So... how are things going?
 

I'm bored...


Halloween will be here soon... schools have been in session for nearly two months now... a lot of schools have had/are having/will have their Fall Breaks...

What's up with everyone? How are things going in your chapter, at your school, or in your life.

Fun Stuff
 

I am doing the stay-at-home Dad thing. The Army moved my wife and my firm does not have an office here.

So I bought the family (wife's grandparents) 1950 Hudson Pacemaker Deluxe and just started restoring it. Not in bad shape. Needs a front end rebuild (all the rubber, springs and shocks and the engine is going to be rebuilt (so I can have it painted).:D

I am also working with the Boy Scouts to help them restart in inactive Venture Crew.:)

I am alright. Senior year is hell, and I have two new teachers who feel like Denison isn't hard enough. The chapter is doing VERY well, for the first time I feel like we are a real chapter. We got 3rd in Anchor Splash, and 2nd in the synchro, which is kind of a big deal for a small chapter on our campus. We need 12 people in the spring, do or die, and it once seemed unatainable, but now it seems doable. We got some great freshman lined up already (formal rush is in the spring, freshman cant rush til then). Our fall class will initiate in 3 weeks, and they already have ambitions beyond our expectations, so that is a good sign.

This weekend is homecomming, and the 5 year reunion of the 2001 class, which were the Betas that got kicked off, so it will be interesting to meet a few of them.

For me, it's great. Working on that next promotion, have my wife and daughter at home with me - 6 months old, have some nice pics of her in Beta gear already. Homecoming is tomorrow for my chapter/univ., so I'll be down there with all the other Beta's who make the trek in. For us, it's meet early AM at the house, watch the parade, skip the game, and mingle with all our old friends, with the occasional cold one. Should be a whopping 45 degrees at highest tomorrow, but fun to say the least.

On my chapter, we're down to about 12 members and just landed 5 pledges - when I was in the chapter and as Pres. (7 years ago), I led a 60 man chapter. Sad to see it dwindle, it just goes to show how important recruitment is. :(

I miss undergrad life.

As for me, life's gong pretty well. I've started on a PhD in Chemistry at the University of Virginia. It's not quite as big of a shift as I thought it would be, coming from a school of 2600 to a school of 20,000. The Beta chapter here was kicked off somewhere between 6 months and 2 years ago, so it's slightly strange to not have any sort of a chapter, but right now I'm primarily focused on academics, and thus Beta is not a major concern.

Still doing the whole med school thing. 2nd year is different from first year - we're actually finding out how and why people get ill which is a change form last year which was all about the normal body and functions. Still don't like Omaha that much, but school isn't as hard this year as least - probably because Im' used to the speed and volume of material.

The little brother is pledging Beta at Nebraska and seems to be loving it. The drunk dials from him have tailed off a little bit. I actually need to talk to his pledge dad and see how he's doing. Chapter is starting to gear up for Homecoming which is the first week in November this year (big game against Mizzou). Other than that the Chapter is also working with a company (Pennington?) to start a capital campaign to renovate the chapter house. The house needs the bathrooms redone, the kitchen refurbished, and all the wiring redone which is going to be a mess. The rewiring alone has been estimated at about $500k. Will be interesting to see how the campaign goes.

Having my brother in the house has kept me more involved in what's going on in the chapter. It's hard to bite one's tongue every so often but you've got to let them figure some things out on their own.

Well I guess since I started this thread I should chime in...

Life is okay right now. This is my 5th week in a new job. Thankfully I have managed to find a job in Student Life here at ECU. My office is beside the entire Greek Life staff, so I get to stay involved with them because they always ask for my opinion.

I took the last two semesters off from graduate school because being in school for six years straight (4 years of undergrad and 2 years of grad) wore me out. I was burnt out and not motivated to do well. Hopefully I will start back again in the Spring or Summer and finish the last five classes for my MBA.

The chapter is doing alright. Our numbers have slowly dwindled to just around 15 undergraduates. However, our current Theta Pledge class has four members and they have some very outgoing, involved, energetic personalities. They have added some new things to the chapter as a whole. They'll be initiated in four weeks (Nov. 18th-ish) and we'll have elections the following week. Spring Rush will be HUGE for us because of its influence on our numbers and review by the Convention delegates.

Everything is great in our chapter, we recruited 8 guys this semester which is good for us. We have elections comming up. My term as president is comming to an end, but I am happy with whom is taking my place. Hopefully, we get a sission award at convetion. I'm going to miss Being a part of the chapter when I graduate in May. I wish I could stay one more semester so that I could go on the Wilderness Challenge. I'm glad to say that everyone in my chapter is excited about attending leadership events this year. I try to go to all of them. We need to work on of budget though. Since we dont have a house yet its hard. Seems like we never have any money to do anything.

Just more Army Training for me.

I finished up at Fort Benning about two weeks ago...and if I ever have to go there are go through Columbus, GA again it will be too soon. Currently I'm at Fort Eustis, VA for more training. I'll be here until April then either to Texas, Germany, or Korea. Hopefully Germany.

My chapter seems to be doing good. Good numbers and the brothers say the pledges are doing great. We need to do some work on the alumni/housing corp, but hopefully that will start coming together soon.

Sorry I've been quite busy; this happens when one is employed (Thank God!)

But there is a rumour that another story of the Omicron Alpha chapter is nearing completion... don't know if I will get permission to post it, but it may eventually be published, which may be of interest to some of you.

And I had hoped to post more scraps from the past, and haven't even had time to do that... "oh, yeah, Doc, great excuse - spend five minutes and keep your brothers interested in the lore..."

Sorry. I'll see what I can do. Gotta find that Beta Christmas song.

Speaking of which: since this is the time when some of us might be making up gift lists, I do have something to recommend, if you would like to know the background behind many Beta songs:

Songs of the Civil War by Irwin Silber

Available through Dover Publications at http://store.doverpublications.com/0486284387.html

(Note: I have no relation to them except for being a VERY satisfied customer.)

Incidentally.... This book contains "The Old Union Wagon" with words by John Hogarth Lozier, De Pauw 1857.

Does that name sound familiar to anyone?

What are you talkin about with this Omicron Alpha stuff?

Sorry if I confused you with the mention of "Omicron Alpha" (I should have used quotes. I DID think I had once posted some thing, so went hunting and found it:


http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=71749

Long ago there was another one on the old "Forum", and there are about three others at present which are longer and not in an e-form; they are part of a much longer saga which Bill Berry dubbed Bellae Stellarum.

Hopefully, someday it will be completed and published.