By Gina Daugherty
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Bring it on, Recording Industry Association of America. Here I am.

I have downloaded about 400 songs that I haven't paid for.

You got me. I'm a criminal. I'm downloading songs and burning them right and left at my house. I'm drunk with downloading power. It's an addiction. I can't stop now. Just this morning I burned a CD to listen to in my car, because if I hear one more song by Train, I just might freak out and then you'll really be sorry - because then I'm going to get satellite radio. And if that happens, I'll never hear the songs you want me to hear or buy the music you want me to buy.

At times on my commute to work I have been so disgusted from listening to the radio that it has put me into a very ugly mood. I burn to keep my sanity. I burn to create the perfect radio playlist. Mostly I burn to keep from hearing the same awful songs over and over.

Do I feel bad about all this petty larceny I am committing? Not at all.

I am willing to accept the consequences of my renegade lifestyle. My parents love me. They'll visit me if I get thrown in the big house. And my husband is crafty; he could probably bust me out if they made me listen to Metallica. (Speaking of which, whew! Thank goodness Metallica sued Napster and was able to stop the exploitation of its music.)

Tonight, knowing that the RIAA and bands like Metallica have me on their radar as a music-stealing, downloading, CD-burning, freeloading gypsy girl will have me cowering under the covers in fear - fear that they might actually get a leg up on the genius software engineers who help save us from their crappy music.

So there, RIAA. You're looking to file several hundred lawsuits against music fans with MP3 collections. Everyone you sue ends up in Rolling Stone and Newsweek. So go ahead - come get me. I could use the press.

Legitimate music sites

Among the sites that offer industry-sanctioned music downloading:

• itunes (www.apple.com/music/store)

• www.pressplay.com

• www.MusicNet.com

• www.listen.com

E-mail gdaugherty@enquirer.com