A Die Hard Fan....

The middle school years were NOT my finest. This one might just be the best...unfortunately.

When it comes to bandwagons, I'm usually the driver, and as a teen I was the ULTIMATE fan. When I liked something, I was all in.....and I can still tend to be that way. And I was also pretty boy crazy. It started with New Kids on the Block at the age of 5 and morphed into an interest for Jonathan Taylor Thomas around the 5th grade, and let's not forget about my still undying love for Rod Stewart and Paul McCartney. And if I were around in the 60's, I'm pretty sure I would have spearheaded the Beatlemania movement.... I'm still pretty bummed that I missed out! You get my drift, right?

Well it was Christmas break, 1997 and I was in the 7th grade. I wasn't really allowed to see PG-13 movies as a rule, but my parents made an exception because the movie I REALLY wanted to see was a historic event. That movie? Titanic. My life was forever changed when I saw that movie. I had never encountered such cinematic genius in all my 13 years, and I never laid eyes on a more stud-muffin-y person than that of Leonardo DiCaprio. I was sold. I went to see that stupid movie 9 1/2 times in the theater! Why my parents let me do that, I don't really know, but I was on the quest to be the ULTIMATE fan. I bought every Teen Beat that had so much as a thumbnail picture of my love--every book, every poster, every t-shirt....the list goes on. I cringe as I type this. I really don't know why I was so infatuated (yes, that would be the correct word). I really can't stand the guy today, but at 13 no one was greater. My obsession grew so great, that if they had TV shows about people's crazy obsessions in 1997, I KNOW I would have been on it. I even went so far as to print out the entire screenplay. It was around 500 pages and used an entire ink cartridge. It was at that point that my parents were ready to kill me! Really, they were. I was grounded for a while due to my insanity. Those who had the pleasure of knowing me during that time, still don't let me live it down--as much as I wish they would.

I tell you all of that because they are re-releasing that life changing movie in 3D next week, and if I didn't know better I would think that the "movie people" did it just for me since it's the week of my birthday. Isn't that sweet? But I've got news for them: I plan on only seeing it once...if that.  And maybe, just maybe NSYNC will have a comeback tour soon and I can tell you all about my love for them and Justin Timberlake...if you're lucky. But, that's enough self depreciation for one day, I think!

Who was your heartthrob? Surely I wasn't the only crazy teen!