ifiSEE
F0NJT1
Editorial
WmtsMffl
MFfc
wmS
KfCgDD
byJolene
Brisbois
Managing
Editor
It
is
difficult
to
write
an
editorial
that
will
stay
relevant
for
one,
never
mind
six,
weeks,
but
as
this
is
the
December
publication
of
Free
Forum
and
another
edition
will
not
come
out
until
the
end
of
January
that
is
the
task
at
hand.
However,
as
I
sit
in
my
heated
home,
I
know
of
one
thing
that
will
remain
relevant
(I
am
sad
to
say)
until
at
least
March:
THE
COLD...
When
I
first
realized
that
it
gets
cold
in
the
winter
(I
choose
to
forget
this
fact
every
spring),
it
was
raining
and
moderately
warm
(for
November
that
is).
I
was
considering
editorial
subjects
and
at
this
time
of
year
Christmas
is
the
obvious
choice.
Unfortunately,
no
one
wants
to
be
reminded
of
Christmas
in
January.
We
are
all
thoroughly
sick
of
it
by
then.
Then
I
re
r
t
mmm
'
-
7f
."To
Me,
To
Mt.
.7
A
I
UK
sf4
I
i
KV3
pS
'
membered
the
thing
I
try
so
hard
to
forget
every
year:
the
plummeting
thermometer.
I
was
originally
going
to
write
from
the
perspective
of
trying
to
remember
the
cold,
but
as
it
is
now
literally
freezing
outside
and
I
am
left
with
trying
to
remember
the
comforting
heat
of
summer.
But,
alas,
we
are
many
months
away
from
that,
so
I
will
leave
you
with
some
tips
of
keeping
warm
until
we
can
walk
outside
with
shorts
and
a
t-shirt
again
without
being
accused
of
being
mad.
First,
stay
indoors.
This
is
easy
to
accomplish
and
perhaps
the
most
important
way
to
keep
warm
in
the
winter.
If
you
must
go
outside,
frantic
running
from
house
to
,-
"
car
to
an-
;;
other
heat
x
y
.-
WW
s
''
.....
.
W
-rS-
'
&
III
J
i
Z
IMS
rJ
3
WW
J
-
"
M)
Cartoon
by
Kim
Bonnell
ed
building
can
keep
you
relatively
warm
in
a
sub-zero
environment.
For
those
of
us
who
stay
cold
even
indoors,
a
steaming
cup
of
warm
liquid
in
your
hands
is
a
must.
I
recommend
tea
or
coffee
(for
the
mornings)
and
hot
chocolate
with
Baileys
for
the
rest
of
the
day
(but
not
before
noon
one
must
remain
civilized
even
in
the
face
of
rising
heating
costs).
Fireplaces
are
also
nice
to
sit
next
to,
if
you
are
so
lucky
to
have
one.
But,
if
push
comes
to
shove,
a
blanket
on
the
couch
is
a
great
stand-by.
So,
for
now,
stay
warm
and
talk
to
you
in
the
even
colder
month
of
January.
It's
all
about
perception
by
Anne
BUmchard
Production
Editor
Exam
week
is
looming
as
this
issue
of
Free
Forum
goos
to
press
-
and
for
many
students,
myself
included,
these
last
couple
of
weeks
are
the
most
stressful
of
the
semester.
With
essays
to
finish
and
exams
to
begin
studying
for,
there
just
isn't
enough
time
to
give
everything
the
attention
that's
needed.
So
essays
and
assignments
are
dashed
through,
while
I
breath
a
sigh
of
relief
that
one
more
item
can
be
crossed
off
my
seemingly
endless
"to
do"
list.
And
yes,
I
worry
that
some
of
what
I'm
turning
in
isn't
my
best
work,
but
with
a
schedule
filled
with
school,
work,
and
family
obligations,
sometimes
there's
no
option
but
to
crank
an
assignment
out
as
quickly
as
possible
and
hurry
on
to
the
next
task.
-7,
-
-.
:'
.Now
for
some
reason,
when
I'm
feeling
overwhelmed
by
life,
I
always
daydream
about
living
in
a
quiet
house
in
the
country
-
with
not
a
neighbouring
house
in
sight.
Of
course,
at
this
time
of
year
my
imaginary
retreat
comes
complete
with
snow-covered
fields,
sparkling
Christmas
lights,
and
smoke
lazily
drifting
from
the
chimney.
I'm
sure
a"
shrink
would
conclude
this
secluded
dwelling
represents
a
desire
to
escape
the
pressure
of
my
responsibilities
(well,
except
for
Freud,
but
let's
not
go
there),
but
even
my
cherished
daydream
was
brought
back
to
reality
as
I
stood
in
the
grocery
checkout
line
this
afternoon.
The
shopper
in
front
of
me
was
engaged
in
a
long
conversation
with
the
checkout
clerk
-
and
my
idyllic
imagining
came
crashing
to
earth
as
I
heard
her
emphatically
exclaim
that
she
wished
she
didn't
live
in
the
country.
The
long
drives
back
and
forth
to
town
were
eating
"up
too
much
of
her
free
time;
not
to
mention
the
excessive
price
it
was
costing
her
at
the
gas
pumps
just
to
make
those
trips.
By
the
time
she
started
itemizing
the
hazards
of
unplowed
roads
and
the
lack
of
people
around
to
help
her
when
she
"got
stuck,
my
image
of
a
peaceful
country
retreat
had
forever
been
shattered.
'
f
"
-
'
So
a
change
of
scenery
might
be
in
order
-maybe
it's
time
to
mentally
make
the
switch
to
a
tropical
beach-front
cabin.
And
if
I
cross
my
fingers
-
and
stay
away
from
the
doom-and
gloom
checkout
lines,
thoughts
of
sun,
"sand,
and
summer
might
be
just
the
ticket
to
get
me
through
exam
week
-
just
in
time
for
the
chaos
of
Christmas
preparations.
The
writings
and
opinions
featured
throughout
the
Free
Forum
do
not
necessarily
reflect
the
opinions
of
Free
Forum
staff.
Letters
to
the
editor
must
be
i-
350
words
or
less
and
may
be
submitted
to
cncsncnc.bc.ca.
fix