Hey everyone...While I am jealous of all hell of the guys Jer, Deb, etc....I have to agree with them. Unfortunately, I don't have the money to travel around the world with them or I assure you I would be one of the "in-crowd" as well. However, even with my limited means, here's what I have done. At the beacon theater 11/16/99, I waited in the freezing cold for hours before the show. Met Dom and took pictures with him. Met Chris after the show. Fred and I took pictures with him. At the beacon earlier, 6.25.99, I got front row tickets to Kenny Kirkland's tribute. Not because I know Kathy Schenker or Miles or anyone, but because I waited for hours and hours and went to the ticketmaster place the night before and asked them to print out tickets as soon as they went on sale. They were only accomodating because this was not a big event and there wasn't much else going on sale that day. So what happened...I sat in the front row right next to Kenny's sister. Before the show, I luckily spoke with security and they let me grab Sting when he came in and take a picture with him. And after the show...Kenny's sister (who I had been speaking to between acts for the whole show) gave me and my family passes to the reception afterwards. This was not a press freak show though. This was a small room, maybe 25x60 feet. Only about 40 people, Sting, Branford, Kenny's whole family, Don Alias (jazz great) and other friends and family were there. And for 25 minutes I was one of them. Kenny's sister introduced me to Sting, and I spent almost 15 minutes with him and one other person. I told him I was one of his biggest fans, but that I understood the importance and meaning of the night and I was only hear to remember Kenny. He said he appreciated it and we stood and talked and had a beer. I'm sure the point is made by now, but two more quick stories. At the 2000 rainforest show, I went early. These school kids had gotten passes to go to rehearsal and were leaving in droves once it was over. They were all sticking them to the walls, etc. I took one, walked through security and then took off my pass like I belonged. I met James Taylor, had soup with Macy Gray, listened to Billy Joel belt out classical music in his dressing room, and a lot more...But no Sting. After the show, I used my same "pass" and went back upstairs...This tims, I went straight into Sting's big dressing room. I stood with Sting and Stevie Wonder for a few minutes...Put my arm on Stevie and told him I loved the show. Then, I stood in a small room outside the dressing room with Jake, Sting, Jake's 2 friends, Coco ( I think....maybe not sure of them) and Miles for about 10 minutes. No one asked who I was or what I was doing. I was just there. Also met percy sledge (when a man loves a woman) July 4th, 2000 in montreal. At 8:45 in the morning, I went to get my girlfriend coffee and coincidentally ran into Chris. I think he was shocked to have to "deal" with a fan that early, but was also shocked to be recognized at a random place out of character. I spoke to him for a few minutes and he was visiting a friend in the same hotel I was staying in, so I walked with him and his friend (Rachel, I think) and talked about the show. They had taken Message out of the set for the past few weeks, and it's my favorite...I told Chris about how we met once before, and asked him to pull some Stings (pun...get it?) and play message. Chris said it was one of his favorites as well and he would try...Now sure enough, he played it. And I believe it was because of my request because the Fragile sequence already started to play and the crew on the side seemed thrown for a loop. So...here's my point. I don't know anyone. I don't have $10,000 or even $1,000 to buy tickets to the HOF. But through dumb luck and a lot of perseverence, I have had these great experiences. Would I like to say that I deserve a ticket to the HOF more than anyone? Of course, but I don't...We are all equal fans, with a few majorly obsessed and a few with some $ and a few with both... Does the money help...Certainly, it provides the ability to travel all over. But I am sure not everyone is filthy rich. The Sting touring surely came at great sacrifice for other things. As for the HOF, I am trying to work my magic again to get tickets, but I don't know what will happen. The only advantage that Jer, Deb, Fred, etc... have (well jer and deb already have tics) is that they know the band well and know some management. It seems that might not help any here though. Aside from that possible hook, we are all on the same ground here. That's my line, and I'm sticking to it. Thanks for the debate...It gave me reason to open up my memory banks and my adrenaline is juiced again from all those great times...I welcome any response to my letter...good or bad... -Josh