What martial art do you practice? How did you get into it?
I started studying Taekwon-Do in 1990, T’ai-Chi in 1996, Aikido in 2000. I took Judo for about two years, from ages 8 to 10. I got started in Taekwon-Do partly because I had a friend who was getting his blackbelt, and I thought that seemed like a neat idea - that, and my older brother was doing it. Taekwon-Do has taught me a lot about big-picture planning, strategy, and tactics. I got started with T’ai-Chi because it was being offered at Reed and I wanted to get into a “soft” style. From T’ai-Chi, I’ve learned a great deal of balance and fluidity, the ability to go with the flow. I started taking Aikido because the philosophy is so closely aligned with my own. From Aikido, I have learned and re-learned the important truth of oneness with all things, and the power of non-dissension. I’ve kept coming back to martial arts in general because it feels so good to use my body. Taekwon-Do is in my muscles and bones, T’ai-Chi in my connective tissues, and Aikido in my energetic being.