Wednesday, June 8

5:45 pm
Dressing Room

Trying to get myself psyched up.

First show of the last leg.  Back in the stadiums.  Crazy European crowds.

Gonna need their energy to get me up for this one.  Still jetlagged, back's still sore, bones are still creaky, and I miss my family like crazy.

Good thing I have Russell here to keep me company, ha ha.

Just finished press, had to grin and bear it through another endless round of camera flashes in my face and inane questions.  God, I hate that part.  But we gotta do it.  It's good for business.

Richie was of course the focus of most of the questions.  And he was in his normal laid-back form.  Wish I could learn to handle this press stuff like he does.  No matter how personal or in-your-face the question, he just let things roll off his back, gives that little shrug and smile and "Hey, Man..." drawl with his answer.

Guess I'm not built that way.  Cate always tells me I need to smile more, stop looking so serious. Actually I think the word she used was "pissy", ha ha.  I know she's right, but it's hard to remember.

Speaking of Cate, didn't get to talk to her much last night.  She worked late then went to work out, called me when she was in the cab from office to gym.  She started some new exercise class and didn't want to be late.  I'm glad she's keeping busy while I'm gone, but the selfish part of me just wanted her to go home and sit on the terrace and talk to me for an hour.

I did talk to the kids last night, though.  Jake and Romey were at home with Momma, then I talked to Steph on her cell.  She's down the Shore with her pals, in somebody's rented beach house for the week.  She says she's not with Brendan, just a bunch of the girls.  I was skeptical about that until she told me he's in the City, started some summer internship on Monday.  Right after graduation, off to work.

Knew I liked that kid.

So I told Stephie to have fun and let me know what she's up to.  Then I talked to Jesse for a little while.  He was cramming for his exams, but he took a break.  His last test is tomorrow then he's done for the summer too.  He said he thinks he's doing pretty well on his finals, but time will tell.

And he did want to talk to me about something.  My Dad-intuition was right.  Things are going well with Bridget, it seems.  She's down the Shore with Steph in the girl-house, but she agreed to go out with Jess Saturday night if he can talk his way out of his home detention.  Hence his how's-it-going text to me, he was buttering me up because he wants me to put in a good word with Dorothea.

I'm kinda torn on that one.  I went to bat for him with the Prom, big time.  And he's technically still grounded until the middle of the month.  But Jesse's been working his ass off studying for his finals, he's been keeping his mouth in check, and he was absolutely great last weekend with all the Steph-Madness going on.

But here's the kicker -- he wants to go out to Jersey and take Bridget out over there.  Saturday night down the Shore.  And believe me, D and I BOTH know what that means.

Can't say I really mind... after all, summer nights are for young romance, right?  But not sure what Dorothea's gonna think.  She made it pretty clear a couple months ago when we had our sit-down about our horny son that he's MY problem.  And with me out of the country, not sure she's gonna relax on the tight-leash policy.

Gonna have to think on this one a little.  I told Jess I'd call him back after the show tonight and we'll talk about it a little more.  At minimum I'm gonna need details of how he's gonna get out to Jersey, what he's gonna do about curfew, what he's willing to do for Momma in return.

But gotta admit, I wanna help the Kid out.  The way he's acting about this Bridget girl -- it's different than the others he's told me about.  There's real emotion there.  A serious crush.  More than him just wanting to get in her pants.

Apparently we Bongiovi boys have a weakness for redheads, ha ha.

There's the dinner bell -- gotta go get something to eat so it can settle before I gotta shake my ass all over that gigantic stage.  And I gotta take a picture to send to Romey.  He said Russell texted him (apparently the weasel figured out how to use my iPhone) and said he wants steak for dinner.  So I have to send a photo of Russell at the buffet.

That ferret's getting a Rock Star Ego and it's only the first damned stop on the tour.