What Makes a Champion? :: First Person Narrative Examples

What  makes a champion?   It is not the trophy.   It is not the talent. Not the salary, the most points, the fastest time, or the most records. It is not even being the best of the best. All of these things are just the benefits of what makes a true champion. You see, the real winners in life are those who have the courage to see the impossible. They are the people who overcome and persevere through all adversity. They learn from their mistakes, and no matter what, they never give up on their dreams. A true champion has VISION...    Vision, by the way, is something I happen to have dealt with in my lifetime. My identical twin sister, Aly, and I were born two-and-a-half months prematurely. Barely tipping the scales at two pounds each, we were placed into incubators, where an over-exposure to oxygen left me visually impaired. (Aly was in a different incubator, so her vision has been unaffected.) Considered legally blind, I have no vision with my right eye, and very limited vision (20/600) with my left eye. I have no perception of depth, and rapidly decreasing vision beyond a few feet. In fact, as I write this, my face is about one inch from the text.    Growing up, Aly and I shared a special bond. Because her vision is normal, she took on the role of one who kept a watchful eye on me as she inspired my independence. She strengthened my will to overcome my disability, too, as we shared common competitive interests. Our relationship was strengthened even more, when at the age of 12, we embarked upon what was to become one of the most rewarding endeavours of our lives to date. . . cheerleading.    It may sound quite improbable that I would have become a cheerleader, especially since I cannot even see the athletes I cheer for, but I never approached it that way. I simply saw cheerleading as an opportunity to see my dreams become reality.    Dreams, as I learned rather quickly, do not just happen by themselves. So, I stayed late at practice quite often where I learned the true meaning of commitment. Strength training taught me self-discipline. My first back flip taught me perseverance. My first stunt taught me balance, in the most literal sense of the word, and my first injury taught me to deal with physical and emotional pain, but it also taught me how to heal.

Analysis of the Digital Audio Player Industry

Digital technology is major breakthrough continues to grow in a fast pace. Several technology firms have explored on the potentials and opportunities of venturing to digital technology. Among digital innovations, digital music players are regarded as the most dynamic. This observation is evident in the growth of these gadgets in terms of sales and production. The digital music industry has established its presence and is becoming an influential economic booster. In addition, the influx of digital music players in the market suggests the positive demand among music consumers. Moreover, the clients being served by digital music players have expanded. Aside from music enthusiasts, digital music players are being used by various segments of the market that includes students, schools, public institutions, and even commercial organizations. II. Issues and Concerns The features of digital music players are the main reasons why players have gained market recognition. Digital music players are portable and require less space. Flash disk players are handy and can be carried to any points. Hard disk players are simply inserted in computers. Consumers are freed from the usual hassles experienced when buying similar products. In addition, digital music players only require small batteries to function. Unlike other gadgets, these players can be played even in far-flung areas. Digital players also come in varied memory sizes. Users who prefer more songs in their players can acquire players with high memory. Aside from those functions, flash disk players can be used to save documents and other important files. Although digital music players are created out of advance technologies, these gadgets are still considered as cheap. Digital music players cost less and are maintained easily. Before, music lovers prefer collecting compact discs of their favorite songs. The existence of digital music players eliminates the idea of stacking the discs in shelves. Instead, music enthusiasts can just collect their chosen music and store in the player. It saves space and reduces the financial burden of users. Moreover, consumers can simply collect more songs through the players without buying more discs. Some digital player makers offer free songs through their websites. Digital music players are one of the most hyped gadgets in the market. Every digital music player maker ensures that their products are well exposed in various target points. These companies have enough resources to fully advertise their new products. The most common form of promotion is through television and print. These makers see to it that their digital music players are well covered by media outlets. Another method of advertising the players is through the Internet. Product websites have been created by these makers to provide information and after sales support. Among the music gadgets available in the market, digital music players have a reputation of adding personal touch. Other music gadgets only include limited songs. But the songs in digital music players are preferred by the users. This is an important aspect that has driven digital music players to success. The players are user-friendly and consider the choice of the users. Digital music players are more than just gadgets but are also personal preference. Despite recent success, the digital music player industry has pressing concerns that are needed to be resolved. The most evident issue in the industry is the emergence of knock-offs. Some individuals and groups are destroying the credibility of digital music player makers by producing their own fake versions. Piracy is a major concern that has affected the industry for years. These fake versions are sold cheap in the market. Consumers who lack the knowledge on authentic digital music players end up buying knock-offs. As a result, users of fake players experience malfunctioning of gadgets. Competition is a positive aspect of the industry. The definition of competition changes when an alternative music player comes into the picture. As digital music players were emerging, there were few who warned the makers about Apple’s version. After the iPod was launched, digital music player makers noticed the decreasing market share of their products. The presence of the iPod is an obstacle in the industry. The Apple gadget has successfully replaced digital music players as the primary music gadget. There are worse news for digital music player makers as the iPod continue to improve its features. III. Recommendations The strategies of digital music player markets have to evolve on product development, marketing and piracy. Manufacturers have to improve the research base to determine possible changes in their current players. The development has to embrace the movements in technology and consider the preference of the users. Continuous monitoring of competitor performance is also important. This will allow makers to develop better players. In marketing digital music players, manufacturers have to define their targets. Despite iPod’s ascendance, it is still dubbed as expensive. This means that a great portion of the market can only afford other music players. Makers have to focus more on the lower earning bracket of the market. Because these consumers have no resources to purchase an iPod, then a digital music player is the best alternative. The marketing initiatives of digital music makers have to emphasize on the gadget’s reputation as a low cost option. It is important for digital music player manufacturers to fight piracy. The most effective way to limit its effects is to a rigorous information campaign. The digital music player makers have to ensure that consumers are aware of the original players and knock-offs. Government policies will also help the industry in solving piracy. Laws on intellectual property rights and prosecution of violators are possible steps for the government. Finally, the continuous public support for authentic digital music players have to be sustained. Conclusion It is undeniable that the digital music industry will remain upbeat. Users keep on growing and product development is a priority among makers. Digital music players are also being exposed to other markets. But there are concerns that have to be resolved. The iPod is still the main competitors of the industry. Piracy persists and damages the reputation of digital music player makers. The way to overcome these adversities requires the participation of the industry and its stakeholders. The possible courses of action involve aggressive information drives, accurate market targeting, and legislations to challenge piracy. References Harvard Law School, (2000), Digital Music: Problems and Possibilities, Date accessed: 10 November 2007, from: < http://www.law.harvard.edu/> MP3 Players, the Basics and History, Date accessed: 10 November 2007, from: < http://www.mp3playerlimelight.com/> USA Today, (2005), Firestorm rages over lockdown on digital music. Date accessed: 10 November 2007, from: > http://www.usatoday.com>

Drover’s Wife Reflection Essay

The Drover’s Wife, whose writer is Henry Lawson, portrays a bushwoman who was left to live in a small house with four children and one snake-dog while her husband was away droving. One day, when a snake entered the house, her house-dog, her son, Tommy, and she tried to kill it, but it disappeared into the cracks. While sitting, sewing and watching for the snake all night, she thought of her past hard times such as droughts, floods, bulls, drunken man and swagman. Finally, when dawn approached, the snake came out; it was killed and burnt. The drover’s wife is the character whom I am interested in the most due to a few reasons. Firstly, she is a responsible wife and a protective mother; for instance, to maintain the properties her husband had earned for years, she struggled to dig an overflow gutter in a rainstorm, which was too hard for a woman. Also, she protected her children from danger by spending all night guarding them carefully. Lastly, she is brave; despite risks, she went into the flames just to save her baby. I think if other people face this situation, they might do nothing besides weeping. After reading this story, I have gained an important experience which is that woman, herself, has to be independent and responsible because living in society is complicated as she might encounter many difficulties and cannot always depend on other people or men. As can be seen, although the bonny drover’s wife was left with four children and had to deal with the hardships of life, she independently strived to protect herself and children and overcame each challenge. Although the story is short, it has captured almost all my attention and has provided many useful tips for livings; thus, I would strongly encourage my friends to read it in order to let them perceive the precious experiences and develop their personal growth.