Diffculty and Stress with notation writing.

History is essential. The best ideas are grounded in the knowledge of what has transpired before.

I agree with both of your opinions. I must say that at my first tournament, I didn't know what I was doing with the notation and I am guessing that is why I mad so many mistakes with my game because I was focusing too much on writing the moves down but I also found that when I went beck and looked, I noticed moves that I shouldn't have made.

Do I have to move my own pieces? Still?

Come on. It's 2013 already.

So are many of the worst. 

Of course it should be mandatory. First of all there's a TL to consider along with other "minor" details such as proof of a triple repetition or an illegal move - which I believe can be corrected as long as the game is still being played. Once somebody resigns, game over!

The score is also important for YOU so you can study your games and analyze them afterwards. BTW is this just a chess problem or does it occur in other writing situations as well?

Writing was invented for the king who immediately regretted having ordered it, because with it people would have less need to listen, and they could more easily remember things the king had said. He feared that his contradictions would come back to bite him in the ass.

Thus leading to more Diffculty.

In The Phaedrus, Plato blames the invention of writing on the Egyptian god Thoth (Djehuty), who is also credited with destroying people's memories, because they could just look it up.

Of course, Plato was a bit of a crank (Atlantis and all that), although he certainly does deserve full credit for having invented this stuff (even if it was kinda conceited of him to name it after himself, almost):

(I must say btw that I greatly prefer my own headpiece to Thoth's.)

Sometimes depicted as a baboon

More to your liking, Andy?

Of course, Plato was a bit of a crank (Atlantis and all that), although he certainly does deserve full credit for having invented this stuff (even if it was kinda conceited of him to name it after himself AndyClifton

It was a wise man who invented God  PLATO

Plato was a bore NIETZSCHE

Nietzsche was both stupid and immoral TOLSTOY

Socrates, a character invented by Plato, does the blaming. He does it by repeating a myth.

I sometimes use the recording of the move as a calming technique:

I play my move in the belief that everything is right and rosy in the garden. I record my move.

My opponent plays a move that I didn't consider and it spooks me. A quick glance at the position confirms my worst fears. All of a sudden I've lost my inner calm and analysis seems impossible. I then write my move down slowly and deliberately, avoiding sight of the board. During this time, I tell myself that it's not as bad as it looks and when I look up, I'll understand the position better.

This little ten second's worth of detachment always does the trick for me. It might still be bad on the board but I'm no longer sitting there with my head spinning.

I like Xenophon better, more down to earth.

Nietzsche is dead GOD

And they sound great too:

use a monroi

Nietzsche is dead GOD

YES, but Plato is still boring...(except when he's talking about Socrates)

And Socrates never shuts up (I'd've slipped him a hemlock mickey too...and I wouldn't have needed a trial to do it).