# Hello from Northern Maine!



## Barking Spider (Apr 24, 2006)

Howdy, all!  

I am joining you from Caribou, Maine, where I live with my wife and three cats.  I stumbled across this site while looking for information on a local dojo (Tai-Gi-Shin) that was recommended to me by a friend.  Saw a glowing review from bydand, and was instantly intrigued.  

My martial arts history is somewhat sketchy; I was an avid fan of Shotokan about 10 years ago, when I was working at the University of Connecticut (go Huskies!), and was a member of their Karate Club (part of JKA) for about a year, before some unrelated back injuries (and a stern warning from my doctor) forced me to give up the art.  

The back's all better now, but it's been hard to really commit to any serious training since then due to time constraints and weight issues, but now I am trying to get back into it, as I really miss the physical quickness and mental well being that went with my Shotokan experiences.  Plus my wife has expressed an interest in learning self-defense, and I believe she will also enjoy it for the same reasons as I do.  

I do not believe there are any Shotokan dojos around Caribou, but fortunately I only got as far as 8th kyu back in 1995, so I don't have too much to unlearn when I take up training once more.  I am also still fairly overweight, which always makes things a bit more difficult, but I don't intend to stay that way for very long. 

Anyway, I'm babbling.  I'll shut up now.  It's nice to see that MA is alive and well on the internet (I used to be an active participant in the CyberDojo back in the 90s), and I look forward to having some interesting conversations with you all as I get back into it.    

Slainte!
-Mike


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## Henderson (Apr 24, 2006)

Welcome!  Enjoy and thanks for sharing some info about yourself.  If you have questions, just speak up.


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## Brian R. VanCise (Apr 24, 2006)

Welcome!

Brian R. VanCise
www.instinctiveresponsetraining.com


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## Lisa (Apr 24, 2006)

Welcome Mike!  Thanks for joining our community.  I look forward to your posts.  If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me.  Love the Avatar btw.


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## Gemini (Apr 24, 2006)

Welcome to MT, Mike! Glad to have you with us!


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## stickarts (Apr 24, 2006)

Welcome!


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## HKphooey (Apr 24, 2006)

Welcome!  love the name!


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## OnlyAnEgg (Apr 24, 2006)

Welcome, Spider!  Always a pleasure to have a) a new member and b) another Maniac.  I was born in Lewiston, myself.


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## Barking Spider (Apr 24, 2006)

HKphooey said:
			
		

> Welcome!  love the name!


Heh.  I picked that one on a whim.  Stems back to when I was a little kid, and my father used to blame all sorts of bodily noises on "barking spiders". I'm not sure why that name and not something python-esque (Crunchy Frog is often a favorite), but there ya go...



			
				OnlyAnEgg said:
			
		

> Welcome, Spider! Always a pleasure to have a) a new member and b) another Maniac. I was born in Lewiston, myself.


I wish I could say I'm a native Mainer, but I'm a transplant, being born in Connecticut.  However, I do have roots in Maine that go back a few centuries (it's even remotely possible that I might be extremely distantly related to Susan Collins), so that's close enough.  And my wife (she's from Nova Scotia) and I absolutely love Caribou, our adopted home.  It's a heck of a trek to get to anything around here, and the winters tend to be a bit frosty, but the scenery is fantastic.  

Anyway, thanks for the welcome, all!  

Slainte!
-Mike


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## shesulsa (Apr 24, 2006)

Greetings!  As soon as I saw the name, I burst out laughing!!  I expect much humor from you Down East!  Welcome, I say! :ultracool


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## MJS (Apr 24, 2006)

Welcome to Martial Talk! Enjoy your stay!:ultracool 

Mike


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## Ceicei (Apr 24, 2006)

We're pleased to have you here!  :wavey:  Welcome!

- Ceicei


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## KenpoTess (Apr 24, 2006)

Great to have you here Mike 

My sister would use the Barking spider expression with her 5 little girls   Too funny~!!

I hope you enjoy the board and Welcome~!!!

~Tess


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## terryl965 (Apr 24, 2006)

Great to have you a board.
Terry


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## Rick Wade (Apr 24, 2006)

Aloha and Welcome t the boards, Happy posting.

V/R

Rick


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## bluemtn (Apr 24, 2006)

Welcome and happy posting!


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## Kacey (Apr 24, 2006)

Welcome - happy posting!


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## bydand (Apr 24, 2006)

Welcome Barking Spider!  Glad to see someone else from this area on the board.  The Tai Gi Shin dojo is a great place to train IMHO.  The owner/regular instructor will not be there this Wed, because of the town meeting Caribou is having, but one of the young guys will be trying his hand at doing his first "real" class.  I'll be there on Wed. at 6:00 when training starts in support of his effort.  If you want to talk to the owner stop by Tue. evening, he is going to be doing the kids classes.  Either before 5:30 or after 7:30 as he is busy with the little tykes between that time.

You are right about no Shotokan training places around as far as I know.  Hope to see you there on Wed.


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## SFC JeffJ (Apr 24, 2006)

Howdy and welcome!


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## Barking Spider (Apr 26, 2006)

bydand said:
			
		

> Welcome Barking Spider!  Glad to see someone else from this area on the board.  The Tai Gi Shin dojo is a great place to train IMHO.  The owner/regular instructor will not be there this Wed, because of the town meeting Caribou is having, but one of the young guys will be trying his hand at doing his first "real" class.  I'll be there on Wed. at 6:00 when training starts in support of his effort.  If you want to talk to the owner stop by Tue. evening, he is going to be doing the kids classes.  Either before 5:30 or after 7:30 as he is busy with the little tykes between that time.
> 
> You are right about no Shotokan training places around as far as I know.  Hope to see you there on Wed.


Gah!  I wish I had checked the board yesterday, otherwise I would have stopped in last night to talk to him.  Ah, well, you snooze you lose.  

OK, here's a basic question (and this might be off-post at this point, so please forgive me): Is is possible to train or even just observe for a lesson or three before deciding whether we want to join?   I've heard good things from friends about the dojo, but the monthly fees my friend Steve quoted make me want to "try before I buy", if you know what I mean.  (What can I say; I was spoiled at UConn, it was $16 a month, although the gi was a bit expensive, especially for someone as big as me).

If so, then I might be able to talk my wife into coming down after dinner (I get home at 5) to check it out.  

That's great that the instructor is involved in the Town Meeting!  Drugs are pretty bad news to a place like Aroostook County.  

Thanks for the info!


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## bydand (Apr 26, 2006)

Oh yeah he welcomes people to come on in and give it a good look and to jump in and try it out.  My wife has convinced me that I should also go to the meeting tonight so I'll miss the class tonight also.  Sorry.


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## still learning (Apr 26, 2006)

Hello, Welcome and enjoy the forums....Aloha


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## Barking Spider (Apr 27, 2006)

bydand said:
			
		

> Oh yeah he welcomes people to come on in and give it a good look and to jump in and try it out.  My wife has convinced me that I should also go to the meeting tonight so I'll miss the class tonight also.  Sorry.



No biggie.  I didn't make it last night either, but that was because dinner wasn't ready until 6:15.  Whoops.  We'll probably check out the class next Wednesday.


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## bobster_ice (Apr 28, 2006)

Hi and welcome!


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## Hand Sword (Apr 28, 2006)

Hello, and welcome aboard!


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## green meanie (Apr 28, 2006)

Welcome!


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## scottcatchot (Apr 28, 2006)

welcome


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## yipman_sifu (Apr 28, 2006)

welcome and wish that you enjoy staying.


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## still learning (Apr 28, 2006)

Barking Spider said:
			
		

> Howdy, all!
> 
> I am joining you from Caribou, Maine, where I live with my wife and three cats. I stumbled across this site while looking for information on a local dojo (Tai-Gi-Shin) that was recommended to me by a friend. Saw a glowing review from bydand, and was instantly intrigued.
> 
> ...


 
Hello, I did Shotokan many years ago too.  You may want to check out some KEMPO/KENPO Schools nearby also.....you will enjoy the many techniques they do....Karate is good and very hard style... (Kempo)Please take a look and sit in some of there classes....today Kempo is my art.  ...Aloha

PS: Do not limit yourself...see what others do?


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## bydand (Apr 28, 2006)

Actually Still Learning, there is very little in the way of MA schools up here.  There are only 3 I can think of off the top of my head and I had lived here for 16 years before leaving for the last 2.  I wish there were more so everybody could find an art that suits them, but there is a _different_ attitude around here than any other place I have lived.

Barking Spider, come on over to the dojo on Wed night and if it doesn't look like the right thing for you or doesn't feel right, everyone there will help you find the right place around.  The owner (Loren) is more up to date on what is around and he will shoot straight with you, and point you in the direction you want to go.


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## Barking Spider (May 3, 2006)

bydand said:
			
		

> Actually Still Learning, there is very little in the way of MA schools up here.  There are only 3 I can think of off the top of my head and I had lived here for 16 years before leaving for the last 2.  I wish there were more so everybody could find an art that suits them, but there is a _different_ attitude around here than any other place I have lived.
> 
> Barking Spider, come on over to the dojo on Wed night and if it doesn't look like the right thing for you or doesn't feel right, everyone there will help you find the right place around.  The owner (Loren) is more up to date on what is around and he will shoot straight with you, and point you in the direction you want to go.


Both my wife and I will be there tonight.  We talked to some more friends over the weekend, including a guy who trains at the Quest Center in Presque Isle, and they all recommend Loren's dojo very highly.  As for me and Kelly (my wife), we're both really excited and can't wait to dive in!  OK, maybe "dive" was a poor choice of words, there... :uhyeah:


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## bydand (May 3, 2006)

See you there!


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