Mahj

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Oh, how I love an out-of-the-blue surprise gift! This new T-shirt absolutely made my day.

Judy had secretly placed it on my office chair for me to discover later, and it worked perfectly. The minute I found it, I slipped it on without a second thought. Did it match the dress I was already wearing? Not even a little. Did I care? Not for one minute. I proudly wore it for the rest of the day.

The shirt reads, "I played Mahjong before it was cool," Love it and instantly felt cooler!

I haven't been playing for ages compared to some seasoned players, but I seemed to discover Mahjong right before it exploded in popularity. Somehow, all those crazy tiles, intricate rules, strategic thinking, and complicated dealing procedures just clicked for me. It's funny because I had the exact opposite experience with pickleball. After one session of classes, I couldn't wait to get off that darn court and hang up my paddle. 

Somewhere along the way, I got hoodwinked into teaching Mahjong, and now it's become part of my weekly routine. A couple of nights each week, I find myself walking down the street to teach classes. One session rolls into another, and every class is filled with eager new learners excited to master the game.

I certainly wasn't looking for more work, but somehow work always seems to find me.

Thankfully, this is the kind of work I genuinely enjoy. There's something incredibly rewarding about watching people go from complete confusion to confident players. Even better, many of them leave with not only a new skill but also new friendships. What's better than that?

I love my Mahjong crew. Some of the best friends I've made in recent years have come through this game. It's true what they say, you can learn a lot about a person by sitting across the table from them. Patience, competitiveness, strategy, sportsmanship, intelligence (or lack of)... it all shows up eventually. And let's just say some people are far more aware of their skill level than others. Self-awareness is an important life skill, both at the Mahjong table and beyond.

At this point, it looks like Mahjong is here to stay. With all the people I've been teaching, I seem to be building a local Mahjong army of my own. I'm no fortune teller, but I can already picture summer game nights filled with tables of players, endless chatter, laughter, snacks, and the familiar click-clack of tiles being shuffled. It sounds like exactly the kind of gathering I want to be part of. Maybe it's time to start making plans.

Oh, and on another note....I got a promotion at my day job! 

It's not nearly as flashy as a surprise T-shirt, but it's a pretty big deal just the same. Between the growing Mahjong community, great friends, unexpected gifts, and a little professional recognition, I'd say life is treating me pretty well these days.

"Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you; spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life." ~ Amy Poehler