Adia [on Facebook]: “Remember the time you wore pants? I don’t.”

Me [on Facebook]: “Remember the time you were sober? I don’t.”

Adia [at lunch]: “Between the two of us, we have one pair of pants and one liver.”

Reader Poll: Despite the pseudonyms, do you guys know who the boys and girls of this blog are? Just wondering about the visibility of recurring characters like Adia, Terra, and JB.

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No better way to spend Friday night than consuming large amounts of your least favorite alcohol. Call it an acquired taste, I just never got into tequila — though it still trumps whiskey (which I’ve never attempted again after an unfortunate post-graduation incident).But I digress. Let’s start from the top. Met up around nine with my favorite gal pal who was then denied entrance to Casino Night, a Mather-only event, so we naturally decided to drink alone. After taking Aidan’s martini back to my newly cleaned room for a “power half-hour”, we decided it was time for Crashing Events We Don’t Belong At: Take 2.

Success! Casino Night for the two of us included a “How many chips can you fit in your bra?” game with Matt as well as girl-on-girl action via an arm-wrestling challenge (we were manipulated by sick, sick men). Adia urged me to eat before I drank so I ate a handful of grapes in hopes that they would ferment during digestion. Between my outfit (nonexistent) and her liver (also nonexistent), we pretty much knew this night could only end in nasty hangovers and regrettable hookups. Possibly with each other.

So maybe not. But thanks to Mather golf (different drinks at every hole, i.e. dorm room), we did manage to get nice and drunk and make new BFFs — with boys too, because guys are totally the best drinking buddies. I’ve determined since last night that group drinking is an uber form of co-dependency. Sometime between my third and fourth tequila shot, Aidan stopped pouring drinks, looked me in the eye, and asked, “Lena, are you at your limit?” — a legitimate question considering the last time I golfed. I glanced at everyone else present, including the petite, susceptible-to-suggestion Adia. A dismissive, sober “no” later, and I was on shot number six. I knew I was going somewhere good even if my liver disagreed. Impromptu dance party ensued, Adia disappeared (as she often does), I flirted shamelessly with ‘09 boys (never happens when sober), and Nate made a surprise appearance an hour too late to regulate my ass.

Somehow, I ended in my bedroom, said a somewhat drunk hello to Sue, and heated up rice because it was the closest food in proximity. Adia came over to pick up her shit, I chatted with Matt for a few moments, and my night ended quite uneventfully save for a drunk dial from Summer Guy at 5 a.m. (Um, time difference, much?) Today I woke up with nary a regret. Well, maybe a couple, considering the secrets I spilled in my drunken state. But I’m hoping my conversation partners were too inebriated themselves to remember.

In conclusion, Friday night is what every night should be like for the next month: Adia, alcohol, and abstinence.

Reunited tonight with my favorite gal, Adia (not pictured — she doesn’t like cameras). Hurricanes, midnight snacks, and hot alums! Yay …

New York was both ridiculously great and ridiculously bad … all about the company.

* Thursday night, I checked into the New Yorker and spent the late night wandering Times Square with a Harvard ‘08er who held me steady in my ridiculous stiletto boots. Lessons learned: McDonald’s and porn are an unbeatable combo.

* On Friday, Sam came to the city and we found a cute hotel on 50th. Met up with his friends, had sushi for dinner, and made him order me embarassingly girly drinks. Spent a good portion of the evening observing and making fun of the other people (namely, the reeking-of-desperate men) at the bar in the W Hotel.

* Saturday was spent in Staten Island … which prompted JB to ask, “Why the hell did you decide to go to Jersey?”

* I devoted Sunday to a tour of the Whitney Museum, alongside the lovely Rachel Kramer Bussel. Among the exhibits were a single blinding light and a piano shattered to pieces with accompanying video tape of its destruction. Needless to say, I didn’t “get” it.

* Sunday night, I ended up in Philadelphia, where I stayed until Monday afternoon. Long story.

And now I’m home. For at least three weeks. I think. For the time being, I’ll have to rein in my wanderlust.

In other news, it’s officially Ash Wednesday and I’m giving up sex for Lent. Penance and all, you know? Or maybe I’m just waiting for someone worth it …

Shopping week is finally done — I am registered, sectioned, and ready to go!

* Currently have a love-hate relationship with the weather. Adore the sunniness, could do without the windiness. Snow’s coming in for Valentine’s … definitely need a cuddle buddy. Regardless, I’m so glad I get to pass by this beautiful river view every morning.

* If you haven’t already, support Harvard Computer Society’s Valentine’s Day effort to bring some love to campus! Fill out your Datamatch forms and get a list of your most compatible Harvardian matches.

* I wrote my debut column for CollegeHumor last week, generating 130+ critical comments. This week, check out a commentary on getting ass at any cost on Valentine’s Day. I suggest something absurd like preying on insecure girls for sex; people totally take me seriously. If only this happened in tutorial.

* At Saturday night’s date auction, Terra bought me and I bought (half of) her pal. Adia and I are headed to Broadway sometime this spring on a $110 joint date with a hunky Harvard theater veteran.

* The Harvard Independent did a Valentine’s Day interview with me and I had a fun photo shoot with my favorite man — John Harvard. And by fun, I mean I was told to channel “tortured artist.” Here I am looking … morose.
* Tried yoga for the first time at Karma Yoga Studio with the Asian American Women’s Association. Brought Terra along for figurative support but could have used some literal assistance. I was way off-balance most of the time and I woke up today with new sore spots.

* My final course list this semester includes Sociology 156: Quantitative Methods in Sociology; Sociology 97: Tutorial in Sociological Theory; Sociology 67: Visualizing Social Problems In Documentary Film and Photography; and Foreign Cultures 67: Popular Culture in Modern China.

I’m taking a trip to New York for President’s Day weekend. I’m arriving this Thursday night and staying until Monday afternoon. Absolutely no plans or accommodations at the moment, but I guess we’ll see what I can pull off last-minute.

I spent eight days in Philadelphia after final exams ended in late January. Living in an off-campus apartment by Penn, I was practically a college student — just without class to attend. Did I manage to get into trouble? Not much, but here are my intercession confessions …

Jess’ 42nd St. Home

* Flew US Airways for a neat $168 roundtrip. I now have a new appreciation for Logan and LAX after experiencing Philadelphia International.

* Stayed with Jessica Haralson, the editor in chief of Penn’s erotica magazine. Besides stuffing our faces, we did way too much shopping together. We are pretty much co-dependents. Among my consignment store finds were a Laundry dress, Louis Vuitton purse, and two coats!

* Caught up with my favorite DP editor, Eric Obenzinger, over sushi at Genji and apple martinis somewhere random. No, I have not slept with him yet, though I assume the repeated inquiries mean people are cheering me on.

* Ate entirely too much sushi. Besides dining hall fare and Genji, I had highly affordable Mizu ($6 for 12 pieces is unheard of) and enjoyed the setting at Nara. Food at both was so-so but sitting shoeless on the floor at Nara (with its faux-Japanese decor) was pretty fun.

With JGH at Gay Fridays at Cliff’s

* Attended Gay Fridays at Cliff’s (GFAC), a long-standing Penn tradition and a chance for equal opportunity drunkeness. Though overrun with more friends of Converse (i.e. hipsters) than friends of Dorothy, it was nonetheless one of the better parties I’ve witnessed in recent memory. If only the cute guys weren’t after the other cute guys. Regardless, I met quite the cute girl there — too bad our schedules never aligned.

* Managed to make my relationship with Summer Guy worse. The beauty of time zones is that his California 3 a.m. is my Philadelphia 6 a.m. The beauty of alcohol is that it induces exes to accuse you of having STDs. By the end of my Philly visit, he told me that his trip to Boston was a no-go. Saw it coming.

* Passed up, tried to land, and flirted with the idea of a threesome. Despite three separate opportunities, nothing came to fruition. The mission continues …

* Hit up Naked Chocolate Cafe with Jessica and my high school pal Judy (who now attends University of the Sciences). It was Philly’s answer to LA Burdick. I think I still prefer the latter but the former comes highly recommended — chocolate lovers will go nuts at first sip. I prefer the bittersweet.

Treats at Naked Chocolate Cafe

* Had lunch at White Dog Cafe with Jennifer Glaser, the author of one of my favorite Modern Love columns. While scouring the Times for a good example of Modern Love, I reread her piece, found out Jennifer was a grad student at Penn, and immediately hunted her down. Published on my birthday this year, her essay (”Mortality Can Be A Powerful Aphrodisiac”) is about the sexual relationship between her and her dying boyfriend.

* Dragged Miss Jessica over to Pattaya for Thai cuisine, mostly because I met the owner while picking up takeout dinner and thought he ought to be dessert. Alas, he wasn’t there, but I decided to be bold and left him my number. (Okay, so he did say he had a girlfriend.)

* Despite sleeping until noon, I managed to finish and submit my first piece to The Boston Globe. We’ll see if they like my youthful perspective.

Baby’s First Cheesesteak

* Had a taste of my first Philly Cheesesteak! Jessica’s guy pal took us to his favorite tried-and-true eatery. I got the classic and finished half before calling it quits. My meal was good for the novelty but had way too much meat to become it a regular part of my diet. (Now don’t think dirty, kids.)

* Promised to swear off guys with commitmentphobia, yellow fever, and girlfriends. Failed on all accounts.

* Hung out with a pal who’s visiting Penn for a semester. She’s enrolled in the visiting student program I want to apply to. Caught up while taking a meal in the dining hall — in case you were wondering, the food is unimpressive, just like Harvard.

* Took a stroll through South St. with Jessica by my side. She gave me a tour of all the notable sex shops and I came home with a new toy — a black leather riding crop. Fun!

* Discovered a hidden love for groceries. Thanks to the fabulous proximity, Fresh Grocer became my home away from my home away from home (did that make sense?) I’ve since decided that a major supermarket must relocate to the Square.

* Had a weekend affair with Sam — acronym for Secret Agent Man. Adventures included: nursing mutual hangovers via afternoon coffee, attempting to eat dinner at 4pm (and mostly failing but settling on Indian), hitting on my bartender at Smoke’s, consuming seven spiked Shirley Temples (my new favorite drink), trying to convince him to have sex in public after the alcohol took its toll, passing out with little recollection of my whereabouts, and having way too much sex (the afternoon, evening, the morning after …) He was fun, romantic, and a gentleman. Couldn’t ask for a better or more well-endowed late-night escort.

Thoroughly enjoyed Philadelphia and all it had to offer! Adia has a pal at Penn so we’re thinking of a joint trip sometime this spring. Could be fun to hit the town with her in tow. And now that I’ve graced its streets, Philly’s love has got to be just a little less fraternal, don’t you think?