magic cruise is RIGHT...

I was just saying to Amanda, "Awkward Family Photos makes me happier than anything else in the world."
And with that, I discovered:To say that the New Kids on the Block were THE major thing going on in my life from 1988-1991 would be an understatement of massive proportions. And the above was clearly taken at the height of my interest in this boy band.

Honestly, it's like seeing a family photo I haven't come across in years. It's all so familiar.

I was a Joe gal, myself. Note Joe, gazing at the child politely, in a Public Enemy-t and jean shorts. He was so harmlessly urban. To this day, I know him better than I know most of my cousins.

Unlike Donnie, with his Tim Riggins vibe that, now in the full bloom of womanhood, I finally understand.

Poor Jon Knight. What the hell was he ever doing there in the first place? If they needed brothers, they should have left Marky Mark in the "band" (true story.) He's like a gay deer in headlights.

Danny Wood was the Forrest Gump of NKOTB.

And look at that Jordan. Ladies of local political activism, could he look any more like Matt Haney? Uncanny!

And finally, who is this tramp living my dream? Not that I'd really want Donnie Wahlberg feeding me, what is that, lettuce? This appears to be circa his setting a hotel room on fire in Kentucky, an incident which the entirety of my 7th Grade class used to mock me mercilessly.

If the New Kids cruise still exists, and something tells me that it might, I'd like to immediately suggest to my cruising companion that we get on this shit before one of them dies and recreating this photo would be impossible...