikido

6:30-7:30pm Aikido

NO CLASS ON MONDAY, TOMORROW ONLY

On April 30, Monday, another Immigration Protest will be staged in downtown Los Angeles, making traffic very congested. We will not have class, I fear that the traffic may be too bad so, please take a day off! Many apologies for any inconvience this causes, thank you for your understanding.

An Ideal Place:

About two or three times a month, I go to this tiny little Mexican restaurant in the mornings. for brakfast I come here because the food is good, very fresh and hot and I also come here because they are one of the few cafes open at 6:00am in the morning, early enough to get a little coffee and breafast and get back to the dojo early enough for the first class.

I always observe the employees here with joy and envy. the owners and employees, cooks and waitresses, are all relaxed and smiling. . . always chatting away with each other and the customers - yet, the service is still very quick and the coffee cup never goes dry. When there is nothing to do, I notice that even the lowest employee is always busy somehow even with the smallest chores, making sure all the tables are clean, refilling the juice machines, sugar bowls. . . everyone is busy and every detail is seen to, yet, no one is hurried or forgetful and no one appears to be under stress. How can such efficiency be achieved within such a relaxed atmosphere? This is, for me, the great mystery and magic of this restaurant. This is how I envision the ideal dojo. . . everyone working together, no detail or chore left unnoticed or unattended, yet in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere, with no compromise of performance or efficiency. Yes - even when I am having breakfast alone in a little cafe in East LA, I am always studying and learning. . . . .