B section of Issue 5 of 2008-2009

www.mcsun.org

SPORTS & ARTS

Friday

december 19, 2008

B Mt. Carmel SuN

Sundevils sign National Letters of Intent

MC athletes commit to schools, receive scholarships Maggie Doremus Oregon State erica ByerLey Staff Writer

Photo Courtesy of Bill Doremus

For senior Maggie Doremus, the decision to attend Oregon State was relatively easy.

“The school is like a really big family,” she said.

Even though Doremus had offers from Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida, she says she still would have chosen Oregon State without the full ride she received to play softball there next year.

The recruiting process for her began very early.

“They started recruiting me freshman year because that’s when they first saw me play,” she said.

“The whole process is time-consuming because you have to email the coaches,” she said.

“It’s up to you to ask if they’re coming [to your games] because otherwise they won’t come.”

Doremus committed fairly early, making the

college admissions process easier for both her and the coaches.

“I kind of jumped to Oregon State quickly,” she said. “Schools put a lot of pressure on you. The money might not have been there if I waited longer.”

Coaches don’t know who is going to commit to their school and who isn’t, so they want people to let them know early.

“The school wants to know your answer so they can recruit other people if they need to,” Doremus said.

She is excited about the change in scenery she will get in moving from southern California to a place where it rains year-round as well as the tight sense of community the campus offers.

“The community is all about Oregon State,” she said. “It’s a big school but a small community.”

Oregon State also has a top-notch indoor training center.

It is the size of several football fields and is

high enough to hit a homerun in.

“Because it rains so much you have to have a really good indoor facility,” Doremus said.

Doremus looks forword to meeting new people and building new bonds with her classmates.

“The football team is pretty close with the softball team,” Doremus said.

“Sometimes they will trade weight times with us.”

Her favorite sports memories at MC are winning CIF for softball and for basketball. However. she will not be playing basketball at Oregon next year.

“I’m going to miss it, but I know after college I’d totally join an intramural league or an old woman basketball league.”

Before then, Doremus will play or train for softball year-round with her teammates. She is hoping for more winning seasons in her future.

“My year is supposed to have a lot of talent coming in,” Doremus said.

Vanessa Currie Sonoma State Katelyn Cutts News Editor She walked on the campus and knew right away that it was the school for her. For senior Vanessa Currie, Sonoma State University would become her home for the next four years to play a sport she loves.

“The area is so beautiful,” she said. “The campus was equally beautiful.”

Currie had multiple choices from different schools.

“I was set on USD; it was my first choice,” she said. “When I realized I could not afford the

tuition each year, I started to look at Sonoma.”

She knew that she wanted to stay in California so Southern Utah was immediately off the list as well. Sonoma State became the obvious choice for her because of the campus and its team.

“I chose Sonoma because of the softball team,” she said. “The coach and the girls were really nice.”

Although Currie plays third base for MC, she is an outfielder on her travel team and will be playing that in college. For Currie, she also knew that there was something else about Sonoma.

“I would have gone there sports or no sports,” she said. “I fit in there. It has school spirit, but it is

more about the academics than sports.”

Currie has played softball since she was fiveyears-old and has really enjoyed the experiences that MC has given her.

“My favorite experience from MC would have to be the first year we won CIF,” she said. “It was the first time the team went 10-0 during league and the first time the team won CIF. We were the first to put a CIF banner up for softball.”

Currie is excited to be playing softball for Sonoma and loves the campus. Although softball was important to her decision, becoming a Seawolf was more about the school’s academics and overall appeal as a gorgeous school.

Photo Courtesy of Vanessa Currie

Photo Courtesy of Vanessa Currie

Danielle Spence Rice University Melissa Roadman Editor-in- Chief

Photo Courtesy of Danielle Spence

The i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed. It’s official. Senior Danielle Spence signed her official National Letter of Intent to attend Rice University on a partial swim scholarship next year.

Since freshman year, Spence has been receiving recruiting letters and questionnaires from a variety of colleges. Spence faced an additional challenge as she broke her arm at the beginning of swim season last year.

“I missed my most important meet of the season, so I didn’t have a chance to improve my times for that year,” she said. “So, some of the faster schools I was looking at weren’t as interested as they may have been. I think that

it happened for a reason and I ended up at the right place.”

This past summer, coaches began contacting her, and Spence embarked on five recruiting trips during the fall to University of Denver, UC Santa Barbara, Rice University, Columbia University, and Notre Dame.

“On the recruit trips, you get to know the team and coaches and see if you would like going there and being a part of that team,” Spence said.

“The coaches get to know you and see if they want to offer you an official spot on their team and how much scholarship they want to give you.”

After these five trips, Spence decided Rice was the best fit for her.

“Rice has a good combination of academics and athletics,” she said. “I fit in perfectly with both programs. Also, I like the small size and I have family nearby.”

Spence looks forward to the experiences she will have at Rice.

“I think Rice’s swimming program will definitely help me improve my swimming,” Spence said. “However, I am not planning on swimming after college.”

A unique feature of Rice is their residential system. Spence likened it to Harry Potter.

“I really like their residential college system,” she said. “There are nine “colleges” that freshmen are randomly assigned to. This is where you live for the next four years. The colleges have a lot of traditions and spirit!”

Jennifer Helssen University of California, Berkeley Melissa Roadman Editor-in- Chief It has been one year since senior Jennifer Helssen began crewing, but she has signed with UC Berkeley for a partial scholarship to crew in college. Helssen received offers from UC Berkeley, University of Washington, Boston College and USC. Helssen went on trips in order to help in the decision process.

“In rowing you go on these visit and you visit the school to see if you like it or not,” Helssen said.

“You talk to the coaches. I just narrowed it down from there.”

She also had the opportunity to meet with the team. After her trips, the decision became clear to her for specific reasons.

“They have one of the best crew teams in the nation,” she said. “[Also,] the academics are really good.”

The coach and team contribute to Berkeley’s crew success.

“The coaches and the girls just really want to be there and give it there all to make it happen,” Helssen said.

The team dynamics attracted her to Berkeley.

“I liked how they actually really wanted to be there,” she said.“I feel like at school some people really don’t want to be here and they don’t try and they hold the people who want to be here back. I feel like everybody there wanted to be there and there was a lot of school spirit.”

Helssen looks forward to going to college and

the experiences that await her.

“I’m looking forward to getting away from everything and starting new,” she said. “I think it’ll be really fun.”

One year ago, one of Helssen’s friends received a scholarship to do crew in college and told her to get involved in the unique sport.

“My friend got recruited,” she said. “She told me to start because it’s fun.

She began crewing shortly after at the San Diego Rowing Club in Mission Bay. Helssen feels that her involvement in crew has made a positive impact on her life.

“It’s taught me a lot about life. It gives me a structure and there are a lot of cool people doing Photo Courtesy of Jennifer Helssen it,” she said.

Jennifer Helssen (12), right, rows in the San Diego Rowing Club.

These are not the only athletes who have officially signed to colleges for athletics. If you have signed, and were not mentioned, please contact us and you will be acknowledged.

Now available online at

MCSUN.org

JV girls water polo

JV soccer

EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS!

Staff writer Nicole Bustamante provides a first-hand account of her life as a taxi player between JV and varsity.

Boys win against Carlsbad and lose to San Pasqual, but still play on despite a few injured players.

The team plays today at 3:30.

Remember the fall sports by browsing through galleries of each of the sports.

Sports

B2

Mt. Carmel SUN

December 19, 2008

Year-round roller hockey club open to all players

sean williams staff writer

Sporting events have always been very popular and celebrated around MC. Football, volleyball, cross country, and many other MC sports get a lot of well deserved attention. However, one of the most underrated MC sporting teams is roller hockey.

The roller hockey team formed in the early 90s when a few people started paying attention to the Poway and RB roller hockey teams.

They thought it would be a good idea to start a roller hockey team at MC. However, because the sport doesn’t get too much support, they are not considered an actual school sports team. They are considered a club.

They are a self-sufficient team, meaning that the team is run by the players themselves. Senior Kenneth Laws, who is the captain of the team, has been on the team since his freshman year.

“My best moment in hockey had

to be in a game where I was playing against people that were at least 50 pounds bigger than me,” he said.

“One guy came up and shoved into me, but I kept my ground and ended up scoring the goal.”

Roller hockey is a year round sport, split into three seasons. They practice once a week for two hours at Kit Carson Park.

Sophomore Andy Salazar, who is the goalie for the team, loves his position.

“It’s cool how the whole team relies on you to block the opposing team’s shots,” he said. “Stopping their shots is really fun.”

Despite their lack of popularity around the school, the roller hockey team plays schools from around the state and even participates in CIF for roller hockey.

“There’s a school up in San Pasqual that we sort of have a rivalry with because we play them so much,” Laws said. “They’re always one of my favorite schools to play.”

Sophomore Evan Schmidbauer

also likes playing against San Pasqual.

“I like playing against San Pasqual a lot because they have some good people on their team,” he said.

“I think Westview is my favorite school to play because it’s always fun having close friends playing against each other,” Salazar said.

Even though we are already this far into the school year, the roller hockey team is still accepting new members, especially on the JV team, and there are no requirements to join.

So far this season they have played four games, and remain undefeated.

“About a month ago, we played a few CIF teams, and we beat them,” Schmidbauer said.

Even if they’re not considered an actual school sport, the roller hockey team is a winning team that still plays in CIF games.

The members play the game because they love the sport. Of course, they always love getting support.

“It’s a kind of team where kids just want to do it,” Schmidbauer said.

MATT COFFELT | PHOTO EDITOR

Derrick Panciera (11) faces off with a Cathedral student in a recent hockey game. The hockey team is not an actual sports team, but rather a club, due to its small size. However, the team still has the ability to play and win at CIF. The club is open to anyone who wants to play, and plays year-round, all three seasons.

Girls polo pumped for new season

Fall season, CIF recap

Hard work and new suits mark the start of the girls water polo season.

For the team, this year sets the stage for a completely new experience.

With a new league and a new division, the girls look to working past losing some great starters and building a name for themselves.

“We have been working really hard and it’s been paying off,” junior Mojgan Malekpour said. “At the Bronco Invite we did really well.”

Hell week began during the November break and immediately following that the team played in an invite closely followed by the Bronco Invite and last Friday’s game against RB. Varsity coach John Au saw tryouts week as a hit.

“We were surprised, there were a ton of new players,” Au said.

“Seventeen brand new girls came to try out as freshmen probably because of the success we had last season.

They looked at our team and saw we were winners.”

They look positively on the season as they the team feels prepared to have a great season. Malekpour looks to the practice in the pool as very efficient training for games.

“Most coaches only make their

The boys water polo team finished the season with a 19-11 record overall and a 9-3 record in the Valley League.

In CIF, the boys lost first round against RBV. Senior Chris Gallardo and junior Evan Heise made First team All League, and senior Austin Woolley and junior Trevor Webb made Second Team All League.

aditi pai staff writer

kevin lage entertainment editor

Boys Water Polo

Boys Cross Country

ALLISON ROGERS | PHOTOGRAPHER

Mojgan Malekpour (11) prepares to pass the ball. The team aims to be league champions this year, as they won league last year and are now in an easier league. They hope to be CIF champs of Division I. team good at either defense or offense,” Malekpour said. “Our coach works us really hard on both so we can do well in any situation.”

Their Bronco Invitational provided them with a chance to work on improving before games start.

“Of three games our first game was easy and we blew them out of the water,” Au said. “We were tested by the next team and the last team, Scripps Ranch, was the toughest one but we still won.”

Their game on Friday against RB

also gave them a win.

“Our work has been going really well,” junior Emily Bell said. “The work we do in games is a reflection of what we do in practice.”

Her first year on varsity, Bell enjoys being a part of this tight knit team.

“It’s exciting,” Bell said. “The girls are a close group of friends. We all work hard and encourage each other.”

As they look to the rest of the season, Au hopes last year’s success

carries over to this year.

“Every year we pick short and long term goals.” Au said. “For our long term goals we want to possibly be CIF champs. We are in D1 now so it is a possibility. Our biggest competition here is Valley Center” Only a few obstacles stand in their way.

“The shallow-deep pools are new for us,” Au said. “You have to play the game differently, there are different rules but you got to do what you got to do.”

Sundevil Spotlight

The boys cross country team finished with a record of 3-1 and won CIF. The entire boys varsity team went to state and all seven runners placed in the top 100. Juniors Brandon Foster, David Vasko, and Jacob Wood made first team all league.

Girls Cross Country

The girls cross country team finished fourth in CIF and sent Juniors Erin Menefee and Lindsay Valdez to state. Menefee and Valdez made first team all league and junior Courtney Hedgecock made second team all league.

Field Hockey

Girls field hockey had a rough season, winning one game. They did not go to CIF, but junior Ashley Romano made second team all league.

Football

The football team went 2-4 this season in the Valley League. The team lost against Lincoln High School in the first round of CIF. Senior Reggie Nobel made first defensive team all league and junior Ken James made second offensive team. Senior Ryan Kay and juniors Brandon Mendoza and Mike Pettinato made second defensive team.

Girls Tennis

The girls tennis team finished with a 35-1 singles record and won CIF. Juniors Sabi Leon-Chao and Melanie Corbin, sophomore Bella Genkina, and freshman Lamella Belgica made first team all league. Senior Amrita Rao and junior Karen Troung made second team all league.

Girls Volleyball

The girls volleyball team ended the season with a record of 10-2.

The team made it to the semi-finals in CIF. Senior Sarah Votel made first team all league, and sophomore Sierra Moran made Second team all league.

Juniors Sara Shantz and Carly Voris got honorable mentions.

Girls Golf

The girls golf team finished the season with a record of 12-0, a great improvement. The team sent two people to CIF individually, Tracey Huynh and Katie Scanlan.

Pompa-Hogan loves, plays, dominates soccer Eckman juggles responsibilities, basketball

Briana Pompa-hogan Mackenzie lance sports editor After her first kick at age six, Briana Pompa-Hogan was hooked.

“I went to my sister’s game and she was getting snack and I was really jealous,” Pompa-Hogan said. “I just decided to join and I took her spot.”

Now, eight years after her first toe-tap, Pompa-Hogan is playing on the MC varsity girls soccer team.

“I do get picked on a lot and they call me names like ‘Freshie’” PompaHogan said. “I know they’re joking and it’s really funny.”

Pompa-Hogan is a versatile player who has no set position.

“I don’t really have a position, Danie, my coach, tells me just to remember everything about every position,” Pompa-Hogan said. “My favorite position is definitely outside midfield.”

When she’s not on the field for MC, Pompa-Hogan can be found playing for her club team.

“I started playing competitively for PQ Premier during my U9 sea-

son,” Pompa-Hogan said. “The next year I switched to Surf and that’s where I play now.”

Whether it’s club or the school team, Pompa-Hogan just likes to be on the field.

“I feel really determined when I’m on the field,” Pompa-Hogan said.

“I don’t want to disappoint anyone and I’m always being motivated by my coaches and my team.”

The motivation of her peers and coaches keeps Pompa-Hogan going in the sport that she loves.

“I have a passion for it,” PompaHogan said. “I just love playing and so much fun.”

She loves every minute of the game, but Pompa-Hogan has certain favorite things about the game.

“Basically, my favorite thing is when you get beat going after a ball, and then you get it back and you make the person who beat you look really dumb,” Pompa-Hogan said. “I also really like winning a big tackle, especially in the air.”

Although she loves the game, Pompa-Hogan has been forced to put soccer on hold several times.

“Before the sixth grade, I jumped a fence and landed on a piece of metal that went through my foot,” PompaHogan said. “Then, two years ago in club I tore a ligament in my ankle.

She’s recovered from these injuries and is thriving on the MC team.

“I love the school team because of the chemistry and the bond,” Pompa-Hogan said. “It’s fun and I’m always learning something about the game.”

QUICK HITS If you had S100 to spend on anything, what would you spend it on?

Food; a third on lollipops and Jolly Ranchers, a third on authentic Asian food, a third on pomegranates and mango juice.

What’s your greatest fear and why?

Spiders, because they’re creepy.

What’s your weirdest food combination? (Example: potato chips and caramel dip) Ketchup and macaroni.

If you could un-invent one thing, what would it be and why?

Money, because the whole world revolves around it and it shouldn’t.

Name one person or group of people that you admire.

[Mr.] Boyer, because he’s so happy.

What is your favorite TV show?

How It’s Made.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Reading people’s minds because it’s cool.

What is your worst pet peeve and why?

When I’m defeated in a meet by people with cankles.

kyle eckman lauren hall staff writer For many, a busy day means school, going to clubs at lunch, sports after school, and then a night’s worth of homework.

For senior Kyle Eckman, this is his regular schedule.

Eckman asserts himself in school activities and sports, making him well known around MC. As president of the Best Buddies Club, he bears the great responsibility and leadership of one of the most popular clubs on campus on his shoulders.

“I love doing it [Best Buddies],” Eckman said. “It’s a pretty big responsibility, but it’s one of my most rewarding activities.”

Eckman is also a member of the National Honor Society, as well as the California Scholarship Federation.

Both clubs are academically focused organizations.

To add to Eckman’s already very jam-packed schedule, he is also the captain of the boys varsity basketball

team, another responsibility he undertakes.

“It’s really neat having everyone look up to me,” Eckman said. “I lead by example, and that’s definitely not easy.”

Although basketball has been a hobby of his for years, this will be his last season playing the sport for MC’s team.

Eckman has enjoyed his four years at this school and his years four playing basketball.

“I’m going to miss playing, practicing, and being part of a team,” Eckman said.

Eckman is also part of another team, as an ultimate Frisbee player.

Although it is not official because he is unable to attend the club meetings, he sometimes plays in games with the team on the weekends.

With multiple AP classes, three clubs, and two sports, what more does one have time for?

For many, the answer to that question would be very quick and easy to decide: Nothing.

However, for Eckman, there is always room for him to take on even more opportunities and challenges, as long as he maintains a positive attitude.

Even though he leads by example, he relies most on his charisma which aids him in winning the support of his team.

“It’s not that I’m the best player on the team,” Eckman said. “My biggest strength is just in my attitude and working with my team.”

quick hits If you had $100 to spend on anything, what would you spend it on?

I’d put it towards a snowboarding trip with my friends.

What’s your greatest fear and why?

I’m claustrophobic. I hate being trapped.

What’s your weirdest food combination? (Example: potato chips and caramel dip) A PB&J smoothie.

If you could un-invent one thing, what would it be and why?

The rubber duck, that way, I wouldn’t have swallowed a rubber duck squeaker in the 8th grade.

Name one person or group of people that you admire.

My brother, Chad.

What is your favorite TV show?

House or 24.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Teleportation. I’d have girls begging me to take them to Europe.

What is your worst pet peeve and why?

When people speak before they think. It’s annoying to listen to.

Sports

Mt. Carmel SUN

Boys soccer provided with strong senior leadership

December 19, 2008

Girls soccer kicks off strong start melissa roadman EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

lauren hall STAFF WRITER As a four year varsity soccer player, captain and senior Stephen Griswold is setting an example for the younger varsity players According to the younger members of the team, Griswold is a strong team captain with experience, knowledge, and charisma.

“We have strong leaders on our team, who work with us on and off the field,” sophomore Chad Eckman said. “At practice they help keep us focused and organized.”

The team is very early into the season, with lots of new talent and time for individual improvement.

“Our young team has done a great job holding off the other teams,” Eckman said. “Our under classmen have come with valuable experience from their competitive teams.”

Griswold and the other senior players set a good example for the team which makes up for the lack of team members due to competitive soccer.

Players who are new to the varsity team are getting their chance to improve in games, and show what they can do.

“The team has really had to step it up because we’ve been missing so many players,” Eckman said. “A lot of players who usually wouldn’t get as much time in the game have had the opportunity to play, which will help in the long run.”

Many players are hoping to better themselves from this experience.

“It feels good to know that I was chosen over so many other people to be on varsity,” sophomore Steve Ibanez said. “It’s a new experience for me. I want to make the most of it by improving a lot this season.”

As a team also the players are taking many other steps to improve, and help them in the future, or CIF. “We’re working on playing more of a possession game,” Griswold said. “We need to play the ball more in the middle of the field.”

Every member of the team is thinking of ways to improve to make it to CIF, whether it’s in the center of the field or in the front of field.

“We need to follow through with our shots better,” Ibanez said.

“We have to take advantage of every opportunity we have to make a shot on the opponents goal.”

But, in order to maintain their current status, the team cannot lose hold of the skills that they already have. According to Ibanez and Griswold, those key ingredients include communication, leadership, and organization, all being necessities for an exceptional team.

B3

allison rogers | Photographer

Talia Sheets (12) shields away her opponent in the game agianst San Pasqual. Forward Kelie Fox (11) scored three times adding to the 5-0 win. The team’s next game is tonight agaisnt Carlsbad.

Referees. They make the calls, ensure the rules are being followed and keep track of the time. So what happens when they are on strike?

The girls soccer team has had an unusual start to the season. The referees went on strike for an increase in payment over the next three years. As the season began, there was a glimmer of hope that the conflict would be resolved, but it was not.

As a result, the home teams are now responsible for supplying referees for games.

“A lot of our refs now aren’t certified to do high school soccer games because the organization who registers people is the one on strike,” senior Talia Sheets said. “The whole thing results in some pretty sketchy referees for when we play away games, and MC soccer alumni [have] come in to do our home games.”

According to junior Kellie Fox, if there are no referees, the games are cancelled and the home team has to forfeit.

Although the lack of referees does not directly affect the game of soccer, Fox feels that it does have some impact.

“You have to just play your own game with whatever ref is reffing,” Fox said. “There is a home field advantage because every school has to find their own refs, so of course it’s easier just to have alumni or people you know ref, but it’s hard making it fair. So far it’s been okay.”

Despite this challenge, the girls have started out the season well, placing second in the Baron’s Tournament

last week.

After advancing to the semi-finals, the girls played Clairemont on Saturday morning, defeating them 1-0.

They took second place in the finals game on Saturday night, losing against Mission Bay 1-0.

With five games last week, the team was exhausted by the tournament finals.

“We were tired because we played two games before. We [have] had a lot of games to get ready for the season,” Fox said.

Starters junior Lindsay Valdez and Sheets were injured and did not play.

Fox played but was suffering from a foot injury.

In their first of five games last week, the girls took on Santana. Fox scored three goals, seniors Kristin Poggioli and Sam Adair both scored as well.

The final score was 5-0.

On Dec. 10, the Sundevils went on the road to Carlsbad. Unfortunately, the game ended in a 2-0 loss.

Both of the goals were scored during the first half. The girls came back determined and set up a strong defense, preventing the opponents from scoring again.

In their cross-league game against San Pasqual, the team found an unexpected victory, 3-0.

“The whole team came out ready to play, and we were excited,” Fox said.

Leiva, Fox, and freshman Megan Barry each scored one goal.

The team, which mainly has returners, has been able to come together on the field during practices and games.

“It is hard work sometimes, but the team has bonded really well in such a short amount of time and that helps a lot on the field,” Sheets said.

Boys basketball hopes to bounce back after slow start, relying on youth, new coach for better results in future VINCENT PHAM STAFF WRITER With a squad that is young in experience, and lacking in size, it hasn’t been an easy road for the boy’s basketball team. But the team insists that the best is yet to come as they strive to improve their performance on a game-by-game basis.

The team dropped their first five games in tournament play to some of the county’s best teams.

Their road losses came against Mission Hills, Lincoln, and Grossmont. Their home losses came against La Jolla and Carlsbad.

Senior Saba Golshan states that the early losses will turn out to benefit the team in the long run.

“I really don’t think we’ve been struggling that much because we’ve been playing all these Division I

The team has had to face a lot of the many adjustments that the players schools that are top 10 in the county,” adjustments this year, adapting to the have to make.

Golshan said. “This is good for us philosophy of new head coach, Con“It’s more passing-oriented,” right now because we’re learning a lot rad Sun. Shulman said. “We have a certain from the losses and we’re building on “He [the coach] is a great man,” passing system that we go by and each game as we go by.” once we have to master the Despite the losses, the team offense, we’ll be winning has seen some spectacular play more games.” from their starters.

The players say they can Junior Mike Nelson leads the Right now our chemistry is okay, it definitely find some high team in scoring with an impressive could be a lot better, but it’s really early in points in certain phases of average of 13.8 points per game. the season.

We’re working on it through their game.

Sophomore J.C. Buford has racked “We’re pretty good deup an impressive 10.3 points per each game and we’ll see how it comes.” fensively,” Golshan said. “We game. have good defense and good Nelson believes that the team -Mike Nelson (11) hustle. We can pressure the still needs to work on building ball.” cohesion and their overall consisThe basketball team prepares to tency.

Nelson said. “He teaches us a lot enter their inaugural season in the “Right now our chemistry is about basketball. But he mixes basketValley League in January, moving out okay,” Nelson said. “It could be a lot ball into real life and he teaches you how to be a young man.” of the Palomar League. better, but it’s really early in the seaJunior Max Shulman considers The difference between those son. We’re working on it through each the new scheme on offense among leagues, according to many players, is game and we’ll see how it comes.”

“

Girls basketball shoots towards fourth CIF title; returning starters lead team into season SARA SHANTZ STAFF WRITER off!

ana alvarez | Photographer

Carly Voris (11) releases a jump shot while teammate Brea Matthews (12) watches intently. The girls basketball team is aiming for their fourth consecutive CIF title this season. The team is relying on their defense to help succeed this season.

Ready…set…go! And they’re

The team races to finish their suicide sprint before the 35 seconds is up. Time is running out and one girl is rushing to finish…33…34…35. Time is up and she didn’t make it. Now they start again.

Training like this is just a part of what makes the girls’ varsity basketball team so successful.

This season, the team is working toward their fourth consecutive CIF title.

“We have three CIF titles under our belt and four returning starters.

We also have a great coach,” junior Carly Voris said.

Voris thinks the team has a great chance of winning Leagues and an even better chance of winning CIF. While the team expects to have a successful season, they know that won’t happen with-out hard work.

“I expect us to have a very successful season but it is going to take a lot of hard work from every player on our team,” Voris said

Voris believes that the team’s biggest obstacles will be to stay healthy and injury free throughout the course of the season. Senior Brea Matthews disagrees.

“Excluding the starters, we have a very young and developing team,” Matthews said.

“Many of those who made the team this year had previously played on the JV or Frosh team, which means that they are fairly inexperienced at the varsity level.”

Although the team will have to work on perfecting their offense and putting their shots in, they have many things going for them too.

“We are a very athletic and experienced team. Our running game and defense will win us games,” Voris said.

So far the team’s record is 3-2 with wins against San Pasqual, LCC, and Vista.

The team plans on improving their record by practicing hard.

[We plan on improving] “By taking one game at a time, and playing to the best of our ability every game.

Teamwork obviously plays a huge role in it as well,” Matthews said.

like night and day.

“In the Palomar League, everybody was good,” Nelson said. “In that league, from week to week, you would have to come with you’re ‘A’ game.”

Golshan compares the physical aspects between the two leagues.

“Palomar [League] is more of North County basketball so it’s more made up of tall, fundamental players,” Golshan said. “This new league is going to be a little scrappier with guards.”

The team remains confident that they will reach their goal by the end of the season, despite the slow start.

“We expect to get to the playoffs,” Nelson said. “We have a good group of guys and we’ll see how it goes if we can get there.”

One thing is for certain: No one on the team will be “throwing in the towel” any time soon.

Early practices help wrestlers take first place in tournament KAVERI GYANENDRA FEATURES EDITOR After months and months of preparation for this season, the MC wrestling team is back in full swing, ready to take on the season ahead of them.

“We start offseason wrestling and lifting about a month after the season ends, lifting practically everyday and wrestling Tuesdays and Thursdays,” senior Johnny Fitzmaurice said.

Now that the season has begun, the daily practices are focused on specific training.

“The training is really intense all of the time,” Fitzmaurice said.

“We are always pushing ourselves as hard as we can for extended periods of time. Intense practices such as these are especially hard when cutting weight.”

Although the workouts may seem strenuous at the time, the team knows that those practices are the ones that will help them in the future.

“All the workouts [are the hardest],” senior Steven Martienez said.

“We work out a lot, and the hardest thing is to keep trying hard even when you are tired. But when you do, it pays

off in the long run because it helps you win more matches.”

At the tournament last Saturday, the team came out victorious taking first out of over 30 schools. Varsity had a full squad as well as a couple of B string members wrestling.

“We had some new varsity guys place high and we won it as a team,” Martinez said.

These tournaments that happen early in the season are beneficial to both the individual competitors and the team as a whole.

“They help me get to know my moves better,” Martinez said. “These tournaments are like practice, they help you establish a style, and help you learn what moves to use. It’s the same for the team, everybody learns from them.”

“The tournaments are a great way to exploit all you know about wrestling, because unlike a dual meet with only one match you have the ability to wrestle four or five times because as the saying goes, practice makes perfect,” Fitzmaurice said.

“The tournaments also help the team bond because we are together for 15 or more hours and we help each other match by match.”

Entertainment

B4

Mt. Carmel SUN

December 19, 2008

Restaurant: Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot & Grill Location: Clairemont

Although many American brands have exported themselves and established firm roots in Asia, it is not often that real Asian restaurants are able to successfully transplant themselves into America.

Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot & Grill in Clairemont is an example of the rare successful transplant.

The restaurant features, as the name may suggest, many Mongolian dishes with lamb meat in them.

Although they do have various grilled items on the menu, their specialty is “huo guo” (literally, “fire pot”), or hot pot.

Hot pot is much like fondue; people use raw ingredients and dip them for a moment in a soup base, which cooks the ingredients and adds great flavors. The primary feature of their hot pot that really attracts customers is the broth used for cooking. There are three types: House Original, House Spicy, and Vegetarian Mushroom. Each soup base has over 30 different herbs and spices, which create incredible flavors in the soups.

But the most important part of any hot pot meal is the ingredients. Little Sheep Hot Pot has a selection of over 20 different kinds of high quality meat ingredients, along with more than 40 fresh non-meat ingredients. However, due to high quality standards, meals at Little Sheep Hot Pot range from $20 to $30 per person per meal. The meal itself is self-serve; guests choose their own quality ingredients, then cook the ingredients on their own, in the soup of their choice.

So, if money is not an issue, and you’re looking for a great, hearty meal, then Little Sheep Hot Pot is excellent option.

-Dennis Sun

Title: Twilight Rating: PG-13

The cloudy sky was the perfect setting for the dark, yet romantic moment between two lovers. Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) stood in the forest uttering the famous line from the book, “And so the lion fell in love with the lamb.”

Unfortunately, the much anticipated scene from the book was ruined through poor acting and awkward directing. “Twilight” continued to be mediocre, failing to capture the true magic of the book.

The plot was sufficient considering how long the movie was. Unfortunately for people who didn’t know that Edward could read minds, the first half of the movie was filled with confusing jokes that made absolutely no sense.

What made the movie unbearable was the unbelievable cheesy and horrible writing. The audience couldn’t help but laugh. Scenes meant to be serious or normal turned into repeated moments of uncontrollable laughter.

Although the movie failed in the editing and writing section, Pattinson did well considering the script. The infamous crooked smile of Edward showed through brilliantly on his face and he truly captured the intense love Edward felt for Bella.

Pattinson and Stewart’s chemistry gave the movie its slight edge to actually being good. Unfortunately, every other actor was cheesy and caused the movie to feel even longer than two hours.

Where the two main characters succeed, “Twilight” failed to continue that success resulting in one of the worst movie adaptations ever.

-Katelyn Cutts

As the holiday season approaches, the time to buy lastminute gifts dwindles. Local shopping hubs throughout San Diego County, including the MC favorite, Fashion Valley,* offer procrastinators a wide array of places to shop. *260 students polled

Fashion Valley

Fashion Valley is a fun place to do your holiday shopping.

The vast genres of shops range from designer stores, like Coach, Louis Vuitton, and Betsey Johnson, to department stores, like Nordstrom, JC Penny, and Bloomingdale’s. Just recently, Hermes, Harry Mendel, H and M, Barney’s CO-OP, Sarku Japan, Teavana, and Karen Millen stores have all been added to the mall.

Many of the new additions make it a more affordable, teen friendly visit.

Especially during the holidays, the ambience of Fashion Valley, although crowded, is MELANIE DICKINSON | STAFF WRITER warm and energetic, with assortLAUREN HALL ed ornaments, trees, and lights sprinkled in various places around the shopping center.

STAFF WRITER And if pacing around the mall, gazing in store windows, and waiting in lines at cash Strolling into the bustling shopping cenregisters doesn’t appeal to you, then there ter, one hears the clacking of the latest Armani is the ever popular AMC Fashion Valley 18 boots, the crinkling of handfuls of shopping movie theater. bags, and the chatter of busy shoppers.

So, whether you like the sophisticated The regular holiday festivities of Fashion style of the boutiques, the warming atmoValley means many crowds, busy parking lots, sphere of the mall, the personal gift wrappers, and never coming home empty handed. or the fun amusement options, this mall is the And, if the traffic control and lack of place to be this holiday season. parking spaces doesn’t scare you away, then

Horton Plaza

It has hidden staircases, zany architectural designs, and a lone ‘up’ escalator without its ‘down’ counterpart.

It looks like something Dr. Seuss would have dreamed up. The buildings are all painted different colors, but it somehow manages to feel cohesive.

The mall also has a very interesting collection of stores. It doesn’t have Hollister or Forever 21, but it does have Planet Funk and a place called Casual Time.

It can be fun exploring new shops that nobody has ever heard of before.

The one problem with the mall is finding a decent place to park. It does have an attached parking garage, but if you don’t get your ticket validated, it’s $8 an hour.

The people who work there all ANA ALVAREZ | PHOTOGRAPHER seem to be very friendly and actually ERICA BYERLEY try to talk to their customers. Horton Plaza’s STAFF WRITER downtown location, unique design, interesting stores, and nice workers all make the shopping Located downtown on 1st Avenue and experience very enjoyable.

Broadway, Horton Plaza is one of the most It’s worth the half hour it takes to get unique malls you will ever come across. there.

The Forum

Thankfully, there are other options.

Nestled on the Carlsbad-Encinitas city lines just off Leucadia Boulevard is The Forum, an indescribably refreshing shopping experience.

The various stores appeal to all members of the family, and are the perfect spot to scour when searching for a special gift.

Women will enjoy the classy style that can be found at stores like Ann Taylor Loft, Talbots, or Cold Water Creek. Gourmet cooking supplies from Sur Le Tab are practically next door to trending furnishings courtesy of Z Gallery or the bulk of Bed Bath and Beyond.

Boutiques and specialty stores will hold the attention of the younger crowd.

Rumors say that the average shopping time at Anthropologie is over an hour.

Not surprising considering the endless supply of vintage classics for your closet SARAH CARRIGAN | STAFF WRITER and your home.

SARAH CARRIGAN Free spirits will appreciate Anthro’s sister STAFF WRITER company, Free People because of their hippie chic apparel. Francesca’s Collection, Studio Malls today are so predictable. The same 12-20, Mabel’s, and Tilly’s add to the shopping department stores are crammed together and fun. slapped on top of fairground sized parking The Forum is a wonderful get away from lots for the masses to flock to in an effort a mainstream mall, providing a full supply to dispose of their incomes as quickly as of unique stores all the while still catering to possible. family minded shoppers.

North County KAVERI GYANENDRA STAFF WRITER

With the recent additions of many stores, the Westfield North County Fair mall has been attracting more people. Over the past two years, this mall has added multiple new, typically upper class stores such as Coach, Bebe, Banana Republic and Lucky.

There are stores for all interests, ranging from John’s Fifth Avenue for suitcases and fun technological items to Victoria’s Secret, featuring lingerie, clothing and body products for women. Small kids are often spotted running out of the Sweet Factory, wide grins confirming their one pound bags of candy being packed to the top. Stores such as Sun Diego offer clothing, shoes, skateboards, surfboards and most gear necessary for surfing and skating.

Teenage girls love walking past Abercrombie and Fitch where the model status boys smile and greet the incoming customers.

Boys are spotted hanging around stores such as Lids, where every possible baseball hat is available.

The large department stores such as Nordstrom and Macy’s attract families who can shop for each person in the family while staying in one store.

Although the gray and light pink floors can be rather dull and depressing, North County Fair is the only indoor mall within close range.

It is the perfect place to go during cold winter days when you’re trying to power through holiday shopping. A definite advantage is the rela-

UTC

MATT COFFELT | PHOTO EDITOR

tively small size, which allows people to shop a lot while not having to walk a long ways to get to the next store.

There is ample parking available making it easy for shoppers to spend more time in the stores rather than spending 15 minutes navigating the parking lot, desperately in search of a decent spot.

With new stores and happy shoppers bustling around, North County Fair is a mall that is popular during this time of the year, ideal for getting your shopping done while staying in a warm, friendly environment.

NICOLE BUSTAMANTE STAFF WRITER

UTC. It’s Westfield’s version of a high-end mall, although it’s slightly less exciting when compared to Fashion Valley.

The mall’s layout provides a different walking path than most other malls around this area. However, since it splits in different directions and is two stories in only one particular place, it could get confusing.

What separates UTC from the other shopping centers is its unique ice hockey rink.

The ice hockey rink is conveniently placed within the same building as the food court.

The food court is spacious and has a variety of food from Burger King to Panda Express to a pick your own cupcake topping place.

This mall holds not only clothing but also desirable furniture for all ages by putting in the stores Pottery Barn and PB kids.

Another favorite store is Anthropology.

With its unique store set up and cute clothes,

MELANIE DICKINSON | STAFF WRITER

it makes for a great place to add onto your wardrobe, if you are willing to dish out dough.

Along with its holiday decoration, the mall also has planned holiday events that will go on during various times of the month.

For example, they will have carolers throughout the month visit the mall for three hours at a time.

Also, what mall would be complete around the holidays without its very own Santa Claus to visit? He is conveniently located next to a popular kids store to catch all the young Childs interest.

The mall’s fountain and lovely trees and flowers provide a nice ambience for shoppers.

Entertainment

Mt. Carmel SUN

December 19, 2008

B5

Classic Christmas movies delight MC MACKENZIE LANCE SPORTS EDITOR

Artist: Faith Hill Album: Joy to the World

IT’S A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS

FROSTY THE SNOWMAN

“He’s a jolly happy soul, with a corn cob pipe and a button nose and two eyes made out of coal.”

The children from town decide to make a snowman friend. He stands lifeless until the kids put a magic stovepipe hat that brings him to life. After Frosty teaches the kids the meaning of friendship, he is forced say goodbye until the next snowfall.

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE

This 1946 classic features a suicidal man, an angel, and a series of flashbacks that show the true meaning of the season.

George Bailey, our highly distressed and depressed protagonist is considering his own death when his own guardian angel, who needs to help save his life and earn his wings, visits him.

After showing how much of a positive impact George has had on the world, Clarence earns his wings and saves George’s life.

WHITE CHRISTMAS

Built around classic songs, stunning choreography, and an Academy Award winning ensemble cast, “White Christmas,” produced in 1954, is the definitive Christmas musical. It’s title song, sung by Bing Crosby, who also stars in the film, is just one of 17 songs written by famed composer Irving Berlin.

The plot revolves around two army buddies in World War II who use their clever minds and charm to put on a show for other troops and gain the love of two sisters performing in their show.

The first of the television based Charlie Brown specials, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” celebrates friendship and the true meaning of Christmas.

After greedy Lucy drafts Santa a letter asking just for cash, Charlie and the rest of the Peanuts gang learn that the season is about being together with the people you appreciate and giving to those who truly need help, not just indulging our own selfish wants.

In the words of our argyle-sweater-wearing hero, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”

A CHRISTMAS STORY

“No way, you’ll shoot your eye out, kid.” These fateful words, spoken by nearly every adult character in the film to little Ralphie Parker whenever he asks for the one thing on his list, a “an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rife with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time.”

During his quest for the gun n the days leading up to Christmas, Ralphie endures several hardships including an evil Santa, a bully who knocks around his little brother and a pink bunny pajama set sent by his aunt, which he is forces to wear. Eventually Ralphie does get his gun, and I think we all know happened next.

A YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS

One of the first famous stop-motion claymation films, “A Year Without a Santa Claus” is a staple of the holiday season.

The story of a lost reindeer, a villainous Heat Miser and Snow Miser, and a sickly Santa has captured hearts since 1974.

After the trickery of an evil duo and a girl longing for her Christmas wish, Santa saves the day and spreads holiday cheer all around the world.

Holiday movies dominate box office KEVIN LAGE ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Who can resist a good holiday movie, with their predictable plots, overused jokes, and that warm and fuzzy feeling we get from watching others experience the magic of the holidays.

So far this year two Christmas movies have already been released: “Four Christmases” and “Nothing Like the Holidays.”

FOUR CHRISTMASES

Every family has certain quirks; and whether it’s the neat freak aunt that makes you clean your own room, or the goofy uncle who still asks you to pull his finger, you know at the end of the day when they walk out the door, that you love them and are looking forward to their next visit. That is unless you’re Brad (Vince Vaughn) or Kate (Reese Witherspoon) in the new movie “Four Christmases.”

The movie is set in San Fransisco, where every year around Christmastime, Brad and Kate tell their parents they’re going to do charity work in some Third World country, when actually they go on

an exotic vacation. Unfortunately this year when weather problems interrupt their vacation plans, they are forced to suck it up and deal with their four monster families. Both Brad and Kate come from divorced families and both of them, in a way, escaped their families’ legacies.

Brad, by becoming educated, and Kate, by not jumping onto every man that smiled at her. In the beginning, both feel almost superior to their families.

They get a reality check when they see how alike they really are.

With nothing but a safe word and a few minutes of terrified rants for preparation, each has no idea what they’re in for with the other’s families.

With a plot a little too reminiscent of “Meet the Parents” and a humor very similar to “Dodgeball,” “Four Christmases” is as predictable a movie as you can get, while still delivering many funny moments.

For those plot junkies out there, go spend your money re-renting “Meet The Parents”, but for those just looking for a few good laughs you’ll probably enjoy this movie.

NOTHING LIKE THE HOLIDAYS

In typical dysfunctional family Christmas movie fashion, “Nothing Like the Holidays” brings together the Rodriguezes, a Puerto Rican family that never quite fit together.

This Christmas is even more special than normal because Jesse (Freddy Rodriguez) has just returned from fighting overseas.

The family reunion starts off shaky when their mother Anna (Elizabeth Pena) announces that she will be divorcing her husband Edy (Alfred Molina).

More drama occurs when the parents begin to disagree with the choices that their children have made with their lives, especially when they find out their son Mauricio (John Leguizamo), and his new wife (Debra Messing) don’t want to have kids but would rather pursue their careers.

“Nothing Like the Holidays” is your typical warm and fuzzy Christmas movie, and like most family movies, it is one predictable scene after another, but if that doesn’t bother you, then it is fairly likeable.

-Melissa Roadman

Comedian: Jeff Dunham Channel: Comedy Central

PHOTO COURTESY OF MOVIES.YAHOO.COM

Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon visit his family in the new movie “Four Christmases.” “Four Christmases” is still the second top movie at the box office after three weeks. “Four Christmases” and “Nothing Like the Holidays” are two of this year’s holiday movies.

Video games fight for top spot on gift lists DENNIS SUN STAFF WRITER

PLAYSTATION 3

Among the most desired presents for teens this holiday season are video games. In fact, despite the current financial crisis, video game sales have increased slightly, according to CBS news.

XBOX 360

Microsoft’s most recently introduced game console has plenty of great games available for this holiday season.

Fallout 3 is an action role-playing game (RPG) which incorporates both first-person shooter and survival game aspects.

Fallout takes place in a future after nuclear war has devastated the planet, in an area around Washington D.C. The game is also

available for PS3.

Gears of War 2, a tactical third-person shooter game, also takes place in a planet ravaged by forces unknown.

This sequel to Gears of War has players combat creatures known as the Locust, who reside in underground tunnels within the planet’s crust.

Other great games include Rock Band 2, Grand Theft Auto IV, Call of Duty: World at War, Left 4 Dead, Fable II and the Halo series.

Christmas music helps set the tone of the holiday season, and Faith Hill’s “Joy to the World” certainly starts the festive spirit flowing.

While many artists try to put their own spin on the carols we grew up singing, Hill reverts back to the originals.

Her pure voice brings back the classic elements of the songs.

The tracks are filled with various supplemental surprises to bring back the classic style. Horns, percussion and strings create powerful sounds to enhance the tracks.

In carols, such as “Joy to the World” and “Little Drummer Boy,” Hill features The Nashville Orchestra as well as the London-based choirs Metro Voices and The London Oratory School Boys Choir to provide a soulful sound in contrast to her angelic voice. The songs on the album range from the upbeat Santa Claus is Coming to Town to the solemn hymn O Holy Night. The songs are strategically placed perfectly.

There is a wonderful mix of fast and slow songs that do not bore the listener. The last track on the album, “A Baby Changes Everything,” offers a new, unique perspective for a Christmas song. The song begins in an nontraditional fashion for holiday music as she narrates a story about a teenage girl having a child out of wedlock. The ingenious lyrics go on to describe the birth of Jesus and the love Mary gave to him.

“Joy to the World” is the perfect album to put on while decorating the Christmas tree, to sing along with, or to have quietly playing in the background during holiday gatherings.

This new old-fashioned CD is definitely one to add to your collection of Christmas music.

Sony’s PS3 has many games, as well, that are bound to appeal to gamers of all ages this holiday season.

LittleBigPlanet, a platformer game reminiscent of the original Super Mario, features sack boys and girls clearing intricate stages to get to the end.

The game was originally due for release much earlier last year, but was delayed twice until this year.

Along with customizable characters, Little Big Planet also boasts an extremely extensive stage creator.

Mirror’s Edge, a firstperson action adventure game, is another intriguing game sure to please audiences.

In the game, the primary objective is to escape from the totalitarian police of the city by running through levels in extensive and intricate paths.

The game features bright colors and an extremely realistic first-person perspective, which allows for gameplay that feels like real life.

Coupled with PS3’s HD-Bluray graphics, the game creates a very realistic system of play.

Some other good games for PS3 include Resistance 2, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Bioshock, Call of Duty: World at War, Fallout 3, Brutal Legend, Playstation Home, Prince of Persia, Rise of the Argonauts, Dead Space, Mortal Kombat vs DC universe, and Grand Theft Auto IV.

Wii

Nintendo’s motion-sensing console has plenty of good games for this holiday season.

Okami, a game greatly utilizing the Wii’s capabilities, features a fantasy story about a wolf. The game uses sumi-e based graphics, and has interactive and extensive motion controlled systems.

The game is rated T for teen players. Players control the sun goddess Amaterasu, who has the ability to paint things and make them happen. Players use the Wiimote controller to draw symbols and shapes, interacting with their environment.

No More Heroes, a violent RPG fighting game, is another great game for players into more intense and brutal gameplay.

The game follows the story of Travis Touchdown, who aims to kill assassins so he can win the heart of the girl he is in love with. Using Travis’ beam sword, players can vanquish foes with swings of the Wiimote.

The game is rated M for mature, however, due to blood, sexual references, and alcohol.

Other great games for Wii include Mario Kart Wii, Animal Crossing: City Folk, Wii Music, Super Mario Galaxy, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Super Smash Bros Brawl Guitar Hero World Tour.

The crowd goes wild as the box is opened and a white monkey with purple skin, green hair and one torn shoe is placed upon the pedestal.

No, this isn’t the Home Shopping Network, this is “Jeff Dunham’s Very Special Christmas Special.”

Jeff Dunham, who is known far and wide as a ventriloquist as “the puppet dude.” Dunham’s full lineup of colorful characters includes Walter, Achmed the Dead Terrorist, Bubba J, Melvin the Superhero, Sweet Daddy D, Peanut, and Jose Jalapeño; though in the Christmas Special, he only features Walter, Achmed, Peanut, and Jose Jalapeño. Walter, the cranky old guy, starts off the show with an angry rant about how it’s “Merry Christmas,” not “Happy Holidays.” Walter is known for his realistic features and his cantankerous ways. The way that Jeff plans out this act makes one forget that Walter is a puppet, and it seems like they are just two guys arguing.

Next comes Achmed, the dead terrorist. He comes out in disguise, wearing a Santa hat, and performs the classic Christmas carols like “Jingle Bombs” and “Saddam is Coming to Town.” Dunham performs with Peanut and Jose Jalapeño at the same time, and even though they are an imaginary creature and a jalapeno, they have good chemistry.

As always, Dunham has a great performance and the only thing reminding you that it is fake is the disproportional size of the characters.

“Jeff Dunham’s Very Special Christmas Special” airs tonight on Comedy Central at 9 p.m. and I recommend watching it.

-Kevin Lage

Features

B6

Mt. Carmel SUN

December 19, 2008

From the End of Heaven

Sarah Carrigan

BEHIND THE

MUSIC

Torns prepares to retire after 18 years of making music

The reason to the season is the greatest gift of all With every December, comes the inevitable discussion on the meaning of Christmas. Even here on SUN staff, we have pondered the reason to the season. But in truth, the holidays mean a little something different to everyone.

To me, Christmas is a time for warm smells, pretty lights, good food, beautiful music, family, friends – the list goes on and on.

As a child, it was always a highlight to sit down and have my own personal chat with Santa. How wonderful it seemed that Santa Claus himself would take time out of his busy schedule to come and ask me what I wanted for Christmas.

With age, however, Santa has become nothing more than a nice reminder of childhood innocence.

Now, I treasure someone who seems to be losing his place in Christmas more and more every year. Twothousand years ago, angels heralded in his birth, one of the most joyous events in history.

“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord…

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

(Luke 2: 8-9, 14) For me, Christmas is not just about presents, but rather celebrating the birth and the life of Jesus Christ, and the gift that he gave to all mankind.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not parish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Christ came to earth with the sole purpose of atoning for the sins of the world. His birth was exalted by angels because it marked the fulfillment of God’s Plan of Salvation for his children.

In 2000, the first presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a proclamation on his life and ministry saying, “His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He taught the truths of eternity… and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come.

“He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary’s cross. He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth.”

This is why we give gifts today – in similitude of the love it took the Savior to give his life for us so that we in turn might live.

Why would anyone want to take that for granted? What logic could possibly put superficial merchandise before the memory of our Savior?

The Grinch, Charlie Brown and Richie Rich have all search desperately for the real meaning of Christmas, when in reality its not so hard to find. The “Spirit of Christmas,” is the “Spirit of Christ.”

Today, getting takes precedence over giving, when it should be the other way around.

The apostle Paul declared charity to be the pure love of Christ. It is impossible to honor the life of the Savior in any better way than serving our fellow man.

The prophet Thomas S. Monson said, “Giving, not getting, brings to full bloom the Christmas spirit. Enemies are forgiven, friends remembered, and God obeyed. The spirit of Christmas illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world’s busy life and become more interested in people than things.”

So, Merry Christmas!

Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.

angela kim STAFF WRITER For someone who has been with the same school for 18 out of 38 years in education, the man still has a passion for music and teaching music to kids.

He is one of the few who has both fame and esteem throughout the whole school:Music Department director Warren Torns.

Known for his “high expectations” for his students, Torns knows that lofty standards drive kids to excel.

“I think that students can come up to what your expectations are,” he said. “And if you set the bar high, they’ll come up to that. The Wind Ensemble here is one of the best in the nation.

They’re that good.”

Torns’ genuine pride in the kids he daniel than | photographer

Music director Warren Torns checks his music while leading the orchestra. Torns, who has been directing music at MC for 18 years, will be retiring at the semester.

He has helped the program earn countless honors including several Grammy awards.

works with is his main reason why he’s been at MC so long. “[What I’ll miss about the school is] the kids,” he said. “[People] tell me, ‘you have really nice kids here’…The students are a cut above.

They’re willing to work really hard, they are bright, great kids.”

Senior and Wind Ensemble member Nick Helenschmit has been with Torns his whole high-school career and truly feels Torns is a man of great accomplishments.

“Torns has years and years of experience,” he said. “On top of that, he’s known to get the job done no matter what…He commands the respect of the band and even guard members…

He just has an air of presence about him, almost god-like.”

And the band room is filled with awards, trophies and certificates to prove that he in fact, does “get the job done.”

MC made the 2004 Grammy Foundation Signature Schools award under Torns. He also won the California Association for Music Education Award for Excellence in Orchestra Education and Performance in 2001.

Torns will be officially retiring in January, but returning second semester as a part time orchestra director. “…We have two full time band directors here; they were going to cut it back to 1.3 first semester,” he said. “Either one of us couldn’t

afford to work….I talked to [Principal Tom] McCoy…and asked if I could work full time first semester. I’ll leave at the end of January and Garry [McPhereson] can take it over from there. It worked out well for the both of us.”

Assistant Band director Garry McPherson is sad to see Torns leave, as well.

“We’re going to miss [Torns] quite a bit,” he said. “…He’s the one who really set the tradition—keep the program on the track that it’s on and keep the excellence.”

Torns will be returning as what they call a “teacher emeritus” and teach orchestra one hour a day. However, this means McPherson has to take over band completely. “…I’ll be handling all of the band program at that point,” McPherson said. “So it will be a little more work for me. And next year, hopefully as things develop, we’ll be able to hire a second band director.”

McPherson will continue to focus on the marching season next year, like he has been doing for several years, but concert season will be significantly harder to manage. The band as a whole will miss Torns as a person and as a contributor to the band’s esteem.

“The kids, all of us are going to miss him a lot,” McPherson said. “You know, he was my band director…that was almost 30 years ago.

As we all grow up…it’s been a good relationship.”

Student leaders put in effort, time; prove priceless to band sean williams staff writer

pHOTO COURTESY OF JIM WOODWARD

Drum major Monica Riturban (11) prepares to step off the MC parade band at the Arcadia Tournament of Bands.

The school’s band concerts require a lot of practice for it to come out great, which means the band members have to work hard in the rehearsals. This is one thing the student band leaders do to make sure the band is ready to perform.

The band leaders meet every Friday to discuss rehearsals, problems the band was having that week and how they can improve on those problems and goals for the upcoming week.

Senior Jay Caparino leads them as the band president.

“As band president, I preside over the meetings and communicate with the other leaders,” Caparino said.

He also plans out certain events in his position.

“I will plan bonding events for the summer, section parties, and the banquet.”

Caparino became band president this year.

“I was nervous at first, but it’s been a lot of fun,” he said. “I’ve been able to become a lot closer to the band members. I enjoy it, even if it is very busy at times.”

Helping him out are the two vice-presidents, junior Andrea Ito and senior Carl Gallardo.

“As vice president, I help out the president when in need and lan different social events,” Gallardo said.

Gallardo became a vice president in his junior year.

“As a junior, I got to see what it’s like to be vice president,” he said. “It gave me a lot of experience so I could attempt to do a better job this year.”

Ito became a vice president this year.

“I was excited,” she said. “The job comes with a lot of responsibility, but it is a rewarding job.”

In addition to being a vice president, Ito is also a section leader.

“There is a group of section leaders, and I help with the flute section and make sure they are doing alright,” she said.

Junior Monica Riturban has the

position of drum major.

“I’m kind of like a connection between the director and the band,” she said.

Riturban became drum major this year with little experience to begin with.

“I became drum major with no experience or leadership skills,” she said. “So, I asked past leaders on how I should do things, and I also asked some family members because some of them were also drum majors.”

The band leaders work hard to make sure the band is doing good or improving in areas they feel need improvement, and it shows when the band puts on their shows.

“Over the summer, all the leaders went to Hilltop and invited all of the freshman to introduce them everyone and made sure what they were being a part of,” Gallardo said. “It was a great way just to get to know who was coming in, and hopefully keep them in.”

The band’s next performance is on Jan. 13 at the Poway Performing Arts Center.

Marching Sundevils find sweet success with ‘Sunrise, Sunset’ Rachel martin opinions editor They couldn’t help but smile. Their cheeks were shining as they held their heavy instruments to their chests.

Victory.

The MC marching band experienced many of these moments during the past season. Their performance can be defined in two words — sweet success.

With a big finish, the band went home with a giant win in their pocket from their largest tournament of the season.

“We did really well this year, especially at Arcadia,” junior Kelsey Chesnut said.

“Our successes were mostly brought about by our hard work this season, plus we had a really cool and innovative field show.”

Their creative field show can be attributed to one of the band directors, Garry McPherson.

The win at Arcadia was “totally awesome,” freshman trumpet player Phillip Cowalt said. “Because we’d lost at Mira Mesa, and we were just like, we’re going to kill El Dorado and RB at Arcadia, and to win was just a totally awesome experience.”

Chesnut agrees that the win at Arcadia was special.

“It was pretty crazy at Arcadia when we found out we won sweepstakes for the field tournament,” she said. “We were all so happy for ourselves and for each other, and it was great to know that we had accomplished

something so awesome together. But we also kept it classy and had good sportsmanship.”

The band can also accredit many of their accomplishments to the other band director, Warren Torns, who will be retiring at the end of the semester.

“I think we were kind of motivated because it’s Mr. Torns last season,” Cowalt said.

Their determination paid off. The band won almost all of their tournaments this year, leaving only a few with a slight feeling of disappointment. For the most part, members of the band left very pleased with themselves.

“It feels great,” Chesnut said. “It’s really nice to have all of your hard work pay off with big shiny trophies. It’s also great because I think most of us ended the marching season with very few regrets, confident that we had done our best.”

Senior section leader Matt Sitler believes that the reason MC has had such a successful band program is due to the unique work ethic of the members.

“I think it’s just tradition,” Sitler said.

“We have a great program here and everyone is always contributing.”

Sitler believes the superior program here at MC will continue despite the retirement of Torns.

“As a section leader that’s what I’m trying to pass on to the students,” Sitler said.

“The tradition of being excellent. So I hope that they can continue being excellent.”

Matt coffelt | photo editor

Jonathan Yuan (11) and Shelly Chen (11) perform at an MC football game. The band marched their way to numerous wins this fall in tournaments across Southern California.

Mt. Carmel SUN

Features

B7

December 19, 2008

BOYS vs. GIRLS

This is Unity Music

differences in a morning routine...

SHAYON SAID STAFF WRITER

Karen Michel STAFF WRITER

6:00 a.m. - Wake up. The most dreaded part of his life has just begun. It all starts with the most annoying invention in the world, the alarm clock. It’s everything from the ringtone on the cell phone to Mom yelling his name.

6:01 a.m. - Go back to sleep. His mom finally stops.

His alarm has been thrown out; it’s time to get back to the best freedom, sleep.

6:30 a.m. – On to the second most dreaded part of his life, actually getting out of bed.

6:35 a.m. – The question of showering comes up, but usually is turned down (may vary due to hair style).

6:40 a.m. - Now comes the simple part, find the cleanest piece of clothing in the room and put it on.

6:45 a.m. – Now it’s the “guy’s” version of “cleaning up:” brush hair (only if it’s messy) and brush teeth (unless you’re in a rush).

7:00 a.m. – Grab something to eat, only if it is already made. If not, eat something from last night’s dinner, or simply just improvise to find something.

ALLISON ROGERS | PHOTOGRAPHER It really is too much of Brad McAuliffe (10) poses as the sleepy average teenage a hassle to have to put some- boy debating whether or not to brush his hair. thing in the toaster, or pour some juice into a cup if it hasn’t already been pler, but, if you really think about it, we don’t done for you. have hair that needs blow drying.

7:15 a.m. – Get to school… maybe. Just anNot many of us even have to think about other ordinary day to live with, just another ordi- going through the tedious process of putting nary day to get done with. make-up on which only makes our lives that At times, the average boy’s morning routine much easier. may take only 20 to 25 minutes. With the excepAlso there are usually only two steps behind tion of a minority, the only hard part of a boy’s choosing what to wear: 1. Is it clean (smell, stains, morning routine is the fact that we have to get etc.)? 2. When was the last time I wore it? up.

Don’t get us wrong, boys are just as hygieniIf waking up wasn’t so hard, then the morn- cally clean as girls, just not as organized when it ing routine wouldn’t be so simple. comes to getting ready.

The basic logic behind it is that the harder Maybe if boys didn’t have to live with the one thing gets, such as getting up, the easier the reality that we are just going to live the same life next chore has to be, such as getting ready for over and over again on ordinary days, then the the day. process might become just as complex as a girls.

It may make it seem that boys have nothing 7:30a.m.-2:35p.m.– Go through the same day to worry about when it comes to getting ready; routinely, daydreaming about the time the bell however, we really don’t live with the same mate- rings that allows him to go back home and catch rialistic things a girl lives with. the hours of sleep that he was deprived of in the As a result, a boy’s routine seems much sim- morning.

5:30 a.m. – wake up to the irritating sound of your alarm clock and begin to prepare yourself for another highly occupied morning. Walk sluggishly to the bathroom and prepare yourself for the cold morning shower.

5:35 a.m. – Step into the shower and brace yourself for the shockingly cold water that will help wake you up. Begin the cycle of lather, rinse, and repeat. If it feels like a warm morning, pull out the razor to shave away any unwanted spots of fur.

5:50 a.m. – Step out of the shower and slowly dry yourself. Wrap yourself in a towel and grab another one to wrap up your hair so it won’t get in your way for when you brush your teeth. Bust out the Aloe Vera body lotion or cocoa butter (which ever is preferred) and begin to sooth away any dry or rough spots on your body.

6:10 a.m. – Pull out the MAC or MAX makeup and begin the process ANA ALVAREZ | PHOTOGRAPHER of enhancing your beau- Marissa Lang (12) poses as a typical, indecisive teenage ty. girl trying to figure out what to wear to school.

6:25 a.m. – Turn on the Conair or Chi straightener and patiently that you forgot to do the night before. wait for it to reach 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Compared to a boys routinely morning Slowly straighten each strand of hair to avoid schedule, girls may have the tendency of takany frizzy or wavy spots. For girls who prefer ing greater seriousness in their physical appearthe curls, pull out the herbal essence volumiz- ance. ing moose that will help keep those curls in But why? place all day.

Is it because they like to feel the confi6:45 a.m. – Walk into your closet and begin dence of what their slimming down jeans and to contemplate on the outfit that you will be tight-fitted shirt does to them? wearing that day.

Or maybe they always want to be prepared Should it match your mood, or maybe for an unwanted encounter with one of their should it match the shoes you will be wearing ex’s. that day? Hmm, maybe you should check how Whichever the excuse may be, the time the weather looks outside to help determine if that women spend in their bathrooms to preyou should wear a sweater or shorts. After a pare themselves for another day should never long deliberation with yourself, you finally de- be criticized. They’re only benefiting the pubcide to wear the same outfit that you first tried lic eye by limiting the sight of greasy hair and on. strong body odor.

7:05 a.m. – Grab a piece of toast and half 7:30 a.m.-2:35 p.m. – Receive a day of endof a banana, call it breakfast, and rush off to less compliments from all your friends of how school to finish the last part of your homework cute you look.

Teachers, counselors join trend; use social network Facebook to maintain past, present friendships PARESH DAVE WEB EDITOR

English teacher Scott Currie arranged a meeting with two former students following in his footsteps through Facebook.

Last year, science teacher Jodee Janda’s high school reunion was planned through Facebook.

English teacher Karen Shimer has found her ex-boyfriends on the website. Since phone calls end up taking a while, without the site, Spanish teacher Marie Cashion may not have known her son earned a scholarship.

These teachers are part of group of 15 MC staff members that the SUN confirmed have Facebook profiles.

Most join either as a result of peer pressure or to communicate quickly and easily with faraway family and friends. They ended up staying with site because through pictures, wall posts, private messages and status updates they receive occasional glimpses into the lives of both their long-lost and current friends.

During winter break, Currie will see two graduate students aiming to become college English professors. Currie originally met the women when they were students in his 1993 honors humanities class, and Facebook reunited them.

“Kids I never thought I’d see again,” Currie said. “It’s very exciting. It’s hard when you guys walk out of school at graduation, I know I’m never going to see 90 percent of you again.”

Being friends with current MC students does not seem to be a main concern for faculty members. Few talk with these students online on a usual basis.

Instead, most have found the ability to search for students that they attended school

with to be Facebook’s best feature.

Not all of them made accounts with this in mind though. English teacher Gretchen Hughes-Taumoepeau and academic adviser Rodelyn Correa both made pages at the urging of their husbands.

Correa’s husband made her an account so he could get more points in a pirate game, but she got “hooked” while on maternity leave.

Janda joined because pictures from her 30-year high school reunion were only posted online.

Similarly, Shimer, who is planning her school’s 2012 reunion, has kept in touch with classmates about it on the site.

After acclimating themselves with the site, Hughes and Janda have come to cherish the

ability to share photos of their children.

Counselor Lori Lindsey said she and some of her old friends engaged in a long comment thread on a picture of her elementary school class.

“It’s almost like a high school reunion,” she said. “I would have never found these people if not for Facebook.”

As far as MC students, Correa, English teachers Eva Giuseppini and Thuy-Tram LeHarkins are among the few who limit friendships to ones that have graduated.

Talking with former students is actually a learning tool for Le, and she said it’s much easier through Facebook than emails.

“It’s really helpful for me to see what students are learning in college so I know what to

FACETS OF FACEBOOK • MC FACULTY MEMBERS who THE SUN CONFIRMED HAVE PROFILES: Allison Bolin, Marie Cashion, Rodelyn Correa, Scott Currie, Mindy Davis, Eva Giuseppini, Jodee Janda, Catherine Jaravata, Dena Lamprou Tracanna, Thuy-Tram Le-Harkins, Lori Lindsey, Lee Raskin, Karen Shimer, Gretchen Hughes-Taumoepeau, Barbara Tomicich • Many ABANDONED THEIR MYSPACE PAGES because of the site’s “negative energy” • Lindsey is the only one who ignores all friend requests from students • Raskin’s unique reason for joining: freak out students and warn them about the dangers of the Internet • With more than 550 friends, Raskin also appears to be the most well-connected

teach now so students are not lost [in college],” she said.

Currie, Cashion and academic advisor Barbara Tomicich keep in touch with their own kids at college. Currie said he gets a “fuller picture” of his daughter’s life.

“It’s an instant tool to see her dance pictures,” he said. “I’m the scared dad that worries what kind of costume are you putting my kid in front of 20,000 people and the site gives me a clearer picture.”

Asked how they would react to seeing a photo of an MC student holding a beer bottle, most said they would contact the student. APEC teacher Lee Raskin provided a strong response.

“I would contact the student and the authorities because I am legally required to do so,” he said. “That’s why I tell kids don’t put something up on Facebook if you don’t want the whole world to see it.”

And Raskin censors his private life on the site for just that reason.

“When I became a teacher, I accepted that I would be held to a different standard than others so I’m very careful,” he said.

Cashion said she has nothing to hide, and appreciates others’ pages.

“I am amazed by seeing the cool and good things people are doing,” she said. A her former student of hers directs on Broadway; she reads his Facebook posts about his show..

Currie seemed to sum up all the different ways teachers like him and Cashion use the site.

“The best part of teaching is the friendships you make, and as teachers once kids graduate, they are gone out of your lives,” he said.

“With Facebook, they are not. It’s absolutely wonderful. It’s such a neat vehicle to be with friends from the past.”

Kylie Baranowski

“All I know is that I don’t know nothin’” I have always struggled with goodbyes. The concept of saying goodbye just seems so final, so permanent.

I care about the people in my life so strongly that I can’t even bear the notion that they might one day be gone.

My grandfather, my dad’s father died many years before I was born.

My dad was only fifteen when he lost his father. I can’t imagine how painful that must have been for him.

Throughout my entire life, I have fostered a lingering sense of disappointment that I could never meet him. I have wondered: who was this man that is so much a part of me?

I am not exactly one to seek the approval of others; some may even call me a free spirit. But, despite that, I find myself wondering: would he be proud of me?

Sometimes I even feel like a part of my identity is shrouded in mystery.

Curiosity about everything, including death, has been a reoccurring theme throughout my life.

Sometimes at night, when I’m laying in my bed staring out at the stars, my mind begins to wander. Oftentimes I find myself contemplating the subject of death.

As a child, I would even occasionally worry myself to tears about the concept of an eternity of nothing.

Personally, I have resolved that I simply do not know what happens after I die. My mind just isn’t capable of understanding. But the fact that I do not subscribe to any specific religious belief certainly doesn’t mean that I am without morals. In fact, my integrity is extremely strong and I have a deep sense of core beliefs.

Operation Ivy put it best in their song “Knowledge”: “All I know is that I don’t know nothin’… and that’s fine.”

The words of “Knowledge” couldn’t be more true. At such a young age, adults expect teenagers to have life all figured out and understand the direction that they want to go in.

But for me, it seems to be much too complicated to simply fit my future into one compact sentence.

Life is complex, confusing, chaotic, and sometimes even frustrating.

For a curious and contemplative person like me, it can sometimes.

Despite this acceptance that I really can’t comprehend the complexities of life, I still struggle with the concept of goodbye.

Maybe life would be easier if I just believed, without any proof, that I would somehow meet my friends again in a better place.

But that belief just doesn’t work in harmony with my mind. I always find myself asking “why?”.

It’s just a part of the never-ending quest for knowledge that will continue on in my mind throughout my life.

Curiosity is a fundamental part of who I am. So, I have accepted that I will never get over the fact that I never met my grandfather. I will always wonder what kind of a man he was.

Thankfully, I still have my dad’s fond memories of him to go on.

That in itself is his legacy, the positive memories he has left in the people in his life.

And that will be my legacy too.

The truth is, one day I will be gone. Nobody remains on this planet forever.

Honestly, I wouldn’t even want to.

I’m confident that I will one day reach a point in my life where I will be ready to move on to whatever is next.

However, immortality is attainable. Leaving a beautiful impression in the hearts of those around you can truly allow you to live forever.

That’s the kind of immortality that I aspire to attain.

Features It’s beginning to feel a lot like the holidays...

B8

Mt. Carmel SUN

December 19, 2008

The SUN is here to ease the holiday stress with an ultimate shopping guide on finding the perfect gift for everyone RACHEL MARTIN OPINIONS EDITOR Oh, Dad. What to get your dad…another tacky tie for the holidays?

Not this year! There are many other perfect gifts you can get your dad that he will enjoy. If you’re stumped, here are a few suggestions. Calendars are always great gifts. Depending on your dad’s taste, you can get him a sports calendar, a political calendar, or a calendar with a new joke for every

d a D SARA SHANTZ STAFF WRITER Well it’s that time of year again…the weather’s getting colder, the leaves are starting to fall, and once again the pressure is on to get your best friend the perfect holiday gift. If you think your best friend would appreciate a sentimental gift, why not make them a scrapbook? This is a fantastic way to document all of the times you’ve spent together.

Be sure to include pictures with little notes to go with them explaining what went on in the picture and why it is something you will never forget. Also include any ticket stubs, notes you passed during class, little inside jokes that only the two of you would understand, and any other little mementos that will show your bestie you care.

You can even customize their scrapbook with scrapbook pages that match their personality. If a scrapbook is a bit too pricey for you this year or just not the right gift for your best friend, then maybe a picture frame is right. At Clay N Latte in Carmel Mountain you can decorate an original picture frame for your bestie using their favorite colors. Then put your favorite picture of the two of you inside.

If you have a little extra weight in your wallet this year, how about getting your best friend something made by their favorite designer? Or maybe you noticed them staring longingly at something the last time you were shopping? Well, either of those choices are sure to show your bestie how much

Best

they mean to you. Is your best friend overstressed and in need of some serious TLC? Well then why not plan a spa day?!? It’s a great way to spend time together and it’s bound relax them. Treat your bestie to a mani-pedi at your favorite spa. Try Ultra Lux Nails, Hair, and Day Spa located in the Scripps Ranch Market Place. For only $29 apiece you and your best friend could spend time together and get pampered at the same time!

If you’re finding it hard to find time to spend with your bestie lately, maybe planning a whole day for you two to spend together is a good idea.

Do all of the things that you enjoy doing together.

For example, if you both are huge Chargers fans, treat your best friend to dinner then to the game together, that way you’ll be spending time together doing something you both enjoy.

If all else fails, bake your bestie their favorite cookies. It costs little to nothing and it’s a guarantee that they’ll love it.

Littl

KYLIE BARANOWSKI CENTERSPREAD EDITOR

Christmas is a happy time of year with songs, houses decorated with lights, friends and family coming together for the season. Of course, the one obstacle in anyone’s way of the perfect holiday season is gift giving. Luckily, buying something for moms just got a little bit easier. The most important thing to take notice is whether a mom likes sentimental gifts or ones of value.

W hile s o m e wo u l d honestly just be happy with a card, another might prefer a new

d

bottle of Chanel No. 5 or the latest scarf from Nordstrom. For those with sentimental mothers, the gift should be from the heart. Preferably handmade, but without tackiness. Clay N’ Latte provides projects from plates to cups for any kid to make for their moms.

There’s a studio fee of $8 plus the cost of the object that a person paints. Results vary depending on someone’s artistic talent but usually come out looking homemade, classy, and from the heart. Another, less artistic option would be a photo album. A walk down memory lane or just a look at the past year, it’s very sentimental and doesn’t take a long time if a person organizes their pictures. One step up from a photo album would be a scrapbook, but this option is time consuming and only for very patient people. Finally, for the verbally blessed, a poem or short story is an option.

Of course, making it look nice is part of package so either putting it on scrap book paper with some decorations or engraving it in something would be a good investment. Still, this idea would be cheaper and more sentimental than a regular gift. Now for the mothers who want something nice, or the kids who aren’t into sentiment, there are a few general gifts that every mother likes.

From perfumes to seasonal clothing, most mothers would enjoy a new scent for their collection or a purse from Coach’s winter line. However, if your mother is an interior designer at heart, go for the chic furniture or house accessories from an elegant store such as Pier 1 or Pottery Barn.

Do not let this time of year stress you out. A well thought out gift will always be received with high regard.

e kid

There’s nothing quite like the expression a kid gets on their face Christmas morning when they ravenously tear the wrapping paper off a present. It is the epitome of a Kodak moment.

But oftentimes, kids can be the hardest to shop for. Buy them a boring gift, like clothes, and they will toss it aside, moving on to the next present.

Get them a sugary gift, and they will love it.

However, their parents will begin to resent you when their kids are bouncing off the walls on a sugar high.

Buying gifts for kids is a delicate balance between fun and sensibility.

If you’re strapped for cash, a homemade gift is the way to go. One great option for younger kids is a homemade blanket featuring their favorite cartoon character.

Fabric stores have yards of colorful fleece for cheap prices. Instructions for a no-sew fleece blanket can be found easily online To keep young kids on their toes, the ideal gift is some rad music. The “Yo Gabba Gabba” sound track is the perfect gift for the little one in their life: $10.99 from Amazon.

Frien

ADITI PAI STAFF WRITER

m o M

day. You can even decide between a desk and a wall calendar. Both Borders and Barnes and Noble carry a wide assortment of calendars, with many for just under $15. There is also a temporary calendar store in the North County Fair Mall on the first floor by Nordstrom where you can purchase a great gift for your dad.

If you and your siblings all want to chip in to buy a good present for your dad, there are many good ideas. One thing you could try to find is a state of the art GPS system. Depending how much you and your family are willing to spend, there are many places to find quality GPS systems. Currently, Radio Shack is having a good sale with very nice systems going for just over $100. (Maybe you could even get your mom to chip in.) Most dads also like to be comfortable while vegging on the couch and watching a football game. So why not get your dad a pair of comfy slippers? If you’re a little tight on cash, Old Navy (just as close as Mira Mesa) carries a fairly broad selection of slippers for men for around $10. And don’t forget — you can always shop online.

Is your dad always complaining about his ancient (“I got this back when I was in my 20s) wallet that’s falling apart? Take it into your own hands. Looking for a wallet for your dad may be challenging but always remember to keep the style of his old wallet in mind. There’s a good chance he does not want a significant change. Places like Macy’s and JC Penney’s are good places to look for a nice wallet for your dad. Just don’t forget to ask for a gift receipt from the cashier. And what if none of these gifts sound right for your dad? Well then, the tacky tie will just have to do. Chances are, if you can’t think of anything else, your dad will appreciate a thoughtful tie just as much as something else.

Just make sure you buy one that he doesn’t already have. One with Santa surfing?

That sounds perfect.

Or, for the budding creative spirit, the Kid Tough Digital Camera from Fisher Price is a great investment. At $28.99 from Amazon, it is a bit pricey for the average high school budget, but the perfect option to foster creativity from a young age.

Another fun gift for the slightly less creative is a throwback from our childhood, Play-Doh. A four-pack of neon Play-Doh is $2.49 at Toys-R-Us. It remains a timeless gift because it is a simple way to inspire the imagination of a child.

Another great gift from years past is any of the classic board games that have been played for decades. Games like Candyland, Battleship, and Twister all offer hours of fun for any age.

Many of them can be found at Toys-R-Us anywhere between $5 and $20.

Some more “unique” gifts can be found at ArchieMcPhee.com. Whether it’s fake mustaches or magical unicorn bandages, this store is perfect for the kid who has it all. Many of the quirky gifts found here are under $5.

So rather than resorting to desperate measures to get your hands on the latest toy from scalpers, branch out and search for that perfect creative gift.

girlfriend likes to paint, all you need is a new paintbrush set that you can find at Wal-Mart for $29.95, and you’ll have her jumping for joy. Or if he likes football, you can find him a brand new football at Sports Authority for only $24.50 that will guarantee you a smile on his face. Now for the relationships that are bit more serious, normally between the six to eight-month mark, you’ll need a gift that’s more meaningful. Something that’s more sentimental to the girls, like a romantic walk down the street of Balboa lights during Christmas time that will have her warming up to the idea of having you around. For the guys, a possible mixed CD of all of his favorite songs, that he can be playing constantly in his iPod or car that will always remind him of your relationship. And now, time for the head over heels, deep in love relationships. The relationships that have been capable of staying together between the nine to 12 month mark.

Of course, you’ll want your gift to say, “I’ll always care for you.” A possible piece of jewelry for the ladies such as Tiffany’s heart shaped necklace that can range between the prices of $99.99-$150.00, (keep in mind that the prices for a one year relationship are more expensive… but it shouldn’t matter because you love them.)

And for the boys, something that he can always use and never somehow end up in the back of his closet. Say if he like to play the guitar, a possible acoustic wooden guitar that you can find at guitartrader.com for $179.99. Basically a more enhanced and lasting version of what he likes to do for his hobby. With all these suggestions, you’ll be able to create one of the most special gifts for your sweethearts, a lasting holiday memory.

t r a e h t e e Sw KAREN MICHEL STAFF WRITER “On the Twelfth Day of Christmas my true love came to me”…

For the cases of many others, however, the Twelfth Day of Christmas only brought stress and confusion due to the lack of ideas for what to get your sweetheart for the holidays. To relieve this stress, here are a few suggestions that might be able to bring some joy to the faces of your special someone during these next special days. For the brand new relationships that vary between the two to three months mark, you’ll want to get them something that’s not to subtle.

Something that’ll imply “I care about you”, but not to say, “I’m obsessed with you.”

You can find out one of the most favored hobbies that your sweetheart likes to do, and then match your gift with that hobby. Say your

CARTOONS BY CHRISTIAN JUN | ARTIST PHOTOS BY ALLISON ROGERS AND ANA ALVAREZ | PHOTOGRAPHERS