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: info@holderness.org

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!