THE DEFINITIVE JOURNEY CHALLENGE

The Journey Challenge is a real thing.  We have all been participating in the Journey Challenge, we just were not aware of it.

The Journey Challenge became apparent when I was in a conversation with my friends Sarah, Klinger, and my brother, Chip.  We were discussing music and I blurted out, "Can we go one day without hearing a Journey song?", and the Journey Challenge was born.

So what is the Journey Challenge?  I am glad you asked.  I am going to explain it to you.  Here it is.  YOU CAN NOT GO ONE DAY OF YOUR LIFE WITHOUT HEARING A JOURNEY SONG.  

Why?  I don't know.  There are all types of songs from the 1980s that radio stations, terrestrial, satellite, and streaming, alike, can choose from, but every day they rely on a Journey song to get us through the day.

I don't remember Journey being this popular in the 1990s.  But Journey really hit a post-band popularity peak in the mid 2000s.  And I blame three things:

1.  The 2003 movie MONSTER, in which Charlize Theron won an Oscar for playing serial killer Aileen Wuornos .  In the movie there is a roller skating scene with Theron and Christina Ricci and that scene is probably the only thing anyone remembers from that movie.  Unfortunately, when Theron says, "Oh man! I love this song," many people remembered that they loved that song, too.

2.  The 2005 Chicago White Sox.  "Don't Stop Believin'" was the theme song and motivation towards winning the World Series that year.  Here is the story behind that as told to me by my buddy, Parker:  Joe Crede and AJ Pierzynski were at a piano bar and they were all hammered.  Crede yelled at the piano player, "PLAY SOME FUCKING JOURNEY!"  The two of them thought it was hilarious and took it back to the clubhouse.  That night started it all for the Sox that year.

3.  The Sopranos Final Scene of the 2007 HBO series finale.

So now you are all part of #JourneyChallenge and if you click on that link you can see that it's history goes all the way back to 2012.  Feel free to @JAY_FOS me on Twitter with you #JourneyChallenge or write on my Facebook wall.

Before you go on this journey (pun intended), I will leave you with some frequently asked questions about the Journey Challenge.

F.A.Q. ABOUT THE JOURNEY CHALLENGE

• Jay.  Why do you hate Journey?  I don't hate Journey.  I actually do like Journey.  In 1989 my friend, Dusty Driever, and I listened to his sister's Journey Greatest Hits
  
  album at their house and I immediately went out and bought the cassette and rocked that album every night in my auto-reverse tape deck for about two years.  Every time I hear the song "Lights" I immediately think that "Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'" should be the next song played.  No matter where I am.  That is how much that album is etched in my head.  Plus, how can anyone hate Journey when "Separate Ways" was such a sweet video?  
• What if  I don't listen to radio? I only listen to podcasts.  So what.  Still doesn't make you immune to the Journey Challenge.  When you least expect it, you will get rocked by the power of Journey.  Background music is played everywhere you go and the challenge will win.  The dentist's office, Dick's Sporting Goods, the grocery store, KOHL's, the piano player at Von Maur are all of the best places for the challenge to get you.
• I only listen to 97X and they don't play that type of music.  Am I free from the Journey Challenge?  No you are not and the fuck they don't play Journey.  Not nearly as much as Mix 96 but they do play Journey.   I think they do it to mess with me.  Remember Klinger mentioned before?  He is a producer on Dwyer & Michaels in the morning and sometimes I think he has them play it to see if I am paying attention.  Say "Hi" to Klinger on Twitter.
• Are the people who ruin the Journey Challenge by playing the jukebox at bars as annoying as I think they are?  Yes.
• Any particular days I should be on the lookout for high amount of activity of Journey?  Good question.  Yes.  Tuesday.  "Two For Tuesday" will totally screw your Journey Challenge by 2:00.
• If Steve Perry's "Oh Sherrie" is playing, have I lost the Journey Challenge?  No.  You have not lost the Journey Challenge but the radio station is fucking with you.  They know what they are doing and they are just reminding you that they can end the Journey Challenge for that day at any moment.

Please feel free to include anymore Journey Challenge questions.  I will answer them all.  

Good luck out there.  Attack this challenge with Open Arms and remember everyday to Faithfully try to win the Journey Challenge.  If you choose not to participate and wish to go Separate Ways, that's cool.  I'll Be Alright Without You.  But when you come back, I'll ask you...  Who's Crying Now?

Thanks for reading looking forward to seeing your #JourneyChallenge!

And finally, Be Good To Yourself