Paddy Murphy!

This is Paddy Murphy week at Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE). Paddy Murphy was a bootlegger and an SAE who was gunned down by one of Al Capone's men, who was also and SAE and who Murphy gave the secret SAE handshake as he was dying. Realizing that he had killed a brother, this week was set up to commemorate brotherhood. It's a week filled with fun, shenanigans and drinking. My Dad and all my uncles are SAEs and Paddy Murphy has always held a legend-like status in my home. This week, I had the opportunity to experience a little bit of it myself. It was awesome (!!!).

There are currently 8 grand kids on my mom's side in college. Of those 8, two are girls (my sister and I) and of the six boys, four go to UC and all four are SAEs. The only reason I would ever want to be a boy is that I could be an SAE. I would be a very different person, but I would love it so much. It was really fun to be at a huge college party after spending four years at a tiny college with decent but smaller fraternity parties. Although that definitely was not my scene in college, I did have friends I would stop by the frats for; it's different having family at a house though. It's been so terrific these past few days sharing the SAE party scene with my cousins, especially Tommy, and knowing that my Dad and uncles and Mom and aunts all spent time at the house and in the area I was in and around. That's a neat part of going to a school like UC.

Here's the Paddy Murphy song:


(Have I mentioned how much I love being Irish?)

Dad's birthday today! Big Five-Oh. Mom, Muffy, Kato and I are taking him out to lunch and then my cousin Andrew's rehearsal dinner that night. We're throwing him a surprise lunch tomorrow before my cousin's wedding Saturday night. I've been packing this week. Dad and I went through the list of everything I'll need and what I'll be taking from home. I move into my new apartment next weekend, which is still a little surreal.

Another Hillsdale couple got engaged this week though, so more evidence that people are growing up all around me! It was interesting being at the party tonight because all I could think was, I'm happy to be here, but I am done with college. At SAE, I talked and laughed lots, met people and had a great time, but didn't even sip the many beers offered to me because I didn't intend to stay long. I love alcohol, but I don't need it and I don't always want it. Even last year, I don't think I would have felt this way. It's actually a great feeling, saying no to beer.

And that's how I showed my respect for Paddy Murphy!

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!