[Si8jy8HN]

I used to work in a place where teasing was commonplace. They knew I did kendo, iaido and jodo. Couldn't exactly keep it secret cos I left early every Wednesday to get to training and I don't drive so three times a week I had various weapons and bogu in their respective bags behind my desk. But one of the guys, the CEO always took great pains to feign total ignorance for the sake of teasing and even told a visiting underwriter (I worked at an insurance broker) that I did "stick fighting". This underwriter became terribly interested and stopped by my desk and spoke to me - because he did Phillipino Stick Fighting. But the CEO being his usual and purposefully annoying self had no idea that by calling kendo "stick fighting" he was referring to a different martial art. He thought it was funny. I thought it was bloody annoying. And a couple of them used to call me sensei which made me really uncomfortable.

On the flip side, I now work somewhere where a couple people have either done or watch martial arts (even if it's just on Foxtel) and those that haven't aren't judgemental and it's just something I do and I never get teased over. The one and only time I had a sword with me (cos I work nights there) in keeping with a promise I'd made months ago I showed it to them and let one of them hold it, but the guys there are sensible enough not to swing it about.

With my more sensible friends who show an interest (usually other martial artists), I will let them hold my sword and tell them to "try and give it a swing" but that's with me right there, and we have nice high Edwardian ceilings. I find it goes someway towards breaking down barriers.

I don't find that the public here is adverse or negative towards martial arts. Because of the movies, etc they think it's more disciplined and harder than it is more than anything else. The only real negative perception I've come across was my old boss from the first workplace I mentioned suffered severe insomnia so I suggested chi kung and she said something like it goes against her beliefs, worshipping your master and all that. I was too shocked to speak and it really wasn't worth the effort to correct her.

If you don't talk about kendo at all though, new people wont find out about it. That doesn't mean go on and on with a full descriptions but a quick rundown that briefly gives the gist of it's okay. If they're not interested, they wont put the subject any further. If they are, they will ask You the questions and you may have found another budding practitioner.