I have diverse work experience; from grocery store manager to security officer, from call centre agent to Youth coordinator. My hobbies are equally eclectic, ranging from creative writing and role-playing games to historical recreation and internal martial arts.

I have been playing Taiji for around twenty years.
My foundation comes from my Kung Fu teacher, Neil Ripski, who taught me the Yang Short form. This is the most common form in the most common style of Tai Chi in the world. It is so because of an excellent combination of depth of knowledge and ease of learning that provides the greatest benefit in the shortest time.
I expanded my knowledge with Eight Silk Brocade Qigong, another popular and powerful exercise. I integrated the principles of Tai Chi into both healthful and martial practices.
Eventually, I developed enough competence to teach community classes in a few local towns for several years before other projects took precedence.

Without the classroom, my commitment to Tai Chi waned.
I tried at home only to be distracted by resetting to skirt around corners or movements limited by walls and furniture.
I tried nearby parks and playgrounds. During the fair weather, I felt uncomfortable being a spectacle for passers-by and parents with kids. During the far more common foul weather, snow, ice, and wind forced me to bundle up and often shorten my practice time.
I tried the multipurpose room at the local gym. Since I was already using the facility for weight training and running, Tai Chi would be convenient. Again, being a spectacle while sharing the space with others overwhelmed my feelings of calm.

Finally, I found Jesse Tsao’s Compact Tai Chi.
Like the Combined Competitive Form, Master Tsao took aspects of Yang, Chen, Wu, and Sun styles of Tai Chi. He folded them into less than three meters in diameter by eliminating repetition, adding turns, and oblique angles. Using his books and DVDs alongside my previous experience, I taught myself this form and began practising Tai Chi regularly once more.

Now, I practice the Compact Tai Chi form in whatever space I can find. I apply the principles and depth gleaned from multiple sources.