Is this the end of the world as we know it? Is the world coming to an end? Is Iran about to scare the crap out of us with a bomb? Did Danny Wood stop going to the gym? Is Donnie Wahlberg wearing his jeans ON his waist line?
Ok, so as much as I hope the answer to all questions above is "FREAKIN' NO", I do know that some things have changed lately in the happy world of Blockheads.. So here are my 40/80 dollars...hmmmm I mean- 2 cents- about all the new happenings.
As we all know the tour with BSB was announced and just when we were actually starting to get used to that.. BOOM.. the nkotb site, the place we all love to bitch about but can't live without now is not free anymore. We had some time to adjust to the NKOTBSB thingy since the rumor has been out there for like a month, some of us love the idea, some don't care and some hate it.. But we all accepted it, but the membership for the fan club was a complete surprise to all.
You know us, we are crazy old women (or groupies or whatever Ryan Seacrest likes to call us) we like our routines, we don't adjust too well to changes. At our age, when the weather changes drastically - we feel it in our joints. When Nkotb.com changes drastically- we bitch. Yup.Just like that.. We bitch.. and only after that we think.
For the record: I love NKOTB, always have, always will. I don't care who they go on stage with, what they sell or if Joe's skinny jeans are too skinny. I love the guys and I consider myself one hell of a dedicated fan but they don't force me to buy anything, from a cruise ticket (2nd time flying in from Israel- BUSTED) to a fan-club membership.
I would be lying if I said I'm happy about the joint concerts or the membership thing. I'm not.. but it's MY decision to make as a grownup on what to spend my money. Last time I checked Ddub wasn't standing behind me (*sigh*) with his gun (*big sigh*) & making me buy a show ticket or a membership to the fantastic world of the dedicated fans. Nope, I'm the one that decided not to spend my money on any of those- therefore.. if I have to be mad at someone.. It'll be at myself coz I made the call.
Sometimes, between all the LOVE tweets (which btw, I believe are true) and the attention we get and the fantasies we have in our minds, we forget that for NKOTB this whole thing is a business. I don't mean it in a bad way... just in a LET'S FUCKING GROW UP way.
The way I see it: I love each and every one of my students very much, I care for them, I want them to succeed, to be happy and I try my best to give them what they deserve.. but would I be doing it if I didn't get paid at the end of the month? the answer is HELL NO! Do I think NKOTB love us, care for us and want us to be happy? YES. Would they be doing it for free? HELL NO!!
This thing is also a business and they have to make business decisions. They are not FORCING us to agree with them but they don't owe us anything so we can be mad. frustrated and even a bit disappointed about things that are going on lately but we can't start bitching like freakin 12 year olds. WE decide what to spend our money on, not NKOTB. They offer a product, we can choose to buy it or not.
I, for example, won't be buying a ticket to see NKOTB and BSB. MY decision is not to pay a flying ticket + hotel+concert tickets +shopping money (coz you are out of your mind if you think I'll fly to the US of A & won't buy clothes I don't need) to see anything less than a FULL ONLY NKOTB concert (preferably with shirtless BIBIY & some DDub pant dropping)... So NKOTB offered me a product I don't like & I won't buy it... just like I don't like everything my mom cooks.. but I love her.
I won't be buying a membership either. I don't need it to feel like a "dedicated" or "loyal" fan. Sure I enjoyed using the site and the forums (although sometimes those can be a scawwwwy place) but I don't NEED them. I guess if I needed them then I would be paying whatever they ask. Once again.. just a product I won't be buying.
I choose to save all that money and use it when NKOTB have a SOLO tour (yes I say WHEN & not IF) or to buy all sorts of NKOTB merch I don't really need but I WANT.
So dear BH sistahs: each of us if responsible for her own acts, we decide what to buy and what not to get, we decide how to spend our money and not NKOTB. So when we bitch about the changes made lately, we should remember the changes are just an offer.. not a mitzvah (the Jewish term for a divine command) ..
Now if you don't mind..I gotta go do something about my knees.. with these weather changes- they are killing me!!!