48A

I walk past the front door with the broken lock and handle,
the door that only ever opens to welcome in 3 a.m. cream cheese wontons,
and head right into the back yard like I live here.
I do live here.

I walk up the rickety porch steps where I sat crying into Geddes' drink
before stealing it and using it as a numbing chaser for my heartbreak,
past the circle of chairs where I rebelliously took a drag on a cigar
Backwards.

I stumble over the piles of recyclables, and the uninvited resident possum
and walk through the back door and into the kitchen...

I love this house,
With its chandeliered ceilings, mile-high floorboards,
forest green granite countertops and a lone stained glass window--
Outdated embellishments from former tenants,
haphazardly shielding the grime of beer-laquered floors.

I sit on this familiar, disease-ridden couch,
my toes tucked under to keep from freezing...
this is where I was first introduced to the classics
like "Superbad" and "Zoolander."

Here, over beer and tequila and cheap peach champagne,
and endless games of Kings and chandeliers,
pregaming turned into midnight turned into New Years.
Before I moved away.

Somewhere buried under the piles of mail and hooker cards,
there is a ripped up Bud Lite Lime box where I scribbled an apology,
a thank you to the boys for their hospitality and hair holding.
And a Christmas card.

Here, we spent lazy Sunday afternoons watching the game.
I cleaned the kitchen with bleach only to dirty it up again with enchilada sauce,
the smells of soap mixing with onions and chicken.
Or Bolognese.

It's funny in a house of boys, I managed to be surrounded by sisters.
We "guy's girls," a breed all our own, laughing and bonding.
And sharing Alec's clothes.

The boys used Best Buy's "No questions asked" return policy
to equip the gritty, sound-proof basement with the best sound system on the hill.
And there, next to the "sex couch," and under the blacklights,
Dez taught me how to dougie.

This is the house that raised me from GDI to TFM, from princess to squalor,
this is where I lick-shot-lime'd my semester away,
learning more and growing more from lazy conversations
over Crispy Dough.

I found this poem in my email drafts. I probably wrote it seven or eight months ago, but just rediscovered it.

Wedding Fever

There is so much Royal Wedding fever going on, it’s insane. On the one hand, I think it could be kind of un-patriotic for an American to go googly-eyed over the royal nuptials, what with us being founded on the concept of rejecting royalty. I get it, that’s all politically correct and whatnot.

But I also grew up in the Disney era, so let’s get real. Some middleclass student is getting swept off her feet by a real life Prince Charming. Well… maybe not charming. I don’t think he’s the best looking guy in the world. But whatever, he’s a prince. And Kate Middleton is admittedly gorgeous.

Being a frequent visitor to theknot.com, I can appreciate the importance of the wedding. It’s actually pretty darn awesome. But that doesn’t mean I’ll be waking up at 5 in the morning, dragging my girlfriends out of bed and hosting a Royal Wedding Tea and Coffee Viewing Party.

I like the Kate Middleton fever, though. In the least, it’s exciting to know that I will witness (via TiVO) one of the most important weddings of the century. That’s pretty darn snazzy, if you ask me.

And in the spirit of wedding fever, I also love this blog post on Kappa Kappa Gamma’s website about common Kappa traditions during their nuptials. I love the idea of wearing my pin (wherever it is!) on the inside of my dress or on my bouquet. And I must say, I would burst out in tears if my girls started singing “Oh Pat” during my reception. But then again, it’s a ways off. Like, a decade.

Today's Obsession: Greek Goodies

If I feel so inclined, I might have two obsession posts today... especially given that I didn't do one yesterday. Things just got a little hectic toward the end of day at work (I had to call every store in Manhattan on a rabid search for pom poms. It was ridiculous). But anyway, we shall see. Moving on.

...I think I'm obsessed with cookies. They're just so dam delicious. I think part of the appeal is that they are less messy and hand held. So I can go about my busy life and still eat them without the need for a plate or a fork. That may also be the reason why I love milkshakes, particularly Boloco Nutella milkshakes with a cookie blended in, but I digress.

Facebook's creepy side ads are typically catered to the individual. For example, since I played field hockey and am in a sorority, many of my ads revolve around similar themes. I refuse to believe that the single ads are catered to me, though.

So much digression... Today's obsession are these BakeGreek Greek letter cookie cutters. They continue to show up on my FB sidebar ads and I can't help but love them. Combining my love for my sorority with my love for cookies? And baking? TSM, yes, but delicious. The cutters come in one of three shades and are actually really affordable. I was thinking about getting Kappa and Gamma for Kappatastic sisters, but also thought it'd be fun to get a Rho, so I can make Rhos and Gammas for my fellow Rho Gammas (those are recruitment guides, for all you GDIs!). They like cookies too, right?

The only thing that would make all this even more fantastic would be if I made a Kappa apron. Summer project idea?? Obsessed (and now hungry).

BakeGreek Greek letter cookie cutters in Kappa, Gamma and Rho, $5 each

Today's Obsession: iPhone

So there's this boy named Manny. And Manny and I are really good friends. Occasionally, he pisses me off because he won't shut up (he's kind of an attention whore), but we get along relatively well and spend ridiculous amounts of time together. He knows what to say to wake me up and I feel naked without him. And for those who aren't familiar with my habit for naming inanimate objects, Manny is my white(black)berry, my personal assistant, my sole connection to the outside world.

Manny is getting tired though. And as of late, I've been considering making the slow transition from Microsoft/HP/Blackberry to Mac/iPhone/iPad. It's a slow transition, but today helped me to solidify my decision. Funny... but when you google your sorority and "iPhone," lots of fun goodies come up.

Today's obsession is this iPhone case. I like it because it's pretttyyy. But really. I'm kind of a klutz, so my phone need always wear protection. But this pretty number provides protection and a bit of pizazz. All that with a nice Kappatastic bow on top. While blue would be an appropriate choice, for some reason, the obnoxious pink just caught my eye. There's no chance of losing Manny II when he practically glows in the dark, right? Obsessed.

Coveroo "Kappa Kappa Gamma – letters" Sorority Design Plate in magenta, $40

Today's Obsession: Kappa Kappa Gamma

Happy International Panhellenic Badge Day! In the spirit of NPC pride, I wore my amazingly wonderful Kappa badge to work today. And my pearls. The only problem is... when I got to work, the badge wasn't there. Somewhere between West 34th and 57th lies one of my most prized possessions. And I'm heartbroken. Yes, technically the thing is replaceable but it's both expensive and has a boatload of sentimental value.

Since I can't rep it on my clothes, I'll rep it on my blog. Today's obsession is my sorority pin (and by extension all sorority pins). I love mine especially because it has both pearls (my birthstone) and sapphires (my mom's birthstone). It's a little piece of metal that represents a whole lot more. I love my little pin with the retardedly messed up clasp, wherever it is. It's utterly Kappatastic. Obsessed.

Kappa Kappa Gamma Alternating Pearls and Sapphires Badge**, $PRICELESS

**There's no link or price because non-Kappas can't buy them anyway. But check out the Herff Jones Kappa store--which has lots of awesome jewelry and accessories--here.