Many of my peeps know that I'm a musician of some semi-serious aspiration. I have a home studio I've used and tinkered with over the last four years.

I bought nearly all but a few minor pieces online at a place called Sweetwater Sound.

I have a really good rep whom I get to annoy on a regular basis with questions and reward him with orders that are probably too paltry to really pay for his time. Yet he's always happy to hear from me. Every now and then I also get an email for some special or another.

Today I got a phone call. He never calls me. What is this?

He says, "I've got some pretty good news, incredible news for you, really."

It seems that the monthly drawing I enter nearly every month, and did in April, had just happened.

And I won.

I didn't even remember what the drawing was for. He says, "The drawing for the live rigs. There were three of them. You won the grand prize, which includes..." Then he starts off on a three minute freakin' litany of stuff I'd won. The console above is just the core of the rig. I've got JBL speakers, Crown Amps, a pile of AT mics, a wireless mic rig, and some other stuff I can't even remember.

Holy crap, I say, are you serious? Serious. Wow, what's all that even worth? He does a little quick math. Over eight thousand dollars.

EIGHT THOUSAND FREAKIN' DOLLARS worth of sound equipment???

I'm stunned.

So, anyone got a band? I can make ya real loud now.