Caboom-Sass is taking a breather!

Caboom-Sass is taking a breather while I focus on my new project-- NotYourAverageNanny.com. Please stay tuned on Facebook though for regular updates of motivation via words, and if you feel inclined to request a collage, feel free to! Just email me, and I will still tend to your request immediately.

For The Love Of Words,

Brittney :)

Hope For The Homeless: Day 1 - Trial, Error, & Preparation

Today didn't exactly go as I'd planned it in my head. However, I did get the preparation completed, as well as the process planned out for when I interview participants for this project. Tomorrow I will try again, this time in the morning. Tonight I tried after the sun had gone down.... and I admit, it was extra creepy.

I did ask one woman if she was interested in being interviewed. I briefly explained the project, and she responded through the few teeth she had, "No, you see, I work for a corporation."

This threw me for a loop as I stared to her right at the pile of garbage bags that held her belongings, and the plastic cup she'd been shaking with change inside it. Her clothes were clearly dirty, as well as her body, and I don't think she works for a corporation at all.

I called my mom, because that's what I do when I don't know what else to do, and she said to try again in the morning when at least it is light out and less scary. She also pointed out that while the woman most likely does not work for a corporation, she very well could believe she does in her head. This reminds me that many of the homeless people we see are far off into their own imaginations, living based on daydreams that they convince themselves to be their realities. Many are sick, mentally and psychologically, and I will have to seek those who are capable of communicating for this to be a success.

Tomorrow is a new day. Tonight I will work on the signs, and I already have my first collaged money jar ready for the first featured participant. I understand it might not be as easy as I had imagined. It will take a lot of guts for people to admit to being homeless... as I'm sure it's not something they are proud of by any means.

Here's to hoping that tomorrow is a much better attempt. But for what it is worth, today has been great in the way that preparation is now complete, and I am equipped with all of the supplies I will need.

For The Love Of Words,

X0.Brittney

Hope For The Homeless

Tonight I was walking home from having dinner at 800 Degrees with my new friend Morgan, a fellow writer, when I passed a homeless woman and asked if she would like my leftover pizza.

There was half of the truffle cheese goodness—three good-sized pieces— remaining, and while I was totally looking forward to cold pizza for lunch tomorrow [that’s the best!], I could not walk by this woman without offering it to her.

She needed it more than I would. Actually, in all honesty, I am fortunate to not NEED it at all. We live in a society where we're taught to think we need so much more than we actually do.

With the holidays around the corner, it feels right to open our hearts to those who are truly in need. It is an epidemic right in front of our eyes, and yet we continue to ignore it because society simply tells us that it's not our problem.

Being surrounded by self-absorbed, soulless conformity can be ultimately draining. The best way to combat a disheartened mentality is to provide an example of how humanity could be— or better yet, how it should be.

We are taught in grade school that we must have three things in order to survive:

Food. Water. Shelter.

The homeless are constantly scrambling for the smallest hint of all of the above.

What we are not taught, however, is the other list of three that we need in order to truly live:

Faith. Hope. Love.

I will be the first to admit that I am terrified of homeless people. I have even gone as far as realizing a correlation between them and that show everyone loves called The Walking Dead.

To be blunt, it is heartbreaking, but we do not see the homeless as human beings. We probably view them as closer to zombies than anything— lifeless beings roaming the streets, begging for next to nothing just to…. Just to breathe.

But you know what? With any ounce of faith, hope, and love, no one would let their family or friends get to that level. We are lacking compassion, and for that, we are all responsible.

We are lacking the ability to care for one another as human beings, with beating hearts. Let’s bring it back; let’s let love take over, heal the world.

We have an overflow of potential. We just need to let go of our selfish tendencies that society has led us to believe we must own, and put the possibility to use already. More than hope.

Starting next week: Each Monday, I will introduce someone new on Caboom-Sass.com and write his/her story as a blog post. It will include an option to donate at the end— to give directly to the person that the post is about.

Each person will be given a sign to display that reads: “Have a Smart Phone? Read my story at Caboom-Sass.com.” with a word-collaged money jar and a few of my business cards, should anyone ask them who or how or why.

Before each post is published, the person will receive coffee/food while chatting with me, as a thank you for their willingness to participate.

For The Love Of Words,

X0.Brittney 

10/11/11... back when it began

On 10/11/11, I took a giant step forward into the world of... vulnerability, I suppose you could say, and created Caboom-Sass.com after years of wanting to, but hesitating. I was filled with fear of what people would think of this idea... and moreover, what people would think of me. I cared so much about that, that it produced this fear of putting my idea out there, but after my summer of living in New York City, I decided that it didn't matter. The people who chose to dislike this idea-- they aren't the ones I'm creating this for anyway. It's for the believers, the go-getters, the "I-want-to-succeed-but-I-need-that-nudge"-ers. It's for the people who have a lack of support and encouragement; to provide them with a pocketful of it. With this project, I feel confident in saying that's exactly what's been manifested here. That's exactly what I've been doing, and I couldn't be more ecstatic to realize how much the power of words has helped others through these small, heartfelt collages.

It all started with this breakthrough blog post, the very first one. Now looking back, we've provided personalized, motivational "Pocketful of Positivity" collages to recipients in cities all over the world, including:
New York, Chicago, Queens, Sarnia, San Francisco, Gibraltar, Rockwood, East Lansing, Detroit, Trenton, Miami, Carleton, Mount Pleasant, Lansing, Nashville, Newport, Ann Arbor, Las Vegas, Dowagiac, Grand Rapids, Rowlett, Glen Burnie, Poyen, Los Angeles, Monroe, Minneapolis, Twentynine Palms, St. Clair Shores, Falmouth, and Malibu.

This doesn't include the random "Scatter Sesh" collages, which are left anonymously in areas like stores and rest-stop bathrooms during various trips I've taken in the past year.

It's all for the love of words and compassion, communication, & connection; that's what it truly comes down to. With that, I'd like to extend a wholehearted, Happy FIRST BIRTHDAY to my project/service, Caboom-Sass.com. Here's to many more and to expanding so much further from here on out! This is only the beginning, with so many ideas to craft in the coming years.

For The Love Of Words*

X0.Brittney

Our first birthday is approaching!!

Nine days remain until Caboom-Sass.com turns ONE! Today we've activated our own official email account: CaboomSassDotCom@gmail.com. Just thought you may like to know :)

For The Love Of Words*

X0X0.

Random Thoughts n' Lotsa Coffee :)

We made a few collages for our friends over at RandomThoughtsandLotsaCoffee.com. Check them out below. This particular order got me thinking-- would anyone be interested in Caboom-Sass.com coasters for your coffee/tea mugs? I think it might have to happen in the near future. :)

For the Love of Words,

X0.Brittney & Caboom-Sass.com

So much has occurred!!! Here's a *SASSy update to bring you up to speed!

Oh my goodness! I need to do a quick Caboom-Sass.com recap, because so much has happened in the last few weeks; it has been pure bliss mixed with chaos! Chaotic bliss, if you will.

Let's take it back about three weeks. I turned 23 on July 6, and I spent the whole day representing Inked Magazine at Warped Tour with my best friend, Staci, and then writing a feature story about it for the incredible 'zine. It was AMAZING. Hands down, best birthday. Prior to that, I made myself a double-sided birthday collage, knowing that a lot was about to unfold in my newly 23 years of life...

The next morning, July 7, my friend (and fellow GVSU alumni) Katie packed up her Ford Focus, and hit the road. Destination? California. Six days later, we arrived at our new residence in Los Angeles. Needless to say, this birthday month has been an absolute WHIRLWIND of adventures. I'm now nannying in Beverly Hills [just like that new show on ABC Family, except I'm not on it] while hustling like hell in search of a writing career here. For years, I have dreamt of residing on the west coast, specifically here in Los Angeles, California. It is an absolute dream come true, and sincerely THEE BEST birthday present I could ever give myself, that I am finally here! The final step to establishing myself will be when I score the job of my dreams, but I know that will take a bit longer. We actually arrived and moved in on the 12th [my lucky number hey!!!], so we've only been here for... not even two weeks. I know it's all about patience, networking, and timing, so I am working on all three!

Meanwhile, I have to get a move on with my Caboom-Sass orders. Random Thoughts 'N Lotsa Coffee put in an order while I was mid-road trip, and I had to wait for my mom to ship my C-Sass supplies in order to start working on it. It's started, but not quite finished, so I will do that tomorrow. I also started a new blog to document my new life on the best coast, which you can find here, as well as updated my writing portfolio site, stating that I am "Based in Los Angeles." It feels absolutely glorious. :)

I feel bad that it's been a few weeks since I've had time to sit and update Caboom-Sass.com, but please know that this [big] move will do wonders for it, too. I actually invested in a book the other day at Barnes & Noble, to help move the process along. No matter what, Caboom-Sass is always on my mind, with ideas of how to substantially bring it life. Thank you, so much, for believing in this and supporting it! I will not let you down; it has only just begun!

I'm still accepting collage orders in any way/shape/form you'd like them to be, and I will stay true to my word that the first 100 are free. Just over half remain, so make your order while you can! :)

For The Love Of Words,

X0.Brittney