Dirty Rush

"From the outside looking in, you can never understand it. From in the inside looking out, you can never explain it."

www.dirtyrushbook.com

Let me just start off by saying that I am a sorority woman and damn proud to be one! So whenever I see anything in pop culture related to Greek Life I take it with a grain of salt and a dash of skepticism. It’s no secret after all that Greek Life in general can get a bad rap from movies, TV shows, etc. MY story on the other hand is nothing media worthy or salacious, my story is simply ideal.

I joined Greek Life, specifically Delta Delta Delta, to get more involved in my school. As a commuter student at basically a suitcase school getting involved in on campus organizations seemed like the best option for me. I went to the club fairs and ultimately decided to go through Rush; Delta Delta Delta was just the most perfect fit for me. I loved the girls and their values; I’ve never once regretted signing my bid.

That being said not everyone’s situation is as ideal as mine, some stories are far more exciting! Thanks to Babe Walker & Total Sorority Move we get the compelling and wildly entertaining tale of Taylor Bell! Brand new college freshman and five-time legacy of the Beta Zeta sorority at Central Delaware University.

Dirty Rush is the exciting (albeit insane) tale of Bell’s freshman year and how she ended Rushing a sorority, something she never planned on doing when she initially set foot on campus. Being a legacy however means the BZ girls already had Taylor on radar. Like anything in life it’s essential to keep you options open, never close yourself off to anything without at least trying it, though she was initially against Rushing Taylor met the girls and found herself on a whirlwind of being recruited and offered a bid to Beta Zeta.

That was only the beginning for Taylor; the deluge of events begins after she signs her bid. Between Hell Week, parties, her first college boyfriend and of course initiation Taylor learns more about what it means to be a Greek Life woman. Alas as with all things when things are going good something has to come along to trip you up on the ride, secrets are exposed that make Taylor question every decision she made in joining BZ.  Oh and let’s not forget about the leaked sex tape which she is pinned as the star of.

Okay bear with me, I know things seem to be getting a little out of hand but trust me it’s worth the ride! Between the events that happened in Taylor’s freshman year to the portrayal of Greeks in general it’s just so outlandish why couldn’t it be well on its way to the silver screen?

Part of me thinks I should’ve been a little offended at the portrayal of Greek Life but overall the book was just so wildly entertaining I wasn’t. Of course I know that the way Greeks were portrayed could be incredibly offensive to some, but not me. The story of Taylor Bell is told in a way that fits the tone of the novel. There’s no shying away from the gory details just to spare someone else’s feelings. Her story would not anywhere near as compelling if she did tiptoe around the tough stuff. Sure, she had “sisters” stab her in the back, she had a guy flake on her when she needed him most and everything about being a Beta Zeta tested who she was as a person.

But honestly, at the heart of it all, Taylor Bell found what anyone looks for when they join any organization. Taylor Bell found sisters that were true and loyal, she learned who were really her friends and who was not worth her time. For Taylor the good outweighed the bad (and it got bad) but one bad apple did not poison the whole bunch. Her story is more than just an exposé of Greek Life; this is real life! In real life friends will betray you, in real life you’ll be tested and pushed to the breaking point. Taylor Bell’s story is about more than just the letters you wear it’s about learning who you are as a person and how to handle the curve balls.

In the final chapter when all was said and done the camaraderie I felt between Taylor Bell and her sisters is exactly the type of relationship I feel with my sisters. She found a group of girls to accept her for the person she is and who would support her through the tough times. Taylor Bell didn’t fall in love with the idea of Beta Zeta, she fell for the heart of Beta Zeta, she fell for the ideals that the organization was built upon. These are the ideals that any woman should fall in love with because for any woman looking to join a Greek organization those ideals won’t just be that of your Sorority, those ideals become yours too.

So yes this is a book I would highly recommend to any Greek woman. It's wildly entertaining and quite a ride from start to finish! 

Welcome to the trip, man!

Holy Plot Twists Batman!

Orphan Black you've done it yet again! The original Castor genome, definitely something no one saw coming! Not to mention the original Leda genome!

Mrs. S's mother! Talk about six degrees of separation! It's truly a small, small world folks.

Not only do we finally get answers we've all been hoping for we now. We are no closer to figuring out who the original clones are for each faction, though my money is still on Sarah/Helena being the original clones.

But we also get some insight into Mrs. S's dark past. It is now less surprising to me that she became guardian/protector to a Leda clone. Sarah's ability to  go unnoticed by DYAD is less of a mystery now.

But seriously, holy plot twists, I did NOT see that one coming! And with only the season finale left! All I want is like ten more episodes! Just a little longer!

I can't believe the season is coming to a close already! I'll have to satisfy my Clone Club craving with reruns. The one thing I can say about this show is that every time I watch an episode again I find something new I'd previously missed. I must say this is one wild ride and pretty soon I'm going to have to get off, but hey I'll just be getting back on that insanely long line to wait for the thrill of riding again.

To quote my favorite geek monkey, "Welcome to the trip, man."

Cosima said it best! Peace out Clone Clubbers!

Silver Moon

Amazon

"Werewolf," he muttered. "You're a werewolf." 

"Ding, ding, ding," she drawled sarcastically. "Give that boy a prize." 

Kat moved to his bed and pulled the wooden box from his weapons bag to flip open the top and show him the missing shells. The box had been full when he put it under there and now he knows why it was sticking out from underneath the bed this morning when he returned. 

"Silver is lethal to you guys." Sebastian snatched the box back. "What the hell could you possibly need these for?" 

"For the infected wolf in the basement," she said. 

"Infected?" he asked. 

"A wolf not like me," she said. "Rabid, monster, they're the kinds of wolves you hunt and we hate." 

"I see no difference," he snarled. 

"And that right there is why you don't belong here," she said. "I'm out of here, hunters are so stubborn you're not going to listen to me anyway. So I won't even bother wasting my breath." 

Sebastian moved to block the doorknob. "Who said you were leaving?" 

"I did," she snarled. "People here actually care about me! They will skin you alive if I suddenly go missing. Derek knows about us ..." 

"US!" he snapped. "Sorry Cujo but there is no us." 

Kat scoffed and shook her head. "You are all class Sebastian. This is why we don't associate with hunters, small-minded assholes that only care about killing me and mine. Now let me go or I will scream! Maggie will call Derek and he will very much enjoy tearing you limb from limb." 

Sebastian considered his options but could only think of one that made sense at the moment. So he stepped aside and opened the door to let her leave. She's right if she and Derek are werewolves then there are definitely more of them in this town. Werewolves tend to run in packs and they're incredibly territorial, if he took on one of them he'd be taking on all of them and he wouldn't even limp away from that fight.

This is my catharsis ...

This is my catharsis. This is my release. My release of everything in the past and everything to come in the future. I used to say that things have changed and I’m willing to adapt to those changes, to keep some tidbit of what we once had, to adjust to the changes, to hang on.

But I can’t do it anymore, too much had happened. There’s been far too much radio silence and the pretense that you still care about me, that you still care about our past together. I guess this is the kiss off and after all the years, all the laughs and happy memories, after all the tears and all the troubled times this is what it comes down to.

It’s all the things I’m too afraid to say to you, not because you don’t deserve to hear it but because I’m afraid I’ll forgive you. I’ll forgive you again as I have done many times before. I’ll look past your shortcomings as my friend and give you, yet another, chance.  I’ll over look the times you made me feel inferior and made me feel small. I’ll welcome you back with open arms. I know this about myself, which is why I’m too afraid to say this to you in person.

And I don’t hate you; I’m not mad or angry. I’m merely indifferent towards you at this point. I’m angrier with myself if I’m to be honest for letting your behavior slide for so long, for just sweeping it under the rug under the pretense of not letting the little things get to me. Unfortunately it’s the little things that have finally built themselves up into one giant thing.

My relationships are like a roster, constantly fluctuating and changing from year to year, day to day and week to week. There’s now an open spot on my roster but filling it, that’s not the problem. Because if there’s anything I’ve learned in the past few months that for every person that makes me feel inferior there’s another person out there to make me feel great.

The friends that I have made in the last handful of years their friendship means more to me than the decade we had together. I’ve got people in my life that will text me just to check in, people that want to hang out just because and value me and what I have to offer them. I don’t feel second best to them and I trust them, I know I can trust them.

This is my catharsis. This is my release. This is my indifference. This is my goodbye.

Orphan Black

Source: Orphan Black

Dear Orphan Black,

This is after I've had a full night to sleep on episode 6 of season 3 and I'm still in shock! I went from laughing my butt off with Team Hendrix to completely re-evaluating my ability to judge character!

And here I thought I would have to be worried that Pupok would be the biggest assault to my emotions last night! Although Helena is a survivor and we all know that, she does whatever she needs to keep going and keep moving. I was incredibly upset with her for leaving Sarah behind in that hellhole! 

Not that I was all for Helena being in that hell hole, but I understood why Mrs. S made the choice that she did in giving over Helena. Unlike the rest of the clones Helena had a rough childhood, rough background and she knows how to survive under any circumstances. Even under torture and experimentation she doesn't go cry in the corner and cower in fear. Helena is calculating; she was planning an escape from the get go and we know she would have escaped with or without anyone else's help. Sarah's arrival in the cell next to hers just expedited the escape process.

But Sarah, Sarah may be a grifter and a con artist, but she's not built from the same tough stuff as Helena is. Twins or not Sarah's life was a dream in comparison to Helena's! 

And Sarah did say it best, Helena is institutionalized, she will always and forever have trust issues so it's not really a surprise that she left Sarah behind. I just wish she had as much faith in her Sestra that she wants to because if she did she never would've left Sarah behind.

But all that being said and all us Clone Clubbers know what Helena has done in the past I always trusted her character! She's one of the clones. She's one of the Sestras! She came back for Sarah and they'll survive, they'll make it.

Now let's talk Paul! I was ALWAYS on the fence as to whether or not I should trust Paul Dierdan! Always leaning more towards my distrust of him! He did too many shady things in regards to the clones for me to put my full faith in him; I mean he's no Felix Dawkins. But turns out he was one of the good guys and he only had to DIE for me to finally learn that!

I mean really just as he redeems himself in my eyes he dies! Granted he died, presumably, protecting the clones from Castor and Virginia Coady but he's still dead! That's one less protector the clones have from Castor, DYAD, Top Side or whoever else is out there "hunting" them. 

They've got Helena back on their side but really they can use all the help they can get. This is war and war has casualties. No one ever said this was going to be easy kiddo. 

Good luck Clone Club, the rest of the season is going to be quite a ride I'm sure!

xoxo

Clone Clubber Katie

Class of 2015!

CONGRATULATIONS THOMAS!!

Yesterday my brother Tom graduated from Mount Saint Mary College!!

We are so unbelievably proud of him!  

Dear Mom ...

Dear Mom,

 

You never really know strength until you see it in someone you love.

I could say that I’ve seen your strength in these last few months, but I’d be lying. I’ve known your strength, your stability, and your tenacity since the day I was born.

I’ve seen life throw you curveballs; but instead of letting them strike you out you hit them out of the park.

My life would not be the same without you in it. Everyday, especially now, I am truly thankful to have you in my life.

Thank you for being my ever present cheerleader, a shoulder to cry on, my Say Yes to the Dress Sunday morning buddy, and so, so much more. Even though I may not say it often enough you, dear mumsie, are one person I know I can always count on.

I know you like to say I taught you how to be a mother. Basically that you worked out all the kinks with me, well here we are 25 years later and I think you and I are still learning together. It’s so much fun to think that we’re on this ride together. I’m learning how to be an adult and you’re learning how to be a mother to a grown woman.

Once again thank you for all that you’ve done and everything that is to come in the future!

You’re an amazing woman! I love you so, so much!

xoxo

Katie