Boy did I get it wrong

When I was a Speech Major at Temple University, my interests moved to General Semantics and Lingustic Philosophy. One of the course I took was on the Language of Religion, and that was where I first learned of Taoism.

I was so intrigued that I undertook my own independent study of Taoism, in turn that was where I really learned about T'ai Chi Chaun.  I was just about reading about T'ai Chi, but I was very interested in it.
 

Now roll forward a few years. I really never had the chance to study T'ai Chi.  When living in Salisbury and working as a construction laborer, on days when I could not work because of rain, I often went to the Salisbury State College to read about Taoism and T'ai Chi,

Then I saw an advertisement for a book by David Carradine, who I knew of from the show Kung Fu, and the book presented David showing how to perform T'ai Chi. I was intrigued and ordered a copy sent to me.
 
Now reading about Taoism and T'ai Chi is nothing like gaining a qualified instructor.  After all the words where there, 'T'ai Chi', that seemed enough for me. Then there were photos of the form being done.I felt that was accurate enough for me.

While I knew of other martial arts, at that time I was studying nothing.

So reading the book I decided to teach myself T'ai Chi Chaun.

I worked at it for weeks and gradually I was able to perform a piece of the form being demonstrated. Rather I was able to place myself in poses resembling what the book showed.

I am quite sure that nothing I was doing actually resembled the practice of T'ai Chi Chaun.

I discussed this with no one, even my wife, I just did it.

Then I learned about the Salisbury Karate Barn and then started my own study of Isshinryu.

I stopped my self study of T'ai Chi Chaun. Practiced Isshinryu and forgot this episode.

About 6 years later, then a new black belt who was also running my own Issshinryu program, I learned of Ernest Rothrock teaching tai chi in his Pai Lum program in Scranton.  I approached him and he agreed to take me on as a student. Then the real study began and I kept at it to this day.

MyT'ai Chi Chaun study was nothing like what David Carradine presented.

I have not thought of this in almost 50 years, then the other day I discovered that there were VHS videos on YouTube where David Carradine presented his Tai Chi program.

Back in 1974 I did not know of those VSH tapes, even if I did I did not own a video tape player,  it would be years before I got one and at that time I was so into Isshinryu.

Of course I now see this as a way for Carradine to make some money off of his Kung Fu tv show.

One of the David Carradine videos is below.....
 

David Carradine's Tai Chi Workout
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSDB2flS_Qk 

 And yes, I got this very, very wrong back in 1974.