What a life!

NKOTB. I know some of you are now rolling your eyes and I may have lost some of you at the mere mention of that boy band. But I had to get that out of the way early because this post is not about them directly. So bear with me....

In 2008, the boy band I loved as a pre-teen reunited and started touring again. Despite my original apprehension in the beginning, I have become a "Blockhead". And while to the outside eye it may seem like a weird, brain-washed cult, it truly is an incredible experience filled with wonderful people and amazing opportunities!

Through various forms of social networking, NKOTB fans have their own online community. Through this community I have met many people. Some are funny. Some are sweet. Some are a little crazy. Some are just like me. And some have become my best friends. None of us deny how odd it is that a BOY BAND brought us together. Having to explain how you met these girls can be a little embarrassing, BUT I wouldn't change it for the world. At a time in my life when many people my age and in my stage of life are starting to lose friends, I feel more supported and loved than I have in a LONG time!

Having friends with similar interests has also allowed me to travel and do things I would have never thought possible. In the past 2.5 years I have visited so many awesome cities!

I’ve been “behind the scenes” at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City!

I felt the spray of Niagara Falls in Canada!

I braved a snow storm in Boston with the help of Donnie Wahlberg!

I was part of a taping of a popular Canadian talk show in Toronto!

I went to a former boy banders birthday party and hung out with members of a Wu Tang Clan affiliate group in “the OC” in California (If you didn’t understand that sentence, its ok)!

I drove across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco (an accident, but at least I can say I did it)!

I’ve had bottle service at a popular club in Chicago and hung out in the VIP section!

I saw moose playing in the street in Banff, Alberta!

I was in a Joe McIntyre music video in Los Angeles!

I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity (and loving husband) to do all of these things. So many smiles, tears, laughter and friends. Being a fan of NKOTB is very similar to any other hobby. It brings several people together with common interests. If you ever have the opportunity to immerse yourself in any hobby you truly love, do it! Whether it be attending baseball spring training in Florida, or spending a weekend at a scrapbooking retreat, or going on a micro-brewery tour, or attending a concert of your favorite band – you never know who you could meet and how much fun you could actually have, so try it! It’s true with my hobby I don't walk away with a pretty product like a quilter or a scrapbooker might (although I do have an interesting pair of thong underwear from a VIP gift bag...), but I am definitely walking away with beautiful memories that will last a lifetime.

BTW, if you ever want to read the details of my NK adventures, I have a separate blog for all of that babbling at http://rocksiclelover.blogspot.com/