#37 | my new favorite game
(I might be a little bit obsessed?)
I’ve been dying to write a 1TW about this since April but I held off until I was sure I was long-term obsessed instead of short-term obsessed but it’s been 4 months & I still won’t stfu about mahjong! (If you follow me on Instagram, this will not surprise you at all.)
I hosted two group lessons at my house this spring and was hooked immediately. An activity that 1) I can do without leaving my house; 2) doesn’t require me to spend any money; 3) gives me a chance to yap with my friends for a couple hours; and 4) can be as friendly or as competitive as I want?
Sign me up, I’m ready to make this my entire personality! I immediately went out & bought a set for myself, of course (partially as a ploy to get invited when other people want to play 😉)
I learned how to play American mahjong (slightly different than what you might remember from that scene in Crazy Rich Asians) and I would describe it as complicated but not hard — there are a lot of rules to remember, and ways to play strategically, but if you don’t care about winning then you can also just sit there, pass some tiles, and not use your whole brain to play.
If you want to learn & you’re in the Chicago area1, I highly recommend Alyssa at The Mahjong Society — she taught my group and has a great approach to lessons, balancing the need to understand the rules of the game with the idea that people just want to have fun with a new hobby.
And then once you learn how to play, call me because I’m always ready 😂
If you’re not in Chicago, here’s a list of instructors organized by state!