From: SalvaAC <at> AOL <dot> COM
Date: 19 sep 1999
Subject: Re: Why work?

In a message dated 9/19/99 3:23:05 AM Central Daylight Time,
mharnett <at> USWEST <dot> NET writes:

<< There are many people who do not care to socialize with verbose
 prose, but care only for the competition found in shogi as a way of
 relaxing.  I find that physical and mental exercise are analogous to the
 games of volleyball and shogi.  They both offer me a way to relax.  I find
 that corresponding with you and others about my and your ideas is
 socializing and a way for me to feel more confident and secure about myself
 as a person who cares about others. >>

I have always felt shogi was a good way to relax.  My reasoning has always
been that, because I am a professional musician and my entire work schedule
is based on being a musician, playing shogi is something that is still very
difficult but is also completely different from what I normally do.  It
forces my brain to get out of "music mode," and offers relaxation by being a
different way to stretch my brain.

I think the social aspect of shogi is important to me too.  Although I have
played games over the net, they really do not hold the same passion for me as
over the board face-to-face games.  I think for me, oddly, it's not the game
itself that is important as the ability to get together with other people
(rare as that has been in my home club in my case).  Shogi to me is a good
means to an enjoyable end of meeting new people and getting together with old
friends, as well as being an end in itself, as I try to do my best over the
board.

An interesting thread...

Tony Salvaggione