Blog Block!

     So here I am, sitting in English trying to figure out what my last few blog posts should be about. It is the worst feeling in the world when you have to get something done and your brain just goes blank. When you feel like your brain cant even make a full sentence without giving you a headache. I, Arielle Jackson, have blog block. Yes, I said blog block. Have you ever had it?? You may of heard of writers block, when a author cant finish or even start his/her book because they cant come up with and idea about what to write. Blog block is somewhat worse if you ask me. Its where you are getting graded for your blogs, and have the freedom to do what you want with them, but nothing comes to mind. From a students point of view that is absoulutley awful! So I am going to come up with some ideas of how you can un-block blog block.
     One thing that you obviously work is to get opinions from other people. You dont necessairly have to use their exact idea but maybe you can make an even better version of their ideas and call them your own. Another thing that could un-block your brain is to not stress yourself out. If you make unrealistic goals that say " I'm going to finish all 10 blogs in 1day." then you may be pulling you hair out soon. You should space out your priorities and give yourself enough time for each blog. If you dont, all your writing abilities will stay on blog block island for quite awhile. My last tip from blog block would be to let your mind free itself. Go for a run and listen to music while you do it. Or draw and color a picture. Anything that helps you clear you mind is for the better. This way you can come back and see your writing in a completly new light.
     Now that I have freed my mind from other blogs, the rest should be quite easy!! Hopefully I never have blog block again.

Letter to the Author!!

Dear A.S. King,
     My name is Arielle Jackson from Carbondale Community High School. In my English class we are reading from a list of books called Read for a Lifetime. The program promotes reading in teens but my class is using it as an assignment also. We choose a book off of this list and read it, then blog about it here, on blog spot. I will be honest and say that I really didn't read the cover of your book when I first picked it out but after starting it, I fell in love. You have a very special way of making sure your readers feel what the characters in the book feel. Your detail is amazing and I love the story in general. I would say it was the best book I have read off the list this whole year. I'm glad I picked it.
     Of the characters that you wrote about in Please Ignore Vera Dietz, I liked the main characters the most; Charlie and Vera. I did like Ken Dietz however, but he didn't have that much of an impact on me like Charlie and Vera did. I would like to ask a few questions about your writing and this story. What gave you the inspiration to write a story like this? From reading it, I would only imagine that you put a lot of work and thought into creating the story. Did you have a life experience like Vera's or Charlie's? I know that some authors actually have life experiences like those and that's usually what helps them write amazing stories like these. My last question is something I'm sure you get asked a lot; When and how did you start writing? I think people who just somehow got inspired are pretty amazing. Especially when they can put their feelings on paper and make a book or short story out of them. Anyway, I really enjoyed Please Ignore Vera Dietz, and  I hope to read more of your writing in the future.

Sincerely,
Arielle Jackson

A Word From Ken Dietz

     So here I am 20 years old with a knocked up 18 year old girlfriend. My mom wouldnt let me stay in her house once she found out Cindy was pregnant, so off we went to her parents house. They werent so thrilled.

     My mom has never been very fond of me being her child. She always did prefer my older brothers. Both of them went thru school and didnt drink and smoke, like me. By the time I was in the 11th grade I was a full blown alcoholic. I was practically failing school, and my hypocritical mother was bugging me to do something with my life; while she drank and smoked a cigarette right in front of me. I dropped outta school at the beginning of my senior year and became the worst person I have ever known. All I did was work and stay up all night drinking, only to sleep til noon and do it all over again the next day. I got a job at a grocery store where the manager would buy me drinks, but the money would come out of my paycheck. My idea was to steal the money, but of course that would get me fired and in jail; so I found another way. I decided to steal the money thru change at the register. It was easier to do it to moms with kids and other distractions, but I couldnt do it on the old men who actually count their change.
     So now here I am, a full blown alcoholic and have a child on the way in a few months. Little did I know that Vera would change my life around. Once she was born I had to watch her while Cindy went off to dance as a striper at the near by bar. I remember being so drunk I had forgot to feed Vera for a few hours, so I walked around drunkenly wondering why she stopped crying. I was so upset I started crying with her til Cindy came home late that night. " Geez Ken, your more of a baby that Vera!!" she said. Right then I changed my game.
    The next night I was in a AA meeting getting help and within a week I had enrolled in the near by community college. I was going to become an accountant. Soon Cindy left me and Vera and went to live in Las Vegas with some dentist or something. She sends Vera a card with $50 on her birthday and has no other contact. What a mother. Now I'm scared Vera is going to inherit my drinking and her mothers slutty abilities. I would like her to have a better future than what I did and go somewhere in life. She may think I'm being and ass but all in all I'm protecting her way more than she knows.
 

Animoto!!

http://animoto.com/play/pPjM0ngEYfxVq2k6Vvn6mg

Above is a link that will take you to an Animoto I did for my book, Please Ignore Vera Dietz. Enjoy!

In Vera's Words

Dear Diary,
      I am extrmely overwhelmed and emotional at this point in my life!! It is the summer before Charlie and I's freshman year of high school. I'm beginning to feel things for him that i have never felt before. This summer Charlies dad let him build a tree house and bought him everything he needs. Since Charlie is the Great Hunter, he took 2 weeks just to pick out a tree. While he was busy running around the woods, Dad made me get a job. He belives that being a teenager is unnecessary and that I should be saving for college tuition. So I get a job at a local diner as a bus girl. I clean tables all day while old men try and look up my short skirt. I hate that we have to wear these stupid uniforms. Personally, I dont see the point of me even having a job when I can't drive. I can only work on the days that Dad can drop me off and pick my back up. I cannot wait until I can drive.
     Finally, Charlie picks a tree for his treehouse. He names it the Great Oak and starts drawing up plans for the build. He takes it to a carpenter so he can check the dimensions and other things. We make the ladder and the base , then start building up from there. Soon the tree house is done and Charlie told me he wanted to make this his summer getaway.  I would too if my parents were as crazy as his. A dad who does nothing but beat on your mom, and a mom who sits there and lets him do it. I can hear the yelling and screaming sometimes but when I tell Dad all he says is " Keep your head down, and ignore it Vera.". I never understand him, and I guess I never will. Little did I know this would be the last time I actually know Charlie. Because he is about to change dramatically when Jenny Flick comes into the picture. If only I could go back and change fate. Oh well...
Sincerely,
Vera