Value Essay by Phil M.

Have you ever loved the sound of something and then you started getting nervous, this is what happened to me before I went knee boarding. We only go 15-20 miles an hour, but it feels much faster. This also happened to me with a computer. I love computers but sometimes they can be a pain. Other times you don’t know how you could live without one. Here are some of my memories about the lake, and why I live my computer.

One of my favorite moments in my life is when I go to my friend Ryan Loughery’s lake house. We have so much fun. Knee boarding, and tubing behind the Starcraft, that is the most powerful boat they have, and boat rides on the Whaler. The Starcraft waves are so big they send you flying up in the air. One time when I first learned to kneeboard it took me five tries to get up. It now only takes me 1. My forearms always kill after from trying to pull myself up. Tubing is so much fun, when you go over the waves the adrenaline rushes through you. It’s so much fun to be cannoned off the wave and go spinning into the water. One time when I was about to go off the wave I got to close to Ryan, I didn’t fall but if I did I would have nailed Ryan. As much as I like tubing I like knee boarding better. Falling off of a kneeboard doesn’t hurt at all but I was still a little hesitant. It did take me 5 tries but I eventually got up and went halfway around the lake. My forearms were absolutely dead by the time I got back because I didn’t lean back far enough. I’ll tell you a little story.

One afternoon after we had our annual water fight, we wanted to go out on the Starcraft and kneeboard. I had never gone knee boarding so I was a little bit nervous. We got into the cold 60-degree water. My brother and Ryan’s dad and brother took the boat out about 20 feet; Ryan and I got set to go. Ryan yelled go and we were off. The adrenaline rushed through me as I squirmed to get on the board. I got halfway and fell off. On the second, third, and fourth I fell, but then on the fifth one I got up and went about halfway around the lake. Some small waves were coming, I heard Ryan yell lean back but I didn’t get back fast enough. I went straight down into the water.

My favorite thing of financial worth is my computer. It lets me access the Internet and talk to people on AIM. My favorite website on the Internet is miniclip. Most of the games are action games. I love to play the racing games because the other cars are actually really good. In one racing game there are shortcuts so you can beat the other cars easily. AIM is good because I get to talk to people and it’s free. Texting on my phone costs money. And they might not be there. Some disadvantages to AIM are most people aren’t there.

As you can see they are both important to me. But which do I like more? I think being at the lake house is better than any computer money can buy. The lake house is fun with the tubing and the knee boarding and letting the wave go under the board, bouncing up and down, the tubing flying through the air. As you can see I really enjoy being at the lake house. My computer is still very important to me though. AIM lets me talk to my friends and the Internet lets me play games. Something I like to do in my free time. Now I can tell that moments at Ryan’s lake house are way more important to me than some stupid computer. If I ever have to choose between moments at the lake or a computer there is no comparison, I would go to the lake.

This wasn’t a very hard choice either have fun outside or be inside doing absolutely nothing. A computer is fun for a little while but I could go to the lake for a whole summer and not get bored. I would love to learn to water ski but I’m afraid my skis would move apart and make me do the splits.

What is Valuable? By Meg M.

In today's society we have forgotten the value of objects. People are so obsessed with buying the most expensive handbags or importing water from different countries for excessive amounts of money. What is valuable and what is not? Do any of us really know?

It is a blistering hot summer day. The intense softball game has just begun and everyone is pumped. My position for the day is shortstop. The batter steps up consciously awaiting her pitch. She slams the bat down on the plate and prepares to hit the ball. Our pitcher quickly winds up and fires the ball toward the plate.

Pow, the ball hits the bat and the ball races toward me. My hand tightens up inside my glove and the sweat starts to collect in my palm. Within seconds I find the ball miraculously placed in the pocket of my glove. I fish the round ball out of my glove and simultaneously throw the sphere toward the girl at first base. The umpire calls, "OUT" and the inning is over.

My softball glove is the most important piece of equipment that I own. Without my glove I would not be able to play softball. The firmness of the glove provides protection against the ball, while the softness makes for good control. Even though my glove may smell horrendous, it is still a very important piece of equipment to me.

*****

It is Mother's Day weekend, also known as dance recital for me. As usual, my routine is up first and opens the entire show. The show begins in five minutes, so i wait patiently behind the curtain to go on stage. Suddenly, the opening announcements finish, and I am about to start. Butterflies swarm my stomach and my heart quickly races uncontrollably.

As I proceed onto the stage all eyes are on me. My butterflies start to subside, but my heart is still racing. Then, I face forward and I can see everyone in the audience. There are massive lights shining right onto my face, and I can feel the heat generating from them. The song keeps playing and I can feel the excitement running through my body. People in the audience are hollering and cheering people's names. The within an instant the song is over. The audience claps and screams while we take a bow.

Dancing on stage gives me the greatest feeling of accomplishment in the world. Getting up in front of people, to me, is very hard, but dancing in front of people is so much easier. It also gives me confidence to try new things. When I am on stage dancing that moment is priceless and nothing, not even my softball glove, can compare to that.

*****

I value both my softball glove and dancing on stage for different reasons. Although, some of the reasons may be somewhat the same. My softball glove provides for protection and control against an incoming ball. It also serves as a much needed piece of equipment when playing in a softball game. I do not know exactly how much my glove is worth but I would estimate at around forty dollars. It is a little torn from all of the work that is has been through but that is what gives the glove some character. I also get to let out anger by throwing the ball harder and going after it more.

Without my glove I would not be able to play softball. I would not be able to field the ball or catch it. That would not be good because it is my favorite sport and not being able to play would greatly upset me. So my glove is quite valuable in my playing the game.

Dancing on stage excites and builds confidence for me. It also relaxes me because I can let out my emotions. Also, it makes me feel as if I have accomplished something important. I would diffidently say that for me, it is priceless because you can not put a price tag on feelings that you get when you do something that you love.

My softball glove and dancing on stage allow me to let out some emotions that I can not explain. They also make me feel proud of myself and accomplished. The things that I most value are ones that I can express myself in many different ways.

Ipods and the Beach: How they are Valuable to Me By Maddie M.

Today in our world, living in 2007, it’s hard to tell the difference from what’s truly valuable, and what’s not. We see all of the famous people and celebrities dropping hundreds of thousands of dollars on silly little things like diamond encrusted cell phones. Celebrities like Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, and Nicole Richie all pay somebody to glue diamonds onto their cell phones. I understand that diamonds are a girls’ best friend, but why somebody would do that is beyond me. They’re all going to fall off one day.

I think that sometimes people get too caught up in who has the most expensive items, and they think that it’s a competition, but it’s not. What’s valuable to me might not be valuable to others. Something like my ipod and the beach are valuable to me because they are special to me, but things like lacrosse sticks and basketballs are not because I don’t play those sports. So after you read this, I hope you will think about what’s truly valuable to you, and what’s not.

My ipod is one of the most valuable things to me. I got it for Christmas last year. It was a gift from my mom, and two little sisters. It’s a pink ipod nano that I had been asking for more than a year. I love it because it allows me to listen to whatever kind of music I like, and the best part is that there are no commercials. My ipod also helps me relax. If I’ve had a stressful day, I just take it out, plug in the headphones, and press play. Sometimes I put my ipod on its dock, and the music blares through the speakers.

Not only does my ipod relax me, but it also helps me get pumped up for a big meet. The loud music and fast energy helps me focus on what I really want to do, win. I remember one time last season, we had the biggest meet of the season, and I sat in the locker room for thirty solid minutes, just listening to music, trying to get pumped and focused at the same time. I think it worked because we ended up winning.

The beach is somewhere I go every year with my family. It’s a tradition that I look forward to all year long. The beaches there are so beautiful; it’s my favorite place in the world. The beach makes me feel so happy, and carefree. Part of the reason why I love the beach so much is because I am a swimmer. I’ve been swimming competitively for almost ten years now, so when I go to the beach, I feel like I’m at a meet getting ready to swim a race.

It’s amazing to see much people change over the course of one year. My littlest sister, Sydney is five now and I can still remember her first summer at the beach. She hated the sand so much; she wouldn’t even stick her toe in it. If the smallest grain of sand were on her, we would hear about it. She didn’t really like the water either. Now today, she swims on the swim team with me, and she loves the sand too.

My favorite moment at the beach is when I lay down in my chaise, with my feet in the sand and listen to my ipod. I get to do my two favorite things, plus I get a nice tan. Something about the sound of the waves crashing makes me feel so calm and relaxed. I also love the feeling of the sand beneath my toes and the sound of seagulls fighting over the last crumb of bread. Listening to my ipod combined with lying out on the beach is one of my favorite memories, and the best part is that I get to do it every summer of every year.

Things like my ipod are worth a lot of value to me because they are expensive, and it is also meaningful because it was a gift from my family. Things like the beach are valuable to me because the beach makes me happy, and you can’t put a price tag on happiness.

What is value? By Lindsay B.

“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” That is what Warren Buffet quoted and he has an excellent point. Different things have different values to different people. Some things have a great value in that they are worth a large sum of money and others can’t be found online or on the shelves of Macy’s. For me, the priceless moments that I get to experience everyday have the most value and I would take them over a pair of $1,300 shoes that I won’t wear again.

One of my most memorable times took place in July of 2006.

The sun was shining. The humidity was so unbearable; we didn’t know how much more we could take. I stepped out onto the freshly cut field to set up in the net. I tap the post with my shaft and get into my ready position. My coach is now riffling lacrosse balls at me until the referees call for the game to begin momentarily. I’m at the Ft. Devan’s lacrosse tournament with my summer lacrosse team. Any minuet now, we’ll be starting the most important 50 minutes of the day. A game that could qualify us for finals was about to take place. Long Island is our match and they aren’t going to just hand us a W for our record.

Everyone steps out onto the field after exchanging high fives and good lucks. My heart is pounding in my throat and I’m positive that my teammates are going through the same feeling. I was not about to let a whole summer spent practicing in the extreme heat let me down now.

The ball is placed between the two sticks at the midfield. Knees bent. Eyes up. Sticks ready. And then, the whistle is sounded. This is our cue to forget about everything else and focus on lacrosse for an hour.

A game of ping-pong is played with the ball going from us to them and then back again. Goals are scored by each team.

It’s a game of rapid fire for the goalies and I did my best to shut them out and for the most part, I do. Blocks are made left and right with the occasional ball slipping through to make the dreadful swoosh sound behind me. This is by far the most intense and well played game I’ve seen my team have all summer.

At the end of the first half, the Yellow Jackets are up by 4. Our coaches are encouraging and believe that we can do this. I’m very happy with my play as well as the rest of my team.

Gradually, our team came back so we were only down by 1 goal. A forward goes in to shoot and then, GOAL. Everyone is screaming and jumping for joy. It finally looks like w can pull this off. Now, the other coach is complaining to the ref saying that the goal didn’t count because we were off sides when we clearly were not. The ref listened to the other team and the goal didn’t count. Then because of the complaints from our team, Long Island got the ball at half field and they came down to score.

Unfortunately the game ended there and we did not qualify for playoffs. After the game, everyone was congratulating everyone on how well we played and I was happy to receive as many compliments as I did from my team, the other team, and spectators. Even though we lost, we played our hearts out and it was by far the best game of my life.

In addition to priceless moments, there are some objects that I own that I value. One of the best examples is my iPod.

As I trot down the sidewalk, ponytail bobbing and the constant tapping of my never stopping feet, I can hear the beat of my running playlist moving through my head. After the tedious amount of miles, I’m finally satisfied and I can now rest. I switch my playlist to “mellow” to calm me down a little bit. I use my iPod for instances such as this and so many more. When I’m in a good mood, I listen to my iPod to keep me staying up beat. When I’m in a tired mood, I listen to my iPod to relax me. When I’m angry, I listen to my iPod to distract me. I could go on with examples.

Music can impact your mood so much, it’s unbelievable and having an iPod just makes it easier to access. I love being in control of what I’m listening to and people can’t tell me to change the song or turn it down because I’m the only one who can hear it. I can take it with me anywhere because it is so small, it’s not a hassle.

My iPod happens to be lime green since that’s my favorite color. I have somewhere around 600 songs. The middle button sticks sometimes because I use it so much. I’ve gone through about three sets of headphones and I’m sure there will be more to add to the collection.

As you can see, these two things are very different but that’s part of the reason why I value them both so much. That lacrosse game gave me complete self-satisfaction while remaining un-cocky because we lost. It felt good to be noticed for my play. On the other hand, my iPod always puts me in a great mood and distracts me from boredom.

Value all depends on who you are. For me, I find the moments I spend with the people I love doing what I enjoy most are the most valuable thing in the world. I think sometimes society gets caught up in who has the latest designer hand bag instead of concentrating on the important things in life because soon they’ll be gone. I know what’s valuable to me but what do you value?

Value Essay by Lida H.

If you ask people at random what value is, you are bound to get many different answers. What is value though? How do we define value in a world like ours today? When you turn on the TV, radio, or go outside you see advertisements everywhere. Advertisements suggesting for you to get one thing or another and how it is a must have. I believe that value is much more than the latest technology, newest fashions, or this seasons top selling items. What do you think is valuable, and what isn’t?

I rush into the locker room with the time on my mind. “I have 20 minutes to change and get ready for the game” I say to myself. As we were waiting for our coach Tara to get to the school, I hear overhear girls saying how their day went and the latest gossip that’s going around school. We hear the rumbling of the bus as it gets closer to us. We all start to file in a line and prepare to get onto the bus and head out to our first field hockey game.

We arrive on the field and scope out Minnechuag, as they are warming up. With only a couple more minutes left before game we finish our warm up and get prepared for a hard but good game. The ref asks if each goal keeper is ready and then he blows his whistle, for the game to begin! The first half was tough but after the first 12 minutes I finally put the ball in the net. After that I felt an adrenaline rush and our team picked up the pace.

Half time finally came and passed quickly, we all filed back on the field ready to end this game with a win. Minnechuag scored a goal against us quickly in the second half. It was a disappointment to us but we kept our heads up. Finally with the last 10 or so minutes Sam McKenzie slapped one right past the opposing goalie. We jumped up and down for joy and excitement. Then next 10 minutes we all knew we had to play our best and tightest defense on them. Keeping the ball down at our offense was a must. The final whistle blew and we were all in such shock! We just beat one of the toughest team and they weren’t in our league. We all were so proud of each other and the great teamwork we had. It was games like this that made me love field hockey and my teammates.

I go through all the songs on my Ipod, running and tired but need something to motivate me and keep me going at a steady pace. Then I hear a fast pace song in my head phones and pushes me to go faster. My 4 GB silver Ipod Nano is much more than just another electronic. It holds all of my favorite music in which I can listen to whenever I please. It helps get me excited and pumped up for games. My Ipod also helps me relax before going to bed or whenever I just need to calm down. As you can tell my Ipod is of great value to me and I use it as much as possible.

I use my ipod when I run, for sports to pump me up, doing homework, and even just hanging around. It’s exciting when I just downloaded new songs onto my Ipod and can listen to it whenever without having to wait on the radio for it to come on. Which brings me to another reason I love it, I like how I can listen to whatever song whenever. I might be in the mood for an older song so that means I can just play it instead of having to hope that a radio station will play it.

My Ipod and game against Minnechaug provide me with the same feeling. When I think about them it makes me happy and glad that I have my Ipod and the memory of the game. My Ipod is of value to me because it gives me energy when I need it and it is always there to provide me entertainment. The memory of my game is a priceless value because no one can take away from me what I was feeling at the end of that game. I felt shocked and overwhelmed with joy and amazement. Together they are of great value to me and alone they are still valuable but each in a different way.

The memory of my field hockey game against Minnechaug is hard to compare with my 4GB silver Ipod. Both are very valuable to me but in different ways. Today the word value means different things to different people. In a world like ours where, advertisements are constantly competing against one another, how can we determine what is value? What do you consider to be valuable and what isn’t?

Value Essay by Kyle L.

In modern day society, value is discerned a lot differently than it was a long time ago. Today people take a lot of things for granted and don’t value the real important things in life. We may say that we really value our ipods, computer, or something else of numerical value. Nowadays, value is determined mainly by how much it costs. But if you really think about, way back when these kinds of things didn’t exist and people didn’t have much money, they valued things such as times spent with their family or watching the sun set. They didn’t have a whole lot of money to go out and buy something that would entertain them. Back, probably a few decades ago, value was determined not by the cost of something, but by the sentimental value it brought them.

I am no different than anyone else today about valuing most, something that had cost me a lot of money. To me, that thing right now is my computer. Before my family got an up-to-date computer, it was hard for me to get research projects done and I was also pretty bored when there was nothing on TV. Now, I use it almost every single day for homework that I don’t understand or to play games on. It is a Dell Home Edition with Windows XP. The model is Dimension 4600 and it is black. We have a normal size flat screen with adjustable bass speakers. It runs very smoothly, not too much lag and fits nicely on my desktop. The most fun I have ever had on my computer was when I first got it and was setting it up. Nobody else knew what to do so I tinkered with it and set up everything and it was a blast. My computer really helps make my life easier.

Although I do value items of numerical value, there are other things that are important to me. Something I value a lot that is priceless, are my friends. One in particular is Brandon Tetrault. I’ve been friends with him since third grade, when I really didn’t have any friends. I always enjoy hanging out with him after school and on the weekends. To one another, our houses are like a second home to the other. Some great times we’ve had together were when we would pull pranks on his mom and the time he caught this huge bass in the Mt. Holyoke College pond. It must have been over two feet long. By far, the coolest thing we ever did together was throwing a party at his house on his birthday. It was crazy, lots of people and all the adults in another room. Whenever we hang out, it’s a sure plan for fun.

My computer and my friends are both things that I value. If I had to choose one thing between the two of them, I don’t know what I would pick. Of course friends don’t have a cost and bring a lot of fun, and a computer allows you to surf the web, and you can chat with your friends online without having to leave your house. I guess I would choose my friends because compared to a computer, you can still chat with them, but in person, but you can also hang out and see a movie or whatever you and your friends do. Online on a computer, you can’t really do those kinds of things. The mind-blowing moments I have with my friends, like when I complete a mission on Halo 3 and unlock a new achievement, give me a great feeling that I can’t get rid of, are way more valuable to me than anything I could accomplish on the computer. I also don’t have to pay when I want to go to my friend’s house like I would for a computer game.

The way people consider and discern value today is a lot different than how it used to be. Using what I’ve been thinking about value, I’ve considered that value shouldn’t be recognized by how much something costs. It should be about what the object or feeling means to you. I value my friends over my computer not just because it seems like it should be the right thing to do, but because my friends are a lot more fun to hang out with than a computer.

I Want What is Priceless by Krista S.

When you look back at your life, many thoughts come to mind. Like, am I living an enjoyable life? Am I living my dreams? Are the possessions that I always wanted in my reach now? And some people the question arises, do I have enough “things” to satisfy me? But for myself the golden question is, what did I value most all my life? I may question what things are worth value and what things are priceless. And sometimes its hard to know value when everyone around you puts earthly items before what is of true value? Still who can truly defy what is “priceless”, ultimate value in a world of greed?

There are many objects that I hold dear, that have an exact dollar amount. One of my favorite items is my Baby Phat purse. I adore Kimmora Lee Simmons line of perfumes, clothes, and especially handbags. One of the purses that I have out of her collection is a big black leather tote. It is a pink flora color inside, it is adorned with jewels and gold. And as always has the signature Baby Phat cat on the front and as a charm on the zipper. It is most likely worth over $100 dollars, now that it has been used. I walk around in the mall with it proud and happy. Maybe even a little bit content with myself. Compliments start to fly, and that’s okay with me. My Baby Phat purse I value as a money item. Something I can put a price on.

Moments pass by every now and then that stick with us. Maybe a funny joke, a scary second, or proudest moment. Sometimes there are moments that happen every day that we can appreciate. Everyday there’s a moment that I come to that brings me joy. I love to write in my journal. I have many journals that I have written in over the years. I started writing poetry and songs when I was a young child, it was my favorite thing to do. I write mostly poetry and song lyrics. These times when I can sit down and write down any problem or worry I feel ecstatic! It’s my personal thoughts put down on paper that are overflowing out of my heart. There is no such feeling as this very one. This is most certainly a “priceless” moment, I would rather sit down and write in my journals than do most anything. I think it is a good way to speak my mind. I’m constantly buying new journals to write in. I’m always happy to finish a journal. This is something I value that you can’t put a price on.

Weighing the value and priceless, it’s a hard task to do. Many people think valuables are more important than the valueless. Meaning valueless as and item or moment that you hold dear, basically something that you can’t put a price on. Comparing my Baby Phat purse and my writing journal together I don’t think is very possible. My purse, I love. My journal, I love. Yes, my purse is an object, an accessory and my journal is an object still, but there is something different about the values of both. My purse is an ordinary purse, I guess, and if it were in a building that was being burnt down, I could replace it. My journal is my thoughts, my inspiration to write more, and maybe someday an income for me. I can’t ever replace that.

Now after comparing the two items, weighing the values is not that much of a challenge anymore. In honesty, I value my journal way more that my designer purse. My “Book of Me” as I have titled all of my journals. I hope that my poetry and songs can reach someone or help someone. Maybe give inspiration to others who want to write. I can look back at my writing and grow from it. My purse only offers an accessory to match outfits with. My journal offers so much more than that.

So the question comes back, what is valuable? How is value truly determined? In conclusion, value is anything you can’t put a price on. When your life’s over you can’t have your possessions and they don’t matter any more. You won’t need them, but the item or moment that is memorable and personal is valuable. This is how I determine value, my way of thinking. Value is determined by how much you love, “value “ that item or moment. What I value is every second I’m alive, every day I get to experience, even if it will be a bad day. I value my family, my pets, I value my values, morals, and my faith. I value past time spent with my deceased Grandmother and Great-Grandmother. And in this case I value my journal, and the wonderful time I get to write in it. What is of value, you may ask? Only you can define that in your own life.

Value Essay by Katie P.

In life many people have things that are valuable to them. They are the things that cost the most and what things would have a money value. No one really realizes that things don’t have to be worth something to be valuable. Things that you don’t have to pay for are sometimes worth more. The things that really matter though are the things that you have all the time and are always there. You should want those things right? Then why do we always have to have the best of what there is.

I am riding in the car down the same highway that I always do on the last week of July. I am so excited planning on having the time of my life. Lying on the beach and hanging out with my two best friends in Rhode Island. We turn the corner and I see the cottage. I know that cottage by the back of my hand. I have been going there since I was born. I love it there. Right on the beach and everything is just perfect. I am so excited for it to be finally be summer. I walk in the cottage and it is the same way it always is. I run up the spiral staircase and upstairs to see the cots in the same position that they had been in last year. I put my bathing suit on and wait for everyone else to get ready to go to Scarborough beach. The waves are just right and sometimes they are towering over you. The sun feels like it hits my body just right, as I lie on my towel hoping for the perfect tan. Every thing just feels right when I am there the sound of the waves, the smell of the beach. It is all just so relaxing I would want to stay there for ever if I could, but it is only for a week. I know that when it’s Friday I only have two days left and I want to just stay longer. I know that is why I probably value my time in Rhode Island.

My camera, I feel like I should have it all the time. I need it there to capture all the moments I have with my friends or with my family. The pictures that take up the 1GB memory card on my Kodak camera are the memories that I want to hold onto for ever. I can take videos and pictures with my camera. So when I am just hanging out with my friends and having fun I can just snap pictures of us just fooling around and being silly. The times on my camera are the ones that I know that I will want to look back on and do all over again. I value my camera so much because of this. I know that I might not be able to remember all the things that have happened when I am older. But when I look back on the pictures that are still on my camera or the ones that I have printed out I will know that some of the best times that I had were spent with my friends and family having fun, and having those times saved on my camera means so much to me. I am so glad that I can look back on those times and smile.

I value both of these things very much in my life. I look forward to going to the beach for that one week in the summer were I can just lay there on the beach. At the same time I value my camera too. I love to look back on the memories. It is also more convenient to look at than looking through photo albums. I don’t know which though that I value more. I know that when I go down to the beach I always have fun. I think though that I value my camera more. I think value it so much because it is always going to be there. The beach in Rhode Island though I am only there for a week in the whole summer. It means so much to me but when I think of all the times that I have spent with my camera. They add up to a lot more. These two things that I value are very important to me and even though I value my camera more, the two things are really different so it is hard to I had a hard time comparing and deciding which I value more. Thinking about the value of these two things though has really made me think of the things that I really value in life.

Financial Worth vs. Priceless Moments by Julia L.

Today’s world is way too consumer-friendly. All those annoying pop-ups on the computer, flashy billboards, and magazines with 40 pages of advertisements, it’s crazy how many temptations we face each day. Everywhere we look, someone is trying to sell us something. Is it worth it? Do we really need everything that we buy? Does it have any value? What would you consider valuable? These are all questions that we have to ask ourselves everyday.

I consider my iPod and speakers of financial value. Everyday, at around 2:30, I switch on my iPod. The screen glows in life and the blue light on top of the speakers flickers on. It takes a moment, but sound starts to vibrate in the speakers. Finally, the beat to “Speak Easy” by 311 is playing full blast. I love this song. It is my favorite song of all time. The beat fills my head and vibrates the pen lying next to it. It can play any song I want it to, when I want it to, much better than the radio. It looks better then a clunky stereo, with the blue metal of the iPod and the smooth silver of the speakers. It is much easier to carry around, because it is so small. It is enough to get me energized after school. It gives me just enough motivation to start on my mound of homework everyday.

The lights are blinding your eyes, putting you and your band in the spotlight. We put our heads down and start hissing, building the anticipation. The drum major takes her position. Finally, the announcer says, “South Hadley TigerPride marching band, you may take the field in exhibition,” and the drum major blows her whistle and salutes. She gives the signal and we all stand up straight in the ready position, screaming “huh” at the top of our lungs. Off we go, trying to stay with the beat and footsteps, swirling patterns with music to go along. Forming set after set, aware of the penetrating eyes, but doing everything you can to ignore them. Concentrating on which direction you are supposed to be moving and the amazingly hard music you are supposed to be playing at the same time. We move through one song and the others start with just a momentary break to catch your breath. We move through one final set and we’re done, just as fast as we started. Sighing with relief, we march forwards and off the field. We did well, but not as well as we could have done. All shame-faced, we seed around Mr.Wardwell. He is not impressed, but what’s done is done and all we can do is hope. After, a brief motivational speech, we go and change out of our uniforms. Then, we run to bleachers as one massive group and have fun for the rest of the night. We talk and play games and try to forget the horrifying, but exhilarating experience that just ended.

Each of these moments has value to me. They each have their greatness and their flaws. My iPod and speakers are fun. I don’t have worry about who is watching when I scream my head off. In band competitions, I am part of something. Everything we do is in a group and in preparation for those few moments on the football field. I like being part of something and having so many friends, but those competitions are stressful. Both moments are a way of expressing myself, but if I had to pick one moment, then I would have to say the band competitions. It is stressful, but the fun that follows is something I would never trade. That sense of belonging is amazing, the band room is like my second home. I know I can talk to anyone in there. If one person has a problem, then everyone has a problem. We are a family.

In this consumer-friendly world, we really need to take a step back and examine ourselves. Do we need all of these little accessories or whatever we may have an impulse to buy? What would you rather spend your time doing? I made a list of all of my financial values and one of all of my priceless values, which was twice as long, but I did not realize that until I wrote it all down. I was blinded by the price tag that this world puts on everything. An iPod may be worth 150 dollars, but are you willing to give up the game-winning run or the Sunday traditions, moments when you are just so excited or when you are bursting with pride, for those 150 dollars. I wouldn’t trade one moment of exhilarating pride for a lifetime of listening to songs on an iPod. Many people are so tangled up in price tags that they do not realize the joy of priceless moments. Are these really the people that we want to be? I know that I am no longer one of them.

Value: What Are Things Really Worth? by Jon P.

How is value discerned? Can it be expressed with money? Is value universal? The truth is, what is valuable to one person might not be as valuable to someone else. If you stole $1,000,000 from Bill Gates, it might not affect him as much as if you stole it from a middle class family. Also, objects are not the only things that are valuable. You might value a certain person or feeling more than all the objects in the world. That means that value can’t be defined with money. Even money might be extremely valuable to one person and meaningless to another.

As an example, I will talk about two things that are valuable to me; one is an object, and one is a feeling. These things are worth more than their simple monetary value to me, because you can give up happiness to get money, but you can’t spend money to get happiness. The first object I want to talk about is my Xbox 360. I bought it for $400, and I got back hours of joy. I had owned a PS2 previously, but that couldn’t compare to the overall feeling of quality that emanated from the machine. The games also look much better than the PS2. After playing Gears of War for the first time I was blown away by how realistic everything looked. I have spent dozens of hours on several games for the Xbox 360, most notably Gears of War, Guitar Hero II, and, most recently, Halo 3. It is a good way to relax after a long day at school and have some fun, especially Guitar Hero II.

From the first day of playing I found that the controls of the game were easy to understand and use. Since then I have gotten many hours of playing time. I’m not very good, but I’m better than anyone else I have played with. Beating Guitar Hero II on Expert was a gratifying experience for me. After over a week of trying, I finally knew I could beat every song in the game. In addition to playing games, I can also rip music onto the hard drive and download things like movies, shows, games, and demos online. Overall, I would say that buying my Xbox 360 was a good investment and I would do it again in an instant.

The second thing I would like to talk to you about is more an experience than an actual physical object: listening to a great song. Listening to music can bring many positive feelings: it can make you feel energized, relax you, make you feel sad, or make you think about the lyrics. Music has an incredible ability to express feelings; sometimes you don’t even realize it’s there in a movie, but you still feel its effects. Think about your favorite band or artist. Now think about what you feel like when you listen to a song from your favorite band or artist. Whatever it is probably defies description. The feeling you get when listening to an amazing song is unique, and no one knows what causes it. Whether you like rock, pop, country, blues, jazz, metal, classical, rap, techno, country, or all of the above, they all have the same amazing abilities. This connects to me because my family and I have always loved music.

One of my brothers is excellent at guitar, and one has made tens of thousands of dollars as a church organist. I got an MP3 player at Christmas a couple of years ago and have since filled it up with songs. I don’t think anything can quite compare to turning the headphones to 11 and playing your favorite song. I plan to get a new iPod Classic this Christmas and when I do I’m sure I will be playing it for hours at a time.

Music is kind of like reading; it takes people out of their world and puts them in the world of the song. So, what is similar about these two things? Well, you could say that they both bring pleasure, they are both valuable, or that they are both experienced by many people. In truth, however, the Xbox is completely different from the feeling. The Xbox can only create the feeling of joy that you get from playing it.

Listening to music actually is that feeling. Without the joy you get from using it the Xbox would be worthless, while the joy you get from listening to music is the same even without an object to accompany it. In this sense the Xbox isn’t even really necessary. In a sense, the feelings are the only things that are truly valuable, because they are the things that make your life worth living. Without feelings life would be a meaningless shell of robotic existence. So stay true to the old adage; money can’t buy you happiness. Money is just a substitute for the things that really matter in your life; the things that make you feel good.

The Almighty Screen and the Adrenaline Rush by Joe D.

Everyone values different things in various ways. Some people prefer to show off their bling bling, or their sweet rides. While others prefer to get that rush when you catch a huge bass, or to feel that special way on Christmas morning with your family. But the real question is how do you calculate or discern how valuable something is beyond prices and votes?

***

The Red Sox came back to beat the Yankees in the 8^th inning 5 to 4, that is music to my ears. Finally, I finished my 800 word essay for Ms. Veins on the Tudor Monarchy. So that’s how Alexander Hamilton died, in a duel with Aaron Burr, what a funky way to die. I am sitting at my Samsung Sync Master 906 Widescreen computer looking up things that I am curious about and typing up my homework.

I use my computer practically everyday of my life. There is always something I need to find out or a school related project to complete. My computer is the only place I go for research on specific topics. I love to “Google” things and surf the net searching for intriguing new ideas. Some people might call me a nerd for doing this, but I love it. Lately I have been looking into the history and politics of our country and deciding if I am a Republican or Democrat. I could write a 2,000 word essay on this topic but there are plenty of other activities that I do on my computer that I would like to tell you about. I also like researching topics on the present day era, like sports. ESPN.com is my best friend when it comes knowing my fair share of sports statistics. I need to keep up with my three major sports teams, which are the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics. The computer is one of the few sources that I can access 24/7 and it is always accurate. The computer is also an extremely valuable item because I can do my homework on it. I have horrible penmanship and I do not have a good use vocabulary. On Microsoft Word I can take the information I just learned on Google and type it into my homework assignment. Without my computer a huge part of my life would be taken away from me.

***

The point guard dribbles up to half court I get into my defensive position and contain the little midget. He has nowhere to go and no pass options. I close in on him like a tiger hunting his prey and swipe the ball away from him when it is bouncing back up to his hand. The ball bounces once and I take one stride to it and begin my fast break down court. I don’t need to look back to know that he is right on my tail. I see the free throw line beneath my foot and I realize it is time for me to take my leap. I jump off one foot holding the rock in my right hand using my left to shield off any remaining defenders. I begin my ascent up to the hoop, the little punk behind me jumps up and tries to pull me down in an effort to draw the flagrant foul. But I keep on going up, up, up, until my hand reaches the rim and I slam that sphere into the hoop so hard that the backboard shakes and let myself hang for a few seconds. The crowd goes absolutely wild.

These are the moments I live for. The times when I do inhuman feats because the adrenaline in my body pushes me to the limit and I get that feeling and that rush. I slip into my jersey and shorts which I have done time after time. I close the door to my room and pretend that I am in a massive arena. Thousands of eyes are on me and I throw my hands into the air to get the crowd roaring. I picture myself doing the impossible like breaking all five defenders and doing a between the legs 360 over a kid and then dunking it in his face. But in my head I know that this probably won’t happen so I open the door and walk downstairs. Tip-off begins in 1 hour so my dad and I get into the car and drive to where the game will be played. Once there I shoot around picturing those impossible feats over and over again. There is nothing like feeling that rush go through my body.

***

I value both my widescreen computer and the feeling I get before a basketball game for various reasons. My computer provides me with information that I am curious about, to the score of the Patriot’s game, to being able to type up my homework. But before a basketball game I get that adrenaline rush flowing through my blood stream that gets me pumped. While a computer has a price around $1,200, you can’t put a price on the incredible feeling you receive before a sporting event.

The problem in society today is that people usually only focus on materialistic items while they take priceless things for granted. It would be very hard for me go through a day of my life without my almighty screen, but I would be missing a huge part of my life if I didn’t play basketball. I don’t think anyone can calculate or discern if one item is more valuable then another feeling, I know I sure can’t.

Value Essay by Corey C.

Million dollar weddings and expensive cars blur our minds everyday diverting us from what really matters. What’s more important, living the good, luxurious expensive life of celebrities, or having a couple minutes to your self to read a book, take a hot shower in the morning, or just sleeping in on the week end. Personal time, or all the money in the world is nice, but I don’t know which is better? Who’s to decide?

I hit the button, and the fan starts roaring on my dell desktop. The monitor buzzes as the electronics come to life. The light on the monitor turns green, and the screen lights up, and goes to the black loading screen. Moments later the screen turns blue, and the computer has come to life. I click on my login name, and enter my password. I wait for my desktop to load, and I’m off. I use my computer for a lot of things. I do my weekly homework on it, making it neater, and helping my grade. Keeping up with friends these days are hard, but I make it easier by talking to them with AOL Instant Messenger and looking at their face books, to know what the latest news is. I also use my desktop to play games, watch movies, all for personal entertainment. Instead of going down to the library, I can just go on to the Internet, go to Google, and look for the information I need. When I’m bored I just click the Internet icon go to a gaming website, and I have a whole website of fun right in front of me. When I’m bored, there’s always something for me to do.

The alarm clock buzzes at 5:30 a.m., and I slap the snooze button. 10 minutes later it goes off again, and I slowly get out from under my down throw micro fiber comforter. I look for my glasses, and slowly put them on my face. I get some clothes, and go upstairs. I walk into the bathroom and the cold floor freezes my feet, I turn on the lights, and then the fan. The fan starts spinning and I turn the shower knob and hear the frigid water splash against the bottom of the tub. I wait for the water to warm up, and I slip into the shower. The hot water wakes me up, and recharges me for the day. It feels so nice to wake up in my cool basement, and then walk up stairs and get in the shower. For the first couple minutes I just let the water spill down my back, and I feel relaxed. This is the start of my day everyday of the year except for weekends, and vacation days.

What’s more important, a computer worth a thousand dollars, or ten minutes of relaxation and peace to myself in the morning? How can one decide what is more valuable? I love my computer, and I am on it most of the day, but I love taking hot showers early in the morning. I can get pleasure fro both of them, and I get something useful out of each of them. On the other hand, the computer costs a lot more money, and uses a lot more power. The computer allows me to have fun, and get work done, and the shower relaxes me, and wakes me up early in the morning.

So what is more valuable? I don’t know what to choose. I guess I like them about the same, but the 10-minute shower, I think I value more. I define value as being worth something, and both items are of value, but I would take the shower one more. I don’t really know how to decide. Do you know how too? It’s hard to tell what is worth more with all the advertisements of high tech toys, activities, and products that supposedly make life easier. But who wants to deal with all the hassle, and who has the money for some of these items seen regularly on TV. The world is monopolized by money, but in the end, and good old shower can get me through.

My Values by Connor A.

How can you really tell if you value something? Is it the way that object or moment makes you feel? Is it the anticipation for that moment to come or the magic that object creates? For me it’s the anticipation for the moment I go to Maine for vacation and the feeling I get when I dive into the cool water in my pool.

Some of the best times I’ve had have happened it Maine. Every year, for the past 3 years, I have gone to Ogunquit, Maine and spent a week there with my family and my best friend, Nolan Clark, and his family. I have been going to Maine my entire life but this past summer was only my 3^rd year in Ogunquit. We have a house that’s about a 10 minute walk from the beach and has an awesome view of the ocean. The house is pretty big. Each year we have an average of 10 people staying at our house. What also makes going to Maine one of my most favorite things ever is all the people from South Hadley that go there. Every year at least 15 families go up to Maine on the first Saturday in August and begin a week of fun filled beach going and relaxing. Aside from the families that go, there are usually a group of about 20 high school kids from South Hadley and some college kids who camp at the campgrounds near the beach. Another reason why I love Ogunquit is because the town is quite small and we live right near the center of town, at night, my friends and I can walk into town and go hang out there or at the beach and not be bothered. When I’m in Maine it’s impossible to be bored. Every day, if the weather is nice, we’re at the beach and on days that it’s not we have some friends come over to our house and play cards or just hang out. At the beach all the kids have big football games, as well as play horse shoes and volleyball. The water there is usually a little cold but you can’t go to the beach and now go in the water at least once. Maine gives me the greatest feeling, I get to go away from everything happening here and just have an awesome time with great people and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world.

One thing I enjoy a lot is swimming. I love diving into the cool water after a long hot day or after a rough sports game. Sometimes when it’s hot or humid in the morning the first thing I do when I get up is jump in my pool and then sit in the sun to dry off. I have had my pool for about 6 years and each year that goes by I enjoy swimming in it more and more. Another thing is that i sweat a lot during sports and the pool is the perfect thing when I come home and don’t want to take a hot shower. When we’re on summer vacation and I’m home alone, bored, I can always go in my pool and enjoy having time to myself. Usually my friends come over to hang out and we go swimming. My pool is also useful for is killing small pesky animals. Every once in a while we find a mouse or a mole and sometimes even a squirrel floating in the water. On the other hand my pool is great for entertaining when there isn’t a dead animal in it. Whenever my parents have family over my cousins don’t get out of the pool the whole time they’re here. I also have a cool little water fall on the side of my pool that I like to stick my head under. Lastly my favorite thing about my pool is flying off the diving board into the water. Doing a dive after jumping 10 feet in the air and slicing in the water is an awesome feeling.

I value these two things very much because they both make me feel relaxed. When I go to Maine I’m away from everything else that’s going on and diving in my pool makes me feel revived and refreshed. I main reason I value my yearly vacation to Maine is because I get to be with great people and not worry about things no matter how stressful it might be here I can go to Maine and its totally different. My pool is special because I can be with my friends in it and its peaceful listening to the waterfall when there’s no one else out there but me.

There are so many things in this world that can be valuable to someone. It could be something of money value or something that is very special to you that no one else could understand. I think it is very important for people to realize what they really value and need in their life because once you find out what that is I believe you can be truly happy. Value to me is not how much something cost but the sensational feeling I get from it.

What Means More to Me by Anna R.

What is wrong with today’s people? All they care about is money, money, money. What happen to just sitting down, and telling our most memorable stories? Instead all we tell people are what we want, and what we THINK we need. It is so bad. I mean, I know it is cool to have a cell phone and iPod, but come on do we really need decorations and accessories for these things? I don’t think so.

Probably, my most valuable financial item would have to be my Patriots jersey. I remember I got it for one of my birthdays. Then, that same year they were in the Superbowl. We got to go to my aunt’s house for a Superbowl party. Before we left I pulled on my jersey. I look at myself in the mirror and think, “we are going to win this.” I wore my jersey for good luck and no other reason. I leave my house and enter the car to leave for the party. I had so much fun at the party. I talked to all my cousins and friends. We had so much fun watching the game. We even did this betting thing. Everybody was saying, “great shirt” or, “where did you get that?” We stayed the whole night, and when the game was done, the Patriots had actually won. My first year with my jersey, and they win the Superbowl. I was amazed. This thing was good luck. I felt, for some reason, like I was on top of the world with this jersey.

For my priceless moment, I chose one of my softball games. The score was 6-6. It was the seventh inning. Abbey was on third waiting to score the run to win the game. I’m up at bat, and I am ready for anything. She throws two balls, but then she throws a strike, I am ready now. The next pitch, I foul it off. The count is 3-2. I nervously wait for the pitch to come. She winds up and throws the pitch. I swing and make contact. The ball goes flying, but I have know clue where. I just put my head down and run. I finally get to first and turn around to home plate. I see, to my happiness, Abbey safely touch the plate. Our team starts cheering. We had won the game 7-6 by my hit. I walk from first to home, and there is my team saying “good job,” and “great hit.” It was a wonderful moment in my life that I would probably remember for a long time.

How can I compare two moments that have given each a wonderful day? They are both valuable to me, because both of these moments have given me great memories. I will probably always remember what has happened those days in my life. The difference is that I will always have the jersey to easily remember what memories I have spent with it. The softball game, on the other hand, I have to remember. I have nothing to remember it by, so I will have to make sure it stays in my mind, and that will make me remember it easier. I think the softball game really gave me hope that I was really good at softball, and I should keep on playing. The jersey is just an object to help support my football team, the Patriots. I will probably, when I get older, just value the jersey as an object. The game I will value more, because it really affected my life. That is the difference between a financial worth moment, and a priceless moment.

What I am now thinking is how I define value. That is a very interesting question, because everyone has a different answer. My answer would have to be, some object or feeling that changes your life. The object or feeling really means something, like you would do anything in the world to have it or remember it. That is how I define value. I guess what I value is a memory that inspires my life, or makes me happy. If it were an object it would have to be either an object that someone gives me, because they think of me, or I value an object that I got somewhere that has some memory attached to it. In the end I have decided what I value in my life, have you?

Value Essay by Alex Massa

In America today, it is hard to know what is more important. Material possessions or moments in your life that you will always remember are very important. An example of this would be a birthday party, a funeral, or something like that. It isn't worth any money, but it is worth a lot to the person who experienced these events. This has become increasingly true in modern times. Because children (and adults as well) has so many material possessions, sacred things such as religion lose value because they would rather play with their new toy. In this essay I will pick an item of financial worth and then something that is priceless to me. I will compare and contrast them and then decide which one is more important.

***

My item of financial worth is my television. I watch it at certain times of the day. This television is located in my room. I usually watch it at night, and usually I watch the FOX News Channel. This is because I am a conservative Republican and believe that CNN is biased. I usually watch the O’Reilly Factor and Hannity and Colmes. I am a big fan of Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly. However, I do not like Alan Colmes so I try to not let his blatant liberalism bother me.

***

My item of priceless value is going to Church with my grandmother. My grandmother lives in Springfield and goes to Holy Cross Church on Plumtree Avenue in Springfield. On some occasions, like Christmas or Easter, I go to her house with the rest of my family, have something to eat (usually a large feast), and then my grandmother and I go to Church and pray. No one else comes with us because we are Catholics and they are Protestants.

We dress up nicely, I am in a suit and tie, and she is in a dress. We open the doors of her car and sit down in her excellent leather seats. She turns the key and the car roars to life. We open the garage door and head for the Church on Plumtree Avenue. We arrive at the unusually large parking lot and park in a space near the heavy wooden doors of the Church.

We get out of the car and walk up to the heavy wooden doors of the Church. We are usually early, and she is allowed to come in early to help the Priest get ready for the Mass. We go into the back room and set up all the things that need to be set up. We open the golden box that contains the bread which is said to be the body of Jesus Christ himself. We take the golden key and open the heavy door. We take out just enough bread for the Mass and then shut the door and lock it.

Then we go sit down in the front row of pews and the Mass commences. There is usually a song being played by organ. The last of the stragglers from outside come in and sit down with us. Once the song is over the Priest comes out and sits on his chair (which looks more like a throne). He greets us and talks for a few moments. Then, a man comes out of the back room bringing with him a Bible. He stands at the podium with the Bible. He opens it and reads whatever verse is scheduled for that day.

After the verse is read and we pray, the Eucharist is received by everyone present in the Church. There is usually a long line, and it takes about 15 minutes for everyone to receive the bread and wine. The church I am talking about is in Springfield, and is much larger than any church in South Hadley or Holyoke. After the Mass is over, we usually stay for a couple minutes after and pray in solitude. Then, we go home and eat lunch, which is always served at 12 o’clock noon. This is because my family is Italian (both of my grandparents were born in Italy) and my grandfather thinks it is wrong to have lunch any later or earlier than noon. He says that they always eat at noon in his town in Italy, although I am not sure if that is true.

***

Which is better? How do you decide? Would you rather take something that is of monetary value, or something that is worth no money, but is worth a lot in a different way? Well, if I had to decide which of these two I'd want more, it would be going to Church with my grandmother. You see, I can watch television anytime I want to, but I can't always go to Church with my grandmother. She will not live forever, so I'd better do things with her while she is alive. Also, I believe in an afterlife, and I believe that going to Church and praying will help you gain entry to Heaven. So I would pick Church over the television.

This was an easy decision for me to make. I have found that although many Americans would choose the material possession, I would not. This is a good thing. I believe that you are a better person if you choose the priceless event. It shows that you are not stupid and that you value what really matters. I just wish other Americans would realize what I've just realized. Possessions aren't everything, and more often that not, they cause unrest and fighting (like in The Pearl) instead of happiness. Everyone knows the old quote, "Money can't buy you happiness." That is still true today.

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Value Essay Comment Instructions

I would like your Value Essay comments to answer the following four questions:

I - What does the author seem to be saying about what is valuable, and what he or she most strongly values?

II - Which of the two objects/priceless moments described in this essay did you find were most vividly and clearly described? Reference one specific part, anecdote, scene, or description that you thought was particularly well done.

III - In general, what is one of this essay's overall strengths? It could be its organization, word choice, writing style, introduction, conclusion, etc.

IV - What is one piece of advice that the author might consider for future writing assignments? This should be phrased constructively (try doing ------- next time, consider --------) or inquisitively (what do you think would happen if you -------------?)

Comments should be about two paragraphs (6 to 10 well-written, informative sentences). Your comments should appear below the story you are responding to. When asked to choose an identity, click "other," then sign your comment with your first name and last initial. Comments not posted according to these instructions will be deleted.

I would like you to respond to a minimum of two essays per class (6 total). The essays will be up by the end of school on Monday, Oct. 15th.

* Please bring a printed copy of your comments to class on Tuesday, Oct. 16th, as I will check them then. Your classmates and I thank you for your valuable feedback.

Six comments = a "check"

Nine comments = a "check plus"

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