The AL isn't Real Baseball.

For what it's worth, I was just thinking about the incredible game of baseball and why it has always been my favourite sport... I imagine that much of my attraction for baseball comes from my family and the rich tradition it holds in our unity. My parents tell me that my first word was ball... I believe it. As long as I can remember, I have loved playing hardball and loved following the family team, the New York Mets.

Well, the Mets can certainly be embarrassing and difficult to stand behind (most seasons of my life), but at least we've got one thing we can be proud of... we play in the National League. Baseball is a game of strategy, a game of skill and craft, a game of athletes... it is unlike any other sport in that it takes nine players out on the diamond, playing offense and defense. It is not made of offensive teams and defensive units, like football. The National League is the only model of true professional baseball we have in the States. The designated hitter takes the complexity out of the game... I believe in small ball, manufacturing runs, double switches, pitchers bunting, strategy... and I believe in the NL.

Don't get me wrong, there are teams in the AL that I like... teams that play NL-style ball like the Twins, but by and large, it's hard for me to pull for the American League in the Series. Now, I can't think of a time in recent history that I've cared less about the World Series than today, but as much as I resent the Phils... I'll never stop rooting against the most disgusting franchise in all of professional sports, the New York Yankees (that's a rant for another day).

OctoFest.

In anticipation of Festival 8, the epic three-day Halloween party, I have created a new print. The screenprints are available for pre-sale now and will be available in the festival campgrounds and parking lots next weekend.

OctoFest is a limited edition three-colour screenprint run of 150, all signed and numbered. Please contact me if you would like to purchase a print (shoot me an email at paisleyblue(at)gmail(dot)com. Price is $25, plus $10 shipping/handling in mailing tube to anywhere in the US/Canada. Please also add $2 if paying by PayPal to cover their fees.

In case you're not hip on Festival 8, here's a little more about the spot and the magic that lies ahead. With lush green fields and palm trees, and surrounded by vistas of California's majestic Santa Rosa mountains, the Empire Polo Club (home of Coachella) is simply breathtaking (just trust me). So, keeping the tradition of past Halloween shows, Phish will don a musical costume on Halloween night and cover another band's album. The tradition began on Halloween 1994 with Phish covering The Beatles' The White Album. In subsequent years, they covered The Who's Quadrophenia, Talking Heads' Remain in Light and the Velvet Underground's Loaded.

The band will play eight sets over the course of three days, and as with all past Phish festivals, fans will enjoy on-site camping, numerous attractions and art installations throughout the weekend. And, on Sunday morning, Phish will perform it's first full-length acoustic set with complimentary coffee and donuts! There will be dozens of microbreweries around the site, MLB World Series coverage (as long as the Yankees aren't in it) at an Olympic peak overlook tent, light installations all over the palm trees and grounds, and well, I'll be walking around in an octopus costume selling my prints on Halloween!