What I learned from bowling...

Last Saturday, my whole family and I went bowling...

Though seemingly mediocre compared to the vast variety of activities one can do, I found it very pleasing and more than satisfied my need to take a break from my intense life and have a little fun.

After "damn near perfect" day, I was very much certain that karma wasn't gonna allow me to have any more fun any time soon. That became very clear to me when the days post-DNPday turned into a nightmare full of emotional distress and unnecessary stinkeyes. And in addition to that, after personal day-offs, grey's-anatomying, brazil-cafeing, and guitaring on the grass, I KNEW it was all over for me... karma was never gonna forgive me...

So much for a relaxing spring break!!!

But then bowling came along...

And after a week of mixed emotions swimming around in me, bowling was the one thing I needed most. It wasn't just a wonderful stress-reliever, but it also taught me VALUABLE LIFE LESSONS.

1. A 60-something-pound girl with OI can bowl... she would probably suck... but she can bowl.

2. Don't be embarrassed to request for rails... They really help you, especially when you suck (like the 60-something-pound girl with OI!)

3. Don't bite off more than you can chew... don't try to bowl a 15 pound ball when you can barely lift it off the table. (Also, biting a gigantic piece of the breakfast sandwich might cause near-Heimlich-maneuver choking that would scare the family bowling next to you... YOU'RE SUCH A PIG OLIVIA!!!)

4. Arcade games at bowling alleys are WAY too damn expensive

5. Dance Dance Revolution sucks when you don't know how to play well...or play at all

6. Spending time with your loved ones and seeing them genuinely smile is one of the most rewarding gifts you can ever be given.

7. No matter how much someone gets on your nerves, setting your differences aside, even for just 2 hours of throwing a 10 lb. ball around, could be beneficial for said loved ones.

8. Bowling is a wonderful way to let out all the anger festering inside of you... maybe anger towards the person mentioned in above lesson.

9. A little shot of endorphins can make you forget about pain, whether its physical or emotional.

As you step back and watch the ones you love have the time of their lives, you realize how lucky you are to have them. That despite the little feuds that occur within that circle, you realize that there is still so much love that exists. That even though anger infiltrates to your brain, you realize that it's more important to get rid of all that anger because now you know that not having it feels so much better.

Though the aftermath of this whole shebang consists of 6 rounds of Tylenol for the immense muscle pain, and being a whole lot poorer from the combined costs of games, shoes, and arcade for a total of about 25 people, all in all, I had a really great time.

STRIKE!