Well.. tonight I was stubborn the first set, which led to my demise.. I gave in and moved 5 and 5 left the 2nd set which led to my victory. We were on the Scorpion pattern and I was trying to play up 8 standing on about 16.. washout.. washout.. 1 2 4... DUH??  Move??  NOPE!  washout.. washout...  Yet??  NOPE!!  This went on for 2 games and I got killed both games. 

2nd set I finally gave in and went 22 to 16 and I went a bit light for a bucket.. covered it. Same shot 2nd frame and closer but still a touch light. Tom is bowling next to me (see last week's blog) and says "Whatever you do.. don't move." Ok. Next frame.. same shot. BAM!  next frame BAM!  Double?  No Way!  I won this match with a whopping 161 by 1 stinking pin and had to put 10 in the pit with my fill ball. 4th game stayed clean for a 207 which again was a victory.

I am learning which is the entire reason for joining this league. It is a hard shot, definately no house shot; but I am going to come out the other side of 12 weeks a much better bowler for this. I just know it.  Thanks, Tom for staying after tonight and helping me, it will be taken to heart for sure :).

Ok. I was sooo excited about doing this and I still truly am, but now I am a bit intimidated. Out of the gate, first week.. 152 average. YIKES!!  Not to mention I walk into the center and see Tom and some other familar faces that I know bowl regionals and the scratch travel league. I have never attempted anything like this before and the first 2 hours I was intimidated by all of this. Tom is a friend and helped me with an equipment decision after the first set. He is a nice guy, but I find myself questioning why am I on these lanes with HIM? He is a PBA member for pete's sake. I know in my heart that I am good enough to be here and started shooting 180's when I calmed myself down. That's the secret. To borrow some words from a friend.."give the lane what it wants". Thanks, Chris. :) I need to get an iPod so I can focus in my brain and not the people around me. I will be much better off.... I think this was the demise of my Queens competition too...

Well, I am back from the Ohio Women's State Tourney and had a better experience than the Queens.  We bowled ok on the first day which was team event. Lanes were extremely dry. I have heard that is normal for this house; Interstate Lanes in Rossford, Ohio. Not too much to speak of this day.  The next day for Doubles / Singles we were at a totally different house. There was fresh oil and a different atmosphere all together. They played music for practice; Billy Joel's "Keeping the Faith". This song stuck in my brain for the entire 6 game set. Ended up averaging 203 for the Doubles set and my partner averaged 198. We both are happy with this outcome. We will cash.  Singles I slipped a bit. Think my arm just got too tired at this point. Still averaged 185, but that won't be enough.  All in all it was a good weekend of bowling.  I think I will be venturing to The Hoinke next in the near weeks ahead.  Hope that goes as well as this did..

Ok.. the fact that it is Monday and I am back home tells the story.  The up side to things? I met some great women, learned alot about what a really difficult pattern is and also that Kahlua makes everything somehow all better LOL!  Seriously, the condition was tough. It was a total learning experience for me as far as the difference in a typical house shot and a real bowler's shot. After 9 games I succumbed to the fact that no one on my pair was getting anywhere near the top 100 so our last game, we had fun.  Low woman buys. Right On!!  I was high at that point.  Figures,  The woman I bowled with both days were great. I couldn't have asked for better lane mates. We all cheered for each other, as well as felt each other's pain.

I will try again next year definately, and I have no regrets about this year. Thanks Matt, for your words of wisdom I appreciate them.  Thanks Chris for the forewarning text. It was helpful too... Ha!

I want to start this by saying, New Jersey was fun, babe.. but it stayed there. I dream that you are able to someday find what you told me you are looking for...

Ok.. On to a different subject.  Tonight was our roll off for the League Championships. We won the second half, so we had to bowl the 1st half winners for bragging rights. I averaged 205 for the first 2.. and my team mates did just as well. We won the first game by 132 and the second by 118 pins.  Yay!!  Bragging rights for us!!  Woo Hoo!!  It was a good end to a great day...  Now, on to the Queens this week.. let's hope that 205 average only grows.