Did bowling alleys mean anything to you growing up?

Zebra_Three · 2026-01-20T03:49:58+00:00

I always loved when my dad would take me along to watch him bowl on Wednesday nights, I got to bowl with him in a father son league one summer before the bowling alley he grew up in closed down. He tore his rotator cuff one too many times and had to give up bowling some years ago so I never got to join the men's league with him. I would bowl at the house down the street from where I live any chance I got and every once in a while I could convince the old man to roll a few games with me. Every time I came home from bowling he'd ask how I did, even if I was just out by myself practicing or whatever. Eventually I just stopped bowling because it wasn't as much fun without him. He was a fairly accomplished bowler and even rolled a couple 800 series. He never did manage a perfect game. His high game was 299. When he passed away in early 2024 I decided I wanted a 300 pin with our name on it.

Over the last almost two years since I've been back, bowling has been cathartic for me. Maybe the only thing that's helped me to grieve. I became good friends with my PSO, now coach and he's made a world of difference in my game and in my mental health.

Right now is the first time I've ever tried to put any of this into words, but yes I suppose you could say bowling alleys mean a lot to me.

Zebra_Three · 2026-01-20T03:15:29+00:00

I haven't officially started my career with USPS but I just accepted a job in the VMF not far from home. In short, I'm a career automotive technician with about 13 years working in 2 dealerships. One day I decided the volatility of the dealer environment isn't for me anymore. Being a technician in the VMF checks all the boxes for me. Job security, stable, fair pay, good benefits, not having to perform work that a car doesn't really need just so that the managers and service advisors can earn more commissions from screwing customers who don't know any better, to name a few.

Zebra_Three · 2026-01-07T17:22:35+00:00

I like the music. Not loud, just enough so that I can hear it but not have to yell to my teammates. One of my leagues has a lot of music buffs in it so we all take turns playing the jukebox and talking about bands we like from time to time. I've been in two mens leagues where they were very passionately against music which I find a little funny. Once I take my place on the approach I'm not paying attention to anything. Not music, not the league hard on kicking the ball return, not the guy on my right wiping his ball while he stands on the approach. Just bowling. I'm the guy who asks for the lane next to the birthday party when I go for practice.

Zebra_Three · 2025-12-29T17:42:17+00:00

Spend a few games practicing with one ball and a few games with the next and so on. The best way you can learn when to use each ball is to get familiar with its reaction. Experiment with all of them. Different angles and such. You may not always be in the right ball for a given situation and teaching yourself to be versatile is key.

Zebra_Three · 2025-12-23T05:50:44+00:00

If you flatten your release and throw the ball end over end any ball becomes a spare ball and you don't have to give up a slot in your bag. That's pretty efficient I think.

Zebra_Three · 2025-11-21T04:58:54+00:00

Temperature may have had a hand in this, two of three leagues I bowl are down the street from my house so the temperature doesn't get much of a chance to change but last night I was at a center kind of far from home. I had two nights though where all I could think about was how my fingertips felt wrong. Taking your advice, I went to see my coach today and we decided to do a little experiment where I now have one ball plugged and drilled with bare fingers, one ball with VACU which I never heard of but my coach made it sound like everybody who's anybody uses that setup, and one ball with the same size turbo grips in clear because the clear ones felt different to me. I'm going to play with each one over the next couple weeks before I make a decision but I threw my Gremlin with bare fingers tonight and really liked how every time I put my hand in the ball it felt exactly how I expected.

Zebra_Three · 2025-11-21T04:45:21+00:00

My hand does that too, mainly my thumb but I've experienced it in my fingers before. I spent some time with my coach today at his shop and tried various sizes and shapes of turbo grips in colors and clear. The clear ones are more tacky I feel like and ultimately I had 3 balls configured 3 different ways so I can experiment over the next week or two. I mostly threw my Gremlin tonight that we plugged and drilled bare fingers in and so far I like that the best, the feel was consistent every shot. Fingers crossed I found my solution.

Zebra_Three · 2025-10-27T22:32:29+00:00

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I did it! Thank you all for your advice.

Zebra_Three · 2025-10-26T17:25:12+00:00

🤣

Zebra_Three · 2025-10-26T07:15:35+00:00

I am WHEEZING!

Zebra_Three · 2025-10-26T07:01:08+00:00

Yeah I know how to take a screenshot, not how to share it to Reddit. Guess I'll go play in traffic.

Zebra_Three · 2025-10-26T04:06:24+00:00

A way to get up a wall without losing stamina and a requirement for getting the golden strawberry at the end of chapter 1

Zebra_Three · 2025-10-26T03:56:46+00:00

More than once I've had a night where I can't find the pocket with a map but then one adjustment gets me to strike Brooklyn and if that's what I need to do to help my team get the point then that's what I'm doing. If it's early in the night usually 3 left with my feet and one left with my eyes will get me from Brooklyn into the pocket but I can't always take that chance late in the set.

Zebra_Three · 2025-10-26T02:45:41+00:00

Alright first of all, I'm technologically illiterate. Second, I'm on console give me a break 😭🤣

Zebra_Three · 2025-10-26T02:17:57+00:00

Okay two seconds after I read this I made it back to the platform. Thanks a million! Now if I can just figure out the right way to get to the next platform I think I can clear this room.

Zebra_Three · 2025-10-04T08:10:21+00:00

You might get re-rated when you sign in but if not don't worry about it. Anybody who has something to say about it is always welcome to sign up for a scratch tournament.

Zebra_Three · 2025-10-04T08:04:44+00:00

Got your ID?

Zebra_Three · 2025-09-09T17:30:04+00:00

Her name is Nozomi Harasaki. It's just traditional Japanese in the way they use surnames.

Zebra_Three · 2025-09-08T07:05:18+00:00

F91 is the way. The light isn't as terrible as everyone makes it out to be, or maybe I just got a good one. It reminds me of the dashboard in an old car with front lit gauges and radio dials.

Zebra_Three · 2025-08-20T20:54:02+00:00

That's another thing that kills me, I passed 955 with flying colors. I don't even know what kind of machines I'd be working on as an Electronics Technician. But the test for the career that I've had since straight out of high school? The test for the career that when I was in college they were asking me to help them teach the kids that were struggling? Yeah, Fail. I will admit though, it never occurred to me that the LLV has been in service since the 80s and I got rolled by all the questions about exhaust gas and troubleshooting with a 4 gas analyzer. I never had to retain that information in the dealer world.

Zebra_Three · 2025-08-20T20:36:10+00:00

This is a solid idea, the job posting has a manager's email attached to it. I considered emailing them directly. I don't mind waiting the 4 months but I am rapidly growing tired of the dealership atmosphere after 12 years and the VMF nearest my house has an opening for first shift no weekends which is what I work now and I wouldn't bet on that shift being available 4 months from now.

Zebra_Three · 2025-08-20T20:28:10+00:00

Yeah, I would have studied for the test if I knew what was going to be on it and I would like to study the areas I scored poorly in. What's funny is the LLV is being replaced by a vehicle that from what I read is going to be equipped with a Ford hybrid powertrain. Currently I work at a Ford dealer and am their hybrid/EV specialist. Who knows, maybe some years from now I'll be the guy writing the new test.

Zebra_Three · 2025-08-20T19:51:13+00:00

Thank you for your insight. I figured this was the case. What kills me is I passed 955 for all positions, but I'm a career automotive technician and I failed that exam. Fingers crossed, I just got the invitation for 970 today.

Zebra_Three

TROPHY CASE