One day being of average teenage girl and having to deal with the stress of boys and school work to the next day having to deal with the crave of blood and having the ability to control the four elements of the world, air, wind, land and water. What sixteen year old girl is able to handle this drastic change? In the series Marked, P.C Cast strongly examines the role, responsibility  and the relationship between humans and vampires.

Zoey Redbird has had a 360 turn around in her life, from going from a girl that just was trying to pass school and staying out of the spotlight, trying not to cause any trouble, to being one of the most powerful vampires of them all. Having being everyone’s role model and making every decision with caution. Zoey Redbird was gifted with ability to control all four elements wind, air, water and land. Having this gift means she can call any four elements any time no matter where she is and what she is doing. Her role as a vampire is to protect and help out with the greater good of every vampires interest in mind. She is the leader and with that role she must serve and protect her fellow vampires. P.C Cast wrote the book not just for the pleasure and imagination for others to read but also to get a point across. Every teenager doesn’t matter if at the age of thirteen or nineteen, every individual has a role in life and that may be from being a mother to becoming a better citizen in the community. Every individual has a role and wether to carry out the role or not is their choice. I have been very gifted with the talent of judo, the aggression, the will to fight, it has been in bedded in me, it is who I am and with that gift I feel that it is my role to teach and inspire others to exceed their dream no matter what obstacles stand in their way. I have had several break downs telling myself I want to quit, having missed parties and fun advents with my friends or even the fact that I cant make weight but in the end I always able to climb out of the dark hole and find the path that I must take. My role in this society is to contribute and teach that hard work and determination will make individuals the best person they possibly can be.

I get so sick and tired of hearing that it is my responsibility to make sure I get honors in school just so that I can attend secondary school or even the fact that I got to make sure my sisters get to their practices and home when my parents are at work. If I was able to have the choice and decide what order we were born I would have chosen to be last. I totally and fully agree that the baby my sister Brette of the family is the most spoiled getting everything she wants  and make sure that she is always taken care of. I couldn’t imagine the responsibility that Zoey has, knowing that she has so much power that she is able to destroy the world by just the saying of a couple words. I thought I had a hard, rough life with responsibility of working out, keeping up good grades and being able to maintain my social status. Compared to Zoey Redbird it doesn’t even hold a candle. Having that responsibility I would mentally break down, having to keep up with school, maintain having two boyfriends and another I have deep feelings for and on top of that having to deal with these great powers and keeping them under control. Responsibility  has and will always take present in my life from being the older sister and physical fitness to being a mother and making sure the bills get payed.

Humans play a major role  in the vampires life, before they could become a vampire they all had to be a human. They were just not born a vampire. Humans and vampires can have a really close relationship in which it is called imprinting in that they are able to feel and sense emotions what their other half is portraying.  In order for them to have this ultimate interaction with each other, the vampire must suck the blood of the human. Zoey Redbird has gotten her self in quit a predicament in that she has a vampire boyfriend and has imprinted with her human boyfriend that she had when she was still human and then to top it all off she has deep feeling for another vampire boy. Girls would dream about having all of these boys wanting them, Zoey on the other hand just wants to be a normal girl with no special powers and only having one boy friend for that fact, so that she is able to stay faithful. There is positives and negatives about having all of these boys but personally I wouldn’t want all of these boys chasing after me or me even feeling so deeply for two other guys. I’m old fashioned in that I believe there is one guy out there for me and I will always be faithful to that one guy.

The series of Marked is very similar to the series of Twilight. I fell in love with the series of Twilight on how it was all about vampires and werewolves. After finishing the last book of Twilight I need something more to read and it definatley had to be something about vampires. My sister recommend me to read the Marked series and Im glad I did, it is using your imagination to a whole other level. I recommend to every other individual that enjoyed Twilight to read Marked.

Both of these poems are very similar in the way of romanticism showing it’s revolt against aristocratic social and political norms and the individual imagination in allowing to over come the norm of the Age of Enlightenment. In this time child labour was huge and very popular throughout the world. These children lived in unacceptable, unsanitary conditions in that there was no clean water to drink from, rarely were able to shower and not enough nutrition to supply their growing bodies. Optimism, rejection of norms, imagination, and intuition are the most important aspects of Romanticism. William Blake has a great understanding of the meaning of Romanticism and this is reflected in his two poems, The Chimney Sweeper. It takes much courage to stand up and go against the norms of the Age of Enlightenment. What does it mean to be your own person?  In our society today it is very hard to portray yourself as an individual and let the world know who you are.

The poem of the song of innocence  portrays a great amount of romanticism in that a kid experiences the hardship of child labour being poorly treated and living in unacceptable living conditions. Even though this child has little next to nothing and barely makes ends meat he still is very optimistic, always being able to look on the brighter side of situations. “For when your head’s bare, You know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair.” Even though he has no hair it does not bother him knowing that he will not be able to cleanse, while his hair will not rot away. The boy was very forgiving in that he was able to forgive his father for selling him as a very young boy in that he did not know any better or have any sense of  a will. I personally would not be able forgive my dad, in having the feeling of abandonment. Wondering if I was an a nuisance  and knowing I wasn’t loved. How could a parent just give up their child their own flesh and blood and force them into child labour, knowing them abuse and conditions he would be put through? Having my father sell and ship me off never will I never be able to for give him making me very pessimistic on the rest of life.

This poem in Blake’s Songs of experience is showing that although the child is being ignored and put down by his parents, he is still optimistic. Often it is understood that for a child to succeed in life, support is needed. Not in this young chimney sweepers life. Although his parents have clothed him in the clothes of death, he is happy, dancing, and singing. The young boy is being distinctive; having a special quality or style. The young boy is saying that although their is misery down here on earth, heaven exists. The young boy is not looking at only the present situation, but into the future. Knowing that my parents don’t care I wouldn’t be able to love.

The main difference from the Songs of Innocence and the Songs of Experience is that the song of innocence is abouta  boy experiencing child labour and was able to become very optimistic in life, enabling to by pass the negatives in life. While the song of experience is about a boy that was abused and abandoned by his parents but was able to allow the positives over ride the negatives in life. These poems are similar in that they are both able to forgive their parents for the feeling of abandonment. I can only hope that I could posses the character of  optimism. Knowing when things hit rock bottom I would always be able to look imagine the best of the situation.Independence is a key factor to being this optimistic and imaginative. Obviously this young chimney sweeper does not follow the heard, but instead leads it.

Unique  and distinctive a characterstic that not a great amount of individuals posses. In order to obtain this characteristic a individual has to be willing to step out side there comfort zone and be who they want to be not matter what people will say or think. I envious people that have optimism knowing that I want it and try my best to always look for the positives in life. Both of these boys are able to look beyond the negatives and be able to imagine the future being a better place. The boys being able revolted against aristocratic social and political norms and envisioned more than just the awful social norms he was surrounded by.

Every parent is attached to their children mentally and physically. Children are a younger version of their parents, having the best characteristics of both into one body. As a child grows up and matures mentally they are ready to spread their wings and explore the world, without the supervision of their parents telling them what and what not to do.

A role of a parent is to raise and love their child as he or she grows into a young adult, in that they are able to make well educated decisions on their own. When a child reaches a certain age they should be mentally ready to leave home and grow as an individual, being able to create or choose their own path in the way they want to live their life, different from the society around them.

My mom is constantly phoning me to check up on me to see where I am and what I am doing. I just turned 18 a few months ago, I am legally considered an adult in the country. There is a certain point to where is it reasonable when a mother needs to know where their child is. My mother takes it over the top, she is always phoning me wondering what my plan is for the day, where I am going to who I am going to be hanging with. She has three other daughters to worry about but she only seems to be just checking up on me. Is she trying to tell me that she doesn’t  trust me? I am an adult being able to make my own decisions where or not she thinks they are wise or not. When I go out to a party she has to trust me that I am not going to drink and drive or for the matter even do drugs. Why would I want to do drugs when I know it wrecks my life? I am an athlete in the middle of training I would never throw all of that away just so I could go and get high with my friends. I know that is more to life then that and she has to realize that I am not dumb and knowing how those decisions could affect my life.

I couldn’t ask for any one better then my dad. He allows me freedom in being able to make my own decisions and do what ever I please. He is always saying you will learn from your mistakes, he would rather let me make my own mistakes in order for me to learn. To me that is  the best method of learning.A few months ago I backed up into a parked car and did a great amount of damage to the front bumper and hood. Instead of my dad yelling and punishing me, he just told me to figure out my own problem by talking and working out deals with the other person and for that I had to pay all the damages off with hard earned  money I made. That step that I took right there made me become more mature in several ways in that I was able to deal with my own problems and make the decisions I thought was best in that situation. He trust me in that I will make to best decision based on what I think is right cause of how well I have been raised by both of my parents. Unlike my mother who is over protective of her oldest child, checking up on  me making sure she approves of the decisions I make.

I cant wait to move out of the house, have the freedom I have always wanted without my parents especially my mother by my side in everything I do. I do worry that my mother wont accept the fact that I am an adult and not living at home anymore, she will still think that it is her duty to still watch over and take care of me. I know it will be sad for both of my parents when I leave. I can understand what they are going through raising this little innocent  girl and having her grow into a women and letting her free in this confused world that we live in today. It will be a very emotional time for both of them including me but some day you got to grow up and take charge, in the path you decide to take. Before I leave I will definitely have to sit down with my mother and tell her that it will be alright and give her credit for raising me as well as she did.

When a child leaves home and gets ready to spread their wings and explore the world, their parents have to be supportive and not hold them back. A young adult wants to feel that feeling of freedom and not have the weight of their parents always checking up on them wondering what they are doing and what they shouldn’t be doing. As a parent their biggest fear is to see their child fail. Every parents wants the best for their child, and will sometimes go to extreme conditions in order to see there child succeed in life and  in everything they do, while others become by standers watch their child succeed or fail, and couldn’t care less.

As a child I want my parents to take part in my life and support me and watch me succeed as a strive to be the best I can be. There is a certain point to when I just want them to leave me alone and let me figure stuff out on my own. My dad has the right idea in the technique of parenting  just only if my mom could give me a little more slack and trust me in my decisions I make.  I know they will always be there and help me when I am confused or in trouble and that is what a child needs when they grow up. The support and love from my parents but they have to realize when I become an adult they have to let go and let me grow as a person.

Every child is unique in their own way and expects different supportive from their parents. Several children want their parents every step of the way helping them make decision on life while others just finally want that freedom from their parents. Every child is their own unique person so the question, do you think parents have the right to check up on their children after they move out, can be answered in a numerous amount of ways depending on the person.

Treat your neighbours and friends as how you would want to be treated. The world is full of millions of acres and miles of  water. Every millimeter, inch is covered in a living organisms, from unicellular to multicellular. God has gave every living, breathing organism a chance to live on this wonderful planet we call earth and to take that right away is inhuman. Pope Benedict XVI has taught your Catholic religion to love and care for the poor and vulnerable, the orphans and the people with disabilities, the sick and needy of every kind.

Walking down the street in down town Istanbul, is a major eye opener. I have been very lucky and fortunate to experience such an adventure. This summer I was selected to join the Canadian team on a tour in Germany and Turkey. Their I attended two competitions followed by two camps afterwards. These camps aren’t like the camps that I would attend in Canada, these competitors are out to kill and wont stop till they shed some blood. Coming back home my parents looking at me, thinking that I got into a accident, I was so bruised and raggy looking. To reward ourselves after a long hard day of training the team would go on a night out on the town for a nice dinner. That is when I realized how lucky us Canadian citizens our to live in such a highly developed country. Walking down the streets of Turkey was scary. As soon as the sun set and the moon and stars filled the sky. People filled the streets like ants on a hill, coming out of beaten down buildings. As shocking as this was, what was even more unbearable was  the Gipsies begging for money and food and the man beating on them, throwing them to the ground like a piece of trash, worthless. Even though Gipsies are very vulnerable and poor they are still human. Every human is equal in Gods eyes and that is how we should treat them, like every individual no matter what, for poorer or richer, women or man in doesn’t matter we our all equal.

As the world continues to populate more and more. The variety of people also continue to grow, giving a wide diversity. Asians, blacks, indian, Caucasian, people with disabilities. New cultures, ethnic backgrounds, the way we look and act in situations, the list will never stop from growing, as long as earth supports human life. Nothing bothers me more than standing in a line at a restaurant, waiting in a traffic jam, stuck behind a slow driver, all because some person that has mental, physical disabilities has a hard time getting around and getting tasks done. My mom telling me how selfish and rued I am towards people with disabilities. After a few months it really started to sink in and get me thinking in how I act and how  impatient I am in public.  How can I show aggression towards another that cant help, with what there problem is. Making me realize how fortunate I am to have a perfect life. Nothing to complain about, I have no phyiscal or mental disabilites two parents and a family that love me to death. I look up to my aunty and uncle because they are one in a million. They have so much love and kindness to share, that they offer their home to kids with misfortunes , orphans, or even the kids that were abused from their parents. Seeing these kids makes  my stomach turn upside down knowing that they will never experience the experience that I experience every day, the love and warm hearted home. I hope one day when I have had my kids and have moved out, that I too will be able to offer my home to the kids in need. Show them a path that their parents were not able to provide for them.

The World Heath Organization. Is one of the best organizations ever made. Helping people world wide dealing with health crisis’s. Their is nothing negative about the organization. Canadian citizens are very lucky to be living in the type of country we our living in today. We our a well developed country  known world wide. The government providing us economically,  with security,  and prosperity. A great portion of the world  countries can’t provide there people with education, security or even health matters. Day by day people in developing countries are dying by the simplest sicknesses. All because their government can not provide them the medicine they need. That is when the World Health Organization takes control, helping the people in need. Every human being has the right to live, it doesn’t matter where you live or what you look like we our all equal. No Caste System, everyone having equal rights and responsibilities.

Jesus taught that on the Day of Judgement God will ask what each of us did to help the poor and needy. “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” From day to day  I try to become a better person in becoming patient with the disabilities to sharing my kindness and love to the ones in need. Making the world a better place on step at a time, starting with one person making a change.

God brought us into this wonderful world that he has made, he choose who our parents are and what kind of characteristics we would possess and even who we would become. Every individual that has lived and living are all different. No human being is ever the same that’s what makes every individual special and unique in our world.

As I look in the mirror I see a person with a great amount of potential. The potential to strive for greatness. Every individual has that chance In life to be a person greater than who they are. It takes a great amount of courage, strength and will to become greater. The question is are individuals willing to make a change. A change could be one of the hardest actions that an individual can take. Individuals get in a state where they are comfortable in what their daily routine is. wake-up, eat work, eat, sleep. Wanting to add action, adventure in their life making it more exciting from day to day.

The common concern and problem  that people use is that there’s notenough time in a day or just being plain lazy. As an individual just like 99% of the wolds population I have trouble making a change. A change to me is like a life depressing state. As I reflect through my life I realize that I have been maintaing a simple routine, sports,school, friends. The one change I struggle with is my sport. A common question I’m commonly asked is how far will you go in your sports and in doing so how are you going to get an education? How old do you want to be when you start a family? It hit me hard thinking about these question. Several nights of thinking spent on these question. I have  never really thought life in the future. I have always lived my life from day to day.

After talking with my parents, I have realized that I should  start to plan my future. I’m getting older by the day and soon before I know it, life would flash before my eyes and I wont have a plan or an idea of what I want or wanting to do. My parents are always wishing they could take back the time so life would be filled with more adventure. My dad said if he could go back time he would  change his careers. That got me thinking really hard in what I want to do for the rest of my life. I don’t want to be that person stuck at a job  that takes effort to get out of bed in the morning. I want a job that I will love for the rest of my life.

Time doesn’t bother me, as long as I enjoy what Im doing and live every minute to the fullest. My life will and always will contain school and my sports. I love exercise and I love to learn. Those two words describes who I am and who I will always be.

Since the day I was born my mom and dad have taught me a great portion of what I known. As a kid my brain is like a super soak sponge, absorbing sights and sounds that surround me. My life has been ifluented by others that surround me. My family, friends and other peers all play a huge role in who I am becoming and who I want to become.

My parents are always telling me that I should surround myself around others that are going to give me a positive outlooks and outcomes in life and the best people to do that is my family. They will always be there for you when you need them in good times and bad. Knowing that they will give you the strength and courage to continue on the path that you decide to be the person you want to be. Friends come and go but my family is here to stay. I spend a great amount of my time traveling and training in judo, leaving me the bare minimum for my social life. there are day’s where I just want to quite give up. Realizing  that I am not getting any younger, knowing that I wont be able to have my life back as a kid and wasting it all on judo. Without my family being there to turn my negative thinking into positive thinking, making me realize of how lucky I am as a kid to have this much talent and to explore the world at such a young age.  I would have not accomplished as much in judo as I have today if it wasn’t for my family.

I have to greatest friends in the world I couldn’t of asked for any better. I definately listen to my parents this time by surrounding myself around others that will give me a positive outlook on life. They are always there for me, helping me in times in need wether it is advice, or just comfort I could always count on them. I would consider them my far away family. They too are always encouraging me to do my best in life and never to waste one minute. I have taken the choice to surround myself around others that don’t appreciate what I do in life and where I spend my time, they would rather have me  hang with them day and night and not enjoy what life gives me. They are always so depressed and mad at life from every detail, from the weather to how much money they have in their pocket. Having that attitude  constantly around  me did eventually rub off on me, making me a horrible person that I do not want to become. Friends and peers play a magor role in who I become.

I look at myself in the mirror and it is a person that I dont want to see. I see the bags that pull my eyes down, the tiredness that fills my face but most of all I see a person that gives up when time get tough. A person not willing to keep trying and accomplish their goals. Not only have I become a quitter but a very negative person towards life. I have notcied that when life doesn’t go the way I want it to I  quit, give up and make negative comments toward life and how it sucks. I can be a really bitter person when not getting what I want, material and emotional goods. I haven’t apperciate in what life has given me. I want to become a person the see life in a positive way. I want to be the person to not give up and say “I can do it and no one will stop me.” I have accomplished a great amount in my life, in judo and my other sports but that still does not make me satisfied. I went through everything imagineable from tears, fighting to being rude to the ones I care about. I want to over come that childish attiude and mature mentally as well. When I look in the mirror I want to feel the joy build up inside of me. I want to feel and look  healthy mentally and physically. To become who I want ot be.

 All it takes is to make that one change in my life and I am willing to do that to become who I want to become. It may take a great amount of will power to change but I am starting my life changing goal now so I am willing  and knowning that I can do it with the help of friends and family that surround me.

Live Like You Were Dying is a really inspiring song to me. It explains how important life is and how individuals should live their life. One day my dad and I were driving out to our farm. This wasn’t any original day, the sun was shining there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was just me and him with the windows down and the wind blowing in our hair. There was an awkward silence but that silence just made the moment that much greater and memorable. Until the radio host introduced the number one song in the country written by Tim McGraw, Live Like You Were Dying. The silence in the truck increased in depth as our minds were racing after every word was sung. After the song was done I wanted to hear it over and over again, to figure out in deeper meaning what the story was, behind the song. Realizing what the story meant I couldn’t get enough of hearing the beautiful words spoken.

Since I can remember as a kid all my dad played was country music. I have heard a great amount of  country music but this song just stood out to me, every word so symbolic. Live like You Were Dying is about a man that was diagnosed with a disease and only had a few days to live. In that time he spent every single part of his day trying new activities and experiences that he wouldn’t normally of thought of. This got me wondering that I could die any day and not be able to tell my loves ones how much I love them or even be able to explore and experience new adventures that I have always wanted to do. Being a dare devil risking my life from day to day.

I base my life  upon the values and morals of this song. At the end of the day I take some time before going to bed and reflect on how my day went, what I didn’t do and what I could have done better. Making sure I redeem myself the next day. 3 years ago my great grandpa died. He just had his 99th birthday a few months before he died. He went in to get hip surgery on his broken hip.  The family didn’t think he would make it out of surgery because he was so old that they were thinking his organs wouldn’t be able to recover. With his strong determination, he was able to pull through. A few weeks later after beginning to walk again his kidney slowing started to fail. He shortly died of kidney failure. Never once was I able  to tell him that I loved him. Everyday I’m always in regret that I didn’t let him hear those two special words and now knowing I will never get the chance again. Every time before leaving for a party or going to bed I make sure that I tell my family that I love them. Never sure what might happen to them or me. Knowing that the last words I said to them were words with meaning.

The fear of giving up

afraid of letting down not only me

but others around me.

Disappointment, useless.

As I describe, my thoughts running through my head.

The pain and suffering

I endure, as I make my way up my tower.

That I built from dirt.

Every step, every climb

I sacrifice me as a whole,

knowing I’m missing out

Others surrounding me thinking I’m crazy

or just a waste of my time.

I wonder if they are right,

until I hear a swoosh or ippon yelled.

Knowing I’m not making a mistake.

I wish I could tell others around

the glory and happiness that builds from inside,

realizing the closer I get to reaching

the top of my tower.

Accomplishing my goal in life.

 Anne Wilkinson explains that one of the most wonderful experiences that you can experience is having a children. From when giving birth to them and watching every step of them grow up. “Nipple to spoon, from spoon, to knife and fork.” Teaching them from right and wrong and being part of their every experience in life. Being a young child I needed my mom every step of the way to comfort and look after me. Having my mom around she was able to teach me in which she believes is right. Know having matued into a young adult Im ready for take off into the new world. Spreading my wings and letting the wind take me to my destination. Moving out of the house scares me, knowing that she wont be a few steps away form me, when needing her for answers or even just the comfort of having her arms around my fragile body with pressure so great that could crush every bone in my body. It frightens me being all alone out their in the wild being so venerable of the wild animals enclosing in around me

Spending day in and day out feeding and taking care of that one precious gift giving to an individual by the creature of heaven and earth and having it taken right from my hands, knowing I could have held on tighter. I couldn’t imagine the pain my mom will go through when I leave for the real world. Knowing the world is a scary, cruel place. Waiting to take over young ones as they come, one by one. Giving birth is one of the most painful experiences a women can go through. Leaving scares and marks on their body for life. Symbolizing that their child will always be attached, a part of them no matter what. As god refers us as his child. Anne Wilkinson compares her self to God. In that her children couldn’t live without her. Several saying that they would never go through that pain again in their life but as that tiny individual is ready to depart for take off and start his or her new life without her, it is as if that scare is reopened with the same pain and torture that was already experienced.

Im frightened knowing that my time is coming faster and faster to raise a family of my own. Terrified of the pain and torture that I know Im going to have to go through. With leaving a mark on my skin and having the fulfillment of happiness knowing that they will always be with me where ever I go. I can’t imagine having a family of my own I still feel so young, not ready, not yet mature enough. Devastating knowing a hundered years ago girls my age were having kids and starting a family of their own. Will I be a superior or just an acceptable mother? If only I could live up to what my mother has done, if I could be as great as she was I would have nothing to worry about.

Having a mother is the best guidance I could ever have had. I couldn’t imagine not having her by my side every step and every decision I make in my life. Every individual that didn’t have their mother when growing up seems to have a piece that is missing from who they are. A piece that was not able to devlope without their mother. A piece that is able to show comfort and trust with other around them. I feel sorry for those individuals that have to grow up motherless. I couldn’t imagine waking up one morning and her not there. She is not only there to help me mentally but to also take care of me physically. Washing my clothes making sure supper is on the table every day. I would be lost without her. Our house would look like it had been torn apart by pigs. Every individaul needs a mother. I count on my mom and she counts on me, we live and breathe off each other like we were a one human being.