So conventional

Monday, July 21, 2008
Saturday we had our third business meeting. In this one we elected our new National Council, which was exciting. We already knew who they were going to be so this was just a formality, but it was neat to get to be a part of it. After the business meeting we had about an hour and a half before the next thing, so I went up to the hotel room and just relaxed for a while. It was nice. After that we had a Sanctuary degree to initiate some Alumna initiates (woman who decide after college that they want to be a part of ASA). It was neat to get to see a ritual performed by our national council. National Council did perform my initiation, which was amazing, but it was also cool to get to just sit back and watch it. After that we had a little memorial service for all of the women in ASA who have died over the past biennium. It was really moving and amazing thing to sit and watch. Nora spoke about her mom and had the entire room in tears, some other women spoke about their house mom and how much she meant to them. It was really incredible. I was disappointed because some of the girls from my chapter decided to skip out on sanctuary and the memorial service and some staff members even noticed and pointed it out to me. That was kind of embarrassing. After that I went to lunch with all the girls from my chapter and with Amber.

Amber and I had to leave lunch early because we had an LC reunion to go to. THAT was awesome! There were like 20 women there. Some of them were LC’s back in the ‘70’s and it was great to get to meet all of them, hear their stories and get to see what I have to look forward to. They all offered to take me to dinner or let me stay at their house if I’m ever in their area, so I hope I am at some point. This was like the 3rd or 4th opportunity that I had to just sit around with women and get to know them. Women who have been members of Alpha Sigma Alpha for over forty years, women who founded their chapters, women who as LC’s had to close down chapters, women who have served on National Council or did at one point, women who have really shaped ASA into what it is today. These are the women that I want to be like.

Later that evening we had our awards ceremony and banquet. When I went to put on my dress I discovered that the zipper was broken and it took me about 20 minutes to get into my dress. I did finally get into it, but it meant I was late for the pictures that I was supposed to be taking. Luckily they were running behind, so it wasn’t such a big deal. I really enjoyed the awards. They were really long, but I honestly didn’t mind. Our chapter won some awards and while some of the girls really disappointed me on this trip, I am really proud of our chapter, a select woman in particular. I’m not going to say any more about that because it is all to be revealed to our chapter at the first meeting of the year. But it was awesome to see all the different awards that are given every year and the pride in the faces of the women accepting the awards. I loved it! After the banquet I had the chance to sit and talk with Rae for a while, just us, and that was really nice too. She and I were never particularly close while I was at Schreiner so I’m glad that I got the chance to get to know her better on the trip. Malorie came and joined us later and we just laid around chatting and gossiping like a bunch of girls. It was lovely. I was very sad to have to say goodbye to these ladies at the end of the night. I have definitely missed them and going to miss getting to see them every week this next year.

Sunday wasn’t anything too exciting. It was announced that the next convention is going to be in Indianapolis in 2010. At this point I am definitely planning on attending. I know I have said that lots of things we lovely and it was great to see this and meet them and do that, but it really was an amazing experience for me. I tried to soak it all up so when I look back I’ll really remember my first convention and all that it meant to me.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Since getting back, Nicole and I have just done a lot of sitting around. We got back Monday evening and did some grocery shopping. Monday I went and worked out, read my book for a while (I’m now reading “The Audacity of Hope” by Barack Obama. I’m excited about it) and just relaxed. Today was pretty much the same. Worked out, got on the internet for a while, read, watched TV. Nothing exciting at all. Tomorrow we are meeting with one of the authors of “I Heart Recruitment” and I’m excited about that. After work we might be going out with some of the local Greeks. YAY! I miss having a social life.

Now that I have detailed the events of my last week, let me share some of my more recent thoughts. Emily, one of the girls who was an LC last year, is leaving in August to go do grad school in Ireland. How freaking awesome is that? I want to go to Ireland! Or anywhere really. I just want to go! I definitely have a need to travel, and I know I’ve talked about that a lot lately, but I’m really looking forward to whatever comes next in my life because at this point it can be anything! Well… I guess I have to be able to afford whatever comes next, and I do have to start paying off my loans in November and I’m trying to buy a car in April. Hmmm, that might stall stall my plans a bit. Or, if I decide to travel some place else, I won’t need to buy a car immediately. I have plenty of time to try and figure all that out I guess.

I bought a new book in the air port on the way home from Albuquerque. I decided that I’m going to read a book simply for pleasure, then stimulating book of some sort. I just finished a pleasure book, and I was going to try and read one from my list that I came up with last week, but my options at the airport were limited. I like what I know about Barack Obama so far so I decided to get his book and learn a little bit more about him and our government, especially if I’m thinking of voting for him in November. Which reminds me, I need to see about getting an absentee ballot so I can vote. I’m not very far into the book so far, but I like it. I can only read about a chapter at a time before I have to take a break. It’s really interesting, but it’s not captivating. Well, some parts of it are, but not all of it. Basically, I do like it a lot so far, it’s just not going to be as quick of a read as my last book was.