Thanks :)

Thank you to everyone who commented, e-mailed or called me to make sure I was doing ok. For those just reading this now, I am doing fine. :) It was quite cathartic to vent via the blog, its one of the benefits of doing this. I had a really good day today and was in one of the better moods I've been in for a while so it all balances.

As for this evening I drove for 6.5 hours starting at 3:30 PM to get to Plymouth Meeting, PA. The reason for this arduous trek across the northeast? The 2006 Alpha Chi Rho national Winter Conclave. This is a time for all chapters to send delegates to talk about how to best move the fraternity as a whole forward, and this year they added a track of sessions for Advisors. As a result I have been put up in a very nice suite with a king size bed and a nice little living room area in the front. Even better it has 24 hrs of complimentary internet access - JOY! The fraternity is paying for my lodging and food so I elected to stay Friday and Saturday night. The events end on Saturday at 5 so I figured I could relax and have a mini-vacation out of this. Well that went out the window when we got here and found out that the undergrads who carpooled with me are only registered for tonight which means I have to get back into my car at about 5:30 once we are fully settled (not to mention move all of my bags to my car by 11 am) and drive for 6 hours back up to Worcester, drop off the undergrads and then drive BACK to webster. I should be able to get to bed by 12:30 or 1 am. So much for the mini-vacation. *sigh* It even had a heated pool. :(

As for the fraternity conclave we ended up missing the chartering of the new chapter. For those not greek, a chartering is when you take a group of people who have formed what is known as a Colony (an interest group who wants to be a member of your national) and after several years of running themselves as if they were a full chapter, we officially recognize them and initiate all of its members. I've been to one of these before and it is really a great ceremony especially since it is performed by the National Ritual officers. As for the schedule of things they REALLY shouldn't have the fun/important stuff on Friday evening. If they only want to have people here for one night they should do a Saturday - Sunday event instead of Friday - Saturday. Some of us have work/school that we still have to do.

On another note I have to say its a bit intimidating to be here. I've never been to a full national event. I've been to the one chartering before but that was different. This has guys here from just about every chapter we have, and there are about 3-5 members per chapter some with even more. The odd thing is I find myself watching what I do and how I act. When I bought a drink to nurse for the evening it actually went through my mind that I should not get wine or a cosmo and get something a little less gay. WTF?? Where did that come from?

I haven't felt this closeted in a long long time. Now don't get me wrong, I love my fraternity, and I'm VERY comfortable with all of my brothers in my chapter but Fraternities in general aren't exactly well known for their tolerance (let alone acceptance) of homosexuals. At the same time if I was ever asked point blank if I was gay I'd say I was and fuck them if they had an issue.

On yet another (and non-fraternity related) note, I got a free t-shirt in the campus center today. Its social awareness month at the college and they had free t-shirts that said "gay? fine by me." on it. I thought they were cool so took one. Its forest green and fits nicely. I'm wearing it now, so it'll be interesting if anyone knocks on my door. :)

Ok, I think that's enough for tonight and it should relieve anyone who may have read my previous post.