The Lighter Side (March 2000)

1. After practising the “Six Healing Sounds” one student asked: “Is this where we get to ‘Chewe’ the Taffy?”

– [Sr.] Viola Bens, ose

2. I usually ask students about their practise before beginning a class. One evening I got these two comments from two different students:

“I’m still just reading the menu”!

“I’m having problems with the ‘two girls on the mountain'”!

– [Sr.] Viola Bens, ose

3. Ruth, a former nurse who now has Parkinson’s, wore an elastic key ring around her wrist during class. I asked, “You want to take your bracelet off so you don’t shake, rattle & roll?”

She smiled and said, “Sure, but I’ll still shake anyway whether I wear it or not!”

– Sharon Sirkis

4. When asked about my fingers trembling during a TCC move, I said, “No, I didn’t just have a drink before class. Would anyone like to take a guess why my fingers tremble?”

One senior promptly responded, “Nerves?”

– Sharon Sirkis

5. I have so many over 90 students now — they are just delightful & full of fun — “If I knew I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself!” Then I ask — OK — why do you keep coming to T’ai Chi Chih class? They all said — “It’s the joy of the movement — now where have we heard that??

– Pat Huseby

6. Sometimes I’ll teach with toys to clarify the moves. Once, while teaching “Pulling Taffy,” I pulled out my silly putty. One student was convinced that I brought my wadded up chewing gum!

– Sharon Sirkis

7. During a presentation at a retirement home, I stressed the importance of staying loose, “like meat hanging off your bones.” I immediately realized this was the wrong thing to say, but it was too late. One lady scrunched up her face and said “ewwww….” (Oops – I guess that’s what Ed meant about baptism by fire!)

– Sharon Sirkis

8. One of my favorite pieces of music to play is Anugama’s “Shamanic Dream.” This CD is popular with most of my students. Well, not all of my students. One woman said, “What is that music? It sounds like a funeral march!” (Lesson here – you can’t please everyone!)

– Sharon Sirkis