Take Steps!

I forgot to add this to my last post...  At age 9 I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease (I think I've mentioned this previously so forgive me if I have).  For anyone new to the disease basically, Crohn's can affect any part of your digestive system and causes immense pain and other more serious complications (I won't go into the details now).  I've been very lucky with it and haven't had to go through any serious serious treatment (like surgery to remove part of my digestive track, or some of the harsher medications) but I've never quite got it totally under control.  Honestly, it sucks, but it's all that I've really known so you learn how to deal with it.  I know I could have it so much worse than I do so I'm very lucky.

The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America started putting together walks to raise money for research and to work towards finding a cure for these diseases called Take Steps for Crohn's and Colitis. Since I'm not doing much else, I was given the chance to be a chair on the planning committee for this year's walk.  I am so excited to be involved at this level this year.  Anyone can participate in the walk either as part a team or as an individual.  I'm a team captain this year so on top of the planning, I have a personal (team) fundraising goal to work towards myself.  The walk is scheduled for June 18, 2011 at Wade Oval (University Circle).  I know we have a ton of work to do and some of it seems pretty daunting at this point but I'm so excited to get the ball rolling.  I'll post updates on the planning and of my team's progress.

The biggest thing about Crohn's and Colitis is that there is very little public knowledge about either disease.  You don't really hear about them until you know someone affected by one or the other.  One of the biggest things about the walk other than the obvious fund raising is the ability it has to raise awareness.  People will join the Susan G. Koman walk or the March of Dimes or another big walk just to be a little more philanthropic, even if they aren't personally affected by the cause.  With Take Steps, just about everyone either has one of the diseases or knows someone who does.  By doing these walks, hopefully we can raise funds as well as awareness.

I will be posting more about CCFA and Take Steps as we move forward with the planning, but if you'd like to know any more, or would like to get involved, please feel free to contact me at any time.

Alli

Let's Get Creative, Yeah Yeah Yeah...

One of my cousins is one the most talented copywriters in the region and possibly the country. She works for an ad agency called Brokaw and they do some pretty cool stuff.  They're a smaller agency but that doesn't stop them from doing amazing work.  I know in past years at the Addy's (The Oscar's or Emmy's for advertising), Brokaw and specifically my cousin Erin walked away with boatloads.  I've always been interested in advertising and I really like the possibilities of where the industry can go so I'm thinking this is where I would like my next career move to go.  I started talking to my cousin on what she thinks are the best ways to get started in the ad industry.  There's always the chance to start on the business side and work my way towards creative and such.  Another thing she suggested was that I start working on a book or portfolio to show my potential as a copywriter.

I decided to work on a book of my work and see how I do.  I get very nervous when it comes to
submitting any work I do.  I find that I'm overly modest when it comes to things I've produced strictly on my own. If I want to become a copywriter however, I guess I'm gonna need to get over that.

I'll probably start posting some of my ideas soon.

Until next time,

Alli

Alpha Love

If I was still in school, I would have spent the entirety of last week preparing for and participating in formal sorority recruitment at IU. During my last year as an active member, I served as one of our Recruitment Chairs so recruitment meant a lot to me.

Side Note:
Recruitment at Indiana University is a little different than at most universities.  For one thing, there are 19 chapters on campus that participate in the formal recruitment process. For another thing, it's highly selective as a system. Every other school with NPH sororities is under something called a total quota system. That means, as a Potential New Member, if you make it to the last round of recruitment, you're guaranteed a bid. At Indiana, there's still a chance you can be released from the system. In total, the amount of women receiving bids is about half of the number that initially sign up for recruitment.  Now, many of these women leave on their own, or don't make grades, but there are still a large number that the system just doesn't work out for them.  Yes this is a little harsh and slightly elitist but at the same time, it's worked really well for the system.  The way the chapters and their houses are set up, there isn't much room for change anyway.

Back to why I started writing in the first place.

There are many reasons recruitment meant so much to me.  One, it brings in the future of your chapter.  The women you bring into the house as the new pledge class will be the ones to carry on your legacy after you've left. Two, it really brings the house closer together.  You spend so much time on preparing and getting ready that you really get to see everyone's best and worst.  Everyone's running on so little sleep that by the end of it, you don't know what's going on half the time.  When the new girls step off the bus and you're beginning to welcome in the next pledge class, you see that all the hard work paid off and what an amazing thing you've just accomplished.  Three, with all of the focus on trying to get the potential new members to want to join your house, you really get a chance to remember why  you're where you are.

It really takes you back to being in their shoes; so unsure of what the next few days would bring.  It's hard to remember sometimes that just a little while back, you were sitting right were they are, about to make a huge choice that would change your life for the better.  Not knowing at the time, that just a little further into the future and you can't imagine your life any differently.  As one of my friends put it:

"the best way I can describe it is finding a huge part of yourself that you didn't even know was missing, then wondering everyday how you lived without it. AOII ♥" 

Couldn't have put it any better myself.  

I've spent the past week or so reading statuses, getting texts, phone calls, seeing pictures go up, etc. and just feel like I'm totally missing out.  I know it's time to move on, I've had my moment and now it's time for the girls left to have theirs, it's just very hard to let go.  At least I know that I was there in spirit, and I can't wait to hear how the newbs are doing.  

Alpha Love, 


Alli


This is my wonderful Pledge Class! Love you all

 

  

MmmmmmMelt, Emphasis on the Mmmmmm.

I'm gonna start this by saying I have a very restricted diet.  I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease at age 9.  Shortly after, I found out I'm also lactose intolerant.  The list of foods I can eat is much shorter than those I can't. Considering I am now 23, I've had plenty of time to get used to the lifestyle.  I've been lucky enough to get everything under control for the most part.  Now, going to restaurants has always been more difficult for me than the average person, I don't know that I've ever just ordered something how it's advertised on the menu. There's always something I have to change or leave off or something.  I can't have cheese on anything and I feel like it comes on EVERYTHING.  (I don't feel sorry for myself or anything, I don't like most of the things that make me sick anyway, just trying to paint an accurate picture).

There's a restaurant in the Cleveland area (one on both the east and west sides) called Melt.  I had never been there considering they specialize in specialty grilled cheese and other things of the sort.  I recently found out they have a "vegan" cheese that one can substitute instead of the real thing.  Vegan cheese is also another word for lactose free cheese meaning I can eat it.  We went this past weekend and it was so good.  It was so nice to go to a restaurant that I felt seriously tried to cater to everyone. AND the food was absolutely delicious.  If you go, and I suggest you do (it's even been featured on Food Network), you will most likely be taking something home.  I've never had a to go box of leftovers that heavy. But the food was delicious AND I could eat it.  You have to ask for the vegan cheese instead of the regular (they have both American style and Mozzarella  style) but other than that I didn't have to change a thing. So successful.  And so good. Thank you Melt: bar and grilled. 

Sprinkles

I've come to find that I really actually enjoy writing a blog. To be honest, I didn't think I was going to enjoy it at all.  Generally, I think most blogs are slightly pointless. Why would anyone really care what I have to say? I don't want to read the daily happenings of random person X that I don't know so why would someone want to read mine.  Like I said in my first post, in my opinion, I'm neither important enough nor unimportant enough to justify having one.  Still, I like it.  The one thing I wish I could figure out is some sort of theme to create a flow throughout my blog; more of a reason for writing other than just to hear myself write. If I can find something to consistently write about, such as music, or fine dining, or my city, etc. I'll feel like there's an actual purpose to continue other than my random daily thoughts.  I mean don't get me wrong, I find myself entertaining enough to keep this going so I fully intend to do so.  Still I will do my best to find something to tie the posts together.

Until next time,

Alli

Now Accepting Applications for: Knight in Shining Armor.

This is going to be a quick one.  I just want to know where the real gentlemen have gone?  I think I'm one of the few people that still believe in chivalry.  Everyone once in a while, I'm reminded that there still are some people out there who know how to open a door, or push in a chair, etc. Unfortunately, these gentlemen seem to be few and far between, at least around here. Here's a message to the general male population: chivalry is not dead, and to many ladies, gives you quite an edge. I know it's the quickest way to my heart.

When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story.

Happy New Year! I've made a few more random observations that I would like to share.

I am a Cleveland Browns fan.  Say what you will but I will love my Brownies, win or lose, (or mostly lose) till the day that I die. I realize they're not the easiest team to root for, but it makes it that much more important to stay loyal. I am all about friendly rivalry, competition, and whatever.  I pick jokes and heckle other teams but I draw the line at being disrespectful.  I really gained a lot of respect for one of my friends this past weekend. She's a Steelers fan and we give each other a hard time on a daily basis but she knows when it's too much or the cut's a little too deep.

This weekend, The Browns played the Steelers and got their behinds handed to them. It was sad, and pitiful and... just sad.  Now, I hate the Steelers more than you will probably ever understand, but I also know that's a personal choice and people probably hate the Browns just as much.  I respect other people's rights to hate my team as much as I hate yours, I get it.  However, I really think some people should learn the line between harmless heckling and being disrespectful.

On another note, I find my pride for America growing ever so much. I am proud to be an American, I will put the USA chant at the end of that song whenever I hear it.  I'm going to take a second to quote one of the comments and posts on one of my favorite websites: totalfratmove.com. (Judge me if you must but I love it). This was in response to a pledge from Canada having to be the "Pledge of Allegiance" the comment was: "If you're not American, you're wrong." No disrespect to any non-American and their love for their own country.  I don't want to offend anyone, but I love this.  I love America.

Lastly, I am really starting to appreciate people who are as optimistic as I am.  I don't find many people who are but every once in a while, people pleasantly surprise me. I don't care if people think I live my life in rose colored glasses or need to be realistic at times, I really believe it's USUALLY best to look for the bright side of life.  I've noticed that so few things are just black and white. That even if an outcome seems dim or it seems impossible to see the bright side, there's usually a way to turn a situation around or find the positive.  I truly believe that every cloud has a silver lining, and I intend to find every one of them. I guess my philosophy is that you could live your life however you want.  Instead of being cynical, I choose to live mine with a smile on my face.