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This Day In USC History November 1, 1950 - USC and Clemson football teams [ d *,H4' WftZ (Samecock Monday, November 1,1999 by Katie Rowen Staff Writer When I was in high school, I was coming out of my world histo ry class one day. Somewhat in a daze, I allowed myself to get carried along in the horde of teens walking to their next classes. Then the crowd seemed to part, and this guy came running toward me shout ing, “I’m gonna do it, I’m gonna do it!” Did he jump me? No. He jumped over me. Just call me the 4-foot-2-inch hurdle. Actually, you could call me a lot of things: Half-Pint, Shortstuff, Shorty, Cutie. Just don’t call me a midget. One of the most common misconcep t i o n s about me is that I’ a midget. I’m not; I’m a dwarf. Now, you might think dwarves are fictional be Tcause of the movie “Snow 5 White and the Seven Dwarfs,” but I assure you I am one. The difference between a midget and a dwarf is simple. A midget ! is short all over but a dwarf only has short limbs—which is why you I might notice that if you and I were sitting side by side, we would be i very close in height. ! So what’s it like being a dwarf? Quite fun, actually. I bet I’m one « of the few people who thinks planes have enough leg room, and I’m always jn the front of crowds, like at concerts and stuff. I mean, come on — it’s not like I’m blocking anyone. But to help you really understand me, let me take you through a normal day of mine. I wake up and literally jump out of bed. After showering, the spray hits me just right. Then I dress. A lot of people ask me where I buy my clothes. Because of my average-sized torso, I can wear reg ular tops. I do have to get my pants tailored, but I’ll tell you one thing: I could kiss the person who brought Capri pants back into style. While they’re dorky pants on tall people (no offense), Capri pants fit me perfectly, and I’ve saved 10 bucks on tailoring. The one thing about clothes that really ticks me off is shoes. With my size 3 feet, my selection is limited. Oh well. I then head to class, stopping by the Sidewalk B Cafe for breakfast. Because caffeine is a neces B sity to pick me up, I need a soda. Problem: Bk The ice lever is a little too high. No problem: B The USC students and Sidewalk Cafe em B ployees are always willing to help. Ha Then it’s time for class. And I’ll tell ■; §Ca you one thing; my professors always re member me. Last year, this was a disad B vantage because my history professor al I ways noticed when I skipped. It can be I .in advantage, though, because anytime I ■j^^B call my professors, all I have to do is say, B “I’m the shortest person in your class.” B Then they know who I am. . B That brings me to the main thing about be M ing a dwarf: You certainly don’t blend. Peo straight up in my toy chest. She debated whether to run get her cam era or save her screaming toddler. I won. By the way, my parents are both average-sized. My dad is 6-foot 1 -inch and my mom is 5-foot-7-inches. I’m their only child. It’s rare for two average-sized people to have a dwarf child - something like a 1-in-20,000 chance. But they got together and both happened to have the recessive gene, and I came out the way I did. Anyway, my day continues. Later, I go out on a date. The guy is 6’3”. Yes, we get some stares, and no, I don’t even have to kneel. Dating a tall guy is the same as dating a short one, though. They’re all the same. My day always ends with me standing several feet back from my tall bed and running and leaping on it. I guess I could use a chair, but what fun is that? So there you have it: A day in the life of a dwarf. It isn’t always easy, but at least I never have to worry about hitting my head on things. ■ w pie will notice you ana stare, i ve seen Kias ■■ smack into walls because they were staring at me in the mall, ■f But then again, there are certain people who you don’t mind noticing you. W Anyway, my day continues. I go to work, where I don’t get out f of filing just because of my height. They bought me a stool my first week there. Later, in my room, my roommate needs to plug something in. It’s my duty to crawl under the bed to do so. She gets the stuff off the high shelves; I crawl under the bed. I look into my closet and realize it’s time to do one of my ab solute favorite things: laundry. Oh, such fun. I grab my clothes, my detergent, and a step stool. To get the clothes out of the washer, I almost have to fall in. I just know one day people are going to hear me screaming and come find me stuck in the washer. This happened once when I was little -1 got stuck in my toy chest. My mother came in to find two chubby little legs sticking Photos by Greg Farley assistant photo editor Above: Katie Rowen doing her laundry. Below: Rowen walking out of the Thomas Cooper Library. j SAGE promotes cleaner and greener earth by Maya Hollinshead Staff Writer I An organization on campus is planning to participate Tuesday in Day of Action to protest British Petroleum/Amoco’s plans to » drill the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. !. SAGE, Students Allied for a Greener Earth, is the only envi »ronment group on campus. • The group has been in existence for 10 years, but it started to t increase it’s activism on campus four years ago. “We are basically committed to promoting environmental ed > ucation and activism on campus,” said Sarah Van Wye, SAGE’s vice ’ president. • Two weeks ago, 20 members of SAGE joined 2,500 people for ECOn • ference in Philadelphia. In the conference, they learned about the Dirty Jobs boycott. • The boycott is against Coke, BP/Amoco, and Ford. The boycott is against Coke because according to groups at the ‘ conference, Coke hasn’t kept it’s promise to use recycled content j on plastic bottles in the United States. It’s against BP/Amoco because of the company’s plans to drill J in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. And, finally, against Ford because of the company’s member ship of the Global Climate Coalition. The coalition is a group of companies that do not believe in glob al warming. They boycott is asking people not to work for the companies , until they change their ways. A The group also took part in a “Day of Action.” AS Members asked people to sign postcards to send to their MM representatives about the Endangered Species Act and sav- ■Jtt| ing southern forests. HH Also, on Oct. 5, SAGE particpated in Hike for the Earth, KM a fund-raiser for the organization and it’s affiliate, Free The ■pjl Planet (an organization that helps student environmental ^ organizations across the nation). yBM SAGE also, cleaned up Conagree Swamp National Mon ument on Public Lands Day and,this past St. Patrick’s Day, ^ SAGE took part in a national protest against Home Depot, a hardware chain that sells old-growth rain forest wood. After the protest, Home Depot decided to stop selling the wood by 2002. When isked what the best thing about I SAGE is, Van Wye said, “It’s having k the op * portunity ■ to really B effect ■ change ■ regard W ing envi f ronmental issues and working with an awesome, motivated group of people.” Campus Notes CHDC offers workshops The Counseling and Human Develop ment Center is offering a “Healing the Wound: Recovering from Loss” work shop for those who have experienced loss. This workshop will describe a heal ing process and provide time for discus sion and sharing. For more information or to register, call 777-5223. SG Mock Election to be held Student Government is sponsoring a mock election from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tues day. All Columbia campus students can vote for presidential candidates for 2000. Questions about Safe Ride, changing USC’s mascot and the S.C. lottery will be included. Vote at www.vip.sc.edu: choose “the personal tab”, then “Student Government Elections.” Carolina Alumni Association to hold Eddie Fogler Basketball Preview The Carolina Alumni Association will hold an evening with Eddie Fogler on Monday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Fogler will speak on his ideas and hopes for the com ing season, and the team will be in ac tion. The evening is open to members of the Carolina Alumni and student mem bers of the association. Each student mem ber can bring one guest. For those in terested in joining the Alumni Association Student membership, contact the Alum ni Offices at 777-4111. ICE to hold dance lessons #The Indian Cultural Exchange is spon soring dance lessons at 8 p.m. Thrusday Nov. 4 in RH 322-326. Come leam about “Garba,” a traditional form of dancing. For more information, call Bhanin Patel 544-0431. CPR course to be offered Health and Wellness programs will offer an American Red Cross Adult CPR course from 5-9 p.m. November 9 in Blatt 110. Cost of the class is $20. To register, call 777-6518. Drop-In Center extends deadline for peer health educators The Open Door Drop-In Center has ex tended it deadline for applications un til. Nov 12. Students will staff the Drop In Center and help other students with nutrition, fitness, stress, blood pressure and body fat percentages. Stop by Health and Wellness Programs for an applica tion. For more information, call the Health Renter 777-8248. AAAS to sponser Spring Break Cruise The Association of African-American Students is sponsering a 5-day Spring Break Bahamas Cruise from Msrch 6 to 10. For more information, call LaTonya at 544-2254. Deadline fro securing a spot is Nov. 16. Briefs for Campus Notes can be submit ted to RH 333. Please include a contact name and phone number. rMr UArL-P EMOTIONLESS /iTsEERS TIMES $2 EtfVAPS $24. IT . t ^ >-x /-..I-1———— i Help children, hemophiliacs, and heart ; I patients who receive products made ^ V from the plasma of our donors. NABI BioMedical Center i Assembly St., Columbia SC 29201 254-2280 . Is this hard to read? o o e' en n <7* 5T 5 3 D c —» 3 r+ n> CD a i x 3 2 t * 5- a* i ? a O " c o s . s 2 fi * </> «v