How often have you looked at weekend sign-ups and thought, “Wow, a movie on the history of yarn. Neat-o.” Well, never fear... The Ledger is here. As part of a new strategy to keep different and exciting activities on the weekend schedule, Ms. Lavery decided that all the clubs at school should be responsible for planning events for an assigned weekend.

     This year, The Ledger has been put in charge of the weekend of February 5, Super Bowl Weekend. Tentatively titled “The Ledger Football Weekend of Fun,” the Ledger staff has come up with several football-related activities for you to enjoy. First of all, we will be showing various football-themed movies such as “Remember the Ti

The Linden Ledger

Vol. 04/05 Issue 6 Jan. 31, 2005

Ledger Weekend 2/4

Jessica Murray, ‘05

tans” and “The Replacements.” Popcorn and sodas will be available at all of these showings.

     For the girl who has always en

joyed football but has never really understood all of the rules, we will be having a “touchdown tutorial” to teach you about the more technical aspects of the game. As none of the staff members are , or refuse to admit that they are, qualified to give such a lesson, we will be bringing in an outside source, most likely a guy from F&M, to help out.

     All of these activities are really just previews of the main event: a Super Bowl Party. Pizza, wings, and soda will abound, and you can use your newly acquired football knowledge to truly enjoy the game. Of course, PDP's will be available at all events, and there's no time like the present to fulfill those requirements. As always, any suggestions you may have to make this the best Ledger-sponsored event ever are welcome. We all hope to see you there!

Above: Patriot’s QB Tom Brady

     Do you ever find yourself feeling a bit sad in mid-winter for no apparent reason? The problem might be the light-- or rather the lack of light.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of minor depression that occurs at different times of the year. Most people start to feel sad in the fall and continue to feel so through winter, up until early spring. The frequency of SAD seems to depend on one’s geographic location. In New England it may approach 10%, 5% in the Washington/Baltimore area, and less than 2% in Southern California or Florida.

     The change in exposure to

Light Up to Avoid Winter Blues

Abby Milnor-Sweetser, ‘08

sunlight is the main cause of SAD. Even though the body has its own natural daily rhythms, they are not totally precise and rely on the intensity of the sunlight to provide adjusting cues. With the lack of sunlight, the brain does not produce as much of the neurotransmitter serotonin, a chemical that is necessary for a sense of well being.

     A major depression, regular or seasonal, is characterized by a series of symptoms. These are some examples of SAD symptoms: change in appetite or weight, sleep problems, lack of energy, body aches or pains, memory loss, problems concentrating, low self-esteem

and suicidal thoughts.

     Many different kinds of people suffer from SAD, but three quarters are women. SAD affects men and children as well. The twenties are the most typical age for the onset of SAD. Puberty, middle age, and old age are also common onset ages for SAD as well. For some people SAD seems to be inherited. SAD can be influenced by many factors, living in the northern latitude, for instance, or experiencing cloudy weather patterns, having a family history of SAD, working in a windowless office, or having recent illness or general life stresses.

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