Day 5: Lobject's bowling ball

All day I’ve been thinking about today’s random object: bowling ball. I do not bowl well (like Ozone). For most of the morning all I could think of was round, shiny, varying weights, three holes—not an original or interesting start. So, I admit, I googled images of bowling balls.

I shouldn’t have been surprised by skulls, hello kitty, Yoda, Boston Red Sox, and Tinkerbelle bowling balls, but I was.  I enjoyed scrolling through each unique brand, admiring the font and considering the choices company’s made as I do when carefully creating banners for my Blackboard courses. One word is outlined in jagged lines. One rises from flames. The word profit replaces the o with $--very gangsta. Each conscious choice stood out to me.

I perused each ball like Goldilocks. Too childish. Too Black Sabbath. Too look-at-me. But, I couldn’t find the right one.

My typical bowling ball selection process is simple: I look quickly at the rack of balls all color coordinated by weight.  I find the number 5, see if my fingers fit, and inevitably grab the ball marked 6. (As much as I don’t know about bowling, I do know fingers need to fit in the holes.)

I considered the bowling ball that would best describe me. There are many options: a bright blue Carolina Panther’s ball, a compellation of classic book covers, pictures of my dogs. I’ve decided that my bowling ball, the one that would show other bowlers who I was would look like a Wordle document. I’m not yet sure what exactly it would say, but words are how I express myself so it just makes sense. And it’s my ball.