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| Trying To Pick Up That Strike | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Strikes, turkeys, and spares are all results of a job done well.� Much like writing, bowling is a task that requires much concentration and can result in a reward.� When writing, the process reminds me much of when I go bowling.� Everything is riding on the preparation, the deliver, and the release.� | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� My name appears at the bottom of the screen showing me that it is my turn.� After finding this out, a whole different thought process takes over: it's time to get serious.� When I first get my topic when writing, a different thought process takes over, while I try to determine what specifically about the topic I want to address.� | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� After I realize it's my turn, I get up and walk toward the ball return.� Choosing the right ball is extremely important.� The ten or twelve pound ball? Medium or small size finger holes?� A comma or semicolon?� What's the right verb tense?� So many choices and yet each one directly effects the outcome.� | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� I decide to go for the ten-pound medium ball.� Hoping this is the ball that will do it, I pick it up and start to position myself.� Everything is dependent on whether I can line the ball up straight with the pins.� Deciding exactly where I want the ball to be aimed is like brainstorming.� Where exactly should I aim to get the most pins down on my turn, or what exactly should I talk about to keep my topic the most centered? If the pins are the topic and my work is the ball, I must make sure that the ball hits the pins dead on, not a little off, because that can ruin the whole paper.� After the preparation part is taken care of, the deliver is the next step I must follow through with.� | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� On that try, I knocked down eight of the pins.� It's hard to get perfect on the first try just like when writing.� Occasionally, I can bowl a split, which is almost impossible to pick up, just like when writing I can write the whole paper, go back and read it, and realize I'm totally off the mark with the topic I was trying to discuss.� So next comes my second turn, which is my chance to edit.� Like with writing I try my best the first time and sometimes it is a gutter and sometimes it's a strike.� But it's important not to be discouraged if I don't get a strike because there's always a chance to get a spare.� Whether you get an A the first time or it takes you until your second chance, it's okay.� | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� This turn I manage to pick up my last two pins and close out my frame by getting a spare.� It's a great feeling to be able to get all the pins or to finally pull that A that I've been waiting for.� Seeing that last pin fall is like putting my paper, with all my hard work and emotions, in my teacher's hand and being able to walk away.� | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� Then I was able to turn around so I could see all the expressions and excitement that was coming from all my friends who were there to cheer me on.� It's like being able to have them read my paper or go to my web folio and them telling me that they liked my work.� It's important to know what my friends think because if I don't then I will never know what sort of improvements I need to make.� | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ����������� So, much like bowling, writing is mainly in my head.� It's all about my thought process and whether or not I can deliver.� Whether I pick up the strike the first time or get a spare with the second shot, as long as I get the ball down the alley it has a good chance of hitting at least some of the pins.� So just as in bowling, writing is dependent on the thoughts, hard work, and dedication of the person completing the task. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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