I feel...

[the_vulture]

...FREAKING AWESOME!!!!!

I just recently finished my first Aikido class in many years and it was GREAT!!! After several weeks of being on my ass because of my back, it was so great to hit the mats. I feel like a GOD!

 The instructor is fabulous, my classmates were very welcoming, and the dojo is air conditioned! (If you've ever had to do a martial arts class in a heavy Judo gi in the middle of the summer head, you'll KNOW just how bonus that is!)  Best of all, it seems that my old Aikido skills, as rusty as they may have been, came back pretty damn quickly, impressing Sensei to the point that, at one point, when some advanced holds and throws using a jo (short staff) were being demonstrated to the senior students, I was asked to join in. Furthermore, Sensei even invited me to meet a guest sensei that will be coming in for a seminar tomorrow, waiving the $25 fee that would have normally been asked. (I'll be paying it anyhow, though. If my classmates have to pay to attend that seminar, I will, too. That's just the way I am.)

 After class was finished, I felt physically incredible! It's like the 'me' that used to do 10k runs finally broke free of all the crap that's been going on in my life for so long.

 I am so PUMPED!!!