This milestone actually took root 3 months earlier, thanks to my subscription to 5 Magazine, which is based out of Chicago. I had only begun my subscription in May, and was able to purchase all of the back issues so that I could get caught up. I got right on track with the June 2008 issue, which featured a call for DJs to submit their best mixes for the 5 Magazine DJ Series Search. The DJ Series began with the March 2007 issue and was presented as a monthly featured House mix submitted by DJs who were either up-and-coming or very well-known. Also featured would be a profile where the reader would see what’s on the DJ’s mind. When the June 2008 issue was released Volume 15 of the Series was well in circulation and so the staff decided to hold a contest. The rules were simple: record what you want as long as it’s something you’re proud of, keep it under 78 minutes and send your mix in ASAP. The judging would be performed by a panel of the magazine staff, the owner of KStake Records, and previous mixers from the series – mind you, that could mean up to 15 DJs alone. Lastly, the winner would have a picture + profile printed in the space dedicated to the DJ Series mix, and the winning mix would be featured on the 5 Magazine website with limited quantities of CDs floating around town in the clubs, lounges and boutiques. Now I’ve entered a fair share of DJ battles/competitions/contests, and while I never placed any higher that second, I always entered these events with three basic mindsets: 1. enter for the sake of networking. 2. by entering a competition I am contributing to the House Music scene. 3. I must play in my element - in other words, “be yourself” so that the judges hear ‘you’. I had no other expectations since I felt that the contest targeted Chicago residents and at the moment I resided in Salt Lake City. Nevertheless, the decision to enter the contest was purely instinctual. In fact, I couldn’t decide on just ONE mix, so I sent two: “Chicago Classics from the Vault” and “Soul Revival – Volume Five”. I went to the post office and mailed my package… Fast-forward to October 5, 2008, when I got the following email from Terry Matthew, one of the managing editors for 5 Magazine: “Hi Reggie, You're one of the finalists for the 5 Magazine DJ Series contest. Congratulations! In order to expedite the process, I need t get from you a high resolution photo (at least 2 inches x 2 inches at 300 dpi). At this point we expect the photo to be printed regardless of whether or not you're the final winner. I need to get this from you as soon as possible -- sometime within the next week. Thank you!” Let’s just say that this qualifies as a significant event! I’m a finalist, and I got some love from my hometown!