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STONEFIELD NEWSLETTEr
TALK
fall 2024
TUNES A hot pink subway ride to space will take you straight through the “Leo” star constellation. A Stonefielder is both the music conductor AND the train conductor - curating a playlist of Latin music accompanied by the essentials from Nicki Minaj while they navigate you through the astrological lion. They successfully harnesses the energy of the Leo while giving their passengers the ride of a lifetime on Mixtape 047. Throw this one on during your daily commute and you might just start looking forward to it! Like a hamster on its wheel, every single day somebody is hustlin. Physically - at their desk cranking out site plans. Spiritually - outside running the streets. With help from their friends Rick Ross, K Dot and Big X - Mixtape 048 goes above and beyond to motivate the listener to get after it, no matter the task at hand. Whether you’re in Cad or in the trenches, check this one out next time you’re in need of some David Gogginslevel motivation to get you through it. Like Andre and Big Boi on Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, Team Sierra curated their own double-album to celebrate 50 Stonefield Mixtapes. The first half; Mixtape 049, encompasses the sound of the Holiday Party DJ set. Accurately titled: “The Party,” it’s accompanied by its aptly named counterpart; “The After Party,” Mixtape 050. Together, they are the soundtrack to an unforgettable night. As 049’s BPM’s begin to build toward their peak, listeners flip over to side B; 050. These two playlists take listeners deep into the night. Whether you’re listening at a dance party or in the car alone late at night, these two will keep you wide awake from dusk til dawn.
Photo taken in Roscoe, NY
“Fall 2024” you ask? Yes, the Newsletter Team apologizes for the delay! We decided to not skip over the Fall ’24 season despite being a little late on the publication. The holiday season has come and gone and we hope everyone was able to enjoy it. So wonky with the holidays falling in the middle of the week. How many times have you asked yourself “wait…what day is it?” Hopefully you still remember the beautiful mist of Roscoe and the time we spent together as one, complete Stonefield. No trust fall exercises, no spreadsheets, no Powerpoints, just an extended time together in a beautiful, natural environment. We hope everyone was able to take something away from it. Did anyone see that chicken with the crazy hair at the alpaca farm? That little guy was rad. We celebrated Oktoberfest with style as you’ll see and even experimented with turning a parking lot into an outdoor basketball court. Congrats to the champions of all Oktoberfest events! We hope you find this issue to be worth the extended wait. We’ve got some great interviews with Orlando and Gus and some really interesting new members of the team in our Guess Who section. Lastly, there is an exciting new development to our ski trip this winter, a trip over the border to our great neighbor to the north, Canada! We’re going International baby! And the Polar Plunge is right around the corner so there is plenty of winter left to enjoy. The good news about a delayed issue is we’ll be working on a new issue very soon to get back on schedule. All the best in 2025 Stonefielders!
fall 2024
STONEFIELD NEWSLETTEr
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oktoberfest recap There’s never a dull moment at Rutherfords annual Oktoberfest. Rain or shine, there’s always an exciting lineup of activities for everyone to take part in. The parking lot, typically a chaotic game of musical cars played by Stonefielders and Yan Asian delivery drivers was cleared out to make space for a few hours of activities. Whether the space is used for a mechanical bull, inflatable jousting, or (completely rigged) carnival games, there are three vitally important things that keep this tradition going year after year: 1.) Beer, 2.) Pretzels, and 3.) People inevitably showing up rocking a Lederhosen. This years’ events kicked off with a 3-on-3 basketball tournament on a makeshift court accurately modeled using NBA measurements and marked with blue painter’s tape. While every player had their own idea of how in-shape they were, it was a unanimous decision that nobody had the lung capacity to play full games of 21. So, spectators watched as the trios went head-to-head in games to 11 that were just as ruthless. Everybody poured their blood, sweat, and tears on that pavement, but only one trio could be crowned champions. As a reward for participating, each player got to keep their uniforms despite some people’s repeated pleas to play shirts vs. skins.
Where has anybody witnessed something as simple as a game of bingo become so competitive and emotionally charged that it requires physical punishment? Easy answer, the Nest. Stonefielders were transported to Munich for the biggest game of bingo they’ve ever played. So big, that despite very clear instruction, some participants felt the need do whatever they could to get the upper hand. With stakes as high as a Stonefield tee shirt, it’s no wonder people were coming up with their own clever ways to cheat. In order to get back in the game, those caught had to climb a 20-foot rope as if they were in gym class circa 2004. Somebody was one of the poor souls forced to make their climb of shame, and their ascent was equally, if not more impressive and shocking than the absolute clinic they put on during the basketball tournament (they averaged 8 points a game). It’s an image we won’t soon forget, and we hope to see more of that competitive spirit at all future Stonefield events. When the wake settled from SIXTEEN cutthroat rounds of bingo, it was time for the main event: The Beer Olympics. Stonefielders separated into squads eagerly awaiting their turn at the pong table. Many boots of beers were chugged, and even more cups were flipped (some required embarrassingly longer times than others), but alas, one team was left standing. If you weren’t around to witness the freak of nature in action, somebody from Team Victor chugged 24 fl oz of beer from a boot in 3 seconds flat. A little breakdown for those of you who aren’t blown away by that last sentence. One can of beer is just 12 fl oz. Multiply that by 2. Now picture the bluest mountains you’ve ever seen on the outside of those carbonated cans of Coors. Have you ever shotgunned a beer? You know that horrible feeling you get after you finish? Can you fathom how that man must have felt in that moment? Like a champion.
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STONEFIELD NEWSLETTEr
fall 2024
retreat recap
A recap of the Project Stonefield Retreat at Roscoe Mountain Club
Stonefield hosted a 3-day work retreat this past September. It was a rare moment together where we all got to be in the same place at the same time. The retreat was held at Roscoe Mountain Club in upstate New York. Stonefielders took a step back from their computers and redirected their focus toward recreation. Those in attendance enjoyed great company, food, drinks, and countless activities they won’t soon forget. Activities included yoga, golf, pickleball, casino night, a tour of a local brewery, and who could forget the crowd favorite the alpaca farm. We sincerely apologize to anybody who missed out on those guys - they were hilarious! There may or may not have been some discussion of adopting a few to roam and protect the Rutherford office. Despite the inclimate weather, spirits were high the entirety of the retreat. Even with low visibility, golfers teed off on the front 9 while spectators watched from the comfort of the clubhouse - Michelob in hand. As the sun made its way out and the rain let up, dynamic duos hit the pickleball courts creating a harmonious symphony of clicks and clacks with their paddles. Other Stonefielders were given a tour of the local brewery to learn about how various types of beers are made. Oh, and they enjoyed their fair share of samples too! Exciting days led to
formal evenings where we all enjoyed dinner and drinks to the sound of live music and fans screaming at the New York Giants as they began their downward spiral toward the worst record in the entire NFL. On casino night we all witnessed some things we never thought possible. Anybody who glanced across the room saw a certain somebody looking taller and more western? They were rocking a cowboy hat and a suede jacket. The only thing missing was a sweet bolo-tie. If you continued to scan the room you could see people erupting with excitement as they swept the blackjack table. We’ve hardly even heard people speak, let alone scream like that. These fun-filled evenings didn’t end at curfew. Dinner and drinks led to after parties that went deep into the night. After that, a quick nap followed by impromptu Polar Plunges to overcome the hangover from the night before. Others opted for yoga, the much more relaxing option, in preparation of the day ahead. It’s safe to say the trip was a resounding success. We hope those who were able to make it for our time together left feeling relaxed, refreshed, and ready to tackle the final few months of 2024. We also want to thank Roscoe Mountain Club again for the hospitality. We couldn’t do things like this if it weren’t for all the hard work from each and every one of you.
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GUESS WHO ANSWERS: A6, b9, c2, d5, e1, f4, g3, h8, i7, j10