In the past that was a confession that I always hesitated to make. Not because I have ever been ashamed of that fact, more so because I know the response that it will garner...a chuckle, a roll of the eyes, sometimes people are even flat out rude about it.
The last year and a half has changed all that for me.
I no longer care what anyone has to say about it. I would happily run outside right now and scream it in the streets.
I AM A BLOCKHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It fills me with pride to be able to make that claim.
I know that most people will never understand...COULD never understand what a profoundly beautiful gift it is to be able to say those words.
A year and a half ago I never would have imagined that my life could have been affected so completely by the reunion of a pop group. I could not have predicted the deep friendships that have developed, and the unbelievable outpouring of love that I have been a witness to on a daily basis. Love not only for these 5 Gentlemen (and that is truly what they are), but for each other, and for the world as a whole.
I have had the privilege of being a part of something truly magical.
Last April when the guys stepped onto the stage at the Today Show and announced to the world that they were coming back for a second chance, women all over the globe had the same reaction...pure, unadulterated excitement. We were being given an opportunity to revisit our childhood fantasies.
Over the years the stresses of life have stripped away the innocence of youth and dulled the pure joy of just being alive for most of us. Many of us are wives and mothers who had forgotten how important it is to do things for ourselves. Forgotten about what it's like to just let go and have FUN! Lost a little bit of who we are as individuals.
I challenge anyone to attend a NKOTB concert and NOT get swept up by the excitement and emotions. I honestly don't think it's possible (even for those who can't stand the music). Those men know what they're doing when they get on that stage. I don't know how they do it, but they make every single person in the audience feel like they are singing for them. It's truly something to witness.
Beyond that, the guys have always made it a point to connect with their audience outside of their performances. Now more than ever! Social media is making the world smaller and smaller every single day. Initially the group started off by giving the fans a forum on their website. We flocked to it in droves to share information and find out the latest news. It didn't take long for people to start making friendships with other women who regularly visit the site. Many of us quickly became "ning addicts". Not only was it fun to communicate with each other, but there was always the added tease that the boys were lurking and checking out what we had to say.
This was a perfect set up for the group! They were able to keep their fingers on the pulse of their fans and deliver the goods night after night. They could find out what we were feeling, and what we weren't and adapt the show based on our reactions. There were also blogs, vlogs, and NKTV to look forward to. The guys remained true to their playful personalities as they continuously played pranks on each other and on us and began interacting with the fans in ways that were previously not possible. At one point they caused mass hysteria by posting a vlog that made it appear that Jordan had been injured just before they were to take the stage at Madison Square Garden. It didn't take long for us to figure out that it was all a joke as people at the concert sent text messages to their friends that Jordan was on stage and apparently in perfect health.
Then Donnie made the brilliant decision to get on twitter and changed the group/fan dynamic forever. He convinced the other guys to join him in his little experiment and pretty soon the Blockhead Army was breaking every social media tool around.
All of the sudden we were given the opportunity of our childhood dreams...the ability to communicate directly with Donnie, Jordan, Joe, Jon, and Danny. People questioned if it was really them...it is. People wondered if they really actually read the tweets that are sent to them...they do. I can tell you this for certain, because I have been lucky enough to have personally received answers from 3 of the 5 guys over the last few months. (If you'd told me that this would happen when I was 15 I would have thought you were totally insane)
The guys embraced their supporters via twitter in true NKOTB fashion...playing games with us, scolding us, and teasing us every single chance that they had. They felt the love and made sure that we knew it. They introduced us to their band members and the family grew even larger. Twitter not only brought us closer to the group, but it also brought us even closer to each other. All of the sudden going to a concert felt more like going to a family reunion. I now have friends all over the country. TRUE friends who would do anything for me even though many of us have never met in person. I'm sure that there are a lot of sceptics reading this and thinking "yeah, sure they would", but I can promise you that I have seen these women in action, and I know this to be true.
Twitter also had quite an impact on the group. They realized the possibilities that twitter held for them, and quickly took action. Most notably, Joe started his Let's Get This Foundation and used twitter to spread the word. He asked all fans attending one of the Full Service Tour Dates to bring a book to donate to children in need. I think that it is safe to say that even Joe could not have imagined the outcome. Over 26,000 books were collected over the course of 30 shows.
This brings me to the real reason I am writing this post. The real reason that I am so damn proud to call myself a Blockhead...my fellow Blockhead Sistas!
2 crazy men (who shall apparently remain nameless for all eternity) had a crazy idea to send a group of crazy women on a mission. They asked us to work together, get creative, and come up with as many books for the LGTF as we possibly could...and to have some SERIOUS fun in the process. 2,023 books and $2,842 later...THIS is our story...
Through all this they helped us to find ourselves again. They reminded us how powerful we can be. They gave us back our voices, and put joy back in our hearts.
They encouraged us to dream big, and to reach for those dreams. Taught us that nothing is impossible.
They let us know that no matter what anyone else has to say, or whatever else happens in this world, we will ALWAYS and FOREVER be
5 Brothers and A Million Sisters.
On Saturday the Full Service Tour came to a bittersweet end. We all know that the guys need a break. They need to unwind and spend some hard earned time with their loved ones. We know this, we respect this, and yet it is still so hard to see this chapter come to an end.
I think that this video says it all...
Sunday morning after attending the show, one of my Blockhead Sistas passed in her sleep. I had never heard of Jackie before her passing, but I know several people who were proud to call her their friend. The outpouring of love has been truly touching. As always, the boys have shown themselves to be truly loving and classy individuals by posting this blog as soon as they heard the news.
RIP Jackie
So I'll say it again because as far as I'm concerned being a BLOCKHEAD is a beautiful, beautiful thing.
I AM A BLOCKHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(I have so much more that I could say, but it is very very late and I have to Rise and Grind in a few more hours)
Until next time...
