Seminar on the United Nations and International Affairs

Well, come on guys and gals… Is that a silly question or what??
Sure it’s always good to load up on water and stay hydrated!! (I always try to be…but that’s beside the point.) Or maybe you guys like to drink different kinds of juices every once in a while to mix it up. And that is ok. But seriously, when it comes down to it, in my opinion there is only one ultimate drink!! I know you guys and gals may be asking yourselves what drink this may be… Well I’ll tell you!!
HOLD ON THOUGH!!! CAUSE THIS IS GONNA BE MIND-BLASTING!!

The answer my friends is…(drum roll please)… CHOCOLATE MILK!!
Yes you heard/read right!! Chocolate milk is the best. Not only is it delicious, refreshing and well over all  pure goodness in a bottle, but it is actually super healthy. In some aspects even better than just drinking water.

Now, I know that not everyone likes to hear or read about this kind of stuff, but I am quite the health conscious guy, kind of a geek really, and read tons of articles and know many random facts about that kind of stuff. If you don’t believe me, ask the other counselors.
So anyways,  I thought I may share some of the facts as to why this yummy drink is as great as I’m telling you guys it is. Here it goes…

1) Each glass of chocolate milk we drink is packed with both micro and macro-nutrients, which are essential for a healthy body.
2) Calcium. Yeah, calcium… and tons of it. I know all of you know that calcium is needed for the development and strengthening of your bones. But did you know that having more calcium in your diet (approx. 1000mg) exponentially increases your body’s ability to absorb fat?
3) It is, as most milks, fortified with vitamin D. Cause all the calcium in the world won’t do us any good if we can’t put it to good use. Vitamin D is responsible from aiding your body to absorb and process calcium. This vitamin is produced in our bodies by exposure to sunlight. And you may think that you spend enough time outside to get enough of it; but recent studies have showed that over 70%of  people in north america don’t have enough of it in their diets. So Chocolate milk gives us a good kick start to get our vitamin D.
4) It gives us an endurance boost. This happens because milk has naturally occurring electrolytes that work much better than those found in sports drinks. And to be honest, it tastes much much better. Not only that  but it keeps us hydrated, even more so than water!!
5) It helps your body prepare or recover before or after physical activity. This happens because there is a great amount of protein in chocolate milk, the good kind of protein. There is 2 kinds of protein in milk. Whey protein (the one found in almost all protein powders and protein bars), and casein (found mostly in milk and cheese).  Whey protein is not very good since it only stays in your body for a very short amount of time. It is because of that, that of the whey protein you consume, only about 40-60% is absorbed. Whereas, casein stays in your system for up to 8hrs, allowing it to be absorbed almost completely.

These are just some of the benefits of drinking chocolate milk daily. With that being said though… remember that too much of even a good thing can be bad for you.

But at least now all of you know what  the ultimate drink is!!
In my opinion at least! Hehe.

For the last two days I’ve been working in Calgary on a shoot for a film that my friends Kurt and Dustin are directing and producing, respectively. Now, before you go thinking that we’re running around with a camcorder taking “artistic” shots at silly angles, I should set some things straight. This stuff is pretty pro with a capital “P”. The camera they are using is the same kind that they used to shoot Pirates of the Caribbean 4 (that’s your cue to be impressed!). Are you impressed? Good! Now we’re clear that this is not exactly an amateur ordeal… it’s just awesome.

Anyway, the film (entitled Cody Fitz, after the protagonist), had a crew of a couple dozen for the two days I worked on the shoot. We were all jammed, equipment and all, into the tiny living-dining-kitchen area of someone’s house. I was assigned the job of “grip”, which, as it sounds like, meant that it was a lot of holding things and moving stuff. Not going to lie, it was still pretty great. I’ve never been “behind the scenes” on any kind of movie to T.V. shoot, and I just had a blast.

I’m studying Drama in school, and though that concerns theatre more than it does film, the two mediums obviously have a lot in common! Film is still something I think I may want go get into, and it was wonderful having the chance to get to work on a large-scale feature-length film (if only for a couple days).

Well, I think that’s enough of my ramblings, but if you’re checking out a film festival next year try to look out for Cody Fitz (and the name of that grip “Harley Morison” in the credits). At the very least, definitely remember the name “Kurt Harder”… if you haven’t heard of him yet, you will! This up-and-coming, Vancouver-bound director is bound to make some waves in the film industry in the coming years!

Looking for something to blog about, I came across a page of conversation starters.  The site detailed the logistics of a conversation (first contact, introductions, speaking, and conclusion), and included some ideas of what to say to break the ice, so to speak, and hopefully stir up some interesting conversation.

I was interested in the kinds of questions they suggested asking.  On the list of conversation starters to use on a first date, there was the standard “How was your day?”, followed shortly by a series of questions I have never personally asked anyone I’ve just met, and hope to never be asked by a stranger!  Such as…

“What time do you normally wake up?”

“What time do you normally go to bed?”

“What were you doing 30 minutes ago?”

“Where were you at 1AM Sunday morning?”

Not only do some of these questions sound a little interrogatory and intense, but replace some of those “Where/what were you”s with a “I know what/where you” and they just may come across sounding suspiciously stalker-esque!  Not quite the impression I strive to give on a first date!

Finally, a selection of my favourite conversation starters from the rest of this beautiful website. Cheers everyone!

“Have you ever kissed someone who’s name started with an S?”

“Who’s your favourite TV attorney?”

“Have you ever been in love with 3 people at the same time?”

“Have you ever had a crush on an animated character?”

“What are your favourite 3 websites and why?”

“Have you ever milked a cow or goat?”

“Have you ever crawled through a window?”
Hee hee,

Em

It seems I’m not the only fan around here.

I just got home from seeing the very last Harry Potter movie, and though it was amazing and wonderful and, for lack of a better word, magical, I can’t help feeling sad that it’s all over.  I, like Faiz, am a big HP nerd (no offense buddy.)  Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was one of the first big girl books that I read to my dad (rather than with him,) and by the time I got my hands on the second one I tore through it in a matter of days.  I waited as patiently as I could for the release of each new book,  I’ve been Harry Potter for Halloween on multiple occasions, and I’ve attended more midnight showings than I like to admit.  It’s funny to think that something as silly as a series of books, and the characters in it, have made such an impact on my childhood.  But there’s no denying it!

In English AP this year, we got into many heated discussions (some would say debates!) about what constitutes a good book, or what qualifies as literature.  It’s not something that’s easily defined, but we generally agreed on a few things:

First, that it should be relatable to everyone who reads it, regardless of the subject matter.  Looking at the hoards of HP fans, young and old alike, I think it’s safe to say that people find something in JK Rowling’s books that resonates deeper than just a silly story about some wand wielding wizards.

Second, that it should carry an underlying message or theme to the reader.  For me, personally, I think that the morals underlined in all of the HP books are important for children in particular to learn and recognize – integrity, courage, and perseverance being among them.

Now I’m not trying to say that Harry Potter is great literature, or that JK should be, by any means, be counted alongside the greats – the Dickens and the Austens and the Orwells.  But there is something to be said about the boy who lived, and became one of the most famous person in his world, and ours.

I just really love Harry Potter, okay!?!?

Emily

Tonight, at midnight, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 will be released, the final movie in the series. This not only means the end of the Harry Potter series (although JK Rowling has announced a new site called Pottermore, with over 18,000 new words of content), it also means the end of my childhood.

It’s funny, when the first book came out in 1997, I was actually determined not to read it. I thought it was pretty stupid, even though I didn’t really know what it was about. Eventually, I caved and decided to read them. By that time, the first four books had come out. I read the first one and as soon as I finished, went to the second one. Then the third, then the fourth. I fell in love with the books, as most children did, and couldn’t wait for the fifth one, and the sixth one, and the final, seventh one.

One of the greatest things about the series is how I felt like I grew up with Harry, Hermione and Ron. I started reading the books at about age 9, and the last book came out when I was 16, so I was pretty close in age to the characters. The movies even more so. I mean, I am only a year younger than Emma Watson, who plays Hermione and who makes me supremely jealous of Ron Weasley.

So yes, I do think that tonight marks the end of an era, not just for Harry, Rowling, and everyone associated with Harry Potter, but for myself as well. Now that its done, I guess I will have to grow up.

Well, at least I still have one more day.