I'm creating a MySQL database to keep track of bowling scores. It is a three-table database that should contain everything I need it to.

These are a couple of sample questions that I'd like to able to answer with the data: When I get a strike, what is the average score for that frame? If I start a game with three marks (strikes and/or spares), what is the average score for the entire game? How often to I pick up a spare when my first ball scores 5 or less?

Here's how I have it set up:

Table 1: Players
First Name
Last Name
Average
PlayerID

Table 2: Games
Player ID
Month, Day, Year
City, State
Final Score
GameID

Table 3: Frames
FrameID
GameID
Frame No.
Ball 1 score
Ball 2 score
Ball 3 score (if frame 10)
Strike (yes/no)
Spare (yes/no)
Frame score (if spare or strike, include next ball(s))

Now I just need to enter the data from the last five weeks of bowling, and learn how to write SQL queries to pull the data to answer questions like the ones above.

I just realized I didn't create an column for splits. I guess I'll have to do without for now. I'm not sure I can go back and see where I had gotten splits during last few games, anyway.

This is my new favorite icon.

It's from the Aqua series at Iconfactory.

Last weekend, I decided to see if I could go a week without soda (or "pop" depending on where you're from). I am happy to report that I made it a full seven days without partaking and, in retrospect, it wasn't all that hard.

During the first couple of days, it was tough. If I felt thirsty, my first response was to reach for a soda. Soda is everywhere, and it's cheap. But where there's soda, there's almost always an alternative. It was easy to order water instead of soda at most places, and even fast food soda fountains have a non-carbonated alternative like HI-C (though admittedly, it may not be that much better for you).

I found that carrying a small (16- to 20-oz) bottle of water in my shoulder bag (aka man purse) was helpful to avoid the temptations of buying soda. The convenience made it easier to quench my thirst when I needed it, and it also appealed to my frugal side by saving me a buck.

A couple of times during the last week I had a dream where I accidentally drank half a glass of soda. Upon realizing my error, I threw the glass across the room and became really disappointed in myself.

By the end of the week, avoiding soda didn't require a second thought.

After the seven days of self-imposed exile, I put an aluminum can to my lips and tasted the forbidden carbonated fruit. I couldn't believe how bad it tasted. It was drinkable, but left a sickeningly sweet coating over the back of my throat, and didn't do anything for my thirst.

The end result of this week is that I probably won't give up soda for good (I really want to try Coke Blak), though I will certainly be cutting back.

Guess where I went today.

We're three weeks into our bowling experiment. Before the start of the experiment, I would have put my bowling average at about 125. My scores have varied pretty wildly, as you will see in the graphics below.

Week 1: Las Vegas

I find it interesting that I actually got better as the games went on. I guess I was just getting more comfortable, but I would have thought I would have been getting tired and not as focused. That 179 was a personal best.

Week 2: Atlanta

This was probably the best 3-game series I've ever rolled, including a new single-game personal best (like last week, also in the third game).

Week 3: Atlanta

And this is where things return to "normal."

Graph time

At this stage in the experiment, my single-game average is 146 and my series average is 440. With such a wide range of scores (102-186), there's no clear trends to take away, but at least it's a good looking chart.

I just watched David Blaine: Fearless. I feel like I "get" magic. Or at least I did until I saw this DVD (which is a collection of three of Blaine's TV specials).

I understood that "magic" was the mastery of slight-of-hand and optical illusions. But David Blaine has taken it way beyond that. You can't explain a playing card located inside an inflated basketball with slight-of-hand. His endurance stunts I get. He stood in a block of ice for 61 hours -- I feel like anyone who is willing to train their body and mind could handle that. But a playing card inside a basketball? That's magic. And sending a homeless guy into a store to buy a scratch-off ticket, which just happens to win over $10,000? You would need the infinite improbablity engine to calculate the odds of that -- magic.

One of the most entertaining things about watching the DVD is watching people's reactions to his tricks. The hysteria that follows when he levitates is particularly amusing. Of course that's easy for me to say, safely removed via camera and TV from the situation. Were I to see it in person, I would probably have a similar reaction.

The day after watching the DVD, I learned of Blaine's newest stunt. And I just found his blog, where he posts short, philosophical, fortune-cookie-style sayings.

All of this is basically to say David Blaine, your magic is real.

I just finished "The New New Journalism." It's a collection of interviews with writers such as Ted Conover, William Langewiesche, Gay Talese and Jon Krakauer to name a few.

The interviews follow a consistent path and cover topics such as how the writers develop their ideas into stories, there reportorial methods and writing techniques. It's interesting to read the similarities and differences. Some swear by tape recorders for interviews and some avoid them. One writer will have a very structured environment for writing, but the next can write anywhere. I especially like Ron Rosenbaum's response to the question, "Do you have to be in any particular location to write?":

I find it helps to write in coffee shops ... Adopting the pose of the writer in public in some way helps you to actually start getting writing done. There you are in the coffee shop: "What am I supposed to be doing? Am I just a poseur? No, I'm a writer! I'd better get some writing done."

One thing all of the writers have in common is the extensive amount of time they spend with their subjects: years in some cases. Another commonality is they all (with a couple of exceptions) have been staff writers at "The New Yorker" at some point during their careers.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in writing (either fiction or nonfiction) in general or journalism in particular.

Two down, 11 to go

Last night I bowled the first of four calibration games.

View this clip on Vimeo

There was plenty more where that came from.

Zero credit card balance by Dec. 31

Status: 16% (behind schedule) Review: Unexpected expenses have slowed progress on this goal. Outlook: If I were a Magic 8-Ball, I would say "It's likely." I'm scheduled for some overtime, which will help me get back on track.

Post one entry per week to cmerrill.com

Status: 42% (ahead of schedule) Review: Despite some weeklong lapses, I've maintained a better production rate than proposed. Outlook: Though I could take a two-month sabbatical and still be in the black, I expect to maintain current output levels.

Write one handwritten letter each month

Status: 25% (on schedule) Review: Two letters and a post card. Outlook: Continued coffee house visits should facilitate remaining on schedule.

Buy two new CDs per month

Status: 12% (behind schedule) Review: Previously mentioned expenses have made this goal a lower priority. Outlook: There are still nine months to go -- it's not too late to come back.

Be able to run three miles in 25.5 minutes

Status: 0% (way behind schedule) Review: No excuses. Outlook: I could try to come up with a motivating monologue, but the reality is I just need to get off my ass.

Leave the state five times

Status: 60% (ahead of schedule) Review: Three trips in three months. Outlook: I won't be able to keep that pace, but completing this goal should be no problem.

Spend eight days in Par-er, London

Status: 0% (on schedule) Review: Previously cut back plans. Outlook: This one is still in the planning stages, but definitely on the schedule.

Read 13 books

Status: 8% (behind schedule) Review: Finished "Blink." Outlook: Will finish No. 2: ("The New New Journalism") tomorrow or the day after. With a little more focus, this shouldn't be a problem.

Prepare/cook 21 meals per month

Status: 12% (behind schedule) Review: Still eating out too much. Outlook: Aforementioned financial status will necessitate putting more effort toward this goal. It's a lot cheaper to eat in. I think it's still doable.

Produce and upload 34 minutes of audio/video content

Status: 11% (behind schedule) Review: Aquarium video & Park panorama w/sound Outlook: With an interest in podcasting and other multimedia projects, there are no inherent barriers to getting back on schedule.

4 of 10 goals on/ahead of schedule

Now is the time in the presentation for questions and answers.