Micah 6:8
Proverbs 29:9,11
Yes, your life matters.
We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?
I just heard that the NHL is planning to move from rock and country to hip-hop as the "soundtrack" of their games - at least in the playoffs and cup finals. Never having been to an NHL game, I can't comment directly, but I can make some sports+music observations from events which I have attended.
My first encounter with sports' apparent need to fill every moment with either action on the field/pitch/court was at an Arena Football game at Joe Louis Arena. The Detroit Drive were hosting another team (sorry, I have absolutely no idea who they played) and I was a bit excited because I had been pitched on the AFL by ESPN and thought it had a decent chance to make it. (It did, lasting 32 seasons until having to file for bankruptcy in 2019.)
Imagine my chagrin when there was absolutely no way to talk about the play or the experience, as the arena's sound system spewed a high-volume rock soundtrack beginning with the end of each football play and only stopping as the ball was being snapped.
The only time one could talk about a play was during the next one - it was simply that loud. It was simply that annoying. I never went to another game.
We faithfully attend every Labour Day Classic game in Hamilton, Ontario (it's on Labour Day, and it really is a classic matchup between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and (almost always) the Toronto Argonauts - by the way, Argos Suck). They do play loud, raucous music, generally rock, but not between every play - the stadium announcer actually gets to tell us what the results of the previous play were - but when there are extended time-outs, whether called by one of the teams of for a TV commercial break, that's when the speakers come to life. Still, it's usually something somewhat related to the game, and it's also a real, honest-to-goodness outdoor stadium, so it's still possible to talk to and hear the folks in nearby seats.
Why must we fill in every moment with noise? (No, I'm not calling all hip-hop noise.) Why can't we have a moment to savour the plays and the fellowship of our fandom? I think if I end up at any indoor sporting event I'll be bringing earplugs of some sort.
Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.
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