The Muse of Mesa calls me; "Does the changing weather have an effect on the lanes?" "Sure it does," I reply, "bowling is an indoor sport; but, humidity and temperature play a part in your ball reaction, why?"

"Well," he says, "my scores have dropped and I can't seem to hit the pocket like I was a few weeks earlier."

"What kind of scores are we talking about?"

"Oh, I was averaging solidly in the 190's and now, I'm shooting a lot of 130's and 400 series." Ummm, "Excuse me, T.M.O.M., but, the weather will not have that drastic an effect on your score; I think you need to look at different areas of your overall game."

"Well, then, how often should a bowler be changing their bowling balls? I'm tempted to go out and get the ball that I've been hearing so much about - you know, the one that all the pro's are throwing?" Ummm, "Excuse me, Muse, but, I don't feel that purchasing the latest whiz-bang, high-tech bowling ball will have you shooting higher scores overnight."

"Look," Muse, "Stop looking for external excuses and go back to the fundamentals of your game - just follow my "Choc-List" and you'll come out fine:"

1) Don't be jumping to spend your way out of a slump by buying up all the products and gadgets out there. What good is brand new equipment if the bowler hasn't learned how to bowl yet?

2) Hire a bowling coach and have him watch you. You don't want one that wants to re-invent your game; rather, find one who'll work with your style to fine tune your game.

3) Pay attention to the physical aspects of your game - Stance, Armswing, Timing & Tempo, Finishing Position, and Release & Follow-through.

4) Always remember to exercise the Mental Game, too - Breathing, Self-Talk, Pre-shot Routine, and Visualization.

"Boy," T.M.O.M. lamented, "that's sure a lot of things to think about." "Perhaps, but look at it this way, Muse, if you improve yourself over the next year by three-tenths of one percent per day (0.3), you will have made more than a hundred percent improvement in your abilities - take it one day at a time, brother, one day at a time."

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. - John Quincy Adams

A Hui Hou! (See You Again!)