Twenty seven years ago, I fell in love.  It was hard. It was swift.  It was… polyamorous.  I was nine years old, and I unceremoniously gave my heart to five guys from Boston.  You see, I had just discovered New Kids on the Block. At age 10, I got to see them in concert. And again at 11. And again at 12.  When they disbanded when I was 14, I was, in a word, devastated. They were my Beatles.  Their break-up tore at my small-town girl heart in ways that few other things could.  Still, I was a Blockhead.  As I grew up, I still followed their careers. I was so proud of Joe (after all, he was my favorite) when he was in The Fantasticks. And when Donnie landed Band of Brothers, I had never been more proud. I bought their solo albums. I fangirled whenever they were mentioned.

And then, in 2008, THEY GOT BACK TOGETHER!!!! At 30 years ago, I was over the moon. Their new album came out and I snapped it up (listening to it while I type this.) I saw them in concert in 2009 and it was like they never left, except now they were impossibly hotter and had way more six pack abs than they ever did when I was a kid… or perhaps I just didn’t appreciate the washboard abs thing when I was kid. (Okay, I didn’t. I was totally about Joe’s impossibly blue eyes!) I went to their concerts again in 2011 and 2013.  This past Wednesday was the seventh New Kids on the Block concert for me, and my first here in the Pacific Northwest. (Seriously, it was weird for them to give a shout out to the West Coast. Still can’t wrap my head around the fact that I’m a West Coaster!)

Concert #7 was THE BEST so far! I had incredible seats and, at the last minute, my husband got out of going with me because my friend, Brenda, volunteered.  I’ve always gone with my sister and it was weird seeing them without her, but Brenda was an excellent concert partner and we had a blast!

My love affair, began at age 9, is still going strong. I love them because they love us.  They value those of us who have been there since the beginning. They’re amazing still and I will forever be a fangirl. People poke fun at me for it, but I’m proud of my NKOTB love. It’s a lifelong relationship and I’m totally cool with it. I will wear my Blockhead banner proudly. (Also, although I was a Joe-Girl as a kid, I became a Donnie-Girl as an adult.  But lately, well…. my heart has shifted again.  I’m now officially a Danny-Girl!)