First Love Just Might Last Forever

I loved the New Kids On The Block when I was a pre-teen. Yes, pre-teen. I grew up in a time before Tweens existed as a marketing demographic. I grew up before the Internet and before there was a computer in every home. I grew up before YouTube and Twitter. I remember life before cell phones. Heck, I remember life before cordless phones. I had tapes that you had to flip from Side A to Side B. I had big bangs and glasses. I even pegged my pants. And I loved the New Kids.

They were a breath of youthful fresh air amidst a smoky room of Poison, Motley Crue, and Guns 'N Roses. They were a positive, happy afternoon before the clouds of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and grunge rolled in. My friends and I adored them. We each had our favorites. Most of them fought over Jordan. I always loved Donnie. Sondra's older sister was a Danny girl. We watched their videos and listened to their music. We made up dances to their songs and performed for each other. When people would send videos from the States, there was always a slumber party to celebrate. They were fun. They were love. And they were ours.

They were the dream guys who would sing us to sleep and promised to be loving us forever. They were the older brothers that would comfort us with a song when the real boys broke our hearts. They were the friends who wished us a happy birthday and told us to have a funky Christmas. No matter what was going on in our lives, we could count on Donnie, Jordan, Joey, Danny, and Jon.

The same can still be said today. This reunion has been the bright spot in so many dark days. It has reminded me that there are still really good things going on amidst the chaos that we're seeing in this world. There are still good times and fun to be had. Women of all ages and walks of life have come together to celebrate the return of their New Kids. We've come together to remember our childhoods, to remember a time when life was a little more innocent and a lot more carefree. We've come together to let go and enjoy the ride, to have fun and go a little bit crazy.

And they love us for it.

And we feel that love.

When they reunited they stoked a fire that had been smoldering for years. Not only did they stoke it, they poured gasoline and lighter fluid on it. While, now, instead of dolls we have TwitPics and rather than tapes we're downloading MP3s, the love remains the same. We may be listening to their album on a drive home from work instead of the bus to school, but the feelings are still there. We're buying drinks at the bar while waiting for them to start the after party having grown out of buying Bop and Teen Beat and waiting for their video to come on MTV, but the desire to see them in person hasn't changed. We're still here, and it's even better than it was before.

This time around there is a real sisterhood of New Kids fans, thanks, in part, to both maturity and the internet. For those of us fortunate enough to be a part of this, it is more than sleeping bags and dolls and hats. It's not about being in competition with other fans for Face Time. It's not about who has the most posters on her wall. It's about being there for each other to listen to New Kids stories, whether they are from days gone by or from last night's show. It's about being excited for the girl who got her first kiss on the cruise...from Donnie Fuckin' Wahlberg!!! It's about hoping you get picked as a volunteer for a charity book drive. It's about nightly Twitter marathons in the hopes that one of them will @reply you and knowing that, even if he doesn't, your friends saw your Tweets. It's about making new friends and reuniting with old ones. It's about supporting these five guys who gave up their adolescence for ours. It's about really living in this moment and enjoying every part of it. It's about sharing an experience we were lucky enough to live through twice.

There are those who might laugh or make fun of us but we know they just don't get it. The New Kids On The Block are successful and poignant because they are real. They always were. Their personalities are the same now on YouTube as they were on the Hangin’ Tough VHS. Their message of positivity has never changed. They know who they are and what they've accomplished. They have nothing to prove and no one left to answer to. Those who don't understand our excitement and passion simply don't realize that the New Kids have already done it all. They already took over the world once. They had hit records and sold out shows. They were on the cover of every magazine...all at the same time. They were on the Forbes list of highest earners, out-earning Madonna and Michael Jackson. They were on lunchboxes and bed sheets and bath towels. They even had their own cartoon series for crying out loud. Not only did they do all of those things, they practically invented celebrity marketing and branding. And then what did they do? They came back. They recorded with some of the hottest producers and artists in the music industry and put out a great album. They went on a tour that was so good it was extended...twice. They gave back to all of the fans who have given to them. So, no, I do not consider the New Kids On The Block a guilty pleasure. I am not embarrassed by my slightly insane obsession. Instead, I feel sorry for all of those who don't understand this love because they don't know what they're missing.

This didn't happen by chance. Too many things have happened on my reunion ride to make me believe that this wasn't anything but meant to be. We are here for a reason. Spreading positivity in this world that is so consumed with negativity? Maybe. Either way, I know that I am having a blast and there isn't a soul on this Earth who can't see it on my face.












I also know that I am crazy. :)