The Dream is Still Alive. It’s Alive, I Tell You.

Sigh.

Remember these guys?

Well, Dream 1 came true–they reunited and I returned to the sweet age of 11/12.

And now, NOW, another dream manifests itself.

I’m seeing them in concert.

I’m seeing NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK in concert! Ack!

Not many understand the sheer, lunatic joy of it all. They don’t get why my voice changes from normal to screechy when I refer to them in conversation. They don’t comprehend why my friend and I (who are attending the concert together) are losing it now, months before we travel to the arena and proceed to lose our minds in public and maybe on camera. I explain it this way: every girl has a boyband love. There’s a boy band for every generation, right from Frankie Limon in the 50s to those Jonas Boys. And every girl had their beloved boy band. These guys were mine. It’s very nostalgic and cool. It’s the reality of what we wanted all those years ago when we begged to see them in “real life” and had to accept the limitations of television and video. The adolescent adoration can now be realized, all in real time. Yikes. So excited. See the countdown clock above their heads. The clock is on.

Sigh, again.

Um, Shadi?

When I write my children’s book, Shadi (I’m using the nickname supplied to me by my sis, your colleague), you’re totally illustrating it. In fact, you and my sis can do it together. I mean it.

Of course, you may have to wait 100 years for the draft, but whatev. Ok – not 100 years. 98.

Can’t wait to see the book you illustrated in September! My sis sent me a postcard.

Sincerely,
Girley

It’s Beef, for Sure, but it ain’t Beef Stew.

At present, I have a beef with the current state of music. Anyone who reads this JournaBlog (which means me, and…um, me) knows that my love of music is serious and out of this world. So, when I go through the radio stations while riding in the car, I usually find myself dismayed. Where’s the good music gone? What I’m hearing (before quickly changing the radio station) is weird, profane and largely uninspiring. It’s depressing.

But is there a light at the end of this ridiculous tunnel?

Yes, and this light’s name is Adele. Adele is a 20 year-old Brit singer who has lyrics and melodies that thrill me. I listen to her every day. I wrestle with going against the budget and buying her album on itunes. I scour her website to find out if she’s coming back to this area, being that I missed her when she last came. I watch clips of shows were her songs were played. This young woman is absolutely incredible. The Winehouse comparisons have been made, of course, which is unavoidable, being that they’re from the same country. But to me, besides being countrywomen, the only two things that bind them are songwriting prowess and tunes that will be played over, over, and over again.

In the upper right hand corner will be songs by Adele. Since no one reads this JournaBlog anyway, I’ll listen to ’em.