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 * Assignment #1: My Hero**

 Whenever people hear the name "Oprah Winfrey" the first words that come to mind are probably "talk-show" and "money." However, these are not the reasons why she is my hero. Many may not know this, but Oprah did not always have it good. She had a rough childhood, filled with physical and mental abuse. Regardless of this tough start, she managed to get hired as a news anchor/reporter in Nashville when she was nineteen. Gradually, she climbed up the job ladder and by the time she was thirty, she had her own talk-show. What makes her my hero is that she uses her power as an inspiration to others by displaying the importance of giving back. She has/ represents several charities and organizations and donates so much of her money to these places each year. Through these charities, her donations and efforts have saved so many lives, which is a physical deed. She also performs spiritual deeds through her network and old talk-show. She performs spiritual deeds because she takes what she learns and spreads/presents it to her fans, audience, and the watching world. Because Oprah has gone beyond the normal human range by dedicating her life to making other's lives better, she can be classified as a hero. She's my inspiration because she shows that no matter what obstacles may come in the way, the opportunity to succeed is still available. Overall, Oprah represents that fame and fortune can be put towards giving uses that can help bring together all people. She represents the good of giving back.

Sources: http://www.myhero.com/go/hero.asp?hero=oprahhero []


 * Assignment #2: My Golden Age**

My perfect world would be my own wonderland. It would have perfect weather, not too cold yet not too hot. It would be somewhere near water, so there would be a nice ocean breeze and the salty smell of the water would float through the air. The people of my world would not be perfect though, because when people are too perfect they can be boring and by not having bad people, others cannot learn from their mistakes. This being said though, my world would not consist of horrible criminals such as murderers and kidnappers. In addition, my world would not be corrupted by politics, wars, or disputes. Also, the animals in my world would live in peace and harmony. They, as well as the humans, would be vegetarians, so that no life would be taken for the soul pleasure of food. The food though would taste like meat and other delicacies. Ideally, my perfect world would probably take place about ten to twenty years in the past. I say this because times were much simpler back then. There was not all this crazy technology that there is today, it was just starting to develop back then. Most importantly, it seems like kids grew up slower back then and had a better time. I say this because in the past, there was much more human interaction. Now social media has practically taken over most kids/teens lives. There is no in person communication anymore, which really takes a lot of fun out of life. I would give anything to live in this world.

Sources: @http://blog.tripbnb.com/pristine-beaches-of-florida/

 A double edged gift is one that can be positive or negative. In my life, my double edged gift is my iPad. It has had a positive impact on my life because it helps me with my school work and is very convenient. Instead of having to bring a laptop to school, I can simply carry my light weight iPad around. Within seconds, I can look up anything I want to know. However, it distracts me very easily. Sometimes when I cannot go to sleep at night, I go on my iPad and check my social media apps and go on YouTube. The problem is that I have a hard time stopping once I start browsing on it. I always end up regretting goofing around on it the next morning because I'm always so tired. Even though it can cause me some hardships, I am thankful for having an iPad because in my eyes, the good of it outweighs the bad.
 * Assignment #3: The God Teacher **

Source: @http://www.shedworx.com/ipad2-first-impressions

Assignment #4: End of Childhood / Loss of Innocence experience


A recent event that illustrates an end of my childhood is the beginning of eighth grade/the start of this semester. It has been really stressful with all the hard tests, loads of homework, and challenging projects. The worst part about it is that the work only gets tougher from here. I am already having such a hard time keeping up with what I have now, so I cannot even imagine how I will be able to handle it in the future. I classify this event as the "end of my childhood" because I have come to the realization that there will be no more times when I can come home, eat a snack, and then just play around and have fun for the rest of the day. My life is no longer "care-free." This saddens me greatly because now that I look back on it, I wish that I had done a lot more during my free time rather than just sitting around at times, because now I am practically never able to do that. However, this does not mean that I cannot have fun. I am very much anticipating Spring Break and most of all summer, so I can relax and not have to worry about school and work that much.

Source: @http://www5.esc13.net/thescoop/speech/2011/04/28/stressed-out-here-are-some-things-to-try/

** Assignment #5: The Cataracts of Heaven/The End of Time **
When I first feel the ground shake, I believe it is just an earthquake,
 * The End **

But I'm surprised to see that it's a black hole. The complete darkness looks like a big bowl.

I hear the sound of laughter coming from beyond. I do all that I can to repress and not respond.

All the damage that we humans have created Has granted us this doom that no one awaited.

After this realization, I walk back to my cozy bed And calmly take in the fact that this really is the end.

Source: @http://www.centives.net/S/2013/the-end-of-history-and-you/

Assignment #6 Changes in the Stories

 * In the story "Midas," a self-centered king is granted one wish by Dionysus. He wishes for the power to turn everything he touches into gold (his change/metamorphosis.) Clearly he did not think his wish through because he slowly discovers the trouble behind what he has done. He finds that he cannot perform simple and vital tasks such as eating or drinking because everything his hands and face come into contact to turn into pure gold. The saying "be careful what you wish for" is the moral of this story. In my opinion, Midas' wish was a terrible one because it was selfish and stupid. I perceived his wish as more of a punishment rather than a reward because it came in the way of him doing many things. Even though Midas wanted a land of gold, in the long run, it was most definitely not worth it. Instead he should have stuck to wishing for something like world peace. **


 * Source: **
 * @http://xtri1059.edublogs.org/category/ela/page/6/ **

**Assignment #7 Changes in our World**


In our age today, I believe that we are gradually changing from a traditional way of life to a more modernized one. A sign of this is the high end technology, such as tablets and smart phones, that our society today has been exposed to. Before, people would have to buy books, magazines, movies, and CD's from stores, but now people have the ability accomplish all of those tasks all in one sitting, on one device, and within minutes. The world is slowly shifting to a more digital way of living, and that can be both a good and bad thing. Although it can be very convenient and efficient, it can cause people to disconnect from normal living because everything that they need is all on one device. With everything being in one place there is no need to go anywhere or do anything. Hopefully, society will recognize both the pros. and cons. of digital living and settle for a mix of both the traditional and the modern.

<span style="color: #707070; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Source: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #6e6e6e; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">@http://www.monogum.com/my-digital-life-then-and-now/

Assignment #8 My Favorite Season of the Year
<span style="color: #ca221c; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif;">My favorite season of the year is fall. I enjoy because it because the weather fits me perfectly. It is not hot but slightly more on the cooler side. That's just how I like it. I also love how nature appears at that time of year. The leaves are shades of gold, orange, red, and brown and they are falling down. It is, in my opinion, one of the prettiest sights. Thanksgiving is also in fall, and that's when family comes together from all over just to enjoy each other's company. I find that the archetype 'The Golden Age" fits this season because, for me, it is perfect. Fall gives off the nicest feeling. Because the weather is nice, the scenery is beautiful, and one of the most comforting holidays happens in this season it is ideal time for me. Overall, fall embodies everything that I love.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ca221c; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sources: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ca221c; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">@http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/coleong/coleong0804/coleong080400011/2783921-stock-image-of-fall-foliage-at-boston-public-garden.jpg

Assignment #9 What Have I Learned?


Throughout the Man the Mythmaker unit, I have discovered many things about myself as well as my surroundings. For starters, one of the big archetypes that I found that I could reason with was the 'End of Childhood" one. It really helped me learn to accept that it is all part of a cycle and everyone goes through it. It helped me discover that even my peers share my same feelings regarding this loss of innocence. After all, we cannot be kids forever.

Through a bigger picture, this unit has helped me discover many things about the symbolism behind everyday events. I learned about how there once was this perfect age in time, how a flood cleansed the world, and how there are double sided gifts, among other topics. I think above all this unit has granted me a further understanding of why certain things happen and why things have turned out to be the way they have. In addition, it has accomplished this goal in a fun and interesting way by occasionally teaching lessons through different culture's perspectives. All in all, I am glad that we got to do this unit because I really and truly did learn a lot of interesting information through exciting stories. Source: @http://www.flickr.com/photos/riapereira/8101560932/