Thursday, June 28, 2007

 What a week...


So last Friday I flew to Nashville. My sister came down from NJ to stay with my kitty cats while I was away. My little boy LOVES his Aunt Michelle. Ringo...well, he loves that she feeds him. He does not like when she takes his picture. But all in all, they co-existed fairly well for the time I was gone.

While I was in Nashville I had an overwhelming time. I was there for a national convention for my sorority. I was both the alumnae delegate from the Triangle area as well as the representative for the Housing Corporation for the local collegiate house.

About ten years ago I was a national officer in this sorority. I've also acted as the alumnae delegate for Boston two times when I lived up there. I was active with the Baltimore and the Phoenix alumnae chapters when I lived in those cities. So in other words, I knew alot of peoples there. I now know even more. Going to these things are amazing. You start chatting with a random woman in the elevator and it's great. Everyone is so open and fun. It was awesome. My roommate was assigned to me, and she was the delgate from Charlotte. She rocks. My seat neighbor for the business meetings is a NC girl too, and she has now been elected to bigwig. I liked her and look forward to getting to know her better. Someone I worked with when I was an NO back in the day just moved last week to NC. There's another friendship I have an opportunity to rebuild.

When I was a freshman in college I pledged this sorority, and I have to admit, it was not the best experience. However after my freshman year I transfered to another school that also had a chapter and I fit in there. It was great! Now here I am, 20 years later, having met so many amazing women, and I also feel like I have had the opportunity to give back as well.

I met the cutest little girls from my chapter that I transfered to. They are working on rebuilding as they had some tough times in recent years. Hearing their enthusiasm made me have energy I haven't felt in years. I believe they will make it.

Anyway, my point is, there is something really fulfilling and energizing about being surrounded by 760 women all with a common bond and common goals. I met old and new friends and wherever I turned I received a smile. One of the saying we use in my sorority is "those who give much, receive much". I guess that's why I got so many smiles- I had one plastered on my face the whole time I was there.


Now another topic-
Many years ago I would say I was a pessimist. I did always find the worst possible scenarios. I was definitely a half empty glass kind of girl. And I'm not sure what did it, but I realized at one point that I was kinda miserable, and probably kinda miserable to be around. So I attempted to change my outlook. I think that for the most part I have managed that. I still have my negative moments, but I try to keep those few and far between.

This weekend I reconnected with a friend from AZ. This woman epitomizes pessimistic attitudes. She was so difficult to be around. I wonder how people can go through life like that. Then I met an old friend of hers and spent some time with this girl and found she's just as bad. It was exhausting. Then at the end of the weekend I was on the same flight as a few who were also at the convention. Now there were alot of things that weren't great with the time there. The hotel screwed up ALOT. In fact, the hotel basically sucked. But that's not what I walked away from the week with. In fact, I thought alot of it was laughable. And the last laughable moment was when they couldnt get the hotel shuttle to the airport to start and had to get a different one. But instead of finding this funny, these 2 women on my flight went on about how OF COURSE such a thing would happen since the hotel SUCKED.

I don't get it. What does one get from being so negative? I am so grateful that I had that awakening. Life is good. It has it's shit moments, but basically, those are just to appreciate the good ones more, and for comic relief.

Posted by Acinom @ 9:53 PM