If you are a bowler, then you are probably familiar with the term "Brooklyn." For those who don't know what the term means, it's the word that's used for a ball that crosses over and hits the "wrong" pocket. So for right-handers, the ball hits the pocket for left-handers, and vice versa. I did a little checking to see where the term may have originated. Didn't find much, and I can't really confirm this, but according to Yahoo! Answers, here's one answer "The term originated from New Yorkers having to 'crossover' from Manhattan to Brooklyn. Thus a shot that 'crosses over' goes to the other side of the pocket and still produces a strike!"
Years ago, one of my friends, or maybe it was me--I can't remember--came up with the term "perfect Brooklyn." It's an oxymoron since by definition, a ball that goes Brooklyn isn't where the bowler intended and therefore can't be a perfect shot, but at the same time, it is still in the/a pocket and therefore, in theory the pins ought to go down. Of course, the spin on the ball is opposite of what it should be, etc., but still, if it's there, then our theory is, the pins ought to fall. Once in a while I crack the guys on my bowling team up by complaining that my last shot was perfect Brooklyn, but the pins still didn't fall.
Lately, I've been thinking that life sometimes feels like perfect Brooklyn. You do what you believe you are supposed to do and you do it to the best of your ability and either you miss the mark or something happens that is out of your control and it throws your plans off course, but somehow your efforts cross over far enough to hit the pocket on the other side. And sometimes the pins even carry and you get a strike. At that point, you can either hang your head in shame or your can jump up and down and celebrate. I'd rather celebrate. How about you?
