DUSTIN QUEZADA JUST A THOUGHT EV. BISHOP -° "Feeling thankful henever I come across a new author (‘New” to me could be the author of a 400-year-old classic. I use it to describe someone whose books I’ve alize that I have to read everything. he or she’s ever and ahh, and pretty much. drive everyone I know ‘crazy with my “Have you read (insert.name here)? ” Well, you have to! Read this one (insert title) first. No, on second thought, read this one (another title). Then again, maybe this one should be your first read (insert yet another title). Usually at the . third title, the person I’m talking to gets a panicked look and tries to escape, so I rally quickly. “Actu- ally, any of her books will be a good first, just read whatever it was I gleaned from the new author. and don’t cry or laugh out loud;.I dare you. In the Pleasures (a story about a newly widowed. woman), solace found in ordinary things: a warm bath, good food, the beauty of nature, music, friends, and art.” The importance of that resonates with me, I think just be the secret to not being overwhelmed by life’s inevitable hard times. In light of that, here are irrationally happy, give me comfort, or remind me that I’m blessed. The smell of hot, sun baked pavement after fresh . rain. The way my one-year-old niece climbs on my lap, holds my hair, pops her thumb in her mouth and makes me feel like I’m the person she loves best in the world. (I know she does it to everyone, but I pretend I’m special.) The scent of freshly perked coffee on cold fall mornings. when I enthusiastically exclaimed to my friend, “Your lard is gorgeous!” I meant yard, but let’s face it, lard was much more fun. She was very flat- tered and we laughed and laughed. Basking in the heat from our woodstove, while our dogs and cat sprawl, lulled to sleep, in front of its glow. who gets the middle one - me. And then, when I think it’s because there’s something wrong with it, Christopher explains, ‘We already decided‘when you weren't here. You get the middle, because you're the middle of our heart, Mom.” The feeling of connectedness I get when I’m who thinks like me. ing across something put into words that I've felt, but haven't been able to express. Making a new recipe. The prickly smell of tomatoes growing ina greenhouse. The mingled aromas on n the street that I live on around 6 o’clock every night ~ knowing that there are all these families sitting around eating togeth- er, » Standing in a checkout line and overhearing someone say into his cell phone, “Do you miss me yet?” and shyly, “I love you too.” Watching a toddler crane his head around in run and crash into her legs, hugging them tightly, when she’s back in view. - Clean sheets. Campfires. Stars at night. Fog- gy morings. My cat’s craziness.A clean bathroom. Fresh _ flowers. Birds. Walking bare foot. The moon. E-mail. Lipstick. The smell of cit- rus fruit. I could.go on and on, but I think you get the point. These are just a few of the things I’m thank- able. feeling of gratitude, cause a smile after a bad day, or make you think, I’m so lucky? Be brave and share. I’d love to hear from you, and so would others. E-mail me at ev_bishop@yahoo.com or newsroom @terracestandard.com. Selected re- sponses received before 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30th will appear in the community column of The Ter- race Standard Wednesday, Oct. 5th. And if you have any great book recommendations, I’d love those too. TERRACE STANDARD ‘EAIl hands on deck STUDENTS, staff and parents from Uplands Elementary School celebrated World Peace Day Wednesday, Sept. 21 by linking hands around the school. The exercise culminated with an apple being passed around to show unity. The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 28, 2005 - B1 | 9 “DUSTIN QUEZADA PHOTO - never read before, but upon first read, makes me re-, written), I'am like someone in love. I gush and ooh” ‘No? (Insert horrified gasp of shock from my mouth) | ’ her!” Pm always desperate to have others enjoy My latest love is Elizabeth Berg. Read her books . words of the flap jacket of her novel, The Year of .Berg has an amazing way of “acknowledging the . - that the art of noticing and appreciating things not» only makes your immediate life happier, it might _[- just a few of the simple things that make me feel - Inadvertent ‘slips of tongue, like the. other day ~ When my kids do things like fight over who gets | which cinnamon bun, but have no question as to. reading a book and discover that there’s someone Again when reading, the happy surprise of com- " panic when he can’t see his mother, then seeing him’ ful for, the things that make the hard things bear- . Now it’s your turn. As Thanksgiving Day ap- proaches, what are. the simple things that create a. “EBON iia _ teeth in four years. : college, which he hopes will ease the transition. .|- and busy.” ater wey. “SE BLACK AND white doesn’t do io justice to this work by Terrace artist st Andy Whitting- ton. The nameless painting is one of nine the 21-year-old has had on display at the Artful Cup and it’s one of his favourites. DUSTIN QUEZADA PHOTO Part-time painter By DUSTIN QUEZADA . FOR YOUNG artists, public showings of their work do two things: has had nine paintings on display at the Art- ful Cup since the beginning of August and he’s been thrilled with the reaction. “I think it’s great,” about the opportunity afforded by the cafe. “Tt’s the first show I’ve done and I’m thank- ful —- I’ve gotten good reviews.” Whittington, who has no.fermal art train- ing, is likely kicking himself for having pre- sold all of the displayed pieces, though he wouldn’t say so publicly. “They’re all pre-owned — I’ve given them away to friends and family,” said Whitting- ton, who adds the materials are paid for in _ the arrangement. Whittington left ‘last week for a three- week stint as a labourer in a mineral explora- tion camp near Galore Creek. With the money he makes there, he said he hopes to “get a room and concentrate on art” — and snowboard — during the winter. With the interest generated by his first ex-: hibit, Whittington admitted to flirting men- tally with a career in art. He said an art gallery in Victoria has ex- pressed interest in hosting a future show. Whittington uses acrylic and aerosol paints for his zany, colourful works and it gives them . exposure and it serves as a gauge fi or reaction - ‘and possible demand. Local abstract painter Andy Whittington - the 21-year-old said | getting noticed even he can’t pinpoint where his inspiration comes from. “Everything is different; ” he said of his creations. “] just make something off the top of my head, - “There: isn’t a lot of meaning behind them.” His first show is a range of paintings with one distinct feature: vibrant deep hues of co- lour and abstract designs. The painter lists: two of the nameless works as his favourites: an ambiguous cluster of blue block-like skyscrapers with a terrific lemon-coloured sky in the background and a quirky piece with a tree trunk house seem- ingly spreading roots into the ground with an oversized fowl floating in the air above. ‘Whittington credits his grandmother, Eula Pasquet, a leisure painter, for getting him into art. Whittington said his grandmother always - had art supplies at his disposal and that he got into it at an early age. “I had a knack for it —I use to doodle with pencils,” said Whittington, who only started painting a year ago. Looking .ahead, Whittington said he hasn’t ruled out getting formal art training, maybe even at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver. Whittington remains realistic, if not con- servative, about earning a living through his art, saying he might seek a trade in order to be able to pay the bills. »race Arena banquet room, a public lecture by Dr. Froese on a’ at] p.m. Around Town Local in Lotusland | TERRACE RESIDENTS may have:a local working: on their Vince Drouin, 21, is off to Loma Linda University School of Dentistry in the namesake city two hours east of.Los Angeles. There, he has entered into study in the Doctor of Dental Surgery Program with 95 others. Drouin earned his — Bachelor of Sciences at Canadian University College at La- combe, Alta. | Loot ‘He will share a house with a classmate from the Alberta” " ‘““Pve no idea what to expect,” he said before Jeaving. ‘“P’ve never been to the U'S: but r think it’s going to be crazy Drouin said he has been told locally that he would have a - job here when he finishes his general dentistry studies. Loma Linda is a Seventh-Day Adventist institition=aid= _ the dentistry program only has two-week breaks j in Decem- - ber and in the summer. e aware of mental iliness THE B.C. Schizophrenia Society, NHA Adult Mental Health Services and MCFD Child & Youth Mental Health Services present a series of public events for Mental Illness Awareness Week. The following is the schedule for the week: — Oct. 3 at noon: BCSS partnership panel - a discussion of the experience of mental illness from individuals, their families and their service providers at NWCC room 2001; Oct. 4 8:30-4:30 p.m: depression/anxiety — screening’ and education day in the health unit lobby; Oct. 5 at 1:30 p.m:: seniors’ forum with Dr. Blouw dealing with depression and. loneliness at the Happy Gang Centre and at 7 p.m. at the Ter-. practical approach to insomnia; Oct. 7 at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30. p.m. at'the Terrace Public Library: puppet show; ‘Hbrary'd dis: play case from Sept. 25 to Oct. 15. > . ‘Start your art engines TWENTY GROUPS and solo artists will perform tour more - than 300 northern schools between September and May - through ArtStarts in Schools touring program. » Terrace will host several. of the touring artists, a range of top-flight performers encompassing the art of storytell- ing, the tragi-comedy of clowning and the humour, of im- prov theatre. The first, Anne Glover, has been performing across Canada and the U.S. for several years, in both English and French. Her background | includes extensive experience. in education and entertaining. Her unique storytelling style. incorporates sign language, voices and sound: effects, and a stunning array of string figures. Glover performed at both Veritas Catholic School and Cassie Hall Elementary Sept. 27 and will continue with two | performances Sept. 28 in local schools. She will be at ET Kenney Elementary at 9:30 a.m. and at Thornhill Primary Over 500,000 students have benefited from ArtStarts in Schools touring program, which brings over 2,200 profes- sional performances into schools across B.C. annually. This program is made possible thanks to its founding sponsors, Vancouver Foundation and the BC Arts Council, who con- tribute $600,000 annually to expose young people to per- formances and arts activities that have artistic quality and educational merit in remote, rural and urban areas. Ei Brit boarding BRITISH freelance journalist Tom Hutton boards the Via Rail Skeena train bound for Prince Rupert Sept. 14. Hutton was one of five reporters on an eight-day northern B.C. Wildlife and Wilderness Safari Press Trip. Greeting him is Veronique Depres, a senior ser- vice attendant for Via. DUSTIN QUEZADA PHOTO 638-7283