Random Ramblings

That's definitely true; emphasis is placed on technique, not on strength. Are you interested in the spiritual/philosophical aspects of aikido or more in the practicalities? The schools of aikido often branch out according to where O Sensei Ueshiba was at when his students were encouraged to spread the style. For example, Yoshinkai (aka yoshinkan) was at the beginning and deals with the practicalities/physical alone. Later styles like aikikai will incorporate the ki breathing and philosophies as they were developed after Ueshiba had his 'spiritual awakening' (you will hear people often refer to aikido as a religion more than a martial art for this reason; some styles put more emphasis on spirituality than the physical training and outsiders mistakenly believe this is the case for all aikido). Another thing to keep in mind is whether or not you might see yourself in competition. Many styles of aikido are non-competitive, but if you would like to compete, styles like shodukan (no to be confused with your current style of karate :P) might be the best fit. Hope that helps, sorry for the filibustering!