Weekend practice

Lincoln High School, San Francisco

Gym Entrance, Lincoln High School

On my way home from errands this morning, I drove past a familiar spot I haven't visited in 20+ years, San Francisco's Abraham Lincoln High School. I stopped, rolled down my car window, shot the above photos, smiled and gave pause to remember my time there.

Lincoln High was where my first organized sports activity in San Francisco began. I played basketball in Lincoln's gym every Saturday morning, from 9 to 12, for about 3 years (1984-1987). Brenda, a former Sharper Image co-worker/fellow hoopster invited me to join her.

After a few months, Brenda stopped coming. I didn't. I became close friends with several of the girls. When the program ended, my friendship with Alice, Ada, Karen and Karyee exceeded well past the years we played basketball together.

Every few months for the next 10 years or so, the five of us would go out to dinner on a Saturday night. We'd pick up dessert, and hangout at one of our places until midnight or so. I'd often come home with a hoarse voice from laughing so hard. The gatherings eventually ended when Alice, Karen and Karyee got married and Ada moved to San Jose.

When my basketball playing days ended, I got back into playing softball. Again, Brenda, now a former co-worker, made the introduction. This resulted in an activity that lasted off and on for about 15 years, much longer than basketball.

My first co-ed team held Saturday morning practices for about 3 years at various softball fields such as Rossi, Glen Park, West Sunset, Jackson, Rolph or McAteer High School. My second co-ed team, Sunday morning practice at Potrero for about 5 years. Then lunch. Always.

Tomorrow, I'll have bowling practice at Classic Bowl with friends from my Wednesday night league. I can't describe it exactly, but I find it serene and comforting to see the same groups of people every week practicing a sport they love as much, if not more, than I do.

The classic NBC-TV series Cheers describes it best:
Music and Lyrics by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo

Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they're always glad you came...

25th Anniversary of Dave Dravecky's comeback

source: DaveDravecky.com

Yesterday's San Francisco Giants game versus the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrated the 25th anniversary of former left-handed pitcher Dave Dravecky.

In October 1988, a year after Dravecky was traded from the San Diego Padres to the Giants, he underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in his throwing arm.

As detailed in his Wikipedia biography, doctors had advised Dravecky not to pitch until the 1990 season. However, by July 1989, Dravecky was pitching in the minors. The next month, on August 10, Dravecky started against the Cincinnati Reds. He pitched 8 innings and won the game, 4-3.

It was Dravecky's next start against the Montreal Expos in the 5th inning he experienced tingling in his arm. In the 6th inning, he gave up a home run. He hit the next batter, Andres Galarraga. After Galarraga, Dravecky then pitched to Tim Raines. His humerus bone snapped.

Upon review of x-rays, it was found another malignant tumor had formed. The cancer returned. Two more surgeries would follow, and in 1991, Dravecky had his left arm and shoulder amputated. Dravecky went on to become a motivational speaker, which he still does today.

A San Francisco Giants/MLB short video on last year's anniversary can be found at Dave Dravecky's website. You can also view it here. Below is a short YouTube video summarizing his life after baseball:

75th Anniversary of Lou Gehrig's Farewell Speech

Reposting my blog entry from July 4, 2009, 70th Anniversary of Lou Gehrig's Farewell Speech.

image source: Society for American Baseball Research

As we celebrate our nation's anniversary, I am moved to find out that today is the seventy-year anniversary of Lou Gehrig's Farewell Speech. Reprinted from Lou Gehrig's website:
--
"Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.

"Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn't consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? Sure, I'm lucky. Who wouldn't consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball's greatest empire, Ed Barrow? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Sure, I'm lucky.

"When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift - that's something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies - that's something. When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter - that's something. When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so you can have an education and build your body - it's a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed - that's the finest I know.

"So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for."
--
While the video does not broadcast the entire speech, I cannot watch the video with dry eyes. The speech is being commemorated today at 15 Major League ballparks.

Guardians of the Golden Gate Bridge

Yesterday, as reported through numerous media sources including SFGate, the board of the Golden Gate, Highway and Transportation District approved by unanimous vote to fund $76 million dollars to build steel-cable nets, or better known as "suicide barriers".

The campaign to build a barrier has gone on for some time. Last year, in 2013, the number of suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge reached a record high of 46.

Two years ago, I saw a very moving piece about suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge on Yahoo! Screen. The video profiled California Highway Patrol Sergeant Kevin Briggs. While there's not an exact count, Sgt. Briggs has successfully stopped hundreds from leaping to their deaths off the bridge.

After 23 years of service, Kevin retired from the CHP in March, 2014. He now focuses on educating and speaking to others about suicide prevention. Below is the original 2012 Yahoo! Screen short film, "Guardians of the Golden Gate Bridge".

Seeking Asian Female/They're All So Beautiful

source: http://www.seekingasianfemale.com/the-film/

Yesterday, on Amazon Prime, I watched a PBS documentary, 'Seeking Asian Female" that originally aired in May 2013.

Written, directed and produced by Debbie Lum, the film takes an intimate look at the story of Steven and Sandy, who met online and married. Much of the film takes place in Steven's apartment in Burlingame.

The film's subject matter wasn't anything new to me. I've seen and experienced it countless times in the 30+ years I've lived in San Francisco. I was interested in exploring more about the documentary and found a companion piece to the documentary called "They're All So Beautiful".

There are 5 episodes in the "They're All So Beautiful" series. I skipped the first 3 episodes and jumped immediately to Episodes 4 - Do Asian Women have "white fever"? and 5 - dating, relationship, interracial marriage?

In case you're wondering about my answers to the above questions, I can answer yes to the question posed in Episode 4. I was in a 9-year relationship with a Caucasian male. And it didn't end because of race or culture.

What I will tell you, especially as I've gotten older, is that forming a relationship with someone I'd already known who is of the same race, culture and shared common interests made a monumental difference. Yes, tremendous physical attraction got it all started. As it went beyond that, it became an incredibly deep bond that I have yet to find with anyone else.

Here's the video clip:

Father's Day 2014

Dad's passport photo, circa 1972

My best memories of Dad can be read in the blog entry I wrote September 19, 2007 in honor of his 72nd birthday.

I may not be a parent, but I know being one is the hardest, yet most rewarding job in the world.

It can, and often will take priority over what you do to earn a living. It can also minimize and/or change relationships you have with other loved ones.

To all fathers who answer to Dad, Daddy, Ba-ba, Ah-Bah, Pop, Papa and the other hundreds of endearing terms for the man who was responsible for you coming into the world ---- Happy Father's Day.

It Isn't Just Transportation

1980 Toyota Celica GT Liftback
image source: toyotacelicaonline.com

NOTE: All cars pictured are the same color and style I've owned and driven.

For most American teenagers, the rite of passage into adulthood is obtaining a driver's license. We reach elite status when we get to drive not Mom's or Dad's car, but our very own.

1980 Toyota Celica GT Liftback

The very first car I drove on a regular basis was my Mom's 1976 Buick Century. While it was the car I tested in to get my license, I had no real emotional attachment to it. Most 16-year olds do not want to be seen driving a Buick.

About a year into college at Ohio State, I saved enough money to put a down payment for a 1980 Toyota Celica GT Liftback. I went from no attachment to my Mom's Buick to big time emotional attachment as it was the car that my brother Sherman and family friend Stan drove across the country (I was mostly a passenger on this trip) when I moved to San Francisco.

Street parking in the Outer Sunset neighborhood of my first place was pretty easy. But after a stolen wheel cover and a dented front panel while parked, I rented a garage at the end of the block for $50/month.


I put in lambswool seat covers after 5 years or so to cover up tears on the sides of the front seats. The drive of the car began to bore me when friends drove cars with a stick. So, with only 1 previous stickshift lesson with a former co-worker in her Honda Civic, I traded in the Celica in March 1988 for an Acura Integra.

Acura Integra RS
LS had different wheel covers

1988 Acura Integra LS 3-door

Lots of firsts and great memories with this car. First car bought in California (March 1988). First stickshift car. First car with a sunroof. First and only car without air conditioning.

As I wasn't proficient enough yet to drive home the car, the salesman drove it home for me. I drove the dealership's Acura Legend while the salesman followed me home driving my newly purchased Integra. For 3 consecutive weeks after work, I'd go out for a drive so I could get used to driving a stick.

I had this car during the October 17, 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Jeff drove the car while I was away in Ohio for a family and friends visit. It was the car a friend of friend drove back to San Francisco while I sat in the front passenger seat in January 1991 after I tore my ACL at Kirkwood near Lake Tahoe.

When I traded in the car in April 1995, it only had 52,000 miles on it. I drove the car mostly after work and on weekends until 1994, when I got a job in Burlingame. No more MUNI.

1995 Acura Integra LS 4-door
image source: Digi-Go

1995 Acura Integra LS 4-door

After 7 years with my first Acura, I was ready to get a new car. I wanted a sedan for easier back seat access yet still be fun to drive.

It wasn't. For me, the car never met those expectations. I'll explain why in a bit. I traded in the car 3 years later.

In December 1995, 8 months after I purchased the car, I was on my way to work in Burlingame during a bad rainstorm. I drove past several downed power lines and no traffic lights were operational in the Inner Richmond neighborhood (where I lived at the time). I approached the intersection of Cabrillo Street and Park Presidio Boulevard as a 4-way stop with the intent to make a left turn onto Park Presidio.

Within seconds, a San Francisco firefighter broadsided me. He was on his way to work an emergency shift due to the bad weather. He ran to my car after impact and profusely apologized. I missed work that day. The firefighter's insurance company contacted me later that evening and settled damages within 2 weeks. The crash gave me a big bump on my forehead. A week later, the bruise moved downward and gave me 2 black eyes.

After the accident, the car made 3 visits at 2 body shops over the span of 3 months. The repairs never corrected the steering wheel vibrations that I'd feel whenever I drove at speeds above 45 miles per hour. Even before the accident, the car never handled as well as the first Integra. I gave up. Cut my losses and decided to trade-in for another car.

1997 BMW 318ti
image source: germancarsforsaleblog.com

1997 BMW 318ti

I wanted another car but didn't want another Integra. Mostly because the model style and features hadn't changed.

Everyone drove Honda Accords. Honda Civics were prone to vandalism and theft. Toyota Corollas and Camrys lacked pizzazz. Volkswagen GTI's had too many maintenance issues. Celicas looked too macho and muscular. The stickshift gearbox in the Nissan Altima was clunky and very ugly.

My next car needed to retain the practicality and fun that I had with my first Integra. No automatic transmission. And I wouldn't buy it until I felt it was the right car. It took almost a year, but I found the one.

It came from a softball teammate. A few games into the start of the 1998 season, Diane got a black BMW 318ti. At first, I wasn't impressed. It looked like a shortened 3-series coupe, convinced it was BMW's lame attempt to appeal to the budget-minded, status-conscious car aficinado who longed for a luxury brand but couldn't afford the price tag.

On a short trip to Soda Springs (just outside Lake Tahoe) with Diane, she drove her car for our trips into town. It felt a lot like the Audi 5000 my parents drove in the early 1980's - solid, taut and responsive. A few months later, I test drove the car at a BMW dealership. I knew then this would be my next car.

I bought the car in April 1998 at Weatherford BMW in Berkeley. It was a 1997 demo with only 8,000 miles on it. With 138 hp's, it was technically less powerful than my previous 140 hp Integra sedan, but it had much better acceleration. A former Gymboree boss, who owned a BMW M3, said the 318ti's superior acceleration was due to more torque than in the Integra.

My passion to drive returned. It was like driving my first Integra and so much more. A definite, distinct European luxury-like feel in this car.

The 4 year/50,000 mile warranty still applied so my only real worry was the monthly payments. How much I loved this car showed in the miles. It took me to games for the 5 softball teams I played on at one time. It took me to work in Burlingame, Redwood Shores and Foster City. I drove it on trips on windy roads to Mendocino and Cambria. As the car approched 100,000 mies, my itch to get a new car intensified. I sold the car with 97.000 miles on it to an ex-boyfriend's former roommate and his girlfriend.

2004 BMW 325i

I bought the car online through CarsDirect in October, 2003. My original intent was to buy a 2003 model at the end of the model year in hopes to get a reduced price.

However, when the search for a 5-speed stickshift in blue or black sedan became slim pickings, the online broker suggested I order the car as a 2004 model with my desired specifications. It would take 6 weeks to build and ship (from Germany) and only cost me $500 more.

Within the first month I got the 325i, I drove the car on a mini-vacation to Los Angeles. With a straight 6-cylinder engine under the hood, it took some time to adjust and not push the gas pedal as hard. I got personalized plates that drew the smiles and compliments of many Chinese upon seeing it. When I bought a TIC condo in 2006, I paid off the 325i early so I wouldn't have the burden of carrying a mortgage and car payment at the same time.

Paid off indeed. It got me through my 3 1/2 year unemployment phase. I learned how to replace headlight/tailight bulbs and wiper blades thanks to YouTube videos. It is the most expensive and longest time I've owned a car - 10 years, 7 months old with over 129,000 miles on it. As you can see in the picture, despite the unseen minor dings and dents, the car still looks nice.

I'm not sure when I'll replace the car. Perhaps in another year or so. What I do know is that I will get another BMW 3-series with a manual transmission. In blue. Or bronze. Or black.

Famous TV bowlers

As I start my first full week of summer league, let's recap with a few of television's most famous bowlers:

Married With Children's head honcho, Al Bundy:


Slate Quarry everyday man Fred Flintstone:


Shotz Brewery's Queen Pins Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney:

image source: PBS.org

Nick Leshi's blog, City of Kik, wrote a nice piece in September, 2011 about these bowlers and a few more.

Yabba. Dabba. Doo.

Before Chad Smith and Will Ferrell

image source: comicvine.com

This past week was the long awaited drum-off between must-have-been-separated-at-birth lookalikes Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith versus actor/comedian Will Ferrell.

Their drum-off and the recent lip sync competitions featuring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Paul Rudd and Emma Stone are great examples of how hip The Tonight Show has become, thanks to former Saturday Night Live alum Jimmy Fallon.

However, before there was ever Chad versus Will, there was another famous drum-off we older kids may have forgotten. The drum battle was between legends, Animal of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem versus the late jazz great, Buddy Rich.

Animal and Buddy had their drum battle during Buddy's guest appearance on The Muppet Show in 1980. See for yourself:



And in case you'd missed it, here's Chadwick versus William:

Former MLB pitcher John Burkett returns to PBA

image source: PBA

As a huge fan of the San Francisco Giants and current bowling junkie, I'm very excited to hear former Major League Pitcher John Burkett is returning to the PBA tomorrow at Oklahoma's Grand Resort to bowl in the Wolf Open/PBA Summer Swing.

Burkett's return to bowling is his first love. His entry in the Wolf Open is preparation to join the PBA50 tour in 2015. Click here for more details.

During Burkett's pitching days as a San Francisco Giant, he bowled in a few PBA tournaments and bowled well enough to finish in the top 40. Along with former San Francisco 49er Terrell Owens' USBC debut in 2013 (current PBA team owner of the Dallas Strikers), and the upcoming pro debut of former college sensation Marshall Kent, these are all positive steps for the PBA.

If Burkett placed in PBA tournaments in the top 40 while he was a pitcher, I can only imagine how well he'll do now, as his focus will be entirely on bowling. I wish him the best.

Mother's Day

Mom, December 1975

It was a rather exhaustive search this morning to find a nice picture to honor my Mom for Mother's Day.

This was taken during Jong Mea's staff Christmas party in 1975. I then realized the reason why it took so long to find a picture of just her was because that's how she would have preferred it. She won't pose for pictures without her family in it.

Like all great moms, my Mom is the glue, the rock, the hen that rules the roost. She did and does a million other things behnd the scenes that you don't realize she's done until you've moved away from home.

Most of all, she will always have your back.
To Mom and all the other Moms out there, Happy Mother's Day.

A history in ID photos

Last week, DMV mailed my notification to renew my driver's license. As seen in the photo, I've been able to renew my license 3 previous times by mail or on the internet. No dreaded in-person visit. Another reason to smile.

Despite the artificially induced mini-afro (aka perm) in the middle photo, the wide grinned smile pretty much looks the same after 30 years.



How about after 40 years? Junior high ID photos here:

2014 USBC Women's Nationals, Reno Convention Center

This past week, I bowled my first USBC Women's National Tournament at the Reno Convention Center. Unlike the less than stellar accommodations in my first women's state tournament (Fresno) in 2012, this is the way tournaments should be done.

My teammates are all longtime bowlers: Kathy, my Monday night teammate, bowled juniors as a kid. She remains friends with many her teammates, who still bowl leagues and tournaments.

Then there's Jan and Wilma. Jan and Wilma bowl with my other Monday night teammate Mark on Thursday nights. Both have bowled for nearly as long as I've been alive.

The biggest highlight in attending this tournament was to see Jan get recognized for her 50th consecutive Women's National tournament (see article on Bowl.com).

L to R: Lani, Jan, Wilma, Kathy

Unlike the National Bowling Stadium in downtown Reno, the lanes where we bowled were not a permanent part of the convention center.

For the first time this year in the USBC Women's Championships, bowlers were classified according to average. No handicap scoring was used. Our team bowled in the Emerald division (575-649 combined average). When Kathy and I bowled doubles, we were in Division 4 (290-319 combined average).

As a tournament participant (and being part of Jan's team certainly helped), Kathy and I got a $20 discount toward any purchase in the pro shop and gift store. I got a couple of towels and an ID tag for my 2-ball roller.

Kathy used her discount to buy a new Storm 3-ball roller bag for her son, who needs the bag to carry his bowling balls and shoes for a junior tournament next weekend in Orange County (southern California). He's competing for a spot in the Junior Gold Championship which will be held this July in Buffalo, New York.

It was very, very cool to see my name on the big scoreboard. During doubles, each bowler's home city was listed next to her name. I was never prouder to see "San Francisco, CA" next to mine. Only wish my series had been as big as my name on the scoreboard.

Because this was a weekday trip, Kathy got me a killer Groupon deal at the Grand Sierra Resort, which is near the Reno-Tahoe airport.

For $59, we got a 2-night stay with waived resort fee, free room wi-fi, and 2-day complimentary breakfast buffets for 2.

Like cruise ships, the Grand Sierra features amenities that make it possible that you'd never have to leave the hotel. Within the hotel there's a Starbucks, Johnny Rockets, Round Table Pizza, Port of Subs, a wedding chapel and a pool area called "The Beach".

My absolute favorite amenity: the 24-hour, 50 lane bowling center.

Grand Sierra's 24-hour, 50 lane bowling center

It's definitely my first choice on a future Reno trip -- when I'm not there to bowl in a tournament.

Mel Blanc

Mel in 1959, source: Wikipedia

This past Thursday (April 17) marked the 77th anniversary of my favorite web footed lisper, Daffy Duck. 

The voice of Daffy Duck, as well as hundreds of other cartoon characters is the late, great Mel Blanc.

Some of his best known Warner Brothers voices:
Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Pepé Le Pew, Sylvester the Cat, Tweety Bird, Foghorn Leghorn, Tasmanian Devil, Yosemite Sam, and eeebly, eebly, that's all folks, Porky Pig.

Until I read his Wikipedia biography, I didn't know Mr. Blanc was the original voice of Universal Studio's Woody Woodpecker, or that he was born in San Francisco.

Mr. Blanc later worked for Hanna Barbera and was the voice of Mr. Spacely from The Jetsons and more famously as Fred Flinstone's best friend, Barney Rubble.

I'll close with my favorite clips from Bugs Bunny-Daffy Duck-Elmer Fudd trilogy, "Rabbit Season, Duck Season" (thanks kenpoarniceguy1).

Former Major League Baseball MVP Larry Walker bowls a perfect game

Larry Walker's Thursday night league in West Palm Beach, Florida

As some have tweeted to former MLB MVP outfielder-with-a-cannon-arm-Canadian Larry Walker, (Twitter name: @Cdnmooselips33 ) strikes are a good thing. Carrying a pretty impressive league average of 196, Walker bowled his first perfect game during league last night at Verdes Tropicana Lanes in West Palm Beach, Florida.

This was Walker's second perfect game. His first? When he played first base for the Montreal Expos on July 28, 1991 when Dennis Martinez pitched a perfect game.

Most valuable player. Two perfect games in 2 sports. Wow.

Blast from the Past in Tweets

A phone app I installed last week - Timehop.

Short and sweet - a time capsule of my history in photo, videos and status updates (for me, that would be Tweets).

As shown in today's timehop, on this date 4 years ago, I was on my way back to San Francisco from a short visit to Columbus. My connection was in Detroit.

Other than what's been shared here, I haven't yet used the "Share This" feature. Maybe because I'm not quite comfortable with re-posting past status updates.

The free app is currently available for download on Google play (Android) and Apple's App Store.

Saving on a rainy day

Since my first full-time job in 1983, I've only had 2 employers that did not pay me via direct deposit. I have always set up the funds to go into my checking account. That didn't change when I began this job 2 months ago.

It only took my second paycheck to come in via direct deposit. When I verified funds, I found it went into my savings account instead. When this has happened with previous employers, I'd contact payroll to correct the error.

In today's pouring rain, I realized 'correcting the error' would be a mistake. Why?

Time and money.
1.  It only takes me 1 to 3 minutes to transfer the funds from savings to checking using my credit union's mobile phone app.

2. When I choose an amount to the nearest whole dollar, it saves me a ton of time to reconcile the balance. As I don't want to leave less than the account's previous balance, it forces me to save, even only if it seems like a little.

On my first deposit, I left about $50 in savings and transferred the rest to checking. On my most recent paycheck, I left $20 in the savings account.

Most money savers already know this, but as a fiscally conscious yet frugally challenged person, my brain's bulb lit up 200 watts. I just saved $70 in my last 2 paychecks. 

I get paid every other Thursday. That's 26 paychecks. If I leave $20 in my savings account from every paycheck for the next 12 months, I'll have saved $520.

Chump change no more.

Women's Bowling Tournaments (or lack thereof)

An early league trophy

Today I was scheduled to bowl in the 8th Annual San Francisco USBC Women's Tournament at Classic Bowl in Daly City. It was scheduled to begin at 10 am. I would have been there anyway for practice with friends from Wednesday league.

Found out yesterday I wouldn't bowl the tournament. It ended up being another practice session. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Due to the low turnout (8 teams  = 32 women), we cancelled. It would not have been worth our strongest bowler's time and money to drive 50+ miles from her house to battle for payouts less than our $80 entry fee (doubles, singles and 4-person team).

I bowl 3 to 7 tournaments a year. All but 1 or 2 of them are outside the San Francisco Bay Area. Of all the tournaments I have bowled in the past 6 years since I began league, only 2 have been women's - Sea Bowl in Pacifica and a state tournament in Fresno.

What frustrates me is that once the tournament started, there were at least 7 other female leaguers (including me) on other lanes not bowling in it. Four of us have 150+ averages. The remaining 3, 175 and higher. Krystal didn't know until I told her. It's my guess at least one of the women practicing didn't know either.

In my humble opinion, I'd like to offer a few suggestions that might generate a better turnout:

1. Early notice - Put out the word, especially via email and on social media (Facebook, Twitter) 3 months BEFORE the tournament date. This gives women with families and many other commitments to clear calendars and organize teams. I didn't know about the tournament until late February. By word of mouth.
2. Friendly reminders - Get people to pass out flyers to women on their league night.
3. Recruit women without teams - as I did with both leagues I'm currently in, I didn't know anyone. I just signed up and got placed. I bet there'd be enough interested women not on a team would sign up and form their own teams. These are women you would not get otherwise.
4. Open the invitation to other Bay Area USBC leagues. I know several women league bowlers not in SFUSBC that would have participated but could not. The Asian American Bowling Association's tournaments permit any USBC sanctioned league bowler to participate as long as 50% of the team is of Chinese or Japanese ancestry, or bowl in a Chinese or Japanese league.

I don't claim to know all the answers. What I do know is that there are a lot of recreational/sporting functions out there league bowling has to compete against. Don't make it more difficult for women who want to bowl other than weekly leagues and can't.

Take a bath, clean your tub

Yes, that's a picture of my bathtub. Clean, shiny, and free of soap scum. And I got it that way by taking a bath. With baking soda and shampoo. No scrubbing needed.

The key ingredient - baking soda. Inexpensive, easy to find, extremely versatile and a household item most people already have at home.

The baking soda softens the water and rinses off the soap scum around the tub. It'll do the same for your hair and remove shampoo buildup.

Run a load of without clothes in your washing machine with baking soda and vinegar in place of detergent and it will clean out the buildup in the machine's agitator and tub.

My favorite use of baking soda - clogged toilets. I pour about 2/3 cup into the toilet, then 2-3 short squirts of dish detergent (original formula Dawn works the best), vinegar, and about 2 cups of hot water. Repeat application until the clog dissipates. Since finding this information on the internet, it hasn't failed me yet. No plunger, snake, or expensive visit from the plumber needed.

I know many experienced household cleaners have a bunch more uses for baking soda than I do. Like tissues, it's a must have in my house. If I'm down to a single box, it's off to the store for more.

Penguin in a Wetsuit

This past weekend, SFGate featured a story on longtime California Academy of Sciences resident Pierre the Penguin, who turned 31 last month (February 16).

Pierre's claim to fame was in 2007, when senior biologist Pam Schaller, wetsuit manufacturer Oceanic Worldwide and children's costume seamstress Celeste Angel desiged a custom made wetsuit for him in 2007.

source: USA Today

Here's the 2008 local TV story on Pierre from KRON-TV:


Pierre eventually grew his feathers back and no longer wears the wetsuit. He now lives happily ever after with his colony of followers and his woman, Homey.

A History of Cell Phones I've Owned 1997 - 2015

This past Friday, I got an email from Best Buy for a weekend special offer for iPhone 4S and 5 owners to upgrade to a 16GB 5S for $1. The special also includes a $150 gift card. So immediately after work, I drove down the block to Best Buy at Tanforan to exchange my 4S.

While the offer wasn't as wonderful as it first sounded (the $150 gift card was applied toward the 5S purchase), it was still a very good deal. I spent about $75 total (new phone cover, charger and activation fee).

As someone who once eschewed ownership of an iPhone, the 5S is my second Apple product. I've never owned an Android phone so I can't say if the iPhone is better or worse. But in comparison to a Blackberry Curve 8310 (my first smartphone), it is worlds better and the closest thing to a pocket-sized laptop.

With the new 5S, I now officially have owned more cell phones than cars. I thought it'd be fun to recap the history of all the cell phones I've bought.

1. Motorola Microtec, 1997-1999. 

source: Forum XDA Developers
As my first cell phone from Cellular One, the phone number they assigned me is the number I still have today. It was too heavy and bulky to carry in my purse so I kept it in the glove box of my car. I bought it primarily for emergency purposes. I don't think I actually talked on the phone more than a dozen times in the 2 years I owned it.

2. Nokia 8210, 1999-2001.

source: Wikipedia
With this phone, I went from the bulkiest and heaviest to my smallest owned phone. It was the first phone I carried in my purse, the first and last phone to be charged roaming fees, and the last phone that I would turn off when it wasn't in use. I eventually gave the phone to a friend of an ex-boyfriend when I got a Nokia 3650.

3. Nokia 3650, 2001-2004.

source: my-simbian.com
Technology really jumped when I got this phone. It was my first phone with a pretty awesome camera and bluetooth. I knew it was a cool phone when I saw Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner's character in "Alias") carry it with her.

I kept this phone powered on at all times and became a fixture on my desk while at work. I sold the phone in its original box and all its accessories at a yard sale to a younger guy who had only a clamshell phone without bluetooth or a camera. He was so appreciative he insisted he pay me $40 cash for it.

4. Sony Ericsson W600, 2004-2008.

source: Wikipedia
This phone didn't really offer anything more than my previously owned Nokia 3650. I got this phone because I was eligible for an upgrade and didn't want to fall behind having a phone without the latest technology.

I liked the swivel design and how it felt like a landline phone when I used it. I owned this phone longer than I normally would have, probably because I wasn't quite ready to give in to a Treo, the bulky smartphone all the techies had.

5. Blackberry Curve 8310, 2008-2012.

source: AT&T Wireless
My first smartphone, cost subsidized from my employer. I was eligible to buy an iPhone but after 4 people "over" sang their praises about getting one, it only made me more determined not to get one. This was my way of not jumping on the hot and trendy bandwagon. It was the phone I began to send and receive email and text on a regular basis, which many use a lot more than voice calls these days.

It was this phone another boyfriend would constantly play with when we were first dating. It endeared me to him even more to see him so fascinated with a phone that could surf the internet. For our first Christmas together, I got him a gift card through his cell phone carrier so he could get his first smartphone.

6. Apple iPhone 4S, 2012-2014.

source: AT&T Wireless
Resistance is futile. I was in my interminable unemployment phase of 3.5 years and promised myself a new phone once I got back to work.

But as rebooting the Blackberry became a habit, I could no longer wait for a new phone. I found no other phones that had as much excitement as an iPhone, even after 3 generations. Nearly everyone I knew had an iPhone, so they were no longer the short-lived trendy gadget I thought they'd be. Once I got it, I knew I had some catching up to do. A phone with so much demand, my first 4S was stolen during practice at Classic Bowl.

7. Apple iPhone 5S, 2014-present.

source: mobilefun.co.uk
My latest and greatest. Longer and thinner than the 4S, it's got all the cool features that makes the iPhone an essential, yet fun tool. The best feature I've found in the 5S so far is LTE.

When my 4S was in wi-fi territory, it often had problems loading and I'd have to turn off the wi-fi feature and revert back to 4G. With the 5S, it loads right away, thanks to LTE. The LTE speed is about equal to DSL speed. My cable internet connection at home is by far the fastest.

So that's all for now. If my next phone is an Apple, this will be the first line of cellphones I'll have owned more than 2 times.

What Will Your Verse Be?

As many of us know, the narrative in Apple iPad's latest ad is a scene from one of Robin Williams's finest films as English teacher John Keating in , "Dead Poets Society", directed by Peter Weir. The film was released in 1989.

For a film to be 25 years old and have "dead" in its title, Mr. Keating's powerful words are still very much alive.

The original scene from the film:



And, the same words used as powerfully, 25 years later:

Dame Helen Mirren - BAFTA Fellowship Recipient

Congratulations to Dame Helen Mirren for receiving a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Fellowship. Ms. Mirren has been a favorite of mine for many years. I included her as one of my "girl crushes" from a November 2007 blog entry.

Despite her wonderful Oscar winning performance in "The Queen", I consider Helen Mirren's strongest role in television when she portrayed the balls-busting Jane Tennyson in the TV series, Prime Suspect. Tennyson's character was based on former police officer Jackie Malton, who was a script consultant for the Prime Suspect series. 

What I admired most about Jane Tennyson was her strength and vulnerability in a male dominated workplace. 

If you're an Amazon Prime Member, the full Prime Suspect series is available on Instant Video for free.

Back to Work

Two weeks ago, after 3+ years, I returned to full-time work.

I am beyond relieved and ecstatic to return to work I've done for the past 15+ years: card operations and processing with a strong emphasis on customer service. I find this area of work very fulfilling.

During the time I didn't work, I got back into writing this blog, took online courses at Treehouse and Google (Google Analytics), explored different career paths, and bowled countless practice sessions.

I had to. They were necessary outlets from the stress of no full-time work. It wasn't the only life event I experienced which compounded what was already difficult. It got so bad I had to consider leaving San Francisco, the city I've called home for the past 30 years.

source: Wikipedia

On the left is a snipped chart taken from the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale. Along with no job, I experienced 2 close family member deaths and an event equivalent to another of the top life events listed.

What has and always helped me is a wide network of family, former classmates, co-workers and current/past teammates from softball and bowling to lean on for support. Especially during a time when my self-worth was constantly in question.

I can't emphasize enough for anyone who's going through a difficult time to reach out to people you know and trust. And don't be afraid to reconnect with someone once close to you but have lost touch. Strength does come in numbers.

Lunar New Year of the Horse

Listed below are sweet, heartwarming and touching tweets and instagrams from those in the San Francisco Bay Area celebrating the Lunar New Year. George previously included my tweet this past October remembering the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake

Thanks again, George Kelly (Twitter name: @allaboutgeorge).

As previously I tweeted on January 30, "...this unmarried, 'jook sin' still graciously accepts red envelopes."

I wish you all a healthy, happy and prosperous Lunar New Year.

A perfect effort - Fairleigh Dickinson Women's Team bowls 300

These days, to see a 300 in bowling happens a lot more than it did in years past. But for a team of 5 bowling 10 frames, it's even more difficult and not done often. Tonight was different.

Fairleigh Dickinson University, a perennial college women's bowling powerhouse and Danielle McEwan's alma mater, bowled a perfect 300 game. Above is a video recap featuring each frame bowled by the team.

Please refer to my November 12, 2012 blog entry on Baker style rules.

Congratulations FDU Knights! Best wishes for a great season.

ESPN 30 for 30: The Price of Gold

source: ESPN
Nancy Kerrigan (top), Tonya Harding (bottom)

The above photo is a sneak peek at ESPN's "30 for 30" latest feature, "The Price of Gold", a documentary that examined the infamous women's figure skating scandal of January 1994. The top billed stars: Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan.

It all began when Olympic hopeful Nancy Kerrigan's right knee was clubbed during practice at Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Harding's ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly (now Jeff Stone) and co-conspirator Shawn Eckhardt, planned the attack. Eckhardt hired Shane Stant to carry out the dastardly deed.

Harding, former CBS anchor Connie Chung, former Olympic skaters Scott Hamilton and Paul Wylie, Kerrigan's coaches Evy and Mary Scotvold are among those interviewed in the documentary. Kerrigan declined. She will, however, have her own story to tell on NBC during the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

I scrutinized the documentary this past weekend. Watched it twice. Paid close attention to Harding's difficult upbringing and allowed me to understand, but not excuse the events that led to her permanent ban from figure skating. Therefore, it came as no surprise to me when the documentary did nothing to change my opinion of Harding.

In the preview clip, "The Noose Tightens", Harding says in her interview, "...everything hit all at once...and you just want to crawl into a closet and you just want to say 'go away, leave me alone', because you don't know what's going on.".

To me, the remark sounds cryptic and odd. Why? Let's break down her statement:

• "Everything hit all at once...". Interesting word choice when she says "hit". 
• It isn't Tonya's modus operandi to crawl into any closets. Ever.
• If the media goes away, then she's no longer the center of attention. Which is what she wants.
• "Because you don't know what's going on."  This isn't possible. Tonya had to know what was going on. Without Harding, Jeff Gillooly has no connection or motive to injure Kerrigan.

Torn ACL - anniversary of surgery

image source: corflex.com

Yesterday in 1991, I underwent major surgery my first and only time to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in my right knee.

The accident happened 5 days earlier (January 6, 1991). I drove up with my friend Alice's father and sister-in-law to Lake Tahoe. Up until the trip, I skied a few times, mostly at Sierra. On this trip at Kirkwood, I was just starting to get comfortable on the slopes. When we stopped to have lunch, Alice's husband Ryan told me I was ready for the intermediate slope.

After lunch, I got on the lift with 2 family friends of Alice's for my first try on the intermediate slope. As we were coming off the lift, my skis hit an icy patch (there wasn't much rain that season) and was going faster than I liked. There was a group of skiers in front of me that were going slow and having trouble maintaining their balance.

To avoid crashing into them, I tried to turn in the skis and snowplow to slow down. Instead, I lost my balance, legs out from under me, fell down, and then heard a distinct snap. I initially thought it was only a sprain and felt no pain. The guys stood between me, asked if I was OK and helped me stand up. When they let go, I couldn't support myself and fell down again. Ski patrol arrived shortly afterwards.

I got put into a sled and ski patrol brought me immediately to the first aid center at the lodge. The doctor on duty took X-rays and confirmed I tore ligaments. He gave me the X-rays to take back to San Francisco. It ended my short-lived love of skiing.

It wasn't until evening I began to feel the pain. Everyone at the cabin went out of their way to help me. Alice, Ryan and their son Kyle gave up their first floor room. The 2 family friends that were with me on the slope drove my car home. I got to the primary care physician's office the next afternoon. He immediately referred me to an orthopedic specialist. An MRI exam was done and my surgery date set up within a few hours.

After my MRI, the orthopedic specialist told me I also tore my medial collateral ligament (MCL) and meniscus, and fractured my tibial plateau. What was originally scheduled for same day surgery ended up being an overnight stay. I barely slept due to the non-stop pain. Nurses gave me 2 shots of morphine which helped numb the pain and tingling.

For the first 2 months, I couldn't put weight on the right leg. I was on crutches and a brace (similar to the above picture) for 4 months. I couldn't work and was put on disability for 3 months. I spent 6 months in physical therapy. I didn't play softball for a year. Other than my physical therapy visits, I had painful at-home exercises I had to do to regain mobility and range of motion.

The ACL injury became one of the hardest, yet most rewarding experiences I ever had. At my first dining outing after the surgery, a woman who was waiting for a table at the same I was spoke to me for about 20 minutes about her ACL tear and post-op recovery. So amazed a total stranger correctly advised me physical therapy would be hard but I'd make it. Over time, others like her would approach and tell me the same things, all encouraging and positive. To this day, I find myself holding the same talks with other people I see with knee braces, with or without crutches.

After 23 years, the right knee now is probably stronger than the left knee. I do my best to remain active in one way or another which has kept the knee mobile and mostly injury-free. Sports is and always will be a big part of my life.

The Bowling Center

For bowling fans too glued to watch anything but the NFL on Sundays, the PBA began this season a weekly YouTube show (about 25-26 minutes in length) that provides a humorous, rollicking summary of the most recent match you may have missed on ESPN.

Hosts are Xtra Frame's The Internet Bowling Personality, Jef Goodger and The Bowling Guy, Jason Thomas. A few of my favorite weekly features include:

• Beers with Bowlers - ESPN play-by-play bowling announcer Mike Jakubowski (aka Mike J) interviews a PBA tour bowler. Bowlers have included Jason Couch, Stu Williams and Ryan Shafer.

• Troll Bowling - commentary and response by Jef or Jason on those who troll about the demise of pro bowling.

and my favorite, 

• Bowling Wars - Jason drills for himself and Jef the winning bowler's ball used in the previous day's match. Let's just say the bowler with the higher average isn't a shoo-in to win.

You can find previous shows on the PBAProBowlersAssn YouTube channel. Below is yesterday's show.

If you want to see the stepladder matches (no TV ads!), go to the bowlingvideos4all channel.

Dom Barrett, 2013 PBA Championship Winner

Two days ago I said I'd write my last blog post for 2013. I fudged. I couldn't help it. Especially when it comes to bowling.

As I wrote on November 2, I'm a big Dom Barrett fan. Yesterday on ESPN, Dom captured his third PBA title (and first major), the PBA World Championship. His first, in 2011 (2011-12 season), when he won the Scorpion Championship.

Dom's opponent in both matches, Sean Rash.

For anyone who's seen Dom bowl before, it was unusual to see his emotional outburst at the end of the match. He also didn't realize he still needed 8 pins to seal the win. But the normally cool and calm Dominator collected himself and bowled a strike on his last ball.

I've included video of both matches. Watched them several times and will watch again. Ecstatic to see Dom getting recognition in the United States.

Can't say it enough. Congratulations! Best wishes on your pending nuptials to Cassie in April.

End of 2013 - We May Never Pass This Way (Again)

As 2013 comes to an end, my biggest highlights this year:

• My 30th Anniversary in San Francisco.
• My 35th high school class reunion.

But it's also been bittersweet. We lost 3 classmates this year. Two of them, Jenny and Wendi, were part of our senior class homecoming court. The other classmate, Bob, was in my 8th grade class and worked at the same place I did while I was a student at Ohio State. 

While at the airport on the way to my high school reunion this past August, my former college roommate notified me a friend of ours from Ohio State passed away suddenly. I felt so badly for her because they were very close. It'd only been a few months earlier when Vish sent me a Facebook friend request. Unfortunately, that was my last direct contact with him. My next contact to him was my condolences to his friends and family on his online obituary. 

The silver lining in all of this is that I've reconnected (hopefully permanently) with long lost friends and family. As I get older, the passing of friends and family comes around more often than I'd like. We begin to see "life is short" is magnified much, much more. It can be hard, but don't be afraid to reconnect with someone special you haven't seen and/or heard from in awhile. 

I'll close with a corny dedication to Jenny, Wendi, Bob, Vish and Amy's mom Anne. Sorely missed, but never forgotten. Cue video. 

Father and Son Bowl Perfect 300 Game - Same Team, Game and Night

image source: Facebook page of Derby City Bowling, Louisville, Kentucky
L: James Stringer Jr., R: James Stringer Sr.

James Jr's.Twitter ID: @Lil_J_88

I love seeing families bowl together in leagues and tournaments. A teammate from my Wednesday night league and his dad bowl, but on different teams. My Sunday practice is with my Wednesday team along with the dad's team. The dad, Steve, bowls with Monica and Walter, who are wife and husband.

Not rare, yet not all that common, do we hear about family members bowling perfect games. But to me, it is the ultimate accomplishment when they can do it on the same team on the same night. Kathy, my Monday league teammate, is friends with a father who did this with his daughter.

So when James Stringer Jr., of Louisville, Kentucky and his dad, James Stringer Sr., both bowled 300 on their Tuesday league night December 17, they did exactly that. 

Congratulations to Big and Lil J! I somehow get the feeling you guys will repeat.

2013 GIBBY Award Winner - Pitching Performance of the Year - Tim Lincecum, SF Giants

image source: MLB.com

A big congratulations to San Francisco Giants Tim Lincecum as winner of the 2013 Greatness in Baseball Yearly Awards (GIBBY) - Pitching Perfomance of the Year.

Timmy pitched the no-hitter on July 13, 2013.
As was noted in my blog entry on that date, it was the 7th no-hitter in San Francisco Giants history (15th in franchise history) and the first no-hitter in San Diego's Petco Park.

Buster Posey, who caught Tim's game, also caught Matt Cain's June 13, 2012 perfect game. Buster is the only catcher in Giants franchise history to catch 2 no-hitters.

And, if you're so inclined to watch, FlyingHellFish99 was kind enough to put San Francisco's broadcast of the game on YouTube. In HD too.

Happy Birthday Johnny Bench!

image source: rantsports.com

Wishing Hall of Fame legend Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench a very Happy 66th Birthday!

One of my favorite JB appearances was in 2009. Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres had been having a very difficult time to get actor George Clooney to appear on her show. Ellen found out through Clooney's ER co-star Noah Wyle was that Clooney was a huge Big Red Machine fan.

So Ellen enlisted the help of former 2nd baseman Joe Morgan and JB to play catch outside Clooney's trailer. It worked. Below is the video. I couldn't stop smiling. Especially when Clooney gushed how much he admired Joe and JB.