There’s something I need to tell you.  Those who know me in real life are already privy to this information, but I haven’t officially told YOU yet.  It’s been bothering me for some time.  I can’t believe that I held this from you, but I’m ready to come clean.  I just can’t take it anymore.

I LOVE THEM.

I loved them then.

I love them now.

Some things just don’t change.  I’m no exception here.  I know that millions of 30-something women are still in love with NKOTB as if they are still their 13-year-old selves.  To me, that’s what makes the whole experience even better (a million years later).  We are all still holding on to something that we loved as teenagers, and you can’t say that about many things in your life.

As we grow up, we leave things behind.  Without being overly philosophical about a boy band, let me just say that I think it’s pretty cool that I can revisit a part of my childhood that I look back on so fondly.  I remember plastering my walls with posters of the boys, and watching my VHS tapes of their concerts so many times that the tapes stopped working.

My girlfriends and I memorized all of their dance moves, and we waited impatiently for their video premieres on MTV while on 3-way calls with each other. Some of us even got in serious trouble for dialing a 1-900 number incessantly just to hear their voices on a recording (**cough**ME!**cough).

My friends and I plotted ways that we could run away from home and live on the streets of Boston, just to be closer to them.  I blame that plot on hormone-induced insanity.

I had NKOTB buttons, t-shirts, magazines, autographed pictures (that I bought from magazine ads).  I had sheet sets, stickers, and even dolls.  The one thing that I never had: concert tickets.  My 13-year-old self NEEDED concert tickets, even if they were in the nosebleed section.  But, it just wasn’t in the cards for me.

And now, in my 30’s, I’m living like I wanted to when I was 13.  In a slightly different body, with slightly more resources, and with a slightly altered vision of the world.  So, I’m doing what any rational 30-something would do.

Beginning today at noon, I’m spending the weekend immersed in all things NKOTB.  My girlfriend and I have deemed it our  “NKOTB Bender Weekend”.  I’m driving to Atlantic City to see two NKOTB shows.  One show will also include a pre-party where we’ll meet the guys, and then there will be an after-show party (fingers crossed that this party will include the boys from Beantown) .  I’m going to try not to die of heart failure this weekend. In my old age, it’s kind of touch and go.

I’m so  thankful and grateful, and I feel so lucky that I am able to do something like this.

But it would’ve been much cheaper if I’d done it when I was 13.

Sidebar: Truthfully, my main objective this weekend is to have more fun that I’ve ever had while also maintaining my workout schedule. Not even NKOTB can keep me from training…and that’s serious.