Nicole Day 9 responce

Responce to Bianca:

What causes pain in your heart? Could it be watching a friend or family member suffer? Could it be checking your bank account and seeing $0.14? Or could it be something as simple as missing your school bus? Depending on what type of person you are this determines what you consider to be a tragedy. Like many other young adults, I have been through a lot but it is a matter of overcoming these obstacles is what makes me a strong person. As Mark Salzman tells his story, you see that he has encountered in some hard times but he overcame them as well.
I don’t like to reflect on the bad things that have happened in my life. I like to take my negative experiences and turn it into a lesson learned or something positive. I consider a tragedy to be a death in the family, watching your house burn in flames, or watching the one you love get hurt. Some people think it is a tragedy if their boyfriend of girlfriend cheats. But the way I look at it is there are plenty of fish in the sea.
After three years of practicing Kung fu, Mark finally decided to give it up and be a “cradder”. Mark witnesses something that teen boys should never witness- his best friend being suffocated until he loses concisions. On page 137 Mark describes what Michael looks like while he is being suffocated and from reading it I can tell it was not a pleasant sight. That is what made him leave the Kung Fu classes, watching one of his best friends be put in a helpless position and to be honest I don’t blame him. Mark overcomes this and finds a new hobby that he is very successful at.
“Nothing is predestined: The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings.”
Ralph Blum


Responce to Sam:

As you get older, change is necessary. There can be points in your life where you realize that you are changing more than ever. For example, these past few weeks living in Chicago and taking the Bridge Program my family and I have noticed that my maturity level is changing dramatically. As the book Lost In Place progresses, Mark is changing his goals and making new friends in the process.
I am at a point in my life where I am finally recognizing what is really important. I am finally taking responsibility instead of relying on my mom – and let me tell you it is the best feeling ever. Living in one of the largest city in the US is helping me become more confident. Not only that, but the Bridge Program is also changing me as a person. Even though I have only been in the Bridge Program for two week, I feel like I have learned more here than I did in high school. In these past two weeks i am proud to say I am now able to write a decent paper, study in a way that helps me personally, comprehend what I am reading, and speak in front of a class without being shy.
Throughout the book, Mark has changed dramatically. He is trying to find himself and in the process he makes new friends. Mark starts off as a kung fu fighter and dedicates himself completely, then he switches over to playing the cello and finally gets a girlfriend. Mark notices a big change in himself and he feels that he needs a way to cope with it, so he resorts to smoking weed. This book is very interesting because you can actually see Mark growing up and witness that he is a changing teen.