Early Monday, December 4, 2000  12:32am 

Damn, this has seriously been one of the biggest weeks of my life ever!!!  Okay, I told you about how that one A&R guy from Interscope called us and all that, right?!!  Well yesterday, at maybe 5:00pm, I get this call on the house line.  My mom tells me to get the phone, and I’m like, “Who the heck is calling me on the house line?!!”  cuz I have my own line that everybody calls me on.  Anyway, I thought it was some dumb business person, so I’m all, “Hello?”  And they go, “Hi this is Jamie from Mars Music… is this Marc Morcos?”  And I’m all, “Yah.”  And they go, “Are you 18 or over?”  And I’m all, “Yah.”  And then the guy’s all, “I’m just checking something…..”  I guess he was reading instructions off a paper or something, but then he goes, “Congratulations.  You’ve just been selected as a contestant in our $100,000 shopping spree giveaway.”  And I’m thinking, “Yah, me and everyone else that filled out that stupid little slip you begged us to fill out on the way out the door.”  And he goes, “Can you be here tomorrow at 2pm?”  And I’m all, “ummmmmm…..hmmmmm…. 2pm….. maybe.  Well how many contestants are there?”  And he said, “It’s just you and one other person.”  “So there’s only 2 people?!!!!”  “Yep.”  “So this is a big deal?!!!!”  “Yep.”  “Yah I’ll be there!!!!!”  I couldn’t believe it!!!!!  $100,000 shopping spree!!!!!!!!  Do you know how many girls I could impress with that sort of fortune?!!!!  Anyway, I was kind of in shock.   

So today we went to church, and the whole time I was trying to cut some kind of deal with God.  “God, please.  If you let me win this thing, I promise—PROMISE—I’ll limit my Mariah Carey fantasies to only weekends, holidays, and special occasions…. certain restrictions apply; see store for details.”  Anyway, so after church there was this lunch thing we stayed for, and after that, we stopped by our old house for something.  Then, after all that, we headed over to Mars Music… you know—for that little raffle thing I was telling you about earlier.  Anyway, we went inside and checked in.  I had to read some big rules thing and sign something, and then the guy told me to just hang out till the contest starts. 

The way they were going to do this thing was they had 100 little money bags (you know, like the ones you see in cartoons… or really cheesy foreign flicks entitled something like, “The Bank And The Robber”) piled up on the stage. Ninety-nine of the bags had $200 and $500 gift certificates in them.  The 100^th bag had a slightly larger bill enclosed--$100,000 to be exact.  Anyway, the way the game is played is each contestant goes rummaging through the pile of bags, picks one bag, and wins that prize.  So while I was waiting, I was looking at the pile and trying to look at each bag (the ones that I could see anyway) for something different… like some kind of clue on one of them.  They were all just sitting there, and I had the chance to just pick the right bag and win!  The only problem was—I was kind of confused as to which bag was the right one!  

Anyway, they finally decided to start the contest.  Me and the other contestant (I was hoping for a really cute girl that I could hook up with after the contest, but it turned out to be a guy) got up on stage.  I stood there and tried my best not to look stupid in front of the crowd of all three people that were watching—the rest of the 4 customers in the store were too busy shopping.  THE NERVE!!!  I got to go first since my name was picked first.  The guy told me that I had about a minute.  And then off I went, choosing my fate, picking my fortune.

The $100,000 didn’t really hit me.  I didn’t even really think about it.  I felt like I was just looking through bags for the hell of it.  Anyway, I was throwing bags left and right looking for the one bag that contained, if nothing else, at least the simple phrase, “$100,000 Grand Prize Hidden Inside This Bag.”  I set this really faded old looking bag aside (all the rest of the bags were completely brand new.  That was the only old bag, so it made me suspicious.), and looked through the other bags.  Then the guy saw that I was taking too long, so he told me to go ahead and pick one.  But I think he said that cuz he knew I was getting close to the Grand Prize bag and started to get nervous.  Anyway, the only one that looked different was the bag that was faded, so I picked that.  Then the other guy went. 

He looked around for like five seconds and then picked a bag.  So then they told us both to open our bags.  Inside the bag was a sealed plastic thing.  I pulled that out and tore it open and pulled out the piece of paper.  This was it—the moment of truth!!!  Was I about to be the proud new owner of a $100,000 gift certificate?!?!?!  Later that day, would I be directing a truck full of tens of thousands of dollars of recording equipment, Ludwig drums, Gibson guitars, Marshall half stacks, guitar picks, banjos (relax, I’m kidding about the banjos) and so on back into my driveway…. mindful of the fact that if it backed up too far, my house would fall victim to an uncalled for and completely inadequate sort of face lift… if you will?!?!?!?!  These were the questions that raced through my mind as I got ready to unfold the paper and learn my fate. 

There came a moment in that crumb of time before I unfolded the paper, that I suddenly remembered the deal I had struck with God earlier that day.  Yes, the negotiations were quite taxing, and at times, even flummoxed, but alas, a covenant was reached.  And no, because of the unusual circumstances, I am not at liberty to discuss the details surrounding the deal.  But anyway, I remembered that deal, and I all of a sudden felt secure with the knowledge that I would be the multi-thousand-dollar gift certificate winner!!!!  I HAD WON!!!!!!!  I couldn’t believe that I won!  $100,000’s of equipment—all mine!!!!!!!  And that’s why, when I finally unfolded the sheet of paper and found the words, “Congratulations.  You are the proud winner of this $200 gift certificate,” it just didn’t make any sense.  I was all, “Hey, Mack… uh, I got a problem here.  This check seems to be a few thousand short--$99,800 to be exact.”  And the guy thought that was funny!  Can you believe the nerve?!!  Did I look like I was joking???  I then said, “Listen Mack!  This here check is only made out for $200!  Now, I know I was supposed to get that other check you were giving away!  I know it!!!  So hand it over buddy!”  All of a sudden the guy seemed really confused, and then scared… and then… and then…  well, I don’t even know what happened after that.  Let’s just say that things got a little out of hand.  Tempers went flaring, fists went flying, and all hell just broke loose….

OKAY OKAY, you got me!!!  That whole last part was just made up!  I actually saw the little “2” through the paper as I pulled it out of the plastic envelope.  I then looked away, took myself into a short denial that I had lost, and then found it within myself to look down at the paper and open it up.  And it was then confirmed.  I was the “proud” winner of the minus $99,800 prize.  I won $200.  I was kinda bumbed.  The other contestant at least won $500.  I asked him if he wanted to trade, but he didn’t want to.  I can’t say I blame him. 

I always wondered how I would act in a situation like that where you’re faced with a huge prize, and how I’d react to winning or loosing it.  The experience felt weird and a little mind-boggling, but I still acted the same.  And seriously, almost 99% of the time, I didn’t really think about it.  I mean, I thought about the contest and all that, but I didn’t think about what actually was happening and the seriousness of it and all that.  After I lost, it didn’t make me mad and all that.  You would think it would, but I just sorta thought, “That sucks.  I guess I got $200 though.”  I mean, don’t get me wrong.  It was definitely a downer!  But I didn’t start hitting and hating myself and all that!!  I’m thinking more about it now though, and feeling a little more down… especially since Mario has been going on nonstop since I became a contestant about how we’re going to turn one of our rooms into the coolest studio, complete with a raised sound-proof room where the monitors would go.  And the room is not going to be dark and black like most studios.  NO!  It’s going to have white walls and recessed lighting!!!  And I should buy 2 more drumsets!  Yah!  One would be the studio drumset that stays up all the time, so when we finish a new song, we could record it right away!  The other drumset would be my drumset that I play shows with.  That way, when I come home at 2am after a show, I could just leave the drums in the cases and not have to set them up again every time!!!  And he still is going on about how much stuff we could buy with the $100,000.  I don’t think it hit him quite yet that I had lost!  I feel bad for the guy though.  I really don’t want to be around when the fact that I actually LOST sinks in!  But anyway, I’m glad I had the experience of this whole thing.  It was pretty cool, and I know it’s something that will always really stand out in my life.  And plus, me and my brother analyzed the whole thing, and we pretty much have all the tricks and techniques figured out so the next time this thing comes our way, we’ll win it!!!

Well guess what else???  I’m the “Producer” (trust me… the job title is waaaaayyy bigger than the job) of this new show being broadcast out of the 102.7 KIIS FM building in Los Angeles!!!  The show is starting out on the internet now (which, I know, is a little bit of a joke), but I’m hoping it’s only a matter of time before it’s on the radio.  It’s basically like Loveline, and even has Loveline’s original host “The Poorman” on it.  Yesterday (oh, today is Monday, December 4, 2000 by the way.  I got home late last night and started writing this diary, and then got tired and left it to finish later.  I’ve been writing for a while now.) was our first show, and it was a lot of fun!  I was kind of scared at first because I really didn’t know what to do.  But I ended up screening the calls (which is a lot of fun—especially when it’s a hot girl telling you her little problem.  I’m like, “Yah, that’s too bad—but maybe I can be of some sort of assistance!”)  ….. HOLD ON.  POLICE CHASE!!!!  MARIO JUST CAME IN THE ROOM AND TOLD ME.  10:31pm Monday, December 4, 2000.  I’ll be back!!!! 

And I’m back.  10:50pm.  It was alright—nothing special though.  Anyway, where was I…. Oh yah.  I ended up screening calls for the show and all that.  In two weeks, we’re actually going to have Jo Jo from KIIS on the show!  That’s going to be crazy!  That guy has actually talked to Britney Spears!  And he’s also talked to Christina Agulara, but I don’t care for that little girl… but actually, I shouldn’t say that cuz when we get big and stuff, I’m sure these diaries will still be up, and if she finds out what I said about her… well how would I be able to ever face her again?!!  Oh the horror!!!  No, I love you Christina!  I just like Britney better… way better, but not as much as I do Mariah.  She’s my favorite!!! 

Anyway, a lot of things are starting to happen, so stay tuned folks!  Oh, guess what!!!  I put the Christmas lights on the house today!!!  Last year, I bought these special hooks for the lights and spaced them exactly right so they could hook on the lights themselves instead of just the cord, and look much more organized (they’re the big lights, not the wimpy small ones), and I labeled the strings of lights so I know exactly what goes where, and it was so so so easy!!!  I just hooked it up really quick, and it looks really really good!!!  I got gutter hooks for the roof.  I want to put the lights way on the top of the house, but my parents don’t want me going up cuz they think I’ll fall and kill myself!  But there’s this small little roof on the side of the house that I put lights on, so I guess that’s cool.  I also had to adjust some roof tiles cuz the idiots that built our house forgot to nail a bunch of them down, and now they’re sliding and all that!!!  And that’s why our roof started to leak just this year!!!  Some people, you know!!! 

Anyway, well, I think I wrote long enough.  I really have to get these contacts out of my eyes.  I can’t wait to some day have enough money to be able to get laser eye surgery and never ever have to worry about contacts ever again!!!!  Damn, that would be really cool!  And if anyone is wondering what to get me for Christmas… now ya know! :)~  Okay, that’s it for now.  Thanks for taking the time to read this whole thing!!!  You are sooooooooo too kind!!!!  :)  Bye!!!!! 

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