BILL BLOG
Friday, May 29, 2026
And it’s Friday, and time to catch a plane back to Nashville.
A high of 86 today here in Chicago. And it’s hard to believe we are into the last weekend of May.
YESTERDAY
Our Freedom Sings USA songwriter group gathered at a beautiful house owned by one of the hosts of our retreat here in Chicago. Laura Michaud in Chicago. Her husband is a builder and built this gorgeous 7,500-square-foot home with plenty of rooms to accommodate 5 songwriters and veterans. I teased her at the concert last night that it was the most beautiful double-wide I had ever been in.
Laura told us about this amazing collection of glass canes that her mother collected from all around the world—never seen anything quite like those.
I wrote down stairs with Army veteran Christine Seagrave, who served as an MP for several years, before a fight with a woman she arrested in Panama injured her wrist so severely that she was given an honorary discharge.
Last night she was in the front row as I sang her song about some of the abuse she suffered at the hands of men she trained with, unfortunately, as well as the story about the time she saved a cat who was wandering out on the shooting range. She had a meeting with a superior right after that, and had a cat up her sleeve, literally. That’s just a part of her song, “An MP With A Cat Up Her Sleeve.” It was an honor to write it.
Everyone was so nice, including the Mayor of Elmhurst, who posed for a picture with all the writers. He was trying to look “country”, so he wore a bolo tie. I told him he had my vote just by wearing a bolo tie.
It was a pleasure writing Christine’s song, and it was a pleasure meeting so many nice folks who showed up to support our veterans.
I’m pretty sure they’ll be having us back again next year. And I’m already looking forward to it.
A PATRIOTIC SONG
I got a text from my talented co-writer, Andrea Pearson, yesterday with this picture of her at the Sirius-XM Studios in Nashville.
Andrea was there to sing a song we wrote with Brian White, which is a Patriotic tune that will be part of a July 4 show on Sirius. I should be able to post a link soon that will let you hear that performance that will air on July 4, Independence Day.
SONG OF THE DAY
I’m choosing “Living Out in the Country,” which I wrote with Steve Dean at his house many years ago. I was sharing with Steve how I grew up “out in the country” in Missouri. And this is what we wrote that day.
At the end of the day, it ain’t complicated
Simple as simple can be
Just me and the kids, and the wife
Living out in the country
HEALTH NOTES
Tick bite ER visits have hit the highest seasonal level in years as doctors warn of a disease surge.
A paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that a functional cure for hepatitis B has been found.
New, a wearable ultrasound patch that can monitor high-risk pregnancies around the clock.
HERE’S YOUR SIGN
Don’t just go digging graves on your own, folks.
SURVEY SAYS
That 1 in 3 men are not working today. That’s a 20-year low for that statistic. (Makes me wonder if I’m part of that number, as I’m one of the lucky ones who never feels like I’m working, even though I am.)
When I asked AI why fewer men are working, it said it’s due to a mix of early retirement, chronic health issues, more young men pursuing higher education or trade skills, and a shift away from traditionally male-dominated industries like manufacturing.
Or, they got a job playing music, and they don’t ever feel like they’re working. Maybe.
JOKE
My husband and I divorced over religious differences. He thought he was God; I didn’t.
SPELLING WHIZ
Here’s your Spelling Bee Champ this year, 14-year-old Shrey Parikh.
The final word was “bromocriptine,” a prescription used to treat menstrual problems.
Right. I knew that.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
From Steve Jobs:
“The only way you can do great work is to love what you do.”
TODAY
We’re back on a plane to Nashville after this great couple of days in Chicago writing with veterans.
TOMORROW
My wife Kathy and I will be at a big Book Fair in Nashville from 9 AM to 3 pm
selling her book “Subtle Frequency.” Looking forward to meeting those who love
good books.
Have a great weekend!
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