Semester Final

6) In what way(s) have you surprised yourself this semester on your blog? Have you tried topics you didn't think you'd write about? Approached a familiar topic from an unfamiliar angle? Discovered more "depth" to a topic than you first thought was possible? Explain.

The way that surprised me is that when I write the things on my blog, it turns out to be good. But it's different when I write it during class with the time. Doing it at home is much better and easier because I can think for a long time what to write. If I concentrate on one thing, I would be able to make it a better essay by using difficult vocabularies in it. When I am writing my blog, I pick a topic that is unfamiliar because I want to try out if I can write an essay about it. Writing in class might be hard for me because sometimes I do not understand the questions. Not understanding the questions makes it harder for me to write and think.

Yes, I have tried topics that I did not think I would write about. It turns out to be okay because sometimes I can think of what I should write. If I tried the unfamiliar topics, then I will probably stopped for a long time and rethink of what should I write. I will have to think for a long time because if the topic is hard then I will tend to get stuck pretty fast. I tried it before and it did not work out pretty well. I think I will have to try it again to see if I can handle it or not. I can practice more on the unfamiliar topics because it can help me improve my way up on writing.

8) How do you like having a blog? How has blogging changed the way you write, the way you think, or the way you think about writing?

Blogging had changed the way I write because usually I don't write an essay that much. But, in English class, we always have to write a page or more in ten minutes without stopping. It changed because I write completely different then when I first started blogging. At first I was timid about what I wrote about, almost afraid of what other people might think but it doesn't matter anymore. When I write any topics, I was scared that people will say something different about it. For example, when I write about, "A Hero advocate the weaker and less courageous people ." I thought people might have some different responses to that because everyone has their opinions. At first, I was scared that people won't agree with me because I said, "A hero is someone who shows great courage and confidence. A person is looked upon as an advocate and voice of those who are too weak to speak up for themselves." But apparently it does not really matter if they have their own opinions to the answer because everyone is different. Everyone has their own choices to agree or disagree the facts.

I wouldn't say that blogs have changed the way I think, but they have allowed me to remember what I have thought, which I would usually forget. In that way, not forgetting what you have thought must make a person more reflective, as you can build on your thoughts and revisit them at a later time. For example, I wrote an essay about a topic "Realization of logic and reality helps motivate people to change." I remembered that most people can understand how to change their life. Also if people wants to change their belief and attitude, they control it themselves. It helps a lot of people if they really understand what the reality happened in the world. Everyone has their own problems to change because each of them have different views of the motivation.

Having a blog is awesome because people can tell you if your essay was good or not and also needs to change or not. Anyone can read and comment on people's blog.

7) What have you learned from your struggles with writer's block? Why do you tend to get stuck? How do you tend to get unstuck? Notice any patterns?

Writing blogs is not easy or difficult. It just depends on the subject. If the subject is something I like, then there will be more information that I can relate to on it. However, if the subject is vague and boring, then it is more likely that I will not have anything to write about. When writing “Writer’s Blog,” I tend to get stuck because I can not think of any points, ideas, and I will get distracted. I tend to get unstuck by sitting in a quiet place, having more ideas, and fascinating points. As soon as I think of good points I write them down quickly so I won’t forget.

Usually when I start out writing a blog, I am located somewhere where it’s loud and noisy which always distracts me. I try to think and think of ideas to start out my essay, but it usually doesn’t work. After a while when I can not think of ideas, I start to procrastinate. After a few hours, I start to worry about how I am going to finish my blog. So then I start to stay focus again, but nothing usually comes out of my mind; probably because I’m not thinking deep and hard enough. Then I will go to a quiet place and start over again. Distractions are usually what keeps me procrastinating and stuck on writing my blogs.

When I sit in a peaceful and quiet place, I start to rethink on the topic and find more interesting ideas where I can relate to the subject. When it is my time to work, I tend to focus more and start coming up with ideas to write. I organize my ideas by brainstorming because it can help me sort out the ideas. Writing on a piece of paper and sorting out can help me a lot because I can put everything together like an essay. Brainstorming is a good way to organize ideas. First, I need to write the introduction which have the thesis statement into it.

Then, I have to write details for the middle paragraphs so it can explain what happened to the essay. It will be more details and specific things. Lastly, it is the conclusion where I summarize what I wrote in the essay and stating the purpose in writing the blog.

Monthly Review

8) Pick a character that interested you and write about them in depth. You can also analyze a relationship between two different characters.
2) For what audience(s) is this book intended, and how can you tell? (In other words, for whom would you recommend this book?)

The title of the book I just read is called All-American Girl by Meg Cabot. It was a fiction book that is about high school drama. A girl saves the president from being shot. And she falls in love with the president’s son. Samantha Madison has two siblings. Samantha's older sister is an amazing beauty and popular girl in her school and her younger sister is a genius child in the family. Samantha do not have the beauty or the brains, but she becomes special in her own way.

The person that interested me is Samantha Madison because she was very different from many teenagers. Other teenager likes to put make-up on their face, dress up femininely, and look pretty but apparently Samantha Madison does not. She is different because she does not care about how she looks. She cares a lot about art. She loves art because she is interest in them.

Aren't you the girl who jumped on the back of a crazy man who was holding a gun?

She saved the president by stopping a crazy guy from killing him of the United States. The president invited Samantha’s family to have a dinner at the White House because he wanted to thank her for saving his life. Even though she has been to the White House a lot of times, she remembers where the rooms at are. The president decided to name Samantha the teen ambassador to the United Nations. When she arrives at school to the cafeteria, a worker named Mrs. Krebbetts gave her an extra slice of peanut butter pie. A lot of people were scared of Mrs. Krebbetts and she never gives out pie to people. I think Mrs. Krebbetts gave Samantha an extra slice of pie because Samantha saved the president.

Don't worry about it, Sam, I am the soul of discretion. I won't say a word to anyone. Do you think reporters will show up, though? I mean, at my party? Because if anyone wants to interview me, you know, that's all right. They can even take my picture. If you want me to sign a waiver, or whatever...

After that, there were reporters trying to ask Samantha all these questions like being in a press. Samantha did not answer any of the questions because she think it's annoying. She was supposed to draw an egg that does not show white. She could not see it unless she really tries harder to see what the color is. She kept complaining that she can not see other colors while everyone sees it. But finally, she saw that there were other colors such as pink, purple, and orange. There was not any white on the egg. The egg was colorful that everyone can draw it on a piece of white paper. When Samantha was drawing, she was into the emotional of drawing. It's like she can’t stop drawing and wanted to continue drawing. About the party that Kris Park was going to have, Samantha was planning not to go because Kris Park just wants to meet the president’s son. When they arrive to Kris Park’s Party, Samantha tries to not get into the conversation with Kris and David. She was busy trying to look for her crush which is her sister’s boyfriend named Jack. David was searching for Samantha so he looks in the kitchen and found her in there.

There was an award ceremony in front of the official White House. The president made a special speech for Samantha. The president said a lot of things about Samantha how she was able to saved the portrait or saved him. Also the president wanted to thank her for all those things. After that speech, she got her medal which was a pure solid gold hanging from a red velvet ribbon. Samantha and David fell in love with each other.

The audience for this book is for teenagers and young adult. This book is mostly for teenage girls because the book is basically talking about Samantha that has lots of troubles in her life. I think guys would not be interested in reading this book because it talks about Samantha and the president’s son named David. Some teenage girls and young adult would want to read this book because it’s kind of about high school drama. But some does not like to read that much of a feminine book. For guys, they are not into reading romantic book or either into reading about high school drama. I think teenage girls would be interested into the book because after each chapter, there are ten reasons that Samantha had thought in her minds. She listed them out to let people read what she has been thinking.

There is reason that you would probably read this book. It's not easy having a crush on someone especially when you have one on the president 's son. If you really have a crush on the president's son then your life is going to be harder and harder. Although the president's son is smart, cute, and artistic. Samantha and David are the type of persons that are interested in drawing. Samantha and David have the same art class. Samantha would not think that she would like the president's son because she has a crush on her sister's boyfriend. Samantha and David have not met long but they still be liking each other.

Some teenagers will probably have some kind of similar situation like Samantha. Guys would not really care if a girl have a crush on another guy because they do not really care about it. It's not going to be their business so why would guys be interested in it.

So overall Samantha really loves art so much that she does not care about her looks. Even though she has an older sister that is a beauty. The president made Samantha popular by saying that he saved him and the portrait. Everyone called her a hero for saving the president's live. The president's son, David, likes Samantha because she is attractive to him. Samantha and David were happy because they are together.

Lit Circle 3

Don't worry about it, Sam, I am the soul of discretion. I won't say a word to anyone. Do you think reporters will show up, though? I mean, at my party? Because if anyone wants to interview me, you know, that's all right. They can even take my picture. If you want me to sign a waiver, or whatever...

Samantha does not believe her sisters because she is afraid that they would say her secrets out to everyone. Kris Parks asked Samantha to an invitation party handing her a piece of folded paper to her. Kris Parks is trying to suck up to Samantha because Samantha knows the president's son. Kris had been really mean to Samantha in her whole life. Samantha did not know what to do so she put it in her backpack to think about whether to go or not. Kris think she's all that but she's not. I think the reporters aren't taking pictures of Kris instead of Samantha.

Sam, we were, like, the only people in the audience who weren't actually related to someone who was in the play. I just really want, for once in my life, to see what it feels like. To be, you know, part of the In Crowd. Haven't you ever wondered?

It is not fair that Samantha and Catherine do not get to act out the play. Catherine wanted to try at least once in her life because she wants to see how it is like. I was wondering that maybe Samantha wants to try how it's feel like being in the play and acting it out. They must be curious of how to be in the play.

Hands off the bad! That's Louis Vuitton, in case you didn't notice!

Theresa was so mad about someone having touched her purse and she could not say anything except Spanish swear words for a whole minute. There is this Secret Service agent that tried to calm her down by saying that he had called for police backup. Also an officer was going to escort her back to her car. The reporters would held back by barricades when they came out. I was wondering wow, she would say a swear word in front of the agent. I did not believe that people would say that in front of the agent or officer.

Aren't you the girl who jumped on the back of a crazy man who was holding a gun?

Samantha was the girl who saved the president by stopping the person that was holding a gun. She said it is not scary to do that but I think it would be because it is a real gun. So she thinks that she had to do whatever she needs to do. If it is for me, I would not go near the crazy man because anything can happens. There is no way I can do that like Samantha because it is really scary trying to stop the person that has a gun in their hand.

There is always pressure to change to be better. Many people seek external influences to help them become the person they want to be. However, for most people to become truly changed they have to have the will and power in themselves to remain change. Understanding and self-realization are some of the motivations for many individuals to change.

Many people change their views and goals when they come to realization and understanding of reality. For example, in the book Catcher of the Rye Holden, a teenage boy, who leaves his family, and spends much of his time traveling alone trying to save the innocence in children. He got expelled for academic failure from a school called Pencey Prep. Even though he is really smart and sensitive, he narrates in a jaded voice. He is uncomfortable with his own weaknesses. He seems hesitant to develop any real ambitions or goals. He refuses to associate himself with mature ways of living, and isolates himself from anyone his own age or older. He stands poised on the cliff separating childhood from adulthood. He sees this particular period of his life as his own personal paradise. In the end, Holden realizes that he can not be the catcher in the Rye forever. He can not save children from losing their innocence. This is when Holden changes his views of the world. His realization helps brings him back to the life of reality and logic.

Furthermore, many people fighting anorexia and bulimic are usually successful when they come to realize their own self-worth and beauty. Many rehabilitation centers focus of helping their patients find their soul and self-worth. It depends on the people if they really want to change their beliefs and attitudes because they control it themselves. If they really want to change their beliefs then they will have to fight really hard for it to be. In realizing their self-worth, many bulimics and and anorexic people are able to defeat the illness. They are able to defeat their own illness by thinking and picking the right way to go. They understood that they do not have to be thin to be beautiful in realizing that beauty comes from within. People do not have to be thin in order to be good looking. These people are able to change their view of the world. Most becoming less materialistic and more.

Realization of reality and logic helps motivate people to change. It motivate people to change because they are able to go back to their senses. They come to their senses that what they initially believed was not reasonable and negative to their own self. In individuals are motivated to change their beliefs. Also, it changes their attitudes and beliefs for the better. Another thing is that self realization helps retain the new views permanent. It helps a lot of people if they really understand what the reality happened in the world. Everyone has their own problems to change because each of them have different views of the motivation.

The rules of love

The relationship today between young men and women are kind of complicated. If people are being in a relationship, they should respect and trust each other. They should be fair to each other because if a guy always buy lunch for a girl, then a girl should also buy lunch for the guy too. It is okay for a guy to buy lunch for a girl sometimes but not always. It is not fair to the guy. Also there can't be cheating while a girl and a guy are going out because then one of them will not forgive them. It's really hard for them to forgive the other person. If they break up, they still can be friends. But some people just can't be friends because that person hurt the ones really bad. Most of the people will become friends even though they broke up.

A girl could ask a guy out but it is a little weird. It's a little weird because usually it's a guy who is asking a girl out. Nice girl don't get mad at a guy during in a bad situation because it's not their fault. A guy should understand whether a girl is mad or not during that time period. Also if one see your girl or guy fooling around with someone else not just a friend thing like getting intimite. Then that the person will get jealous and confront to the other person. Nice girls and guys don't make other people look bad to look better themselves. And also they are not controlling.

If rules are crossed then trust is lost. The behavior is that if one treats other good but nothing in return, the one will start to stop caring to impress the girl, so it should be mutual treating each other. Everyone has their own rules to love. Not everyone that has the same rules to love.

A hero is someone who shows great courage and confidence. A person is looked upon as an advocate and voice of those who are too weak to speak up for themselves. The events and people of the American Revolution, the novel Disgrace, and San Francisco Gavin Newsom define heroes "as people" who speak. And also represent those less courageous than them.

During the American Revolution, the New World was split between two groups. Those who wished to part from the British government. The minority were the "separatist" who believed that the British government were not treating the colonies with justice and representation. The "separatist" fought the American Revolution to pursue their dreams of a better government, though most of the people disagreed with them. The victory of an independent government proved the "separatist" to be heroes because they represented the minority.

Furthermore, Coetzee's novel Disgrace depicts that sometimes heroes have to go through hard times to recognize their potential to impact others. David Lurie, the main character, loses his job and respect from the college. In which he taught at because of his illegal relationship with a student. However, after living in the rural with his daughter and experiencing a violent attack. In which his daughter was raped, did Lurie see his selfishness and immaturity. He became more passionate to the innocent things in life and a hero to the community by changing his perspectives. He showed the community that life is precious and should not be ended in rain. Lurie shows that heroism speaks from courage.

Finally, a long time hero is from San Francisco's mayor Gavin Newsom. He is the youngest mayor in San Francisco. Newsom ignored the critics and traditional beliefs of many Americans when he legalized same-sex marriage. Though his legalization was later annuled, Gavin Newsom displayed great leadership and confidence through his actions. He has impact the lives of many and gave hope to gays around the country.

Heroes advocate the weaker and less courageous people. They give many people a voice in which they can express themselves. The separatist give those longing a better government satisfaction. David Lurie in Disgrace advocated the innocent animals who lives were taken away ruthlessly. Gavin Newsom spoke for the liberals and gays when he gave them equality. Without heroes, the world would not understand each other as well.

Lit Circle 2

Samantha went to the White House many times. She basically went to all the rooms such as the Vermeil Room, the Library, the China Room, the Map Room, the East Room, the Green Room, the Blue Room, and the Red Room. Since Samantha's family are special guests, the policemen have to check their license plate and his dad's ID. There were cops all over the place in the White House. There were reporters in front of the yard.

There she is! It's her! Get the shot! Get the shot!

The reporters were not only trying to take pictures of Samantha's family but were trying to take photo shots to Joan and Melissa Rivers. Joan and Melissa Rivers were nowhere to be seen. I wonder why do they have to take pictures about Joan and Melissa Rivers. Also they took pictures of Samantha's family because they were special guests to the president. The reporters look like they really want to take photo shots to Joan and Melissa Rivers. I wonder what did they do to make the reporters attention. I am really curious of what happen. I was wondering who was Joan and Melissa Rivers because they did not really say anything about them. The reporters just said they need to take photo shots to them.

She saved a portrait of George Washington form being burned up with the rest of the White House when the British attacked it during the War of 1812.

Wow, she actually saved a portrait that belongs to the president. It is cool that she was brave enough to rescue a piece of fine art from a fire. I was wondering how would she save a portrait when there are fire and smoke. I was thinking that a girl can actually save a piece of fine art by herself. No wonder people called her a named that she save the world. I did not expect that a girl can save the world or the president. I think the president was surprised that a girl save him and the portrait.