O.M.G-N.K.O.T.B!

People magazine is reporting that the New Kids on the Block, the 80s pop boy-band, is planning on making a comeback!



http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20174022,00.html

A piece of info about me- in the late 80s/early 90s I was OBSESSED with the New Kids. My bedroom was completely covered in posters. and I mean every free piece of wall was taken. I bought every magazine with them on the cover in order to get the poster. I had videos, all the casettes, anything else that I could find with them on it.

Joe was my "favorite" New Kid. I had a t-shirt, buttons, and a Barbie-sized doll of him.
I think it was the eyes that did it.


I saw them in concert TWICE (Tiffany was with them. In related news, I also saw Debbie Gibson, Slaughter, Danger Danger, and KISS-sans makeup- in concert. Not at the same time, of course.)

And I am such a pack rat and won't throw anything out....that I still have ALL of it. Everything is in a box in the attic. I pulled the shirt and buttons out a couple of years ago when we had an 80s party.

The last couple of albums they put out weren't really all that good (not that the first ones were, but Hanging Tough was pretty darn catchy, and Please Don't go Girl made my 16 year old heart swoon), and by 1992 I was heading off to college and being introduced to Depeche Mode, Nirvana, They Might be Giants, and other groups that weren't played on local radio stations, so I fell out of love with the New Kids.

I am not sure this reuniting is a good idea, but it is fun to meander down memory lane.

Here Joni & I at dress up for 80s night. Note the pinch-rolled jeans, pastel make-up and big hair...


Here Mark, as a Miami Vice wanna-be, and Glen shred some air-guitar

tagged-my turn again

you know the rules.....if you're tagged, you post 10 weird/random things about yourself. Then you tag others.....however I am just gonna leave it open ended and say whoever reads this needs to do it :)

1. I'd rather hang out with people younger than me than with people my age...they aren't afraid to laugh and act goofy.

2. I used to HATE pepsi...but I would rather drink diet pepsi than any other soft drink now.

3. I hate little green peas.

4. I watched all three extended editions of the Lord of the Rings movies in one day (they are about 4hours long a piece)

5. I email authors (or get in touch other ways) to let them know when I love their books....usually they write back and that makes me GIDDY!

6. Although I consider myself a tolerant person in most repsects, I have little tolerance or patience for stupidity

7. I dont like talking to the telephone.

8. I want more piercings in my ears.

9. I dont understand people's obsession with Grey's Anatomy, Sex in the City, Dancing with the Stars, etc.....

10. I love the theatre (not cinema) so much and I want to be part of that world.

now...I'm tagging everyone who reads this (heh, I cheated, I know)

Happiness is....

So I have been putting off writing this blog....I really cant describe the reasons. I think it has to do with the finality of it.

Of course, I am talking about the closing of Rent. (what else?)
It is really hard to explain to someone why the show has meant so much to me. Why it made the impact that it did....I suppose the main themes of acceptance, love, & sense of community speak volumes, as do the lyrics of the songs "Will I?" and "Seasons of Love".
After two of my friends died almost a year apart, Seasons of Love took on a whole new meaning to me. (How do you measure a year?) Life is too short to waste opportunities. (That is a whole 'nother blog.)

But that's not why I am posting THIS blog.....well, not exactly. If you remember when I went to NY this past November, I had tickets to see Rent but didn't get to because of the strike. It meant a lot for me to see it where it all began, even though I have seen the touring version several times.

What you may not know is that in addition to my full time teaching job, I have several little side jobs and stash what I make at those into a travel fund. The main purpose of that is to visit Europe one day. But the closing of Rent, and my last chance to see my favorite show at The Nederlander, is important.

So, I'm going to New York again with the main purpose of seeing Rent on Broadway before it closes. And the coolest part is that I get to share this experience with two of my favorite people, neither of whom have been to NY before, and both of whom love Rent as much as I do.

Crazy? Perhaps. But worth it....even if I do have to keep saving for Europe.

Totally Awesome

I think Joy Nash, herself, says it best, "No matter how you feel about yourself, there's bound to be SOMEONE who would trade places with you in a heartbeat. Maybe they're jealous of your hair, your smile, the easy way you talk to strangers- whatever. Like they say, the grass is always greener..."

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

This CANNOT be happening!
My precious, beloved show is closing (read it here)

I had tickets and everything and could have seen it in NY except for the damn strike. I hope they will at least keep the tour going.

But I wannna seeeeee it in NY! *weeps*

Dying right here is strictly prohibited!

List of the Day Engrish (<---click there) I stumbled across the list of the day blog a week or so ago. Some of the posts are great. Today's is awesome.
I have been laughing so hard I am crying. There is something lost in translation with some of these signs and the results are hilarious! (please, no offense intended here.)
My favorite:

Geek Like Me

oh yes, if i were to do it all over again, i'd totally have a theme wedding. But that, of course, is because I am a...


(just for the record, I am now on my third ipod. current:Gen 3 Nano, black)

New yearses :)

I am currently sitting at the kitchen table waiting for the timer to go off so I can stir the caramel popcorn again. I found a recipe a few years ago for homemade caramel popcorn and it is so yummy. After you get the goo poured on it has to bake for an hour, and it has to be stirred every 15 minutes.
I am making this to take to my parents' house tomorrow. On New Year's Eve for the past several years we have gone to their house to "ring in the new year". Usually it's just us, my parents, cousin and his wife and two teenaged daughters. We eat, laugh, and play Tripoley (which is kind of a poker game). At midnight, the two teenagers and I toast with sparkling grape juice. This has become as much of a tradition as the Tripoley and food.
This year we have a few more people coming (yay!).

So tell me, dear readers, how do YOU plan to spend New Year's Eve?

Dear friends

Before I begin, I just wanted to tell those of you who normally receive a Christmas card to that you were NOT deleted from the card list this year- I didn't send any out. (ok, I sent ONE, but I was sending a gift and wanted a card to go with it and wanted it to be special) I simply ran out of time. I had the cards out, ready to be signed and addressed....and just never got around to it.
I just didn't want you to feel left out. :)


So 2007 is about to come to a close. Some of the most memorable things that have happened this year:
Mark and I bought a new house and moved back to B'town (finally!)
We said goodbye to Harry (in a way)
I discovered Twilight (is there a way to put heroin in book form? cuz I'm addicted to it)
I went to New York TWICE this year!
I met authors and broadway actors
(Lots of other things happened, but I'm a little tired now)

But the biggest thing that happened- I began to LIKE myself. (remember the bathsuit fiasco this summer? that was the turning point)
Case in point: I happened to catch my reflection in a mirror as I was smiling recently and noticed tiny little lines under my eyes (I believe these are known as "laugh lines")
I didn't freak out, I didn't make an appointment for plastic surgery, I didn't even cringe.

Why not?

Because I think they are beautiful

*gasp!* did I just say that?

yes I did.

I have to like myself first and I've decided that I do.


Here's to the New Year- May you all love yourselves, love each other, and continue on the journey for which you were put on this earth.

Christmas is WHEN?!?

TWO DAYS? no. cant be. surely the calendar is wrong!

where has the time gone?

Some random Christmas things you may not know (but you know you are dying to hear!):
1.We havent put up a tree in several years. Two reasons, really, a. where we used to live, no one really saw it.

and b. my cat knocked it over the last time I put one up. Hopefully I will get one to put up next year. It needs to be pre-lit though.

2.I dont buy many gifts at Christmas, but the ones I plan to give are already bought. Thank goodness, because people are psycho at the stores now! And too many people spend more than they can really afford.

3.Mark and I dont exchange gifts and haven't since we married. People are always shocked by this. At first it was because we were poor college students and didnt have the money. Our feelings are if there is something that one of us needs or wants (within reason) and we can afford it, we try to get it through out the year. Why wait til Christmas?

4. Forget A Christmas Story, It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 49th street, etc etc etc...My favorite Christmas-watching movie has become Rent. Why, you ask? Well, it begins and ends on Christmas day (or Christmas eve) and the sense of family among friends is great. So, we'll be watching it again on Christmas night at my house :). Its our newest holiday tradition.

whatever your traditions, beliefs, or celebrations, I wish you-my friends and readers- the happiest of holidays