OCTOBER MADNESS

What were you doing at 2:45 am this morning?

If you were like me, you were watching our beloved Toronto Blue Jays give their best against the LA Dodgers in the 18 inning marathon third game of the World Series.

A bit of madness? I suppose so but it's not often you get to watch history in the making. Although our boys came up short, it was a valiant effort and something tells me that their resilience and ability to cope with adversity will be on display tonight in Game 4.

Yes, I'll be there. After all, I'm not at all sure I can wait another 32 years for the next Blue Jay appearance in World Series. 

                              Go Jays!!!

UNDER LOCK AND KEY

Have you ever had to find a store clerk to unlock a cabinet so you could purchase an item?

Maybe electronics, a medication, alcohol, a firearm? I get it.

Even things like baby formula and hair care products are often locked up due to concerns over retail crime. But PICKLEBALLS! 

I recently went to Canadian Tire to purchase some balls for outdoor play. Next to a display of tennis balls and rackets was a locked plexiglass case with pickleballs. Really?

For a moment I felt like a criminal trying to get a hit of cocaine. Not a salesperson in sight, I went to the service desk. After a five minute wait, (Sorry, sir. It appears Larry is on break), a young man appeared, a set of keys dangling in his right hand. He unlocked the case, handed me plastic cylinder of yellow balls and then accompanied me to the cash. Did he think my red and white striped tee-shirt made me look like a criminal? Did my running shoes make him think I might make a break for it?

I realize that pickleball is very popular these days but what's next under lockdown? Microwave popcorn? Triple A batteries? Kraft dinner?

I do like Kraft dinner.

THE PAPERBACK IS HERE!

 

 The paperback version of my book has arrived on Amazon.

Very exciting.

See below for the link.

For all my Canadian readers, I promise a jar of strawberry jam with every order. 

Anything to boost sales.

Keep leading with your heart.

Mike

Available now on Amazon: USA: https://a.co/d/dKcMxv4

CAN: https://a.co/d/hz7mNSp

 

 

BOOK LAUNCH

It's been a long process getting my bridge book from an idea to a 400-page volume. The genesis of the book came on New Year's Eve 2022 when I was discussing resolutions for the New Year with my daughter Janice and her husband. As some of you may know, I am a New Year resolutionist.

When I suggested writing a bridge book for beginners, my daughter insisted that I tell a story about four people learning the game together. 

"People learn better through stories, Dad", she insisted. "No one wants to just read about a bunch of rules and conventions."

And so I set out to tell a story. Six months later, I was ready to test run my book. 

Your dialogue needs work, your characters lack depth, your lessons are flawed, your book needs to give the reader the opportunity to practice using apps. And those were just comments from my immediate family.

Needless to say, I put the book on a back shelf to collect dust. 

New Year's 2023 came along and with it another project. I decided to put together a book for Brebeuf College's 60 th anniversary by collecting stories from staff and students of the school both past and present. With the help of former colleague Sandra Boetto, we collected almost 150 memories. 

But what to do with them? By a fortuitous happenstance, I was introduced to book designer Luis Flavio Nunes who helped us produce a successful product.

In my interactions with Luis, he discovered I had tried my hand at writing a bridge book. 

"Can I have a look?" he asked.

You see, Luis knows a thing or two about bridge. He has helped bridge guru Barbara Seagram get a few of her books to print and is the man responsible for all of her newsletters.

"I think you might have something there Mike," he wrote, ever encouraging. 

And so began our twelve month project. In fact, Luis began by drawing up four pages of notes on the characters in the book. I was a bit surprised but quickly realized that writing a book, unless you're Stephen King, requires lots of planning. In fact, Luis explained that it might take 14 or 15 revisions to get it right. I scoffed at the idea which I now realize is more fact than fiction.

When the book was finished, I was gratified to get a Canadian Bridge Champion to review it. Dave Colbert, a fellow math head from my teaching days, was kind enough to make sure I got all the salient bridge pieces in the book correct. 

The book is called Bringing Us Together One Hand at a Time and it's now available on Amazon as a e-book. A paperback version of the book is in the works.

I'm certainly not out to make a lot of money from this venture but rather, to grow the game of bridge. And in the process, hopefully bring people together, one hand at a time. 

A CAUTIONARY TALE

 The phone rang too early for it to be a telemarketer. Terry took it upstairs and after a few minutes came down to the main floor to share with me.

"Who was that?" I asked.

"It was our grandson. He has the worst cold. I could barely recognize his voice. He said he was on some sinus meds to help but he really sounded rough. He called to tell me that he and a buddy were out driving in a friend's car last night at the university and had run a stop sign. The police stopped them and when they checked the car, they found some drugs in the trunk."

My stomach began to tighten.

"He passed their drug test but he's being held at the station. He asked for $5,000 to bail him out. And he insisted I tell no one about his dilemma."

Warning bells started to go off.

$5,000?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes, that clued me in too. That's when I asked him what his birthday was. And then click. ..the phone went dead."

We've heard of such scams before but when they happen to you, it really undermines your trust in others.

Be wary! There are some very unscrupulous people out there. 

THE REST OF THE STORY

Sad news yesterday of the passing of hockey legend, Ken Dryden. As well as being an extraordinary goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens and Team Canada '72, he was also an author, teacher, lawyer and federal cabinet minister. 

When he appeared in the 1971 Stanley Cup playoffs after only six games at the NHL level, he was a virtual unknown. By the end of those playoffs, when he hoisted the Championship trophy and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, he was known from coast to coast for his unique style and posture in the goal.

It's reported that he genuinely cared about people, about hearing them, and about helping them along their path. That sense of caring and responsibility definitely came from his parents, Murray and Margaret Dryden, who founded Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW) in 1970, a charity that provides bed kits to children (aged six to twelve) in developing countries. Our friend Clarence DeYoung has been involved with SCAW for over thirty years and speaks passionately about his visits to countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to distribute these kits. The charity's operating expenses are covered by an endowment from the Drydens and 100% of donations go to the bedkit contents. So remarkable!

Indeed, Ken Dryden's legacy went far beyond hockey.

And know you know why.

MY PROJECT

Over the past twelve months, I have been involved in a writing project that has taken my focus away from this blog.

It's a primer on learning the game of bridge.

There are probably hundreds of such books but hopefully none that have taken my storytelling approach.

I am now in the process of deciding how to publish what I have written. Much to my surprise, I have discovered that Canadian publishers don't come cheaply. It costs at least $2,000 to get any book to the public.

As an alternative, there is the Amazon Kindle Direct approach, a self-publishing company that handles about 4 million books a year. Although cost-wise appealing, there's the danger that one's book simply gets lost in the shuffle. 

Stay tuned.

Any help or suggestions would be most appreciated.

AMERICAN DIRT

Have you ever read a book that stays with you days after you've finished it?

That was my experience after reading the novel, American Dirt, by Jeanine Cummins. It's a thriller about a mother and her eight-year- old son's attempt to flee the corruption and violence of Acapulco, Mexico to the apparent safety of the United States.

Although it's a gruesome story in parts. It's also a story of courage and compassion, of love and generosity, of determination and devotion.

As well, it is written with a style that masterfully captures the range of emotions felt by the survivors of a family massacre. 

A powerful read and one that I recommend to anyone open to a drama that is all too realistic in today's world. 

0.2 SECONDS

I'm in the minority when it comes to watching football. 

In fact, any fan of the Canadian Football League is, its on-field product considered by most to be inferior to the glitz and professionalism of the National Football League.

However, I still persist in watching and usually enjoying the Canadian game, even if it does have anachronisms like the rouge and the rugby-style dropkick.

Recently, I've been surprised to see the scoreboard showing tenths of a second as the clock runs down in the final minute of each half of the game and wondered about the need for such precision....until last week's Montreal vs British Columbia game.

Montreal had a two-point lead with just three seconds to play. BC in Montreal's territory, they completed a short pass to Montreal's 35 as the game clock hit zero. But wait....the clock went out for a moment and then came back on...showing 0.2 seconds left to play. Really?

British Columbia made the field goal to win the game and spoil my evening...lol.

I guess every second, I mean, every split second really does count in the Canadian game. 

A MIRACLE in the MAKING

Just when we thought our extended family was complete, our daughter Carolyn and her husband Chris surprised us with the news that they are expecting their third child in early January.

What a wonderful way to ring in the New Year.

Their two boys, ages 7 and 5, are delighted and have already begun to make room for the new baby in their hearts and minds with welcoming drawings and hugs to mummy's wee bump.

Such a magical time.

Indeed, we are very blessed.

ET CUM SPIRITU TUO... OH OH

A recent article in the Toronto Star suggested that our new Pope may be rocking a more elegant style as he makes public appearances wearing red satin capes and crosses held by a double-stranded silken gold cords. Certainly, a far cry from the much simpler appearance of his predecessor, Pope Francis.

This return to the sartorial look of the past has not only the heads of fashionistas turning, it's making me wonder if Pope Leo is considering a return to the more conservative elements of the Church like the Latin Mass.

Please don't go there!

I have nothing against Latin. In fact, back in the last century, I quite enjoyed learning all about its symmetry and order. I still remember that 'nauta' (sailor), 'agricola' (farmer) and 'incola' (inhabitant)  are some of the rare masculine nouns in the first declension and that 'sum', 'esse', and 'fui' are parts of the irregular verb 'to be.' And don't get me started on the dative case, no....absolutely nothing to do with wooing the opposite sex.

Like chariots and gladiators, Latin is a relic from the past and as such, should be left there.

Show me a dark-haired person singing a hymn in Latin and I'll show you a person wearing a wig. 

The Catholic Church made significant strides under the tenure of Pope Francis. Let's hope our new Pope will continue to look forward and that his fashion sense never gets in the way of his common sense.

A MAN for ALL SPORTS SEASONS

Last night's hockey game loss to the Florida Panthers was a devastating one for the Toronto Maple Leafs and their fan base, who have been waiting for almost sixty years for a playoff breakthrough.

I couldn't help but think of my friend Ed Durham as I watched the game. Ed passed away last week at the age of 90 after hip surgery. He was a big Maple Leaf fan who always hoped they could return to their glory days of the 60s.

Ed played hockey at the minor league level as a young man and continued playing on pick-up teams well into his 70s. On more than one occasion, he thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to play against some retired Leafs like Bobby Baun, Red Kelly, and Bob Pulford in old-timer charity games. 

Ed loved all sports including pickleball which he played until the age of 84. 

I used to love hearing his sport stories from the past including the day he separated his shoulder sliding into home plate in a baseball game or the week that he and his parents drove to Pasadena, California from their family home in Manitoba to watch the 1952 Rose Bowl Game. I also learned that back in the 50s, you could get a driver's license at a small bait and tackle shop just outside of Winnipeg.

More recently, we enjoyed some NFL football games together. When the Buffalo Bills played the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs in 2023, he learned all about Taylor Swift. In the 2024 game, he put his allegiances to Buffalo aside as he cheered for the Chiefs to keep scoring so he could get another glimpse of that ‘music girl,’ he called her. 

Ed and his wife Heather, who passed away in 2019, used to enjoy curling together and every year since 1993, their son Ryan hosts a bonspiel at the Thornhill Country Club in support of spinal cord research. Ed was so very proud of his son's fundraisers which to date have raised almost $700,000.

Here's hoping Ed is now able to watch all the games he loves with his wife by his side. He was a good man and I miss him for his kindness and his love for all things sport-related.

May he rest in peace.

WELCOME POPE LEO

Here is a press release from the Archdiocese of Toronto. A hopeful piece, the only thing lacking is a mention that the new Pope has a degree in Mathematics from Villanova University in Philadelphia. If anyone can understand infinity, it's him.

Habemus Papam! Pope Leo XIV named 267th successor of Peter

Posted : May-08-2025

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, O.S.A. of the United States has been elected the 267th Pope and has stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica as Pope Leo XIV.

Born in 1955 in Chicago, Illinois, the 69-year-old becomes the first US-born Pope in history. He is a past provincial prior for the Augustinian Province in Chicago and also previously served as a missionary in Peru.

It has been a long while since the Church has had a Pope taking the name of Leo, the last being Pope Leo XIII, elected in 1878 and serving until his death in 1903.

An emotional Prevost hesitated at first before speaking as the crowd cheered him on.

"We still have the sound in our ears of the weak voice of Pope Francis who was blessing Rome here," he said, speaking in Italian.

"Giving his blessing to the world on that day of Easter Sunday. Allow me to continue that same blessing. God loves everyone. Evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. So without fear, united, hand in hand, with God in ourselves, we go forward."

He added: "We are disciples of Christ … the world needs his light. Humanity needs him."

Leo then thanked his predecessor.

"May we all build bridges with dialogue … so that we can all be one people in peace. Thank you, Pope Francis."

In his first comments in Italian, Pope Leo XIV says he wants this message of peace to “enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are.”

Paying tribute to Pope Francis, he urges faithful to “move forward, without fear, united, hand in hand with God and with each other.”

He also thanks fellow cardinals for choosing him for the role.

In his first comments, the new pope calls for the light of Christ to serve “as the bridge” to God’s love.

He recalls the words of St Augustine:

For you I am a bishop; but with you I am a Christian.
He also says a few words addressed to the church of Rome, and thanks his (now former) diocese in Chiclayo in Peru.

He leads the faithful in St Peter’s Square in prayer, with Ave Maria.

A HUMBLE SERVANT

The world said goodbye to Pope Francis today in a beautiful funeral service in front of thousands in St Peter's Square.

His wooden casket seemed in stark contrast to the stunning architecture that surrounded the event. 

Many have spoken about the Pope's compassion for the marginalized, his constant reminder of God's mercy for us, and his voice of reason in the midst a very unreasonable world.

However, I think one reporter said it best when he described Pope Francis as a shepherd who smelled like his sheep.

May you be richly rewarded for your humble service, Pope Francis.