Author Archives: Connor Baldwin

The Canucks season has been surprisingly… good so far?

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Did you catch the Canucks game tonight, October 28th, against the New York Rangers? It was one of those games that will be talked about throughout the season, as it was filled with energy and excitement from the fans, and most importantly, the team. Yes, the Canucks lost in overtime (thanks to the refs who didn’t see an obvious tripping call) but regardless of the outcome, it’s a game that gives Canucks fans like myself some optimism for how the rest of the season could go!

GAME RECAP

The Canucks now sit at a modest 5-2-1 record to begin the season. Do you remember last season when they started the season with seven straight losses? Ya, that was not fun. I mean, by mid-November the Canucks were 4-9-3, so they must be doing something right! As I mentioned earlier, tonight’s game was one of those that I just have the urge to sit down and share my thoughts about.

Ok, perhaps the most “jaw-dropping” moment of the game was Tyler Myers’ shorthanded goal. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s pretty much a rare moment of Myers doing something right. I was sitting there simply stunned at his effort to get the go-ahead goal. Maybe I was too harsh about Myers a few weeks ago when I was roasting him on-air? If he keeps that up, keep him! (for now)

So what do you think of the Canucks season so far? I told myself before the season that as long as it was better than last season (which was filled with failure and drama) then I’d call it a success. I’m still leaning towards them missing the playoffs, but anything is possible! Games like tonight’s not only give me a good feeling about the rest of the season, but it makes me want to attend more games live if there’s more of that from them!

Pixabay / StockSnap

Where do the Canucks go from here? Well, the scheduling will be somewhat in their favour, unlike the bizarre times throughout the year with long road trips. The Canucks could be a “problem” at home this year, so I wouldn’t count them out against any time in the league. I say, make some small changes here and there, but mostly they should keep doing what’s making them successful up to this point!

I said it before and I’ll say it again, games like that one against the Rangers are what keep me glad to be a fan of this team! Go Canucks Go!

The 2023 World Series starts tonight – but where’s the excitement?

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Hey you, will you be tuning in to this year’s falls classic? The 2023 World Series is getting underway tonight in Texas. I’ll be honest though, I’m not that excited for this year’s championship. Is it partly because the Bluejays are out? Yes. But I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that there seems to be something “missing” about the build up, or usual excitement that there is for the World Series.

Pixabay / Pexels

So, where’s the excitement for the World Series? Usually, when it finally gets down to the final two teams left, baseball fans (including myself) are ready for this “final battle” to see who wins it all. But this year, not so much. Maybe it’s because of the two teams in the finals, the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The storylines are there, they both beat teams that were supposed to be the “favourites” but does that get lost once they reach the finals?

I don’t have a preference at all for who I want to win this year, do you? Either way, let’s first talk about the AL champs, the Texas Rangers. As a Bluejays fan, any team that’s had a past playoff rivalry with the Jays automatically isn’t on my list of teams that I’d like to see win the championship. I will give them some props though, beating the defending champions, the Houston Astros, is no small task and they managed to do so in style. You might have heard about all the big money spendings and trades they’ve made throughout the year, so the “favourites” here could be a “valid” champion.

Pixabay / Smollls

Now to the underdogs, the NL Champions, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Nobody expected them to make it this far, did you? I certainly didn’t. They barely snuck into the playoffs as a wild card team, and they’ve gotten past the powerhouse Dodgers and former NL Champion Phillies. We got to talk about two of the players on the Diamondbacks, Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. These former Bluejays are making their impact in their first season on the team after the off-season trade. I think we all agree here, the Bluejays shouldn’t have traded them together for Daulton Varsho, it just won’t be worth it at all in the long-term.

That’s enough about the teams, so where did the excitement for the World Series go? I think it pretty much comes down to the two teams not having “large” fanbases, which directly affects the viewership and number of eyes paying attention.

Tune in, or not, to this year’s World Series, the games will still surely bring the excitement and thrills that come with late October baseball!

Tomorrow is National Chocolate Day! Who knew?

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“Chocolate is the answer, who cares what the question is.” That’s usually what comes to mind, after pumpkins, when someone asks me about Halloween. Tomorrow, October 28th, is National Chocolate Day, one of the most glorious days of the year. This is actually new info for me, did you know about it? Let’s indulge ourselves in what this wonderful day has to offer.

Of course, chocolate all begins with the cacao seeds found in cacao pods. It’s still bizarre to me that this sweet treat starts from this tree grown primarily in Western Africa. The process from start to chocolate bar has several steps, but what you’re left with is a creation that the world loves, especially around Halloween season.

Pixabay / AlexanderStein

Before we go any further, I have to say this, chocolate is superior to any candy you can get for Halloween. No hate to candy here, but what I was looking for when I used to go trick-or-treating was chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. Hint hint, I was a big fan of Easter during my childhood.

So, like any other unconventional “national day” what are you actually “supposed” to do to celebrate National Chocolate Day? Well, other than the obvious thing which would be to of course eat chocolate, there’s a few other things that can be discussed when it comes to chocolate.

Pixabay / congerdesign

You may (or at least I hope) learned at some point in elementary school that not all chocolate was made in an ethically adequate way. Companies such as Mars, Nestle and Hershey have received much backlash over their chocolate sourcing methods. This idea traces back to the workers who are improperly cared for as they operate the supplies chains. While these three companies have vowed to continue to take steps to solve this problem, it’s still worth having an ongoing discussion.

The other element of chocolate that gets talked about more is how “unhealthy” it is for you. Well this is may be fairly obviously, mostly because of the sugar, not all chocolate is bad for you! I’ve started to appreciate dark chocolate lately, which actually has positive health benefits! It’s full of minerals and can apparently lower the risk of heart disease even!

Tomorrow, go buy some chocolate to celebrate, you deserve it! But don’t eat too much just yet, because Halloween is only four days away! I’ll be getting some of my favourite chocolate, including Reese’s (possibly the best chocolate ever) to acknowledge this sweet day!

The absolute best Halloween night dinner

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Have you heard about the latest trending topic of discussion about Halloween? It involves food, but not the kind you hand out for the trick-or-treaters. The question being asked a lot lately is: what do you eat for dinner on Halloween night? Other holidays have some “traditional” choices, such as turkey for Thanksgiving or ham on Christmas Eve / Christmas, but what do people eat on Halloween? Does it matter? I say it does, and the best option that needs to be talked about more is turkey soup.

Pixabay / RitaE

Ok, so picture this. It is a cold and crispy night; you see the Halloween decorations swaying in the breeze and you need something to warm you up before the big night. What better way to do this then pouring yourself a nice, hot, bowl of freshly made turkey soup.

So why is this the best Halloween night dinner? Well, as I mentioned before, it warms you up before you begin your Halloween endeavours. But also, think of that leftover turkey that you have from Thanksgiving a few weeks ago? You still have leftovers, right? Chop up that turkey and you’re already on your way to turkey soup.

Now I know soup from scratch can be intimidating for some people, but it doesn’t have to be. Part of the Halloween spirit is being creative, so why not get creative and experiment with different ingredients to create your own little spin on turkey soup? If you want to get really creative and feel in the Halloween spirit as you’re making it, picture yourself as the wicked witch from the west as you’re tossing and stirring the ingredients into the boiling pot of water over the stove. See? Making turkey soup on Halloween night can be fun!

Pixabay / Pexels

If you’re still not convinced, the bone broth from turkey soup has many health benefits. Some of these include a source of collagen, increasing your gut health and it helps with digestion. So not only does turkey soup warm you up and can be fun to make, it’s good for you too! It really doesn’t get better than that, you pretty much have the ultimate trio of positives for this food.

Halloween is only a week away, so head to the grocery store this weekend and pick up anything you might need to cook up a delicious and nutritious turkey soup. This dish has been a staple for myself on Halloween night, so there are many warming memories that are associated with digging into that steaming bowl of soup with my costume on.

This Halloween, make yourself some turkey soup: your mind, your body, and most importantly, your Halloween spirit will thank you!

Canadian basketball players to watch this season!

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Happy opening night in the NBA! Another basketball season is upon us, and I’m ready for another exciting couple of months with all of its unexpected and epic moments. Of course I’ll be paying close attention to Canada’s team, the Toronto Raptors, but the next best thing to keep an eye out for throughout the season is the Canadian players in the league!

There is a new record of 27 Canadians on an opening night roster to begin the 2023-2024. That number might not seem like a lot, but it has been rapidly increasing as the Canadian basketball programs continue to develop more talented players. Three Canada ballers that I believe everyone should watch at some point this season are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Andrew Wiggins and Dillon Brooks.

Do you know the last time a Canadian NBA player won the MVP? That would be Canadian legend Steve Nash, who won back-to-back MVPS almost 20 years ago. Well, we finally have another star who has a shot at this prestigious title, with Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Not enough can be said about this guy, ever since he was traded from the Clippers in the blockbuster Paul George trade, he’s continued to make big improvements to his game every year since. It’s a bonus that the Thunder might be good again in a few years time.

Next on my radar is Golden State Warrior Andrew Wiggins. The small forward hasn’t seen “linear” improvements throughout his career, but he’s still a valuable part of his team despite being usually seen as the Warriors 4th best player behind the trio of Curry, Thompson and Green. What makes Wiggins special is his commitment to the game he loves. You might not be able to see it every time he plays, but he quietly plays a leadership role night in, night out.

Ok, now we have to talk about Dillon Brooks. If you’ve been following any or all of his antics over the past two seasons, you’ll know that he’s not always in the news for the right reasons. But that’s exactly what makes him an intriguing player, because he has some nights where he really shows the talent he continues to show more routinely. Brooks boldly declared himself as the “world’s best defender” before this year’s FIBA World Cup, but he backed up his talk by winning the award.

So there you have it, three uniquely talented Canadian players who are ready to help their teams in that quest for a championship. Who do you think will have the biggest impact? We will just have to watch and find out for ourselves.

When should you upgrade your phone? I just did.

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Attention! I have an announcement to make: I made a big purchase. Ok, maybe it might not be seen as a “big” purchase if you’re rich, but this might just be the most expensive thing I’ve ever purchased before. I got myself a brand new, blue titanium, iPhone 15 pro MAX with 512 GB of storage.

Crazy, I know, but the main reason why I made this purchase was that it was time to upgrade my phone from my current iPhone XR. There are a few other “justifications” that I told myself after I hit “pay now”, and after I sat there staring at the “purchase successful” screen. I started thinking more, when should you upgrade your phone and other technology that you use daily?

Pixabay / JESHOOTS-com

Ok, so you probably want to hear first what my rather bizarre “justifications” were for buying this new phone. I’ll be honest, they aren’t good justifications at all, but it’s something I tell myself still as I wait for the phone to arrive.

Justification number one, (which you may laugh about, which is understandable) is that I was planning on buying a car this summer, but instead I bought this phone, so that means I saved a lot of money with my final decision? Right? Right? Ok, there’s that one, and the other more reasonable justification is that I did a good job saving money over the summer, and rather than going on another big vacation I decided I wanted this phone.

(Pixabay / StartupStockPhotos)

But let’s get back to the topic at hand here now, when should you upgrade your phone? I heard online that the “magic” number is every 5 years, but it really depends on how much and what you use your phone for at the end of the day. The differences between my iPhone XR and my soon-to-arrive iPhone 15 pro max are pretty substantial, and I feel like I’ll actually notice and benefit from all it has to offer. I’d say, upgrade your phone whenever you’re ready to do so, there’s no pressure and no rush needed.

So what about other technology? Like, let’s say your laptop, how often do you get a new one? The one I use now is 3 years old but it looks and performs like it’s almost brand new, so again we see how it depends on how it’s used. How about TVs? That’s another tricky one, because really when you’re upgrading that it’s just for a larger and better display.

Well, now it is time for you to continue this ever-lasting discussion. The next time you make a big purchase, make some justifications (maybe not as outlandish as mine) and think to yourself, was it a good time to make the upgrade!

The most UNDERRATED Halloween activity

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Spooky season is here! Halloween is rapidly approaching, are you ready? I’m not quite yet, but what I am ready for is the most underrated Halloween activity: pumpkin craving!

What is your favourite Halloween activity? I don’t have necessarily a favourite, because ever since I stopped trick-or-treating (about 10 years ago now), I’ve kind of been indifferent about Halloween. I’m at the point now where I’ve been there, done that with all of the classic Halloween activities.

Pixabay / SzaboJanos

I do however, have something to say about the most UNDERRATED Halloween activity: and that is easily carving a Jack-O’-Lantern. I know the concept of it seems bizarre: you’re sticking a knife into a fruit (yes, a pumpkin is considered a fruit because it has seeds) and carving a face into it. But hear me out, this activity is the most underrated Halloween activity because it is the best way of feeling “involved” with the whole “spirit” of the holiday.

I’m no artist myself, but I just love the creative aspect of getting to design my own pumpkin every year on one of the nights prior to the big night. The final product never turns out exactly how I plan, but hey, that’s part of the fun of it! You usually have an idea in your mind before you start carving, but by the end of it you have your own unique masterpiece.

Alright, so now that you know why carving a Jack-O’-Lantern is the most underrated Halloween activity, I thought I’d share a spicy hot take about what I think is the most OVERRRATED Halloween activity. This isn’t an activity that I don’t like or don’t appreciate, but just a thing that people do on Halloween that personally doesn’t live up to the hype that people make it to be.

Pixabay / JamesWheeler

You probably won’t think this is coming, but an overrated activity is visiting a pumpkin patch. Ok, ok, I know I just said that the most underrated activity is CARVING pumpkins, but the idea of making a whole “day out” of going to a patch of land with pumpkins on it and other “fall aesthetic” things is just not it. I forgot to mention before, but fall is my least favourite season, but that’s a topic for another day. I say go to a pumpkin batch, but just grab a pumpkin and go, no need to spend hours or even all day there.

Don’t forget, carve some pumpkins this Halloween! It’s an activity that will surely leave you feeling in the Halloween spirit!

The CRAZY schedule the NHL is doing on Oct. 24 (all 32 teams are playing!)

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The NHL’s scheduling continues to amaze me. Mr. Gary Bettman has some explaining to do, because why is the schedule the way it is? You might have seen some examples of it already this year, where you’ll have like 2 games scheduled on a Friday night, then BOOM: 15 games the following night.

Tomorrow night, October 24th, the NHL is trying something new: ALL 32 teams will be in action. But that’s not all… instead of having multiple games starting at the same time as it usually would on a busy night, every single game will have its own unique, staggered time. It’s an interesting idea to say these least, but will it work? I’m not so sure. If you’re a hockey fan like I am, I’ll be ready to see this super-jammed pack Tuesday night of hockey, which includes the Canucks vs. the Predators at 6:15 pm.

Pixabay / Darkmoon_Art

So, do you want what I think the positives or the negatives are first? Let’s go with the negatives first, cause the majority of people I see talking about this night of hockey have several questions that have no real answer.

First off, what’s the actual benefit of having every team play on the same night? If you think of it from a marketing standpoint, the league would actually have LESS viewership, not more, because it’s impossible to watch every game, even with staggered starting times.

Next, sports fans might know what else is happening in the sports world on October 24th, it’s the opening night in the NBA! Yep, that’s right, there goes more viewers, because we all know that the viewership numbers in NBA are far superior, plain and simple.

I also need to mention this, but why is the last game on this wild night of hockey starting at 8 pm pacific? That’s 11 pm eastern, and if you’re a Flyers fan (they’re playing against Vegas in Vegas), you’ll need to stay up super late on a weeknight. Another rather questionable part about NHL’s scheduling choices for this night.

Pixabay / StockSnap

Ok, well it might seem like this idea is all bad, but it’s really not. The NHL is taking their go at an “NFL Red Zone” style channel. That means they’ll be switching between the games as they’re happening. If this is executed properly, it’ll be exciting as a viewer to see the best moments from each game live as it’s happening.

What do you think about the NHL’s latest interesting scheduling choice? It all goes down tomorrow night, so be ready to enjoy a full night of hockey, and Go Canucks Go!

Three surprisingly GOOD coffee drinks (from a non-coffee drinker!)

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Good morning coffee lovers! Non-coffee drinker here, but today’s the day I feel ready to share my coffee preferences with you.

Remember, this is coming from a NON-coffee drinker. Why am I not a coffee drinker? I don’t know to be honest… I think it’s a mix of just not feeling like I need it in the morning (but I have a feeling that day will come sooner than later), and not liking the “natural” taste of coffee (whatever that might mean – speaking here to the big coffee drinkers out there).

The last few years I’ve started discovering some actually good coffee drinks! My first of three “drinks of choice” would have to be a nice mocha. You might know it as a caffe mocha, and this chocolate-flavoured beverage ranks up there because of my favourite hot beverage – hot chocolate.

Pixabay / Fancycrave1

I think my liking for this drink started when I ordered my first ever beverage of any kind from Starbucks – a Mocha Frappuccino. I’m not sure why I chose it as my first ever drink, but it’s still my most “go-to” drink at Starbucks even today, regardless of it’s a warm sunny day or even on a rainy day, it’s basically the drink I find myself wanting when I need some caffeine.

Now, my second caffeinated beverage is a new-discovery. I only discovered this drink in mid-2022, and that is the French Vanilla. Shoutout here to my fellow second-year BCIT Radio Arts & Entertainment classmates, because they were the ones that put me on this splendid drink.

Pixabay / Engin_Akyurt

I just kept hearing them saying “did you get your french vanilly”, “is it time for a french vanilly” or “hey have you had your daily french vanilla”. Finally, my interest peaked, and a tried it out and WOW are they ever good! Give it a try if you haven’t yet, you’ll quickly get addicted to them.

Finally, whether you’re a coffee drinker or not – my final caffeinated beverage is a favourite and an absolute classic for many – the Tim Hortons’ Iced Capp. Not much needs to be said about this drink, it’s simply hits the spot every time. Who knew that a blended iced coffee could be this good?

Pexels / Saliha Sevim

There you have it, how did I do coffee enjoyers? Do I have some good choices? By all means, I’m open to trying more drinks on my journey of “coffee discovery”, so let me know if there’s a drink I need to try asap!

Mochas, French Vanillas and Iced Capps: MY trio of good coffee drinks from a non-coffee drinker!

 

The importance and benefits of online writing

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Have you tried online writing before? I feel like it’s an underappreciated contribution to the world of online news and stories. Without online writing, we would not be able to access the latest breaking news at our fingertips and we would not know about what is going on around us.

If you’ve ever wanted to give online writing a shot, or even aspire to turning your online writing skills to a full-time career, there are several benefits that highlight the positive aspects that this storytelling skill can provide.

(Pexels / Eli Sommer)

The number one thing that I have learned from my time as an online writer that you will surely benefit from if you try online writing is that you learn a lot each day. There’s something exciting about researching topics that interest you, and having the creative mindset helps brings these stories to life.

The importance of online writing is that there are many different industries that require people to write for them online. Many jobs are available if you’re searching for them, and these jobs are stable projects because you can manage and adjust your schedule to fit the client’s needs.

Best of all, online writing can be included in the “new generation” of jobs, because if you choose to do self-employed online writing you can choose when to work and what you want to write about. You probably have a passion for something, and I believe that anyone can be an online writer if they put their mind and passion to the keyboard.

Other benefits of online writing include that you can work from anywhere and you decide at the end of the day how much content you want to post.

(Pexels / Buro Millennial)

From my own limited experience as an online writer, here’s a few tips I can give you if you’re wondering what it’s like to be in this position.

Best of all, I enjoy writing about sports and culture. These two “categories” of online writing topics have opened my mind to topics that I am interested in and follow daily. I also believe that as an online writer you should open your mind to topics that you might not think you would be able to write about. If you have some background information to work with, you can still write a compelling story for your readers even without being an expert on the topic!

Online writing has taught me that it has its benefits and an important role in the information highway that the internet operates every single day. Don’t knock it until you try it, grab your keyboard, think of an idea, and type away.