The Real Meaning of Halloween

Darkness falls across the land. The midnight hour is close at hand...

Tomorrow is All Saints Day, making tonight All Hallows Eve, or Halloween for short. It's the one time of the year when it's okay to NOT be yourself. Costumes are encouraged, and it doesn't seem to matter whether they're scary, silly, or just plain creative. My kids went to school this morning in full garb, ready to enjoy the moment. Tonight they will be gathering with friends to conduct the traditional ritual of going door-to-door to exchange their cry of "Trick or treat" for some candy and other goodies. It's quite the strange concept when you think about it.

I know it has its roots in ancient times with Pagans and Puritans, but today it represents something more important...the opportunity to live life in the moment. It's a time to use our imaginations that are too often stifled during the rest of the year. It's a time to be part of a fantasy without being ridiculed. It's a time for neighbours to see each other, and comment on how much the kids have grown. It's a time for kids to say "Thank you", like a hundred times, and an opportunity for parents to remind them that respect for property is always important. It's a time for parents to realize that their little princess, or superman really is a princess or superman to them. And when it's all over, it's a time for families to feel good about themselves, their communities, and the special memories they will carry forward with them to the next generation. That's pretty special in my book.

So tonight as you wander the neighbourhood seeking out your treasure, or fly on your broomstick to your annual gathering in Salem, remember to stay safe, warm, and aware. And most of all, remember that tonight it's okay to live in a make-believe world. But the best, most fulfilling, creative experiences you will ever have, are right here at home.

Oh...and one more thing....BOO! (I hope I didn't scare you too much.)

   Don

The Home Team

Sometimes your team wins, sometimes it loses. But either way, you have fun cheering. Sometimes your team's rival is playing, and that's almost as much fun. It doesn't matter who the rival is playing, any opponent of your rival is your friend. I think General Patton said that. Okay, maybe not. My point is that as along as there is some sort of connection to your team, you can get emotionally invested in it. But what if no connection exists?

Tonight, the St. Louis Cardinals played the Texas Rangers for the 2011 World Series. I'd tell you how exciting it was for me, but the truth is, I didn't really care who won. The connection between either team and my chosen one (the Toronto Blue Jays) was too distant to be of interest. But sports (particularly baseball...sorry, I had to say it) can be very boring if you don't choose a side and get into it. So who did I choose? The home team.

It's always more exciting to root for the home team. The crowd gets into the game and your emotions are played like puppet strings by all their mood swings. When the visiting team scores, it's so quiet you'd think the game was on a temporary rain delay. But when the home team scores...it's ELECTRIC!

Tonight, in game 7 of the World Series, the St. Louis Cardinals gave their fans something to cheer about...a World Series victory. Confetti flew. People screamed (and probably looted some stores and overturned some police cars downtown). It was exciting. No, my team didn't win, they weren't even playing, but at least the team that made the game exciting did.

It's always more fun when the home team wins the championship. Congratulations to the fans of St. Louis. Now how about some finals hockey games in Montreal, please.

   Don

Strike Lockout Whatever

If you're a Major League pitcher trying to get ahead in the count, a strike is a good thing. If you're a sports fan just wanting to see top athletes compete, the term strike has a very different meaning. Of course, if it's management that's officially causing the disruption, it's called a lockout, but the end result is the same...it's a labour dispute, and games are cancelled.

Such is the case right now in the NBA. I don't want to get into all the political, financial, and contractual details behind it, because it really doesn't matter. All that matters to us fans is that NBA basketball isn't happening yet this season, and may not for quite some time. If you're looking for the score, I can give it to you:

Players: 0  Owners: 0  Fans: 0

I wonder if they really understand the impact of a labour dispute? Major League Baseball certainly does. In the 1994-1995 season, baseball suffered a 232 day work stoppage. Yes, I'm sure something eventually got resolved. I'm sure neither side got what they wanted. But what about the fans? The truth is....many of them left, and NEVER came back! The league-leading Montreal Expos essentially packed it in, having been robbed of their chance at a World Series (it was cancelled due to the strike). While I don't live in a city currently involved in the World Series, there still used to be a buzz around town about it. That buzz hasn't existed in many years. I think the strike played a role in turning people away from the sport in general.

That's the real problem here. Professional sports is entertainment, nothing more. It exists only because we want it to exist. When it stops entertaining us, it no longer has a purpose. It's very expensive to attend professional sporting events. When a prolonged labour dispute has us turn our attentions away from the game and spend our ticket money on other things, we often realize that we were spending too much money watching some high-priced people play a game that we play for free, and we spend our precious dollars elsewhere.

The NBA is currently in a very delicate situation. Their labour dispute will not easily be resolved. Both sides are gearing up for a long battle. They are willing to lose in the short term, to win in the long term. The only problem is, there are THREE sides to this equation. And if the fans get tired of it all and walk away, then everybody loses.

   Don