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.

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!

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

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

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.

It seems that people’s use of electronic technology, in general, has gone up. Obviously this isn’t surprising with all the advances in computers over the last decade, as well as the increase in output of little.

Now this is all good and well cause we love Facebook and iTunes and the ability to type things up all pretty… but what about when things go wrong? Usually, I tend to do this:

…just kidding, but I’m pretty sure everyone has felt like that sometimes! Like right now, this very instant, as I’m writing this and trying to load that video up there and my wireless isn’t working! Grr!

Yes, the Internet is wonderful (and a lot more convenient than the old days of dial-up), but personally I think it’s becoming overused. Internet has become a utility rather than a luxury, up there with electricity, water, and natural gas. Nowadays, it’s become an expectation (from school, work, or what have you) to have a reliable, 24/7 connection with the Internet… and when it doesn’t work, bam! it screws everything up, doesn’t?

I suppose, then, in a way, the Internet is some sort of weird, societal utility and when it’s having some technical difficulties, it’s almost as annoying as when the power goes out or the sewage backs up.

Food for thought!

Hit me.

At least that’s how it would go in a game of Black Jack.; just keep feeding me cards until I hit 21–or the house wins, whichever comes first.

This recent development in my life has made me nostalgic for a past I can never get back and weary for a future I can’t anticipate. It’s a strange feeling, turning 21; the next big birthday after this is 30. In this year of my existence I willgraduate University with a degree, finish up my tenure with an organization that I have spent one quarter of my life volunteering with, and probably move out of my parents home for the first time in my life.

It’s a big year. Let’s hope I don’t bust.

The thing is my mom doesn’t really understand facebook. Mostly, she doesn’t understand computers. So I have put up all her photos, and taught her how to update statuses and search up people. She has even had me connect facebook with her new blackberry, so she the activity of her 40 friends. Its kind of a time consuming activity helping her use facebook.

There is now a competition within my household between my mom and my stepdad for who has more friends. My mom doesn’t know too many people with facebook, so she has started to add a few of my friends I have received a few texts from some of my friends saying that my mom has been messaging them. My favourite is that she sent one of my girl friends a message just saying “hi.”

Now whenever I put up a new picture, or change my status, without fail my mom is the first to comment. Her responses are usually in letter format. Ex “Hi Melissa, That’s a very nice picture! Love your mommy. Xoxoxox.” Like I said before, I love my mom, but hopefully her fascination with facebook dies down quickly.

Anyway, for my first entry, I’ve decided to talk about The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. If you haven’t read this one, you just have to! Overall, it’s a pretty easy read that doesn’t take much to get through… but it’s still very awesome. Be forewarned though: once you stop you can’t put it down. I read the first novel of the trilogy in a few days, and HAD to keep going. So, I went out and got the second (Catching Fire). By the time I was finished that though, I realized I had seriously been neglecting both school and sleep, so I’m waiting until school’s out for the summer to pick up the third.

To give a brief summary for those who haven’t read it (don’t worry! No spoilers!), the Hunger Games takes place in a sort of post-apocalyptic North America where people live in districts, closed off from the outside world. Altogether, there are twelve districts which each provide resources for the Capitol, which rules over the districts indefinitely. In order to maintain each district’s submission, the Capitol holds the annual Hunger Games, and event where one boy or girl is chosen from each district to participate in a battle to the death. Of course the protagonist is a contender in the Hunger Games, and it all goes from there.

A great deal of the story deals with the concept of “survival of the fittest,” and what it is to be a survivor. Collins also discusses the morality of the survivor. If you’ve survived, it was at the expense of another life. Throughout the novels, she toys with this idea and asks if it’s better to sacrifice yourself for others, or to harm others to protect yourself.

For a teen novel, The Hunger Games is surprisingly political. The issues Collins brings up are very relevant today, and I think this is one of the things that has built to its immense popularity. It’s wonderfully refreshing to read a young adult novel today that doesn’t have anything to do with vampires and actually stimulates thought! I shake my head every time I walk thorough the teen section at Chapters and see shelf upon shelf full of mindless vampire romances. It’s shining stars like The Hunger Games that restore my faith in literature.

If you do choose to take my advice and read it, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed! Like I said, just make sure you have ample time to get through it fairly quickly… it’s addictive!!! I’m sure the third and final instalment (Mockingjay) will be just as good, if not better and I can’t wait until I have time to get to it!

Till next time, happy reading!

Harley