What makes something of value to you? For me, I realize that I value the things that I’d rather not live without, the things I’m the most grateful for. Sometimes, value means different things, varying from financially valued things to priceless, but valued things. Each of these, I value because without them, my life just wouldn’t be as meaningful as it is now.
One of my favorite things to watch is a sunrise. There’s something about it, the experience of watching something as natural as the sun, take its daily course. I value the precious moments I spend in solitude, with the sun, because they make me realize the beauty of things that I often miss out on. It’s so easy to be calm, cool, collected, when I’m watching a sunrise, because the only things that surround me are my thoughts, and the sun.

I wake early, before the sunrise, to arrive at the beach while it’s still dawn. I climb up the lifeguard chair and take a seat, my pants getting sandy as the wind blows furiously. I wait. And finally, peaking over the horizon is a small light, growing slowly, as the midnight purple slowly transforms into a deep crimson. A small beam, a ray, of light reveals itself far beyond, but close enough to be visible. I squint, leaning forward, partially to see more, anticipating the view I will soon experience, and partially to keep myself warm. Imperceptibly, the world keeps turning and the sun shows itself slowly, gracefully, and magnificently.
It’s breathtaking, the way that something as simple and pure as the sun rising can make you feel so alive; in awe of the natural occurrence that so many people overlook and constantly miss. I think to myself how many others I know that are watching the same scene as me, how many others are wondering how something so beautiful was let in our sight. Suddenly, a blinding ball of light is hanging there in the sky, surrounded by hues of blue, purple, pink, and gray. I hop down from the tall chair onto the soft sand, because the show is over.

One thing I use every day is my pink ipod. It’s more of a metallic magenta, really, with smooth edges and flat surfaces, and a dark screen. Sometimes, I think the best time to listen to your favorite song is when you wake up randomly in the middle of the night, or if you’re taking a long car ride. My ipod goes with me everywhere; where I go, she goes.
Craving music one night, I reach for the ipod on my night stand. I turn the ‘hold’ switch off and the rectangular screen lights up, revealing to me song names, artists, playlists, and albums. I lightly touch the center button of the circle, which is like the ‘ok’ button, to browse my hundreds of songs and albums. Finally, I choose a favorite, and stick the little white earphones in my ears. Once they’re comfortable, I play the song. The first notes of the song are released into my ears, as I begin to sing along to the lyrics.
The best part about my ipod is that its small, but it holds so much. Because I’m the type of person whose life depends greatly on music, I can honestly say that my ipod holds a part of me, or rather, what it holds holds a part of me. On my ipod you’ll find any music from classic rock to R&B, from alternative to 80’s. The variety in songs comes from the variety of influences that surround me; sometimes I need something fast and upbeat, and sometimes I need a ballad. Whatever is it I need to keep me going, or slow me down, it’s on my ipod.

I value my ipod because, for one, I spent my money on it, and two because of everything it gives me. Without my ipod, listening to the music I wanted would sometimes be really inconvenient.
A sunrise and my ipod are two completely different things, but they both have a value to me. I enjoy the relaxing moments of watching a sunrise in solitude. I also enjoy the moments I spend listening to my favorite music with my ipod. I value these things, kind of in the same way, because I love them both.
They’re both obviously very different as well. An ipod is a thing of financial value. A sunrise is more of a priceless moment, still valuable, but kind of in a different way.
Sometimes, it's difficult to decipher what is really of value to you. Value, to me, is something that can't be replaced. I think it's important to have things that you value in your life because sometimes, they give you something to live for.

First Quarter Outside Reading Book Review Twilight by Stephanie Meyers; Little, Brown and Co. 2005

The book Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer, was an incredible work of fiction. The storyline of a new girl in town falling in love with a vampire, although it might come across as cheesy, was told in a captivating way, with rich details and authentic dialogue. Stephanie Meyer made her rather fictional characters come to life and as the plot unfurled, her novel was hard to put down.
In the beginning, Bella Swan moves to Forks, Washington, a small town that rains year round, to live with her father. She meets Edward Cullen, who’s said to come from a family of vampires, although no one seems to have proof. He saves her life numerous times- once before a car hit her, another time when three men were chasing her, and few other times as well. Bella and Edward have a strong attraction for one another, and you see that throughout the book. Reading on, you see that they fall in love. As the book comes to the last couple hundred pages, a huge conflict occurs. Out of nowhere, three vampires, who do drink humans’ blood, appear, in peace; at first. But it soon becomes clear that one of them, James, is a tracker. This means that he’s a vampire who, when he knows whom he wants, he searches and tricks and finds them and gets what he wants. When the three vampires come across Bella, who is with Edward and his family of vampires at the time, he decides he wants Bella; he wants her blood. This begins an intense chase, the Cullens desperately trying to outsmart James to keep Bella safe.
“Twilight is an extraordinary love story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.”
Twilight was written in the first person point of view, as Bella. Her writing is so vivid; it easily takes your imagination for a ride, making you feel what the main character of the book feels. I’ve never read a romance novel this intense; compared to the typical, predictable, everyday teenage romance novel, Twilight is something completely different.
"Even more, I had never meant to love him. One thing I truly knew - knew it in the pit of my stomach, in the center of my bones, knew it from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, knew it deep in my empty chest - was how love gave someone the power to break you. I'd been broken beyond repair.”
I loved the book Twilight. It was a romance with the twist of action involved. I’d never read Stephanie Meyer’s books before, but now that i have, I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. After reading her work, I don’t think any other teenage romance will ever compare. Her writing style was intriguing and the storyline was unique.