The Picador: Volume 7, Issue 6
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Transcript of The Picador: Volume 7, Issue 6
A Much Needed Day Boy Update From Lower Weld Hall
By Aidan Kendall ’13
This fall has tested the repu-
tation of the day men.
It may come as a surprise to
some, but the Day Boy room
is not always spic „n‟ span. It
is, in fact, a recurring prob-
lem, and at the beginning of
this year, as you may have
heard, it almost reached the
tipping point. It was in a state
of disaster.
Clothes lay strewn across the
floor; dishes (no telling how
old) stood tall and proud,
prepared to never see pantry
again. Certain questionable
piles of mystery food were
solidified in places where
food should never solidify.
Mr. Ford, ever concerned,
organized a meeting with the
day student population. Day
boys from all corners of New
Hampshire and of all shapes
and sizes gathered in Weld;
for a few, it was their first
visit to the Day Boy room.
Mr. Ford insisted that a plan
needed to be formulated to
get the students back on
track, or else drastic meas-
ures would be enacted; the
Day Boy room was to be
locked for eternity, unless the
day boys could learn to re-
spect it.
With the threat of loosing
their home away from home
looming over them, the boys
began to follow the schedule
and things finally did turn
around. The Day Boy room
was saved, and the day was
won!
Soon after, however, there
was an incident involving the
breakage of a major school
rule, which also led to the
questioning of the day boys‟
honor. Suspicions arose
among the faculty that the
use of drugs was becoming a
serious problem with the day
(Continued on page 2)
Quotes of the Week:
“We make a living by what
we get, but we make a life
by what we give.”
- Winston Churchill
“We elves try to stick to the
four main food groups:
candy, candy canes, candy
corns, and syrup.”
- Buddy the Elf
1 in 280
Page 8
A Photo Essay:
Francis Chapuredima
Page 2
Carp in the Bathtub?
Really, Fabian?
Page 4
The Picador
Volume 7, Issue 6 December 12, 2011
A PUBLICATION BY THE STUDENTS FOR THE HOLDERNESS SCHOOL COMMUNITY
Congratulations
Ryan
On Qualifying for the
Telluride Snowboard
World Cup!
Good Luck on Thursday!
Page 2
The Picador
students.
One supposed theory was that
the day boys were using drugs
in the Day Boy room between
classes, and they had a look-
out man to warn if teachers
were coming, a canary of
sorts.
I would like to appeal to your
knowledge of the day students
at Holderness school, and
more specifically, the day
students who frequent lower
Weld. These kids are the far-
thest thing possible from ne'er
-do-wells. Innocence cannot
even begin to describe their
nature.
They provide the back bone of
noon and sit-down dinner
pantry. They are polite, hon-
est, and loyal members of
Holderness School.
Can you picture, for example,
Joey Casey as a drug mule,
smuggling illegal parapherna-
lia on and off of campus? I
didn't think so.
In addition most of the day
students in question are un-
derclassmen and do not drive
themselves to and from cam-
pus. Even if they did, day stu-
dents cannot leave campus
and then return the same day.
This rule is monitored scrupu-
lously. Given these bounda-
ries, it is irrational to assume
that the day students are using
drugs.
Day students have so much to
offer the school. They leave
the bubble on a daily basis,
which protects them from
becoming too caught up in
strictly Holderness affairs.
They also have many special
talents. Caleb Nungesser raps.
Pete Saunders plays varsity
basketball. Mitch Shumway
has an excellent smile. Scott
Merrill is good at all sports.
And I heard Noah Thompson
can dunk. These are but a few
of the many day boy special-
ties.
Without them, this school
would surely lose a valuable
part of its population. They
mustn't be misunderstood, nor
taken for granted.
Fortunately, they survived the
fall, and I suspect, they can
survive anything.
Day Boys (Continued from page 1)
A Photo Essay By James Robbins ’12
On Saturday night Mr. Chapuredima shared the music and culture of Zimbabwe with the Holderness commu-
nity. With the help of Mervin Mervey, a South African who is also a theater major at PSU, Chapu showed the
students the instruments that are traditionally used in African drumming — ngoma (congas), mbira (thump
piano), marimba (xylophones), and hosho (shakers). After telling a few African folk tales and teaching the stu-
dents a dance, Chapu invited everyone to participate in a jam session. James Robbins was there to photo-
graph the event.
Page 3
Volume 7, Issue 3
“I am very grateful to the students who came and to El-
louise Sanborn who brought her friend Sandy with her. That
was nice. Also, many thanks to Mr. Lockwood for letting us
use instruments from Carpenter.”
- Francis Chapuredima
Page 4
The Picador
By Fabian Stocek ’13
There are many traditions
during the Czech Christmas
holidays that every Bohemian
family should fulfill. I will
describe only the ones I have
encountered and experienced
in my own house.
On the evening of the fifth of
December, if you find your-
self wandering the streets in a
town in the Czech Republic,
you might think you have
fallen into a children‟s tale.
In every major village in
Czech and Austria and Ger-
many people dress up like
angels, devils, and Saint
Nicolas (Mikuláš). These
people walk through the
streets and ask children if
they have been kind during
the past year. If the children
say yes, they get candy and
other gifts from Saint Nicolas
and his angels. If they say
they behaved badly, the dev-
ils take them in a sack to hell.
It usually turns out that par-
ents with little children call
organized groups of angels,
devils, and St. Nicolases to
come to their houses, because
in the center of the villages,
there are usually fights be-
tween courageous teenagers
and angry devils.
Every minute you can hear at
least one loud boom from
somewhere out of sight. The
teenagers are armed with
poppers, thick red or green
tubes packed with gun pow-
der that serve only one pur-
pose: to make really loud
noises. Ninety percent of the
time someone gets seriously
injured or the police arrive to
calm the situation.
On the same day, children
also receive St. Nicholas pre-
sents from their parents and
relatives. Gifts (e.g. sweets
and chocolates) are often put
into stockings and hidden
somewhere in the children's
rooms. If children behave
badly, they receive potatoes
and coal.
After the fifth of December
things get pretty calm. Chil-
dren open their chocolate
advent calendars and men
open their beer calendars,
which are basically boxes
with 24 beer bottles and an
advent cover.
Usually around the 20th,
families buy Christmas trees,
and most also buy carp, a
very typical Czech fish. The
tradition is to keep the live
carp in a bathtub until the
23rd or 24th so the delicious
fish can be served fresh for
dinner.
According to tradition, if you
fast until dinner on the 24th,
you will see a golden piglet
on a wall. I have tried it, but I
did not see one - unfortu-
nately.
On the 24th there is a big job
for the head of the family:
killing the carp. It is one of
the most illustrated activities
of Czech Christmas - the
father of the family with a
towel over a carp swinging a
big hammer to kill dinner.
Oftentimes the female popu-
lation of my family does not
partake in this tradition.
Another tradition is to pour
lead into a bathtub or a con-
tainer of water. Lead is
melted over a fire and then
poured into cold water to
form a shape which predicts
the future of the family.
We also make little boats out
of empty walnut shells, and
each family member places a
little burning candle in it.
Everyone's shell is then
floated on a bowl of water. If
the shell makes it across the
bowl, its owner will live a
long and healthy life. A shell
that sinks brings bad luck to
its owner.
Many families also visit their
ancestors. Usually before
dinner, we drive to all the
cemeteries and light candles
on the tombs.
When we come back, we set
the table. On the dinner table,
there is usually some kind of
chain that symbolizes the
strong relationships through-
out the family during the year
to come. Also under each
plate there is a coin and fish
scale to symbolize fortune in
the coming year.
For dinner we have carp, po-
tato salad, mushroom cake,
carp soup, and a special kind
of pastry (vánocka). The
meal is always delicious.
After Christmas dinner, every
person present at the table
cuts an apple in half
(crosswise, from the stem
down). Both halves are
shown to everyone around (Continued on page 5)
Devils , Lead, Carp, and Apples in the Czech Republ ic
Jilemnice, Czech Republic, home of Fabian Stocek
“According to tradition, if you fast until din-
ner on the 24th, you will see a golden piglet
on a wall. I have tried it, but I did not see one
- unfortunately.”
Volume 7, Issue 3
Page 5
Dean of Faculty, Peter Durnan, Speaks on Exam Preparation
By Mr. Peter Durnan
I love exam week. I know that
it an easy, even perhaps cruel
assertion for a teacher to
make, but it is true. Particu-
larly in December, when the
darkness falls so quickly,
exam time brings a welcome
hush to our community. We
put athletics and classes and
even the dress code on hold
for a few days and devote our-
selves to mastering our lessons
and showing that mastery in
examinations. Like most of my
peers, I delight in composing
the examination my class will
take. So much to choose from:
a sonnet by Wordsworth?
Quotations from Twelfth
Night? Grammar?
I am aware that my delight in
exam week is matched by hor-
ror and revulsion among some
of the student body. Not by
many, but by a few. Their re-
sponse isn‟t shocking. Prepar-
ing for exams is an arduous
task, and the tests themselves
are important determinants of
semester grades. It is easy to
fear them. Ultimately, though,
fear is the worst response to
exam week.
To succeed on exams, you
really needed to have begun
your preparations months
back. Those who have taken
the most careful notes will
have the easiest time review-
ing; those who have worked
hardest to master skills and
principles will find these les-
sons easy to summon once an
exam is placed before them.
For those who missed impor-
tant skills and content, it will
be difficult to catch back up in
the days before the test.
Even those who have done
well keeping up with class
work will need to study for
exams. Let me make a few
suggestions as we head into
exam week.
First, have a reasonable plan.
Print out an exam schedule
and use this as a template for
your plan. Make sure that you
leave three or four hours to
study for each exam (I know,
for AP Biology scholars, four
hours will be just the begin-
ning!). Split up these hours
into manageable chunks. As
you never have more than two
exams in a day, the evening
before each exam offers a cou-
ple of hours per subject. Aug-
ment this with some afternoon
study time and be sure
NEVER to miss a review ses-
sion.
When you study, really study.
Turn off Facebook – get off of
your computer and do not di-
vide your attention. It isn‟t
necessary to cloister yourself
in a basement room, but pick a
quiet spot in good light and
make your study hours as
pleasant as possible.
Often I see groups gathered to
“study” and it is apparent that
they are getting little done. Of
course you need to socialize,
but don‟t confuse that time
with studying. Ninth graders,
have you read this far? I am
addressing you. Chatting to-
gether at a table with books
open before you is NOT study-
ing. Do not allow yourself this
dangerous pretence.
Although there will be no offi-
cial sports practices, most of
you will be more focused if
you take time to exercise. Plan
a skate or a run or a game of
squash into your study days,
and you will be the better for
it. Eat right, of course, rest
well, travel with a water bottle
and stay hydrated.
Above all, don‟t fear exams.
Plan, prepare, and whenever
possible, enjoy this chance to
pause and master the concepts
you have spent all semester
learning.
the table. If the core is shaped
as a star, it means that every-
one will get together next year
in happiness and health. A
four-pointed cross is a bad
omen and means that someone
at the table will fall ill or die
within a year.
After this activity, children go
to their rooms to look for a
little Jesus in the sky, because
He is the one who brings all
the presents to Czech children.
After everyone gets their gifts,
some people decide to go to
bed, but the majority go to
midnight mass.
After midnight mass it is time
to look forward to another
holiday, New Year‟s Eve.
Czech Holiday Traditions (Continued from page 4)
Page 6
The Picador
School Sports Review
Eastern Ski Team
The past two weeks have been interesting for the Eastern ski
team. With little snow, we found ourselves doing plyometrics and
push-ups often, which in all honesty was probably for the best.
The coaches made a good effort to try and mix things up each day
with different workouts and games. One day the team played a
game of speedball, a combination of soccer, Frisbee, and football.
Another day we got to show off our skating skills at the PSU
rink; later we were treated to a yoga session led by Ms. Dahl. We
are all excited for the much anticipated reopening of Cannon
Mountain!
- Jeff Hauser ’13
Varsity Hockey
Dingers are no big deal for these kids. They have four wins and a close 4-3 loss to
Brewster. Now you may be wondering, why are these boys so much better than last
year? The answer to that question is simple: it's not because of our fabulous offense or
defense, but because Munzy‟s flow is even more luscious than ever.
The fourth line logged some major minutes against Vermont on Friday, and Skelley
has actually been seen cracking a smile. That‟s when you know things are good.
The entire team has been ecstatic to see the huge crowds at the games. A big thanks
from the team to all you fans. Please keep up the support. Thanks for the read and
keep the spirit alive.
- Andrew Munroe ’12
Nordic
Despite the snowless terrain juxtaposed quite strangely with the bitter January-like tem-
peratures, the Holderness Nordic team is up and running, raring for a hearty New England
blizzard. Since returning back to campus, we have been taking advantage of everything
dry land has to offer. Always training hard, whether we‟re roller skiing down steep hills
on dangerous highways, running, bounding, lifting the five-pounders in the free weight
section, or just generally having the most swag on campus, Holderness Nordic skiers
have high hopes for a very successful winter.
With a rousing (and possibly all time high) enrollment of 36 skiers, our mini bus caravan
to races will undoubtedly rival Eastern alpine. The girls team is hoping to finally take
what is rightfully theirs and oust Gould at the NEPSAC championship this year. Motiva-
tion has already peaked due to a contract with a certain coach that mentions something
about a razor and a new haircut.
Our recent import from the Czech Republic, Fabian Stocek, has been breaking all records
and defying all limits (like gravity, speed of light, etc); the coaches are trying to figure
out how to slow down the video enough to be able to see him ski by. New freshman Lizzy
Canon Mountain on Sunday
Bretton Woods on Saturday
Page 7
Volume 7, Issue 3
New England Sports By Keith Bohlin ’12
The New England Patriots: After their win last weekend against the struggling Indianapolis Colts (the worst team in
the NFL, winless, in fact), the Patriots have improved to 9-3 and hold a solid two-game lead in the AFC East over the
New York Jets. Brady and Welker have continued to click in recent weeks, as they have now strung together four
straight wins since back-to-back losses to Pittsburgh and New York in weeks eight and nine. Rob Gronkowski had an-
other career day, catching two TD passes from Brady. With 13 TDs, he almost set the record for TD receptions in a sea-
son for a tight end; however, his final TD was ruled a rushing TD as Brady technically lateralled the ball to Gronk. As
you may have already guessed, the Patriots are still in last place in the opponents passing yards per game category, as
they allowed Dan Orlovsky to throw for 353 yards, nearly double their previous average per game.
The Boston Bruins: While the Bruins have cooled off some since the last month, THEY STILL LEAD THE NORTH-
EAST DIVISION BY TWO POINTS OVER THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS! The Bs only have three home games
in their next eight contests but many of their opponents are weak. The Bruins are proudly in first in the NHL in goals
against per game (solid 2.0) and are in fourth for goals per game (3.2) and penalty kill percentage (87%). Great stats.
Hopefully, the Bruins can keep it up through break, as many Holderness students will be in attendance for their games
against Montreal and Florida.
My fantasy teams: It's playoff time! Both of my teams are heading to the playoffs as three-seeds (out of six to make the
playoffs, out of ten total teams). While both teams are projected by ESPN to lose this weekend in the first round, they
are pretty much always wrong and should let me take over their jobs. But seriously, I desperately need my big name
players to step it up this weekend, specifically Cam Newton, LeSean McCoy, DeMarco Murray, Vincent Jackson, Cal-
vin Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Kellen Winsow, Bears D/ST, Sebastian Janikowski, Aaron Rodgers, Michael Bush,
Steven Jackson, Miles Austin, Wes Welker, Pierre Garcon, Rob Gronkowski, Cowboys D/ST, and Sebastian Janikowski
again. Stayed tuned or email/text/twitter me over break to find out the outcomes.
Snowboarding
Although Loon got 18-20 inches of snow this past week, the snowboard team has spent most
of its time doing Brazilian jujitsu workouts. During our short two weeks back at school, Ezra
has been teaching newcomers how to gain the coaches' respect. Meanwhile, the eastern racers
made a trip out to Colorado, only to fly home due to the lack of snow; they returned to the
Rockies earlier this week. All in all, the snowboard team seems to be prepared for an all-star
athletic performance season.
- Justin Simpkins ’12 and Peter Ferrante ’12
Duffy has already shared with the team her incredible repertoire of Christmas carols, and we look forward to hearing them at the
holiday training camp in Stowe, Vermont. Our trusty coaching squad of Mr. Patrick Casey, Mrs. Lindley van der Linde, Mr. Pe-
ter Durnan, and Mr. Peter Hendel are keeping the oodles of skiers in line, even the rowdy troublemaking duo of Vincent Guo and
Tram Dao.
We understand that our sport may be very cold and slightly difficult to watch, since 90% of most races are in the woods, but we
welcome any supporters this season as we battle to the top of the Lakes Region and NEPSAC leagues.
- Haley Mahar ’12 and Maggie Caputi ’12
Loon Mountain on Sunday
Page 8
The Picador
1 in 280: Maggie Peake
JR: So Maggie, I'd like
to start by asking you
where you are from and
how you found out
about Holderness?
Friends? Family? Why
did Holderness appeal
to you?
MP: I was born in Nash-
ville, TN. I lived there
from birth to age 13. I
found out about Holder-
ness through family, actu-
ally. My cousins on my
mom's side are very close
to Mr. Lockwood. I
moved to Waterville Val-
ley about a year ago and
started taking lessons from Mr. Lockwood as soon as I ar-
rived. Mr. Lockwood and I developed a really cool teacher-
student relationship working together; when you write songs
with someone that regularly, you share a lot about yourself.
Mr. Lockwood has definitely been an influential mentor in
my musical career. Holderness was my top choice, even after
looking at other boarding schools such as Groton, Exeter, etc.
because of the sense of community. Everyone knows every-
one. I loved what it offered musically as well as academi-
cally. I can't imagine being anywhere else.
JR: Would you consider yourself "artsy"? We know that
you're a great song writer; what else do you do that repre-
sents your image?
MP: I think "artsy" would be an appropriate term. :) I've been
singing since I was two years old, and writing for about three
years now. I know, for me, whenever I'm stressed or sad or
even excited about something, I always turn to my guitar or a
piano. I think the main thing that "artsy" people do to repre-
sent their image is to continue expressing themselves, no mat-
ter what anyone says. You have to be confident in your work
and never give up.
JR: How do you feel Holderness supports the arts and do
you find yourself in a specific social group because you
are a talented musician?
MP: I think the art department is very well developed, and all
the teachers who teach and support it do a great job. I find
myself in Carpenter
whenever I have free
time; the practice rooms
are a great place for
working on art. When it
comes to social groups,
our freshman class is
really close. We're all
friends with each other.
However, I would say
most artsy people are
floaters, meaning they
float between various
social groups. I have
friends in all different
grades that are there for
me when I need them,
and I think that's the best
way to go. Having just
one group of friends can be difficult sometimes, especially
when things are rough.
JR: I have heard that your family spends time in Nash-
ville. What is it like being in the one of the musical capi-
tals of the country? Is it from Nashville that you devel-
oped your interest in music? Have you encountered Miley
Cyrus and/or Dolly Parton?
MP: Nashville is my favorite place in the world. Because I
grew up there, it'll always be home. Since my parents are
separated and my dad still lives there, I visit about once a
month. I would without a doubt say that my musical interests
were developed there. My dad made a living as a professional
drummer (which is funny because if you saw me attempt to
drum, you would laugh). He played for acts such as Jimmy
Buffet, Tanya Tucker, and Kathy Mattea; he even played on
the Conan O'Brien Show and at the Grand Ole Opry, so music
is in my blood. I remember going to a lot of his performances
as a kid and getting pulled on stage to sing the occasional
"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." Nashville was a great place to
grow up as a musician.
I have met Miley Cyrus and her father each once. I went to
her concert and was invited to the sound check party before-
hand due to family connections. It was a really cool experi-
ence for me to get to speak with her about music and how she
became interested in acting. Before playing the role of Han-
(Continued on page 9)
There are 280 students at Holderness School. Each one has a story to tell. James Robbins sat down with freshman Maggie Peake
to find out her story. Thanks for sharing, Maggie!
Volume 7, Issue 3
Page 9
I t ’ s R o o m m a t e A p p r e c i a t i o n We e k : G i v e T h a n k s !
“I would like to say that all of the day boys, especially Scott
Merrill, have been exceptional roommates. They always keep
the day boy room in top shape. Also, Mitch's driving skills
never cease to impress me.”
- Peter Saunders
“To Perry,
Thank you for your diligence in inspiring me when I am strug-
gling, taking me out of my imaginary world when I am lost,
and waking me up when it is time to go to class.”
- Zihan Guo
“Chuckwagon and the rest of the BP are a bunch of fun.”
- Chris Nalen
“Megan, we have bonded quite well over these past months,
and I just wanted to thank you for everything you have done for
me. Thank you, Megan, thank you.”
- Hope Heffernan
“I'd like to make a shout-out to my awesome roommate Claire
Caputi. She's always there to talk to at the end of the day with
an open heart and mind. I couldn't be happier with my first year
here, thanks to her.”
- Maggie Peake
“So Pippa is my roommate and she is the best. Since freshman
year we have had an unbreakable bond. Teekabrohey - So
happy we're roomieZ. I love you, Man.”
Love, Joben
“Josie and I have an awesome and unique relationship, because
we eat lots of candy together, play computer games together,
and watch TV shows in our separate beds together. NOTHING
comes between us; we are like gum stuck to the bottom of a
shoe, peanut butter and jelly, and salt and pepper - I'm pepper,
she's salt. We're a spicy combo. She also makes me laugh a lot,
and accepts me for whom I am, unlike other people.... AUSTIN
BAUM.”
- Pippau Blau
“Molly is the best roommate I have ever had in my life.”
- Macy Jones
“Riggs Alosa is the best.”
- Axi Berman
Okay, so Roommate Appreciation Week isn’t a national holiday or anything, but what better time to give thanks for your room-
mate than during the season of giving! Below are some short words of thanks from students who want their roomies to know how
much they appreciate them.
nah Montana, she went to school in Franklin, TN, which was
where I went to elementary school; I was able to talk to her
about our favorite places to eat, ride horses, etc. I have never
met Dolly Parton, unfortunately, but I have met Tim McGraw; I
met him through my father and Ronnie Dunn of the band
"Brooks and Dunn," because his daughter went to my school
and we were close.
JR: Mr. Lockwood is a bona fide champion. Do you see
yourself doing what he does in twenty years?
MP: As much as I love writing songs, I've actually directed my
interests towards Broadway music and acting. I've been doing
both for a long time and have always had my heart set on the
big belt-it-out songs (Stay tuned, guys). I see myself going to a
performing arts college and later starring in Broadway musicals
in New York. It's a big dream, but I've got a lot of determina-
tion. I will always write songs on the side because without
them, I would be lost, but I don't think I'll be doing exactly
what Mr. Lockwood is doing twenty years from now.
JR: What are you doing over Christmas break?
MP: I'll actually be going to Nashville! I fly down Christmas
day and will be working on my album for the week that I'm
there and maybe play in a few gigs. I plan to spend the first
week back at home in Waterville Valley with my best friend
and my family. I'm sure I'll do a little Christmas shopping, but
mainly I'm looking forward to spending some relaxing time at
home.
Peake (Continued from page 8)
Page 10
The Picador
Senior Editors
Nate Lamson
Haley Mahar
James Robbins
Junior Editors Jake Barton
Jeff Hauser
Charlie Williams
Faculty Advisors
Ms. Magnus
Mr. Solberg
Mr. Carey
Contributing Writers
Aiden Kendall
Fabian Stocek
Peter Durnan
Andrew Munroe
Justin Simpkins
Peter Ferrante
Keith Bohlin
Keith Babus
Kristina Micalizzi
Shawn Watson
Sara Mogollon
Maggie Caputi
Hannah Halsted
Steph Symecko
Contact Information
Holderness School
Chapel Lane
P.O. Box 1789
Plymouth, NH 03245
Phone Number: 603.536.1257
Fax: 603.536.1267
Email: [email protected]
Movie Reviews By Keith Babus ’12
Elf
It's Christmas time, which is the setting for maybe the greatest movie of
all time, Elf. Not only did it receive the award for best movie of the dec-
ade from the American Film Institution, but it was also selected to be
inducted into the highly coveted Saint Nick's register of fabulous x-mas
flicks. The film is directed by Jon Favreau, who brought us many classic
films such as uh-oh looks like someone forgot santa is allergic to pea-
nuts, and one of my personal favorites, looks like grandpa drank all the
darn eggnog.
Elf tells the touching story of Buddy the Elf (Will Ferrell) who is trying
to find his long lost father (James Caan). Buddy, who is a few feet taller
than the other elves at the North Pole, doesn‟t realize he was born to a
human father. Once he finds out, he goes on a long and treacherous jour-
ney, which includes traveling through the seven levels of the candy cane
forest, passing the sea of swirly-twirly gumdrops, and then walking
through the Lincoln tunnel. Buddy‟s purpose in this journey is not only
to be reunited with his daddy but also to get his dad back on the nice list,
which should be the goal of any son. Through his kind and innocent
nature, Buddy wins the hearts of all around him and brings Christmas
joy to all. This is a great movie to watch around the holidays, and one
that will keep you laughing.
Shout Outs
GD & HT = A little lovin‟ at Loveland?
SM & MH = Slam dunk for this BIG boy.
HH &AP = Aiming for peace, love, and hope this
holiday season.
XX & RX = Good fortune and precious love from
China.
OJ = Who knew Macbeth had such good flow?
AB = Abs like Gisele and an arm like Brady.
BC & DW & CM & MK = Congrats! Hopefully
these are the first of many more acceptances!
JB = Becca or Bass? He‟s a JV Superstar now.
Good luck on exams and may the mistletoe
bring many more kisses for us to spot.
- Kristina Micalizzi ’12 and Shawn Watson ’12
Volume 7, Issue 3
Horoscopes
By Sara Mogollon ’12
Page 11
Aries: You started the week
off with lots of energy; keep
up the momentum! The last
thing you need is to get run
down when midterms roll
around. Towards the end of
the week, it might be tempting
to mix work and play, but
don't fall into that trap. Get
your work done before giving
yourself that break you so de-
serve.
Taurus: Is this week feeling a
little funny? If repetition is
getting to you, switch things
up and try something new!
Don‟t let the momentary
slump get your mood all
twisted; a lot of things will fall
into place by the end of the
week.
Gemini: Make sure to take a
second to figure out what you
want to get out of this week;
choose your priorities care-
fully, maybe even consult a
wise friend. You may feel a bit
panicky as Wednesday ap-
proaches, but your sign is in
full strength with the eclipse.
You go!
Cancer: It‟s going to be an
intense week with conflicting
priorities and emotional con-
versations, so prepare, but re-
lax! Your mood will be at a
positive high by Monday after-
noon; use that to your aca-
demic advantage.
Leo: The beginning of the
week will be delightful; you
will be in full social butterfly
mode. Enjoy your friendships;
you are so close to saying
goodbye for break! However,
balance your social life with
good doses of work. Your
friends will wait for you!
Virgo: If you start to feel
overwhelmed, relax! Take a
walk and reorganize yourself
away from all your usual daily
distractions. The clearer your
head, the more relaxed you
will feel.
Libra: What a busy week
you‟ve had; look forward to
break when you can take a
breather. Take extra care of
yourself if you are in full work
mode; balance is everything.
Some exciting news awaits
you at the end of the week.
Scorpio: Work, work, work. It
all feels so familiar. Take
some time to connect with the
people most important to you;
it might help you feel better.
However, watch out for the
talkative individuals who may
distract you from what needs
to be done this week.
Sagittarius: Get ready for
change and embrace it. Al-
though it is not always easy to
listen to the spontaneous peo-
ple in your life, let them per-
suade you to do something
new this week. Look forward
to a positive future and what it
may bring you!
Capricorn: Keep your free
time nice and relaxing, take
everything slowly, one step at
a time. You can‟t expect to
multi-task and not be ex-
hausted by Friday. Do the
thing you love most, and then
enjoy the company of those
that you love.
Aquarius: So much to do! Be
careful not to overdo it this
week or you may buckle under
the pressure. Focus on what is
important; the rest will take
care of itself.
Pisces: You haven't been as
focused as you should have
been this fall and many details
have slipped. This is the time
to make up for lost time, with
friends and at work. Pick up
the pieces and put them back
together again. You will be
glad you did.
In
Shipping gifts overnight
Acceptance letters
Caroling
Helmets, knee pads, and
elbow pads
Khan reviews during free
time
Burritos at dances
The senior girls' record in Powderpuff
Out
Sleeping enough at night
Anticipation
Cram sessions
Roller skiing down hill
Facebooking during free time
Grinding at dances (still)
Ripping shorts
In and Out
- @magsthemuggle, @haha_the_haha, @stephiesmeckie, @halezie
A Letter From the Editor
The Picador
Dear Holderness Community,
Thursday night, when the student editors of The Picador sat down with our advisor, Ms. Magnus, we discussed the Letter from
the Editor. Nate‟s letter about late lights got a lot of response, and we were looking for another subject that would get people
thinking. As we sat around the table, throwing ideas around, someone mentioned the holiday season.
A large majority of students at Holderness celebrate Christmas. But a significant portion of the Holderness community does not.
Hanukkah is probably the second most celebrated holiday, but some members of our community celebrate things like the winter
solstice; some do not even celebrate anything at all.
Should we be devoting more attention to other religions during the holidays?
All in all, I‟d say the holiday spirit at Holderness is great: inclusive, decorative, generous. The hot grog at Christmas dinner itself
may be enough to rouse holiday cheer in everyone. Emphasis is made on community service during the time between Thanksgiv-
ing and Christmas and on giving to those who may not be as lucky as we are during the holiday season.
Maybe the “Christmas” spirit doesn‟t have to have anything to do with religion at all. Maybe it can center on being with friends
and family, being grateful for all that we have and all that we are able to give others. Sure, Christmas may be a Christian holiday,
but for many people, Christmas symbolizes a time of gift-giving without any religious attachments.
But the truth is that Christmas at Holderness is, at least in part, a religious celebration. So how do we go about including those
who don‟t celebrate Christmas?
Before I go any further, I want to establish the fact that I am completely aware of the fact that Holderness is an Episcopal school.
We go to Chapel twice a week, and we say prayers before dinner; taking care of our souls is an integral part of the school's mis-
sion. Keeping Christmas as the main focus of our holiday season is both relevant and sensible.
But in a school that stresses diversity and continues to include more and more students from other countries and cultures, does
our almost exclusive focus on the Christian holiday have negative effects on our community? Sure, we‟ve had announcements at
sit-down dinner about Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah, but I don‟t think we‟ve ever lit a menorah as a community. Even though
our school is Episcopalian, shouldn‟t we at least acknowledge other forms of worship during the holidays? Holderness attracts a
bevy of students from a range of countries and religions -- Episcopalian, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist. Don‟t these relig-
ions deserve some sort of recognition?
How would a Christian feel going to a school where Judaism was the most commonly celebrated religion? Wouldn‟t it be weird
to give little thought to Christmas? Is this how students and members of the community at Holderness feel every holiday season?
Not exactly forgotten, but certainly secondary?
All in all, the holidays are exciting and festive. No matter what religion you celebrate, hopefully you‟re able to relax, take some
time off from academics, and be with friends and family. But maybe in the coming years, Holderness will integrate more relig-
ions into the holiday season, or maybe not.
- Haley Mahar ’12
A P U B L I C A T I O N B Y T H E S T U D E N T S F O R T H E H O L D E R N E S S S C H O O L C O M M U N I T Y
“Do you ever have the desire to jump in front of a moving
bus?”
“They are all so pretty, I want to take one home and put her
on a leash.”
“I was tied to a chair tonight. Is that harassment?”
“I don‟t care; I like the taste of raw chicken.”
“What noise does a pigeon make?”
“Is there a word for a ball of toothpaste that got stuck in
your arm hair?”
“Joe Bro, you‟re looking scandalous today.”
“Holderness Saturday nights are my favorite, when else do
I get to play board games?”
Overheards
You know those moments when you are walking down the path past Niles and Webster or walking through the Dining Hall, and
you overhear a snippet of conversation? Sometimes, without knowing the context of the conversation, what you overhear is just
plain funny. Below are a collection of quotes overheard throughout campus and compiled by the Picador editors. Enjoy!