Cassy In Her Own World

I've only been a cashier at The Home Depot for a year and a half now, but the longer I work for this company, the more uneasy I'm becoming. Every other day, you hear a story about an employee getting fired for trying to stop a shoplifter. While I completely understand The Home Depot's policy for dealing with shoplifters, the real problem with this situation is that the shoplifters are now aware that THD employees cannot  do anything to stop them from walking out of the store with whatever they want. The news coverage concerning disgruntled employees who were fired for going into the parking lot to write down a blatant  shoplifter's license number, or defending other employees who were physically hurt by a shoplifter when they were simply asking to see a receipt -- something that THD tells us in training to do to stop potential thefts -- has opened the discussion among non-THD employees to the loopholes in our stores' security systems. I work in a high-crime Home...

If you know me, or if you've read my blog, you'll know that I am a passionate person. And when I write things on this blog, I tend to overshare, and the length of the average post can be a bit overwhelming. So, obviously, I can write well. I am a talented writer. I don't feel bad saying this. I have been told time and time again that my writing is above average. I've written compelling application essays for friends that get them accepted into colleges. I've written term papers that my teachers have congratulated me on in front of the entire class. I've had college assignments entered into competitions. I've had professors ask me to use my writing as an example for future students. I've had a job on a campus newspaper. I was selected for a coveted writing internship on a well-known news-based website. I am a talented writer. But I hate it.  Well, I hate writing with a deadline. I hate being forced  to write something. I hate being a...

I broke down in a Redner's parking lot a few days ago. I just sat in the car, engine off, silent, staring at the steering wheel for a full five minutes before the first tear slipped down my face. The entire time, though, all I could think was, "I'm so stupid. I should not be crying right now." But I was. Because I was hurt. Because I was sad. Because for the umpteenth time in my life, a connection I had hoped and wished for was not made, and my expectations were bitterly not met. And it really, really stung. But the thing is, I had absolutely no reason to have any expectations at all. Not really, anyway. I went by a co-worker's place to pick up an Ace bandage that I had lent him because my wrist had started hurting. I was totally content to pick it up at work whenever, but he'd insisted I should come pick it up that day because he "felt bad" and wanted me to have it back. So I went. On the way there, I played up the encounter in my mind. Maybe I...

Book: Three Dreams of Anne Frank Author: Rod M. Starcke Amazon:  Three Dreams of Anne Frank, $6.71 Three Dreams of Anne Frank is a short, confusing book. Anne is led through her dreams by Hans Christian Andersen, and each dream is more terrifying than the next for the young girl. In a way, Anne isn't trapped in the hideaway anymore, but her dream world doesn't transport her into a wonderful world as she hopes.

Book: In Her Closet Author: Tasha L. Harrison Amazon:  In Her Closet -- $3.99 Yves Santiago is a sex goddess. She spends every night on the town, mixing it up with Philadelphia's elite society for her newspaper column, and the rest of her nights are spent between the sheets for a sex chronicle blog online. Her life is simple and fun, despite her three jobs, outspoken family members, and the ex-boyfriend who is still hung up on her. When she gets contacted by Elijah Weinstein about a book deal based on her blog, however, Yves' world is turned upside down and she must figure out what she really wants; in life and in love. In Her Closet is a twisted romance novel. It has exciting surprises and a gripping storyline, but what made me like it the most is that the main character, Yves, is a strong, grounded, and compelling young woman who must face her dark past in order to have a bright future. If readers liked Fifty Shades of Grey, they will definitely appreciate In Her Close...

Title: Maid for the Rockstar Author: Demelza Carlton Amazon:  Maid for the Rock Star -- $13.99 Jay is a rockstar whose band is on the verge of becoming extinct. When Jay buys a hotel room for a month to recuperate and think about what his next step will be, the first thing on his mind is sex with as many different girls as possible. That is, until he meets Audra, a broke meteorology graduate just trying to get a permanent position as a maid at the hotel to make ends meet until she (hopefully) gets a job in her chosen field. The two share a battle of sexual tension and wits as they finagle slutty coworkers, hellish cops, and the broken pieces of their pasts. In the end, what they both need is someone who understands, and they may have found each other at the perfect time. Demelza Carlton spins a fantastically sexy scene in her book "Maid for the Rock Star." Her character Audra is 100% relatable as a broke single woman trying desperately to make a life for herself away fr...

I think the thing that I love the most about movies and TV shows isn't the acting, the script, or the themes, but the music that sets the tone. I can tell when something sinister is approaching. I know the exact moment two people fall in love. I feel the music in my bones. It seeps into me, fills me, and directs my feelings towards certain reactions. Because music is powerful. Music is inspirational. Music is a deeper understanding of the world than words or pictures. A beautiful landscape will stay in your mind, but a melody stays in your heart. Like your sense of smell, familiar but long-forgotten melodies can stir up memories that you may not even remember making. I don't think the crew members who provide the scores for movies are given enough appreciation. They are, after all, responsible for the emotions you feel when watching a movie. When you cry, it is because the music reminded you of something sad. When you laugh, it is because the music is light and ...

Reminiscing. It seems to be what I keep reverting to whenever I get on the computer these days. Something draws me to what happened in my past, and I don't feel right until I've investigated thoroughly. I wonder if I want to know that I'm moving forward, or if I want evidence that life does actually get better like everyone always tells you. Well, the verdict is still out on that decision, but in my travels to the past, I have managed to find a gem: A 30 Day Writing Challenge from 2011, whose last entry was a letter to my future self (aka myself right now in the present) detailing my life as it was in the exact moment I sat down to write the letter. Dear Chloe,   I'm not really sure what they want me to write about in this one. But I've had that feeling before, remember? Your last few entries have been short ones, but there really wasn't much more to say, I guess, because what you wrote really did say it all. And hey, sometimes less really is more. I f...

Jumping on the literary bandwagon has never been my thing. Generally, I find books because people gift or recommend them to me. This is how I got into Harry Potter (admittedly, though, that was before the first movie ever came out, so I was in it for the long haul with that wonderful, magical, heart-breaking, life-investing series/story/lifestyle), Chronicles of Narnia -- though I'll be upfront and say that I loved the story of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe long before I ever read that book or any of its brothers. It's how I started reading the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, The Mortal Instruments series, and, naturally, Twilight (but this is one series I simply refuse to finish because the writing and premise had just become far too absurd to read on). Now, I hear about the Fifty Shades trilogy once all the books had been published. Everyone was buzzing with how amazing this erotic series was, how much they loved it, how taboo and brilliant it was. And I i...

At some point over the next 10 years, I'm going to need someone to tell me to watch Liar, Liar. Why? Because I'm trying to get a career in the film industry, and the one thing that really  made me want to do it is the feeling I get whenever I watch a movie that makes me feel something other than mild entertainment. A movie that I look away from the computer for, or that I stop doing homework to watch. When an emotional swell of music erupts from my speakers, or when an actor manages to convince me -- to really make me believe  -- that they are  their character, that what's happening in the movie's plot is actually happening to them . Now, you may laugh and say, "But Cassy, that's not what movies are about! They're about entertainment and telling stories!" Well, yes and no. I understand, you haven't asked a question. But I'm answering one anyway, because I think the question lies in the statement you just made, because you obviously don'...

I can't remember when exactly these thoughts started... they seem to stretch back forever in my mind at this point. It's not like I haven't ever thought about being in a relationship. I've done more than that, definitely. And when I picture myself in one, I'm happy. But then, in real life, when the moment comes closer and I'm on the verge of possibly becoming the me I am in my fantasies, I pull away, petrified. I've tried thinking of a psychological reason that I apparently want something so badly I tell myself I can't have it, but all I can think is, "You're not a psychologist, but you might want to think about seeing one, because you're freaking me out."  This isn't just a phase, either. Since puberty I've gone through this cycle. In 5th grade, a boy told me he liked me, and for a little while, we dated -- or we came as close to dating as two 9-year-olds could even think of back in the days when it was perfectly acceptable a...

So, you know how, once upon a time, people used to actually sit down and read books? And how they often made up imaginary people in their heads based on detailed character descriptions and how they could picture far-off magical landscapes because authors knew how to spin words? And then one day, someone decided, "Hey! I want to make this book come to life  for all the fans of this book!" And he sat down with the author and hammered out a screenplay and sent it to a director who decided he could do that and he gathered a team of awesome movie makers and they got the actors and the sets and the music and the makeup and all those other little goodies that go into filmmaking and they made a movie based off a book. And at first, all was well. People who read the book saw the movie. They loved it. They recommended it to people who hadn't read the book yet because "It's pretty much the same thing." And the people who hadn't read the book saw the movie and t...

...or just rant about how we can't seem to no matter what we do. Ladies and gents, it's time for a round of CHLOE WANTS TO RANT. So, I love flying in planes. I love the feeling of rolling around the tarmac in a big huge hunk of metal and fluid and taking off into the air (which, by the way, baffles me to no end. Who the hell decided that people belonged in the air? I mean, do you really believe the Icarus theory...? But that's a horse of a different color.) and I particularly love looking out the window and seeing the clouds from above and watch the scenery underneath me as I make my way to whatever destination I so desire. But, as my first flight today (no, I'm not a flight attendant or anything, I'm just on vacation) was descending and I spent the entire time looking out the window at the lush green ground surrounding the airport. And it made me think about how the entire country was like that once. Green, flourishing, alive... What happened, America? We w...

Why is it so easy for some people to just know what they want out of life? Here I sit, a 21-year-old high school graduate working as a line runner at a Hilton in Florida, and the only explanation I have for my choice is that 1. I kinda like the idea of owning a hotel one day, and 2. it was the first and only place I applied to because they hired me pretty much on the spot. Don't get me wrong, for the longest time I wanted to work in the hotel business, but...I can't help but feel that every time I go into work I feel like it should be my last day doing this job. I love the people there, and I love the idea of what I'm doing (making people happy, because who isn't happy when their stomach is full? Stupid people, that's who.), but I'm at home watching the behind the scenes to a wonderful movie with this insane cast and I can't help but wish I were a part of this. I wish I could make something that makes people just stare at the screen in awe. Something that ...

So, I haven't written for a while. There's a good reason for that, but I won't get into it in this post, because inspiration hath struck and I'm determined to get this out. I'm not sure if I've already addressed this on my blog or not (Lord knows I've "mentioned" it other places, namely in school and at work and with friends and family and other such places), so if I have and you get bored, feel free to stop reading at any time. And if I haven't, the same goes for you, only I suppose if you've been anxiously awaiting my next post, well, then it's probably not a good idea to stop reading or else all your fretful waiting has been in vain. On the other hand, you might not like what I'm writing, in which case...well. You get it. I thought about writing an essay about this (because, yeah, I write essays for kicks...I'm kind of a nerd), but I didn't really feel like making it all official-like, because I'm lazy and structuri...

So, in all the now-classic romantic movies, there is a certain set up. Girl meets boy/Boy meets girl Girl/Boy develops feelings for boy/girl Toss in a romantic rival, an old friendship that gets ruined, misunderstandings, spells gone awry, etc. etc. COMPLICATIONS Girl/Boy does something to win boy/girl back/their affection, etc. Girl/Boy and boy/girl live H.E.A. The End. I trust you've seen a movie or two once in your life, no? And I trust you've asked yourself once or twice how come it's sooooo easy for people in movies to get together. And how come people in movies always look so g-d GOOD all the time (that one really bugs me, personally). And where do people get IDEAS for all these romantic mishaps, anyway? And where do they get the rules that apparently every screenwriter there ever was seems to know? And why, WHY WHY WHY does no one in REAL LIFE seem to know them? The fact behind the fiction: These screenwriters have lived through their own relationships and...