A year ago this time, I was packing up to head home for the weekend when I received an interesting phone call. I don’t remember the lady’s name but I’m almost sure she was with the University Times. I was so confused by all the different papers back then, it was hard to remember which one I worked for.

Anyway, she was calling to follow up on the winner of the Don Jackson scholarship. I was confused. I actually wasn’t aware that I had won anything so I asked if she was sure she had the right guy.

We verified a few things. Was I a journalism student? Just having changed majors, I answered with an enthusiastic yes. Was I a reporter for the Iowa State Daily? Of course, I even made front page with my first piece. Had I applied for any contests recently? Well, not that I knew of, but it was possible. I did win a reporter award that week at the Daily, but I thought for sure it was only like a $5 or $10 bonus, not $1,000.

She figured that the scholarship committee must have informed the press before the actual recipient.

So we went on with the interview and I answered all of her questions with profound statements. I thanked my family, God, my high school journalism teacher—it was like accepting an Oscar.

After the interview, I called about everyone I could afford to.

During my senior year of high school, I had enough scholarship rejections to wallpaper my room—so you can imagine how excited I was to tell my parents.

That weekend was great. Money is no object when $1,000 awards are just handed over right and left.

Well, I went back to school on Sunday and good ol’ reporter chick had left a message on my answering machine. Turns out, there was an Iowa State student by the name of Corey Ross who just happened to live the same freakin’ life as me.

I guess the kid retired from the Daily to work for the Des Moines Register (like he needed any cash). I never did hear from that reporter again, but I did take something with me from that incident that I’ll never forget as long as I’m reporting. Get the damn name right.

On with the Pit.

Both Local H and Sister Machine Gun debuted videos last month on MTV’s “120 Minutes.” Local H’s “Bound For The Floor” and SMG’s “Hole In The Ground” premiered the same show. Coincidentally, the two bands headlined Veishea’s Terrace Music last year.

The Minneapolis trio Pimentos For Gus called it quits last month. The postpunk, folk band has been a mainstay at the M-Shop since they formed three records ago. Limited copies of their latest work East of Sweden are available by writing to P.O. Box 50392, Minneapolis, MN 55405.

Frank Rizzo, Sol Rosenberg and Tarbash are all back for the The Jerky Boys’ third release Jerky Boys 3. Eight of the 29 tracks were recorded with a new twist. The calls are responses to classified ads placed by the Jerkys in New York.

Greek shopkeeper Nikos, hip-hop artist Curly G and cattle rustler Big Ole Bad Ass Bob are among the new characters on the disc. Jerky founder Johnny Brennan claims he has yet to crack even a smirk while recording.

It took Go-Go’s singer Jane Wiedlin one word to describe the difference between her old band and her new band Frosted. “Penises,” she said in a Geffen press release.

Frosted’s debut, Cold, was released Aug. 27. The band reportedly used $10 keyboards and megaphones, courtesy of Toys-R-Us, to create feedback on the record.

Corey Moss is second-year freshman (Math 142) in Journalism and Mass Communication from Urbandale.