Bowling out of turn - Emergency Post

So this comes at an odd time, following an odd occation, because of an unusual event and will come online as an unadulterated piece without edits. This post will include no photos and will not be about a cultural event (unless you enjoy doing what I have experienced tonight). This is a straight up rant. In fact, I'll tell you the message of this whole story even before you read it:

Don't get all bogged down in all the bullshit.

This morning when I woke up, I was in one of those moods you just sometimes get in. Overall, I am a very positive person and the kind of "moods I get in" are good ones. I get into the kind of mood where nothing will hurt me; where nothing with bring me down and where no matter what, that day, I will have a good day. Today, I worked all day, as per usual in a positive attitude and because of going to work early one day on the weekend, was able to get off early. I work in a high people-traffic aka touristy area of London, Covent Garden and as I met two friends of mine for dinner and bowling, there was some Avon event taking up the bulk of the main piazza in the market. There were bright flashing lights, there was music and there was a lineup for people to get free avon makeovers. I did NOT participate. But I DID take a picture. I was wearing my black gap jacket, a new cowboy-style shirt I bought this week at H&M and jeans.

I then walked through another touristy area, Leicester (pronounced Lester) Square, stopped in a McDonalds, waited in line, ate a large size Big Mac Meal at a table that was kind of dirty, left, walked kitty corner across the street to the Trocadero, where my two friends and I went up an escalator and went to the bowling alleys. As I was putting on my (still warm/very recently worn) bowling shoes, this is when I realized what was wrong. Somewhere between taking the picture at Covent Garden and replacing the camera in my jacket's breast pocket and the Trocadero, I lost my camera.

Yes, I swore. I swore a great number of times. In fact, I even swore at myself as I ran back to McDonalds, thinking that where the camera must have been. I have come to a conclusion: either there are no honest people left in the world, or I simply didn't leave it there. Sad part is, I'll never actually know which one it is.

Now when I'm traveling, to me, my camera often might even take precedent over my passport. It may be the Japanese in me, but I just LOVE taking pictures of things I see. Stupid things, cool things, strange things, normal things, whatever. Thing is, you can replace a passport; you cannot replace pictures. Pictures are memories; passports are simply tools used to achieve them. (though I understand losing your passport is a HUGE pain in the ass)

Losing your camera is also, let me a assure you, also a HUGE pain in the ass. This is also, might I add, the second time I have either lost my camera or had it stolen in the last two and a half years. As I realised what had just happened, I was pissed; I can't lie about that. But the most important thought that came to mind was that I had, in reality only lost 2 pictures that I had taken. So really, it could have been worse. And just in case it was unclear, losing your camera REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY sucks.

But here's the lesson for all you people who always get bogged down in all the bullshit. Don't worry about things you can't control; it will only bring you down.

Now, I'm suggesting that everyone should go into central London and lose their cameras and that because I only lost two pictures everything is all good. Afterall, through all of my trips in the past year and a half, that camera has been (the replacement to) my best friend. Tomorrow, I am going snowboarding in the French Alps for the weekend (where I've never been before) and I REALLY wanted my camera to be there with me. But I'll live.

When push comes to shove, all I'm saying is that most people would get really depressed about something like losing the second most important (non-living) object in their life (my camera), but no word of a lie, what I said once I stopped pretty much five minutes of straight swearing was: "Well, that sucks, but fuck it. Let's go Bowling." After all, if you can't shrug off the bad, that's all you'll ever end up seeing and you'll never actually experience all the great things life has to offer.

So for fear of sounding like some stupid religion-based uplifting mass email, wake up tomorrow in a good mood and stay that way - even if you lose your camera - and don't get bogged down in all the shit that WILL (not might) happen. After it's done there are two things you can do: get negged or stay postive. If you stay positive life will just be better for everyone.

Thanks for your time.


ps. it actually feels alot better to get that down rather than having it all cramped up, so a sincere thanks for reading.
pps. in case you were wondering, I won both games.