I’m a lifelong resident of the Greater Philadelphia area. As such, I’m one of those long-suffering Philly sports fans.

I wouldn’t say I live and die with the local sporting franchises, because, quite simply, I don’t — like most people, I have far more pressing matters in my life. Even so, on the occasions I’ve had to bathe in the glow of a local team winning its championship, I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Last year, around this time, one of those teams, the Phillies, won the city its first major sports championship in a quarter century. Many fans like me, who had grown accustomed to disappointment, entered a state of minor ecstasy, as a team full of truly likable players won the World Series. It was a wonderful time, and it’s probably fair to say it put a spring into many a step across the Delaware Valley.

But regardless of the extra spring in my step, I still had to go to work, pay bills, and most of my real-life responsibilities were still awaiting me after the euphoria swept through. In other words, not much changed.

This year, our beloved baseball team reprised its role in the World Series, facing off against the storied New York Yankees. And last night, the Yankees beat the Phillies in six games, adding to Yankee lore and somewhat justifying what has long been the highest payroll in Major League Baseball.

It hurt for a few minutes, as I thought about the missed opportunities that might have tilted the outcome in my team’s favor. That aside, the reality is that it’s over, and for the most part, it was a lot of fun to watch and listen to. And even though I don’t have that extra spring in my step this time around, the day after the end of the World Series — a Thursday, like it was last year — requires the same of me as a normal day would. And so, life goes on, pretty much the same as it always does.

And, in the words of Forrest Gump, that’s all I have to say about that.

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This used to be the Texaco station where I filled up the gas tank when I first started driving. It closed some time ago, and either the owners or the folks in the community opted to turn the old service station structure into a mural. I’m not sure why, but I like it.

I had almost forgotten about Nick Virgilio when I ran across an article about him in Thursday’s Daily News. And a shame it would have been to let Virgilio slip my mind completely.

Though I have only recently attempted the haiku form, I’ve admired it for much longer. Virgilio has been at the top of that admired list, especially since he was from the greater Philadelphia area. The aforementioned article is about an event to celebrate the life and work of the Camden haiku master twenty years after his passing.

And while I’m droning on about Virgilio, I should mention the Nick Virgilio Poetry Project — a fine website put up by Rutgers University in his honor. It has a nice archive of his work, including my favorite of his haiku:

my spring love affair:
the old upright Remington
wears a new ribbon

Most people seem to like “Lily” better, but whatever your taste in haiku, you should check out the site.