It's often difficult for me to write about things that I care about too much, or things that I know too much about or things that I'm just too all wrapped up in.
When I interviewed Joe McIntyre as an intern at the Lincoln, Neb., newspaper in 2001, for example, I had no idea what sort of story to write. I just knew too much. And to me everything seemed important. I struggled to take myself out of the story and just tell the highlights.
So that is why I have not yet posted about the New Kids concert Wednesday night. It just meant that much.
Jenny wrote about it the next day, and her account was great. Like she said, I wouldn't have wanted to go to this show, to relive this giant part of my life, with anyone else. It meant so much that we were there together.
So yes. I'm 29 years old, married with a 3-year-old and a baby on the way. But as soon as the lights went down in that arena Wednesday night, I lost my mind. I screamed like I was 11, I jumped, I pumped my arms in the air. And when they came out, I almost sort of had to remember to breathe. I just couldn't believe it.
I know there are so many of you out there who think I'm lame, who just don't get it, who want me to be cooler than I am. But I simply don't care.
So many will never understand what the New Kids on the Block did for me -- and for so many other girls -- back in the late 80s and early 90s when around us our parents were divorcing and cliques were forming and boys weren't liking us back and our best friends were finding new friends and all those other things that happened back then when we were trying to simply figure out who we were and how to get by unscathed.
New Kids and their Magic Summer tour and their Step by Step moves and their charm and innocence and everything were what gave us that hope, that happiness.
So seeing them for the first time really up close, even as an adult, Wednesday night was just about surreal.
And for the two hours they were up there singing and dancing and talking to us, nothing else mattered.
Was I happy to see my little boy when he crawled into bed with us at 5 the next morning? Of course. That adult part of me is the most important thing I've ever done.
But the little girl part of me will be excited about the New Kids being back -- even if it is just for this one tour -- for a long time.
