Step One - Register for World Mahjong Championship 2010 Netherlands. Check.
One small step on the PC, one big step for EP and me.
I had a little thrill when I went to the page on the WMC website list of registered players and saw the two Singapore flag symbols amongst all the rest. I know we are not on any official mission here, but a competition like this always bring out the patriot in one.
It is going to cost us both a whooping 300+ Euros just to play for this championship, not counting all the other costs like airfare, accommodation etc. We are not exactly complaining, but man, am I glad that the Euro is down against SGD at the moment, though I think the Europeans are probably not too happy about it.
And for once in my whole working life, I am wishing and hoping and praying that the company does not send me on any trips anywhere during the competition period. I don't care even if it is an all expenses paid two-week trip to Norway. Please, whoever is up there, just help me out a bit here.
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3 comments:
are there no mahjong clubs or such in singapore that could provide some kind of funding? if not, then perhaps this is as good a time as any to set up something? media support? sponsors? it's a chance to dispel those stereotypes you speak of - of tai-tais and uncles and n'er-do-wells, and dirty underground gambling dens.
as little as i know, surely the type of mahjong you play deserves a chance at being up there with the competitive gaming stuff they have going on.
Woot! 加油！
Will you be coming back to the gym? Did you hear about EC?
'Lo, no uppercase, you actually made an un-ditzy comment, haha.
The whole thing is a kind of a chicken and egg issue.
No, there are no mahjong clubs in Singapore at the moment, unfortunately, because of all the issues with gambling. As for setting up something, there is too much involved to get it done in a snap of finger, precisely because of those stereotypes. You don't dispel decades old stereotype in a matter of days.
In fact, participating in something like WMC, which is non-gambling related, is a step towards this goal, among others. If we have any kind of success at it, perhaps others may be brought round too. But it is too early to speak of intense media support and corporate sponsorship and stuff. This is something we have to start off as individuals, and hope it catches on.
We think mahjong definitely deserves being up there with the rest of the respected, healthy intellectual games. Which is why we (or rather mostly EP) are doing what we are doing now.
Well, we are enjoying ourselves as we try to propagate the game anyway. Even without the other impetus, we are happy just to participate in the WMC for our own interest. I was not really complaining in my post, just making a comment really.
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