How To Jumpstart a Car

How to Jumpstart a Car:

By Gretel Beal 

Before you start

Keep metal objects away from the battery. If they cause a spark, it could be dangerous

It could be dangerous

But Nelson taught me to take risks and be creative and someone once said the most dangerous of men are the creative ones and don't you need a spark of creativity to get started? 

Proceed to park both cars in neutral next to each other so that they're close but not touching

Close but not touching

Like Paris 

And maybe since its 5,000 miles away, it doesn't seem that close. But I promise it's closer than you think. And once I finish learning how to jumpstart a car

It can't be too hard to get there again, right?

Next open the bonnet

Connect the red leads to the positive terminals in each car

Then, connect the black leads to the negative terminals in each car

Don't mix these up because you can't connect a positive with a negative 

And someone once told me you can't be happy if you're sad but maybe everything's just a huge controversy 

And I'm still debating whether I'll use 

My gas money to drive across the country, living out of my trunk

Or waste it driving to a desk job every day 

But until my car is fixed, I'll stick with walking 

Start the engine of the working car and then proceed to turn on the engine of the car with the dead battery

The car should start 

The singer should sing

The writer should write

The painter should paint

And I keep forgetting this is only a poem about broken cars and not broken hearts 

But sometimes all you need is a little spark

And if you thought your dead battery was the end

Think again because you have a long road ahead 

And if you still don't know how to jumpstart a car

Then maybe I just never learned how to write 

But I learned to take risks, be myself and let go

And if that's all you learned, then that's all you need to know 

The Act

Here's the video my group made for the Writers Paris Film Festival. Thanks to Courtney Rome, Mountain Nomad, Kurt Cobain and Madison Larsen.

Lost in Her Reverie

https://youtu.be/fafx3LOtHjU

I won't even be in class on Friday to watch the film festival but here's the video I helped my friend Sam make for it. Lost in Her Reverie shows what people daydream about, including memories, fears, accomplishments, hopes, regrets, wishes and love. What do you daydream about?

Dear Violet Luster

Dear Violet Luster,

Thanks for giving me a blog to look forward to reading every week

It was the only one I've read every post on

And I'm so glad your name was the one I got

I've never painted a person before so I thought I'd try it out

And it didn't turn out too bad 

So enjoy my mediocre painting of you 

And keep up the great work on your blog!

Sincerely, Jesse Kristin

P.S. Your snapchat stories give me life :)))

Blackout

Optimists// We replace very sad thoughts. We add hope. Life has begun again. 

A Bright Future// The future will be the spotlight on the maps used to preserve man 

No Judging Zone// The people who are not judges tend to have a firm handle on the raw public 

Now// I can't afford waiting.

Slow Down// If it looks to good to be true... Slow down your experience (Bonus points if you can find the grammar error in this one) 

Eavesdroppers// It's awful tempting for a would-be eavesdropper to look for crowded places 

Carpe Diem// I am focused on seizing this year 

Who Am I?

Watch this video to find out who I am-
https://youtu.be/D2X85RGY-VA

Short Stories

Here's a list of songs

And next to them is a short story/memory of what they remind me of

I didn't think I had so many songs with so many memories

Affection// All-American Rejects: I filmed the cheesiest horror movie ever with Brynn Patten and we put this song in and it's not even a scary song 

Airplanes// B.o.b: I could rap this entire song in 6th grade and Spencer Shumway thought I was so cool because of it

Already Home// A Great Big World: Eliza Terry showed me this song in student council and I fell in love with it

Because We Can// Bon Jovi: Kyle Vinzant would always sing this song when he was around me and I memorized it word for word only because of how many times he played it in my car 

Best Day of My Life// American Authors: I helped Amy Miller film her student council video a and we put this song in and she won 

Change Your Mind// The Killers: Kevin Bigler had a crush on me in 9th grade and every time I heard this song, I imagined him singing it to me

Circle of Life// Lion King: This song makes me feel so ALIVE so I use it for my alarm clock to get excited for the days but it always terrifies me when I wake up to someone yelling "Ahhhhhhh sveyn yaaaa co no mitchie waaaaa!!!" 

Dirty Paws// Of Monsters and Men: Listened to this on repeat while I was up in Canada so now I always think f Canada 

Drop the World// Lil Wayne: My brother and I would listen to this song every Easter and then have rap battles in my basement 

House of Gold// 21 Pilots: Cam Jolley and I made cookies for Tucker Nixon on his birthday and we listened to this song 

I Need You// M83: I listened to this song when I first hopped on my bike and rode down the huge hill by my house to run away to Ogden

Just Keep Breathing// We the Kings: Olivia Torgersen and I rode 17 miles to Jake Taylor's house and had a jam session with him and learned this song 

Midnight City// M83: This one guy told me I was his soulmate and that we were going to get married and this was his favorite song so it makes me uncomfortable to listen to 

Me. Brightside// The Killers: Matt Barjenbruch told me I was the love of his life and I rejected him so he swore his head off at me but he still made me a CD for Christmas and it had this song on it 

Never Stop//Safety Suit: I had a "boyfriend" named Andrew Murphy and this was my favorite song at the time

You're Not the One// Chester See: When I broke up with him, he told me to listen to this song 

You'll Be Okay// A Great Big World: So I told him to listen to this song 

Rockstar// A Great Big World: my band played this in the ninth grade talent show. I was on triangle

Sing// My Chemical Romance: This is my running song because in the middle of it, the singer just yells "Keep running!" 

Oh Emily// Jukebox the Ghost: This song reminds me of myself because I could never be in a relationship, simply because I love everyone else too much 

Roller Coaster// Bleachers: I went to Disneyland with Emma Kronmiller and this reminds me of that trip

Geronimo// Sheppard: Meg Trout and I went to Lagoon three times over the summer and would always listen to this song 

Anna Sun// Walk the Moon: Every time I hear this song, I think of my friend Anna Hafen 

As We Ran// The National Parks: This reminds me of the video I made for English that was sooooo cool and had this song in it