The saddest thing I think about is that the collegiate Alpha Chi's who are making the decision of whom to give bids to at each recruitment, will someday be in our shoes, having daughters who are "rushing" and finding out they don't get chosen because of the same reasons their mothers once chose on our daughters. But it can never be "an I told you so" moment for us.

Alpha Nu (Missouri) alumna Dana (Colley) Corsello '82 featured in the August 2010 issue of Oprah Magazine , written by Andrew Corsello, GQ correspondent. (http://www.oprah.com/relationships/Marriage-Counseling-Relationship-Advice/1 )

"My wife is radiant. It comes naturally to her. Yes, she's very beautiful, and that beauty is the first thing people notice and discuss about her. But hers isn't the radiance of a model or a starlet; it's a radiance that emits warmth—love—as well as light. What Justice Stewart said of obscenity can be said of Dana's radiance: Words fail, but you know it when you see it. Yup, there it is. 

I am proud of Dana. How could I not be? I knew she was going to kick butt once she was in charge. She is a called person, and I did expect miracles. So it's an elation to see her doing not only better, but far better, than I thought anyone could in her position. The Sunday Show she puts on each week rocks. But as with all committed clergymen and clergywomen, 80 percent of her job isn't public. It's the one-on-one work, the pastoral visits and confessions, her whole immersion in the deepest joys and griefs—the addictions, the betrayals, the diseases and deaths—of her parishioners' lives. To be married to a truly gifted woman of the cloth is to be married to a woman whose 30 or 40 closest friends are perpetually and overlappingly on the brink of the abyss. The demand for Dana's psychic energy and love is multitudes greater than it was before she replaced me as the Big Enchilada. Yet she somehow has it in her to give commensurate with what is needed. So I have spent the last nine months watching in amazement as her radiance has amplified. 

A small problem, then, that her spouse happens to be a person to whom attention must be paid. Undividedly. Rapturously. Ceaselessly. 

For a time I acted out in little childish ways, tried to reject this New Deal of hers and mine, and my assigned role in it. Would approach her in the receiving line after the Sunday 10 A.M. service, behold the alb, the stole, the resplendent finery of her station, look into her beautiful, kissable face and then try to make her flinch by whispering, "Girl, you put the ho in holy!" Or the "lay" in "Revelation." Then, one day, out of nowhere and out of everywhere, I turned to her as we were reading in bed and said, "Baby, let's make a deal."

I told her I was having trouble recognizing myself. I told her that as much as I liked this new life that she had created for us and for our boys, I felt inescapably part of—a member of—a flock. I needed to reclaim my self. "Like a wolf pissing out its territory," I told her.

She said of course, darling. Anything. I want you to be happy.

"Okay, then," I said. "Here's the deal. I've found a small cabin in the middle of nowhere outside Buena Vista, Colorado"—my home state. "I need to buy it. I need to make it mine, ours...whatever."

"Do it," she said.

"And you need to agree that I can go there by myself at least four times a year," I added. "This is part of the deal."

"Do it," she said again.

So I did.

I spent three separate weeks there in the first quarter of 2010 alone. It's a beautiful place, a dream. Snowbound and pure and so profoundly silent that I can listen to my thoughts and longings without the interference of any judgment or ego. On each of those weeklong trips it has taken no more than 24 hours to achieve clarity and resolution. And then I have spent the remaining 144 hours cold and heartsick and unable to sleep, just waiting for that return flight so I can get back to being the father of my children and the husband of my radiant, irradiating, ass-kicking wife." 

August 3rd - 5th

Lake Hartwell

contact Cathy R. Tade, Julie J. Dixon, Jenn Butler - there is a Clemson AXOs group on Facebook you can join.

Thank you charter members: Kim Seemuller Wilson, Jamie Frey Gruefe, Tara Stevenson, Jennifer Butler (don't know who else ... adding more) ... for your work to get Omicron Sigma Omicron (OSigO) started and chartered!

KIM SEEMULLER WILSON (CA, Theta Sigma Theta president and Omicron Sigma Omicron president) you are a saint! Thanks for your WDA!

http://mandyandconner.com/

 
http://meredithandmaggie.blogspot.com/
 

 
http://www.travelwidows.com/
 

http://wiregrassweddings.blogspot.com/

Hi everyone!

I'm currently a member of the Zeta Theta chapter at Brown University, and I will be graduating this May 2012. I will be working for Boeing in the fall, and I am just starting my house/apartment search. I am looking for a housemate that would help me to transition into life in Seattle. Is anyone moving to Seattle or is looking for a subletter? Any suggestions would be great!

Loyally,

Cynthia

Hi Susan!!

We were pledge sisters and have always wondered how you were doing!!

We have an AXO - Theta Xi page on FaceBook (if you're part of the whole FB thing)... I think I can invite you or maybe send you the link, but it's called : Alpha Chi Omega's from CSUN!

Would love to catch up with you!!

Jodi

Sisters,

Beta Epsilon began a HUGE renovation project on the chapter house this summer and we are tirelessly fundraising the remaining sum to complete the much-needed changes. In addition to the yearly updates to the rooms and general maintenance, BE has sponsored a complete renovation of 3 bathrooms and the formal room. We have a long way to go on updating the rest of the house, but we need your help in this phase of our project! Please do not hesitate to contact me, Amanda Kocefas at kocefas@gmail.com regarding this project!

Below is the letter we mailed to Beta Epsilon alumnae:

June 26, 2011

Dear Alpha Chi Sister,

The Alpha Chi Omega chapter house at Michigan State University will turn 50 years old

next year. It is a wonderful house with beautiful Georgian architecture and spacious

rooms. Our house, at 243 Burcham Drive, has been home to more than 880 young Alpha

Chi Omega sisters over the years.

Today our house is in need a lot of extensive renovation and repairs. The Beta Epsilon

House Corporation Board is obtaining a 7-year loan, to make major improvements in the

bathrooms, dayrooms, hallways, formal room, library and entry areas this summer. These

renovations will be completed before the collegiate members return this August.

We all know how important the appearance of the house is, especially each fall when

recruitment guests tour the building. We want to give our current active collegiate sisters

every advantage possible in maintaining Beta Epsilon’s strong, vibrant standing on the

MSU campus and among AXO chapters nationally. We also want to provide a comfortable

and modern living environment for our collegiate sisters in the Beta Epsilon chapter.

If you’re reading this and wondering if you can help, the answer is yes!

The money from the loan will not allow us to complete all necessary work. Our goal is to

raise $10,000 from our alumnae sisters. If each Alpha Chi Omega alumna reading this just

gave $5, that would make a huge difference — so imagine how quickly we could reach and

surpass our goal if all of our sisters gave $25 each!

If you can help, please send a check (in any amount!) to:

Karen Jurgensen

423 Clifton Blvd

East Lansing MI 48823

Please make the check payable to AXO House Corporation for BE Chapter.

For those of you who prefer to contribute electronically, we have also established

a PayPal account at https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-

xclick&hosted_button_id=8XTGS34F664A4

Thank you from your sisters in the local alum group who are taking on this project, and

from all the current actives that will benefit from your generosity. The house will be open

for a brunch during Homecoming Weekend. Look for more information and please plan

to stop for a grand tour and see what an amazing transformation your contributions have

achieved!

Loyally in the bond,

Lee Griffin, President, House Corporation

Some of the current “bad news” (hole in library ceiling due to plumbing repair;

old, torn wallpaper in dayrooms; stained, cracked tile in the bathrooms)

House Corp is intent on maintaining the integrity of the house’s beautiful

Georgian architecture. Included in this project are retiling and new fixtures in the blue

bathroom on the first floor and the crowded yellow bathroom on the second floor this

summer. The space for both bathrooms will be enlarged by capturing adjacent closets

that have become clutter-collectors. The old green carpet in the formal room and library

is going! New paint, lighting, carpet, and draperies will update and enliven those rooms.

The entry hall and main hall are getting new paint, wallpaper and refinished slate; the

crown moldings added in earlier years will be finished; and the powder room off the entry

will get a serious makeover. Upstairs and in the first floor dayrooms, all the old stained

and damaged wallpaper will go and the walls will be repaired and painted. The hallways

will get new paint and carpet as well. Many of the outdated light fixtures in these rooms

will be replaced.

All of this is expensive, of course. Some things had to be left out of the budget.

With your help, we could finish the job. We would like to replace the raggedy

carpeting in the eight remaining rooms with hard flooring (Pergo laminate with the look

of hardwood), but that project has been reserved in case we get unpleasant surprises

in plumbing or walls as the work progresses. The shelves and the woodwork in the

dayrooms need to be repaired and painted. The accordion door between the entry and

the informal that is used extensively during rush activities is falling apart and should be

replaced. We want to recarpet the Hall of Knowledge to go with its new paint and color

scheme and tie it into the whole first floor. The old phone booth by the mailboxes needs a

door and repair both to make it more functional for trash and recycling and to keep it out

of sight when guests arrive. The mailbox cabinet itself is getting pretty tacky after years of

hard use. If, in our wildest dreams, we raised enough money, we would put doors on the

closets in the dayrooms (the original sliding doors have broken and been removed). We

would paint and recarpet the dormers. We would put blinds on the windows in the formal

room, library, and entry. You get the picture! Can you help?

Two small things ANY sister can do (and I do both of these):

Put an AXO alumna sticker on her car

Use an AXO coffee mug or water tumbler at work, use an AXO pen at work, write notes on an AXO sticky-note pad, use AXO magnets.

All of the above are conversation starters!

Of course, it's important to remember when we PACE we REPRESENT AXO. It doesn't matter where we are, when we wear our letters, we should be living up to our values. So, for instance, don't cut someone off in traffic with your AXO sticker on your car AND don't be catty or mean at work and then stroll down the corridor with your AXO coffee cup in hand.

I am an alumnae of the Iota Mu chapter at the University of Richmond. Yesterday, we received notice that our chapter is being closed. While it is a rumor mill of information at this point, it seems to be a combination of low recruitment for a few years and a single risk management issue this year that led to the decision by National.

Regardless of the issues we will be sorting through, I would like to hear from any other sisters who have experienced National reaching a decision to close the chapter. What steps did you all take and how was your process for being reinstated in later years?

I think there are many emotions right now as we mourn this decision. There is good in that all alumnae of the chapter have come together again. We had started this year to financially support the chapter in getting recruitment consulting. Hopefully, we can see that occur in the future.

If you could either reply to this message or I would be happy to provide contact information to discuss.

Loyally,

Becky Kennedy Oleszkiewicz, Iota Mu 1998

Lacy,

Have you connected with Jessica Mace:

http://www.alphachiomega.org/myaxo_rsw_index.aspx?id=1688

Thank you for your service! 

You are in my thoughts and prayers.

LITB and WDA

Jennifer Sue, you're awesome! I was a message board virgin until this post.

We found a few more sites too! (below) Both of our special sections are creating online surveys to gather info from our interested members which will help guide our planning. If anyone else has ideas, please post your ideas too!

Mommy & Me

Beta Omega Beta in Phoenix:
http://www.axo-phx.org/index.html

Kendra Buscho axoarizona(at)gmail(dot)com
 
Iota Iota in St. Louis (2010 National Council Trophy Winners!)
Iota Group: http://www.alphachiomegastlouis.com/sections
Jennifer Hoeferlin: jvanvertloo(at)hotmail(dot)com

Book Club

Alpha Chi alum and author Malena Lott started this online book club - Bookend Babes - that we've joined. So cute! http://www.bookendbabes.com/

You mentioned Beta Zeta Beta in Houston but their website was down. We found their Facebook page and wanted to post it here in case anyone else wanted to see it:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alpha-Chi-Omega-Beta-Zeta-Beta-Alum-Chapter/44590947876?v=app_2344061033

Allison, it is always wonderful to hear about an alumna that wants to get involved with her local alumnae chapter!  GOOD JOB YOU!

Login at the top of this screen and then go back to alphachiomega.org

on the locator tabs you'll see "Chapter Locator"

which will take you to a map. 

Click the state of Virginia and you'll see Zeta Pi Zeta listed as the alumnae chapter for Richmond.  The contact you want is Colleen Carney.

LITB and WDA

Thanks to those of you who replied.  I appreciate your efforts to explain some of the thinking behind the changes in the operation of our chapters.  This is an interesting topic to me, perhaps even more so after reading your replies.  I interpret what I've read to indicate that "earning" membership implies different things to different people.  

Where "earning" to some indicates something negative and demonstrates possibly a lack of acceptance and/or sisterhood, to me it means something entirely different.  I have personally always valued most the things I've "earned", such as the right to drive via practice and testing or the increased responsibility and opportunity from working hard in my field.  The effort and requirements involved were not punitive or unkind in any way in my eyes, but rather were a growing and learning time during which I showed others I took the endeavor seriously and was committed to high standards.  I also tested the waters and made sure that I liked what I was doing and wanted to proceed.  I see this process as beneficial and positive.  Though I was a good student and a good candidate for a drivers license and a professional position with increased possibility, (I was worthy), I wasn't given the privilege until I demonstrated and was sure of my commitment first.

I realize that my examples may seem silly, but I'm only trying to explain the value I perceive in "earning".  I wondered what the rush was to initiate and was curious as to the reasons behind the changes, however I never suspected there to be any lack of good intent or solid programming.  I do appreciate the new information and the obvious desire to do what is right for the girls and AXO as a whole.  I understand the desire to protect the organization from the potential of hazing and the damage that results.  (We've lost Greek groups on our campus over the years for such reasons, so I am familiar.)

For what it's worth, I was an advisor for a few years after college and hope to be able to volunteer again as my daughter gets older and I have time to commit.  There are many alumnae in my area who are not engaged in any way with our local chapter and I know the house could use the local support and involvement.  Wish I could jump in right now but family and career prohibit just yet.  

Thanks again everyone for your replies and good food for thought!  This is a nice forum to discuss amongst friends...

ITB, Kristin      

October 13, 2009: 

We hope you'll take the time to learn more about teen dating violence and how to prevent it. Learn more http://axomtm.squarespace.com/journal/2009/10/12/preventing-teen-dating-violence.html and http://collegelifestyles.org/?p=4163 then please help us spread the word!

Great idea Chi Chi - can't wait to see the pictures!

Epsilon Tau Epsilon of the Tallahassee, FL - Thomasville, GA greater area, http://axoete.blogspot.com/, will be enjoying Founders' Day with the Beta Eta collegians of Florida State, http://www.axofloridastate.com/, on October 15th at the chapter house.

We welcome national visitors, the representative for the county shelter "Refuge House",http://www.refugehouse.com/, local alumnae and friends who will celebrate our local alumna Britain Dwyre (BH) winner of the Young Alumna Award this summer and the Beta Eta collegians who are National Council Trophy Finalists and winner of the Chapter Networking Award.  Additionally, the chapter will present to Alpha Chi Omega Foundation money raised during their "Founders' Day Challenge" and will present the "Refuge House" representative with money and donated items gathered during the chapter's DVA Week.

LITB and WDA!

(OPRAH.com) -- He can saw himself in half, sing a selection of Broadway showtunes and swing on a flying trapeze.

When Neil Patrick Harris, one of the stars of the hit CBS sitcom "How I Met Your Mother," isn't dabbling in the extraordinary, well, he's probably hosting an awards show.

In the late '80s, Neil -- known as NPH to his fans -- landed the starring role on "Doogie Howser, M.D." After years of child stardom and teen heartthrob status, Neil left the small screen for the stage. He became a respected Broadway actor, starring in shows like "Rent," "Cabaret" and "Proof," before returning to television.

Now, millions know Neil as Barney Stinson, the womanizing, slap-happy sidekick on "How I Met Your Mother," which begins its fifth season September 21.

Like Billy Crystal and Johnny Carson before him, this man-of-many-talents is also making his mark as an awards show host. On Sunday, September 20, Neil will host the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards. He shares his thoughts on fate, finding balance and making out with his co-star.

Kari Forsee: How are you preparing for Emmy night?

Neil Patrick Harris: I'm just trying to make sure all the comedy host elements are in place. We'll have a good opening bit and a couple surprise things throughout. We want to balance respecting the show and the doling out of the awards with the sort of random things that will keep the audience's attention in other ways. So that's kind of been my job. You want to make it unique and, yet, classic. That's a tricky dynamic. Oprah.com: Planning an Emmys party? Get 4 entertaining solutions

KF: I can imagine. How often are you rehearsing?

NPH: Well, it's sort of a litany of e-mails and phone calls all day with the producers. We had a great opening short film we are going to shoot, and it would be the first thing you shot. That was going to be with Alec Baldwin, and he withdrew at the last minute. So that got scrapped, and we're off to plan D, E or F. It's sort of like now you go: "That's fantastic, great. We've got that person," or "Oh, that person didn't work. Now what do we do?" A lot of "now what do we do?" questions.

KF: Now at the Tony Awards, you sang a, may I say, legendary closing number. Will you be singing at the Emmys, or is dancing more the focus?

NPH: I suspect you won't see me dancing very much. That's not my forte. But yeah, I might throw some sort of singing into it. I haven't quite decided. I sort of feel like the Emmys are so classy and glamorous and black tie, the host really needs to respect his job title. I think too much "Look at me! Look at me!" as the host of a show that big is counterproductive. So long as I make you feel confident that you're in good hands with me as the host, then it's my real responsibility to introduce you to a lot of other people and elements -- other presenters who are then going to talk to you or other introductions of next sections. That's my role. It's not really to be a song-and-dance man.

KF: Did you look back at past Emmy hosts for inspiration?

NPH: Very much. Steve Allen hosted the first televised awards, which was the 7th Annual Emmy Awards, in, I think, 1955, and he was great. That was sort of my inspiration for all of this. He just had such a dry wit, a commanding voice, a great presence. You knew when you were watching it that if something went wrong, you could look to him, and he would steer you through it. It was always with great dignity and a dry sense of humor, and he was sort of out there all the time. He was definitely the "host." He definitely helped the show, so I like that. Johnny Carson, too, was great.

KF: Hypothetically, what would you do if your name was called for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series this year?

NPH: Oh my, I would graciously accept, try to keep my speech to a minimum, and then quickly set it backstage, because I have a lot more to do for the next couple hours.

KF: Is the award given out early on in the show?

NPH: I think it will be within the first hour. It's a nice and refreshing win-win for me, because if I do happen to win, it will be awesome-tastic, and oddly, a bit of a distraction. And if I don't win, it just provides lots of comedy fodder for the rest of the show. So I'm pretty safe either way. It's a tough category, for sure.

KF: So the day after the Emmys, a new season of "How I Met Your Mother" premieres. Last season's finale left us wondering if your character, Barney Stinson, will finally settle down and start dating Robin Scherbatsky.

NPH: They certainly take a stab at it. I know there will be lots of necking and making out. Lots of canoodling between Robin and I. My lips are chapped. They have strong physical chemistry, apparently.

KF: "How I Met Your Mother" puts a lot of stake in fate. Are you a believer in fate?

NPH: I don't know what to make of fate. I certainly don't think you can predetermine things. It feels like if you go out of your way to try to make something happen, it rarely does. But if you allow for good things to happen, they seem to. I think a lot of that is more perception, you know? A lot of people would take getting rear-ended in their car as an example of why their life continues to be one road block after another, and I think a different person can see that same fender bender and be grateful it wasn't worse. That allows them an opportunity to learn something from it -- sort of take some sort of positive elements from that. I think if you try to angle your life in those ways, then fate, destiny, karma opens itself up to you and allows for more growth. 

KF: I'm curious, how did your father meet your mother?

NPH: They were college, fraternity and sorority sweethearts. This was in Albuquerque. She was in Alpha Chi Omega. And he was in, something Pi? They did the whole, you know, he gave her his pin. She was pinned, and they were a couple. Then, they were married, and they've only been with each other. I'm very extraordinarily lucky with my parents. ... We didn't have a lot of money growing up, but we were never made to feel poor. They had amazing senses of humor, senses of music and really treated us like regular people when we were kids. So I lucked out.