The Lighter Side (October 2002)

1. After a 25-hour TCC college course in which I said the name of the move “Rocking Motion” numerous times, one student told me her favorite move was “Rocking Horse!”

– Sharon Sirkis

2. After a presentation today, a little senior citizen lady hobbled her walker up to me, and squinting her eyes while looking at my name tag on my T’ai Chi Chih t-shirt, asked, “What did you say this stuff is……Tiiiii Chiiiii Sher?”!

– Sher Dano

3. When practicing “Daughter on the Mountaintop” outside on a very hot sticky day, one college student maintained continuity by gently swatting the bugs away from her face every time she crossed her hands.

– Sharon Sirkis

4. One day at the retirement center it was cooler than normal in the room where we did our TCC practice. After trying to remedy the problem, I was told that the thermostat could not be adjusted, and I was therefore left to make the best of a sticky situation.

Trying to stay upbeat, I said, “Let’s do our TCC practice. We’ll probably warm up — there’s no use in complaining. Let’s put our focus on the moves. I’m not going to complain.”

So after all of that, one of the ladies said with a disgruntled look on her face, “Well, then, can I complain?”

– Sharon Sirkis

5. Awhile back I encouraged a 30-something man to attend one of my free presentations.

“When’s the last time you expanded your comfort zone and tried something new?” I asked.

“It’s been years,” he said, laughing.

I told him that I know some people are afraid of messing up or looking stupid.

He nodded and said, “Yes, especially us males.”

I told him not to worry, that we’d have fun, and how sometimes it’s about going with the flow.

Without missing a beat, he responded, “Yeah, but what if you come across a tsunami?”

– Sharon Sirkis

6. It’s no surprise that I always try to put some humor into my TCC presentations. During a recent presentation, I told my story of how I used to be in chronic pain. Finding a way to identify with my audience, I asked for a show of hands relating to chronic pain.

“How many of you have pain in your back,” I asked. “In your knees? In your neck? How many people tell you, you are a pain in the neck?”

As you might have guessed, the audience burst out with laughter.

– Sharon Sirkis