Nia+Sanders

=__Assignment #1__=

My hero is Tia Torres, the owner and founder of the Villalobos Pit Bull Rescue in New Orleans. Tia dedicates her whole life to saving the dogs and placing them into responsible homes, putting their lives before hers. She puts her own life in danger, just to save another. Because she lives in New Orleans, she deals with floods, heat, and other tough weather conditions, but she endures through it all and never falls to defeat. Many people in today's society do not trust larger dogs (such as pit bulls, German Shepards, staffordshire terriers, etc.) because of their dogfighting history; what they can’t seem to grasp is the fact that the dogs only behave badly if the owner doesn't raise them responsibly. Tia stands with the belief that everyone should have a second chance, which is why she mainly hires parolees that have had tough experiences after jail lives and want to change their lives for the better. Her influence has spread, and her television show on animal planet, “Pit Bulls and Parolees”, has helped viewers fall in love with the breeds. Her mission is to rescue, but she hopes that one day, she won’t have to because of the knowledge she constantly spreads. Although Tia has gone through many physical deeds, her spiritual deeds have also transformed her (along with many others) into my role model and influential hero. I aspire to be like her in the future, spreading awareness about an important cause to the world and saving lives every day.

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=__Assignment #2__= I’ve always wondered what my perspective on a perfect world would be. My perfect world would be located on a secluded island a good distance from Great Britain. It's name would be Île froide (meaning cold island in French), a misnomer so it wouldn't become overpopulated. There would be a serene feel to the island and it would be its own nation; it would have its own set of laws and legislations. The temperature would be reasonable (65-80 degrees) and we would grow our own resources, attempting to become a self-sufficient nation. Farms would be abundant, and our produce would be fresh, spreading healthy lifestyles to citizens. Everyone would have an animal companion, whether dog, cat, or even a parrot, to help with stress or just to be a friend. Money wouldn't be a priority; we would use the bartering system instead. Nobody would have to work on sundays because it is the sabbath day. Also, the cuisine would be a mixture of French and Italian, because those are my favorite types of food. Finally, the school systems would give limited to no homework, acknowledging the fact that the students need to have a time to rest, and lowering the rate of sleep-deprivation. This is my image of a perfect world.

=__Assignment #3__= In the past year, I've gotten many two-sided gifts. The one that affected me the most, however, was when I received my student id card for school. The card is a quick and easy way to sign in and out of my bus, along with charging the card whenever i by snacks from the campus store. However, it's hard to limit what i buy. It feels like when you have a card that you can charge with bills, you can buy anything, especially since you aren't aware of how much you spent every week/month. This causes me to sometimes spend too much money, and i know that this is a bad habit. Although these types of things seem harmless right now, soon i will have my own debit card, and habits like this could cause people to be in serious debt. This is why getting a student id was bittersweet.

Recently, I experienced my "end of childhood". In the beginning of the 8th grade, I started attending Woodward Academy. Because of my experiences in public school, I thought that the transition would be pretty easy. At my old school, I was making A's without hard work, and we didn't have much homework to do. I believed that since all of my classes were advanced, that I would be top of my classes at Woodward. Little did I know, Woodward wasn't a force to be reckoned with. When I got my first F on a test (EVER!) in U.S. History, I almost burst out in tears. This was a wake up call for me; at this point, I realized that I needed to put more effort into everything I did. That is why going to woodward was an end of childhood moment for me.
 * __Assignment #4 __**


 * __Assignment #5 __**

I can hear it all sounds I've never heard before the sounds of wind slashing violenty across buildings the sounds of screaming and shrieking, echoing all around me the sounds of cries and sobs and even nervous laughter from the woman beside me the sounds of a young boy who couldn't escape the collapsing rooftops of an apartment the sounds of silence from those who have perished.

I can taste it all flavors I've never tasted before the flavor of chipped paint floating in the air the flavor of salty tears rolling steadily down my chin <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the flavor of ashes from the nearest building fire <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the flavor of bottled water, curing my dry throat <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the flavor of destruction.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">I can smell it all <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">scents I've never smelled before <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the scent of billowing smoke in the atmosphere <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the scent of hot dog carts rolling rapidly down the street <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the scent of stray animals wandering anxiously <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the scent of the salty sea water approaching rapidly in large waves <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the scent of chaos.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">I can see it all <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">sights I've never seen before <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the sight of the ground cracking and breaking with every step <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the sight of water flowing into the streets <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the sight of giant tornados, ripping the foundation of the city away <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the sight of a woman running with her children, fearful and desperate <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the sight of nothingness.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">I can touch it all <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">feelings i've never felt before <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the feeling of the rough, crumbling pavement rising from the ground <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the feeling of heavy raindrops piercing my flesh <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the feeling of wind knocking me to the ground <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the feeling of tears flowing in streams down my cheeks <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">the feeling of brokenness.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">previously warned by the blue eyed son <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">but nobody listened, not a soul <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">and now were brought to the current matter <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">our world has come to an end, and life shattering. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">A good representation of change in a story was Pegasus. When the speaker's soul has become old, he tries his hardest to sell it. When his efforts fail he comes to a realization that he cannot get rid of his soul. Immediately afterwards, his "horse" (soul) was transformed into a beaming pegasus. This change was for the better because he gained a sense of understanding from the experience of trying to sell his soul, and now his "Pegasus" can help him throughout his life.
 * __<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Assignment #6 __**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">If I had to choose one story we've read that relates closely to metamorposis today, it would be Midas, hands down. I believe this is the best example because it focuses on greed. There is greed in everyone, sometimes in small amounts, and sometimes it completely takes control. Lots of people's main goal in life is to become very rich or wealthy. Most of those people don't want to do the work to get there, and try to find easy shortcuts to fame or fortune. Unfortunately, they cease to realize that with every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Even if the person gets what they want, there will be a consequence. Just as King Midas received donkey ears, the person might lose something else that is important to them. These things could range from going bankrupt to losing family relationships. This is why I belive that Midas is a great example of metamorposis in our current world.
 * __<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Assignment #7 __**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">When making a decision of my favorite season of the year, I would have to go with summer. During the summer, the world is at its "Golden Age". Nature has been reborn and the plants have blossomed. They world is beautiful and the hassle of the school year has been halted, (temporarily, of course), giving students and educators a well deserved break. The world has reached a point of prosperity. Families have begun leaving the house for activities and bonding, and people and much more cheerful. Many fruits and vegetables have come in season, fresh and ready to eat. Also, during the month of July, my birthday arrives. The anticipation leading up to my special day makes my summer complete. Because this is the Golden Age, the weather is nice and warm, and the pool is a great spot to hang out and relax. This is why the summer is my favorite month of the year. __**<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Evaluation **__ Man the Mythmaker has taught me many things that I won't forget. In the story Midas, I learned that if you treasure materialistic things more than anyone else can get you into tough situations, and that if you try to find an easy way to get what you want, there will be an unexpected 'surprise' waiting for you in the end (a punishment). The story of Pandora showed me that even in hard times, there will always be Hope to help you get through them. I learned from 'The Beginnning of Things' that Love conquers all. I was taught about the end of childhoods' that everyone endures, as well as metamorphosis. I even took from 'The Mysterious Stranger" that God-Teachers can come in different forms, serving different purposes.
 * __<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Assignment #8 __**

But if there is one main thing that I took away from Man the Mythmaker, it's that we have the power to make our own decisions, good or bad. That there are many choices in life, and each and every one of us has the ability and freedom to choose. And there isn't truly a right or wrong answer, but it depends on how you view it. If the choice was made from feelings of hatred, greed, jealousy or such, then there will be a consequence along the road of life. But if the choice was made from feelings of ecstasy or generousity, even out of love, then you will be rewarded in your own special way.