Ld et he’,

JENNIFER LANG

. freezing, flailing.

ous. If the rain were a relative.

_ JUST A THOUGHT

EV BISHOP

Rainy. daze

Y MY SCANNER, ready to be taped to my

monitof, sits a comic that | clipped ages ago

and recently rediscovered. In it. a scraggly-
haired, cross-faced woman in a housecoat sits at
her computer and looks out.at me crankily. A full
coffee mug rests beside her and a little nervous-
looking dog peeks from behind her back. “I’m out
of bed and-I made it to the key board. What more
do. you want?” she announces in heavy black print.
Whenever I sce it, | can't help. but smile and feel
like shouting, “Amen!”

I think it’s the rain—the drenching. dripping,
puddling., pouring. plummeting. falling. spraying,
‘non-stop deluge of water— that’s
got me down. It’s not even that I dislike rain. Lac-

_ tually don’t mind it. I even, dare I say it,‘find.it sort
_ of romantic and dream inspiring,

BUT, and this is
an important but, this rain-liking phenomena only
occurs under precise. circumstances.

I like rain when [ have the luxury of curling
up with a good book and a blanket by the fire. Or

- when Phave nothing pressing to do and the kids and
=I can stay in- pyjamas‘all day. playing games and
‘maniac .

snacking. Or when it’s beating down like
on a drum.and there’s a f abulous movie— maybe
slightly scary, oF sad— and popcor n close at hand.

‘It’s not even that | dislike rain. |
actually don’t mind it. I even, dare I
say it, find it sort of romantic.’

iy

Or when my cute little son, loudly excited, fills me
in.on his after school plan to go outside and get
soaked to the skin. “Can 1, Mom, can I? Please?”

-It’s that he actually plans this for fun that gets me

laughing every time. °

There are alsoa few isolated conditions in which,
while not exactly liking the rain, [ can handle it,
even admire it. When it’s awe-inspiring. I'm not
pleased when the roads and every nearby expanse
of grass are under four inches of water—but I am
impressed, slightly wow-ed, amazed.
necessary. In the rare hot summer. I. understand
that brown, scorched earth needs water—I appre-
ciate rain then, but only it is desperately needed.
Then I appreciate it quitting again.

Which brings me to why, most of the time, | do
not like the rain. In Terrace, rain is like that relative
that you know you completely depend on, should
appreciate more, and should feel lucky to have

when so many people don“t— but that said relative -
has the bad habit of showing up at the worst mo- .

ments, over staying his/her welcome by weeks and
just plain not knowing when enough is enough.

> Tf the rain would just have some common de-
cency—would check to see if you had plans before

it rained on them! If it would notice when half the .

population is pulling. out information on S.A.D.,

‘Rain is oblivious. If rain were a
relative, you’d describe him as a
careless drip.’

take the hint. and let up fora bit. Hf the rain would
realize that it could come at convenient hours, say
midnight ‘til 7:30 a.m.? But no. the rain is oblivi-
you'd describe him
as a careless drip.

I dislike the rain when I’m trying to hurtle a
shopping buggy through the black night and sheets

of water—and I dislike it more when I'm: putting

away soggy grocerids. { dislike the rain when I'm
trying to heed the silly S.A.D. coping strategies by
walking despite the weather, and I’m splashed head
to toe when a Vehicle goes through one of the rivers
by the side of the road. I dislike the rain when, still
walking—now drenched. I’m. accosted by hyper
dogs whose sane owners aren't out walking them in
the pouring rain. I dislike the rain because it falls
from an ever-grey sky and makes me feel exhausted
and drained.

I do realize that my lamenting won't change the
weather, Taccept that until the sun comes out. Tm
going to have to live with the fact that some days
just getting out of bed, getting clothes on, and get-
ting to the computer is success— now wait, may be
this will have to get shifted to the “why I like rain”
paragraph: | do like excuses to sit on my computer.
I just need to get glasses like the lady in the cartoon
and Fl be all set.

P.S. IT realize that with Murphy's Law operating
as right as rain, this column will probably come out
on a gorgeously clear, sunny Wednesday. 1 expect
some thank-yous.

© one-woman

When it’s’

- veloping Assertiveness in

Training and Counseling,

By JENNIFER LANG

WHAT STARTS with the letter

“Vand rhymes with the capital at”

Saskatchewan?

Need a hint?

Its the first word inuthe title of
Eve Ensler’s provocative. liberating
look at the lives of Contemporary

- women and how they feel about a
certain, misunderstood female body:

part.
Andon Feb. 12, you'll be hearing
a lot more about it when The Vagina

Monologues returns to Terrace for —

another unforgettable — one-night-
only benetit show for the transition
house building fund.

, Like the original February 2003
production staged here (which was
such a smash people are still talk-

_ ing about iQ). the show is directed by

Marianne Weston.

“The piece on its own, doesn't
resonate with me. that strongly.”
Weston said.

know there were, that many women
who felt so strongly,”

Eve Ensler based .her original,
show ° on - interviews
with more than 200 women, f rom
teens to seniors. ,

Since then, the 1997 production
has evolved into a world-wide: phe-
nomenon. Ensler waives her royal-
fics for “V-Day” shows staged by
student groups and non- profits be-
tween Feb. ‘and March |,

More than 2,000 grassroots pro-

: ductions took place last. year, in-
cluding one

at West Vancouver
Secondary School, sug ggesting what
vas once revolutionary is now de
rigeur,
The critics may hiss (after all,
weren't the past 30 years all about

moving beyond women's bodies?),

“It wasn’t until T sat.’
down with a group of women and I
watched what it did to them. I didn’t.

TERRACE STANDARD.

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, February 9, 2005 - B1

a

Smile and say, ‘Vee’

Joan Conway and Judy McClosky star in The Vagina Monologues.

638-7283

WE" VE:GOT SO MUCH TO.TALK ABOUT: actors Nada Gibson (from eft), Karla Hennig, Jessica Hogg
‘JEFF NAGEL PHOTO

but its fans are legion, ;

Something clearly resonates
with women all over the globe, and
Weston thinks it’s because it’s based
on real life experiences.

“It’s from the heart, it’s from the
gut. That's why, it resonales =, be-
cause it’s real.” :

No fooling.” While: some of the
monologues use. humour to get their

“point across; others offer the unvar-

nished truth.
No topic is taboo: puberty, or-
gasms, spousal abuse, lesbianism.

. birth, rape — it’s al! here. And it’s
“iH brought out, into the open. The

theatrical equivalent of-a-speculum,.
a mirror and a flashlight.

_ The show may have earned raves
when it was first presented here, but

Weston is still battling misconcep- :

tions.

“Most people think it’s pornog-

raphy, or they: think is’ anti-male
bashing, liberal ~ ,ball-bashing.”
Weston says. “It runs the range of
female experience; but it is not por-
nography.”

Still; she realizes the show won rm

be everyone’s cup of tea. Her son °
turns 21 the night of the show. She:

doesn’t expect him in the crowd.
On the other hand, Weston’s
daughter is one of the 12 women in
the show.
Young women in the show have

no problem whatsoever with, the

subject matter, Weston points out.
She was surprised by the women

who answered her original casting

call — an obstetrician: “gynecologist,

a judge s wife, a teacher.
“So much of yourself is up there”

: she marvels. “I’m not sure if l would
‘have auditioned.”
Why. do women, read for this

play?

think it’s part of the attraction of the
whole thing.”

Weston praises the calibre of the
acting in her. current cast..

Continued on page B5

Last chance for a new start?

By JENNIFER LANG
THE SUN is about to set on
DAWN.

Since 1994, the 18-week
pre-employment — program
has given more than 160 lo-
cal women a second chance. .

DAWN stands for De-

Women for a New Start.

It’s designed for women
who have struggled to over-
come abusive. relationships.
childhood sexual or physical
abuse, and alcohol ‘and drug ~
programs — cach are formi-
dable barriers to success in
the job market.

On Feb. 21, Northwest
Starts. its final
lake. ©

“If there is any woman
oul. there who's thought
about it and hasn‘t applied,
this is the time’ to do it.”
program coordinator Irlanda
Price said.

DAWN in-

A POEM ANDA DRAWING: ‘irlanda Price ‘Says a recent DAWN’ grad expressed her

thanks with this unique gift. JENNIFER LANG PHOTO

self who are scared to even
ask for help,” George said.
“There’s no, reason for
any woman to stay in a re-
lationship like that. There.
is help out there for us. We

stuff that the men are doing,
and.even better.” in
' . She said. the “women
bonded together, becoming

went by.
Her big milestone was

bricty with a cake... ©
“That's when I knéw' 1
was not going to fall on my

face,” she said. “I am strong
cnough.”
Another turning point

came with her work experi-
ence placement at Petland,
where she . cleaned . cages,
fed the animals and dusted
the shelves for four wonder-
ful weeks.

“I love animals.:1 was in

“] can *t answer that’ question. I -
think it’s part of the mystery and 1.

aren’t just a tool. We can do’

- Close as family as the weeks

celebrating one-year of so-

_ blues

The provincial govern-
ment hasn't called for pro-
posals for more pre-employ-
ment programs for women,
even though DAWN’‘s cur-
rent two-year contract with
the Ministry of Human Re-
sources ends in June,

“It will probably go to
another community.” Price
said, urging potential appli-
cants to-take adv antage of

the program, which focuses
on lifestyle management,
employment readiness, and

a work experience place---

ment,
“Its a big commiunent.
If you're not able to make

the commitment, it isn’t for. .

you.” Price said.

» For those who stick il
out. it. can make a world of
difference.

Maxine: George was wT

coming out of an abusive

relationship when she heard
about DAWN.

The 39-year-old mother
of three had been sober for
just two months when she

found herself signing up for »

the program,
It was a -big step into
the unknown. What a relief

when she realized’ she recog-

‘nized some of the other par-

ticipants on that first day! .
Those first weeks were

really an eye-opener for. -
who grew up in.

George, w
Hazelton, and had only got

- as far as Grade 10 when her

first daughter was born.

“It was interesting get-
ting to know everybody, to
actually know that there are
women out there like your-

my glory. It was fun. espe-
cially when the guinea pigs
had babies.”

When she. tefl, the staff’

gave her a parting gift - a
budgie she named Timmy.
She’s had a number ‘of’
setbacks since she gradu-
ated, but-she hasn’t Ict those
get her. down,
She credits DAWN with

Continued Page R4

Essig joins list of bands at benefit show

Local singer Theresa Fenger

By
JEFF NAGEL

ONE OF Canada’s foremost
and
folk musicians will headline
anothertsunami relief benefit
concert being organized here
for Feb..20.

David Essig. who has per-
formed in this region before.
makes a return trip for the 7

p.m. Sunday night concert at -

the R.E.M. Lee Theatre.
He'll be joining perform-
ers from Terrace and across
northwest B.C. here for the
benefit to aid victims of the

incthtectivatt intent attic eta at tain alti tisha thiratinatlnat a ath ath

contemporary .

signs up a host of performers

South Asian tsunami.
They ‘include Sall Gib-
son, an alternative pop and

"folk-rock singer/songwriter, °

and Bernadette Saquibal,
both from Prince Rupert.
~ Kincolith’s ever-popular
Chug-A-Lug band will be
there. as wi! the Rumor Red
Band, Mooniight & Rosie
and more.

“The show's a variety.”

says local singer Theresa
Fenger, who is organizing

the benefit concert and will
also perform.
“There's

going lo be

FOLK and blues artist David Essig will be familiar to

fans of the Rosswood Jamboree.

dancing. there's going to
be musicians.” she said. “I

think it’s going to be a very
good show —- very entertain-

}
t

ing.” oN
She says she remembered

seeing Essig, who lives ona.

Gulf island, perform here at

’ the Rosswood Music Jam-

boree and decided to look
him up on the Internet and
invite him. .

_ School acts include the
Veritas School

mance.

Tickets are available at
Misty River Books, Don
Diego's restaurant, and
Caledonia Sr. Secondary
school.

Some big door prizes are
also on offer.

All proceeds go to tsu-
nami benefit relief.

Choir and —
. a Caledonia Drama perfor-

oo