It was great because my family didn’t get cable and I didn’t feel deprived of MTV. My brothers and I would jiggle that homemade foil antenae at the back of the TV until we could get some reception.

The Box would play artists like Jennifer Love Hewitt, Mandy Moore, and Jon B. I can’t remember who else, but those artists stick out in my mind for some reason. Whenever I hear those songs I remember a certain time in my life.

I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Music has a way of holding onto memories. There are certain songs that pinpoint a specific memory for me. For example the song “You are not alone” by Michael Jackson takes me back to the beaches of Saudi Arabia and the mountains of Colorado. Those were two specific moments in my life where I was so carefree and happy. (Not that I’m unhappy now, but it reminds me of my teenage years).

With regards to Jon B. his songs remind me of when I first settled in Illinois and started making new friends. I would sit around with the girls and we used to listen to Jon B. and debate what his background was.

“I swear he’s Arab, doesn’t he look like your brother’s friend Amir?”

“No I heard he’s a convert.”

“He has to be Muslim did you see the video where he’s in the desert and there are tents?”

I crack up thinking about it now because we had such intense conversations about someone we didn’t even know. And in those days it never occurred to us to look him up on the internet.

Since I’m writing this I decided I should look him up, and apparently he has a website and is working on a new album.