Bouncing an Idea Off [PHIL-OSOPHY]

I admit that I was born off the beaten track. At times, more and more, I'm out there. Let me give you an example of what I'm talking about.

Just recently, I was looking everywhere for a meat mallet to pound the extra-thick chicken breast into thinner fillets, but it was nowhere to be found. So I started to think the worst. Just then, that other voice from within yoohoo-ed me and said improvise for the lost meat bludgeon.

I'm used to making things up as I go along, but this time, I really played it by ear. I spotted a bottle of unopened spring water and imagined it the perfect gizmo to do the job, and to my surprise, it worked really well. I pounded the thick, boneless chicken breast to thin perfection, inside a plastic zip bag, and dinner turned out to be a delicious success.

Here's where it gets a little bizarre: it started with the mallet, but after our meal, I was looking at the same plastic bottle of water, nearly empty, when I started spacing out, thinking about what other genie could there be hiding inside that bottle? And shazaam, I was looking at 10 candlepins in a triangular formation – as in Massachusetts' claim to fame, candlepin bowling! I think the kids will like playing it.

We have nice wood floors to serve as the bowling alley. I have no idea, though, whether to use almost empty bottles and a hockey puck, like in that classic barroom pinball bowling game, or fill the bottles up about 20 percent and use a ball?

Have a fun and safe Labor Day holiday.

Phil Paleologos is the host of The Phil Paleologos Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Contact him at phil@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @PhilPaleologos. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.