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[solarbird]

So I drove over to the Kokikai dojo in Seattle today. It took almost an hour and by the time I got there, class had started 15 minutes before. So I sat and watched. The children's session teacher said that they'd probably take a break around 8pm, and I could join up then, but they didn't, so I figured I'd sit and keep watching.

I found out when they were almost done when the teacher came over to me in the waiting area (which is in view of the mats, but behind a low wall - I felt like I was in a penalty box) that if he'd known I was there to practice, he'd have let me join in even though I was late. THANKS OTHER TEACHER FOR NOT SUGGESTING THAT.

Irritating thing 1: I liked what I saw better than anything else I've seen in Seattle.
Irritating thing 2: T/Th main practice schedule. That conflicts with anime night.
Irritating thing 3: Stupid fucking I-5/Aurora drive to get there. No bus.

Gir.

There's another kokikai, but it's up in SnoHOmish County. According to Mapquest, it's only 26 minutes away. Of course, this drive should have been 20 minutes or so. But it wasn't, because of the fucking traffic. (I-5 was STOPPED. Aurora was STOPPED. Surface streets weren't a lot better.)

Bah.

Comments

[firni.livejournal.com]

SnoHOmish County, COME ON UP!

Come for the dojo, stay for the crazy people with alpacas!

[solarbird]

It's in Silver Firs, and Mapquest wants to send me all the way over to I-5 before heading north. You come down to the camera store here all the time; do you have a better way of getting down here?

The dojo meets at the Southeast YMCA at 13723 Puget Park Drive in Everett.

[firni.livejournal.com]

I take hwy 9 to 522 to get to the camera store.

I was thinking the Bothell-Everett Hwy from there on up through to 128th-132nd, but when I looked on the map, that place is actually closer to hwy 9. So 522 to hwy 9, take a left on Cathcart Way (which looks like it turns into 134th Place SE) and then another left onto Puget Park Drive. They call that Everett? More like Mill Creek, but then again the city limits stretch to strange areas.

[banner.livejournal.com]

I guess I'm a bit of a 'martial arts snob', so I have to ask: Why Akido? Seriously, why did you choose that particular form? I'm really curious.

[solarbird]

Um... I like it? I liked Kempo, too, but only the dojo my friend was kind of starting. Also, its moves work as well for people who are smaller who are large - there aren't weight/sex classes in Aikido competition.

[banner.livejournal.com]

Might I recommend Escrima? The 'hand work' is particularly impressive in it, and size/weight is not really very important. Plus sword/stick dancing is just cool (though that part really is more asthetic than martial). I've wanted to study it again for some time now, but haven't been able to find a good teacher around here.

And Kenpo is one of my fav's, though size and strength does matter in it.

[poetry-lady.livejournal.com]

What part of SnoHOmish county? Some areas there are back-roads routes that are still relatively clear during "normal people" hours.

[solarbird]

Silver Firs. Does that mean anything to you?

Mapquest wants to send me all the way over to I-5 before heading north. There has to be a better way to get there from Kenmore.

Southeast YMCA
13723 Puget Park Drive
Everett

[poetry-lady.livejournal.com]

Ugh, Everett. There's no real advantage to going to Everett, either. I figured maybe Bothell, Mill Creek, not as far up as that. I don't know of any good ways to get up there, sorry.

Good luck!

[firni.livejournal.com]

I looked at the map... they may SAY "Everett", but it's pretty close to hwy 9 and Clearview. Very strange.

Look at this

[firni.livejournal.com]

It's closer to me in SnoHOmish than anything else. I think Cathcart is the new road they built last year off hwy 9. So if Dara could figure out how to get to Seattle Hill Road from Kenmore, it'd be even closer. Other than using hwy 9, I'm stumped.



(I need a "I'm so confused" icon someday)