Boston on the Boat

Forgive the soap box so soon after the last one.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I have mine, you have yours, and your cat probably has one, too. Just because we disagree doesn’t many my opinion wrong and just because we agree doesn’t make the opinion right. It’s an opinion.

With the recent events in Boston, a few of the cruisers had an idea to show some Boston love on the boat. (and I have no problems posting this here because, even though my twitter is followed by Donnie and Danny, I’m almost certain that neither of them read my blog. If they did, I’m sure they’re either laughing their asses off or bored to tears by the severe monotony that is my life.) I, personally, think that this is an amazing idea and fully support it. I can also understand that some people might think that it’s too soon. What I will never understand is how someone can pretend to know what is going on inside the head of someone they’ve only met a few times, if that, and when that someone is a person with whom they will most likely never have a personal relationship.

The comments started almost as soon as the idea came out: This is a bad idea. How could you think this is alright? Don’t do it! You don’t know how it will affect him! He has survivors guilt. He has PTSD.

You wanna know something? I thought the Billboard ad was a bad idea. I thought it was a waste of money. I was saddened to see how much money was raised for that ad that could have gone to Komen or to Alzheimer’s research or to any number of other charities. Did I say anything? Nope. I kept my mouth shut and didn’t donate. And I know I’m not alone. There were more than a few of us who felt that way and didn’t say anything. We didn’t agree with it, so we didn’t do it, plain and simple.

With that said, I’m happy that the guys were seemingly so touched by it! I’m happy for those who contributed, that their donations weren’t for naught. I’m glad they liked it.

This idea to remember Boston on the boat is something that you might not agree with, but that doesn’t mean that the guys won’t appreciate it. There’s a facebook group dedicated to doing something on the boat, and I posted there earlier, but my post, and the post it was in, disappeared. I don’t remember exactly what I said, but I’m going to repeat the sentiment here. It’s my blog, so I’m allowed.

I think the guys would love this. They ARE Boston. *I* am Boston. My family still lives there, and when I heard the news, I immediately got on my phone and tried to locate them. They were fine, but I have friends who know people who were not. People all over twitter and facebook are changing the pictures to reflect #PrayersForBoston, or something similar. After the Sandy Hook massacre, this country banded together and showed support for that community. After Virginia Tech. After Oklahoma City. After Columbine… If you’d have gone into New York City after 9/11 and told the people there that they couldn’t wear anything in remembrance of that event for fear it might hurt someone’s feelings or cause them to relive bad memories, you’d have gotten yourself bitch slapped by a proud New Yorker.

I’m a proud Bostonian. Though I don’t currently live there, Boston is my home. Boston is my heart. Boston is my city. While I’m not the physical violence type, I dare any of you to tell ME that I can’t support my city…ESPECIALLY at a time like this!!!

Did you read Joe’s tumblr post? Taken directly from there, from his post:

“Nothing can change that beautiful New England country side. Nothing can wipe away the moment I had with that Joey girl holding that well preserved New Kids poster from ‘89. Nothing can stop the “little person” walking up heart break hill or the double amputee walking down it on prosthetic “blades”. Nothing can take away that kiss I had with my mother. And no ones gonna tell me she didn’t recognize me. No one can take away the signs all along the course for every teacher and aunt and BFF and son and uncle that was running. Nothing can take away what happened 11 minutes after I ran a 3:57 Boston Marathon. And nothing will ever take away the power and resolve and fearlessness of the great city of Boston. We will get through this. It will take time. But we will get through this. See ya next year.”

Does that sound like a man who is negative about this? Or does that sound like a man who is determined to NOT let it get him down? There might be a little sadness that he was fine when others weren’t. There might even be strong emotions when the marathon is mentioned. But we can’t forget it. We can’t ignore it. “We will get through this.” You have to deal with your emotions before you can have acceptance. They need our support. Boston needs our support.

Now, I’m not saying that you MUST wear a Boston shirt on the boat. If you don’t want to, then by all means, that is your choice. Have enough class to realize that not everyone sees the world through your eyes. Just as I did with the Billboard ad, I ask you to do with a Boston night on the boat. I don’t believe for a second that the guys would hate this. I also don’t believe for a second that it would be a negative experience for them, or for any of the BH’s on the boat who happen to have been directly affected by the events of this past Patriot’s Day. I truly believe that *IF* this happened, it would be an emotionally uplifting moment, one of those “this is why we love you” moments that happen every now again. It could be special.

Or I could be very wrong. It’s happened before, it will happen again many times.

No matter what, I WILL be wearing my Boston stuff on the boat. Try and stop me.

BH Sisters

I’ve heard mixed reviews on this particular term. There are some who throw it around like it’s nothing, while others refuse to use it. Some women take this term to be something denoting the kinship of NKOTB fans around the world. Others feel that it should be reserved for only the best of the best New Kids fans.

Today I’m using it, whether you like it or not.

I have been out of sorts lately. The slightest thing has been setting me off. I blame mid-cycle hormones. Sorry, but I do. Anywho, today my husband and I were discussing traveling and security checkpoints. Since he travels a lot for business, he’s more familiar with it than I am. The conversation was going VERY well until I mentioned my attempts at not over-packing. He said something to the effect me my having to carry the bag on the plane, through the airport, all over the boat, and I mentioned something about the porters there. After he asked how I would pay for them to take my bag, I told him that a couple bucks wasn’t anything big.

Did you know that porters get tipped up to $20 a bag and, if you don’t give them at least five or ten, they would punch you in the face? They get paid solely on tips and expect a lot of money per person.

We argued over this and he got all up in a snit about it. Every little thing about this trip sets him off a little. I try SO HARD not to mention it, but now that it’s getting closer, I can’t help it! I sometimes feel like I’m walking on glass around him with this trip. Most days we’re fine, but I fear that the closer we get, the more pissy he will be.

Because I am lacking sleep and had a stressful day with my kids, I was beginning to feel as if the trip wasn’t worth it. I’m still wondering. However, I took my sentiment to twitter, a place where he doesn’t follow me. Or maybe he does. Either way, he went from normal conversation to completely irrational in a half second today. Anyway, I posted my feelings and a whole bunch of women came back and basically told me that I have to be on that boat. They gave me cheer up thoughts. They offered to pay the porter for me! They told me that no matter what, this trip is worth it.

These women are my sisters. We’re all in this together. They are my friends and NKOTB family. I was down and they picked me up. They get me, at least on this level.

We are BH Sisters.

I’ll be on the boat. I can’t guarantee that I won’t have at least two more “This is SO NOT WORTH IT” moments between now and then, but I will be on that boat. I’m already planning my leaving town meal, my arrive at the airport snack, and my dinner in Atlanta. My friend and I are going to watch a movie and drink and have snacks the night before the cruise. I will be on that boat.

Thank you to all of you who tweeted me today. Thank you to those of you who help me to know that I’m not alone. It’s nice to know that people care. It’s also great to know that I’m not the only one who had husband issues from time to time.

See you on the boat!!!

First of Many

Today I went shopping. I was in need of white shirts and dark pants. I also went to the grocery store, but that’s because I needed veggies for my stir fry tonight. I ended up with four shirts and no new pants. I’m going out tomorrow to see if I can find some. But why, you ask? Simple!

Back in 2011, my town was devastated by Tropical Storm Lee. The way the town came together after the flood was nothing short of a miracle. The community theater is doing Flood Stories, Too, which is opening on Thursday night. Tonight was the first dress rehearsal, and it went rather well, if I do say so myself. However, because I remember what it was like to be on stage and under all those lights, I purchased short sleeve shirts. I forgot that this stage is about half the size of the high school stage. I also didn’t take into account the fact that I will be mostly stationary for the duration of the show. Therefore, along with the pants, I will also be on the hunt for a white sweater.

On the plus side, I have some plain white t-shirts that I can maybe bring on the boat!

For the next two weeks, I fear this blog will be a commentary on my love of theater more than my love of NKOTB. While I’m still super psyched about the boat in May, I need to get past this first. It is just another milestone on the way to Miami.

…and another milestone was just passed as I typed that last paragraph: I just saw my first Cadbury Creme Eggs commercial! Not the best quality, but you get the idea.

Anywho, Flood Stories, Too! Should you want to get a little glimpse at what I’m doing, click right here and you’ll see a local news piece on it. You won’t see me, but my choir is mentioned! Ha!

Anyway, I’m tired. Maybe I’ll post more in the morning. I actually really enjoyed writing a blog post with my morning coffee today.

A Bad Fan?

First off, I totally failed again. I meant to write this last night, but I started watching Hello Dolly around 7pm or so and when that was over I put on Ted, thinking I would get bored with it and write while having that on as background noise. No dice. That movie was (mostly) funny! I especially liked the line where Ted says that he doesn’t sound a thing like Peter Griffin. (if you don’t get the joke, look it up. Then watch Family Guy. Good stuff.)

Anyway, I feel like a bad New Kids fan. Apparently yesterday was Donnie’s oldest’s birthday. I vaguely remember hearing something about him having a child way back in the day, but I couldn’t tell you when or with whom. I know he has other kids (one? two? I don’t know) and that Jordan, Danny, and Joe all have children as well. I know Joe is married, but I wouldn’t know his wife if I fell over her. I can’t tell you the relationship status of Jordan, Donnie, or Danny. I know that Jon is in a relationship but again, I wouldn’t know him if I fell over him. Aside from Betty and Alma, I can’t remember what any of their parents look like, nor their names. I’m pretty sure the older four are originally from Dorchester and that Joe is from JP, but I don’t know where they live now. Oh no wait. I lied. Danny lives in Miami, right? Joe in California???

I barely remember their birthdays. If I sat here and thought about it long enough, I could probably come up with their middle names without the aid of google. While I am wicked excited to meet them on the boat, I have ZERO desire to chase them around. I’m not going to stalk their hall. I’m not going to push myself up to the stage parts on Lido deck. I’m content to just be there.

My point is this: at what point do you distinguish the casual fan from the fanatic? Do any of you consider yourselves NKOTB fanatics? Where do you draw the line?

I know the birth dates of my friends. In fact, a woman I’ve known since I was four will be 34 in just under a week. Another friend who I’ve known for about the same amount of time will be 35 in August. I can tell you their parents names, where they went to school, how they like their coffee. I know the names of their babies (actual children for the one and fur babies for the other) and recount all sorts of stories from speed skating to bubble gum on the school bus to Girl Scout camps to Friday night grocery shopping followed by pizza.

These are the people who matter in my life, and while NKOTB is great and all, I don’t know them. They’re not my friends. They’re not even my acquaintances! Sure, I’m going on the cruise, something that only a very small percentage of people are able to do if for no other reason than the limited capacity of the boat. But what makes me different than any other random Block Head who’s taking her first cruise? I’ve never done a meet and greet. Sure, I met Joe a few years back when he was doing the book drive, but I was with a group of eight or nine other women…and one adorable little girl with a cast on her arm who was so excited to be there…haha. If Joe remembers me at ALL from that day, he will know me as the pregnant woman who rambled on about the weather and Red Sox. It wasn’t one of my finer moments, but whatever. I blame shock, as one minute I was standing there talking to the other women and then all of a sudden, he was standing beside me. Had I had a minute to compose myself, I would have been cooler. As it was, I’m pretty sure I made zero sense and never even told him my name when he shook my hand.

The boat will be better, as I know I’m going to get hugs from them all, get a picture, and move along. I know I won’t be put into a position where I will have to make conversation (or form cohesive sentences) and I’m good with that. They are celebrities, after all, and though I know that they are just regular guys with a better job paying job than the one I have, I’m still going to get a little star struck. I’m OK with that. They are stars, I’m the fan, and it isn’t like I’m ever going to see them again. They’re not my friends. I’ll never go out for drinks with them or call them in the middle of the afternoon to see if they want to go for coffee. My kids and theirs will never have playdates. Hell, I don’t even know their kids names!

So maybe I am a bad fan, but I’m still going on that boat. I will have fun and head into this knowing that I’m going to see a giant floating concert with a night club atmosphere. I promise to cover my lady parts (ha!) and I’ll try not to do anything to embarrass myself or the others around me. But if there is a gameshow where we need to give the names and ages of their kids, count me out. I’ll get it wrong. Hell, I have enough problems remembering the names and ages of my own kids sometimes! And don’t ask me my own birthday and age. The other day at the pharmacy, I completely forgot when my birthday was, and last week at choir, I told someone that I was a year older than I actually am. OLDER!!! HA!

The End?

It all seems so final, doesn’t it?

Let me explain.

Earlier today, I was watching the video for this year’s cruise. Then I went back and watched the videos for the previous cruises. The Jaws one was funny and the boat shots looks SO intimate. I wish I could have been on those first cruises… The music for them was fun too. Black Eyed Peas talking about how it’s gonna be a good time. (yes I know those aren’t the exact words, but just go with me on this.) LMAO telling everyone to have a good time and to shake that.

I want you to go, right now, and watch the video for NKOTB Cruise 2013. I’ll even link you to the damn thing so that you don’t have to open a new tab and search it out. Here you go. Have you watched it? Now, go back and listen to the song. Even without that, look at the words in the beginning!

It’s now or never.

Tomorrow’s good, tonight is better.

Now, since I know that MOST of you have already pre-ordered 10, I want you all to think about the song We Own Tonight. Think really hard. STOP! Not that hard!!! No setting off smoke alarms! Geez! HA! Seriously though… Think about it!

Everything seems perfect, but we’re burning fast.

This chance might be the last.

Can you feel the magic…if you want it, you can have it.

Don’t let the sunrise begin.

Let the world keep turning, cause this chance might be the last.

The theme goes on through the WHOLE SONG!!!

I was driving home from choir practice tonight, listening to this song and all I could think about was the cruise. Specifically the last night of the cruise. There have been more than a few people over on the BH forums saying that it just feels like this will be the last cruise. Until tonight, I didn’t get it.

Now I do.

It really does seem like the end of something. Though I’ve only heard two full songs off of 10, I love the new music. But how long can we expect these guys to keep on like this? I love the tours, the shows, the various appearances and performances. I’m excited as hell to finally FINALLY be on that damn boat, but now I’m feeling that if I wasn’t to go this year, there would be no other chance. I’ve got this nervous energy inside me telling me that I NEED to get to The Package Tour. I feel like I NEED to be there or I will miss it.

I know I’ve said it before, but I never got to see New Kids on the Block after they got huge the first time. I went with my sister and her friend (who would eventually become my step sister) to see them at the Fair, but I wasn’t there to see them. I was there to see Tiffany. It’s funny, really, but when I saw NKOTB at the Reunion tour, I was there to see NKOTB. I paid VERY little attention to the two opening acts. Natasha Bedingfield I’d heard of. The other one? Not a clue. (that would be Lady Gaga for those who don’t know) Strange how things work out, huh? Even having seen them twice since the reunion, I feel like I have to see them again. Like I’m going to miss the chance.

Blah. Maybe I’m just over thinking the whole thing. That is a VERY distinct possibility. But I will be on that boat. I have a feeling that We Own Tonight will be played a few times that last night, though. Thoughts? I welcome ALL comments!!! (even those saying that I’m completely off my rocker.)

Here They Come Again

Back when I started this whole blog thing, I said that the closer it got to the cruise date, the stranger my dreams would become. I’ve had a few odd dreams this far that were New Kids on the Block or cruise related, but the one last night… Man oh man!!! It really took the cake!!!

The dream started with me going to Miami. I don’t remember getting there, but I was in Miami, getting on the boat. In the dream, I knew that I’d been at the port for HOURS just waiting to get on the boat, and the friend who’s place I am supposed to be staying at was nowhere to be found. It wasn’t until I was on the boat and we were pulling away that I saw her in the crowd and we yelled “hey!” to each other. The boat left the port and had to turn around before it could start out to open waters. I watch the webcam from Port of Miami, so I know that the ships do this and it filtered into my dream. Well, when the boat went to turn around, it bumped into a wall and used that to aid in the process. Once we were turned around, the ship went down what I can only describe as a river before getting to the ocean.

Now this is where it starts to get REALLY weird. My husband was on the boat with me, but we weren’t sharing a cabin. I was still doing the match program, and instead of two people in each room, there were three of us. No big deal, but this meant that one of us had to sleep on a sofa because there were only two beds. I pulled out my suitcase and got out my decorations for the door. Neither of the other girls cared about the door, and neither brought anything, so I knew it was to me to decorate. The problem is that one of the girls took my decorations and a pair of scissors and started cutting things up to put on the door!!!

I already know how I want to decorate the door to my cabin. I’m REALLY hoping that I will be able to discuss this with my roommate before sailing, but we shall see. Either way, I will come prepared to decorate. And no, I’m not going to tell you what my plan is. Just know that seeing scissors around my items was NOT a good feeling.

Jordan and Jon were walking the hall and saw our door, so they came into the room. As they were saying hi, the other two girls did everything in their power to ensure that the Knight brothers didn’t notice me. In fact, they left the room with my roomies in tow, leaving behind a notebook full of set lists and choreography. So I spent the rest of the cruise trying to track them down to return the book, but they avoided me, hiding behind fans and bodyguards, diving into rooms when they saw me coming…

Half Moon Cay was a terribly, tiny beach that was more stone than sand. Nassau was run down and the beach was covered in trash. I don’t remember going to any NKOTB-themed events, but I left the cruise absolutely hating New Kids on the Block and I never saw any you.

Strange, huh? According to my countdown, I’m leaving home in ninety days for my flight to Miami. Ninety days. How is that possible? Just over three months and we’ll be sailing! Here’s hoping that Half Moon Cay is everything the pictures make it out to be, and that Nassau is beautiful as well!

And There Went the Snail!!!

in ninety-five days, I will be leaving for Miami. Ninety-five WHOLE days… That’s two thousand two hundred and eighty hours… That’s one hundred thirty six thousand eight hundred minutes… That’s over eight million two hundred thousand seconds! Sounds like a lot, doesn’t it?

Well it is!!! What’s worse is that ever since I’ve crossed the magical one hundred day threshold, it’s been going SUPER slow! Please tell me that I’m not alone here? Someone? Anyone? Bueller?

I know what’s causing it. It’s the same thing that happens EVERY year around this time! I like to call it The February Funk. Football season is over. Hockey season is just chugging along, just like basketball. Baseball season doesn’t start for another week…well, spring training, anyway. Even at that, there are no games until the end of the month! It’s cold outside. We haven’t had a decent snowfall in years. (and to all of you living in places where you just got hammered, I would gladly take some of that off of your hands. Not all of it, mind. Just some. My aunt got just over thirty inches in Squantum, MA, and her power has been going on and off.)

My little town is so boring. We just FINALLY got an Olive Garden, so the entire town is talking about when they’re planning on going, who they’ve gone with, how long the wait was, what it looks like inside, etc, etc. They’re talking about how maybe we’ll get a Red Lobster or something now. Whatever. I’m over it.

Outside of church, there really isn’t anything else for me to do in this town. Now, I’m very involved with my church. I’m in the various choirs, I go to Sunday school, I’m involved with the women’s group, the prayer shawl ministry, I do baking for various events, and I’ve recently become a liturgist. However, I would LOVE something else to do!

That something came today.

Remember yesterday when I said that I wasn’t feeling well? My husband took our older son to a birthday party that I was actually very much looking forward to going to, as the mom is a friend of mine. Fortunately, today was another birthday party for another child in my son’s class, and that mom happened to be there as well. We talked, had a few laughs, and watched our kids play on all the gymnastics equipment, as it was a tumble sort of party. The place is actually really cool. It’s a gym with regular workout equipment, they have indoor batting cages, and they also have gymnastics. Every now and then, they open the place up for open hours, where you can take your child and let them play for an hour. They also have birthday parties, obviously.

Anyway, I mentioned to my mom friend that I was going on a cruise in May, and another mom heard. The three of us started talking about vacations and whatnot, when the question was asked about who I was going with. My answer, of course, was that I was going with friends…and New Kids on the Block. They looked at me like I was joking. The one mom asked me, “you mean, like on the boat with New Kids on the Block on the same boat?” UM YEAH!!! I explained the full ship charter and how this was actually going to be their fifth cruise and before I knew it, there were two other moms in the conversation! It was awesome!!! At the end of the party, I had three of those four moms telling me that we’d meet up in Miami, that we were going to share a cabin, and that the one mom was going to bring an air mattress. I believe her words were that she was going to tell Joey McIntyre that she had a double and there was plenty of room for him! HA!

It’s funny. These women I’m meeting along the way that are NKOTB fans, I wouldn’t have known otherwise, as they don’t live in my town. Now here I was at a birthday party and these three women, these moms who all have children in my older son’s class, are going to talk to their husbands about the NKOTB cruise! The one mom said she’s got tickets (or she’s getting tickets?) for the show just outside NYC. (that would be at the Izod Center, if you were wondering) While I talk to these women at school functions and birthday parties, we now have something in common that doesn’t revolve around our children. I like that!

I just wish time would speed up, just a little, so that May could get here sooner than it seems to be! We’re moving at a snail’s pace, and it’s driving me completely round the bend! Is someone sitting on the “slow motion” button? Could you all stand up and make sure it isn’t you? I would really like to get to Miami and onto that boat soon. HA!

Confusion

This will be the fifth NKOTB cruise. The first year they announced it, I was SO UPSET that I had to miss it. I felt the same for the next three cruises as well. When it was announced that this cruise, the fifth, would be on a ship that I’ve been on, I really felt that it was a sign that I should go. Now, I’m not so sure.

I feel selfish. There a LOT of money going into this trip! I mean, A LOT OF MONEY!!! When all is said and done, we will have put the equivalent of three months worth of house payments into one five day trip.

I’m going alone. I was going to group this into my “selfish” bit, but it really needs to be separate. I never go anywhere without my kids. …well, I rarely go anywhere without them. Thursday nights I go to choir, and one other day every week or two I get to go to another choir practice. There were times I was away for a while with the wedding I was in back in December. Last July, my husband and I got away for an overnight. Before that was the cruise with my dad in 08. I was also reminded the other day that I went out for American Idol back in 2004. That was two days in DC. (One of the pictures I took was published in a Random House book about reality TV! lol) I know it seems like a lot, but it really isn’t. I go to Boston all the time, and I ALWAYS take the kids. Actually, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be allowed over the state line without them! HA! With the money for this trip, we could take a week-long vacation as a FAMILY, just the five of us. This is something that we’ve never done and now, because of this cruise, I don’t think we’re going to be able to for a while yet.

I’m too old for this. No, I’m not saying that I’m old. What I’m saying is that I’m too old for this party cruise. It’s party after party after party. Drinking and dancing and screaming and dancing and drinking. No sleep. It’s ten after ten right now and I am SO DONE with the day! I’m not really into loud music, as it creates this massive ringing in my ears and then I can’t hear anything. I have NEVER been into the dance club scene. Maybe it’s because my town sucks, but I much preferred the karaoke bar to the loud, sweaty, meat-market in town.

I’m not a groupie. MOST of the people on this boat will be decent human beings, but I know that there will be some just looking for a piece of the guys. They will flaunt their wares to anyone who could possibly get them closer, and I do NOT tolerate that sort of self-disrespect. I’m also usually very vocal in my displeasure and do NOT want to end up in a fight because of some hoochie who’s just looking for her brush with fame. Along the same vein, I have no filter and if I see someone doing something stupid, I’ll say something. It might be under my breath, but something will be said.

I want more from my vacation than standing around or suffering a migraine. I’ve been watching a LOT of video’s on youtube and they’re all the same: Girls wait for NKOTB to show up. Girls stand around while NKOTB does their thing. Girls scream like banshees because NKOTB are there. On the beaches, there’s still more standing around, be it for games, for music, for waiting… Then the guys show and there’s more screaming. Pushing. Shoving. Petty, catty, middle school shit. I know that I could avoid all of that. I know that I could take this trip, see what I want to see, go to the shows I want to go to, and sleep when I feel tired. What’s the point of that? This is a New Kids on the Block cruise! It isn’t a normal cruise! There won’t be normal passengers. There will be above average alcohol consumption. Did I mention that I stopped going to the bar YEARS ago because I severely dislike being around large quantities of drunk people?

It almost doesn’t seem worth it. The more I think about it, the less I want to go. I don’t know if it is nerves, attitudes, reality… I don’t know! It could be that seasonal depression that I’ve mostly avoided this winter. I just don’t know. If I had to choose right now, and I knew that I would get all the money back that I’ve put in thus far, I’d cancel, no questions asked. Right now, I feel really bad about this trip and really selfish for even wanting to go. I love the women I’ve met because of this cruise, and if I never met them face to face, I would still love them because they’re amazing women.

I don’t know what tomorrow holds. I don’t know where my spirits will be this weekend, next week, next month. I’m having serious second thoughts over something I thought I’ve wanted to do since cruise one was announced. I’m confused as all hell, but tomorrow is another day. Another day closer. One hundred days until I leave…if I leave…

Friends

Once again, this evening I was asked who I was going on the cruise with. The question wasn’t worded as such at first, so it took a while for the correct answer to come out. A woman in my church choir, who also happens to be my sister’s next door neighbor, asked me who I was taking the cruise with. My first answer was Rose Tours, since they’re organizing this party. When she said that wasn’t what she meant, I told her it was a Carnival cruise. I blame lack of sleep. Once I realized that she wanted to know WHO I was going with, I told her friends. That’s what we are, right?

This morning, one of my real life, from childhood, friends came over for coffee and catch up. She and I have known each other since Kindergarten, when we rode the bus together to school. While we didn’t go to the same school, we became friends, first from that and then from Girl Scouts. While we don’t see each other as often as I would like (and I blame myself for that, sadly) it was still great to see her. We chatted about all sorts of things over coffee and cereal, including this blog and the cruise. While my youngest was hanging around, it was fun to have adult conversation with someone I care about who isn’t my husband. That little bit of interaction, those few hours that she was here, really help to keep me sane.

I can’t wait to get to Miami and start meeting up with the friends I’ve made in the past few months. While I know we haven’t met face to face, there are quite a few of you I consider my friends. Whether you live here in Pennsylvania, or in New Jersey… Whether you’re from Georgia or California. You could live in England or British Columbia. You’re my friends.

Ninety percent of this cruise is going to be made because of you lot. Sure the music will be great and I’ve heard the musical act they’ve gotten for this cruise are actually pretty decent, but most of my time will be spent with you, my friends. We will eat together, drink together, and travel together. We will talk, party, and dance until the sun comes up. There will be time spent on line waiting for one thing or another. There will be moments on tenders going to and from Half Moon Cay. New Kids on the Block may be the reason for the cruise, but to me, they aren’t the whole cruise. We’ll only have a small portion of time with them when we will actually have their attention on us and no one else, a few minutes most likely. While we’ll be able to see them, we need to be there for each other.

If I was doing this cruise alone, without any prior knowledge of anyone else on the boat, things would be different. I’d still talk to people, still say hi and be friendly, but I would most likely spend most of my time alone. It’s just my nature. I strive to be outgoing but the truth of the matter is that I fear rejection. I fear that people will look at me when I’m trying to be friendly and just think I’m some loser who’s trying to butt into conversation or something. It’s stupid, but I’m the queen of irrational fears. I know I’m not perfect, but no one is. We all have our imperfections, but we are all worth knowing.

Every day I’m thankful for NKOTB for bringing us together. We haven’t sailed yet, and already I’m enjoying the cruise. I’m thankful for the conversations that I’ve had and the friends that I’ve already met along the way. Now I just need May to get here so that I can meet you all in person!

106 days!!!

Outed at the Dentist

My family dentist thought I was just your average mom, that I was into my knitting and reading, as that is what I do while I wait for appointments and wait for my kids to get their cleaning. Today, my daughter outed me for what I really am: A New Kids on the Block fan. …What? Did you think I was going to say something else? This is a blog about the cruise, not my sexuality! Goofballs… HA!

Anyway, there was no school today. I can’t remember if I mentioned that in my blog this morning, but if so, there it is again. My kids still had their dental appointments today, but in retrospect, I wish we could have stayed home.

I stepped off my porch to clean off and start my car, and I almost fell on my bum. I walked as nicely as I could to my car and almost fell twice. In fact, there is a nice sliding footprint into my front yard from where I went flying trying to walk around my car while cleaning the icy snow off. My kids fared a little better getting to the car, but only because I warned them and had then walking SUPER slow.

My road was slick, but the main road into town was mostly clear. The side roads to get to the dentist were slick and slushy like my road. The parking lot was half slush and have ice, and the sidewalks to the door were solid ice, as was the handrail on the stairs. Did I mention that there was ice?

After their cleanings, the hygienist, the dentist, my kids, and I were all chatting about the weather when the subject of warm weather came up. The hygienist said that she can’t wait until May because the local amusement park will be open. That was when my daughter said that I couldn’t wait until May, either. When asked why, she said “because Mommy’s going on a New Kids on the Block cruise.”

She was teasing me, I could tell by her tone. Then she looked at my sideways with that smile on her face… The dental people just smiled at me, but inside I was like “WTFF little girl?” She’s said a few times that she wishes she could go with me. She’s also said that she wants to go to a concert with me. Daddy’s not gonna let that happen, the concert I mean, but maybe if they tour again next year, he’ll let her. But it’s almost as if she’s teasing me like her friends tease each other about boys they like, or may not like…

So anyway, I think it’s obvious that I’m excited about this cruise. I’ve managed to fall off the fitness wagon these past few days. There’s no excuse for it, but I’ve just allowed myself to not do it. I know that I need to get back into it, but I just haven’t. I will tomorrow. I’m not going to allow myself to get in the shower until I do. See, that’s the thing. I sit around in my bed clothes and then something happens that I have to run out. So I get my shower and get dressed, and once I’ve showered, I HATE getting all sweaty and needing another shower. Seems wasteful to me. Plus, I usually only have time for one quick shower a day, unless I want to wait until late at night.

I’ve tried the whole working out at night thing, but it wakes me up, rejuvenates and invigorates me so that I can’t fall asleep any time soon after finishing. So that’s not going to work. What I really should do is get up before everyone else and workout. The problem with THAT is that I get precious little sleep as it is. Now I know I posted just this morning that I slept VERY long last night, but the truth of the matter is that while I was in bed, I was actually awake every hour on the hour, waiting for the phone to ring. I knew that school would be closing today, and I knew they would call, so I couldn’t sleep knowing that my phone would be waking me up. I did, however, sleep really well from 5:30am until about 8. Such is the life of a mom.

Either way, I WILL work out tomorrow! I’ve already gone back on my cruise control diet, my cruise control workout is not far behind. Fifteen pounds in fifteen weeks. I can do it!!!