The Plateau

So I was reading the AJC yesterday and they had an article about some local bowling alleys, particularly about one that has a Seniors league. Now, I've been struggling with my bowling of late and I was already feeling bad about my scores until I read the following:

"After three rounds, the group's most determined bowler, Frederick Barton, 67, can be found practicing on the lanes.

He averages about 135, despite a bad eye and prosthetic leg."

Oh yeah. Nothing makes you feel good about your abilities like reading that you regularly get outscored by the 67 year old, half-blind amputee.

Hodge, my coworker and fellow bowler seems to think that I have reached the inevitable plateau that anyone taking up a new sport/activity reaches and that working through the plateau is the only way to get better. I have to agree, the alternative being the grim realization that, like with every other sport I've ever tried, I suck at bowling. Given that I just dropped 70 bucks on a rolling, 2 ball bag, it's not like I'll be quitting any time soon, but it'll go easier if I think that I'm working towards improved scores, rather than just bowling 120's for the rest of my days.

Luckily, it looks like the Development team is tired of my QA team not putting up a challenge week in and week out, and does not feel the competitive spirit burn within their breasts. Honestly, I can't blame them as we pretty much suck. As a result, I think we'll be moving to new teams which will hopefully give some folks who usually have no chance of winning, a chance. Given that my coworkers rely on me for pretty much every aspect of bowling, I'm comfortable wielding my mighty Bowling Commissioner power and dissolving the teams. We'll see how that flies with the rest of the team, but frankly, I'm tired of losing and unless they want to start organizing the trips to the alley, driving, and keeping score they'll agree to it. That is until the QA team gets better and we can put the teams back together and kick their ass. It should only take another few years at the rate I'm going. If you know of any professional bowlers who want a job testing software, send them my way.