If I were a boy...

Today was pick-up for the fraternities on campus. They usually drive by honking their cars with their flag and new members, looking ridiculous (in a mostly good, more silly way): DTD has the body paint, EX covers them in shaving cream, ATO dresses old-school (high socks, gym shorts, sweat bands, etc.) and DPS dresses even weirder in tight sports clothes (i.e. under armor), underwear on the outside and I definitely saw one of them wearing a gorilla suit. They usually come by the sororities and do their cheers, so that was a fun wasted hour. It rained on us, but we were blasting music at Kappa and having a grand old time.

EX wanted the sorority girls to buy/ wear a shirt saying "If I was a guy, I'd rush Sigma Chi." They initially sounded cute and I considered buying one out of loyalty to my Sigma Chi friends in Hillsdale and DC (not to mention both my grandfathers are EXs), but then I was talking to my dad about it and he said, "Julie, if you were a James, you'd be at UC and you'd be an SAE."

SAE, or Sigma Alpha Epsilon, is an old Southern fraternity my father, all my uncles and four of my five guy cousins in college are in (and all at the University of Cincinnati); the one, when my cousin Zach is rushing this semester, the one my cousin Jack and brother Mike will most likely rush as well next year. No, if I were a guy, I'd rush SAE. I didn't buy the shirt. That being said, I'm wearing my dad's old fraternity sweatshirt and loving it. I usually wear it when I get homesick, but I think today is as good a day as any.

I wonder sometimes if I missed out not going to the same school as four generations of my parent's family went to, not being part of that tradition. My sister Katie transferred there from Miami when she switched her major from business to engineering and my brother Mikey will most likely go there next year as well.

It's a wonderance, but not one I stay on for very long. I love UC--I bleed red and black--but I am so happy and eternally grateful that I go to Hillsdale because I'm better fulfilling my potential here. My mind is constantly growing, I'm meeting some of the best people who push me towards betterment and my relationship with God is growing deeper.

That being said, Cincinnati Bearcats are #1 in the Big East! They won their 5th game against Miami today, which I am sure was an easy, but a victory nonetheless. I think they're also ranked 8th in the nation as well.

Today I'm reading Maier/ reviews of Maier/ Frost biography/ Frost poetry, writing writing writing, editing articles and looking into internships and fellowships. The Forum is going to press soon, so that's exciting and a lot of work to add into the weekend.

Coffee's getting cold. Today's readings at mass were excellent and our discussion yesterday at Bible Study about them was fruitful; I'll have to write a little bit about it when I have more time. "Mr. Tambourine Man" just came on my ipod--the 1966 live at Manchester version.

Finally, here's the Pope's letter to the new Ambassador. It is very comforting, especially for Catholics in America, to see the Pope not falter against the pressures of modernity.

Happy first Sunday of October!