MobileMe gallery is here.
Of course, dating a dedicated angry dancer goddess didn't help with the tension level either ....
Still, I do enjoy the watching the physics of the game - in much the same way I like to watch curling in the Olympics (which, of course, is the only time you ever see it).
Out at the Farmer's Market today. The morning started off rainy and I've been meaning to continue my practice of sleeping on my days off, sleeping whenever my body said "sleep, sleep NOW!"
.... and it might actually have played out that way had I not seen a small flyer on the cheese monger's shelf, a flyer advertising the opening of Bayside Bowl, Portland's latest venture into community building and seer-sucker shirts.
Noon was the advertised time. The Time/Temperature building sign read 12:02 when I locked my bike up - and the postman joined me in knocking on the door. No answer. Ben Franklin left on his rounds, I walked around to try the back of the building.
Nothing.
It was 12:12 before I thought to pull the door again, which opened and let me into the tomb-quiet interior.
If you look at the gallery (linked here) you can see it's a very open, expansive place, very much a part of the new approach such places take these days. It's being pegged as a major part of the recovery of the Bayside area - especially since Maine Health bailed out on their new headquarters building.
It's now slightly after 2:15 - in these two hours this place has suddenly started jumping. games are being played on 5 of the 12 lanes, there are a lot of suits in the band area (they had a small ceremony acknowledging the Alfond money that helped get it all started), good Afro=pop music is on the stereo.
For myself, my single game was fun. I scored .... some .... points and quit before my arm began to feel any strain. Got two strikes, two gutter balls - so I guess I can call this even.
It is taking a risk, putting such a high-profile enterprise into what is admittedly a sketchy part of the town. Chatting with a younger friend confirmed some of the issues: it's just slightly too far to drive to, walking (at least back to 645 Congress) at 1 in the morning might be even more risky (we did have one flat-out pedestrian assault-murder downtown in Monument Square a month or so ago, very shocking).
Still, it's good to have faith that things can evolve into new directions, even sketchy neighborhoods.
I'll have to come back (when I've slept more) and see what it's like - and I actually did fairly well while bowling.
Who knew?
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