Shake it like a Polaroid picture

It may just be me, but I must have the perfect tunes while driving. Whether I'm driving to Cape or if I'm driving to the local grocery store, I must have that one song on that I have been craving to hear. I'm surprised I haven't driven into a ravine or a school bus with the way I search for CDs in my car while driving.

I love burning CDs. I'm still downloading music and I haven't been arrested yet. The only thing is I never label my burnt CDs, so I have to take time to look at them and study them while driving 70 mph. My technique is to study the amount of scratches on the back of the disc and hope for the best. Someday the car in front of me will stop suddenly and I'll end up dying with a burnt Snoop Dogg CD (with approximately 7 scratches) in my bloody hands.

One song that always gets me is Outkast's "Hey Ya." I don't really know what it is about that mesmerizing song, but every time it comes on I yell with excitement and begin singing those oh-so-familiar lyrics. It's never good with me and four friends packed in my Civic with that tune playing. We all shake an imaginary Polaroid picture and end up having about 27 near-death experiences.

I miss the days of summer when I could roll the windows down and crank up my jams. Of course, I'd always turn my loud rap music down at stoplights so I wouldn't receive any glares from adults or have obnoxious teenagers pull up in a convertible yelling at me, "Man, you're cool!" and then drive away laughing sarcastically.

As for the whole Christmas music issue, I'd rather not talk about it. It was depressing to learn that 99.3 FM is nothing but Christmas music. Working in retail is reminder enough that the time to be jolly is here.

I need music to keep myself from going crazy. With two research papers and finals coming up before having a merry Christmas break (which I'll most likely be working half of) I need Ludacris telling me that it feels like a midget is hanging from his necklace.

I apologize to anyone over the age of 30 who most likely hasn't caught the musical references to Outkast and Ludacris. If you haven't noticed them, it's obvious you're not "down" with the "cool" music.

In that case, if you ever see a blue Civic smashed into the back of someone, just pull over and I'll let you borrow a couple of my scratched CDs.

Sam DeReign is a senior at Oran High School. Contact him at sdereign@semissourian.com.