December After5 2013

8/13/2019 December After5 2013

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The Art of CoffeeBy Suzanne Irwin

For many, coffee is a traditional way to start the day. The Art of Coffee Event hosted by The Ember, showcased David Sandquist,

barista and coffee connoisseur, teaching different ways to make aCup of Joe. Attendees learned about different brewing methodsand the secret behind latte art.

First, here are a few coffee basics.

The coffee: A great pot of coffee starts with freshly ground beans.Whole beans stay fresher longer in comparison to grounds becausegrounds have more area exposed to air, which make them tastestale. Grinding coffee prior to brewing allows for the freshest cup,no matter your brewing preference.

The grind: Not all coffee methods use the same grind. Make sureyou check what grind would fit your preferred method. In general,

brewing coffee in a drip coffee pot would have a finder grind thanusing an alternative method.

The water: Water quality is important when looking to make aconsistent cup. Water should be filtered.

Amount: A general rule of thumb is 2 tablespoons of grounds to6oz. water.

The taste: Coffee taste is impacted by a few variables includingwhere the coffee was grown and how it was processed. For exam-

ple, a coffee from Ethiopia tends to have citrus undertones. Thiscoffee is complimented by something lemony like a lemon coffeecake or lemon muffin. Flavor undertones can be brought out withan appropriate food pairing. Some flavors include: floral, nutty,earthy, smoky, fruity and citrus. Most coffees have a brief descrip-tion on what to expect when sipping.

Beans: Whole beans are best to buy. There are many differentkinds of roasts including light, medium and dark. A lighter roastwill have a slightly more acidic flavor and slightly higher caffeinecontent than darker roasts. Darker roasts have a fuller or bold fla-vor. In general, lighter roasts pair well with tart foods such as anorange scone or berry coffee cake, while a darker roast would pair well with chocolate.

Building the Best BrewBelow are a few different brewing methods outlined by Sandquist.These different approaches to brewing coffee can help enthusiast

break-up a normal morning routine.

Method: Standard Coffee Pot

Filter: Paper Flavor profile: This method can yield a more watery brew thanother techniques.Pros: Drip coffee pots are popular because of their convenienceand quick brewing time. Most coffee pots use a paper filter, thismakes cleanup quick. People often describe this as a clean tast-ing cup.Cons: While that paper filter allows for easy care, coffee beanshave some oil. When using a paper filter, that oil it filtered out bythe paper. This can adjust the flavor. Also, brewing through astandard drip coffee pot can lead to a watery brew because the cof-

fee only steeps for a short time as it runs through the filter.

Method: French Press or Press PotFilter: MetalFlavor profile: Coffee will be rich and thick. Oils from the coffee

beans are allowed through the metal filter, which adds to the flavor of your coffee.Pros: Using a French Press is a way to add more dimension intoyour coffee. The coffee will be richer because the grounds sit inthe water for about 4-5 minutes. Each press makes about 3-4 fla-vorful cups.Cons: The French Press can be messy and it takes at least 5 min-

utes to brew. If youre trying to make coffee for a crowd, thismight not be the way to go. Also if you overfill the pot with water when brewing, it can be easy to get some grounds into the coffee.Also there is more sediment with this method.

Method: Vacuum Pot

Filter: ClothFlavor profile: Coffee will be rich and bold. Since the brewingtime takes longer this makes the coffee stronger. The cloth takesout some of the oils in the coffee beans but not all.

Pros: This is a very traditional way of brewing coffee. Some say itis the best way to get a flavorful cup. This method is for tinkerswho want to take time in perfecting their favorite brew.Cons: The Vacuum Pot takes time and the process must be moni-tored. A pot makes about 6 cups and the process can take up to 10minutes.

Method: Clever Drip or Full Immersion Coffee Brewing

Filter: Paper Flavor profile: The clever drip offers sippers a smooth taste withoutmuch acidity.Pros: This method offers a similar taste as the French Press withoutthe sediment. The coffee brews for about 4 minutes in the filter be-fore reaching your mug and has an easy clean up.Cons: This method again takes longer than a few minutes to brewand its usually brewed one-cup at a time.

Lets Talk Lattes

Also at the event, Sandquist demonstrated latte art. There are afew fundamentals when making this decorative drink.

Milk: The barista must steam the milk slowly and not create big bubbles with the steam wand. The foam should be smooth and vel-vety. The ideal bubbles are referred to as microfoam.

Espresso: The espresso must be high quality as well. The idealshot of espresso is pulled in about 21-24 seconds and should havesome crema on top of the shot. The espresso shot has layers.The top layer is the sweetest part of the shot and looks like a thin,chestnut brown foam.

Sandquist demonstrated a few different latte art designs. Here is anexample of the heart pattern. He first put the shot into the bottomof the glass, then slowly poured the milk to create the pattern.

When brewing your own coffee at home, or stopping by a shop toget a shot, remember there are many variables in creating a perfectcup. The Ember plans to offer more Art of Coffee events in the fu-ture. This experience is one way for coffee lovers to learn about

java and some news ways to brew. Upcoming events are posted atfacebook.com/TheEmber.

december

AFTER5UPPER RED RIVER VA

ENTERTAINMENT NEW

TAYLOR BROST

MIKE PETERSON

DEENA DAVIS

LISA CASAREZ

SUZANNE IRWIN

GF YOUNG PROFESSIONALSSTACEY DIMMLER

JAIMIE MIESEL

AMAZING GRAINS

ALLISON PETERSON

KATHY COUDLE-KING

WHITNEY DELANEY

F O O D

contributors


3/16

Off to See the WizardWe're off to see the wizard!

The Red River Performance Hall will be transformed this December into the wonderful world of Oz. This beloved story has entertained people for generations, and the iconic movie is celebratingits 75th anniversary this year.

Over 60 students will be involved in this children's play, and it will be the first play in the new Per-formance Hall, which has already been host to several musical productions, concerts and other musical events. In 1967, the same version of "The Wizard of Oz" was directed by Doug Fosse inthe then newly-built Red River High School Theatre, so it is fitting that the Performance Hall'sfirst play is a throwback to the school's beginnings. According to newspaper clippings chroniclingthe events that led up to the production, the stage was still being built during the rehearsals, andmany of the set pieces were built in the director's garage.

In an article from November 1967, Mr. Fosse stated that "Doing the Wizard of Oz in the form of aChildren's Theatre is quite a challenge because kids are the most demanding type of audience to

perform for. Besides this, the Wizard of Oz is really a 'fun-type' of play to do."

Current director Allison Peterson agrees.

"The story of The Wizard of Oz is timeless. It's characters are loveable and relatable - especiallyfor children. One of the main challenges we face at rehearsal is bringing the characters to life, andasking the actors to step outside of themselves to become something different. They need to be-come those characters, and not just portray them."

The performance will run Friday, December 13 and Saturday, December 14, at 7:00 pm and Sun-day, December 15, at 2:00 pm. Reservations are recommended, and can be reserved by calling746-2411. Otherwise, tickets can be purchased at the door. The box office opens 1 hour prior toshow time for all performances.

The cast of Wizard of Oz:Dorothy - Michelle Manthei

Scarecrow - Adam Giebner Tin Woodman - Tyler GerszewskiCowardly Lion - Seth ClineWizard of Oz - Lizzy SyversonBelinda, the Wicked Witch of the West - Lena BrakelGlinda, the Good Witch of the South - Hannah OppMelinda, the Good Witch of the North - Taylor Robinson

Kirsten Aafedt, Pierce Barbot, Abby Beczkalo, Mackenzie Bucklin, Matt Dunham, Jorian Guard,Emily Hendry, Hannah Holt, Shealyn Klave, Jenna Laurin, Caleb Marcellais, Kirsten Masselink,Bri Molmen, Breah Nelson, Ali Patry, Kandis Pender, Mackenzie Phillips, Nic Rolph, SydneySkaro, Blake Slama, Tiffany Sorenson, Taylor Stauss, Alex Stroth, Hannah Syverson, MorganYoung

Stage Hands/Student Directors:Bree Barta, Ryann Barta, Jayda Belker, Anisa Holwerda, Jordan Holwerda, Max PickettPHOTOS (C) ALLISON PETERSON

F E A T U R E

YOUR NEW WORLD SPORTS PUB

Located in the Canad Inns Destination Center, Tavern United is a new world sports pub for all ages where friends gather for frothy fun, fabulous food and guaranteed good times!

Tavern United presents a full menu of your favourite pub meals each with a special twist thatyoure sure to love. Check out our complete menu below.

Tavern United offers over a dozen premium beers on tap from dark, rich stouts, tasty paleales, to light and frothy lagers. Tavern United also offers a variety of sophisticated and funmartinis. For wine lovers, we will delight you with our selection of reds and whites fromaround the globe including new world reds from Australia and sunny whites from SouthAfrica and the USA. You can also enjoy a selection of fine wines from Canadas wine grow-ing regions in Southern Ontario and British Columbia.

Its all served up in a friendly sports bar atmosphere where you can play a game of darts or pool with the gang from the office, your curling, baseball, or hockey team, or just relax withfriends and catch up. There are always sports on the many LCD flat screen TVs around the

pub, so it's a great place to watch UND Hockey, the Grey Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs, theSuperbowl, a Bowl Game, NBA, World Soccer, the Olympics, the Winnipeg Jets, WinnipegGoldeyes, or Winnipeg Blue Bombers and cheer on your heroes with your many new friends.

For more information or for reservations, contact Trisha Kinney at 701-787-2511 [email protected].

Canad Inns Destination Center Grand Forks reserves the right to modify or change specialswith little or no advance warning. Visit www.canadinns.com for updated information.

SUNDAY$2.50 Select Drinks

MONDAY1.50 Captain Morgans andKaraoke (7pm-close)

TUESDAY$2.50 Select Drinks (7pm-close)

WEDNESDAY$3 Domestics and 25 centwings (7pm-close)

THURSDAY$3 Domestics and 25 centwings (7pm-close)

FRIDAY$2.50 Domestic (7pm-close)

This Months Feature at Canad Inns

DEC 2013 YEAR FIVE NUMBER TWELVE | AFTER5GF.COM PAGE 3 | /Afte

BY ALLISON PETERSON


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EVENTS CALENDAR DECEMBERLIST EVENTS FOR FREE! E-mail to [email protected] 5 is not responsible for any errors or omissions in the

Events Calendar.

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STORY TIME- 10 AM, EGF-Campbell Library, EGF.

KARAOKE- 9 PM TO 1 AM,LongHaul Saloon, GrandForks

KARAOKE- 9 to 1, The HoBar,Grand Forks

OPEN MIC NIGHT- 9 TO 1 AM,The Hub, Grand Forks.


EXTREME POKER-El Roco,Grand Forks

STORY TIME- 7 PM, EGFCamp-bell Library, EGF.

DAKOTA POKER LEAGUE

NIGHT- Down UNDer Pub,GrandForks.

SANTA AT THE LIBRARY- 5 TO7 PM, EGF Campbell Library.

KARAOKE- 10 PM, RhombusGuys, Downtown Grand Forks.

COMEDY NIGHT- 8 PM,Dreamers Lounge in the Ra-mada, Grand Forks.

CROCKPOT COOKING- 12:30PM, UND Wellness Center,Grand Forks.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY HOLI-

DAY OPEN HOUSE- 1 TO 5PM, Myra Museum and CampbellHouse, Grand Forks.

LIVE MUSIC- 9 PM, Sanders,Grand Forks.

JAZZ NIGHT AT L BISTRO -7PM, L BISTRO, CanadInn,Grand Forks.

FOOSBALL TOURNAMENT-8PM, Rhombus Guys, DowntownGrand Forks.

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7VENDORS ON MAIN CRAFTSALE- 9AM-3PM, Canad Inns,Grand Forks.

LIVE MUSIC- 9 PM, Sanders,

Grand Forks.

WINTER WUNDERLAND- 7 PM.

CHRISTMAS AT THE EMPIRE- 4PM, Empire Arts Center, GrandForks.

GRAND FORKS HOLIDAYHOME TOUR & GF REPUBLI-CAN WOMEN FUNDRAISER- 9

AM TO 5 PM, Various Homes inGrand Forks and East GrandForks.

THURSDAY MUSIC CLUBS90TH ANNUAL CHRISTMASMUSICALE- 4 PM, UnitedLutheran Church, Grand Forks.

AN OLD FASHIONED CHRIST-MAS PARTY- Heritage Village,Grand Forks.

GRAND FORKS HOLIDAYHOME TOUR & GF REPUBLI-CAN WOMEN FUNDRAISER- 12TO 5 PM, Various Homes inGrand Forks and East GrandForks.

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KARAOKE- 9 PM TO 1 AM,LongHaul Saloon, GrandForks.

KARAOKE- 9 to 1, The HoBar,Grand Forks.


11STORY TIME- 10 AM, EGFCamp-bell Library, EGF.




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DAKOTA POKER LEAGUENIGHT- Down UNDer Pub,GrandForks.



SANTA VILLAGE 2013-LincolnPark Golf Course, Grand Forks.

13LIVE MUSIC- 9 PM, Sanders,Grand Forks.

.SANTA VILLAGE 2013-Lincoln

Park Golf Course, Grand Forks.CORKS & CANVAS- 6 TO 8 PM,Empire Arts Center, Grand Forks.

THE WIZARD OF OZ- 7 PM,Red River High School, GrandForks.

2013 SERTOMA WRESTLINGTOURNAMENT- Central HighSchool, Grand Forks.

UND MENS HOCKEY VS.NORTHERN MICHIGAN- 7:37

PM, Ralph Engelstad Arena,Grand Forks.

14VENDORS ON MAIN CRAFTSALE- 9AM-3PM, Canad Inns,Grand Forks.



6/16

EVENTS CALENDAR DEC15

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25

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DAKOTA POKER LEAGUENIGHT- Down UNDer Pub,Grand

Forks.


.SANTA VILLAGE 2013-LincolnPark Golf Course, Grand Forks.



KARAOKE- 10 PM, Rhombus

Guys, Downtown Grand Forks.







BRING ON THE WORLD TOURWOMENS HOCKEY:USA VSCANADA-7 PM, Ralph Engelstad

Arena, Grand Forks.


UND MENS HOCKEY VS.NORTHERN MICHIGAN- 7:07PM, Ralph Engelstad Arena,

Grand

HISTORICAL SOCIETY HOLI-DAY OPEN HOUSE- 1 TO 5 PM,Myra Museum and CampbellHouse, Grand Forks.

UND WOMENS BASKETBALLVS. ND STATE- 2 PM, Betty En-gelstad Sioux Center, GrandForks.

2013 SERTOMA WRESTLINGTOURNAMENT- Central HighSchool, Grand Forks.


.VENDORS ON MAIN CRAFTSALE- 9AM-3PM, Canad Inns,Grand Forks.


LORIE LINE AND HER FAB 5- 3PM, Chester Fritz Auditoirum,Grand Forks.

UND MENS BASKETBALL VS.SOUTH DAKOTA STATE- 4 PM,Betty Engelstad Sioux Center,Grand Forks.


26STORY TIME- 7 PM, EGFCamp-bell Library, EGF.

DAKOTA POKER LEAGUENIGHT- Down UNDer Pub,GrandForks.

JASON STADSTAD HOCKEYCLASSIC- Purpur and Gambucci

Arena, Grand Forks.





UND MENS BASKETBALL VS.PRESENTATION COLLEGE- 4PM, Betty Engelstad Sioux Cen-ter, Grand Forks.

GREATER GRAND FORKSSYMPOHNY ORCHESTRA :BEST OF THE NUTCRACKER

AND ND BALLET- 3PM, Empire Arts Center, Grand Forks.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY HOLI-DAY OPEN HOUSE- 1 TO 5 PM,Myra Museum and CampbellHouse, Grand Forks.





UND WOMENS BASKETBALLVS. MAYVILLE STATE- 7 PM,Betty Engelstad Sioux Center,Grand Forks.

27LIVE MUSIC- 9 PM, Sanders,Grand Forks.

JASON STADSTAD HOCKEYCLASSIC- Purpur and Gambucci

Arena, Grand Forks.

28JASON STADSTAD HOCKEYCLASSIC- Purpur and Gambucci

Arena, Grand Forks.

.VENDORS ON MAIN CRAFTSALE- 9AM-3PM, Canad Inns,Grand Forks.


2930

31CELEBRATE THE NIGHT- 6PM TO MIDNIGHT- Alerus Cen-ter, Grand Forks


24STORY TIME- 10 AM, EGF-Campbell Library, EGF.

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RHOMBUSGUYS:

$1 DOLLARSLICES

BEGIN. 9PM

AND TRIVIAAT 10PMEVERY

TUESDAY PM312 KITTSON AVE(701) 787-7317

AFTER5 WISHES YOU AVERY MERRY

CHRISTMAS AND AHAPPY NEW YEAR!


7/16

River Cinema 15 5.00 Matinee/Child

7.00 Evening Shows$3.50 Senior Matinee T, W, TH

(218) 399-9000www.RiverCinema15.com

211 Demers Ave East Grand Forks 218-399-9000Great dealson combos!All Stadium Seating

COMING SOON TORIVER CINEMA 15DECEMBER

December 13

Madea gets coaxed intohelping a friend pay her daugh-ter a surprise visit in the countryfor Christmas, but the biggestsurprise is what they'll findwhen they arrive. As the small,rural town prepares for its an-nual Christmas Carnival, newsecrets are revealed and old re-lationships are tested whileMadea dishes her own brand of Christmas Spirit to all.

A MadeaChristmas

Rated PG-13Starring: Tyler Perry, Larrythe Cable Guy, ChadMichael Murray

December 13

The Hobbit: The Desola-tion of Smaug continues theadventure of the title charac-ter Bilbo Baggins (MartinFreeman) as he journeys withthe Wizard Gandalf (IanMcKellan) and thirteenDwarves, led by Thorin Oak-enshield (Richard Armitage)on an epic quest to reclaimthe lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor.

The Hobbit:The Desolation of Smog

Rated PG-13

Starring: Ian McKellan,Martin Freeman, HugoWeaving, Andy Serkis

December 4

Two brothers live in theeconomically-depressedRust Belt, when a cruel twistof fate lands one in prison.His brother is then lured intoone of the most violentcrime rings in the Northeast.

Out of theFurnace

Rated RStarring: Christian Bale,Casey Affleck, Woody Har-relson, Wilem Dafoe, ZoeSaldena, Sam Shepard

December 20

An account of WaltDisney's twenty-year pur-suit of the film rights toP.L. Travers' popular novel, Mary Poppins, andthe testy partnership theupbeat filmmaker devel-ops with the uptight au-thor during the project'spre-production in 1961.

SavingMr. Banks

Rated PG-13Starring: Tom Hanks,Emma Thompson, ColinFarrell, Ruth Wilson

December 20

With the 70s behind him,San Diegos top rated news-man, Ron Burgundy, returnsto the news desk. Also backfor more are Rons co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corning-stone, weather man BrickTamland, man on the streetBrian Fantana and sports guyChamp Kind all of whomwont make it easy to stayclassy while taking NewYorks first 24-hour newschannel by storm.

Anchorman 2:The Legend ContinuesRated PG-13Starring: Will Ferrell,Steve Carell, Paul Rudd

December 18

Set in the Los Angeles of the slight future, Her followsTheodore Twombly, who makeshis living writing touching, per-sonal letters for other people.Heartbroken after the end of along relationship, he becomesintrigued with a new, advancedoperating system, which prom-ises to be an intuitive entity inits own right, individual to eachuser. Upon initiating it, he is de-lighted to meet Samantha. Asher needs and desires grow, intandem with his own, their friendship deepens into aneventual love for each other.

Her Rated RStarring: Joaquin Phoenix

December 25

Follows a day-dreamer whoescapes his anonymous life bydisappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, ro-mance and action. When his

job along with that of his co-worker are threatened, Walter takes action in the real worldembarking on a global journeythat turns into an adventuremore extraordinary than any-thing he could have ever imag-ined.

The Secret Life

of Walter MittyRated PGStarring: Ben Stiller, Kris-ten Wiig, Adam Scott

December 25

American Hustle tells thestory of brilliant con man IrvingRosenfeld who, along with hisseductive partner SydneyProsser, is forced to work for awild FBI agent, Richie DiMaso.DiMaso pushes them into aworld of Jersey powerbrokersand mafia thats as dangerousas it is enchanting. Irvings un-predictable wife Rosalyn couldbe the one to pull the threadthat brings the entire worldcrashing down.

American HustleRating UnknownStarring: Christian Bale,Jennifer Lawrence, Amy

Adams, Bradley Cooper

December 20

Recent discoveries anda breakthrough in technol-ogy will introduce new andunique dinosaurs that aremore real than ever beforeand put moviegoers in themiddle of a thrilling prehis-toric adventure, where anunderdog dinosaur triumphsagainst all odds to becomea hero for the ages.

Walking withDinosaurs

Rated PG

December 25

De Niro and Stallone playtwo Pittsburgh fighters whosefierce rivalry put them in the na-tional spotlight. Each hadscored a victory against theother during their heyday, buton the eve of their decisive thirdmatch, Razor suddenly an-nounced his retirement, refus-ing to explain why. Thirty yearslater, theyre made an offer theycant refuse: to re-enter the ringand settle the score once andfor all.

Grudge Match

Rated PG-13Starring: Robert De Niro,Sylvester Stallone

December 25

Jordan Belfort, a Long Is-land penny stockbroker,served 20 months in prisonfor refusing to cooperate in amassive 1990s securitiesfraud case that involved wide-spread corruption on WallStreet and in the corporatebanking world, including mobinfiltration.

The Wolf ofWall street

Rating UnknownStarring: Leonardo Di-Caprio, Jonah Hill, KyleChandler, Jean Dujardin

December 25

The outcast Kai joins agroup of Ronin, led by Kura-nosuke Oishi, who seeksvengeance on Lord Kira for killing their master and ban-ishing the group. The Roninembark on a journey whosechallenges would defeatmost warriors.

47 Ronin

Rated PG-13Starring: Keanu Reeves,Tadanobu Asano


8/16

12 YEARS A SLAVEBy Deena Davis

Steve McQueen adaption from the 1853 memoir 12 Years a Slavefrom Solomon Northup offers a glimpse into the everyday life andhorrors of slavery. The protagonist Northup was born a free manliving in New York. Hes an accomplished violist and makes hiswages performing. Its only when two men lure Northup into per-forming with them on a journey does he wake up in chains beingsent to the south to work as a slave.

The film chronicles the next years he spends as a slave inLouisiana. McQueens directing style has always been low-key.From Shame to Hunger, his films never overwhelm the senseswith an underlying score, dialogue or camera movement. He usesthis silence to make the audience uncomfortable. Chiwetal Ejiofor

plays Solomon Northup with the strength of a man whose onlymission in life is to survive long enough to return to his family.

Northup tries to detach himself from the life of slavery and hiswill is nearly broken while serving for a cruel man played byMichael Fassbender.

Many filmmakers today feel the need to beat their audience over the head with the films message or agenda. Fortunately this isntone of those films. McQueen allows the audience to come to their own opinions about the characters and themes.

HUNGER GAMES:CATCHING FIREBy Christy Lemire of christylemire.com

Steve McQueen adaption from the 1853 memoir 12 Years a Slavefrom Solomon Northup offers a glimpse into the everyday life and

Heres how effective The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is: Iread the book its based on, I knew what was going to happen, yetstill found myself getting caught up in the action, the suspense, thetwists. And I still found myself sighing a longing awww at theflims cliffhanger ending, even though I knew it was coming. Di-rector Francis Lawrences film runs nearly two-and-a-half hours

but it concludes so abruptly and tantalizingly, it leaves you want-ing more.

As the second film adaptation of Suzanne Collins best-sellingHunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire is in the potentiallyawkward position of simultaneously serving as a placeholder andmoving the action and characters along, of providing audienceswith a substantive and satisfying ride while still teasing the cli-mactic finale to come. And it achieves all this with both style andemotional heft, and only a tad bit of lagging or padding.

Taking over for Gary Ross, who directed last years originalHunger Games, Lawrence keeps the action buzzing briskly

while also provid-ing a clearer andmore dauntingsense of the totali-tarian regime thathas kept the citi-zens of dystopian,futuristic Panem

cowering in poverty and fear. Imagesfrom the individual districts are gritty, bleak and sometimes grue-somely bloody, while the towering, Art Deco Capitol appearsmore awesomely over the top than ever thanks to improved specialeffects.

But as the title suggests, a spark has ignited among the people, and

Katniss Everdeen is the one who lit it.

Once again, Jennifer Lawrence serves as the formidable force atthe center of this strange and dangerous world. Her Katniss isfierce but vulnerable, mature beyond her years but accessible inher youthful vitality. By now, we know that Lawrence can do

pretty much anything, from comedy and romance to drama and ac-tion. Fresh off her showy, Oscar-winning turn in Silver LiningsPlaybook, here she must function as a reluctant savior and sym-

bol of hope, a responsibility her character initially is reluctant toaccept.

At the end of The Hunger Games, Katniss and fellow District 12tribute Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson, vaguely more assertivethis time) have cheated the system and both emerged as champi-ons. Now theyre forced to travel the ravaged country on a victorytour, an uncomfortable mix of propaganda-filled celebration andsorrowful remembrance of the fallen. At each stop, Katniss must

pretend to be in love with Peeta to please the suspicious President

Snow (a chilling Donald Sutherland), although her heart belongs back home with her hunky childhood best friend, Gale (LiamHemsworth, little-used aside from one powerful scene).

Along for the ride, as always, is the duos unflappably upbeat es-cort, Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), who strains to keep them onmessage even as revolution rears its head wherever they go. Banksonce again gets to wear a colorful array of truly inspired and gar-ish costumes, but she also gets to show some humanity and com-

plex emotions, as her true loyalties to Katniss and Peeta begin toshine through. Also accompanying them is the last Hunger Gameswinner from District 12, the perpetually inebriated but resourcefulHaymitch (Woody Harrelson, whos also afforded more shadingsthis time in the script from Simon Beaufoy and Michael Arndt).

But just when they thought they were out, President Snow pullsKatniss and Peeta back in. For the 75th Hunger Games thethird Quarter Quell, as its

known he announces hesassembling previous winners tofight each other to the death inthe arena. His new games-maker, Plutarch Heavensbee(Philip Seymour Hoffman),

promises to make the competi-tion more difficult than ever be-fore since hes dealing withmore skilled players. Hoffmandelivers a deadpan monologuein that deep, rich voice of his inwhich he lays out his strategyfor the president; its simultane-ously hilarious and frightening,and a great example of how ex-cellent supporting casting helpselevate a film like this beyondthe young-adult genre.

Along those lines, StanleyTucci dazzles once more as the

purple-pompadoured game show host who schmoozes the contest-ants and pumps up the audience. Hes wonderfully flamboyant(and a much-needed source of humor) but, again, hes only a notchabove the typical television personality in terms of perkiness. AndLenny Kravitz brings warmth and earthiness once more to the roleof Cinna, Katniss stylist and confidant. (Real-life costume de-signer Trish Summerville truly outdoes herself this time, espe-cially with Katniss glittering, transforming wedding dress. Its astunner of a moment on live TV for all the world to see.)

The prelude is so fraught, the games themselves almost feel like arelief by comparison, even though so many lives are at stake.Among the clever challenges that await these Hunger Games all-stars: poisonous fog, rampaging baboons and thick, bloody rain.The competitors realization as to how to outsmart the system is a

great a-ha moment. But what all these alliances and schemes are inservice of is the real zinger, and the promise of more dark thrills tocome.

T H E A T E R / F I L M



9/16

Megan Ashley Pierce is a Grand Forks native and personal trainer whose life and story would makeour community proud. Her brother, some of you may know as well, is Austin Pierce, who took 2nd

place at River Cinema Speedway for Sprint Cars. Her life is testament to just how far anybody can goif they set their mind to it. Her mindset has taken her to get to know and befriend some of the toptrainers and athletes in the country, and also helping a good many of people in the local communityachieve their own dream. In this piece, youll also learn how to seek and achieve your own goals. Ithought it would be great every onceinawhile to share with you notable people who are a part of our community that truly make a difference in peoples lives.

Megans first-ever client, Mistie Berg, now a resident in Fargo said, I went from a size 12 to a size 4and truly enjoyed the unique style of her boot camps outdoors. She gave the regular workout a twistand made it so much more enjoyable and interesting. Always coming up with new ideas. She saidher attitude was key, and encoruaged people to continue writing out their goals in fitiness and in life,and to keep moving foward.

Another former client, Lauren McAllister, who now lives in Oregon, went on to say When she says

believe', she means it. Megan believed in me long before I believed in myself. She makes fitnesseasy, approachable and fun. Her passion is infectious and she made me want to be in the gym not justfor myself but to make her proud. I've never seen someone chase a dream as hard as she does, andshe's my role model for what it means to be strong in all aspects of life. It's a huge honor to call her my trainer and my friend. Megan doesn't do it for the money or the fame. She does it for the love of itand she wants to share that joy and excitement of fitness with people. That's why she opened her owngym. She just can't not workout and change lives; it's who she is.

By doing this interview, I wanted to remind people that, indeed there are truly many, many special people in this community. Im honored to know quite a few myself. Its just a matter of finding them,and to also know you can surround yourself with truly positive people. People who believe in you,

people who can lift you up and help you achieve your dreams. Thats what Megans about. By theway, I also got to chuckle a little bit, it is enjoyable talking about fitness in the middle of holiday/Christmas season. Anyways, heres the interview.

After5 (A5): Your upbringing - who's in your family?Megan Ashley Pierce (MAP): Parents Mike & Linda Pierce. I come from a business family. Our family owns many businesses in the area. Dakota Peat & Equipment/Hawkes Company. Maple LakeResort. Pierce Investments. And now MAP Fitness. My mom is also a Realtor at Crary Real Estate. I

have a younger brother named Austin. He works for my dad building houses, condos, apartments andon the side he races sprint cars. Hes been doing great, he took 2nd place for most points this year inGrand Forks.

A5: When did you start discovering the fitness and exercise fields as your true passion?MAP: When I was 22 years old I joined Center Courts first Biggest Loser Contest. When you

joined that you got to work with a personal trainer for 8 weeks. Within those 8 weeks they showedme what fitness was all about. I saw the fastest results working with a trainer. After those 8 weeks Iknew there was something within me that wanted to help people reach the same goals I did. I wentonline right away started to research certifications, picked one down in South Dakota, drove downand within 4 days I was certified. I came back talked with Center Court and they hired me with nohesitation. Fitness Manager Chris Langei knew I had something special to share with everyone atthat club.

A5: Describe your career path.MAP: Growing up I was way overweight. The most I weighed back in High School was 220lbs. Mysenior year my mom asked me if I wanted to try Jenny Craig. I said sure, within 8 months I dropped68lbs without exercise. I loved the feeling. I continued to eat healthy through college and kept the

weight off. When I was 22 is when I decided to start working out, I wanted different results. I wantedto be toner, fitter & stronger. Did the Biggest Loser Challenge, gained amazing results, went off toSouth Dakota took my certification test. Got hired at Center Court Fitness Club in 2010. FitnessManager Chris Langei took me under her wing and trained me three times a week to show me every-thing she knows. Till this day I still workout with her. In 2012 we became Choice Health & Fitness.I found that group classes were my true passions. At Choice I taught more group classes than one onone personal training. I trained bootcamps, taught Krank & Row, Les Mills RPM, TRX & circuitclasses. I had a great run at that gym but knew I wanted more. I wanted to run my own gym, set my

rules, travel the country to do myown personal training and coaching.I spend a lot of time down in Califor-nia learning from other gyms andtrainers. I want to be able to bringthe LA experience to North Dakota.

A5: The networks you built as a per-sonal trainer are phenomenal. Whoare the people in your life that helpedyou along the way?MAP: The number one person whohelped me along the way was my

boss at Choice, Chris Langei. Theday after I got certified as a personaltrainer she taught me everything sheknows. Ive had a lot of help fromother top trainers around the country.Ive worked with Insanity Creator Shaun T, Jillian Michaels of theBiggest Loser, Brian Peeler from theReality TV Show Workout, JasonCharchan the top Athlete trainer in

LA, Lacey Stone from NYC/LA and Bob Harper from the Biggest Loser . When I get certified innew programs ive met some really great inspirational master trainers as well. Terry Keller and MariaLong from Les Mills have been a huge support for me in that family. My clients have made a hugeimpact on my life. Everyday they have nice things to post about me on facebook and share with peo-

ple what I do and love. The clients I have will never let me down, they are the first ones I can counton to be by my side.

A5: Who's your role model and person you look up to the mostand did you meet him/her? Whatwas that like?MAP: There are 2 people I look up to. My friend Chris Langeiand Jillian Michaels. Chris has

been the biggest part of my per-sonal training career. She has

been a trainer for 25 years andhas shown me absolutely every-thing she knows about health &fitness. Shes the one that wantsme to reach the top and she iswilling to help me get there. Themost important lessons she ever taught me was how to BELIEVEin myself. We had a long conver-sation three years ago. I struggledwith not thinking I was goodenough to be a personal trainer.She taught me the Law of Attrac-tion, Positive Energy and Posi-tive Affirmations. That lesson changed my entire life and has gotten me to where I am now.I love Jillian Michaels more than anyone. Ive seen every Biggest Loser season she has been on. Her style of training is what gets the best results. Her personality pushes people to their max and getsthem out of their comfort zone. Many people need that to push through the fitness pain just a little bitmore to reap the benefits. Growing up my dad always told me to pick the top to people in your ca-reer industry, do exactly what they do but with your own unique twist. Thats exactly what I did.

Now people call me Grand Forks Toughest Trainer or Jillian Michaels of Grand Forks. I love beingthe toughest. I worked out with Jillian Michaels and she trained me in California on the beach. Shetaught me so much about being a trainer and an inspirational coach to myself and to others.

A5: What advice would you give to people in general who haven't made fitness a part of their lives?MAP: MAP out a plan on how your going to achieve your health & fitness goals. If your really notsure how to do that, The first thing I recommend is hiring a personal trainer. They will direct you onwhere to start. Your not going to figure it out right away. You need to test things out, see what youlike and what you dont like. Fitness will easily become apart of your lifestyle if you find somethingactive that you really enjoy. And dont ever give up or doubt yourself. What you think and feel is

just the mind confusing you. You can do anything you set your positive mind towards. Start by Be-lieving!!

A5: What's a typical workout routine for you?MAP: I like to switch up my workouts a lot. I get bored very easy and need my mind running fast for me to see results. My favorite types of training are strength training and high intense interval training.Right now im focused on heavy lifting in the weight room 3x/week and Insanity workouts 5x/week.Putting those two types of training together has put me in the best shape of my life. I was able tocomplete a 12mile Tough Mudder run in the Middle of San Diego up the mountains without running amile in my training. We came in as one of the top finishers in that race.

A5: Your life exemplifies a classic dreamer. What advice do you have for aspiring dreamers? Andhow important is it for people to not just have goals, but to plan and... map them out?MAP: Always start with Believing you can do something. Changing your mindset is step one. Stayfocused on one thing at a time. MAP out your goals. I keep mine on a white board and on excelspreadsheets. Look over them everyday. Your going to have good days and your going to have baddays. Dont give up!

A5: You're opening a new gym in town. What is that going to be like, how will it be separate fromcompetition? How can people sign up?MAP: My new gym is going to be a specialty gym. Itll be ran like a gym you will find in Los Ange-les. My goal is to bring the LA experience to North Dakota. It will be strictly personal training withone on one training and the hottest group training classes. Some of the group classes will be IntenseBootcamps, TRX, Insanity, Kettlebells, Train with the trainers, and Training classes to prepare peoplefor obstacle course races like the Tough Mudder. In the process of hiring a few other trainers to work at the gym.

Megans new gym is at 5700 Gateway Drive in town, across the road from the newWal-Mart. Website is www.map-fitness.com, and you can find her MAP Fitness face-book page at www.facebook.com/pages/MAP-Fitness/192944390731607

C O V E R BELIEVE: INTRODUCING MEGANASHLEY PIERCE, PERSONAL TRAINERBY MIKE PETERSON


Megan with Jillian Michaels of Biggest Loser

Megan with Shaun T of Insanity Workout

Megan with Believe


10/16

THE WARMTH OF COMMUNITY AS THEWEATHER BEGINS TO CHILLBy Kathy Coudle-KingIt began a few weeks ago when two actors rehearsing Parallel Lives at the Fire Hall Theater sent mean email saying that the theatre was freezing. I joked that, yes, it was November and they needed to

put the temperature up. Two days later I walked into the theatre to discover it was, indeed, chilly: 47degrees. It was discovered that a breaker was thrown. A simple fix, right?

Then, the theatres building manager, Jeff Kinney, suggested we have the furnace tuned up for thewinter. A good idea, an expensive discovery. The repairmen found a crack and the furnace was notrepairable. Ticket price for a new furnace? Almost $4200. We were running on just one furnace,hoping the mercury wouldnt dip below freezing, and wringing our hands about where wed get themoney to replace the broken furnace. You see, for the last two years the theatre has been trying toraise funds to get the tuck pointing on the 108-year old building done. (The bricks are actually fallingoff the crown of the building.) That ticket? $100,000. Weve jokingly referred to the fundraisingcampaign as the Brick by Brick fund because we know that raising that kind of money is going totake a long time. Then in October we discovered that the fire exit door was not repairable but neededto be replaced, so we started asking our patrons to help us take care of that cost.

But when your furnace goes out in November in North Dakota, bricks and doors have to wait. Thatswhen things began to really heat up at the Fire Hall.

I shared our situation on Facebook okay, I whined about it. People were prepared to host all sortsof fundraising events, then came longtime Fire Hall supporter Kathy Ficks post. If everyone sendsin $20, we can have the furnace paid off by the end of the week. Donations to our Paypal account

began flowing in and checks started showing up in the mailbox. We heard from people across thecountry who have not lived in Grand Forks for twenty years, and people who grew up on the FireHall stage and now have children of their own. Some sent $20, one parent even sent $200, telling meshe felt it was an investment in her six-year olds future because he loves being on our stage.I began sleeping through the night again.

It appeared we would be able to raise at least half the cost of the furnace, but then the temperaturegot kicked up even higher. Economy Plumbing and the McGurran family donated a brand new fur-nace. Not only would the donations just about cover the installation, but the furnace itself would betaken care of without draining what few extra dollars the Community Theatre has in reserve. It was a

bitter, cold wind that blew through Grand Forks the day we learned of the McGurrans generosity, butit could not have been warmer in the Fire Hall Theatre.

There is much to be thankful for at the Greater Grand Forks Community Theatre as we celebrate our 66th season. Beyond the opportunity to provide an outlet for local theatre lovers and practitioners, be-

yond being able to foster a joy for the stage in children and teens, beyond being able to work withveterans groups, create stage pieces based on the lives of our elderly we are grateful for the com-munitys support. To some, community theatre simply means amateur theatre productions. Butclearly, supporters of the Greater Grand Forks Community Theatre take the word community to

mean just that. The Fire Hall Theatre is a place where everyone who wishes to can come together tocreate and witness living stories that make us laugh and, yes, sometimes cry. It is a place one feels ahuman connection to others.

Everyone who has been to see a show at the Fire Hall Theatre knows it can get a bit hot during a pro-duction. All this time we attributed that heat to the stage lights and poor ventilation. Well, the truth isrevealed: its the warm hearts of our patrons that fill the little theatre that are the true source of theheat. Its those same warm hearts who have replaced the furnace and will keep your community the-atre warm through the long winters to come. With the communitys support, there will be at least 66more seasons to come.

DEC 2013 YEAR FIVE NUMBER TWELVE | AFTER5GF.COM PAGE 10 | /Aft

F E A T U R E


11/16

JINGLE ALL THE WAY

TO CHRISTMAS DAYBy Whitney Delaney

Christmas is my favorite time of year, but by December 25th, the music has driven me nuts. Thefirst few days after Thanksgiving I love the holiday tunes, but by the second week of December, Iam envisioning Bing Crosby in a fistfight with the little drummer boy to distract me from the con-stant drone of Jingle Bells. There has to be a way to enjoy holiday music instead of loathe it right?Growing up, I loved listening to my grandmas A Rosie Christmas CD. After 14 years of playtime;however, Rosie ODonnell and Elmo singing a duet of Do You Hear What I Hear is anti-Christ-mas spirit for me. Despite the fact that my grandma needs to update her music collection, she hadthe right idea buying a unique holiday album. Loads of entertainers release Christmas albums. Eachartist puts their own flair into music, so buying a Christmas album from a band or singer you like isa way to break the monotony of the generic songs overplayed on the radio.

I was at Target with my mom hunting for a new Christmas CD. We were listening to the samplemusic and there was a nice jazz Christmas CD that I commented on. My mom chose a differentone, but when I opened my presents for Christmas, I was confused to see Smooth Jazz Christmas

beneath the torn wrapping paper. She looked at me excitedly and said its the one you wanted! Ididnt want it. I never play Christmas music intentionally because I hear it everywhere I go; how-ever, I actually enjoy Smooth Jazz Christmas. Jazz, smooth or not, isnt normally a genre I listen to.Because of this, it was refreshing; I have yet to grow tired of the saxophone infused versions of classics.

Spotify is a good place to look for unique holiday music. You can find an album you like or a previ-ously made playlist. I enjoy music from lesser-known artists and A Very Indie Christmas is myfavorite holiday playlist on Spotify. It has holiday music from The Civil Wars, She & Him, andKishi Bashi. You can find a playlist on Spotify, regardless of the music you enjoy. Pandoras uniqueradio stream also has pre-made stations with holiday music. Both music providers offer a diverseselectionof music for the most wonderful time of the year.

Since I have a variety of music for the most wonderful time of the year, I try not to overplay my fa-

vorites. Every year when I bake cookies with my mom and grandma we pull out an old vinyl albumwith Christmas Cookies and Holiday Hearts, but outside this scenario, the song would lose itsluster.

Christmastime is a joyous season that should be enjoyed by all. Christmas music should enhancethat enjoyment, not make you hit the nog. A variety of unique Christmas songs grounded by beau-tiful instrumental versions of classics and scattered with a few treasured melodies is my formula for

just the right amount of Christmas spirit. What will be yours?

M U S I C



12/16

Ask the

Fitness

Gal

BY JAIMIE MIESEL

Question: With the weather getting colder (in cer-tain areas) and flu season almost upon us, canyou provide a little refresher on working outwhen youre sick?Answer: Everyone seems to have a different opinion on this, butheres the scoop. You often hear people say that working out isfine if its just a head coldstuffy nose, coughing, and other stuff that you dont like, but can deal with. This is generally true, but if you have a fever, body aches, or other more serious symptoms,

you should leave the exercising to the rest of us. Consider theseissues as well. When Im working out, I dont really want peoplethat are sneezing and coughing around meand I would guessyou dont either. Plus, I like to workout with intensity, and I put a

priority on the quality of my exercise. Therefore, I would rather rest up for a day or two, even if I just have a head cold. Then,when I get back to exercising, I can pick-up right where I left off.Ultimately, the decision is in your hands, so do whats best for you!

Question: I have several friends that follow someof the popular workouts that you often see toutedin infomercials and on the internet. Is there any-thing special about these workouts? Do youthink its worth the money to invest in one?Answer: Thats a good question. I have a few friends that havefollowed P90X and some other popular programs as well. Here

are my thoughts. Many of these programs are just practical adap-tations of some of the latest and greatest fitness research, oftencoupled with some traditional exercise equipment. Add an expertwith a vibrant personality, and youve got a recipe for a successful

program. Do these types of programs work? Sure, if you followthe program, stay committed, and push yourself (though the ex-

pert is usually pretty good at that, too). Many (but not all) aresimply spin-offs of Body Pump, with some high-intensity intervaltraining thrown in for good measure. This type of training workswell regardless of whether you follow a structured program or not. My only concern with online or home DVD programs is therisk of doing an exercise continuously with the wrong form sinceno one is there to watch you. This could eventually lead to an in-

jury down the road or affect your ability to increase your weightresistance if you dont have correct form. Plus, I would argue thata certified personal trainer at your local health club could design a

better workout for you, simply because its personalized. Theylltake into account your personal health statistics, fitness level, timeconstraints, and many other variables. And theyll be there withyou through it allin person! Another benefit is the wide varietyof equipment a fitness center has to offer rather than buying ex-

pensive equipment for you and then finding places to store every-thing! So, is it worth the money to purchase one of these

programs? It might be, but your success really depends muchmore on you, and how dedicated you are to reaching your goals.

About the author: Jaimie Miesel is the Club manager & CertifiedPersonal Trainer at Anytime Fitness in East Grand Forks, MN. Tosubmit a question for future articles, please contact the author [email protected].

THE YEAR THE MONARCH DIDNTDISSAPPEARNEW YORK TIMES SUNDAY REVIEW BY JIM ROBBINS

ON the first of November, when Mexicans celebrate a holidaycalled the Day of the Dead, some also celebrate the millions of monarch butterflies that, without fail, fly to the mountainous fir forests of central Mexico on that day. They are believed to besouls of the dead, returned.

This year, for or the first time in memory, the monarch butterfliesdidnt come, at least not on the Day of the Dead. They began tostraggle in a week later than usual, in record-low numbers. Lastyears low of 60 million now seems great compared with thefewer than three million that have shown up so far this year. Someexperts fear that the spectacular migration could be near collapse.

It does not look good, said Lincoln P. Brower, a monarch expertat Sweet Briar College.

It is only the latest bad news about the dramatic decline of insect populations.

Another insect in serious trouble is the wild bee, which has thou-sands of species.Nicotine-based pesticides called neonicotinoidsare implicated in their decline, but even if they were no longer used, experts say, bees, monarchs and many other species of in-sect would still be in serious trouble.

Thats because of another major factor that has not been widelyrecognized: the precipitous loss of native vegetation across theUnited States.

Theres no question that the loss of habitat is huge, said Dou-glas Tallamy, a professor of entomology at the University of Delaware, who has long warned of the perils of disappearing in-sects. We notice the monarch and bees because they are iconicinsects, he said. But what do you think is happening to every-thing else?

A big part of it is the way the United States farms. As the price of corn has soared in recent years, driven by federal subsidies for

biofuels, farmers have expanded their fields. That has meant plowing every scrap of earth that can grow a corn plant, includingmillions of acres of land once reserved in a federal program for conservation purposes.

Another major cause is farming with Roundup, a herbicide thatkills virtually all plants except crops that are genetically modifiedto survive it.

As a result, millions of acres of native plants, especially milk-weed, an important source of nectar for many species, and vitalfor monarch butterfly larvae, have been wiped out. One studyshowed that Iowa has lost almost 60 percent of its milkweed, andanother found 90 percent was gone. The agricultural landscapehas been sterilized, said Dr. Brower.

The loss of bugs is no small matter. Insects help stitch together the web of life with essential services, breaking plants down intoorganic matter, for example, and dispersing seeds. They are a

prime source of food for birds. Critically, some 80 percent of our food crops are pollinated by insects, primarily the 4,000 or sospecies of the flying dust mops called bees. All of them are introuble, said Marla Spivak, a professor of apiculture at the Uni-versity of Minnesota.

Farm fields are not the only problem. Around the world peoplehave replaced diverse natural habitat with the biological desertsthat are roads, parking lots and bluegrass lawns. Meanwhile, the

plants people choose for their yards are appealing for showy col-ors or shapes, not for their ecological role. Studies show that na-tive oak trees in the mid-Atlantic states host as many as 537species of caterpillars, which are important food for birds andother insects. Willows come in second with 456 species. Ginkgo,on the other hand, which is not native, supports three species, andzelkova, an exotic plant used to replace elm trees that died fromdisease, supports none. So the shelves are nearly bare for bugsand birds.

Native trees are not only grocery stores, but insect pharmacies aswell. Trees and other plants have beneficial chemicals essential tothe health of bugs. Some monarchs, when afflicted with parasites,seek out more toxic types of milkweed because they kill the para-sites. Bees use medicinal resins from aspen and willow trees thatare antifungal, antimicrobial and antiviral, to line their nests andto fight infection and diseases. Bees scrape off the resins fromthe leaves, which is kind of awesome, stick them on their back legs and take them home, said Dr. Spivak.

Besides pesticides and lack of habitat, the other big problem beesface is disease. But these problems are not separate. Say youhave a bee with viruses, and they are run-down, Dr. Spivak said.And they are in a food desert and have to fly a long distance, andwhen you find food it has complicated neurotoxins and the im-mune system just goes uh-uh. Or they become disoriented andcant find their way home. Its too many stressors all at once.

There are numerous organizations and individuals dedicated to re- building native plant communities one sterile lawn and farm fieldat a time. Dr. Tallamy, a longtime evangelizer for native plants,and the author of one of the movements manuals, Bringing Na-ture Home, says its a cause everyone with a garden or yard canserve. And he says it needs to happen quickly to slow down theworsening crisis in biodiversity.

When the Florida Department of Transportation last year moweddown roadside wildflowers where monarch butterflies fed on their epic migratory journey, there was a huge outcry, said Eleanor Dietrich, a wildflower activist in Florida. So much so, transporta-tion officials created a new policy that left critical insect habitatun-mowed.

That means reversing the hegemony of chemically green lawns.If youve got just lawn grass, youve got nothing, said MaceVaughan of the Xerces Society, a leading organization in insectconservation. But as soon as you create a front yard wildflower meadow you go from an occasional honeybee to a lawn thatmight be full of 20 or 30 species of bees and butterflies and mon-archs.

First and foremost, said Dr. Tallamy, a home for bugs is a matter of food security. If the bees were to truly disappear, we wouldlose 80 percent of the plants, he said. That is not an option.Thats a huge problem for mankind.

Jim Robbins is a frequent contributor to The New York Times andthe author of The Man Who Planted Trees.

H E A L T H / W E L L N E S S

Expert Answers to YourHealth & Wellness Questions



13/16

ALL THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF GREATERGRAND FORKS YOUNG PROFESSIONALSby Stacey Dimmler

This is normally the week in my monthly rotation where I introduce you to a Greater Grand ForksYoung Professionals member, but Im feeling rather reflective in the spirit of the holidays so Ive de-cided to mix things up a bit. The origination of my position was only made possible thanks to somegenerous people who believed in what we set out to do. Two and a half years later, we are stronger and more active than ever and continue to make our mark in the community thanks to continued sup-

port.

A few of the ways that your dollars and efforts have been put to use by the organization include:

-a new professional development opportunity brought to the area called Leadercast, enjoyed by asold-out crowd of more than 150 attendees last year -over $6,000 raised for the Global Friends Coalition and CVIC-a more formalized and recognized Internship Initiative with the University of North Dakota

-better utilization of downtown green spaces and local artists through Connect the Parks-introduction and emphasis of regional artists at ArtSee-a more informed and active voting audience through our websites GFVote.com, EGFVote.com and amayoral debate-mentoring for young professionals from established professionals through our Executive Briefingsand monthly Lunch and Learns-Warm Up to Grand Forks, a program designed to help employers introduce new or potential employ-ees to our great city without all of the work and pressure-a crazy embrace of winter we like to call the Iceman Triathlon-an Affordable Care Act Forum to educate the public about changes in insurance

While this isnt all, its an exciting taste of the work were doing to create a more young-profes-sional-friendly Grand Cities area. We couldnt do much without the help of our sponsors, though!We are especially thankful to the Otto Bremer Foundation, The City of Grand Forks, Altru HealthSystem, the University of North Dakota, Xcel Energy, AE2S, Alerus Financial, Clear Channel Com-munications, Choice Financial Group, Happy Harrys Bottle Shops, JLG Architects, Northland Com-munity and Technical College, BeMobile Verizon, the Alerus Center, Bremer Bank, the Center for Innovation, The Chamber-GF/EGF, the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation,Dakota Harvest Bakers, Icon Architectural Group, After5, the Grand Forks Herald, the Exponent, Pio-

neer 90.1FM, Your QFM, the Grand Forks Park District, KLJ, Rhombus Guys, Brady Martz & Asso-ciates, the UND Bookstore, Scheels, US Bank, Construction Engineers, Job Service of North Dakota,Sterling Optical, True Colors, Thompson-Schaefer Insurance Agency, and the North Dakota Museumof Art. We have several others who have generously given to our organization in other ways through-out the year as well. Thank you for being a community the embraces and encourages the young pro-fessional demographic!

SHOWCASE YOUR BUSINESS WITH THEGRAND AWARDBy Stacey DimmlerDid you know that in some companies there are up to 5 generations in the workplace? Thats an in-credible span of knowledge, experience, energy, ideas, and possibility!

So, what does it take to keep a young adult in the workplace?

While its impossible to give you a checklist of 20 things for guaranteed success, there are oftencommonalities that increase the likelihood of attracting and retaining young professionals.

Benefits like flexibility in scheduling and office space are becoming more important as Millennialsenter and advance in their careers. There is also a stronger desire from young adults to be included in

projects and decision making from planning to implementation regardless of experience; a chance to bring fresh ideas and energy as well as learn first hand from more experienced colleagues. (I wouldargue that this desire for collaboration and inclusion is not entitlement, as its often labeled, rather its a desire to contribute and learn. Ultimately we all strive for the success of the company as a goal,right?)

For the past 2 years, the Greater Grand Forks Young Professionals has awarded an area business withthe Grow Grand Award, a YP Best Place to Work Award. Our first recipient was Choice Financial,and last year AE2S took home the honor. It is encouraging to see all of the applications we receiveeach year, and more importantly how competitive it becomes. This is evidence of a larger city-wideworkforce culture more attractive to young adults looking to move into, or stay in the area.

Its time for us to find our next recipient of the award, and ANY business may apply for the honor.You can check it out on our website: www.ggfyp.com. Applications are due at the end of December,

but any applications we receive before December 8th will be forwarded for con sideration in the North Dakota Young Professionals statewide version of this award, Best Place to Work and BestPlace to Intern. More information is available at http://ndyp.net.I choose to live and work in the Grand Cities because I see all of the opportunities for young people,

both for my career and in the community. Heres your chance to share what your business is doing!

C O M M U N I T Y



14/16

When I was little my sister and I used to go out into the backyardwith our Christmas lists, and our dad would light them on fire.Then the ashes would inexplicably be carried through the windmiles upon miles away to the great North Pole, where Santa wouldreceive them and try to put them together again, probably cursingour names all the while. Maybe thats why I never got that bowand arrow I asked for, but if the dude would just get a real addressthen this wouldnt have been an issue and I wouldnt have to relyon Mother Nature for Santa to get my list. Im not bitter about it or anything, but the doors of opportunity that would have opened upto me with that bow and arrow are endless. This year Im tryingsomething different. Because like many of you in the Red River region, Santa is no doubt a reader of After 5, and Im getting whatI want this yearno matter what.

Dear Santa,

Since you obviously keep track of these things anyway there is no point in lying, so Im giving it to you straight. I havent been all

that great. But on a scale of Rob Ford to Santa Claus, Im probably at a Brittney Spears, and I really feel Im turning thingsaround. So here goes nothin.

1. Please stop playing A Christmas Story so

much. I loved it the first 100 times, I really did. But now Iveforgotten if there is even a powerful message attached and all Iknow is I wouldnt have shot my eye out with that bow and arrow.Its a Wonderful Life gets quite a bit of playing time but at least itstill gives me chills and makes me weep like a baby at the beauti-ful story.

2. Please let The Secret Life of Walter Mitty beevery bit as epic as its trailer. I would have paid $7 to see

the trailer to this movie and Im scared to death the full-length fea-ture is going to disappoint. Maybe its the fact I dont believe inBen Stiller or maybe its the premise of this guy changing who heis as a person by going on extravagant adventures that are real/fic-tional/Im not sure honestly, but I just dont believe it will live upto the expectations. Im not ready to go into a dark theater for twohours and exit the same person as I went in. Change my life Wal-ter Mitty. Do it.

3. PLEASE please pleaaaaaaaase give Leo an

Oscar. Im not even his biggest fan, but its getting hard towatch Leo pour his heart and soul into every acting gig hegets and seeing no return. This is probably so hard to believethat I bet half of you are going to look it up just to make sure

Im not lying to you when I say hes never won one, but I wouldnever lie to Santa. Does nobody remember that this guy sank tothe bottom of the ocean in freezing cold water, saving the love of his life instead of himself?! Titanic, people. Still didnt get anOscar. Its going to be tough for anyone to beat Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave, but look for Leo to give another Oscar-worthy

performance in The Wolf on Wall Street this Christmas.

4. Please let everybody view Mr. Nobody. If you

want to make sure you dont get anything done for the remainder of the day, watch this trailer, it hasnt been off my mind sinceviewing. This movie actually received limited release on Novem-

ber 1st of this year and has been relatively undiscussed as far as Ican tell, but Im intrigued. It takes a familiar subject about divorceand having to choose between to parents, and then throws you intoa black hole of unfamiliarity with a science fiction twist.

5. Please let Her be the Rom-Dram of the year.

Every time I see Joaquin Phoenix on the screen I prepare myself for something crazy. If you never saw Im Still Here, dont. Imstill not sure if it was real or not, but without a doubt it was mind-

blowing and I dont believe Joaquin has been the same personsince he made that film. In Her he appears to be a pretty normal

guy, oh until he falls in love with nothing more than a robot voicein his home played by actress Scarlett Johansson. Though who can

blame him, when her voice sounds like the sweet flow of a choco-late fountain at Golden Corral. HOW DO YOU DO IT SCAR-LETT?!

6. Please let the Coen brothers live forever. I dontknow if you can control this Santa, but these guys spit out cine-matic gold on a regular basis. Forget about The Hudsucker Proxyand The Ladykillers, and Ive never seen a Coen brothers film Ididnt like. Enter Inside Llewyn Davis. Oscar Isaac and Carey

Mulligan from Drive team up again for this story about a youngfolk singers troubles, and Justin Timberlake is thrown in just tosweeten the deal. Ill take two tickets please, and you can be mydate Santa.*Please refrain from burning any copies of this paper in an effortto get my message to the North Pole, as stated before, Santa is amonthly subscriber and will inevitably receive my message.

Thanks again.Happy Holidays,Taylor

M E D I A CHRISTMAS WISH LISTby Taylor Brost



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December After5 2013