Each summer for six years and counting, carelessly groomed, long-haired overweight men in frumpy bathrobes and well-coiffed women dressed as spear-carrying She-Visigoths gather in Louisville, Ky. to bowl and sip White Russians – and what-have-you – in celebration of the prolifically inventive Coen brothers’ (Fargo, Raising Arizona) movie The The Big Lebowski. The film, which came out in 1998, was the first cult film of the internet age, according to the author of I’m a Lebowski, You’re a Lebowski: Life, The Big Lebowski and What-Have-You ($13.72) and this article which will fill you in on all-things-Dude and why repeating the repetitive phrases in the film is part of the fun. If you haven’t met him already: The Dude. If you can’t make it to any of the Big Lebowski festivals this summer – voted one of the Best Summer Road Trips for 2008 by FHM and Maxim – get in the spirit by creating your own celebration. First, get the movie ($20), a recipe for White Russians and a rug that really ties the room together – I like the prices of these in the Andy Warhol series. You must have a Dude Abides T-shirt ($15) and take a look at these posters. Meet other Dudists at dudeism.com, which promotes self-help materials: All I Really Need to Know I Learned Watching The Big Lebowski and The Five People You Bowl With in Heaven. To find the best bowling ball for you, read over these reviews. Grab a ball Walter would love, the Purple Pearl, which one reviewer described as “not over aggressive,” or the Ultimate Inferno ($105) , described as the “most forgiving ball I ever owned.” When you are ready to roll, grab this Smiley Faces bowling bag (on sale $17) and be sure to have snake oil ($5 for 4 oz.) on hand. Of course, if you are a true Dude, you will do none of this – am I wrong?