Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • 1

Wednesday, April 16, 1986 TV-1 Oakland, California mmsmseBBSsmsam Dublin Livermore Pleasanton Sunol Ramon VALLEY PROFILE IS 9 He Center helps superwomen cope' liy Francos Lovonthal nW to Tit Trtbuma LIVERMORE During -an earthquake, most tremble with fear. But Dehby Tatman claims to have none of the usual anxieties about Mother Nature's rumblings. I love natural disasters. Nothing makes me more than an earthquake or a volcanic eruption, but Unost people think I'm strange, admitted Tatman, 25, of who works as a marine geologist in Palo Altai, land as an American Red Ctass volunteer in Livermore. Tatman has already had some excitement this fyear in Yuba City, when the city was declared a disaster -area during the recent floods.

It was an interesting experience; didnt know I so innocent about life. For one thing, I never imag- ined there were so many people who couldnt spiell their, names," said Tatman about the low-. est-income county I in the state. received a call from the. American Red Cross, where she is the Emergency Aid coordinator and a CPR instructor for the Tri-Valley area, asking her to make the trip to YubaCity at 1:30 in the morning.

I left at once and no one at work could figure ut what had happened to me when I didnt show up the- next day, said Tatman. For one week Tatman stayed in Yuba City, working two different relief sites, Sutter High and She rah a kitchen that stayed open 24 hours a day; and fed 500 people at each meaL I In Yuba City, where reality was problematical enough, it was unnecessarily complicated by fiction not fact Tatman remembers that rumors flying in all directions was me of the biggest problems. A woman had. been 'told her brother -had been dead, drowned in a dumpster, and she was hyster-ical. Eight hours later we found out it wasnt true, recalled Tatman.

Tatman maintained such a hectic pace that, after a at the relief sites, she found herself suffering from dehydration and an extreme case of fatigue. Tatman deserves kudos for her endurance since the was already in acute pain from neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder, which affects her foot that has been partially amputated and operated on numerous times. By Frances Leventhal Speckl Ttm MS PLEASANTON Superwoman -of the 80s unlike the comic--creation Superman is not faster than a speeding bullet She does not leap tall buildings in a single bound. Instead of nerves of steel, Barbara Nelson of The Center here says the modern-day superwoman suffers from chronic fatigue, head- aches, dizziness, depression and a negative self-image, all symptoms -of a physical and psychological malaise dubbed Superwoman Syn- -drome. Nelson borrowed the term from Marjorie Chaevitz's book of the sametitle.

1 If I could use one word to describe the way these women feel, it would be overwhelmed, emphasized Nelson, a marriage and fami-ly counseling intern, who has con-' ducted support groups at The Cen-ter for two years for victims of Superwoman Syndrome. John Klncart, manager of the Employee's Assistance program at 1 recognized many problems of his women employees as side effects of Superwoman Syndrome. When Kincart saw an ad for The Centers support groups, invited its counselors to conduct on-site groups for superwomen. These women become automa-' tons. They lose their sense of self-identity by haviflg virtually no time for themselves.

I encourage them to lock themselves in the bathroom for a one-hour bubble bath every night, regardless of their circumstances, emphasized Kincart The 1980s in America represent various cultural influences which create the Superwoman Syndrome. According to Dr. Ann Thomas, trained psychologist and marriage and family counselor in Pleasanton, these influences are: the opening of professional opportunities for women without other accomodations such as child care, creating added stress; mobility which has destroyed the extended family and its traditional support system; and, the factUiat many women still accept their victimized Thomas says that although women have broken into the realm of traditional male roles, they are By Carta StuderTie Tribune speak out about, their situations and find other women who share simi- percent more than the men, vacuum and clean 40 percent more of- feminineJtJtbecorealwayslwish--lar predicamentssaidJhomas tenand-wash-dishes 60 percent ual basis at The women at one of the super-' -women support groups said they -had the sense of being trapped, lockedJnto such a number of inescapable tasks that they werent able to enjoy any of them including their job, their family, much less themselves. We have accepted societys expectations of us. When we were See GOALS, Page 2 -A recent two-year study at the Womens Center at the University' of California at Berkeley found women resent and are frustrated by the image of Superwoman that is faced uponthem.

In a college-educated household -where both and woman are professionals, the women said they do most of the work: They cook 20 more often. Often times the husband has to be re-educated about household chores. He must be willing to create a working arrangement with his waking wife. If hes not willing to come to mutually agreeable terms with her, then the woman must reevaluate their relationship, said Kincart, who councils on an individ- big to give and overextend Women, who are barely able to cope due to the multiple role playing that is expected of than, always see it as a personal thing, a neurosis. They consider themselves, 'personal failures.

This just isnt the "case. The only thing they can do is to TWORE MY brace, bit my tongue and went M. ahead. All of those people were in worse -shape. I had a number of people cry on me.

It was rough sometimes, said Tatman, who was eventually hospital-' iced for 24 hours and not allowed to return to the relief sites, even though she wanted to. Were proud of Tatman. Shes very enthusiastic, Whether shes involved in a disaster, or running an aid Station, and it rubs off on other people. Were happy to have her. with luCisaid Dennis McAlister, branch man ager of the Twin Valley Red Cross.

Tatman went to work for the American Red Cross 48 months ago, after taking a CPR course and deciding she could do a better Job teaching the course than her istructor. My instructor was awful. I knew 1 could do a witter Job. My main qualification is I care stressed Tatman.V'- i Tatman takes on a lively, animated quality when flie discusses her work for the volunteer organization. dont make enough money working for the federal government (Pacific Marine branch of the UB.

Geological Survey) due to Reagans budget cuts, so I voltn-ieer my time and gasoline for worthwhile causes. But the Red Cross does need monetary donations. One thing a lot of people dont understand about the organization Is that it gives people all new appliances, new clothes. Theyre able to make their personal choices," -which really helps morale. People who have every-, thing dont need to feel humiliated by old, used belongings.

This way they can buy one skirt at Neiman-Mar-pus, or a dozen at K-Matt, insisted Tatman. In the future, the geologist hopes to continue her work at the Red Cross and qualify for national disasters opposed to regional ones. She regrets missing out on the excitement- in Mexico last ydar, but gleefully recalled the 1980 earthquake in Livermore. I was working in the seismology department at jjiiw Lawrence Livermore Lab when the earthquake happened. I photocopied all the charts and took them home with me.

We weren't dead, so I wanted to have some fun. ZZ In my opinion its Just Mother Nature having fun. Most people don't understand my enthusiasm; geologists 3re a bit strange, smiled Tatman. ru: Someone you know would be a good subject for Neighbors profiles. Please write and tell us about that Sums Send your letter to Neighbors, P.Ol Box 14424, Aeklaod, CA.946IS.

Sood said although the transit authority will officially set the fares next the tentative fare schedule is 50 cents for adults and 25 cents for seniors, children and -the handicapped. Calling it a bargain, Sood said those will not only be the fares between Dublin and Pleasanton, which are neighboring communities, but also to Livermore, 10 to 12 miles to the east when that city is brought into the system in July 1987. Judy Bartoli, Livermore city councilwoman and alternate mem-. her from that city on the transit, authority board, said her community is extremely excited about having the bus systems tied together in a year. Livermore now operates Its own 'city bus service called RIDEO.

That system win be integrated into the Dublin-Pleasanton system next year, offering complete transportation coverage for the entire Liver more-Amador Valley for the first tithe in its history. Sood said the local bus system will be coordinated with. BART commuter buses now Operating in dents to Livermores old-fashioned July 4th celebration this year. Linda Jeffery, authority chairwoman and a Dublin city council-woman, said embarking on an aggressive marketing campaign to sell valley residents on the new bus system is one more step in transportation development in Tri-Valley- She said the area is drawing tional attention because of its various transportation programs, spawned largely by the region's residential growth and develop- ment of business parks. It's so unusual to get three cities in a county to agree on anything, Jeffery said, but weve done it It has not always been easy and thats why it took twb-and-half-years.

Sood said preliminary estimates are that the bus system will carry up to 1,000 passengers a day once it gets established. He said Based on his experience in other areas with similar transportation systems, it will take time for ridership to build up to. the level. But Sood said he is confident that the local system can meet its ridership goal the valley, adding, They will be able to do that with very little wait, I hope. The local system will operate on one-hour, headways, but Jeffery said she hopes eventually, to in-.

crease service to half-hour headways. Buses will run weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be no Sunday service.

Tina LekasMiller, president' of. the marketing firm, said her firm develop an. appropriate ceremony to Inaugurate the system, suggest a name, logo and slogan for the bus system, and design stop signs, stationery and business Her firm will also prepare bus schedules and maps, direct mail and poster pieces and supervise advertising and public relations tor the first years operation of the system. Sood and Jeffery said the Lafay-' ette firm was selected because it has won awards fog, its work for other clients, including some involved with transportation. By John Utter Urn Tritium DUBLIN bus system linking Pleasanton and Dublin and, next year, those two cities with will be rolling by the end of 'June, ending 2Vfc years of planning by local officials.

The Livermore-Amador Valley Transit Authority has signed a contract with LekasMiller De-sign of Lafayette to provide the aggressive marketing and advertising needed to get local residents out of their cars and into the bus, said transit authority director Vic Sood. Sood said the nine 35-foot-long, 42-passenger buses. should be in service by June 81, in time to celebrate July 4th in the three communities. What better slogan lor Independence Day, Sood said at the contract-signing ceremony last Friday, than to proclaim independence from the automobile. Sood said he will recommend that valley riders be permitted to try out the bus system free of charge in the first week of operation, which will include.

free, trips for Pleasantop and Dublin resi IfJSIDE Sports Fsqs 6 laa i i y. vi i 7 Fsgs.