Those 6 glorious weeks

In September 1987, I saw a help wanted ad in the local paper for a place called Universal Bowling located near downtown Chicago. I was familiar with the place as it was where I got my first bowling ball in 1973 and that it sponsored a local bowling contest that is shown on tv on Dec 25.

I was hired and started to learn how to do everything from measuring and drilling bowling balls to engraving and assembling trophies. After one person retired and another was caught shipping bowling balls to his home, I ended up in the shipping and receiving portion as they were a world wide distributor of bowling merchandise. Anything used for bowling other than the machines and the lanes itself could have been purchased there by bowling centers and pro shops for industrial or resale use.

One advantage of working there at that time was being at the forefront to the new technology in making bowling balls. Once or twice a year, a manufacturer which was introducing a new ball would with Universal hold a seminar for pro shop owners in the Chicago area. One time the company rep asked, "What is the most important factor in determining how much a ball will hook?" The other attendees (many of whom were the top amateur bowlers in the area) were responding with so many factors from ball surface to weight to oil on the lanes and then I blurted out the correct answer, "The bowler."

I was above average at bowling in the leagues but usually only had brief moments of top play. In December 1993, I was looking through one of the books about how to bowl better when I was reading a part about getting the left leg in front during the slide and it showed a black and white picture of someone with his left leg in front of him.

After a couple of weeks focusing on that, all of a sudden the ball was going where I aimed almost every shot and would react strong enough to consistently get a strike when it hit the pocket as opposed to leaving a 7 pin or 10 pin (which I earlier that year left 12 times in three games).

In one of the leagues I was bowling, I had my highest three game score in 5 years there and the other one I had three game scores of 699, 716, and 704 over a 4 week stretch. I was even doing well the times I was bowling in unfamiliar places. Overall I was averaging over 215 per game when otherwise I was 188-190.

After talking to my supervisor about my success, we went to Miami Bowl on Archer and Pulaski one night after work since he wanted to see what I was doing and shot 625 which was my highest ever three game total in that very difficult place to bowl. When I got to my fiancee's house, she wanted to go bowling so I reluctantly went back.

On my second shot there, I felt a pop on the outside of my left leg halfway between my knee and hip. I thought nothing of it and bowled through the discomfort. A few weeks later, it became very painful and I had to see a doctor as I could no longer bowl. After a month of rehab, I was back but was rusty the rest of the year.

That summer, I bowled in a league with many of the people from that seminar and struggled initially. One night I figured it out and actually had the best score among 40 of the best amateurs in the Chicago area for one game. The following week, the leg popped again and this time the leg failed and I ended up falling on the lane to the disgusted look of those people.

Every time since then I tried to bowl in a league or a couple of weeks in a row has involved discomfort, then pain, then failure of my left leg. I could no longer bowl in a league. Though I am aware my injury could have happened any time had I not bowled that night, I still could no longer look at my fiancee without feeling resentment towards her. Bowling to me was not an activity. It wasn't even a sport. It was what DEFINED me. Because of her, that was gone. When I discovered there was another female who was interested in me, I realized it was time to move on.

A couple of weeks ago I heard that former professional bowler Billy Hardwick (considered the second best bowler on the 1960s whom my father bowled against in a tournament once) passed away. I met him one time as he visited Sam Weinstein, the Ten Pin Tattler, who owned Universal Bowling. Most people are more familiar with his son, Chris and his work with the Nerdist Channel. I did Tweet Chris my condolences and on Facebook saw pictures of Billy Hardwick when he was in his prime displayed at the memorial at the bowling center in Memphis that bears his name.

I saw the same picture that was in the book I read almost 20 years ago. Though I met the man, I did not realize it was him as the arthritis that caused him to retire from competitive bowling in his early 30s had taken its toll in 25 years.

While I was waiting to see the 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who, Chris Hardwick Tweeted he was now the ultimate answer. I was in shock. He was born the exact same day as my ex-fiancee.

As I sit here with the throbbing in my left leg that caused me to limp at a convention 3 weeks ago and not party since the pain from it kept me from sleeping the previous night, I remember those 6 weeks in 1994 when I could answer the question that everyone would first ask of me (Ken. How are you bowling?) with the confidence and optimism and I also feel compelled to ask myself "What if?"

Sports go Sports

Garfunkel and Oates are the most famous and best of the two person female comedy music duos of which I have seen a lot of different ones recently. They won the 2012 Logan Award for best original song with 29/31 which the NSFW video can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-gfxjAaZg0

Since my RPG group has switched from Sunday evenings to Friday evenings, (something I prefer since playing until near midnight on Sunday makes things difficult when my alarm rings at 5:30AM) I won't be able to see them perform in Chicago this Friday and it bummed me out a bit. (note: Even though the gaming night was canceled, I was still unable to go as I needed to stay home in case there were deliveries to make and there were two so at least it was not a total loss.)

At least until this video was released last Sunday:

I understand the deliberate ignorance to sports and the catchy phrase "sportsball" but that does not mean I like it. As a son of a former football coach who is writing this in a room with various sports equipment my body does not have much ability to use anymore under pictures of championship teams and banners from winning fantasy sports leagues, it bothers me. Though the last team sports related item I bought for me has the phrase 2005 American League Champs on it and that I stopped playing fantasy sports as they became too time consuming and too easy for me, that does not mean that sports are no longer an important part of who I am.

As the NFL season began last month, I saw numerous people post a meme with a picture of Julie Andrews from the Sound of Music stating this is them not caring about football. I decided to start creating ones with pictures of me playing various sports not caring about things those people like.

Even though I am still a fan of Garfunkel and Oates, this HAD to be made:

TWD

I had to make this.

Pizza (and chicken) Time!

 

 Last May, I stopped at a place called Pastavino's and there was a sign stating "Driver Wanted". I asked and then reached an agreement that I can be on call in the afternoon and evening for deliveries since I live less than 10 minutes away.

Usually I make $5-10 per delivery (including tip) and have between 5 and 10 deliveries per week. Though it does not solve my financial situation (as someone actually thought it did as I need to leave a party to make a delivery) it helps. The only time I made significant money was during the town fair when I was delivering food to their booth all weekend.

I have discovered over the past 4 months that weather will play a part in the number of deliveries I have. When we had a storm last week, I was expecting a call but did not get one.

After the storm passed, I got a call for a delivery which was later than usual. On my way there on Irving Park Road, I notice police lights at Wood Dale Road and a three car accident. There was a traffic cop directing people going my direction to turn south as the road was blocked. Since I needed to go three blocks further east, I was considering going back around to get back on Irving but noticed police were now blocking traffic as I hear a fire truck arrive.

Knowing the streets in the residential area, I knew where to turn to avoid speed bumps and driving around fallen branches and other debris got to the point where there is a street to get back to Irving. However, construction over the railroad tracks that started that day blocked it.

I continued around a large fallen branch forcing me to drive on the curb to pass and notice the street was blocked by a fallen tree. I turned around and knew I had to head south a ways to get to a street that connects to Route 83 so I could head back north to get to Irving to head west.

What usually took a couple minutes took 15. Where was the delivery? On the same street as the closed railroad crossing. Fortunately I noticed the fallen tree was being removed as I passed it on route 83 and was able to make the delivery with a slight detour to get a $3 tip plus the $2.50 delivery fee.

Here is the map:

Luke Ski Con wrapup

It has been about 2 weeks since the awesomeness of Luke Ski Con happened and due to recovery time and the holiday, I finally got the time to post a couple of charts related to it.

This first one shows from where people came to attend. If by any chance you see this and know of a state I omitted, please let me know and I will correct it. (Note: I only reference those who had actual concerts in the chart and did not include those who either did a podcast or appeared on stage in someone else's concert on Saturday.)

The second chart is based on the Luke Ski tribute CD Worst Tribute Ever. This lists the source material for the 25 performance tracks on the CD. The dates listed are those of the album the track covered was originally released.

Fictional list of numbers 14-42

As I stated in the first list, this only applies to fictional characters and not those based on real ones.

There are numbers that I could not find a significant character who wore it. As with the other list, if you see an omission, let me know.

14 - Billy Chapel (Detroit Tigers) Played by Kevin Costner in the Golden Raspberry winning movie For Love of the Game

15 - Bart Simpson (Springfield Elementary)
Honorable Mention - Jimmy Chitwood (Hickory HS)

When I saw the Simpsons episode for the first time, I correctly determined that the episode title would be "Bart Star" since (Green Bay Packers hall of fame quarterback) Bart Starr wore number 15. Though Hoosiers is based on a championship Indiana high school team, the movie was not the story of that team but based on it.

16,17,18 - Jack, Steve, and Jeff Hanson (Charlestown Chiefs)
Honorable mention - 16 - Sam Malone (Boston Red Sox), Shane Falco (Washington Sentinels) Pete LeFleur (Average Joe's)
Honorable mention - 17 - Doug Remer (Milwaukee Beers), Richie Cunningham (Jefferson High)
Honorable mention - 18 - Curly Howard (hunchback)

All the honorable mentions are good enough characters to warrant being the best at their number but there is only one Hanson Brothers.

19 - Steve Nebraska (New York Yankees) The player recruited in the movie The Scout.

20 - Gavin Grey (LSU, Washington Redskins) - The grey ghost - Everybody's All American

21 - Sidd Finch (New York Mets) The Sports Illustrated reported prospect that was a famous April Fool's Day joke.

22 - Paul Kreue (Mean Machine)
Honorable mention - Moe Howard (quarterback)

Though The Longest Yard was remade, the original is far better.

23 - Kit Keller (Racine Belles)

meh

24 - Roger Dorn (Cleveland Indians)

The movie Major League probably is among the top in producing by number as many major characters than any other sports movie.

26 - Hawkeye Pierce (M*A*S*H 4077th)
Honorable mention - Ricky Bobby

The movie version of M*A*S*H finishes with a football game against an army unit.

28 - The Pie (Grand National Steeplechase)
Honorable Mention - John McIntyre (M*A*S*H 4077th)

The horse ridden by the Elizabeth Taylor character in the movie. It won the race but was disqualified as the jockey passed out after crossing the finish line.

30 - Larry Fine (halfback)

The 1940 Three Stooges episode "No Census, No Feeling" involved them working as census takers and they decide to crash a football game wearing jerseys in an attempt to collect information about everyone there.

33 - Al Bundy (Polk High School)
Honorable mention - Foghorn Leghorn (Tune Squad)

Al Bundy scored 4 touchdowns in the 1966 city championship game.

34 - Spearchucker Jones (M*A*S*H 4077th)
Honorable mention - Lou Brown (Cleveland Indians)
also - Elliott Richards (Diablos)

The ringer from the infamous football game. Though Spearchucker was played by former football player Fred Williamson, he was not based on the player. Today the brain surgeon would have had a different name than the one used in the 1970 movie.

37 - Nuke LaRouche (Durham Bulls)
Honorable mention - Herman Munster (Los Angeles Dodgers)

Though The Munsters tv series was a repeat of the same joke and the episode where Herman destroys the baseball field and injures players where the Dodgers train is a classic. However, Bull Durham is far more memorable.

42 - Scott Howard (the Beavers)

I could not find the name of the high school where the Teen Wolf played basketball.

Please help

Even after discovering that my hearing like a color blind person sees really makes it inadvisable to sing, I have always dreamed that I could do the lead vocals on a CD or even a song on one.

In February, Carrie Dahlby told me she is creating a tribute CD for the great Luke Ski to be given to those at Luke Ski con and stated she wanted me to contribute a track. My response was why knowing my limited ability and Carrie got me to reluctantly agree to do it as long as it only appears as a bonus track.

One of my first thoughts was the song Jack Bauer which I have a cameo as a henchman being interrogated. However, I realized that at 6 minutes, 24 seconds, it is way too long for me to attempt. I did figure a way to do a shortened version of the song and after going through the lyrics way too many times in my head recorded the main part of the song in one take spending less than one hour total to record the song. My initial plan was to call it "You Probably Shouldn't Listen to This." but realize it would be best called by its position on the CD, "Track 24". I appreciate Devo Spice, the man who mastered and organized the CD, editing a bonus track into multiple segments allowing mine to be the 24th track (and last one) on the second CD of the 2 CD set.

The con has come and gone and he was shocked by the CD. Though I did not get a chance to perform the track live, I saw a Facebook entry complimenting me on it which was liked by some of the artists who produced much better quality tracks on the CD.

Anyway, this is how I could use help: DJ Particle hosts an Internet show called the Dementia Top 20 that is determined my people voting. The website is www.madmusic.com. Voters have to register on the site before they can vote. The third item under the features part on the page is for the Dementia Top 20 which will show links to MP3 files of past shows and has a link to the ballot for the current show which lists the top 20 from the previous week plus tracks from other sources to consider. In the left column under the name Track 24 is my song. Please vote for that and others if you are so inclined. Clicking the sound bar will allow people to listen to a sample of the track.

If you have any questions please reply or ask me personally. Thank you.