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“The lives of people, the actual lives, are far more interesting than anything you could Contact. Us invent.” Story ideas? Questions? Comments? ™ VAGINA monologues E-mail us at gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu PHOTO BY MORGAN FORD/THE GAMECOCK Sarah Thomas, a » second-year advertising student, and Amy Lodge, a second year French student, are excited performing in “The Vagina Mono logues.” GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY MARY PINCKNEY WATERS/THE GAMECOCK BY CAITLIN COKER THE GAMECOCK Vagina. Now that ihave your attention: USC students and members of the community are heading to the ^ Law Center auditorium to talk about their vaginas. Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m., an all female cast is performing “The Vagina Monologues,” a play by Eve Ensler. "The Vagina Monologues” is a series of tales about different as pects of female sexuality. Stories about discovering masturbation, vaginal fluid, giving birth and shaving that delicate area are written with an unabashedly blunt edge and performed with ab solutely no chagrin. “We're doing this play to inform and educate women and men on how to love the vagina and how to understand the vagina. And to en tertain, of course,” said second year nursing student Katie 10 Belding, an actress in the play. The performers aims to curb the general ignorance towards vaginas and raise awareness of the staggering rates of violence against women. Kristen Gilmore, stage manag er of the Monologues and second year theatre student, said the pur pose of “The Vagina Monologues” at USC is “to raise awareness of what women have gone through in the past and around the world ,and to create respect towards women among college students.” Gilmore said she worked hard to make this year's production even better than last year's, which filled the Roger Center. “This is a smaller production than in the past, but it is also more theatrical and less presentation al,” Gilmore said. “We aren't us ing cue cards this year, and we have smoother transitions. So, it is a play with scenes rather than just different speakers. “The Vagina Monologues” is just one facet of V-Day, an inter national event that aims to stop the violence against women and girls. In 2002, V-Day was celebrat ed in 800 venues, including USC. The V-Day organization also runs a specialized campaign through which they invite college campuses like USC to perform “The Vagina Monologues” in or der to raise funds for local organi zations. Proceeds from the pro duction are going to the universi ty's office of oexuai Health and Violence and Prevention. In conjunc tion with V Day, USC has declared this week “Sexual Health Awareness Week” and set up tables on Greene Street. Several actresses from “The Vagina Monologues” have been handing out flyers and “condom pops” on Greene Street. V-Day is a colossal force, pro moting social change worldwide: “Roma women in Macedonia vowed to reverse ancient and heinous marriage practices that abuse women, girls were saved from female genital mutilation and allowed to be educated in Kenya, Harlem was declared Vagina Friendly by the state sen ator, and San Francisco was pro nounced a Rape tree ^one uy tne City Council,” all thanks to V-Day actions, according to www.VDay.org. In addition to noble goals, “The Vagina Monologues” is an incredible show for both genders to enjoy. The $10 cost of admission is a nominal price to pay for witnessing such beautiful women talk frankly about what's on their minds. These women aren't afraid to moan in front of others—and they definite ly aren't ashamed of their sexuality. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu The purpose is to raise awareness of what women have gone through in the past and around the world, and to create respect towards women among college students.” KRISTEN GILMORE STAGE MANAGER OF THE MONOLOGUES AND SECOND-YEAR THEATRE STUDENT PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK “The Vagina Mono logues,” author, Eve Ensler, promotes social change. Her series of tales about female sexuality open this weekend at USC’s Law School auditorium. Avoid a Valentine’s gift massacre BY CARRIE GIVENS THEOAMECOCK It's Cupid's favorite time of the year. Stores are fully stocked with decadent sweets and adorable stuffed animals. Florists are over flowing with red roses, tulips, baby's breath and lilies. Restaurants are booked Saturday .vith reservations for two. And from Feb. 14-Feb. 16, the Russell House will be appropriately show ing “Love Actually.” For some students, Valentine's Day is the ultimate celebration of love. And for others who remain unattached, Feb. 14 is just anoth er day of the week. So what do you get your signif icant other for Valentine's Day? First-year classics student Bryan Sansbury has big plans for Feb. 14. He plans to visit his girlfriend in Tennessee and take her out to dinner. Sansbury suggested buy ing the “traditional gifts, choco late and flowers and then some PHOTO COURTESY OF KRT CAMPUS Chocolates and flowers might be the usual gift for the first-year Valentine. But long-term couples suggest sentimental presents. thing special between the two of you.” “Be original; girls appreciate, that. Don't be cheap. They will know; they are smart,” Sansbury added. Sansbury said he is not a big jewelry-buyer because it “looks nice on anyone.” First-year electrical engineer ing student Matt Bell has been dat ing his girlfriend for three years and a month. When shopping for her, he looked for “things she likes ... something that is special to us, not generic.” His favorite present that he's re ceived from his girlfriend is a trea sure chest with painted hearts in side inscribed with sentiments he has given her, such as trust. Second-year chemistry student Jason Wheeler tries “to go for cre ative and useful” when shopping for his girlfriend. “Practical gifts are the best ones,” he said. Wheeler proudly boasts that his girlfriend still has the picture he drew for her with crayons. But he has good and bad memories of last Valentine's Day. He caught a stom ach virus from his girlfriend and spent the day in a hospital bed watching television. But his girlfriend made it up to him; she stayed with him and fed him dinner. This year, he is look ing forward to an illness-free Feb. 14. First-year print journalism stu dent Melanie Baker has been dat ing first-year mathematics and music student Brett Barwick for 17 months. When buying presents for Baker, Barwick usually picks up some chocolate and then cre ates a personal card. For last Valentine's Day, Barwick bought a stufFed monkey, put a ring in its Velcro hands and sprayed it with cologne. Barwick makes each month's anniversary special by getting Baker a present ranging from a plastic ring from a gumball ma chine to a CD of him singing her favorite songs. She adds that “any thing from him would be special to me ... he's a good gift picker outer.” When he first started dating Baker, Barwick said his presents were more “generalized, some thing I knew she would like.” Barwick said if money were no object he would take Melanie on a trip to Florence, Italy. Considering the current ex change rate, he may need more than Cupid’s help to pull off that one. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm. sc. edu Making the connection Cell phones aren't just a way of keeping in touch but a means of making new connections. By pressing the right buttons, you too could get lucky in love - no wires attached. A recent survey conducted by Cingular Wireless revealed that many phone users are not only asking “Can you hear me now?" but professing their love via the airwaves. Show a little love yourself:' ♦ Clue in your date if you're expecting a call that you know you'll need to answer-and it better be important! ♦ Picture this: Snap a cute photo and send it to your sweetie with your favorite love song attached. ♦ Text appeal: Send a short text message to your love interest at unexpected times and places. Survey Results: Results and tips courtesy of ♦ 44% of respondents have Cingular Wireless, flirted with someone via wireless phone or text messaging. ♦ 31% of respondents said a wireless phone had saved them from an uncomfortable date. ♦ 32% would get upset if a date took a call while on a date. ♦ 31% said a date had answered wireless phone in midst of a great dinner conversation. ♦ 88% of users surveyed were not dating, and 60% were married. GRAPHIC BY MARY PINCKNEY WATERS/THE GAMECOCK Sexy, sweet styles stick for special day BY LISA TOWNSEL KRT CAMPUS ST; LOUIS — Cotton-candy pinks, strawberry reds and ^|Hershey-bar browns. Retailers lave wrapped up the sweetest day of the year with colors and styles that make sexy sweet and demure divine. Options abound for the woman who wants to make a statement on Valentine's Day. There's been a lot of thinking outside the box recently. It's not as simple as choosing to look like a schoolgirl or vamp. Many of to day's fashions blur the line. “It’s a combination of sexy and sweet,” said Kassandra Williams, district manager of Papaya Clothing. “Maybe it's Britney Spears and the whole schoolgirl image. The skirts Eire short. Some are plaid. it's the cheerleader/naughty schoolgirl look. The girls love that style.” One V-Day outfit at Papaya pairs a flirty, black miniskirt with pink polka dots and a tulle under lay along with a soft-looking, sweet sweater bearing monikers such as “Princess” and “Candy.” “That's been really, really hot right now,” Williams contends. “And there's definitely an '80s in fluence.” Colors aren't as predictable this time around, either. Gone are the days when a Valentine’s Day en ' ♦ STYLES, SEE PAGE 6 PHOTO COURTESY OF KRT CAMPUS Valentine’s Day isn't just for red and pink anymore. The deviant s choolgirl is one cherished style this year. Who decides what’s hot, what’s not? BY KATE SANTICH KRT CAMPUS So there you are, driving your Toyota Scion xB in your baked denim wrinkled jeans and your wavy hair, listening to Barry Manilow, eating homemade marshmallows, having just had part of your toes surgically re moved so you can cram your feet into pointy stilettos, even though — irony of ironies — right now you're into those chunky, flat soled Ugg boots just like Gwyneth Paltrow wears. “Gwynsy,” as you like to call her. You think you're so avant garde, so cutting-edge, so very 2004. Yawn. Wake up and smell the Gouda (Cheese shops are irif coffee shops out). In reality, you're so three weeks ago it's excruciating. Even fans of Clay Aiken, whose star faded in 2003, are making fun of you. Do try to keep up. Scions and Manilow tunes and toe reduc tions et al were hot when they came out on The Washington Post's annual in/out list on New Year's Day, a virtual ice age ago in trend time. So even if you've dutifully tuned out “Rich Girls” to watch “Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica,” ditched your techno sawy PowerPoint presentations for Luddite-favored handouts and stopped toting around your tiny dog in favor of your hairless cat —just as trend-spotters predicted you would — you're already passe. “If something is currently 'in,' “ explained Hank Stuever, cre ator of the Post's 2004 list “it's al ready 'out.' Especially now.” According to market re searchers, we Americans are quite the fickle bunch, obsessed with celebrities and fashion and manipulated by Madison Avenue. Our lust for social cur rency has fueled the rise of an en tire trend-spotting industry that takes itself quite seriously, most ly because there are such enor mous gobs of money to be made. Whole firms now specialize in “cool-hunting,” as it has been called, and those that don't often have at least a division devoted to the cause. They have pop-cul ture prognosticators. The cycle moves at warp speed. Some maverick deems that, say, men'.s classic white briefs are in and boxers are out. Market researchers dig this up and feed it to advertisers who ♦TRENDS, SEE PAGE 6