Don't Be Too Scared For Me But...Last Night I Was HANGIN' TOUGH!!!

Go back with me Twenty Years:
I was a 13 year old girl who spent my days dreaming of the popular boy band New Kids On The Block. With my best friends, Marcie Burnham & Janel DeRusha, and our other close girlfriends, I continued this love affair for two more junior high school years, where countless hours were spent reading teen magazines like BOP and watching videos of our band perform their hit songs (Eric would have me put hit songs in quotes due to his doubting of their talent...I know, it's heartbreaking.) :o) We each had our favorites: Marcie's was Joey, Janel's was Donnie, and mine was Jordan. We actually spent a night camped outside the Dillard's box office in order to get tickets to one of their concerts; concerts which were selling out in hours back in 1989. Tickets in hand, our 14-year old hearts rejoiced, only to have our dreams squashed when weeks before the show they decided to cancel their 2nd Phoenix show, our show, to perform in Vegas instead. We vowed that we would go together if they ever performed a concert here in Arizona again. Little did we know...

Flash forward to the Spring of 2008:
I am now a 33 year old woman who received a phone call from Marcie that began, "they're coming!" I instantly knew what she meant! The New Kids On The Block, yes, our New Kids, were having a 20-Year Reunion Tour and stopping here in Arizona! Of course we had to go! Well, last night it finally arrived and we got to see NKOTB in concert (just 18 years late, but still, better late than never!)

I can't find my junior high pictures but here we are together at age 16. Marcie, myself, and Janel: we did EVERYTHING together!

Monday night I met up with Marcie & Janel, two of Marcie's sisters Holly & Dena, and two of Marcie's co-workers who were also NKOTB fans during their teenage years. We started off with dinner at Pei Wei and then headed out to our much-anticipated concert. We treated ourselves to valet parking and headed inside. It was so funny to see the arena filled with other groups of 30-something moms who were also reliving their teenage fantasies. I was worried the New Kids would be too old or seem like washed-up wannabes but I have to say, to Eric's horror, that they put on a great show and sounded really good (did I actually just write that!?!)

The view from our seats.

Our seats were about half-way back on the floor, but they ended up being some of the best seats in the arena! Here's why: right next to us there was this little round platform-like stage that looked like it had a covered piano on it, just right there in the middle of all the floor seats. Well, about halfway thru the show we noticed the cover discreetly coming off the piano and security guards escorting some hand-picked hot chicks over to stand around this "stage." So of course, Marcie, Janel, and I slide on over directly behind these gals just in time for the New Kids to exit the main stage and come to perform on this round! We were RIGHT THERE! This mini-stage was instantly crowded with a swarm of moms, as the New Kids sang 3 songs before heading back to the main stage. Yes, we stood 3-5 feet from them the whole time (if I was still 13 this is where I would insert screams of joy!) As Janel said, she and I were juuuuust out of hand reach but Marcie grabbed Joe's hand and we were so excited for her (are you super embarrassed for me yet?) Anyways, they performed all their classics, some songs off their new CD, and even did some of the dance moves from their old videos. I had so many junior high flashbacks throughout the night! When the evening began I knew I'd have a fun time with Marcie and Janel, because we just always do, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed the actual concert. It really was a FUN night! Below are some pictures for any of you NKOTB fans (and all you closeted fans out there, too!) Enjoy!

Were we close or what?!? Never in my dreams did I imagine that someday I would be in a real picture with members of the New Kids On The Block! Crazy!

My teenage crush, Jordan Knight. When he was on the round I could see the little crows-feet around his eyes and it was weird to think that he's gotten older, too. Bizarre to see your teenage crush up close years later! Don't get me wrong, he still looked good, it was just a surreal feeling the whole 2+ hours.

And all you gals & guys who were our friends in Junior High (ya, you know who you are) I know you are remembering the fond evenings we spent Hangin Tough to their music! Remember singing to Janel on her Birthday? :D

Here's when you'll be the most embarrassed for me: When we were up close, I yelled Jordan's name, he turned right to me, and I took this next picture with my camera. Aaaaaaaa! I now have a sore throat and my voice is missing, but sometimes a girls gotta sing & dance the night away!
"What? Yes, I'm a happily married mother of two who will be 34 next month. Why do you ask?" :o)