When there is thunder in Brooklyn, it means the angels are bowling....

So my tenure with Brooklyn Bowl has ended. I was and am beyond crushed to have this relationship prematurely over. I was mostly hurt because it was not ended on my terms. It was ended on theirs. And it was for reasons that were mostly minor and irrelevant but it felt like a punch in the face in the last round of the boxing match. BB was my life here. A long standing regular of mine from Tampa steered me in the direction of applying for the job there a month into my life in NYC. I walked in with my resume in hand, determined to get a job. I sat down with the manager and then the owner and a few days later I had a job. And oh what a wonderful world it was. I was exulted to have finally found something I could cling to in NY. I was terrified moving here. And then I had the bowl. I promptly put in my one week notice at the garbage place I was working and set out on the G train for my new place of work, confident that I would only be there for a few months before I found a nine to fiver that I could actually start my life with.

And then winter hit. And it was brutal. I mean, balls to the walls, this Floridian was not prepared, hardcore, snow days brutal. And I had mentally and emotionally prepared myself for it but was still caught in the girls room with my pants around my ankles looking like a hunter had just flashed the red dot of the rifle on my forehead. I had no idea how to cope. The only thing that got me through the horror of 14 degree weather was going in, day in and day out, to Brooklyn Bowl. I moved to Greenpoint to be closer to my work. I left every day and walked along Franklin Street, passing the Empire State Building along the way on my view of the Manhattan skyline that many in this world dream of being able to behold, to walk through that concrete gate and clock in to the only consistent thing I had in my life. I would pass the security guards, who always had a friendly hello, and say hi to the 40+ people on staff before beginning to set up the bar. I started out my life there as a waitress and moved my way up. I treated that place as my second home.

I forged friends and relationships at the BB that will last me through my entirety of living in NY. But the thing that meant the most to me was having a home. As anyone who has followed my blog can see moving to NY has been incredibly hard on me. I have struggled immensely with the transition into this raw, cold city. And the only thing that was consistent was BB. I remember the tequila toast at New Years. I remember working the keg stand at Bob Weir. I remember the burlesque shows. I remember working the lanes when Josh Hartnett bowled. I remember the first snow day when our boss decided to pummel the staff with snow balls. I remember the pool parties. I remember the movie nights and U2 3D. I remember the staff meetings and Questlove. I remember Karaoke Killed the Cat and when we were closed on Mondays. I remember Dinosaur Jr and kids birthday parties on the lanes.

I will always remember the bowl and what it did for me. I would not have survived in NY without that place. I was incredibly sad to see the schedule and realize my name was no longer on it. And the phone call the next day from Stephen was heartbreaking. I saw the number on my phone and I knew what was coming. I felt completely blindsided by being let go as I had not had any idea that I was no longer a valued member of the staff. I only knew I was about to be fired because BB has let people go in that way before.

Everyone that has worked there for the last 9 months or so has helped to build that place. And the idea that Charley and Pete have is a great one. I completely supported everything that they were doing. The LEEDS certification was partly why I wanted to work for them. Their partnership with Blue Ribbon was genius. They really are changing the face of music and how you experience live shows in Brooklyn. And I am glad to have been a part of it. I wish things had ended better and I am deeply saddened that I am no longer a part of the BB family.

Bye guys. I know I will still see you in Williamsburg but we all know that when you leave the staff you are mostly a ghost that still haunts the halls. You are not a part of the crew anymore.

On to greener pastures I guess....

We'll see.