Post by Ashley Mastrangelo on Aug 18, 2013 15:35:50 GMT
Ashley Mastrangelo: I’m really glad that I found myself. Really, I mean I could be any one of these girls with their weird relationships, or their love triangles, or their pure self-pity and doubt…
…but I’m not.
The scene opens and we see Ashley walking down a local street. No cars are going by, there’s a slight breeze, and not another person in sight of the camera lens. Ashley stops, her hair blowing in the wind as the sun beats down on her face. She turns toward the set of houses and looks from left to right, shaking her head, the overall mood a somber tone.
Ashley Mastrangelo: You see, last week I stood in front of the old train station, the gateway to Detroit and I recognized the pitiful mass it had become. That was how people got here, and it got me to thinking that I want to see how it is the people who were already here lived. There’s a problem though. Look over there.
Ashley points toward the row of houses on the street. None of them look up to the codes of standard living, and many of them are boarded up and vandalized. The second house in on the lens focus even has a massive hole in the roof caused by storms gone by.
Ashley Mastrangelo: I’d like to see how they live, but reality says that nobody is here. I can’t ask the locals because they don’t exist. They abandoned the sinking ship long before it sunk under the icy cold waters of poverty and despair. They saw the disaster coming and the majority of them were smart enough to get away.
There’s a moment of silence as she stares at the condemned houses, again shaking her head before turning toward the camera.
Ashley Mastrangelo: You people watching, you’re probably wondering what this all has to do with my match this Sunday on Pay Per View, and to the naked eye, one would say nothing. To those who look a little deeper though, it means a lot indeed. This symbolizes a piece of my life to a tee. I was once a broken down mess. I had “things” sure, but I had no purpose. I was like these houses. I sat through life, went through the motions, and was simply a placeholder. Unlike these houses though, due to the fact that they are inanimate objects, I was able to evolve. After some run-ins with the law, I was afforded the opportunity to get better, and better I have gotten.
Ashley takes one more glance at the houses, then turns back to the camera and walks toward it as it moves backward.
Ashley Mastrangelo: No longer am I the scared little girl walking into a training facility for the first time. No longer am I the naïve little blonde with no purpose in life. Now, I’m the woman who is walking down that ramp at Legacy, and I am going in with more motivation then I have ever had before leading up to a match. I’m not a big name like Tara Fenix. I’m not the hot newcomer whose name is known amongst the independent scene. I’m not even the middle of the pack filler that some are content being. I’m the new girl in the business. I’m the one who has absolutely everything to gain and not a damn thing to lose. So this Sunday, when I walk down the ramp, high five the crowd, and go into a Prison Break match, all the stops will be pulled out. I won’t think about the detractors and what they say the next morning because in my mind…they won’t be saying anything. Instead, the detractors will all be met with a loud celebratory sound from my supporters. Their voices will be heard louder and clearer than anyone’s in the entire world. They will look at those detractors with a smile and say… “She did it!!!”
With that, Ashley turns to her side and gets in her car, driving away from this horrid place as the scene fades.
====================
=== Meaning ===
Have you ever had something mean so much to you that you would do anything to get it? That’s what the Ruby Title is this Sunday, but it’s not the first time I’ve had something like that in my life. There was once this boy. I did everything in my power to get him. No, this isn’t the boy you heard me talk about before so forget about him…I have. No, this boy was different. This boy was better…we were in college.
It was the first day of the freshman year of college…
The campus at Cleveland State was bustling with students, each on their way to the first day of classes. The sun was shining on this August day and the warm air just made it all the better. I was ready for this something new and it was time to begin this new journey.
First off, I could have gone anywhere that I wanted to go, but I wanted to stay close to home. I didn’t want Daddy to worry, and honestly, I didn’t want the big campus life that major universities were offering. Cleveland State was an up and coming school in the area with new technological advancements and had the degree of which I wanted…Graphic Design.
As I headed into the class room wearing a simple pair of capris and a tank top, I sat in the first available seat placing my bag at my feet. I was early. After all, wanted to make a good impression on the first day.
All of this was before my run in with the law. Even back when I’d help my brother out on occasion, I still wanted to be as normal as I possibly could be.
As I sat there, I watched as the other students walked into the class. It got boring as nothing was really peaking my interest as was evident by the fact that my face kind of slouched into my hand, elbow perched on the desk. I watched and watched and for the longest time nothing, but then he walked in.
Keep in mind, I was right out of high school and any cute guy was still the possible man of my dreams.
He was about six foot three, and was pretty built as if he was some sort of athlete. I won’t lie…he looked yummy. His light brown hair was set in a way that just made me want to jump out of my seat and introduce myself. As I perked up and watched him, every inkling of myself wanted to run down and say hi.
Ashley Mastrangelo: Down girl. Just watch.
I continued observing and he finally looked up to me. Inside I screamed “YES!” and then he looked away. The perkiness was gone. I was left with a sense of curiosity. He didn’t look at me again that day, but I was determined to make him look.
So if you remember one of my stories from before, I’m totally against changing the way you are for the approval of someone else. However, when I talked about that, I was talking permanent change. There’s nothing wrong with something quick and temporary.
Each day for the rest of the week I dressed completely different in an attempt to lure him in. Each day I got a bit longer of a stare and on that final day, I was dressed rather conservatively in a longer white dress when he came up to me. My heart pounded but I kept it cool.
Boy: Hey, I’m Scott.
For a minute there I forgot my own name. I looked into his gorgeous blue eyes and was stuck in a trance.
Scott: Are you okay?
Shaking off the trance I smiled.
Ashley Mastrangelo: Of course I’m okay silly. The names Ashley.
Scott: Pleasure to meet you. I couldn’t help but notice you’ve gone to different extreme trying to get my attention.
Ashley Mastrangelo: Huh? Who said I was trying to get your attention?
Scott: It was kind of obvious. I’ve seen you staring at me every day.
Ashley Mastrangelo: I-I uh…
Scott: (Chuckling) It’s okay. I think it’s cute.
Ashley Mastrangelo: You do?
I started blushing. I had been caught red handed.
Scott: Yeah. Any girl who makes that much effort is one of two things. She’s clingy or she’s committed.
Ashley Mastrangelo: Oh yeah. Totally committed. Not clingy at all.
Scott: Good, clingy isn’t bad, it’s just kind of annoying.
Ashley Mastrangelo: Tell me about it.
Scott: How about I take you out some time?
Ashley Mastrangelo: Sounds good.
On the inside I was so totally excited. I wanted to kiss him then and there, but I knew that that sooooo wasn’t the thing to do. We exchanged numbers, a smile plastered on my face that was going to take surgery to remove. He gave me a wave and headed back to his friends as the scene faded with a smile on my face.
Now I know that this isn’t the same as wanting a championship title or anything, but you get the point.
====================
We see Ashley in a gym punching away at a heavy bag.
Ashley Mastrangelo: Naïve?
Whack!
Ashley Mastrangelo: Playing wrestling?
Whack! Whack!
Ashley Mastrangelo: Not in the same league as Amber, Tara, or Ayla?
Whack! Whack! Thwap! BOOM!
Ashley pulls the gloves off of her hands and throws them down beside the bag that was left swaying forward and back after a stiff kick from the blonde young lady. She heads over to the bench and has a seat. Taking a swig of her Gatorade, she sets it to the side before wiping her face off with a towel and looking into the camera.
Ashley Mastrangelo: The Ruby Title. Do you know what that means to me? Do you understand what the chance to hold that belt means to me? For some, a belt is just that. It symbolizes nothing and is nothing more than a prop to them. To some, it may mean something, but is looked at as a prop on said person’s shoulder by others, as I believe was the case for Tara Fenix. For me that belt means a whole hell of a lot. It means years of sacrifice were all worth it. It means that I have learned enough to be called one of the best in the company and around the world. It means to me, that I have arrived in this business.
Standing from her seated position, she goes over to the stair master and begins working out on the machine.
Ashley Mastrangelo: You see, I view that belt as more than just a belt. It is a championship. Not only that, it is a symbol that at the time of holding it, I am the top of my game, and there are few who can beat it.
Reaching down, Ashley turns up the settings speeding up the machine with each step.
Ashley Mastrangelo: Sure, it brings with it fame and glory. Sure, the money is good. If I wanted lots of money I would take my body to a street corner and be a hooker. Hell of a lot less stress, and just as much money. I’m here, doing what I do because I love it. I may not have been one of these wrestling lifers who watched it from the age of four and wanted to be that all my life, but that doesn’t mean I’m not any less dedicated. When I step through those ropes, be it this Sunday, or any other day, I do so with one hundred percent commitment and effort, and that can and will never be disputed for as long as I live.
She finishes the workout and goes back to her bag where she begins packing her things.
Ashley Mastrangelo: This Sunday, all of my hard work, all of my dedication, the blood, the sweat, the tears…they all become worth it. The days of this girl taking the shortcuts are over and done with. I have yet to feel accomplished, truly accomplished in my life. This Sunday I have the opportunity to do just that. This Sunday I prove my worth not only to the other three women in this match, but to the world. Sunday night, at Legacy…I start writing mine.
Ashley gives a wink and walks out the gym door as the scene fades.
…but I’m not.
The scene opens and we see Ashley walking down a local street. No cars are going by, there’s a slight breeze, and not another person in sight of the camera lens. Ashley stops, her hair blowing in the wind as the sun beats down on her face. She turns toward the set of houses and looks from left to right, shaking her head, the overall mood a somber tone.
Ashley Mastrangelo: You see, last week I stood in front of the old train station, the gateway to Detroit and I recognized the pitiful mass it had become. That was how people got here, and it got me to thinking that I want to see how it is the people who were already here lived. There’s a problem though. Look over there.
Ashley points toward the row of houses on the street. None of them look up to the codes of standard living, and many of them are boarded up and vandalized. The second house in on the lens focus even has a massive hole in the roof caused by storms gone by.
Ashley Mastrangelo: I’d like to see how they live, but reality says that nobody is here. I can’t ask the locals because they don’t exist. They abandoned the sinking ship long before it sunk under the icy cold waters of poverty and despair. They saw the disaster coming and the majority of them were smart enough to get away.
There’s a moment of silence as she stares at the condemned houses, again shaking her head before turning toward the camera.
Ashley Mastrangelo: You people watching, you’re probably wondering what this all has to do with my match this Sunday on Pay Per View, and to the naked eye, one would say nothing. To those who look a little deeper though, it means a lot indeed. This symbolizes a piece of my life to a tee. I was once a broken down mess. I had “things” sure, but I had no purpose. I was like these houses. I sat through life, went through the motions, and was simply a placeholder. Unlike these houses though, due to the fact that they are inanimate objects, I was able to evolve. After some run-ins with the law, I was afforded the opportunity to get better, and better I have gotten.
Ashley takes one more glance at the houses, then turns back to the camera and walks toward it as it moves backward.
Ashley Mastrangelo: No longer am I the scared little girl walking into a training facility for the first time. No longer am I the naïve little blonde with no purpose in life. Now, I’m the woman who is walking down that ramp at Legacy, and I am going in with more motivation then I have ever had before leading up to a match. I’m not a big name like Tara Fenix. I’m not the hot newcomer whose name is known amongst the independent scene. I’m not even the middle of the pack filler that some are content being. I’m the new girl in the business. I’m the one who has absolutely everything to gain and not a damn thing to lose. So this Sunday, when I walk down the ramp, high five the crowd, and go into a Prison Break match, all the stops will be pulled out. I won’t think about the detractors and what they say the next morning because in my mind…they won’t be saying anything. Instead, the detractors will all be met with a loud celebratory sound from my supporters. Their voices will be heard louder and clearer than anyone’s in the entire world. They will look at those detractors with a smile and say… “She did it!!!”
With that, Ashley turns to her side and gets in her car, driving away from this horrid place as the scene fades.
====================
=== Meaning ===
Have you ever had something mean so much to you that you would do anything to get it? That’s what the Ruby Title is this Sunday, but it’s not the first time I’ve had something like that in my life. There was once this boy. I did everything in my power to get him. No, this isn’t the boy you heard me talk about before so forget about him…I have. No, this boy was different. This boy was better…we were in college.
It was the first day of the freshman year of college…
The campus at Cleveland State was bustling with students, each on their way to the first day of classes. The sun was shining on this August day and the warm air just made it all the better. I was ready for this something new and it was time to begin this new journey.
First off, I could have gone anywhere that I wanted to go, but I wanted to stay close to home. I didn’t want Daddy to worry, and honestly, I didn’t want the big campus life that major universities were offering. Cleveland State was an up and coming school in the area with new technological advancements and had the degree of which I wanted…Graphic Design.
As I headed into the class room wearing a simple pair of capris and a tank top, I sat in the first available seat placing my bag at my feet. I was early. After all, wanted to make a good impression on the first day.
All of this was before my run in with the law. Even back when I’d help my brother out on occasion, I still wanted to be as normal as I possibly could be.
As I sat there, I watched as the other students walked into the class. It got boring as nothing was really peaking my interest as was evident by the fact that my face kind of slouched into my hand, elbow perched on the desk. I watched and watched and for the longest time nothing, but then he walked in.
Keep in mind, I was right out of high school and any cute guy was still the possible man of my dreams.
He was about six foot three, and was pretty built as if he was some sort of athlete. I won’t lie…he looked yummy. His light brown hair was set in a way that just made me want to jump out of my seat and introduce myself. As I perked up and watched him, every inkling of myself wanted to run down and say hi.
Ashley Mastrangelo: Down girl. Just watch.
I continued observing and he finally looked up to me. Inside I screamed “YES!” and then he looked away. The perkiness was gone. I was left with a sense of curiosity. He didn’t look at me again that day, but I was determined to make him look.
So if you remember one of my stories from before, I’m totally against changing the way you are for the approval of someone else. However, when I talked about that, I was talking permanent change. There’s nothing wrong with something quick and temporary.
Each day for the rest of the week I dressed completely different in an attempt to lure him in. Each day I got a bit longer of a stare and on that final day, I was dressed rather conservatively in a longer white dress when he came up to me. My heart pounded but I kept it cool.
Boy: Hey, I’m Scott.
For a minute there I forgot my own name. I looked into his gorgeous blue eyes and was stuck in a trance.
Scott: Are you okay?
Shaking off the trance I smiled.
Ashley Mastrangelo: Of course I’m okay silly. The names Ashley.
Scott: Pleasure to meet you. I couldn’t help but notice you’ve gone to different extreme trying to get my attention.
Ashley Mastrangelo: Huh? Who said I was trying to get your attention?
Scott: It was kind of obvious. I’ve seen you staring at me every day.
Ashley Mastrangelo: I-I uh…
Scott: (Chuckling) It’s okay. I think it’s cute.
Ashley Mastrangelo: You do?
I started blushing. I had been caught red handed.
Scott: Yeah. Any girl who makes that much effort is one of two things. She’s clingy or she’s committed.
Ashley Mastrangelo: Oh yeah. Totally committed. Not clingy at all.
Scott: Good, clingy isn’t bad, it’s just kind of annoying.
Ashley Mastrangelo: Tell me about it.
Scott: How about I take you out some time?
Ashley Mastrangelo: Sounds good.
On the inside I was so totally excited. I wanted to kiss him then and there, but I knew that that sooooo wasn’t the thing to do. We exchanged numbers, a smile plastered on my face that was going to take surgery to remove. He gave me a wave and headed back to his friends as the scene faded with a smile on my face.
Now I know that this isn’t the same as wanting a championship title or anything, but you get the point.
====================
We see Ashley in a gym punching away at a heavy bag.
Ashley Mastrangelo: Naïve?
Whack!
Ashley Mastrangelo: Playing wrestling?
Whack! Whack!
Ashley Mastrangelo: Not in the same league as Amber, Tara, or Ayla?
Whack! Whack! Thwap! BOOM!
Ashley pulls the gloves off of her hands and throws them down beside the bag that was left swaying forward and back after a stiff kick from the blonde young lady. She heads over to the bench and has a seat. Taking a swig of her Gatorade, she sets it to the side before wiping her face off with a towel and looking into the camera.
Ashley Mastrangelo: The Ruby Title. Do you know what that means to me? Do you understand what the chance to hold that belt means to me? For some, a belt is just that. It symbolizes nothing and is nothing more than a prop to them. To some, it may mean something, but is looked at as a prop on said person’s shoulder by others, as I believe was the case for Tara Fenix. For me that belt means a whole hell of a lot. It means years of sacrifice were all worth it. It means that I have learned enough to be called one of the best in the company and around the world. It means to me, that I have arrived in this business.
Standing from her seated position, she goes over to the stair master and begins working out on the machine.
Ashley Mastrangelo: You see, I view that belt as more than just a belt. It is a championship. Not only that, it is a symbol that at the time of holding it, I am the top of my game, and there are few who can beat it.
Reaching down, Ashley turns up the settings speeding up the machine with each step.
Ashley Mastrangelo: Sure, it brings with it fame and glory. Sure, the money is good. If I wanted lots of money I would take my body to a street corner and be a hooker. Hell of a lot less stress, and just as much money. I’m here, doing what I do because I love it. I may not have been one of these wrestling lifers who watched it from the age of four and wanted to be that all my life, but that doesn’t mean I’m not any less dedicated. When I step through those ropes, be it this Sunday, or any other day, I do so with one hundred percent commitment and effort, and that can and will never be disputed for as long as I live.
She finishes the workout and goes back to her bag where she begins packing her things.
Ashley Mastrangelo: This Sunday, all of my hard work, all of my dedication, the blood, the sweat, the tears…they all become worth it. The days of this girl taking the shortcuts are over and done with. I have yet to feel accomplished, truly accomplished in my life. This Sunday I have the opportunity to do just that. This Sunday I prove my worth not only to the other three women in this match, but to the world. Sunday night, at Legacy…I start writing mine.
Ashley gives a wink and walks out the gym door as the scene fades.
Well howdy there pardner.