Blogging

I have been thinking about blogging recently, and as I was updating the info here today, I had a brief look back at my first posts from May 2005. Almost 11 years ago! It's not just my hair that has changed in the intervening years. I am happy if this blog has been of use to the T'ai Chi folks in our schools. Also, as I do not allow ads (as Google puts it 'monetising your blog' - eugh) I feel happy that the blog remains a useful thing, and it's a place to pool all the info we need for the schools to run smoothly on a day-to-day basis. If you don't already know the main websites for the schools, then follow the links at the sides, as this is where the longer-form writing lives: our approach, syllabus, resources, etc.

Though I don't do Twitter and Facebook, let alone Instagram and WhatsApp, I do still appreciate blogging, and am not in any way averse to getting things done online. However, as with email, the blog can be a more considered format, and I am very glad of both these channels. I do not allow unmoderated comments, considering the amount of commercial drivel and barely hidden bile that they can contain. If you want advertisements, controversy and argument, I hear they're available 24/7 on other websites... Perhaps if I had something to sell, or was desperate for more students then I might use every medium at hand to 'maximise my advantage'. However, considering the Tao, and how great are the students who wind up finding us, I will leave things as they are for another year.

Now I shall get back to making the 2016 event print-outs for everyone, sorting the photos and updates for my site, and generally staring at this screen for a while longer.

Bloke in the cafe

Last weekend I met up with Christian Birch of 'Bloke on the Path' blog fame. It was lovely to get to know him and we plan to meet up for push hands, Dance and sticking in the New Year. It was really nice to meet another of John Kells' long term students who still practises lots of T'ai Chi, we had lots to talk about and share.

Bloke on the Path

I really recommend that if you study T'ai Chi, you read or subscribe to Christian Birch's blog Bloke on the Path. He was a student of John Kells and writes lively, helpful, concise posts. Sadly, despite having many friends and colleagues in common, we have not yet met in person. Mostly I recommend you spend as little time at a screen as is possible, but if you must look at one, then find a moment to read this. I was just going to start doing little pieces on all the great T'ai Chi books I had read over the years, but then saw that Christian had just started doing that, and that I totally agreed with all his thoughts on them. So, just go and read his, you don't need my opinions too! If I notice a book missing that I really want to add, I will.

Also, it's important to say, you don't need to read a single book or blog to do great T'ai Chi. You don't need any equipment, and you definitely don't need any opinions. I prefer John Kells' simple instructions for once you have found a good teacher:

1. Start T'ai Chi.
2. Continue T'ai Chi.