12 ° ClTN april 2001 IFOUR SiEAsoNs CAKJE lDu3sucN CUSTOM WEDDING AND PARTY CAKES using quality organic ingredients. Visit us at: www. aur5easonsazkedesz'gn.com ROBERT E. SIMPSON - 802.238.9738 5 96 ofprofit: benefit: local GLBTorgunimtian: ’ Over 10 years ofprafessional experience, HDULT WORLD Vermont's largest adult store **k****.******* * VERMONT '6' PREMIERE ADIILT AIMADE s mIr_Asr zooms * coming soon... flll MRLE REVUE - EVERY SUNDHY ‘Ir ndult Movies, Magazines, Toys, Latex, Lingerie, Gag Gifts, Cards and much more!!! ‘A' 10: air air air ‘Ar ‘Ar at . _ Open 7 days 10am til closing at Sun 10am-5pm 802.479.0234 PLHNET ROCK/ 127 MAIN ST., BFIRRE (second floor) >(>>t>)l>*>t A300 BY JADE WOLFE Do you believe what you read? Admittedly, at times a printed text casts a sort of hyp- notic spell on me. For exam- ple, this week I consulted a recipe book before cooking. This was not an unknown dish to me. It was something that is good during the colder months. Initially, my perusal of the cookbook was to determine ingredient proportions, not to follow the book’s recipe verba- tim. Yet, as I began to write out my version of the recipe, a slight dispute arose in my mind. Evidently, reading the published recipe had slightly shaken my own cu-iinary confi- dence. I laughed at the realiza- tion of this silly mind-game. Shrugging off these doubts, I cooked up a decent pot of so_up. A recipe selection is a trivial matter. It was the underlying issue that bothered me. How often can the printed words in a book alter a choice? When have printed pages formed opinions and perspectives? There is an obvious answer to either question many times. School students are given — Come see what the Flynn's resident professional theatre company is up to ..llil presents APRIL 25 -— MAY 6 AT FLYNNSPACE FOR TICKETS CALL 86-FLYNN ’ OIOIOOOOOOIOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOIIOOOOOO lesbians, Gay men, Bisexual women and Men with Brothers and Sisters I//2/vers/fy [63 research team is looking for volunteers to complete a survey about /row the lives of adult sisters and brothers are similar or d/ffyerem‘. To participate, please contact; Esther llothblum, Box 355, John Dewey hall, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vi 05405, tel. (802) 656-4372, e-mail SiblingStudy@uvm.edu, and inditate the number of siblings. You do not need to be out to your siblings to partitipate in this study. tof Change I select textbooks conveying ‘facts’. Some of these ‘facts’ are sorely lacking relevant clarification. Of course, as adults we have the option to buy our own books to fill in some of the missing informa- tion. There is for example, a more complete account of United States history written by Howard Zinn. It would be rare‘ (and this is an optimistic statement) to see this book in any public school classrooms. After all, is it so important to understand the real purposes of Christopher Columbus or all of the ‘Native American’ reloca- tions? It wouldn’t be fair to burden young minds with too much truth. But this thought brings me back to making my soup. . Reading a printed version prompted a momentary doubt- ing in my own ability to cook a familiar recipe. This type of subtle, socialized response is fairly common to us all. And, children do tend to learn from example. A few years ago I had the adventure of teaching a drug education curriculum, in the school system. I will never forget those stunned faces when we explained that class time would be a discussion of information. and sharing of ideas. There would be no test- ing or textbooks. Invariably, the first week was spent help- ing the students adjust to such a wild concept. They were skeptical. A few actually became anxious because it was threatening to not have testing as the ultimate goal. Learning for the sake of acquiring knowledge did_not seem logi- cal. As an outside group, our educating team had the free- dom of creating an atmosphere of learning minus the mandato- ry testing factor. Believe me, some of the most" respected people in my life are teachers. They are underpaid, unappreciated and overworked. In no way is this a criticism of teachers. Many of them have similar frustra- tions to mine. Rather, I am saddened by the narrow scope of most textbooks. All the sub- tle and not—so-subtle messages of a need for cultural superior- ity are perpetuated when chil- dren grow up viewing the world through only one cul- ture’s eyes. And people are still surprised by violence in schools? www.condoguv.c0m RVMK North Professionals Some’ research indicates that current pre-school age children have evolved intuitive abilities. The book ‘Evolutions End’ by Joseph Chilton Pearce -details this increased aware- ness levels in brain function- , ing. It is my hope that more children will be able to trust their hearts and intuitive minds. Expanded vision can see beyond the narrow facts presented in standard school texts. As this current genera- tion of children mature they may find inadequacies in many other books offered to them. Books promoting only one type of acceptable family structure, color of skin, reli- gion and economic status could finally become outdated. I not so secretly desire a steady decrease of limited awareness among all people. Providing our children the opportunity to trust their own hearts and minds is certainly preferable to supporting the practice of raising them with so much of themselves closed off to possibilities. Is the purpose of ,this obser- vation clear enough? Think of this as an important social puz- zle. A few key pieces are in evidence. ‘Assuming absolute . truth in what you read’, ‘the_ limited scope of texts and information presented to school children’, violence in school, prejudice, and commu- nity snap all too easily into place. Difficult social issues can be overwhelming. We need not take a one-dimensional view of them. I would prefer a multi- dimensional approach. A Rubik’s cube is harder to solve than a jigsaw puzzle. But, it is much more substantial. Every person has a slightly different position of observation. Everyone has a legitimate view. The — enjoyment _ of living somewhere with beautiful ter- rain and new friends occupies a lot of my thoughts. Concurrently, I am still pleas- antly stunned with my ‘civil unioned ’ status. enamored by titles only, it is admittedly another healthy support of my relationship. l am ‘glad to contribute whatever possible to OITM because. sappy as it sounds, I believe we can continue to widen every- ones vision of the word ‘com- munity’. (802) 655-3333 EXT. 17 (800) 639-4520 EXT. 17 While never I