OPINIONSAND EDITORIALS

K. & H. Sedl)re

So it's the mic.lc.llcoi' January anc.lwe're all starling to n.:ulizc that we're in for a 'longhaul' between now and final exams. Why do I say that? Perhaps. because between New Year's and Easter there exists no civil holidays, and while then: is a 'reading break' in l,.ebruary 10 look forward lo, it's a small consolntion considering that virtually every lHher educotional in ·1i1u1ion enjoys an entire week called spring break. Heck, I'm sure the kids will be flaunting the fact that they have t1n entire week off in March and we don '1: pay-back, I' 111 sure, for that one weekprior to Christnms l)f us teasing them. Too bad for them for thcm that they'll still have to get up al thcir regular times 10go to the siucr·s. To top it all off, there is no uoubt that we are in the dead of winter: we gel up in the dark, and we come home in the Jark. Life is about as llavourful as a cup of cufeteria coffee.

On the other hnnd, though, January is a lot like looking up from the bottom of the barrel: you know you're on the boltom. and there is only one way to go (up, in case you've forgotten). Every student on campus knows that winter semesrer will only last for so long (repeat after me: surn111eris coming, summer is coming). Before we know ii, final exams will be upon us once again. Amn~ingly e11oughwe will all sit back and muse "where did the till)e go'!" anll in the true masochis1ic fashion of students, want to turn back the clock just to kick our own procras1ina1i11gbulls. Go figure.

But considering thal April is still a long way from January, wha1 can the avernge univcr• sity student do 10beu11hewinter blahs when you're brokt: and cooped up with a bunt:h of kids who arc also suffering from cabin fever'' (Lots. but it rakes n bi1 of creativity to fully enjoy the opportunily .it hun<l.) For starters, I strongly recommend shuring what is currently bcing lcarncJ in the post-secondary arena with the youngsters. Depending on wh.it your mujor is, torturing er educating your chilc.l/rcn can be entertaining as dinner table conversation or family night gatherings:

Your Major/Minor

Applying it at Home

English Litcraturc: Discuss books no one has reud and then tell them that u thousand-word essay is due in two weeks

Geography: List natural disasters that could potentially affect the Fraser Valley and refuse to devise emergency plans for 1hem

I listory: Fabricate un unbelievable acrnunt of the history of the Fraser Valley and insist that every word is true

Mathematics: Challenge your kids with advanced concepts of alge• bra and calculus! 11year-olds really do love logarithms!

Psychology: Teenagers especially enjoy intimate Freudia11-s1yle analysi~ of themselves while in the C(1mpany of rheir friends

S0ciology/An1hropology: Spousesare parricularly receptive lO debates abou11heir friends and their resulting (negative) influences on them

Biology: Graphic descriptions of i;aslrn•inteMinal workings of vinuully any species is welcome al all dinner tables

Criminal Justice: The criminul profiling of one's friends, family mem• ber offspring and spouse is more fun than charades!

Theatre: Insist that your children only communicate LO you through interpretative dance for an entire weekend. Only works once.

Visual Arts: Assign your children a sculpture 10 he created with only found ohjecl~. 10 be constructed in the neighbour's yard.

Political Science: Teach your children all of the names of the members of pnl'liamcnt and legislated assembly on Fddays instead of renting movies, and then quiz them on Sundays

Philosophy: Have your childrt:n detail the premises and conclusions of the last fight you had with your spouse. Bonus marks l"or including fallacies!

Graphic Design: Caricatures of your mother-in-l,1w comes to mind

Nursing: Although not a game recommended t'or children, usually not a problem getting one's spouse to play along

KPE: Have your child uttempl to pronounce the proper names of all of the body parts. Appurently dropping the vowels docs11'taffect the pho• netics of rhe words

Econo111ic:s: Explain llemund curves and supply-and-demand thc• ory, followed by the di tinction that there are only wants, not needs. This last bit does• n't go over well with spouses

Chemistry: A favourite with prepubescent boys and men: a little baking soda and vinegar gu a long way on a rainy af1ernoon

Physics: Any child between the ages of two and twelve would be rnure than happy to help calculate the running ~kid distance achievable on the kitchen floor. Wool slippers strongly recom• menlled

One word:

ECE/CYC: valium

Languages: ' Teach your kids 1he wrong names for all the parts of their body in another language

SSSW: Convince your kids that you have a copy of the 'officiul parenling hanllbook' and since they arc not misbehaving according to the specifications set our in the book, you will have to confer with F.CE/CYC, PSYC and CJSA

Although 1' ve obviously abbreviated thi!> list, l llo apol<>gizeif I've excluded a panic• ulur field of study that could be c.lecmcd applicable as family entertainment (if you have a suggestion, please forward it to the editor). For those of us who can find ways or using our educations while we arc still acquiring them (i.e reverse psychology on <1 rive year old who really wants chocolate, or negotiating wi1h an eight-year old in the throws of yet anorher temper tantrum) the four years invested into a bachelor's degree ju~t got a whole 101more fun. For tweryone else who doesn't have an opportunity to apply what they're learning to their loved ones at home, you've always got another avenue for a liulc cheap entertainment dur• ing the dreary days of January; refill your friend' Tim Horton ·s coffee cup with cafeteria coffee.

Referendum Results

Coni;ru1ula1it1nsto 1heSUS! In selling aside the rcfcrcnuum result~. SUS Council Jisplayt'd something akin 10 ethical nction!

SUS Council should have helJ a ·yes or no' referendum. or had u quorum vote al an AGM rather than u11e111ptingto plll 1500.00/monrh in 1he pockets or the exccu• tivt: without asking fnr s111den1approval.

A1e we now lo applaud their sudden attack of cnnscicncc? How many nf tho~c executives already spent 1housanusof SUS uollurs without slllllcnt approval'! (Nice new laptop. Dave!) As members or tile SU Society, wc arc all p1ivilegcc.l to that in for. maril,n, and demand tllat those Executives return cvcry cenl. Most of thc execulive!originully signed on at 150.00/mnnlh for three hours/week. knowing full well thal SUS involvement is more like volunteer \\ork experience than a salaried position. If they don't wam their jobs now that they're buck to I 50,00/11lL>nth.then step uside und allow another s1uden1 the opportunity to serve in our 'stuue11tgovcrnmcnt. • t