Mahjong Life and Living

As of this post date, this individual managed to qualify into the next World Riichi Championship in 2020 by placing second at the Tri Nitro Tiles 7th Detonation Tournament .  Congratulations! Now we turn back the clock. One of the items received in the WRC swag: a booklet listing all of the tournament participants.  Most everyone responded to the survey and submitted their photo.  One person took the liberty of collecting everyone's signature. When she collected mine, I was very much surprised that anyone would ever want my signature.  Quickly, I realized her goal.  So, I decided to help out, as I had a decent familiarity recognizing who is who.  She did the work; I simply helped out a little.  As the signature collection grew, it really became easier as everyone was more than happy to sign upon seeing previously collected signatures. Of course, the collection came to the last day with a remaining uncollected few.  The last day was particu...

I am sorry to say: The riichi community is fractured .  This is natural due to three main reasons: Geography, Circumstance, and Personalities. People in different areas tend to group together.  Anyone outside that group is viewed as a stranger.  Our response to " stranger danger " differs from person-to-person.  The variance falls on our ability to be welcoming or not.  This is assuming people of one language.  The natural barrier stems from people of different languages.  That's a whole different set of separation altogether. I learned to be welcoming.  For the sake of my own club, I cannot afford not to be.  As long as a person plays mahjong, then the player is welcome unless there is a reason not to be.  If a person is new or visiting, it is best to get a game together and know the person a bit as possible. What about the Internet?  Here, geography is irrelevant, as we are capable of interacting with anyone on Earth at any ...

No, I am not ending my mahjong life any time soon .  Instead, I ask a question with a very obvious answer: Can people leave mahjong? In other words, can people stop playing and completely disassociate with everything mahjong related?  The natural and obvious answer: Of course!    An end is inevitable for each and every one of us.  The method of end will very though.  The contrary would violate the freedom noted in "my" Prime Directive .  No one should ever be forced to play; and by extension, no one should be forced to associate with an activity and its people.  So, this idea extends to all other activity.  I am very much in support of volunteerism. Have I seen people leave?   Yes, of course.  People come and go in all activity, and mahjong is no different.  It is the natural order.  Some departures feel sadder than others.  I know some who have quit and sold their sets.  It was a sad sig...