Tonight I am taking a walk down memory lane.  I’m travelling back to a day when life was simpler.  It was filled with scrunchies and oversized tie-dyed Esprit bags.  There were high tops and units belts, Trapper Keepers and jean jackets.  Can you see it?  Can you hear Whitney Houston belting out “I’m Your Baby Tonight?”

I am a child of the ’80’s.  I give you evidence:

Ah yes, the ’80’s.  That iconic era when the music was good and the styles were horrific.  I was a young child of the ’80’s so my exposure to the glory of that time was slightly sheltered and limited.  I was a teenager of the ’90’s.  An entirely different era altogether.  I’ll reminisce on those days some other time.

You are on the edge of your seats in anticipation, are you not?!

But alas, my memories of the ’80’s and all they entailed almost always include the two girls that lived down the hill from us and served as frequent babysitters for my brother and I.  These girls were ’80’s personified.  They had the hair styles, the clothes, the perfume (Ex.cla.MA.tion!) and the music.  Their rooms were decorated in hot pink, black and turquoise.  They wore their hats sideways, their bangs shalaqued into a perfect, budding rose atop their foreheads.

And they loved…The New Kids on the Block!  Oh yes they did.  The original boy band. The men who paved the way for the likes of N’Sync, The Back Street Boys and that other band made up of boys…   Radical!

These girls gave me oversized pins for my jean jacket and school bag so that I could carry around Jordan and Jonathon, Joey, Donnie and Danny everywhere I went.  They let me watch the VHS tapes that they purchased at the concert and I oohed and aahed over their wicked dance moves while my teenage idols squealed with delight.  They let me look at the polaroid shots they took on that “magical” night. 

I lived vicariously through them out of necessity because when I went home I was only allowed to listen to Leslie Gore.  I mentioned I was sheltered didn’t I? 

And tonight, I am remembering those days.  I’m remembering them through the music…the beautiful, glorious, terrible music.

Seriously, the New Kids weren’t very good.

But the were just. so. awesome!

And so I give you all this moment to step back in time.  You can thank me later…or now.  You can thank me now if you want.

You’re welcome.

Words just simply cannot express the hysterical glory of those videos.