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Not Older, Just Better! |
What I wanted to do with this journal is to take a look back at my twenties. It was an explosive decade for me, so let’s look back, year by year. This is some long ass bullshit, but it’s kind of therapeutic.
1996-Michael turns 20. Writing poetry and stuff like that. Living with grandmother. Woo hoo! Fun shit there.
1997-Michael turns 21. Goes to Idols for the first time and gets super loaded. Changes jobs from telemarketing to customer service and decides to go to Harper for school. Taking one class a semester. First in computers, which sucked ass, and then in speech.
1998-Michael turns 22. Decides to start going to school full time and joins radio station WHCM as a newsreader. Starts the “Stoned Ranger.” Creates “Debut Session”, the first of many SFR shows which is a total bomb. Gets his ass in trouble with WHCM due to off the cuff remarks and prank calls on the air. Decides to rent out a VFW hall to create a huge Halloween party. Writes a blistering editorial about the situation and posts on his website which almost earns him an expulsion from Harper.
1999-Michael turns 23. Does more shows for Strictline Entertainment in his best friend’s backyard and gets many people drunk. Michael’s mother passes away in June due to a massive heart attack. After this, Michael takes classes to produce a public access show. Is brought back to WHCM to do mornings and stars in a huge role in “An Italian Straw Hat.” A play produced by Harper.
2000-Michael turns 24. Flies in an airplane for his first time by himself. Produces and hosts SRTV: The Static Experience. A television show that offends many people including the Des Plaines Cable Commission who move to have the show taken off the air due to content. Michael makes the front page of the Chicago Tribune’s Metro section and also gains the support of the head of the commission who says free speech should rule. Michael becomes music director of WHCM. He also receives an Associate’s Degree but then makes decision to get classes so he can attend Columbia College where he decides to get serious about a broadcasting career. Michael also reunites with his girlfriend where they get a townhouse together in Bartlett. Michael puts on one of the biggest concerts in Elk Grove Ganjatime 2000 which attracts the attention of the media and the police due to letters from so called concerned citizens. Michael gets suspended for six months off of public access due to having a battle of the bands in the small TV studio. However during this time, he interviews bigger national bands and WWE wrestlers, and comes back in 2001 with a bang. Uses members of his crew to produce the show so he can get back on the air.
2001-Michael turns 25. Leaves Harper College and WHCM because he feels it is getting in the way of his education. Starts going to Elgin Community College and writes for ECCO Newspaper. Michael finds out who is the concerned citizen writing letters and sees it is one person who he considered a good friend. He then puts on phony messages regarding the shows and is able to have them successfully without any more cancellations. Michael however hears rumors of threats made by political figures in Elk Grove so he blasts village mayor Craig Johnson who gets a hold of many rants Michael writes on the website and sues him for $100,000. Michael gets an attorney appointed to him by the Student Press Law Center and Johnson dismisses the suit providing that Michael does not talk about him anymore. Produces Ganjatime 2001 which is held in three different venues over 4/20 weekend. Wins a writing contest called “Skyway Writers Competition” for a poem he wrote regarding fears of the new millennium and growing up called “The Year of Demise.” Interviews Rob Zombie, Fear Factory, Kittie, Machine Head, Slayer, and many other bands he has grown up listening to. Has to take semesters off due to financial situation which puts him further away from accomplishing academic goals.
2002-Michael turns 26. Finishes up at ECC and earns two awards. One for Distinguished Club Member for his work as an A/E Editor for the ECCO Newspaper, the other for SRTV in a broadcasting class. With the help of Slytherin manager Tommy Burke producing the show, markets Ganjatime 2002 with Dope headlining at House of Blues, where Michael introduces all the bands in front of a full house. Starts going to Columbia College. Assists with the WCRX Election Night Coverage and stars learning more about the radio business he yearns to join. A state senator calls Comcast Cable to say SRTV is a highly offensive show and due to this call, the shows original times 10:30p and midnight get pushed back to a 1am showing only. Michael also produces many shows for TV. Including SRTV, Jstreetzine TV, The Silent Majority, Rebelvision, Sounds of the Underground, and Regional Music Underground.
2003-Michael turns 27. Becomes a columnist for J Streetzine.com, a local webzine for Lake County. Michael does afternoons on WCRX under the name “Mikey C.” Interns for Newsradio 780 and 670 The Score. Changes SRTV:The Static Experience to The Stoned Ranger, only to give up the persona at the end of the year. Michael then takes on the name Michael Jae. He uses Jae as a last name because one, his middle initial begins with a J, two, his last name is too damn long for media, and three, he likes the Jae thing because of some oriental attachment to it. Michael decided on that because he is a dragon baby according to the Chinese Zodiac, which is why Michael wears many shirts with dragons on them. Starts doing mornings at WCRX with co host Chris Palomar.
2004-Michael turns 28. Graduates Columbia with high honors and completes an internship at 94.7 the Zone which almost leads to a job, but due to many different elements, the opportunity dies. Continues on with Regime until Fall of 2004 at WCRX. Michael does imaging for Steve Patun’s “Monday Metal Massacre” and tries to seek employment elsewhere. During this summer, Michael goes to Hawaii. Launches the Michael Jae Project TV show in July 2004, only to get more complaints.
2005-Michael turns 29 and the fucking White Sox win the World Series. After 10 months of searching, Michael finally lands a job doing production with WZSR and WWYW FM. Starts writing for other websites and publishes columns on many. Michael also starts off the year as a PD for WRLR in Round Lake but gives up the job due to the distance he lives from there once he gets a house in Lake in the Hills. Michael rejoins WRLR as a co host for J Streetzine radio and does imaging for that, but then becomes the morning drive personality bringing a new face to the radio station. Michael completes book “Diseased Philosophy: The Life and Times of Michael and The Stoned Ranger.” Michael brings mJp to three different cable systems.
2006-After losing the WRLR show due to differences with management, Michael is still keeping busy with the mJp TV show. Michael turns 30.
There are many different memories I have, but some are personal which I can not share. Others that I don’t want to share, but I can say the last ten years of my life have been event full. I can’t believe I have made it this far, and I will go further in the future. Nothing or no one will stop me from accomplishing my goals and making my dreams a reality. I am Michael Jae, hear me roar.
Sorry if this was too long or egotistical but if you hit a new decade, like your twenties, thirties, or forties, take some time to do what I did and list some of your accomplishments or memorable moments. You will feel good about some of the things you have accomplished. I feel inspired by this list and everyone should try this as well. Take care. And happy birthday to me.
JAE
