Musical cheers

<---- So there's the photo of me 'n' Rick Springfield backstage. Some nice guy who works for that Fair took it and e-mailed it to me yesterday. Notice the shirt i'm wearin'! It's the "Vegetarians Taste Better" shirt. HA! Ol' Rick's on the phone with a good friend of mine who lives in Connecticut. I called her and kept my phone on for her to hear the concert and she was still on with me when i snuck backstage, so there ya go... It was fun getting to talk to him and get a hug from him.

I've been busy (read: exhausted!) driving in the heat, interviewing peeps and writing stories the last few days. Fortunately, i've also had a couple nights off to play a little. Thanks so much everyone for posting a note to say hello here... I have missed seeing what you have to say on your blogs. I've been playing catch-up tonight and will do more of that tomorrow...

My fave editor and i had a superb lunch at SIPZ, the vegan/vegetarian restaurant that i rave about (ad nauseum, sorry)... and what a sweetie, she gave me two tix to see/hear The Goo Goo Dolls and Counting Crows later Thursday night. So Peter and i went and enjoyed. Fun show, tho neither of us are huge fans of either band! Going to hear live music is never a bad thing.

Friday i gave blood (anyone else out there A+ blood type?!) for a blood drive that was being held by the San Diego Padres baseball team. They had some vegan options to snack on afterward, which was both surprising and very nice. I was happy to see my iron count was high enough to be allowed to give blood! I'd been concerned since i have been turned down twice in the last few years for low iron. But i've been loading my diet with iron-rich foods in preparation for the bloodletting. :o)

And then in an act of spontaneity, i went with Peter about 50 miles north and east to a Native American casino to hear and see and get moved by and move to the beat of another Peter... Peter Cetera, soulful singer and bass player extraordinaire, one time quite renowned as a member of the band Chicago. Solo for quite some time now, he was even better than i remembered him with the band. He sang and played guitar with an orchestra last night.

It was an unbelievably fantastic show, outside at night in perfect-temperature weather... My pal Peter and i talked to one of the orchestra members after the show, a trumpet player, and he was telling us how all the musicians are freelancers... they just met at the show, practiced a bit and then played. We couldn't believe it. They were tight!

Peter Cetera still looks and sounds tres magnifique at age 62 (ohmygosh, how did that happen?!) I think this photo is of him and his dog. Cute!