It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year....

Us fangirls, plan tours well in advance. Even without any concrete info to plan with. The slightest hint at something happening, say, a year from now, will send us into a frenzy of how we will accomplish all that we want to do. How does one plan tour time, without even knowing what month it will start? We start with the basics. What cities do we want to visit? We all know that hometown (Toronto in this case) is always a must. Mainly, 'cause we have never missed a show there since Backstreet Boys' 1998 self titled tour. Surrounding areas, Hamilton, London, Ottawa, Buffalo & Detroit, typically are shoe-ins because they fall within the 10hr max driving time we allow ourselves. Then come the shows that we just HAVE to see. Boston, well, 'cause NKOTB hail from there. (If you didn't know, I give you permission to stop reading this blog entry immediately). We have already discussed cities we will have to visit next tour, like LA, because Kevin seems to always make his guest appearances there. (If you don't know who Kevin is, really, please, I beg you, stop reading). Outsiders to fangirldom, find it odd that we (I) will travel across the country (Vancouver to Toronto) for a mere 2 nights, just to see a show. Or, they disapprove, perhaps not understand, why one would plan a two week long road trip on the East Coast, just to follow our 9 men. Truthfully speaking, the guys give us an excuse to visit places we have never been. I have been blessed enough to spend time in Boston, NYC, Ottawa & countless other cities because of these 9 amazing men. And, as some of my fellow fangirls have pointed out in previous blog entries, we have met one another in these cites & at these shows, because there was a show to go to. We have created memories that unite us.

When planning trips to new cities that have yet to be discovered by us, we plan every day down to the hour. Pull out the maps (the abundance of maps from CAA *looking at you Ashleigh* & in case the GPS fails you...stupid Princess Aurora) & search the internet to find the things that we just have to see while we are in town. Example...TD Gardens in Boston. Mainly 'cause the Celtics happen to be in one of the biggest battles that exact day & well, you know Donnie is a fan. Perhaps we'll see him? Ok, getting off topic, but you get the point. On a recent trip to Montreal with Ashleigh, to of course see NKOTBSB perform, we had a short 6hr window to see the sights of the city. And let me tell you, we fit it all in. It's not ALL about seeing the guys...unless you're running into Joey McIntyre on the street, but that's a different blog altogether.

As a fangirl on tour, you must also make sacrifices. First big sacrifice, no, you cannot bring your entire closet. Though road trips allow for more room 'cause you can cram all your random crap in the trunk. I still feel sorry for those poor doormen who tried packing ours. My rule in packing, if the outfit is a 'maybe I'll wear it', don't bring it. It will take up valuable space. Hard concept to master. I know Ashleigh is still having difficulty. Second, don't get attached to that fluffy bed of yours, 'cause you two will never be friends. Why you ask? You will not rest. Tour time has this misconception of being similar to R&R type vacay's, it's not. You're constantly on the go. And you have to be ready, make-up on, hair did, for when Danny tweets that they are just leaving their hotel, which is a 2 minute cab ride from your hotel. Third, forget about your diet. You eat when you can & whatever it is that you can find. Breakfast of Champions anyone? Ashleigh & I survived on Starbucks & Subway for our 2 week road trip. Shockingly, we don't hate either. And if you aren't a Starbucks fan, well, become BFF's with it fast. You wont survive without it.

Tour time, for us fangirls, is what Christmas is to most people of the world. It's the biggest gift you can ever receive, and it better be after all the money we spend. (Worth every penny though). We get to see our sisters (one another), our extended family (crew), have a holiday (who doesn't love to travel, stop reading if you don't. Really, how did you get this far?) & open the greatest gifts ever given (show of a lifetime, hugs from our favourite men *Donnie*, VIP experiences, and the list continues). You may not understand why we do what we do, but one thing is for sure: it really is the most wonderful time of the year.

Breakfast of Champions.

Can you see all the way to the back? Yea, neither can I & those are just our baby suitcases in the front...

Sweet reward after being lead astray by your not-so-trusty GPS.

*angry face*

People always told us that the young, cute ones had to grow up someday…

Those people were right.

Things have changed...



...and we are not complaining.

We're Not Stingy with JK and DDub...

Squee: A Fangirl story was created to document our missions from living the tour life.  Our first posts outlined the best part of being a fangirl - the sisters we get to share it with.  I am going to talk about one, of the many, amazing events we have been able to experience together.  Being a fangirl does not end after the lights come on ladies.  It is then time for the mad rush back to the hotel to get ready for the post-concert fun.

I urge you – if you get the chance – to attend an afterparty.  Let me tell you – it is worth every penny.  Our group has its fair share of Jordan and Donnie girls, but this Jon girl enjoyed it as much as the rest (don’t worry we also have Joey and Danny girls)

Getting tickets is a stressful experience, but we work as a team.  Anyone who has gone to an afterparty can tell you how much time is put into getting tickets – waiting for tweets, checking the website, waiting again because the time is changed (looking at you Johnny ;) ).  Once the tickets are secured, you are once again waiting for that wonderful tweet to pick up your wristbands.

Despite the stress of getting wristbands, the afterparty is amazing.  Not that we should be surprised, but Donnie and Jordan sure know how to entertain.  They sing, interact with fans, and – if you’re lucky – take off some clothes (insert fangirl squee here).  Jordan Knight singing “O-face” is a definite highlight – the man knows how to make you forget about any other man in your life.

These boys never fail to show their appreciation for the fans – they really do love us as much as we love them.

Birthday Blog

Today is a special day in this fangirl family of ours. Two of our very own are celebrating their birthday. Our fangirl family wouldn't be the same without these girls. Both girls are always there when you need them. Whether it be to help you through a fangirl problem (JK Vip anyone???) or being there for your personal problems (you made going through the passing of my grandmother just a little bit easier)...they always seem to know what to say. These girls are not only our fangirl friends, but they truly are our sisters.

Please join us in wishing Andrea & Erica a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

 

Also, all apologies in advance for flooding twitter feeds today. Like any proper fangirl it's only 1am and we've all already begun the with the birthday tweets requests (with many more hours to go, haha). That being said, feel free to join in! @Andrea_B9 would LOVE some @jordanknight loving (and while you're at it, be sure to wish his son Dante a good one). @ericab9 could use a little @jonathanrknight love to celebrate her day.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREA & ERICA!!!

♥ Fucking Hearts ♥

"Oh My God, The Shirts Are Off Again!"

Taking inspiration from the white outfits is another visual blog needing no explanation. Appreciate and admire ladies!

Photos by @Cortg_21, @navysailorswife, @Kellybean01, @anettskee

This one goes out to everyone…And to the non-believers I say peace.✌

Why is it that when people hear you are a fangirl, they automatically say that you are crazy? They question how it is possible for grown women to love a boyband and how that boyband can still have fans. The purpose of this post is not to justify our behaviour, because really we don’t care what the haters say. Rather, this is to explain to those people what they are missing.

When you are a teenager, it is easy to hate all other girls that like or have the same things as you. With boybands, there is definitely no exception. As 13 year olds, we all truly believed that no one could love Nick Carter or Donnie Wahlberg as much as we did. Who needs a man on a horse when you can have a Knight in a Batman shirt? There was no way that I could possibly be friends with someone who thought she loved Jordan as much as me.

Then you grow up and realize that, unfortunately, the relationship you dreamed about as a young girl may not happen. (Although realistically, now you dream of having a different relationship with a grown Joey Joe-we all saw that in London…but that is a topic for a later day). However, something else happens too-you realize that those girls you thought were the enemy are just like you. Although your lives may have taken different paths, you are still there as fans. Many have gone to school, have successful careers, are married, and have had children. Suddenly, you realize that these people can be your friends.

The group of ladies that run this blog are some of the most amazing women I know. We met by going to the same shows and seeing each other at various events. Our group came together piece by piece, as more and more people were introduced to each other. Now, I can’t even consider what it would be like to experience these events without any of them. We just understand each other and what it means to be a fangirl and all that comes with it.

However, our friendship goes beyond things NKOTBSB related-that is where it all started, but definitely not where it ends. Even though we all live in different cities, we are there for each other when needed. Work, school, family stress-we have been through it all together. This is because we all understand how something like a "silly boyband" can help someone through a tough situation. We know what it is like to be looking forward to a concert or to hear a song and have that make you feel better. We may love these nine men, but we love each other more.

New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys are how we became friends, but are not the reason we continue to be. So the haters can judge us and look down on us all they want. We have made friends and memories that will last a lifetime-what is so crazy about that?

Appreciation for the White Outfits

No description necessary...just enjoy

Photos by: @SMJohnson78 and @Cortg_21

Fangirls Unite

While sitting at rest stop 41 after one, of many, NKOTBSB shows, we were inspired to record stories and insights into the world of being a boyband fangirl.  We sat at the rest stop until 3:00am talking about all the crazy things we have done in the name of fandom.  The result is Squee: A Fangirl Story.  Our tales revolve around New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys, but can be applied to other (but clearly not as good!) boybands.   

For us, this tour brought together two groups we love and respect.  For fans of both groups, NKOTBSB is a match made in boyband heaven, and for others it was a chance to see what each group had to offer.  Either way, it was an amazing summer.


In everyday life we are normal, functioning members of society.  We have travelled around the world, and have university degrees, careers, and children.  But we switch into fangirl mode faster than Donnie can rip off his shirt.

We have been conditioned (like Pavlov’s dogs) to respond to boyband stimuli.  From venue to venue you see the same things at concerts: Girls ready to put their “hearts” up when Nick asks you to or holding your breath for a dramatic pause when Joey sings PDGG.

Characteristics of a Fangirl:

• It is one thing to wallpaper your bedroom with posters as a pre-teen, but you are a true fangirl if your heart nearly stopped when BSB released “Incomplete” in 2005 or when NKOTB reunited in 2008.  You were there at the beginning, and will be there until the end.
• You are shocked when you meet people at a concert whose number of shows are in the single digits (“3 shows? You mean this tour, right?”)
• Buying concert tickets is a long process: Fanclub presales, promoter presales, general sale, ticket brokers – you never stop looking for better tickets (you need to be close enough to see the colour of AJ’s nail polish, every muscle  Danny flexes, or each of Howie’s winks)
• You don’t blink at the cost of a VIP experience
• You haven’t added up the amount of money you have spent on them – but can be sure you are sending their children to university (We have you covered Baylee – don’t worry Brian)
• You understand the importance of getting the Holy Grail of boyband pictures – the individual picture with the group
• Everything you do is titled as a “Mission”
• You live the tour life – no time to sleep, make constant Starbucks trips (hoping to run into Jon), eat like champions (pizza at 2:30am, and whatever you can find at a corner store), and live out of your suitcase
• You have your own vocabulary (you understand what it means to be on “Backstreet Time” or get excited when you hear the word “Strechify”)
• You own multiple copies of all albums because you have attended so many events (looking at you Jordan – store bought, signed, signed and kissed. The man knows how to sell albums)
• Things that appear small to others, may be the best part of your night (Jon + Step 5 = love)
• You recognize and know the names of their security, and hope Q or Earl are in good moods that day
• Leading up to concert day your facebook status or twitter updates are song lyrics or clever mashups (“We’ve got it goin' on for years…and to the non-believers I say peace” or “As long as there’ll be music we’ll be coming back again…with five bad brothers from the Beantown land”)
• Concert day behaviour – enough said
• Post-Concert Depression is real, and there are the ways we deal with it: Shots, shots, shots at the after parties, spend hours creeping each other’s pictures/videos, tweet excessively at and about the guys, hold BBM conversations until all hours of the morning, and anxiously await more news (hint: anytime you want to announce solo dates Jordan and Nick)

**Above all else, you understand that the most important part of being a fangirl is being a part of a family.  We are forever grateful to these guys for bringing us all together – without our sisters this experience wouldn’t be as fun.

Dear Nick, AJ, Brian, Howie, Jon, Jordan, Joey, Danny, and Donnie,

Quit playing games with our hearts…we’ll be loving you forever.

Sincerely,

Fangirls everywhere

The family: @ericab9 @andrea_b9 @krys04 @kellybean01 @SMJohnson78 @ashleighv_83 @anettskee @navysailorswife @Cortg_21