General Tammy Smith kicks off Pride Month

As part of the Pride Month festivities at Big Daddy D, we invited Brigadier General Tammy Smith, the first openly gay U.S. Flag Officer in the military, to kick off Pride week! Her and her wife, Tracey Hepner, were AMAZING and very personable.

General Smith made a great story teller :) Her overall message resonated around a story about her "Aunt Bev". Basically when her and her partner were getting married, they decided to not invite their Aunt Bev, a devout religious person, because they felt it was in her best interest and that they were shielding her, that way she didn't have to feel uncomfortable or have to make the decision to come or not. Afterwards, Aunt Bev was saddened to find out she wasn't invited. Something that her and her wife were trying to do by shielding her aunt, in fact, really instead hurt her. She said that this often happens with the LGBT community and we need to switch this mentality so that maybe more people will take the time to learn about LGBT people and maybe alter their views.

Afterwards, her and her wife stayed around and networked and answered a lot of questions. In fact, they were the last ones to leave! Only people who were still there when they left were me and my boss!

Her partner, Tracey, founded the Military Partners and Family Coalition, which supports all military families.

Adult Piñata Time

As part of my bf's going away events, we decided that we would do an adult piñata party (we were drunk, at a bar in Luray, VA). We thought it would be a FANTASTIC idea to fill up this piñata that he's had for YEARS with adult items from the sex store, alcohol store...and of course the Dollar Tree!!

We/he spent about $110 on this piñata...about $70 at the sex store. Whoops!! It had airplane bottles of liquor, lube, vibrators, cock rings, condoms, water guns, leis, etc. OMG everyone had SUCH a great time!!! Who knew how many drunk people LOVE piñatas?!?!?!

 Liquor at the house

 Pinata tied to a tree

 Close up

 Drunken idiots trying to knock it down

Too many laughs that night, my stomach hurt!!

Womp womp womp..this is what it looked like afterwards...

Regional Alumnae Officer Training

Last month, I travelled to North Carolina University at Chapel Hill for a weekend of sorority fun! The Regional Area Officer Training was set to be a blast! I took the day off and was hoping to leave early and see my BFF Nikki in Raleigh for a few hours before the weekend kicked off. Needless to say, 95 South had other ideas. In fact, that morning, there was a big accident that lead to a hazmat spill on the highway and SHUT DOWN ALL LANES OF 95 SOUTH......UM, YEAH....I was PISSED. Well, when I left at like 8 am, I was like "no, they can't possibly have shut down all the lanes, they'll have to clean up fast." Yeah, I was stupid. A drive that should have taken me 4 hours, in fact, took me EIGHT HOURS. Yeah, you read that right, 8!!!!  So, I only got to spend like under 2 hours with my BFF (who is preggers with twins and about to pop real soon!).

Anyways, once I got there I HAD A BLAST. Weekends like this reminds me how much I love Phi Mu. I am so thankful that I took the plunge and became a sorority member. It has brought me so much joy and leadership opportunity since I pledged in 2003. (eeekkkkkk 10 years, WHAT?!?!) I had a blast networking and sharing all of the best practices that the D.C. Phi Mu Alumnae Chapter has been able to  implement over the past few years. At the event, I met women from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Delaware, Maryland and even California! I think its amazing when I can meet women from all over the country.

I absolutely loved the Chapel Hill campus and cute little town. I could see myself rockin' some Carolina Blue! Carlina was one of the women who facilitated the weekend, and we both got to meet back up with Jess!!! Love when I can reconnect with my favs :)

Carlina, Jess and I

The house was beautiful and really made my long for my chapter to have a house. Well, I saved a lot of money by living at home with my parents, but maybe if I had this opportunity, I would have lived on campus...

I mean...COME ON. BEAUTIFUL!!!

THOSE DOORS!!!

And back yard!!!!

We played this great game where each of us said 3 facts about ourselves. If someone also shared the same fact/interest/connection, they spoke up and you threw your ball of yarn at them.  Basically, the idea was that we are all connected in some way.

My view

All of us in front of the house

Someone had a connection who built this AMAZING coffee table!!!

I mean, COME ON, BEAUTIFUL!!!

Sitting area

Composite of the first chapter

Awards

Sitting room

Close up of the door. BEAUTIFUL. I wish I had this door!

Sir Fidel is always looking :)

We walked the campus and happened on this arboretum!

Wow, beautiful

I could sit here all day

And then we found this sun dial

Posin with the dial

Something about this statue goes like "whenever a virgin walks by a shot can be heard..but none has been heard. i.e., no virgins have walked by....

Apparently the person who founded the campus sat under this tree and decided this was a perfect place...

Sorority squat!!!!

We stopped by a place called Sugarland in town...AMAZING!!!!

Cupcakes....and BEER!!!

Gelato!!! AMAZING TASTING GELATO!!!

I mean, COME ON.....look at that!!!!!

An amazing cake!

Yeah...this piece of art....VERY CONFUSING.....

Decent People Do Exist

Found this message in my office a bit ago. It says "For that person who is like "man, I just need XX more cents" - You're welcome. Yours, Good Samaritan". I wasn't expecting to see that next to the vending machine!!! There ARE some good people in this world!

Virginia is for Lovers

Found this beauty on my last drive down to Newport News to see the boyfriend. It was appropriate for our last weekend together!

Phi Mu Alumnae Summer Soiree

WOW, I am super out of date on this blog. I PROMISE I will do better! Life has been super busy, with work, life, and my boyfriend moving to San Francisco, I've barely kept my head above the water. I am looking forward to catching up on life and friends, and of course, getting back to this blog!

Oh and on a side note, I GOT A NEW COMPUTER!!!! This should help a million with updating this blog! I got a MacBook Pro and I'm SO EXCITED! #apple #macbookpro #letsgetthispartystarted!!

So, anyways....today was my sorority's Annual Summer Soiree. The wonderful Madeleine hosted the party in her lovely Capital Hill home. Of course it was super fun and sangria filled :) I got there an hour late thanks to the DC buses, however, it was partially my fault because I only left an hour to walk to Clarendon to go the Wholefoods and then catch the bus across town. Oh well...I at least got there with plenty of time to enjoy the party!

The beautiful D.C. Phi Mu Alumnae girls

Talking and gossiping!

 Trying to stay in the shade to escape the heat

I don't know why this came out so dark. There was so much good food!

The boys sitting in the corner, trying to escape the girl's conversation...errr I mean escape the heat!