Dear Journal,

This week I'm heading to Nashville for the kickoff of the Friends of Bob & Tom tour. But first, Journal, I want to give you an update on my last entry. Remember how I told you how I got to feed the polar bear in Erie, Pennsylvania? Well, I was watching the news this week and it turns out that the polar bear died. Now I know what you're thinking, Journal, but all I gave that bear to eat was some Pop Rocks and Coke, and then a handful of Mentos and a Diet Coke. You see, I had thought from the commercial that polar bears like Coke.

Well, life goes on for me and not for that polar bear, but this week I'm heading to Nashville. I think it's great that we're kicking off the tour in the city that is home to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Because, growing up, I secretly wanted to be a country singer"¦either that, or a rapper, comedian, or the owner of a pizza restaurant where 3rd graders could hang out, which was cute at the time but if I said that now it would really creep people out. They'd be like, "Mike what's with you and your restaurant for 3rd graders?"�

But I wanted to be a country star. I even wrote a country song, that I recently found at my parents house. It's called "Conchry song,"� and it goes a little something like this:

"Oh I'm singin' a country song, oh come on sing a song all day. Hooray. Today. We did it. Say "˜Ribbit. Ribbit. Ribbit. We did it today tomorrow. Today hooray. Say hey hey.'"�

I think we all know that ol' tune!

Now I'm not expecting to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this week, but I'd appreciate a discount at the concessions booth. Or perhaps, if I'm really lucky, the director of the hall will take me on a backstage tour"¦maybe he'll even let me feed Garth Brooks"¦I hear he enjoys Pop Rocks and Coke.

And that concludes this week's entry in My Secret Public Journal.


-mike b