Long Time Gone

You already know that I'm a crappy blogger. But I have to reiterate just how crappy I am. See, I'm the crappiest because there has been SO much to blog about in the last, I don't know, 2 months.

For starters, I moved. Same building, but 17 floors higher, to a completely fabulous penthouse apartment. Finally out of a 700-square foot hotel suite, to a SWEET 1500 square feet of Northern Virginia's finest. Now when I go home, I don't look at a building across the street, I look at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Dulles Airport, and a large portion of Loudon County, Virgina. It's proven to be quite the party pad, and I look forward to coming home each and every day to "my happy place" on top of the world. Oh yeah, I moved in with the FBF, too.

The other exciting news of the past few weeks is that I went to Beantown and met all 5 New Kids on the Block. As thirty-somethings mildly in shock that we had actually paid money to humiliate ourselves, Slimy, E, and I stood outside Boston Garden waiting for our "All Access" pass to the beloved heros of our youth. Once the doors opened, we were led to a bar-type area where we would wait while consuming free wine (well, Slimy had water), snacks, for the guys to appear. Recognized asshat bodyguard, Robo, who was still as big of a schmuck as he was in 1990. Heard asshat bodyguard give best bone-chilling-teenage-loving quote ever: "If you're hear now, you've earned the right to be more then just a fan --you are now considered family." Good one. Made the room fill with a super shrill inducing scream, and just like that the shorter than I ever imagined NK came in. They were like 15 feet from us, and still freaking HOT. Mind you, they are in their late 30's/early 40's and yet somehow even better looking than the baby-faces I remember so well.

Being the goodie goodies that we are, none of us brought cameras for fear of breaking "the rules" and getting caught. The one picture I did take on my camera was a lovely juxtaposition of old '89 Teen Beat posters (Slimy) and a recent copy of Parents magazine. So, the only proof of our historic pilgrammage is contained on the 95 grainy images that I took on my CrackBerry. I spent 3 years of my life stalking, and dreaming of this moment, and you're telling me that at 31+ I wuss out and don't take a camera??? Seriously.

We lined up in alphabetical groups, and somehow I was first in ours - and first to meet all 5. It was weird. Did I mention how short they all are. I can't believe I paid $350 and didn't even think of anything creative to say. "Good to meet you," is clearly, not what I should have said. But nothing witty, nothing fun. "Thanks for coming back," is what 3, maybe 4, of them heard and seriously, how fucktarded is that. 20 years of my NK loving life, and I couldn't even come up with anything fun to say.

The 3 of us decided that we had done pretty well for ourselves. We are attractive, well-educated (come on people, I was there with two doctors for God sake), and successful. Let's just say the others in our "group" were, based on appearance only, um, not. There was a whole 'lotta hoochie mamaness, bad teeth, bad hair, and bad outfits flowing. I'll stop there because my mother is going to read this and tell me I shouldn't be so mean, critical, and arrogant. Hi mom. I can't help it, I judge people on appearances and I know it's wrong, but I do it and I'm sure it's at the bottom of the "why I'm going to hell" list. Bygones.

We had 4th row seats. And there is nothing I can say about this except that wow, it was FREAKING FANTASTIC. Best concert I've ever been too - so fun, so energizing, so completely amazing. It was exactly what I said when I heard they would be reuniting. It was exactly the same feeling I had when I was14, only this time my feet ached from those damn boots, my best friend was pregnant and dancing on a chair, and I went to a NKOTB concert and had beer & wine. Oh and our mom's weren't with us.

We recieved backstage passes - which we waited and waited and waited around for after the show but finally gave up after it became clear they weren't coming out. No biggie - I am sure I looked like Captain Insano by that time, and besides the best had already been.

It was one of those moments that will burn in my memory for all my years to come, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

I even got to go to another concert later in the week in DC, most unexpectadly, but certainly awesome as well, thanks to Kimmie. I can't tell you how good it felt to swing my hand in the air and wave it like I just didn't care in a sea of middle aged women and our love for those five boys from Boston for the second time in the same week.

For a moment I felt like I might just become a certified groupie and quit my job so I could join the tour.

When I got home, I asked the FBF if he'd mind my little change of plan. He said he didn't care as long as I could send a few groupies home for him and enough cash to pay the rent.

Hmmmm...if you've seen where I live, I think you'd agree that maybe it's better to just take the memories. ;-)