why i rock, sometimes.

Okay, so the radio station I listen to in Chicago is Q101, and they label themselves as an "alternative rock" station, which is pretty accurate. Mainly, they play the sort of music that would have only hit the airwaves on college radio, like 15 years ago.

Their big tagline is that they play "everything alternative, now on shuffle." Like an iPod, you know.

Sometimes it's Green Day, sometimes it's System of a Down, sometimes it's Johnny Cash performing "Ring of Fire."

Mostly it's Green Day, System of a Down, Korn & something like Death Cab for Cutie or Interpol, for some indie-type street cred or something.

Either way, they don't play boy bands, either of the Simpson girls, Aerosmith, Eric Clapton or Phil Collins.

Which is fine with me.

The other day, either while I was getting ready for work, or while I was driving to or from work, I heard a radio promotion saying that if you submitted a "my shuffle" including a song by Red Hot Chili Peppers, & they liked it & wanted to play it, you'd win a special-edition RHCP iPod, a $10 gift card to iTunes, & get entered in a drawing to win an iTunes gift card for the entire RHCP song catalogue.

And I didn't really think much about it.

Then, because I'm a 101 Club member, I got the weekly email from Twitch telling the public what promotions they were running, what the concert calendar was playing, & the like.

So, I decided to go over & enter to win Death Cab for Cutie tickets.

And I saw the "my shuffle" RHCP promotion being boldly advertised on their mainpage, so I figured, "Why not?"

What you do is pick 5 songs, give it a title, & write a little blurb as to why you want to have these 5 songs played, then submit it.

So, I called mine the "Lollapalooza 2 Mainstage minus Ministry," & picked a song each by Jesus & Mary Chain, RHCP, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, & Ice Cube.

And submitted the following,

"Once upon a time when I was 20, a friend at work asked me if I wanted to go to Lollapalooza. I asked when, & was told, "Tomorrow."

Living at home for the summer between college sessions, I left a note on the table that said where I was going, packed a bag, & got into a tiny car with a bunch of other people, most of whom I didn't know. Next stop, Cincinatti.

I had my first White Castle, saw The Jim Rose Circus Sideshow for the first time, discovered cheap smokes in Florence, KY, & had a rock ass good time all around the Riverbend Music Center.

I pioneered the "It's too damned hot to wear a shirt so you can just deal with my bra & -- hey, my face is up here" movement (one minute a slutty social pariah, next minute just another bra in a crowd of many), kicked a lot of ass with my steel-toed jump boots, & bought a bootleg t-shirt in the parking lot after the show.

Now that I'm "grown up" & "responsible," I generally don't feel particularly cool or edgy. And sometimes, when I'm feeling my lowest, squarest, lamest, & dead-end-lower-management-iest getting me down, I like to take out the ticket stub from that show that I keep tucked away in my files, look at it, & remember when I was a rebel & a tease, care-free & stupid, a bitch & your best friend, & usually quite happy."

Honestly, I knew right after clicking the submit button, I'd be the proud new owner of a special-edition RHCP iPod & a $10 gc to iTunes.

How you ask?

Why, because a lot of people that work at that station are probably about my age, or at least an age appropriate to my situation, which allows me a window for quality written emotional manipulation. Like the above, well-edited, much thought out, golden ticket to the music factory.

And today, at 12:51pm, Ned from Q101 called me to let me know that they wanted to play my shuffle, that I'd won the iPod & iTunes gc, & that I needed to record some intros for the air.

So, this Sunday, in the 10am time slot, you get to hear my radio-unfriendly voice introducing "Suck My Kiss," by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

And that is why I rock, sometimes.

The end.