I've always been a New Kids on the Block fan. Sort of. When I was between the ages of 13 and 15, they were my everything. But it ended abruptly. I remember it clearly - the day I suddenly lost my yearning for more, the day I realized they could no longer give me what I needed. If you fast forward 25 + years, I suddenly see that I've come full circle.
There was a reunion of the band in 2008. It was amazing. It was unexpected ... and as a stay-at-home mother of two little boys, and the wife of a travelling husband ... it was exactly what I needed. There were concerts, road trips, front row seats, meet and greet opportunities, and cruises - FIVE of them. I got to relive the entire super fan experience, but this time it was the way I wanted it - not under the constraints of my strict and budget conscious parents. But, like with anything I suppose, it had to come to an end.
I could sense it was coming. I was losing my feverish anticipation of tour announcements. I no longer spent hours, days, and weeks anxiously planning for upcoming NKOTB events. Over the summer, I spent a mortgage payment worth of money on concerts. I was looking forward to seeing other 'blockheads' that I'd formed friendships with over the years. And it was great. The concerts were spectacular as always. The meet and greets were over the top and everything I had ever dreamed of. But that was the beginning of the end ... I'd completed all of my bucket list items.
Then the cruise came. Again, excitement ... but not like before. I went, I saw, I enjoyed, I laughed a LOT. But one particular new kid made a comment, just one, directly to me, and it all became very clear. I'd already gotten what I needed out of this relationship. By continuing to indulge beyond this point was doing nothing but padding his ego and his bankbook, and his former displays of gratitude and thankfulness seemed to have disappeared in exchange for narcissism.
Please don't confuse my words as hatred or frustration for any members of the group. I've just reached the point of being fully satisfied and now have so much more in my own life now that is filling that previous gap. I will continue to enjoy the band, but it'll be different now.
:)
Friday, October 16, 2015
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Its THAT time of year again!
Its fall again. Sort of. My kids pointed out that fall doesn't start for a few more days. Fine. But I did see coloured leaves falling to the ground today, and temperatures in the morning are jacket worthy ... so, close enough.
The kids have been back in school for eight days, and already my oldest is home sick. Great. My fingers are crossed that its not a sign of what's to come this year. Let's hope not, I've got plans. BIG plans! Sure, there's Halloween, birthday parties, fall yard clean-up ... but that's not all...
Yup, if you guessed these plans might be boy band related, then you're right! I'm booked on my fifth and final (I say that every year) New Kids on the Block cruise!
*Queue the little squeals of joy that involuntarily leave my body whenever I mention it!*
I'm sure that every mother, at some point, has experienced the joy of having a few nights of child-free joy where they can sleep in, eat when and what they want, and have a couple of drinks without the worry of having to wake up at some unspeakable hour in the morning. That's what this cruise is for me, and its becoming a ritual.
Oh sure, there are a number of wonderful friends that I can't wait to see, and the bonus feature of course of seeing my favourite boy band members frolicking on the lido deck each day, and the unlimited availability of activities. But honestly, the one thing that really keeps me coming back is the *me* time. I'm often asked if I worry about the kids while I'm gone. I don't. I really really don't. They're in good hands, getting spoiled by dad and likely grandparents. And I'm on a cruise ship floating around in the Caribbean. I'm pretty much unplugged and unavailable - so all the worrying in the world isn't going to get me anywhere. Besides, by the time I return, everyone is so ecstatic to see me that their behaviour turns angelic for a whopping ... okay, a mediocre 8 hours or so.
So, cheers and bottoms up to those fruity delicious drink concoctions that Carnival plies us with as we sail away! Mommy's taking a sanity break this Thanksgiving. Save me some turkey!
The kids have been back in school for eight days, and already my oldest is home sick. Great. My fingers are crossed that its not a sign of what's to come this year. Let's hope not, I've got plans. BIG plans! Sure, there's Halloween, birthday parties, fall yard clean-up ... but that's not all...
Yup, if you guessed these plans might be boy band related, then you're right! I'm booked on my fifth and final (I say that every year) New Kids on the Block cruise!
*Queue the little squeals of joy that involuntarily leave my body whenever I mention it!*
I'm sure that every mother, at some point, has experienced the joy of having a few nights of child-free joy where they can sleep in, eat when and what they want, and have a couple of drinks without the worry of having to wake up at some unspeakable hour in the morning. That's what this cruise is for me, and its becoming a ritual.
Oh sure, there are a number of wonderful friends that I can't wait to see, and the bonus feature of course of seeing my favourite boy band members frolicking on the lido deck each day, and the unlimited availability of activities. But honestly, the one thing that really keeps me coming back is the *me* time. I'm often asked if I worry about the kids while I'm gone. I don't. I really really don't. They're in good hands, getting spoiled by dad and likely grandparents. And I'm on a cruise ship floating around in the Caribbean. I'm pretty much unplugged and unavailable - so all the worrying in the world isn't going to get me anywhere. Besides, by the time I return, everyone is so ecstatic to see me that their behaviour turns angelic for a whopping ... okay, a mediocre 8 hours or so.
So, cheers and bottoms up to those fruity delicious drink concoctions that Carnival plies us with as we sail away! Mommy's taking a sanity break this Thanksgiving. Save me some turkey!
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