You can say chicken, just don't say turkey

The good doctor measured Hannah Foster's head to gauge the size of her brain.
There were zombies inside waiting and apparently they were hungry. Watching the fun was Rebekah McMillan.  

We were warned to watch our steps for scattered body parts, to be prepared for things that go bump in the night, to be aware off unseen hands grabbing us and to not be concerned about hallways that get narrower and narrower.

We were also told that if things got too scary that it was okay to scream 'chicken'. A monster could escort us to the exit. But don't say 'turkey'. Apparently there were creatures inside that really enjoyed turkey.

I told myself I wouldn't say turkey. There was no way I could guarantee I wouldn't say chicken though.

Bowmanville's Fright Night at the Firehouse Youth Centre packed them in again Saturday night. I brought my daughter Rebekah and her friend Hannah Foster again for some thrills. We weren't disappointed.

From the moment we got to the front door we were entertained by two mad doctors who took an unnatural interest in our skulls. There were zombies inside we were told and they were hungry. Great.

Then Beetlejuice came around the corner to warn us about the sandworms. Great, something else to watch out for!

Who was going to scream first we were asked. It was hard to tell due to the fact all three of us screamed in terror for 15 minutes straight.

Beetlejuice kept an eye on the crowd to make sure we were okay.

Beetlejuice came out to greet and frighten a few of the visitors
to the Firehouse Youth Centre's Fright Night.

We went from room to room getting frightened by evil clowns, hungry zombies, mischievous goblins and infamous villains. Then we came to the end of a hallway and at the end of it was Freddy Krueger. Did I mention Freddy Krueger has always been able to frighten the 'bejesus' out of me? Well it didn't take us long to get out of that hallway but it didn't matter, there were more hallways to get through.

When we entered Fright Night at the Firehouse Youth Centre this was
the spooky bar we encountered. They weren't serving anything we wanted to consume!

Let me measure your cranium ladies.

I didn't think it was possible to get frightened and shocked more than I did at last year's Fright Night event. I was wrong. The volunteers who helped put this event together should be given credit, they did an awesome job. Best of all all proceeds went to the United Way. As far as I'm concerned that's a win-win for everyone.

I've always loved Halloween and all the spooky things it does for me. Fright Night has given me one more reason to love it.

Great ghost story, bad parenting

I love a good ghost story. There's something about the spooky unknown that intrigues me which is why Halloween is one of my favourite times of the year.

Oh yah, I also like to scare people. It gives me a sick thrill. To see the frightened reaction of someone responding to something shocking or spooky that is a result of something I've done makes me laugh. I need help, I know. But at least admitting it is half the battle to recovery, right?!?

One family memory that still makes me chuckle out loud to this day was when my best friend Oz and I sneaked up to the back door of my house under cover of darkness. We were 11 or 12 at the time and had been outside goofing around. Inside around the kitchen table my parents and Oz's mom were having a few beverages and shooting the breeze. They couldn't see us but we could see them so on three we burst in through the door and into the kitchen making roaring sounds.

The scream that erupted from my father was unlike anything I've ever heard before or since. He dropped his drink and ran down the hall to get away. The ladies had the dignity to sit there and scream but they didn't run away like my fearless father! Nobody sitting around that kitchen table was impressed with us but we were too busy laughing to notice just how annoyed our parents were. Gawd that was funny.

The other day a colleague at work posted a YouTube video clip about spotting the ghost in a European car commercial that never made it to air because of what happens in it. I'd seen it a few years ago but my mind was in a foggy place when I hit play. I was trying to remember what happens in the commercial and where the ghost appears and ... well just watch the clip above in case you haven't seen it.

DO NOT READ PAST THIS LINE IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE VIDEO

As much as I appreciate giving a good scare I am also one to appreciate it when the tables are turned and I am the one screaming in fear. I jumped then laughed when I'd finished viewing the video.

Once at home I saw my daughter Rebekah on the laptop.

"Hey, want to see something spooky?" I asked her.

We went to the video clip and I watched as my daughter screamed in shock at the ending.

"Daddy, how could you do this to me," she yelled.

My son Tavish was in the living room and came out to see what all the commotion was about.

"Want to see something spooky?" I asked him.

"You've got to see this Tav, it's so cool," Rebekah chimed in.

We set Tav up with the headphones and the computer and told him to watch it carefully or else he would miss the ghost. Hitting play I turned away so he couldn't see me laughing. Little did I know while my back was turned that my four-year-old daughter Bronwyn had sneaked in beside her brother.

I heard a shriek from Tavish and a scream of terror from Bronwyn followed by tears. I'd inadvertently given my daughter the worst scare of her short life. My father of the year award was immediately revoked.

Last night I spent the a number of quality sleeping hours in Bronwyn's room making sure she wasn't frightened and tonight I'm getting her a brighter night light. 

I may enjoy a good fright at this time of the year but not everyone in the family shares my enthusiasm for Halloween.

Never let self doubt hold you back from achieving your dreams

Walter G. Pitman, past president of Ryerson University, met with Heather McMillan
prior to the start of the Leaders in Learning ceremony held on Oct. 13. Heather received the
Walter G. Pitman Award for academic excellence in continuing education
and outstanding contributions to the Ryerson University community.

Three years ago my wife Heather began to fulfill her dream of going back to university. She applied and was accepted at Ryerson University to study public administration on a part-time basis.

I realize for most of us a bucket list item wouldn't be to go BACK to school but to accomplish something a little more exciting. But for Heather going back to the classroom was what did it for her. Give her a textbook and an assignment and she's in her happy place!

After the first course her professor approached her to apply for a scholarship. Heather came back home and was over the moon. I was proud of her and also encouraged her to fill out the scholarship application. Days turned into weeks and every time I asked her if she'd finished filling out the scholarship application Heather always had an excuse. I could tell I was not endearing myself to her with my constant questions (it's the reporter in me) so I shut up. The deadline came and went and she never filled it out.

Why is it so easy to make decisions for other people but difficult to make them for ourselves? I knew from the day I met Heather that she was destined to do great things with her life and she has proven me right every step of the way. The biggest obstacle she has consistently run into is her own self doubt. She's afraid of failure. We've all fallen short of expectations at some points in our lives but it's what we learn from our failures that helps us become successful later.

The next year I brought the subject up again.

"I could but my grade point average needs to be higher," was the excuse I got.

My wife is a lot of things but a good liar she is not. I saw the self doubt in her eyes, I read it in her body language. She wasn't comfortable applying so again I didn't push her.

Heather finished her third course this year and again she was encouraged by her professor to apply for a scholarship. I was surprised and happy when she actually filled it out and submitted it. If you fulfill every requirement of the scholarship there's a good chance your application will get a second look by the university.

Well not only did Heather's scholarship application get a second look but she got notice a few weeks ago that she would be this year's recipient of the Walter G. Pitman Award. Next semester's course wouldn't cost her a dime!

"I'm not an academic," Heather told me.

"You're a university student who has just been awarded a scholarship. What else would you call it?" I'd asked.

When you're right, you're right. Heather didn't mention it again.

We travelled into Toronto together on Thursday night to attend the Leaders in Learning 2011 ceremony held at Ryerson. She was nervous and I could see the self doubt creeping back into her mind. Then we met Walter Pitman, the former president of Ryerson University from 1975 to 1980. He was thrilled to meet Heather as she was him. They spoke at length about continuing education and its importance.

I could see while they spoke Heather become more comfortable. Later when the two met on stage for the awards ceremony Heather was even more at ease. She was surrounded by her peers, all of them academics.

Never let self doubt get in the way of achieving your dreams. It's an ugly human condition many of us suffer from and it holds us back.

I am hopeful Heather is now as confident in her abilities as I have always been. She may not be comfortable calling herself an academic but her actions and her grades tell a different story.

She did good. I'm proud of her.

Chiefs country no more

Last Tuesday I walked into the gymnasium of Oshawa Central Collegiate Institute where I play basketball with a great group of friends. We've been playing now for years but something about the gym was different on this night.

The floor was shining like a top for one thing. The custodians had buffed it to the point where you could almost see your reflection in it. But there was something else different -- the space on the wall above the bleachers was bare where once it boasted 'CHIEFS COUNTRY'. That's because Central's sports teams have always been called the Chiefs. At centre court there was also a school crest where once a Chiefs logo was painted.

Apparently Central is no longer Chiefs Country as the school has erased the Chiefs moniker. When I asked one of my colleagues, who's a teacher at the school, what the new name was for the school's sports teams he didn't know.

I realize in this era of political correctness some people might take offense to the term Chiefs. Others though see Chiefs as a powerful name, one of pride, leadership and courage.

Indeed, you don't have to look very far, even in Durham Region, to find aboriginal logos and names on sports jerseys. The Brooklin Redmen are one of the areas more popular lacrosse teams.

In the NFL there are the Washington Redskins, in Major League Baseball there are the Cleveland Indians and the Atlanta Braves and the NHL has the Chicago Blackhawks who sport the best uniforms in hockey as far as I'm concerned (I can admit this despite being a life-long Leaf fan!).

Many of the colleges in Ontario are named after aboriginal tribes such as Algonquin, Seneca and Mohawk. These names were chosen for their strength and a tribute to the founding people of this province. It would be a shame if they were ever changed due to political correctness.
By no means does any team or school adopt a native name or logo to insult aboriginal culture. I always liked the 'Chiefs Country' warning painted on the gymnasium wall at Central. It told opposing teams they better watch out because Central was going to put a beating on them. Over the years many of the school's teams have won LOSSA and OFFSA championships.

Did the school go too far erasing the name? Or was it time to head in a different direction? I'm a traditionalist and didn't think Chiefs was insulting to anyone native or otherwise. I'll be interested to see what Central sports teams are called  in the future.