I was certified to teach Tai Chi Chih in 1994 and have been teaching steady ever since. I have taught in all sorts of venues—law schools, hospitals, offices, churches, assisted living facilities–but none as challenging as corrections departments. I taught a combined total of 14 years at juvenile detention centers and adult federal jails. I taught this calming practice of Tai Chi Chih to teenage gang members, drug dealers, undocumented immigrants, identity thieves, meth cookers, et al. I was able to offer my services to these facilities only because our TCC style is not a martial art. The practice is known in our times as a route to reduced stress, which is what is needed most by people in lockup. I came to believe that we’re all doing time until we find freedom within ourselves. More recently, I’ve been with Defined Fitness since April of 2010, where I teach three crowded mixed-level classes per week. Most of my students, myself included, are happily retired from rewarding careers ranging from grocery store cashiers to air traffic controllers. Thus, whether a teenage offender or retired scientist, Tai Chi Chih has much to offer. Outside of the gym environment, I am a beekeeper, gardener, and runner ever accompanied by my faithful dog.