Bill's Blog Is Moving… Sort of! :-)

Hi all!

For years, I have tried to write roughly one blog entry per month, and when I first started, I thought "the more places I could post it, the more people I could reach."

So after I started my original blog here on Blogspot/Blogger, I eventually started posting the same content on WordPress as well.

I eventually learned that search engines do not like to see content replicated in different places.

My blog is titled "empowering wheelchair users" and was originally started to shed light on the existence of the IKAN Bowler® and how essentially any wheelchair user can now bowl. And further, how having an outlet like bowling where someone can be successful and can compete on an even "playing field"… that can help a wheelchair user to seek more independence in his/her life (so say therapeutic recreation experts).

So, when we revamped our IKAN Bowler® website on a WordPress platform, we also added a blog page so that we would continuously have newer content, and as you can imagine, that is a good spot for me to also share any of my bowling relevant posts.

However, I do also write a few posts that are not necessarily related to bowling, so for time the being, I want to keep two blogs.

For all things empowering wheelchair users, I will continue to write here:

https://powerwheelchairusers.wordpress.com/

And for wheelchair bowling related content, those posts will also go here:

http://ikanbowler.com/blog/

But I do not plan to keep updating this site. If you're wondering, the reason I chose to stop posting here and keep posting on WordPress is because I like the format and functionality a little better on WordPress.

No worries. And thank you for your interest in my blog – God bless! :-)

Bill

William A. Miller, BSBA, ME
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.wordpress.com
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net
 

'This Is How I' BOWL! :-)

AbleThrive has a 'this is how I' campaign to change perceptions of people with disabilities, or different abilities.

I am a C1-2 quadriplegic, paralyzed from my neck down and I drive my chair with my mouth via sip-and-puff, and yet I can bowl with the IKAN Bowler®.

Here's my 'this is how I' bowl video:

Direct YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKLNmm-A7VI

#ThisIsHowI #AbleThrive #IKANBowler #PowerWheelchairBowling

For anyone wondering, this was recorded shortly before Christmas, and yes, I am wearing a Chicago Cubs Christmas stocking cap, and Buddy the Elf pants. :-)

Bill

William A. Miller, BSBA, ME
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

You Can Empower Yourself in 2017

I feel like I just got hit in the face with a 1-2 punch of profound messages that can inspire positive change for anyone needing or wanting such.

The first was a truly profound blog post written by someone in a physical condition like mine (i.e. a power wheelchair user due to an uncooperative body). The second was an unrelated video example that reinforced the first message.

Before I introduce them, my blog is titled empowering wheelchair users because I wanted to highlight how wheelchair users can "get (back) in the game of life!" with something simple like wheelchair bowling. In developing the IKAN Bowler®, we created a way for wheelchair users of all abilities to be in control of their bowling game, and therapeutic recreation experts have said something simple like that can empower the person to seek greater independence in his/her life. That is all still relevant and ongoing, but I feel compelled to also share these messages…

Jon Morrow is a young man with muscular dystrophy… and a self-made millionaire… from his wheelchair. To me, life is not about money, but I mention the "self-made millionaire from his wheelchair" part simply to get your attention and hopefully demonstrate that this guy has faced some enormous challenges, and conquered them to live the life he wants, the best one he can – isn't that the American dream and all anyone can ask?

Jon wrote a lengthy blog post titled "7 Life Lessons from a Guy Who Can't Move Anything but His Face" and although I do not consider myself in need of huge changes, Jon has me thinking a bit differently and considering potential options. There's a little bit of salty language in Jon's writing, but his messages ultimately are both poignant and profound, in my opinion, and he uses his life as a dramatic example in demonstrating such. Without further ado, here you go:

https://unstoppable.me/life-lessons/

As I pondered Jon's post, I somewhat mindlessly scanned my Facebook newsfeed and came across a video of a guy who, unknowingly, is also an example of what Jon was talking about, i.e. you can take your greatest problem or fear and use that to fuel positive change.

The gentleman in the video, Jared, used to weigh 510 pounds (no, not the Subway guy). It was impacting all areas of his life negatively. Year after year, he wondered if he would see the next. His doctor told him he was going to die. He chose to live, and made the changes necessary to do so. The video is short but powerful, and a Facebook account is not required in order to view it:

Direct link: https://www.facebook.com/DDPYOGA/videos/1200467636708657/

As 2016 concludes, and folks may or may not be pondering New Year's resolutions… or perhaps more importantly… real, significant changes that need to be made… I could not ignore these two powerful messages, and I wanted to share them just in case they can help someone.

For additional tools that might help you make change… my dad's story of how he was able to overcome cancer largely by doing what he learned at Hippocrates Health Institute might help other people with health ailments, or to simply be healthier (click HERE to download his story, but he recommends watching Forks over Knives and reading the corresponding book, as great starting points). Also, I know a guy who is legitimately recovering after more than two decades with ALS – Lou Gehrig's disease, and his recovery started by reading the book "Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself" by Dr. Joe Dispenza.

Having said that, I also believe such real change can (and arguably should) coincide with faith in both yourself and God. I personally like to do a daily Bible reading, and online reading plans make it easy to do so. You have your choice of which version you want to read (I like the New International Version) and option to read the entire Bible over the course of a year, or maybe just the New Testament if you are Christian and want to focus on that over the course of a year. The new year is the perfect time to start. Here is the website I use:

https://www.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not extend the opportunity for anyone interested to ask me about becoming a Christian (it's a standing offer). Among other benefits, doing so can take the fear out of death and give you the gift of heaven, knowing that when our time on earth expires, something spectacular awaits. But that doesn't mean we cannot make 2017 and our lives as good as possible while we are given the opportunity to do so. Each day you wake, you have that opportunity.

May God bless everyone reading this and a blessed new year to all!

Bill

William A. Miller, BSBA, ME
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

Wheelchair Bowling League (Online) Coming Soon!

The IKAN Have Fun Bowling League (Online) is beginning in January, 2017!

We want to provide a way for wheelchair users (and friends/family) to have fun in friendly competition from anywhere in the world. PARTICIPANTS WANTED! :-)

To make it as easy and inclusive as possible, people can bowl at their convenience, and we are looking for two sets of scores per month over a three-month period to complete one league. More specifically, here is the current plan:

• Four separate, consecutive three-month leagues (bowling year-round)
• League Q1: January through March (months 1-3)
• League Q2: April through June (months 4-6)
• League Q3: July through September (months 7-9)
• League Q4: October through December (months 10-12)
• Free participation from anywhere in the world
• Mixed participation, i.e. people bowling with IKAN Bowler® users can join as well (although we will designate IKAN Bowler® users and able-bodied folks)
• Two required sets of scores per month (bowlers share their two top series of three games bowled during that month) for three months
• Bowlers share signed scoresheets (either by scanning or digital photos sent by email)
• League scores and history posted on our website for bragging rights and all to see!

Please tell us if you have ideas on how to make the format better, or if you are interested in participating – thanks!

Bill

William A. Miller, BSBA, ME
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

Quad Squad Bowling – Things to Know…

We have a local (central Florida) Quad Squad group of friends who get together and bowl regularly. A similar Quad Squad group is being formed in Washington state.

FORMATION OF A QUAD SQUAD: Quad Squad is kind of a generic term for a group of us power wheelchair users. Most power wheelchair users function like or as quadriplegics (i.e. people with impairment in all four limbs) but any wheelchair user is welcome – whether it's CP, MD, ALS, SCI, or some other condition that is the reason for wheelchair use… it does not matter. The IKAN Bowler® makes it possible for any wheelchair user to bowl. And a bowl-a-thon is a pretty easy way to equip a group of wheelchair users with an IKAN Bowler® for each.

CADDIES TO PLACE THE BALL: we have a local nonprofit group called LovExtension, which provides volunteers to caddie for us here in central Florida. It is certainly nice to have LovExtension's help, but for other folks reading this, one good thing about quadriplegics is we generally require a caregiver, who can caddie if needed.

FRIENDLY AND LEGIT COMPETITION: friends, family, caregivers, etc.… the bigger the entourage, the more fun. Able-bodied folks can try to beat us; the IKAN Bowler® is sanctioned for legit play (including USBC leagues and tournaments). Each wheelchair user generally has their own lane when we bowl, but it's easy for an able-bodied competitor to share the lane (multiple IKAN Bowler® users can share a lane, but it's easier to bowl next to each other).

OUR BOWLING SCHEDULE: our central Florida Quad Squad group bowls twice a month. Typically, the second Saturday of each month is at AMF Leesburg Lanes, and the fourth Saturday is at Break Point Alley in Tavares. Times are almost always from roughly 4-6 PM. In November and December, we switch from the second & fourth Saturday of each month to the first & third Saturday of each month, to reduce conflicts with the holidays.

It is a fun, social, friendly competition we engage in twice a month. We usually bowl "straight up" (i.e. regular scoring rules) but occasionally we do "8 pin no tap" which means if the bowler gets 8 or more pins with the first ball, it's recorded as a strike. That is just for fun, but really can allow for some big scores.

May God bless all who are reading this.

Bill

William A. Miller, BSBA, ME
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.wordpress.com
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

Low or No Cost Ways To Get an IKAN Bowler®

The IKAN Bowler® is a well-engineered, durable adaptive bowling device empowering all types of wheelchair users to be able to bowl. Each unit is proudly manufactured individually, by hand, to precision standards in Brandon, Florida USA. We realize the IKAN Bowler® purchase price is not exactly pocket change for nearly all of the wheelchair users who can benefit from having their own, but if we shared our manufacturing costs, any experienced business person would say we are charging (essentially) as low a price as possible. So to help, here are…

Low or no cost ways to acquire an IKAN Bowler®:

• State programs for adaptive equipment/technology
• Veterans can qualify to get one through the VA
• Having a bowl-a-thon (it's easier than you might think)
• YouCaring or GoFundMe online fundraisers
• Donations from charitable foundations or service clubs

From Washington state on the West Coast over to Vermont on the East Coast, and all the way down to Florida, we know of wheelchair users who have qualified to receive various types of adaptive equipment and/or technology, through state programs. The IKAN Bowler® has been acquired this way.

Veterans can qualify to get an IKAN Bowler® through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) via the prosthetics department. We have an SMA government contract in order to facilitate this. Please contact us for details.

Having a bowl-a-thon really is easier than you might think, and doing so is a good way to raise money for an IKAN Bowler®. We actually have had three annual bowl-a-thons to raise money to help keep one of my Quad Squad bowling buddies (she also uses an IKAN Bowler®) out of a nursing home. You can see the format, and also download (and modify) the files we use to facilitate the bowl-a-thon fundraising by clicking HERE. A bowl-a-thon would be a good way for a group of local wheelchair users to raise enough money for everyone to get an IKAN Bowler® and form their own local Quad Squad.

YouCaring and GoFundMe are online "crowdfunding" platforms to raise money for lots of causes. YouCaring focuses more on compassionate causes such as medical needs, which is why we utilized it for the above-linked bowl-a-thon (I think the fees work out a little bit better for such endeavors). But GoFundMe is the more common and popular platform for online fundraising of all types, and it can also work for someone to humbly ask their friends and family to chip in for an IKAN Bowler® purchase.

Last but not least, some charitable organizations like the Kelly Brush Foundation and some service clubs, like Rotary Clubs, have a particular desire to help people with disabilities, and have previously purchased IKAN Bowlers®. Entities like these generally prefer to help folks in their local area. And they cannot say "yes" if you don't ask!

If you have any questions about these possibilities, feel free to email me (BillMiller@ikanbowler.com).

May God bless everyone who reads this.

Bill

William A. Miller, BSBA, ME
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

Quadriplegic misses bowling 300 game by one frame… sort of!

Okay, technically the title of this blog is true. I am a quadriplegic, and I missed bowling a perfect 300 game by two pins in the ninth frame, and wound up with a 264 and 11 strikes. Wait, what?

That only makes sense if you know what eight pin no tap means, which is the "sort of" reference in the blog title.

No tap is a fun, but not "legitimate" way to score a bowling game. Eight pin no tap means if the bowler knocks down eight pins or more with their first ball, it is scored as a "no tap" strike. Compared to normal bowling, that makes it easier to get strikes and to score big, which can be fun occasionally, even if the scores would not count for legitimate records like we track on our WheelchairBowlingRecords.com website.

Nevertheless, after starting with 8 consecutive strikes, I was feeling "excitedly nervous" about the possibility of bowling a perfect 300, even if it was with the benefit of eight pin no tap. It felt a lot like when I have bowled legitimate 200+ games, which I have managed to do 24 times, despite being paralyzed from my neck down and using a sip-and-puff controlled wheelchair and IKAN Bowler® attachment to bowl.

I don't know that I choked, but I certainly screwed up the ninth frame by starting my ball out too wide to the right, to where it was unable to curve back and hit the head pin. I was left with the 1-2-4-10 pins remaining. Considering I had six with my first ball, if I had knocked down two more pins with that ball, the scoring would have credited me with a no tap strike, and the pressure would have been on me to keep it up in the 10th frame. I managed to bowl three more strikes in the 10th, but did not have the pressure of a perfect game on the line.

 

Anyway, it was fun, and I am blogging about it in case others want to try bowling no tap style (and for the record, I did have four legitimate strikes in addition to the seven no tap strikes).

I got the idea from one of my fellow Quad Squad bowling buddies Lilian Strandlund.

The top scoring line in the below picture belongs to Lilian, or "Lily" as she calls herself. Lily has cerebral palsy requiring wheelchair use, and yet she pretty thoroughly beat four able-bodied people – including her husband – in their "9-pin no tap" league, bowling with her IKAN Bowler®.

 
 
You probably figured out that nine pin no tap means that the scoring system gives the bowler a strike, if the first ball knocks down nine pins or more. It's harder than eight pin no tap, obviously. But as those able-bodied guys bowling against Lily can attest, a 643 series is quite good – and I am absolutely certain the smile on Lily's face was quite big and spectacular – much like when she bowled a legitimate 215, setting multiple records.

Lily shared the scorecard from her league, and that gave me the idea that maybe we should do it when we get together with some of our other friends for our local Quad Squad bowling. That's what we did this past Saturday. We all had fun scoring higher than normal thanks to the no tap, and Lily came pretty close to my 264 top score, bowling a 255.

No tap bowling or not, get out there and have some fun – life is short! :-)

Bill

William A. Miller, BSBA, ME
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net
 

Incredible Three-Game Series Bowled by Power Wheelchair User

Curtis (Curt) Wolff is an excellent bowler, despite having to bowl from a seated position.

Curt was an avid bowler – averaging in the 220s – before being afflicted by the West Nile virus, which resulted in him experiencing acute flaccid paralysis and he now functions much like a C4-5 quadriplegic. Thus, Curt requires a power wheelchair for mobility.

He was thrilled to discover the IKAN Bowler® which enabled him to rekindle his passion for bowling.

And on March 14, 2016 Curt bowled an incredible three-game series: he averaged 213.67, bowling three consecutive games over 200 – a 212, a 205, and a 224 – with ZERO open frames in the series!

As a fellow wheelchair user with about 1000 games of experience with the IKAN Bowler®, please let me try to explain just how good Curt's series was.

My average is about 150 and I usually bowl three or four games twice a month with our local Quad Squad group, and have been blessed to do so for more than a dozen years. That's where the roughly 1000 games of experience comes from, and I'm also a world record holder with a 255 high game.

In roughly 1000 games, I have scored 200+ a total of 24 times. Sheesh, that makes me look like not-so-good of a bowler – but it's really not that easy to break 200! :-)

Driving our wheelchairs, we get about 6 mph of ball speed using the IKAN Bowler® which requires us to be very precise (some luck doesn't hurt either!) in order to score big. Comparatively speaking, able-bodied male professional bowlers hurl their bowling balls down the lane at an average of roughly 19 mph, and consequently, they get much greater "pin action" when their ball impacts the pins. Greater pin action leads to more strikes. More strikes leads to higher scores. Consecutive strikes in particular really help scores add up quickly, but making spares is important also.

I mention all this because in three games, or 30 total frames, Curt had either a spare or strike in every single frame.

Comparatively, despite having 24 games of 200+ out of my 1000 bowled, I think I have had at most half a dozen (six games) with zero open frames (an open frame is one without a spare or strike).

Point being, it is quite difficult to bowl 200+ and even more difficult to bowl a clean game with no open frames.

Curt did BOTH in three consecutive games.

That is mighty impressive!

And if you look at his scoresheet, you will notice he had to convert three splits in order to not leave an open frame. Two of the splits required very precise shots.

The print out of his scoresheet (viewable as a PDF file HERE) shows that he had a 2-10 split in the second frame of his first game, and if you aren't familiar with the pin positions, the scoresheet shows you where they are. Even a non-expert bowler can tell that that is a difficult spare to pick up.

In game three, Curt had to pick up a 9-10 split, which is two pins exactly side-by-side. To convert that spare essentially requires the ball splitting the gap right between the two pins – and the ball itself is just a little bigger than the gap. The space between two side-by-side pins is 7.25 inches, and standard bowling balls are 8.5 inches, so there's not much room for error if the ball is going to knock both pins over.

In totality, that is the best three-game scoresheet I have seen from a wheelchair user bowling in dynamic fashion (dynamic just means incorporating the movement of the wheelchair, i.e. not stationary ramp bowling).

In case it's not obvious by now… I am HIGHLY impressed.

Click HERE for a video clip of Curt bowling a pocket strike.

And click HERE for a video clip of Curt picking up a spare.

Keep up the terrific bowling Curt! :-)

Bill

William A. Miller, BSBA, ME
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net
 

Yet Another New Bowling Record for Wheelchair Users Driving by Head Array

Mike Murach has done it again! :-)

Bowling with family and friends recently, Mike literally rolled to a 190 in his second game.

In his email to me with the good news, he pointed out the disparity between his first and second game (113 and 190) and later wished he had another chance at picking up his spare in the 10th frame (if he had converted it, nine pins with his bonus ball would have given him 200).

No worries – bowling 190 and setting a new record for oneself (and others) is a good day!

And bowling is always fun, but rolling a 190 in front of your wife and buddies is extra enjoyable when you are the one in the group who uses a wheelchair.

Here is the link for more info and their score sheet:

http://www.wheelchairbowlingrecords.com/Mike_Murach_record_190.htm

Way to Go Mike! :-)
 
Bill

William A. Miller, BSBA, ME
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net
 

Strike for Vets, Orlando

Strike for Vets is a bowling fundraiser to help some of the most wounded warriors. This is actually the second Strike for Vets event (the inaugural was held last October in Tampa) and is this Sunday, May 22, in Orlando.

Daniel Bolan is a high-school-aged Eagle Scout and very accomplished bowler, and Strike for Vets is his vision to help soldiers who have sacrificed much for our freedom. He met a now retired Special Forces Green Beret named Romy Camargo, who happens to be a quadriplegic after being injured in combat.

Romy and his wife Gaby started a nonprofit organization that operates a spinal cord injury recovery center called Stay in Step, where injured veterans and nonveterans can rehab in Tampa.

I have the honor of bowling with Daniel and Romy this coming Sunday.

It's not too late to sign up your team, or make a donation.

Bill

William A. Miller, BSBA, ME
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net
 

Another New Bowling Record for Wheelchair Users Driving by Head Array

Mike Murach has upped the record he set in February, and I have a feeling he is not done! (Big smile)

For now, the bowling record for a wheelchair user driving by head array is 182. You can see his scoresheet and learn more here:

http://wheelchairbowlingrecords.com/Mike_Murach_record_182.htm

Mike is paralyzed from his shoulders down roughly, and specific movements of his head are what allow him to control his wheelchair. Adding the IKAN Bowler® to his chair allows him to bowl.

This just helps to illustrate the fact that it does not matter what one's reason for wheelchair use is (SCI, MD, CP, ALS, etc.) or the method by which the user controls his or her wheelchair (head array, joystick, chin control, sip-and-puff, etc.) bowling is still a sport or recreational activity that essentially all wheelchair users can enjoy and compete at.

Good bowling Mike – keep it up! :-)

Bill

William A. Miller, BSBA, ME
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net
 

3rd Annual Bowl-A-Thon for Rhonda

The last two years, many folks have contributed to successful bowl-a-thon fundraisers to help keep my friend and fellow quadriplegic, Rhonda Reese, out of a nursing home. And I thank you all, most sincerely – collectively it's been a huge help. But I have pledged to organize annual bowl-a-thons to help keep her living in a community setting as long as possible. (The general thought of a quadriplegic trying to live in a nursing home… it is tough for me to bear.)

So, on May 14, 2016 we are having the "3rd Annual Bowl-A-Thon for Rhonda" at AMF Leesburg Lanes from roughly 4-6 PM, coinciding with our Quad Squad outing. Details and helpful materials are here:

http://www.lookmomnohands.net/Rhonda.htm

Rhonda lost both her parents in 2012. She is paralyzed from the chest down and 49 years young. Nursing homes generally are not well equipped to provide the care quadriplegics need.

If you want to sponsor a bowler, bowl yourself and seek sponsors, share this info, or "just" make a donation… any or all would be much appreciated. Please contact me with any questions.

Thank you – and may God bless us all.

Bill

William A. Miller, BSBA, ME
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

New Bowling Record for Wheelchair Users Driving by Head Array

Another month, another new dynamic wheelchair bowling record.

Earlier in February, Mike Murach posted the best bowling score for a wheelchair user who drives by head array with a strong 180.

In January, Timo Toivonen set the overall world record and record for males with muscular dystrophy with a ridiculously good 257.

Maybe it's the winter weather, since bowling is an indoor sport. Mike lives in Wisconsin (USA) and Timo lives in Finland, and I think both have pretty cold winters.

Whether it's the weather or not leading to these opportunities and scores… keep it up fellas – terrific bowling!

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net
 

New MD and Overall World Records for Dynamic Wheelchair Bowling!

Timo Toivonen: 257. That ridiculously good bowling score is now the top overall score in the world for a dynamic wheelchair bowler, and also ups the record for a male with muscular dystrophy.

Dynamic just means it incorporates the movement of the wheelchair, and is not stationary ramp bowling.

And for people who know me well, or are keeping track of such bowling records, yes, Timo broke my record of 255. But I know how difficult it is to bowl that well, so I "tip my cap" and offer sincere congratulations to Timo.

The details are here.

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

Wheelchair User Bowls a 232 and 607 Series

Last month, Curtis Wolff bowled a 232 in the first game of a three-game series totaling 607 pins. That is not too shabby for almost anyone, but it is ridiculously good for someone who is essentially paralyzed from his chest down.

Bowling 200+ in a single game is quite an achievement for a wheelchair user.

Bowling 600+ (total pins) for a three-game series is truly an extraordinary achievement for a wheelchair user.

To my knowledge, Curtis is now the third IKAN Bowler® user to have ever bowled a 600 series – but the first to do it during a sanctioned USBC league.

Curtis and seven other IKAN Bowler® users are members of the 200 club.

Here are the details in a slightly edited version from how he emailed them to me…

Hi Bill,

I just started my third year bowling in a USBC league with my IKAN Bowler. I am a C4, C5 quadriplegic with acute flaccid paralysis caused by the West Niles Virus.  We’ve corresponded in the past as I let you know about my first 200 game.  Since then I’ve had several more 200’s but this past week I hit a milestone.  Going into the tenth frame of my first game I had a legitimate chance to beat your record 255.  Well, your record is still intact as I actually opened in the tenth and ended up with a 232.

But that’s not the end. The next game I shot 187 and the last game was exciting as I needed a spare and count to break 600.  I didn’t choke this time and ended with a 188 and a 607 scratch series.

Before getting my illness I was a scratch bowler and competed at the national level.  And, while I reluctantly started to bowl again, I have persevered through starting all over and my league average is 154 and on the rise.  I’ve been consistently in the 500’s practicing this summer and fully anticipate to be averaging 180 or better by the end of this season.  My scores aren’t like the old days…. yet; but, the potential is there and am planning to compete in both the amateur bowler’s tour as well as national wheelchair tournaments in the near future.

Attached are my attested league scores as well as the computer printout from the AMF bowling center.  I’m not sure if this any type of record (I’ve seen your combined awesome score) but, I think it’s important to note this was true dynamic bowling and in a sanctioned USBC league utilizing two lanes in regular league play format.  Not a group outing. I have to wait my turn, going on and off the lanes, alternate lanes every other frame and keep up with everyone bowling on the pair. (Four person teams, 30 teams) Pretty tough to stay consistent.

A three game series of 607 is a 202.33 average. Not bad and, by the way, you can see I had a few opens so there is still room to improve. Next goal 700.

This attachment with my scoresheet should open in Adobe or other readers.

Hope all is well and if you can add this to the records some way it would be great. By the way I drive with a joystick and have limited hand movement.

Thanks for helping invent the IKAN Bowler and your hard work.  Hopefully we can meet sometime and feel free to contact me with any questions.

Curt Wolff
Thornton, Colorado 
 
Terrific bowling Curt!

And I am planning to add a page on the wheelchair bowling records website to recognize 200 and 600 club members and achievements.

Keep it up Curt – if you do have a 700 series, I will spotlight it too!
 
Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

Strike for Vets

A bowling fundraiser called Strike for Vets was held earlier in October to help support a spinal cord injury recovery center in Tampa called Stay in Step (non-veterans can rehab there as well).

Daniel Bolan, a 17-year-old Eagle Scout with a bowling average over 200, met retired U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret Romy Camargo, who was paralyzed in Afghanistan in 2008. Daniel created Strike for Vets to help Romy and others by raising money for the nonprofit organization Romy and his wife Gaby started, which operates the recovery center.

I had the pleasure of going to Tampa to meet and bowl with Daniel and Romy for a pre-event news story which demonstrated how the IKAN Bowler® enables quadriplegics like Romy and me to bowl. Another story covered the actual event, and both stories can be found on the news page of our IKAN Bowler® website:
http://www.ikanbowler.com/in-the-news.html

Besides wanting to give kudos and draw attention to Daniel, Romy, and everyone who helped make Strike for Vets a success, I am also blogging about this because Daniel is planning Strike for Vets II to be held in Orlando in either January or February. I intend to participate in the event.

So stay tuned for more about Strike for Vets II!

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net
 

Personal Update, Trip to Atlanta

I do not typically share personal updates on this blog, instead I usually save those for an occasional email to my full email list (just ask if you want to be added or removed, no worries). But the latest update was very well received, and I thought… why not post it on my blog?

Here is a slightly edited version of what I  emailed six days ago…

Hello Everyone!

The last time I shared a personal update with you, I think it was in the spring when I was working as a graduate teaching assistant in the same Masters program from which I graduated. Serving in that capacity was a lot of fun, and I received very positive feedback from my students and also the professors I worked alongside.

I am kind of on sabbatical from teaching but would like to resume this spring. But not teaching this semester proved to be "good timing" (or God timing:) because it allowed me to be hired to present at a two-day workshop for Georgia Tech IT personnel. My topic was "web accessibility and voice software use."

Last week at this time, I was in Atlanta. And that exciting opportunity is largely what prompted me to write you all now.

We had a good trip, staying three nights in a nice hotel in downtown Atlanta. The workshop was largely to help Georgia Tech IT folks understand what it's like for people with disabilities to access websites, what barriers exist, and how they can make their website universally friendly. I actually was hired by "AMAC Accessibility Solutions and Research Center" to help them present for Georgia Tech IT staff, and I had the privilege of co-presenting with two gentlemen with vision impairments.

Watching them browse the Internet using screenreader technology was an eye-opening experience for this sighted person. I gave a brief PowerPoint presentation and also a live voice software demonstration both mornings, which freed up our afternoon schedules.

I enjoyed my official duties, and received positive feedback regarding my efforts, but also enjoyed meeting and getting a personal tour of AMAC headquarters from the Director who started it all, Dr. Christopher Lee. What he and they are doing is impressive. For example, they convert textbooks to accessible formats, including braille, for students all over the world, and if I'm not mistaken, they are tasked with making everything in the Library of Congress accessible (e-text, braille, etc.) as well.

We also indulged ourselves at a classic Atlanta fast food restaurant, The Varsity, which has been featured on the food network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. I wanted to try several things, and had a chili cheese slaw dog, French fries, onion rings, and fried peach pie. :-)

Me getting ready to go into The Varsity (click to enlarge)

That was all well and good, but it was also great to see old friends and make new ones at Shepherd Center, where I did my rehab 18 years ago. Connecting with a current Shepherd Center patient (a fellow ventilator user) and his wife was time very well spent. We did that both afternoons and had dinner with them in Shepherd's surprisingly-good cafeteria the second night. Eating in the cafeteria was nostalgic for my Dad (I was unable to eat during my two months of rehab at Shepherd).

As for now, I have plenty of projects keeping me busy. That seems to be a constant, and a good thing, because I enjoy getting things done. One such project I am trying to find more time for is working on my book, which is mostly autobiographical. It is not as easy to write as one might think (or at least as I originally thought:).

On a side note, I put together a little five shot clip of me bowling with our local Quad Squad group that was filmed in July:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHyAezq2cQM

Anyway… it has been a while since I wrote you folks on my full email list, so I thought I would share the above (if you want off my list, just reply with "unsubscribe" – no questions asked, no worries).

May God bless us all, and all glory to God.
 
Bill

William A. Miller, BSBA, ME
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

Wheelchair Bowling Records

In 2009, I started a wheelchair bowling records website to share the bowling achievements of different types of wheelchair users, and also to share some of what is possible for people, despite certain physical conditions.

The focus of the website is on “dynamic-style” wheelchair bowling, i.e. bowling which incorporates the movement of the wheelchair and mimics the able-bodied bowling process. Like able-bodied bowlers, wheelchair users can set up, and then physically approach and release the ball while stopping short of the foul line. That is exactly what the IKAN (“I can”) Bowler® allows wheelchair users to do. And because it mimics the able-bodied bowling process, the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) sanctioned the IKAN Bowler® for league and tournament play – bowling with and/or against able-bodied bowlers or fellow IKAN users.

We developed the IKAN Bowler® to attach to almost any wheelchair, thus enabling people who can safely control their chairs to be able to bowl. For example, I am paralyzed from the neck down and ventilator dependent, and I have literally bowled two dozen games of 200 or better – and I drive my wheelchair with my mouth, using a sip-and-puff system.

Cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and spinal cord injury are three types of conditions which can result in the need for an electric/power wheelchair, and the IKAN Bowler® can enable us to bowl on a “level playing field” with the rest of the world. People with these types of conditions are featured on the records website, and records are also shown for different methods of operating a wheelchair (joystick, chin control, head array control, sip-and-puff, etc.).

Here is the website: WheelchairBowlingRecords.com

What about other wheelchair bowling styles and records?

For decades, I would think, manual wheelchair users who still have the upper body and grip strength have been able to “park” their wheelchair in front of the foul line, lean over and toss their bowling ball down the lane. Shawn Beam and George Holscher are two men who have bowled perfect 300 games doing so. But many people require electric/power wheelchairs for mobility, and do not have the physical ability to use their arms and swing a bowling ball.

Stationary ramps can be fun for people who have enough physical ability to aim the ramp, position the ball (how the ball is positioned on either a stationary ramp or IKAN Bowler® determines the shape of the shot), and push it down the ramp. But high-level quadriplegics, like me, and people in similar conditions cannot do that.

The IKAN Bowler® is a precision-engineered ramp which attaches to its users wheelchair. After a caddie positions the ball how we want it for the shot, the wheelchair user is in control and empowered to bowl and have fun in a physical way. Not many sports and recreational opportunities exist for people who are so physically limited. A major bonus is that it is sanctioned by the USBC, allowing for genuine competition, and increasing the thrill potential for those who like to compete.

The thrill of doing something formerly not thought possible (e.g. a quadriplegic bowling a legitimate strike) and also the thrill of competition (trying to beat someone else or achieve a certain score) those are genuine thrills. And that is why our company is named Manufacturing Genuine Thrills, because that’s what we do by providing the IKAN Bowler®. :-)

I just wanted to share about the records website, and why I developed it.

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

Budget Conscious Computer Deal for Voice Software Use

I recently wrote about hands-free computer use and shared a demo video of me using voice software thusly.

Utilizing voice software requires a sufficient computer, and I think I found a great deal for anyone who is budget conscious (and really, who isn't, right?).

I mentioned in my earlier writeup that many folks at KnowBrainer.com are genuine experts with voice software and also computer hardware. In their review of Dragon NaturallySpeaking 13, they showed the manufacturer (Nuance) minimum requirements and recommended specifications for DNS 13, and also their KnowBrainer minimum and recommended specifications. (For details, see page 14 here.)

The deal I mentioned is currently for a refurbished HP Elitebook 8440P laptop with: Intel i5 2.53 GHz Dual Core Processor, 4 GB DDR3 RAM, Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit, DVD-RW drive, 14 inch display, 250 GB hard drive, 90 day warranty (that's pretty good on a refurbished product – just test it out shortly after getting it) and it is Wi-Fi ready… for just $170* and free shipping (it's actually $200 with a $30 rebate card):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883250503

For that low of a price, that is a pretty solid machine. It roughly meets the  recommended specifications from Nuance, and is pretty well on par with KnowBrainer's minimum recommendations. Of course, more RAM is better, as is a faster processor (and/or more processor cores), but if money is ultra tight, this is a machine that should run DNS 13 Premium pretty decently (Premium is the version of DNS I recommend for budget conscious folks, or most people, especially if you also get KnowBrainer's command/utility package – which many of my blog readers can probably get for free – see last paragraph).

Why Windows 7 you ask? Well, the touchscreen features that came along with Windows 8, those do hands-free users absolutely no good. I asked the question on the KnowBrainer message board about which operating system is best for hands-free use – Windows 7, 8, or perhaps 10 – and several people recommended Windows 7 at this point (thread details here).

Newegg.com is a reputable vendor and a "Google trusted store" which comes with $1000 of free protection (postpurchase). Some people said that the battery was dead on arrival and could not be charged (and may have left a less-than-great review accordingly) but others said they were able to get it replaced free of charge. There's also a 30 day refund or replacement option in addition to the 90 day warranty.

If you want more RAM, better processor, etc.… they have additional refurbished machines for more money, but still a really strong value in my opinion.

I'm thinking of getting a refurbished laptop as a backup machine (my current backup is having issues). I spend a lot of time using my computer, and if something happened to my primary machine, quite frankly, I would be "lost" without the ability to operate a computer as independently as I am currently able.

Speaking of budget conscious, Lunis Orcutt is the owner of KnowBrainer, and he offers the KnowBrainer command package/utility to people with significant physical disabilities at no cost. It is a very helpful program that makes DNS more user-friendly for hands-free use, and I thank Lunis for his generosity and desire to help.

May God bless us all.

Bill

William A. Miller, BSBA, ME
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
About Bill: http://www.lookmomnohands.net/About_Bill.htm

Wheelchair Programming for Bowling Success (with Video)

As THIS post from October explains, I got a new chair last year and it has taken a fair amount of time to program/test/tweak settings that I like for bowling.

I bowl about twice a month with other local wheelchair users (we call ourselves the Central Florida Quad Squad) and I am also unable to change the programming for the different drive modes on my new Permobil C300 wheelchair. Long story short, my wheelchair guy and I set up two similar-but-different bowling modes that I thought I would like. But I have been blessed that my new chair has not had too many issues, so I have not had a lot of appointments with my wheelchair guy, and again, bowling just twice a month… that combination results in a slow process to fine-tune the programming for bowling.

But I think we finally have my chair set up to where I can drive/bowl well using my sip-and-puff controls to direct my chair.

The key is to be able to drive slowly, and make minor turns/adjustments as you approach the foul line with the bowling ball atop your IKAN Bowler®. More specifically, the forward speed and acceleration need to be slow, as do the turning speeds. I have tried accelerating and driving fast, and doing so does not add much speed to the ball (at most, users can increase the ball speed from roughly 6.0 mph to 7.0 mph) and it's not worth the loss in accuracy. Driving slowly and in control is best for bowling.

EDIT: here is a video of me bowling on July 11, at our Quad Squad outing…
 

If you have any questions, or would like to see my actual programming speeds for bowling, feel free to contact me.

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net