Good News & Bad News.

Good news first:

1) I got a MacBook Pro! It was supposed to be a Christmas present from momma, but after mentioning I could use this brilliant piece of technology for my novel writing, she let me have it early! I love my momma :) Ash got one too. With all of our new technology ownerships, I think the Smartt sisters are moving up in the world. ;)

2) Now that I have a MacBook, I have Skype! (In a previous post, I mentioned how much I wanted to be able to Skype people... and now I can!) Can't wait to try it out soon!

3) The beach trip is less than two weeks away! I can't wait to go - it's going to be a blast! If each of our work schedules permits, Emily, Ashley, and I are going to leave Thursday night from here and head to North Augusta for the night since we have to pass through there to go to NC anyways. Friday morning is when we'll head up to Carolina Beach for our fun filled weekend. :D

4) NaNoWriMo starts in about 4.75 hours... 50,000 words?! I must be crazy..

5) Mine and Emily's costumes last night were very successful. Emily was Miss America and I was 1st Runner Up. I fixed my makeup so that it looked like I was crying, I had a very small version of Emily's crown, and my sash said "1st Runner Up (LOSER)" on it. Haha! We had fun. :)

6) My brother finally got a car! He's been without one for a while after an accident that totaled that piece of crap; he now owns a 2005 Mazada 3. I'm so happy he finally has one.. he deserves it.

Bad news:

1) I was going through the steps of putting Microsoft Office on my MacBook when the site told me my PIN number wasn't activated. I was told to take it back to Best Buy so they could activate it for me, so I did just that. When I got there, they told me that there wasn't anything they could do about it. The lady told me I had to call the 800 number for Best Buy and I'd probably have to send it back so they could send me a new one. So I left there and called the number and talked to some person that told me they couldn't help me.. the guy on the line told me I had to go to the store I got it from and get them to activate my PIN number... really, people? This is ridiculous. So I went on the Microsoft website and got a number to call because I thought maybe they could help me or activate the thing for me. This lady was actually helpful in the informational way.. she told me about the shipment Best Buy had that went wrong.. there were some technical difficulties. She also told me I would get an email about it, a new product in the mail, and a $10 gift card for Best Buy. I'm glad they are going to fix the problem and all, but I still don't have the software on my computer. I was counting on it so that I could write my novel on here. I mean, I guess I still can write it on here (get a notepad widget or something) but I was super excited to have it all laid out and ready to go. It's okay though, at least I have a Mac. :)

2) Paige isn't going on the beach trip anymore. :( She has been planning to go to a certain football game with one of her friends for a while and she thought it was the weekend before our trip, but she just found out its the same weekend. Bummer :/  We'll miss her!

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November is almost here! Pray for my sanity. :)

"It's Edward Cullen!"

This weekend was great! The Twilight party went well. Cody dressed up as Edward and Jacob (Boyd) as Jacob (Black). Cody let us put white costume makeup and glitter on his face... so funny! While the girls were having their ravioli dinner (and drooling over Cody), he asked each of them if they wanted to dance to the music that was playing; which happened to be Bella's Lullaby. Most of the girls were too embarrassed and shy, but one little girl agreed. She later told one of her friends there that she only did it because she knew she would regret it later if she didn't. Haha, how adorable.

For the scavenger hunt, we had to walk around downtown, exposing Cody and his vamped up face. He also had on jeans and a v-neck shirt which made him look more like Edward. And people noticed. They yelled out things like "Hey look! It's Edward!" in mocking tones. Needless to say, Cody was embarrassed. We had a great time with it at his expense. Sorry, brudder! :)

He and my mom left to go home last night. :/  But, Brandy will be here until tomorrow afternoon, so we'll make tonight alot of fun. We're going to make snowman poop! YUM. xD

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I started the planning process of my novel. I discussed the ideas I had with Brandy last night and she helped me decide on a story. So today, I have started writing down the plot and a rough outline. I am fairly certain of the beginning (the prologue). I am still working out the dynamics of the relationship between the two main characters. All I will say about the story line right now is that it will be tragic. I do love a good, tragic story. I blame Mr. Sparks for that one.

I am taking suggestions on names for characters!

Give as many suggestions as you want...

last names as well.

:)

Accountabil-a-buddy.

So, you know how I said we were going to work on the scavenger hunt Tuesday night? Well, what do ya know... we procrastinated two more days and didn't get it done until Thursday night (with Jacob's help!). We will go far in life. :P

Brandy (my seester!) arrived last night from WV. She will be visiting us until Tuesday or Wednesday! It's so good to have her home. I wish Mat (brotha-in-law!) could have come with her, but he is taking some of his youth to visit Mid-America University this weekend. Cody (my brotha!) is also coming in with my mother to visit. This will be a fantastic weekend. :)

I will officially start planning my WriMo novel on Sunday, which gives me a week until I start. Guys, I am so nervous! I have butterflies. What if I can't do it?! *hangs head low*... I'll be a failure. I've built up everyone around me with my determination to win these 30 nights of literary abandon... I don't want to let them all down.

Oh my goodness, I sound so negative. I will need encouragement. And caffeine. Maybe if everyone holds me accountable for my word count each day, I will be able to drag my feet to the finish line. I will keep you all updated on here as often as I can. If I am not progressively raising my word count like I should be (at least 1,667 words per day!) I give you permission to punish/chastise me the way you see fit.

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I have decided to leave you with the scavenger hunt clues if you guys would like to read them. It is Twilight themed, and therefore I must warn you, a little cheesy. xD Feel free to leave a comment if you would like to guess the places in Chattanooga we will be heading to.

The party starts at a house where we will be having cheese (instead of mushroom) ravioli at "La Bella Italia" (the place of Edward and Bella's first date). There will be a Team Edward and Team Jacob, and I think they will be looking for Bella...

La Bella Italia was a beautiful site.
While it was their beginning, it's not the end of your night.
Let's head downtown and find who is waiting for you;
Jacob and Edward will have your next clue.

Let's head to the place where they serve treats on a cone.
Just like Edward's skin, it's as cold as stone.

The weather in Forks is always wet;
The same goes for these "raining steps".

"Hold on tight, Spidermonkey," it will make you say "ouch!";
When you  take a seat on this big, not-so-comfy couch.

The House of Cullen is a site to behold.
It's like a museum, beautiful and old;
What Bella expected were dungeons and moats,
but from this balcony, we can see the river and boats.

At the start of this trail,
give the dog a high five;
Then follow Jacob's paw prints
to the other side.

As Bella decides who will take her heart,
the end of this ride is also its start.

You have the two sides of Edward and Jake,
and each girl has a side that she will take.
Some say they're with Jake, others Edward, I am.
But it will always be the lion and lamb.

From cover to cover to the big screen,
Meet at this platform to make a big scene.

After the hunt is over, each team will act out a scene from the books/movies. They will have 15 minutes to put together then they will perform for whoever is in the park that day.

This scavenger hunt is only a small part of what is going on. My aunt does such a great job at planning amazing birthday parties. :)

Incredible; and other adjectives.

Since I last posted, I became an owner of a Droid Incredible, meaning I now have access to the internet/facebook/youtube wherever I go. For this reason, I haven't been on the computer as much and therefore have not written a thing for my blog. Lame excuse, I know... but I am here now, so I guess that's all that matters. :)

I have to say this is quite an awesome cell phone. The thing I wanted most in a new phone was thread texting. (I didn't really care for the rest of it because of my iPod touch.) I love the organization of the texts... it really excites me. :D I also downloaded an app that lets my texting look like that of an iPhone (you know, the "thought bubbles"); its so cute! And the camera is marvelous. It has flash and everything! I can also make my own ringtones, which I miss so much. I used to make them on my computer (rest in peace, old buddy) before it passed on. So after almost two years, I was finally able to make them again... how glorious!

Besides being completely obsessed with getting to know my new smart phone, I have filled the days in between these posts with other fun events.

I started reading and completed a book the other day called Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. Before I tell you what it was about (because the way it sounds, it might be a turn off...), I want to tell you what I thought of it. I really enjoyed the implied message of the story. It encourages others to be careful of how they treat others because you never know how your actions/words will affect those around you. Even though what you do/say seems harmless, what each one of us does to a single person builds up inside of them and when things get to a point of someone thinking there is no way out or no help that can be sought, that person may decide to permanently stop their suffering through suicide.

Now for the plot: (This is from the official book website.)

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

And, before you think "she is just blaming everyone else on her suicide"... I can tell you she takes full responsibility for her choice. But, you do have to admit, ridicule and rumors are the spark that ultimately ignites her decision. We all need to be careful of our actions and if we sense something is wrong with a person, we need to reach out and explore all options of help.

Okay, now for the non-depressing portion of this broadcast...

Bubba came in town for his fall break; his presence always makes for fun times. He had some friends over Friday night to hang out at his house. We played Rock Band for a while and then he and Douglas played their guitars and sang to their small audience as we sat on his back deck. With the coolness of the air and the stars shining above, it was the perfect little concert. :)

I was also at his house last night to hang out with his dear family that I love so much. I just love how sweet they are. They went to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure this past week for fall break and they brought me back a Gryffindor blanket from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! It is quite fantastic! It's red and yellow and has the Gryffindor crest on it in all of it's majestic glory. Thank you, Johnson family!
We "made science" last night. xD We mixed corn starch and water; it makes this goo that, when has applied force on the surface, it is a solid and when is poured slowly or has no force on it, it is a liquid. It was a fun little experiment. We even mixed food coloring in the three separate bowls of goo... the colors made it even more exciting! My fingers are still stained blue. Haha.

Ash and I are planning the scavenger hunt for my cousin's Twilight birthday party on Saturday and we haven't even begun thinking of the first clue. We have been procrastinating for a little under a month now. Way to go, Cassie and Ashley. We have three days (sigh) to dish out rhyming clues that all have to do with Twilight, Coolidge Park, and finding Bella. I hope it's easier than it sounds. But I suppose it will turn out great no matter what... it's going to be a cute party. We are planning to meet tonight to get started and hopefully finished... cross your fingers!

That is all for now.

I hope you all are having an incredible week! ;)

Noviembre viene.

It's official. I am going to Carolina Beach, NC for a weekend in November! November: the month I am writing my first novel. What could be better than writing on the beach when it's cold out?! Nothing. ;)

And I won't just be writing; I will have the distraction of friends and fun times to be had. This means I will need to get as much writing done as I can before the trip so I don't have to make up for lost time afterward.

Carolina Beach is about 15 miles from Wilmington so we will also be visiting that historic city. Ashley's best friend, Laken, lives in Wilmington, which means Ash will get to see where her best friend now lives. And I can't be sure, but I don't think they've seen each other in about six months. I'm glad we can reunite them. :)

Guys, November is going to be the best month this year; NaNoWriMo starts, I have a four day weekend, going to Carolina Beach, Harry Potter comes out, the time changes so it will get dark quicker... and not to mention, it's finally getting colder out. I have been looking forward to November since February, and it will be here in a few short weeks.

You know, writing an entire novel in one month is going to take up almost all of my free time anyway, but there are these few specific events I just have to be a part of. So, other than what is already planned, I will not be taking part in anything but writing (and church!), so don't be offended if I opt out on hanging out with any of you. It's not personal. :)

If, however, you are in school and will have homework, I am all for having a "study date" with you! It may keep me motivated and you might also inspire a character or plot point.

Until then, it's still October and I still don't have a costume for Halloween. Any suggestions?

Twitch.

My cousin, Gracie, had her fifth birthday party on Sunday. It was Halloween themed so all of the kids were dressed up in adorable costumes. I was there for a while just hanging out with my sister and the rest of the family when my uncle handed me the camera and asked if I would take pictures when Gracie opened her presents. I, of course, said yes.

I had plenty of time to kill until it was time for her to open presents, so I walked around and took pictures of everything and everyone. To be honest, I was a little trigger happy. I had forgotten how much I loved taking pictures of people, especially my cousins. I really miss it, so my aunt and I decided that when the leaves start to change, we are going to get all of my cousins dressed up and take them out on a beautiful day so that I can take fall pictures. I am rather excited for it. :)


Speaking of fall, it's finally the time of year that my roommate and I set out a bowl of peppermints in the living room. Now, this may not seem like a big deal, but to me, it is. This is when the weather gets colder and we spend late nights in our house with friends. (Although, I'm not quite sure if it will happen as often as past years, what with having friends off at school, friends finally having big girl jobs, and so on..) I guess we'll see.


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Right now, it is 7:43pm. My left eye started twitching at about 5:50pm. It has been twitching nonstop for almost two hours and it is driving me insane! UGH.

Surprise Field Trip.

Earlier in the week, my friend Emily texted me asking if I had to work on Friday. After telling her I did not, she told me to keep that morning open and that I would receive further instructions later in the week. A few days later, she texted me again to say that I needed to be ready and waiting on my front porch at 8:15 am on Friday. I agreed but was very curious. She would not divulge anymore information. I complied.


So, Friday morning finally rolls around and I get up and get ready. She comes to my house to pick me up and still would not tell me where we were going or what we were doing. Emily did, however, allow me to ask yes/no questions about our activity. I kind of had a hunch...


Me: "Does it have to do with school?"
Emily: "Yes."


Me: "Are we touring a school?"
Emily: "Yes."


Me: "Is it in Dalton?"
Emily: "No."


Me: "Is it in Chattanooga?"
Emily: "No."


Me: "Hixson or Cleveland?"
Emily: "No."


I was so confused. I proceeded to tell her there weren't any other schools around here that I knew of. I even had to guess Fort Oglethorpe and Ringgold knowing there was no college in either location. She was having too much fun with this.


Finally, she told me we were going to Covenant College on Lookout Mountain. Emily called and made an appointment for me to have a tour of the campus and conversations with a few of the staff members. I was really excited because I have heard how beautiful it is up there, and it was even better than what I expected. The mountain is already one of my favorite places to be but after being on this campus, I really saw what an amazing view into the valley looked like. There is nothing like being on a mountain.


Anyway, my tour started out with me being able to talk to one of the English professors (since Emily told them I was interested in majoring in English). I really enjoyed that conversation. He told me about a few of the classes offered and gave me a rough outline of the courses required for an English major. He also was just very encouraging about doing something you love even if you don't think your degree will be put to use right away. Which, that makes it sound bad, but he worded things better. 


I then talked to someone from financial aid, the records office, and someone from admissions. They were all extremely helpful in things I didn't really have a clue about. And everyone was so nice. This being a Christian college, you kind of expect them to be nice people, but they were also just so genuine and interested in what I had to say. 


After talking with people, Emily and I got to attend chapel. This weekend is Homecoming weekend for the school, so we were told it was going to be a little different than usual, but I loved it. The students attend chapel every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. They worship in song and have someone speak from the staff or a guest speaker. The guy that spoke today was so funny! And his message was so good. The students are very fortunate to have that.


After chapel, we were given a tour by a very lovely girl named Lydia. She didn't really show us much, but we went in the library and Liberal Arts department. We talked about so much with her though, so I didn't really care to see everything. She had lunch with us in the Great Hall (the "Great Hall"... like Harry Potter! :D). We talked about school, relationships, jobs, and she told us her and her fiancé's story. It. Was. Adorable.


I learned that the building that has the Great Hall and dorm rooms was once a hotel. It was shut down durning the Great Depression and is now part of a college. How cool is that?!


Every person that we talked to was so excited that Emily made this a surprise visit. Apparently word got around before we even got to the campus and they were overjoyed to meet us. They kept telling me what a great friend I have... and I can't help but agree 100%. :)


All in all, it was a very good morning. This doesn't mean I am going to Covenant, but just being able to talk to people about going back to school was a big help to me. And seeing what an incredible community Covenant is makes me want to be in school so I can experience college like it is supposed to be. (I had a bad experience at UTC...)


So, for now I am looking into schools and seeing what all is out there. :)

F I F T Y T H R E E

53 facts, people! It's getting harder to think of this many facts about myself.


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1. Bellatrix Lestrange is my favorite Death Eater.

2. I loathe confrontation of any kind.

3. A friend of mine showed me silly bands before they were a fad. Yay, friend!

4. I get nervous when I have to go somewhere I've never been before (i.e. a doctor's office, car place, store, anywhere...) especially when I'm by myself.

5. Team Edward.

6. Playing Sudoku on my iPod is really increasing my chance of getting Carpal Tunnel.

7. I own leopard print ugg-type boots.

8. I wear my Nana's necklace almost everyday.

9. I know one of the UofTennessee cheerleaders; his name is TJ.

10. I lived at UTC for a year; my roommates would have people over and get drunk. They once banged on my door like idiots as I was falling asleep. Needless to say, I locked my door everynight after that.

11. I won a Halloween costume contest when I was younger. I was a bubble bath.

12. I love to play host when I have people over.

13. I helped a little girl in a wheelchair win a race in the Special Olympics.

14. I like to randomly talk in a British accent.

15. I am not a girly girl.

16. My intense laugh is ridiculous.

17. I have the greatest best friends ever.

18. I love bonfires in the fall/winter.

19. I've never been out of the country but I have so many places I want to go.

20. I am still best friends with my very first best friend (of 18 or 19 years?).

21. I was one of the Cheerleading captains in middle school.

22. My migranes radiate from behind my left eye.

23. I can count to at least 102; maybe more.

24. Some friends and I hiked ten miles on Lookout Mountain.

25. I miss my childhood.

26. My favorite flowers are the daisy and the calla lily.

27. The farthest north I've been is New York, NY. The farthest west I've been is Nashville, TN. (Well, technically Memphis, TN but I never left the airport.)

28. I was baptized as a child at Christian Heritage Church.

29. I helped Matt Tudor start a blog. (Click here to view it.)

30. I can do the Soulja Boy dance.

31. I am still searching for Narnia.

32. Disturbing dreams are not rare for me as I sleep.

33. I like night/darkness.

34. Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie; and I finally own it on DVD.

35. When I get really stressed, I cover up one eye... it seems to help calm me down.

36. I make bracelets; and I am thinking about selling them.

37. Ryan Cabrera told me I was beautiful. :)

38. <-- I do not like the numbers 3 or 8.

39. My middle name is Brooke.

40. I have two older sisters and one younger brother.

41. I had an online diary when I was in high school; I think it was grade 9.

42. My brother and I got lost in Walmart when we were very young. I distinctly remember being scared that we were lost forever.

43. The wallpaper on my phone right now is the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows movie poster.

44. My shin was "kneed" really hard probably over two months ago and the feeling in that spot has not completely come back yet. It also still has a nasty pain if it has pressure put in the wrong place.

45. I loathe getting up for work in the mornings, but I love the time between waking up and actually making myself get out of bed. Those few moments of just laying in bed resting is pure joy.

46. I have a scar on one of my toes where a bug bit me while walking on the beach in Daytona.

47. Proud YouTube nerd.

48. I've seen the Naked Cowboy in person. He was kind of a pervert.

49. I shut my hand in the trunk door of our van.

50. I played shortstop in softball for most of my life.

51. My hair was strawberry blonde until I was about two or three.

52. Ashley and I shared a room for about 18 years.

53. I pray for my future husband every night (even though I don't know who he is right now).

Response to: A Leap of Faith.

Mat, my brother-in-law, is a youth pastor and an amazing Christian. He will reply to my blog posts every now and then and critique my stories or give me his thoughts. He is such an encouragement to me and I just really wanted to share his response to my blog post entitled A Leap of Faith. 

Thank you again, Mat, for always encouraging me and telling me what I need to hear most. I am so blessed to have you as a brother. I love you!

-----------------------------------------

Cassie, (In reply to "Leap of Faith")
What an Amazing realizaion you have come to! I say this with encouragement. It sounds like yes, Fear is a definate deterant in your life but more than that ... its what you aluded to many times "it's a trust issue" (stepping out in faith). By not making choices we do not allow God to lay out His will. Therefore, we never discover it. It also sounds as if you may not fully understand who you are in Christ.
I have lots to say (go figure) and could not post it on your blog because it was more characters than is allowed. Forgive me if I am redundant but I am just typing out loud so bare with me. Here we go:
Christians sometimes find it difficult to determine God's will for their lives in certain situations. Times when you don't find a clear direction can be very confusing and frustrating. God gave Moses the burning bush, he showed his will to Gideon with the fleece, and he spoke to Saul with thunder and lightening. When he does this for us, it's easy to understand God's guidance. But he seldom does it this way. To truly find God's will for our life we often must step out in faith. This can be scary, but we need to realize God is there beside us and he will not allow us to stray as long as we trust in him. Proverbs 3:6 promises us, "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Psalm 37:23 tells us, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord...." And Isaiah 30:21 informs us, "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left." God's word plainly is saying that God will help us find his direction, but how does he do it? 

I believe God reveals his will to us in two or three stages. Initially, we may get a feeling of direction from God from different sources:

1. Prayer. In order for God to speak to us, we need to be in his presence listening for his voice. As we spend time in prayer, we may sense God's leading in our lives. 

2. His word. God speaks to us through his written word as we study and meditate upon his holy scripture. 

3. Circumstances. Many times God will cause doors to open, or others to close. If we are walking in obedience to him, we have to assume that events in our life are ordered by God. They don't just happen by chance. Maybe the reason why a door has opened up to us is that God wants us to go through it! 

4. Our heart. Sometimes the Holy Spirit will minister to our spirit and reveal God's plan for us. We will have an assurance deep in our heart. We will feel God's voice guiding us. 

5. Others. God can use other believers to bring us his direction. Sometimes we will be singing a song in church, or we will be reading a Christian book, or hear the Pastor's message, or one of our friends will say something that will show us God's will. 

God can reveal his direction to us through any of these five ways. But even when he does, it's sometimes difficult to discern that what we sense or feel is truly God's plan for our lives. Jesus said in Matthew 18:16, "...by the word of two or three witnesses every word may be established." Jesus is here quoting Deuteronomy 19:15, "...by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established." I believe this is a good principle to follow in trying to figure out God's plan for you. Initially, you get the direction from one of the five ways mentioned above, but now God will confirm his plan to you in the mouth of two or three witnesses: in other words: one or two more things will confirm God's direction for you. When you see this confirmation, then you will know it's time to step out in faith. There have been times in my life when I simply had to take that first step of faith, and when I did, God confirmed his plan for me as I went. You may sense God asking you to do this, but remember, God understands our human weakness. If we sincerely seek him and are willing to obey his word, he will usually affirm his will for us in other ways. 

He confirms his direction for us the same way he revealed it to us in the first place — through one of these five ways

My name is Cassie. Not Cathy.

It happens far too often at work for me to just laugh about. I suppose the people on the phone don't really listen to begin with, but I clearly say "Cassie"... you know, with a "ssssssss" sound; the person on the other side of the line always feels a need to repeat my name. The wrong name. How annoying.

-----------------------------------

Well, I've got some exciting news about a new, young writer. Her name is Hali, and she is my 10 (very soon to be 11) year old cousin. Apparently, there was a young kid in the news or on a talk show or something that wrote a short story or novella about a group of fictitious people on the Titanic. This child was getting all kinds of attention about it.

My cousin, the diva that she is, decides that she is going to write a book about people on the Titanic too because one way or another, she IS going to be famous. I just love her "it's all about me" attitude. She's so cute! :)

Anyway, she has written about four chapters already so my sister and I got to read what she has so far. Apart from grammatical errors (which is expected; come on, she's only 10!), it is starting out quite beautifully. My aunt told us the gist of the plot and it is going to be amazing. She already had me tearing up and it hasn't even been written yet.

The crazy thing is that the story has tragedies in it that my cousin has never experienced; her imagination is so vast and grown up. I am so impressed by the plot she has created. I really do believe she will make something of herself someday. 

Oh, to be young and determined...

;)

So let's spend the afternoon in a cold hot air balloon.

It's October 2nd, which means there is less than a month until November starts! I have been waiting on November 1st in anticipation since February and I can't believe it's almost here!

I still am not set on a plot yet. I would be happiest if I could come up with an awesome sci-fi/fantasy type novel, but in all honesty, I am not ready for that yet. My first novel may come out to be Nicholas Sparks-esque because that's the way I'm wired. I feel a tragic romance stirring in my head.

Speaking of things stirring in my head, for the past couple of weeks, I haven't been able to fall asleep like normal or stay asleep once my body finally gives in. Because of this, I took Tylenol PM a couple of nights which helped me fall asleep faster, so it helped in that aspect, but it wouldn't keep me asleep. Anyway, every time I took it, I had strange dreams with horrific plots. Seriously, they were awful; I don't even want to repeat them. I'm starting to think drug-induced sleep is not the way to go.

In lighter news...

On the way to work this morning, I saw two hot air balloons in the sky. I now know what I want for my birthday. :)

Where words fail, music speaks...

Of course there are the usual artists that will forever have their place on the top of my list such as Mayday Parade, Nevertheless, Cartel, the Cab, Rascal Flatts, and Michael Buble; But here are some new (and not-so-new) additions to my constant playlist:

Emarosa- The Past Should Stay Dead; that is the only song of theirs that I have on my iPod at the moment but I will be putting more soon.

Cady Groves- One in the Same; I'm Still Here; Life of a Pirate; Real With Me; Refrain; You'd Say; Last Straw

All Caps- Mirror Song (ft. Alan Lastufka); Hey Kristina; Summer of '09; Happy; You Kissed Me at the Dundies; Lumos Flies; Your Song

Sam Tsui- Don't Want an Ending; If I Die Young; Love the Way You Lie Mashup

Lady Antebellum- Need You Now; I Run to You

Coffey Anderson- Umbrella (Christ remix); Can I; You Gave Me You

Yiruma- Kiss the Rain; River Flows in You; Fotografia

Katy Perry- Not Like the Movies; Thinking of You; Teenage Dream

Hot Chelle Rae- Bleed

Framing Hanley- Slow Dance; Hear Me Now

Hey Monday- 6 Months

Paramore- Only Exception; All I Wanted; When It Rains

Give me more to add to my list!

What are some of your favorite songs right now?