Bowling classique or dud-oh

is it time to revive the FAB (fancy a bowl)?

Last weekend I got beaten by Jerry the Nipper. But that's a different thread, hoho.

oh, that and not use the heavy balls....

I have great fun bowling even though I'm horrible at it.

Ever been duck pin bowling? I was supposed to go for the first time Thursday night but they closed due to icey roads. Is that fun?

Also, um, well..."you're out of your element Donny!"

I never learned how to do "the walk". I just walk up to the alley, stop, and hurl that fucker. It is perhaps not the best technique but I have fun.

I am a kee-RAY-zee mofo, yes I am. A real party aminal.

Haven't bowled much lately, because I actually still have too many bad associations with it now; my parents were league bowlers for quite a long time, and I hung around the lanes often enough because of that that I got to see what I call "the lifers": those are the chainsmokers who literally live for bowling, and hiding fifths of liquor in their bowling locker. The ones with right arms three times the size of their left arms, and mouths like truckers. The ones who sweat a combination of lane oil and hard alcohol. The ones who shoot a reasonably good game but swear about it anyhow, and then retire to the bar portion of the lanes, where they proceed to get hammered while playing the video lottery terminals. That = dud.

I still like to bowl a couple lines every now and then, too. Last time I seriously bowled I used a 12-pound ball, but I think I may be up to 14 now.

Trying to find a lane ball with holes drilled in such a way that they will fit your handspan, without ripping the shit out of your fingers: dud.

I was The Dude a couple years back. It wasn't much of a stretch at the time, as I was already overweight and had long hair then. I just put on a bathrobe and shades and cussed alot and ended every sentence with the word "man".

Especially if you are a wuss with enormous hands, like me. One reason we get there early is so I can grab my favorite ball, the coveted Big Hole 'Leven. If someone else snatches her -- likely, since everyone want a lightweight ball with adequate finger room -- then I am forced to go with Scratches, a perky orange 13-pounder covered in scratches, which I'm sure would be terrible if I bowled properly but does OK with my advanced bowling techniques. Also no one ever wants to play with Scratches, so I am assured he'll be there for me.

Yes, one of the bowling balls is a male and one is female. I'm not sure how we decided this. Also, yes, I am really excited about getting to bowl tonight after many weeks off the lanes.

Ooh yes, I believe Felicity is planning on organizing a bowling-type outing at the lovely Port Authority lanes. So chosen because it is: a) in my neighborhood, b) right across the street from Siberia. (Well, those were my lobbying points.)

It won't be quite the same as the candlepin-stylee I grew up on (hurling grapefruit-size ball down lane = classic), but I doubt that kind of fun is to be found in the NY area.

Yes, who wants to bowl at the alley at Port Authority on Tuesday the 11th? According to Jen, they also have a bar and you can drink and point and laugh and take photos and everything. And it's the Port Authority -- we can make terrible puns, especially if Ally comes.

I've been in a bowling league since September and I've improved considerably to an average of 109 based on all my scores since September. My best is 158, but mostly I'm just consistent in the 100-120 range. The league is done on handicap so we all compete on a level playing field and my team are fucking LAYING WASTE to the competition about 8 points clear. We rule.

I bowl with a medium 10 ball, which is as much as my puny arms can manage.

i've never bowled alone, i don't think. ideally i'll bowl with one or two other people, since games drag more the more people you've got

haven't done quite as well since.

On Friday I got my best ever score - 154. Looking through this thread, it may not sound like much to some of you, but I was completely thrilled with my performance.

I was with a group of people who were just looking to have a relaxed, fun evening, but I can't help it, I feel compelled to take it seriously and get quite pumped up.

By the way, I wonder if I'm the only person in the world who bowls right-handed and curves the ball from left to right.

I only have a vague recollection of this. Hmmm. It seems my life is filled with massive headaches. hah

About two Halloweens ago I was at a party where one of my kinda-friends (didn't know too much about him at the time but he lived with my good friends and could talk sports so I liked him) brothers was there, the cops came and he got arrested for some DNR bullshit, whatever, bail was $480 and my friend of course was going apeshit, saying we had to bail him out, whatever. I mean yeah he's a stranger and seems kinda scummy but apparently he's starting a new job the next day and has a daughter he was on the verge of losing custody of. As it turns out I had won a poker tournament the day before so I had some cash on me, I said okay, I'll loan $300, he'll pay me tomorrow, right? Of course he says, no problem, I'm not totally comfortable with this but I trusted this guy (my friend, I didn't know much about his brother). Well, once he's out, he gets my number, I get his, don't hear from him, my buddy gets kicked out of his place (for not paying rent, obviously), brother's number is disconnected. Finally get ahold of him weeks later, he says he doesn't have the money, whatever I'll let it slide for now. He changes numbers like three times, but I still get no responses, he ignores my texts and calls, fuck this, I'm about to call it a loss, but then...

It turns out this guy bowls in my league!! I approach him like every other week, and his responses go from "I don't have anything, sorry, I have so many expenses", to "Nope, nope, nope", to not even giving me eye contact. How the hell do I get this guy to pay?? Or am I just totally screwed? Like, seriously, I don't know what to do, and I doubt the police are going to help me here. BTW, I raised my average 12 points over the last month and a half; can't believe what a minor difference in approach can make.

write it off, that money's gone for good

wtf is wrong with u?

Xp

huh? what part of that are you taking exception with

Idk maybe this a a bowling thread or whatever and you bump it to ask about your deadbeat friends

Well yeah, that's why I added that bit about the approach in there. I originally dropped it at the 3rd prong to the right which usually ended up with a Brooklyn. I was hooking too much but couldn't figure out how to hit the spot; but actually by moving left to the second prong, I can toss at like a 5 degree angle and hook it right in there, so I'm averaging like 40+ points more now

I mean since I changed my approach, overall avg up 12

btw I do hope you are calling out all the worthless bumps in ILE

I think George Costanza summed it up well: "Bowling! What do you say, bowling? Bowling's insane! Bowling is crazy time."

Some, on the other hand, get no rush from bowling.

I don't think this got mentioned upthread (at least not with a PIC) but there is a bowling alley in Minneapolis with live music ON THE LANES. My band has played here and it is totes awesome.

http://artofwore.com/storage/memory_lanes.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1297658718490

Ha!! Would love to see that on the next PBA broadcast. Maybe they can play incidental music between frames??

Can't see how playing a gig in a bowling alley would benefit anyone?
I've played in some dives in my time, but i'd just refuse to play in a bowling alley full stop.

We had a ton of fun. The nights they do it are thematic, so it's usually Punk Rock Bowling Night, or all rockabilly bands.

I haven't been bowling since a bad attempt at drunken bowling at ATP with various ILXors a couple of years ago. I must rectify this soon.

dud

Bowling: classic or gutterball

I've been trying for almost 40 years to turn myself into a decent, 80-something golfer playing 5-10 times a year, but I don't think it's ever going to happen--too many moving parts. I think I could master this game, though. I was a pretty good 5-pin bowler in high school--something like a 160-range average, with a high game in the high-200s. We did our yearly school bowling trip today (10-pin), and I shot 134/127/129. Finished the first game by striking out.

Much cheaper than golf, too.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lm9qeleG1M1qje6mvo1_500.jpg

Checking in 9 years later...I've joined a (non-competitive) league in the small town where I live. I'm terrible now! As I said then, I understand why I'm a hacker when it comes to golf: the golf swing is very complex, and it's not something you can get right playing only casually. But 5-pin bowling ought to be relatively easy. I've got it down to a two-step approach, there are arrows that tell you where to throw the ball, and the ball is much lighter than a 10-pin ball. Meanwhile, in seven weeks and 21 games, I believe I've broken 150 twice. In the 30 frames I threw tonight, I had one strike and 29 open frames. It's maddening.