Today is the greatest day I've ever known

Imagine the perfect concert experience:

Your favorite band.
Front and center seat.
Favorite songs played.
Amazing lightshow with a giant psychadelic globe.
Great crowd.
Lead singer ackowledges your existence.

This happened to me on Wednesday, 10 October 2012.

I traveled via bus alone to Everett, Washington to see my favorite band of all time: The Smashing Pumpkins.

No sir, this is not zoomed in.

You may not recognize their name. But listen to this song, this song, or this song and you may have heard them on the radio once or twice.

The setlist was amazing. The opening band got us jazzed up real good.

Billy Corgan (lead singer: man who kept me alive through his lyrics for much of my angsty teenage years; lyrical god) had some commentary in between songs (such as "without beautiful women there wouldn't be ugly men" and "Part B of my life is Part A in this set; Part A in my life is Part B of this set") to which, us fans of course, cheered at his wisdom.

At the end of the show, I was staring at Billy as he was saying goodbye to the crowd and put my hands in a pleading position with big puppy dog eyes... and he smiled, nodded, and tossed his guitar pick to me, which has since been tucked away until I can find the perfect display case for it.

Excuse the post-concert hair. Headbanging is vicious.

Then on the 7 hour bus ride home, I started showing symptoms of the flu and have been in bed since I got back.

And thus, I completed #52 on my 101 in 1001 list with the best band I've ever known.

Readers I Do Not Know

Every blogger thinks they're talking to a wall and the only reader they have is their loving boyfriend and/or mother who reads every post with a encouraging "great blog today" when you really think it's crap..

I received a Facebook comment from a reader I actually DO NOT know, and it made my day:


"A quick note today to say, thank you, danke, gratzi, mil gracias! I'm not sure how exactly I landed on your blog from the Spokane AOPi   page, but I just read through your 101 is 1001 and it's got me feeling fully inspired! I'm going to set to work on drafting my 101 today. 

Also -- you're an exceptionally talented writer -- full of insights and keen observations. I hope you continue to write -- and share it with the world. 

Big hugs and roses to you from the east coast this a.m."


Thank you dear reader. I can't wait to read your 101 in 1001 and I hope my future posts inspire you even more, no matter how infrequent they are.

Rose in the Wintertime

Tonight was Preference -- the last night of Formal Recruitment and, in my opinion, the most magical night. It's a time to put aside the chants and fun songs and cute outfits and give a glimpse of our Ritual to those who choose to walk through our door and giving them a chance to possibly join our sisterhood.

While I was sitting in the back, listening to the chapter singing, I reflected on my own time through Preference and one of the songs we sing.

Bring me a rose in the wintertime, when it's hard to find. Bring me a rose in the wintertime, I've got roses on my mind.
For a rose is sweet, most anytime and yet, bring me a rose in the wintertime, how easy we forget.

Bring me a friend when I'm all alone, when it's hard to find. Bring me a friend when I'm all alone, I've got friendship on my mind.
For a friend is sweet, most anytime and yet, bring me a  friend when I'm all alone, how easy we forget.


Bring me love here in AOII, when there's none around. Bring me love here in AOII I've got love on my mind.
For love is sweet, most anytime any yet, bring me love here in AOII, how easy we forget.

I was having rough thoughts during work and feeling really lonely and a little angry. Then I went to the AOII house and spent time with my sisters.

I'm really glad I told Riley J that he couldn't go to a school that didn't have an AOII chapter; and whether he made his decisions on accident or with divine interference, I'll never know, but I do know this:

I don't know what I would do without the women of Alpha Omicron Pi.

No matter where I am, I will always have my sisters. I can always "find a red door" and find myself home.

I can see the decor, with a picture of our Founding Sisters: Stella, Bess, Helen, and Jess and look at the familiar letters on the wall and know that my sisters are there.

It's always hard while in college. Everyone has a "fed up" period of time where they're just done and never want anything to do with it again. We even have those days outside of college in the "real world".


We can always go back home to our sweet Ritual. We always have our sisters.