The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 4, 2005 - B1 DUSTIN QUEZADA ™ JUSTATHOUGHT Ff EV BISHOP. Simple Things | other day and practically falling over himself, stuttering with excitement, -he asked me seriously, “Do you know what I learned about in school today?” “No, what?” I asked. “Cud,” he said. “Cud?” “Yep. CUD.” The word was stated with heavy emphasis, as if carried some deep significance. “You know, the stuff, like grass and stuff, that — that’ s barts up — and chews again for a long, long time.. “J know what cud is.’ His. eyes scrunched up ‘> merrily and he grinned. “It’s pretty sick, hey, Mom?” * He proceeded to launch into inspired song — an “Ode to Cud,” if you will. It was a cheerful lit- ' while singing and making up verses. so good to eat all over again (that’s some high trail- ing off note) Cud, cud, oh LOVELY...” You get the idea. When J finally stopped laughing, he said, _ “Actually, I think cud i8 1 neat, Mom.” . pe “Yeah” “obviniisly.__my daughter replied. (Whether she meant that” obvioiisly ‘cud is neat or that obviously he thinks cud is neat was never cleared up.) He left, still singing about cud and I went on with what I was doing. A few days later, we were sitting around the table having a deep philosophical talk—I’d just asked, “If you had unlimited money where would you travel to/what would you do?” _ My daughter. pondered. My husband poured juice. My son knew immediately. “Like if J had the all the money in the holiday jar? Iknow, I know! I'd go to Just Kidding and get all the tokens I wanted to play all the games.” “That’s - it?” asked his sister. “And _any- way, there’s like no money in the jar. It’s loose ° change.” — “Oh...” He seemed momentarily saddened, but alds too—” “Oh, McDonalds and Just Kidding. Wow.” “Okaaaay.... I’ll go to...to Smithers too. Yeah. Just Kidding and McDonalds in Smithers.” - She rolled her eyes. “There is no Just Kidding in Smithers,” she said _ and then stated her list of three must-sees in various ~ places on the globe. He furled his brow and thought for a moment, tokens.” that. “Tell him that’s not a holiday.” But I couldn't do it. Why would I criticize what very well may be the © best part of his personality? He’s easy to please (He sings songs about cud _ for crying out loud) and he’s not that worried about whether other people see things his way or not. ; He hasn't read self-help books. He doesn’t say | affirmations to help himself to appreciate good things or remind himself that they exist. He just simply lives expecting to find things that delight him and so he does — be it the surprising comfort that the sad death of a pet toad results in the interesting scientific study of bones, the revela- tion that he can read an Archie comic, the fact that if} he can chop wood, or the discovery of cud. Or any other bazillion things that, I don’t even think about, let alone give thanks for. As I watch him chase, then be chased by our dogs, run around the backyard, think up popsicle earning.schemes, bounce on the trampoline, ride his horse (bike!) in frantic loops, and revel in the times that his big sister plays with him, he’s a reminder to Seek them out. He notices little things. He sees them as signifi- cant, as big deals. _ land or Mexico. It’s that he’s so busily enjoying the present that - it doesn’t occur to him that anything could be any ‘ better than what he’s currently doing. ~ ing Five Alive out of a wine glass, once again re- vealing his view that the ordinary is special. And as I ponder over my relationship with him and all that he brings to my life, I can’t help but marvel. There is nothing more common than a woman having children, and yet I can’t help but also believe, there is nothing more unique. fing, fn Aa y son bounded over to my desk the , a cow chews and swallows and then regurgitates ~ _ tle tune, but to get the whole effect-you’d need to © _ see him twirling ‘round the room in his undershirt © “Cud, cud, oh LOVELY cud! Cud, cud, you are’ gets blanket € By DUSTIN QUEZADA IT WAS hard to tell who was more excited: the birthday boy : or his party. Isaac Heenan celebrated his first birthday last week with the class he has. visited monthly with his mother since last _ fall. And whether the added excitement for his birthday reg- istered with the one-year-old or not, the Grade 3 students at E.T. Kenney Primary were a happy bunch. The visit started like previous ones, but ended with gift giving and a birthday cake. ° The students presented Isaac with a quilt made of patches ; individually made by each student in Maureen Clent’s class, along with a T-shirt emblazoned with the Roots of Empathy logo. ; 3 ns) “The kids are learning to look at other people’s feelings ~ - they’ re kinder” The project that brought Isaac and his mother Daphne : Heenan into the lives of the curious elementary schoolers, i is the heart of the Roots of Empathy program. As reported in the Terrace Standard November 2004 when their visits began, a neighbourhood infant and parent are chosen to visit a classroom ¢ once a month for the: full school year. Valerie Glaser, a volunteer facilitator for the project, calls “ita learning tool that allows the older kids to better under- stand a baby’s emotions. _ Glaser addresses the class before, during and after each of Isaac’ s visits, using a theme — safety or communication, for, example — for.every. month. _ ‘The program strives combat bullying by educating school 7 children to understand another person’ S point of view and . respect their feelings. And according to early results, it’s working for Clent’s charges. “It’s been a really positive experience,” the teacher said. “The kids are learning to look at other people’s feelings » —they’re kinder.’; = As for Isaac’s mother, whe returned two weeks ago to her job as a substitute teacher from maternity leave, she says the | children are learning valuable lessons from their interactions with her son. “(The students) are really aware of Isaac’s feelings now more than before,” she said, adding they can tell whether he’s feeling insecure or tired, and they react appropriately TERRACE STANDARD Isaac’s first birthday coverage | brightened almost immediately. “I'd go to McDon- then shrugged. “I don't care. I like McDonalds and — “Artreh,” my daughter said — or something Tike to me to not only find joy in the simple things, but It’s not that he wouldn’t enjoy a trip to Disney-. As I read this over to make last edits, he’s drink- to his emotions. Though he has but two more times with his adopted class, it’s clear Isaac has made friends that just might be better off having met him. By DUSTIN QUEZADA DENINE MILNER is sharing the characters that have taken residence in her head. : That means the Terrace Little Theatre is presenting the final show of their season and local playwright Milner’s premiere presen- — tation of Lil’s Closet. Milner’s first try at playwriting is a come- dic drama that theatre director Nancy Stone- Archer describes as one woman’s struggle toward the reintegration of self, after years of children, husband and family. A modern coming of age story with an honest, funny peek into how our greatest enemies (and al- lies) are often ourselves. We find Lil (Barb Botelho),. having re- “cently been left by husband Gerry (Andy Roth), alone after her only daughter Stacey (Sandy Watson) leaves for college. Housewife Lil finds her roles — wife and mother — are no longer relevant. As she tries to cope with this new stage in life, she finds an internal struggle between trying to retain her role (attempting to get her husband back, renting her daughter’s vacated room) and acknowledging parts of herself tucked away These tugging emotions are represented, said Milner, by two characters (with rather unoriginal names) inner voice one and two. ANNETTE Martindale, ef, and Barb Botelho in the | upcoming TLT play Lil Ss Closet. DUSTIN QUEZADA PHOTO Closet opens May 12 Debbie Haynes plays voice one, the en- trenched wife, mother and shopaholic, while Patrick McIntyre. is Lil’s opposing voice that’s been in the closet for 20 years, stifling. her impulse to change. Milner said the play doesn’t freeze while the inner voices take over because “when we interact in life, our mind is still ticking.” That’s as much as Milner would divulge. The play is also the directorial debut for Phil Bialobzyski, who has acted in four pre- vious TLT productions. - Bialobzyski said the 10-person cast was picked in mid January, but the script wasn’t locked until April 9. “Tt was a big challenge finishing so close to the opening,” said Bialobzyski, adding he’s blessed with an excellent cast. Funded by a TLT grant, the production was bolstered by two visits from a UVic dra- maturge for workshops on the play. Both Milner and Bialobzyski said they’re excited for opening night, but neither of them is losing sleep. “Nervousness is good,” the director said, adding the production is still looking for backstage help. Tickets are $14 at Uniglobe Travel. Pre-. sented at McColl Playhouse. May 12-14, 19- 21, 26-28. ISAAC Heenan sits on his new quilt — and his mother Daphne’s lap - during his visit to the grade 3 ciass at E.T. Kenney Primary School he has visited monthly as part of the Roots of Empathy program. The occasion is his first birthday. DUSTIN QUEZADA PHOTO Around Town Schools cleans up — “CENTENNIAL CHRISTIAN School was deemed to have the cleanest schoolyard for 2005 in'a contest put on by the . Greater Terrace Beautification Society. Second place went to Uplands Elementary School, while z the Seventh Day Adventist School came in third. Honourable mention went to Veritas School and Parkside _ Secondary, while Clarence Michiel and Cassie Hall elemen-. tary schools were deemed the most improved over last year. The schools’ cleanliness was judged -by city councillor ITY... ‘Rich McDaniel, Skeena Junior: Secondary student Britny Charron and beautification society members Angela McKay and Sam Buchanon. ; Get your free comics here! COMIC ENCOUNTERS will be giving away free comics to _ everyone who visits the store on Saturday, May 7. The Lakelse Ave. store is one of over 1,900 comic shops * worldwide participating in Free Comic Book Day. The aim is to introduce and reintroduce everyone to the joys of comic books, as well as help increase literacy through | the use of comics. ' ; The free books will range in subject matter from high- flying superhero adventures to intense slice-of-life t to crime | noir and kid-friendly humour. The event kicks off at 10 a.m. and runs to 6 p.m. Call 638-7293 for info. Pre-K shots offered in May CHILDREN STARTING kindergarten this fall — or those already attending this year who missed their immunizations last year — can get their shots at the Terrace Health Unit. The clinics will be offered over the following four dates. in May and early June at the health centre at 3412 Kalum Street: Thursday, May 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, May 13 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friday, May 20 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Thursday, June 2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. If someone other than the parent or legal guardian will be bringing the child, please let the unit know at 638-2200 when making an appointment. MS group holding sale THE TERRACE Multiple Sclerosis support group is holding a garage sale at 2210 (south) Kalum. Street on Friday and Saturday, May 6-7. Friday night’s sale is on from 7-9 p.m. and Saturday’s portion goes from 10 a.ra. to 1 p.m. Call the group sale phone at 635-4809 to donate.