I've got some 'splainin' to do...

I realize it sounds odd. Girl who lives in Texas...was born in Detroit... has never been anywhere NEAR New England... is a die hard Sox fan and is in love with Boston?

In baseball of course there is always a story. Sometimes its where you grew up or who your parents rooted for, another friend started following the Yankees because it was the closest stadium to him and he got his ass beat if he didn't like them. My VBF inherited her love of the Reds after a divorce from a fan. Ditched the husband- kept the team. That? Is awesome.

My story begins with a boy...er, boys. In 1987, I was 12 years old and became infatuated with New Kids on the Block. They were from Boston and as was my vice at the time, I wrote about them. In fact, I wrote a book. Like any good author that I wanted to grow up to be, I did my research. I spent days in the library looking up information on Boston and looking at pictures. I wrote their Convention and Visitor's Bureau asking for information. They sent me books and maps and coupons... and a Wade Boggs baseball card. Red Sox, huh? Okay. More research. Wade Boggs and his moustache were amazing.Was he cute? not so much to a 12 year old girl who already had her wedding to any of the New Kids all planned out. But he was AWESOME. I counted myself as a Sox fan.

But more than that, I feel in love with the city... The Emerald necklace, the Freedom Trail, the history, Beacon Hill, learning all about the different neighborhoods, the ocean, Newbury Street, Harvard Square. All of it. I wanted to read everything I could get my hands on about it and see as many pictures as possible.

There was some mystique to it...Something so romantic and beautiful and historical andandand.... Not only that, but I LOVED the way the boys sounded. Boys from Boston and their incessantly dropping R's put me through puberty. I still cannot hear it without getting giggly and my knees getting weak.

Of course, years go by, and I went through years not taking ANY notice of the baseball world, put my posters away and wanted to go to BU. I was a budding journalist and decided that was it. I got all the info on the school- pamphlets and brochures, pictures and forms and more forms to fill out. I was ecstatic...but quietly. I was panicked- how the hell would I ever pay for this? I had okay grades, but could I get in? I was in the mess of trying to figure that all out when I got pregnant with my oldest daughter.

And that answered that for me.... Married, kids, work, life...until, of course, another stupid boy reminded me of the Sox and I fell again- HARD.

So I threw myself into baseball. Stats, scores, history and autobiographies... I wasn't born into it, but all four of my children damn sure were.

I am still in love with the city. As much as I have wanted to go and see there had to be a reason or money or time...or someone who gave enough of a crap to go with me. And now all those things have fallen into place and I WILL go...next year. No more excuses or waiting, or planning or dreaming myself into photographs. I will be there breathing in Boston. And crying- there will probably be crying.

I am in awe of fans who were "Born Into It". I usually annoy them with questions of "Did you see this or that game? The All Star Game where they wheeled Ted Williams out? What about when this happened or that?" I've only read about these things- I want to know what they felt like. I want to know what it's like to live where they happen. I always feel a little inadequate- "Oh you're from Texas.." and I feel like I am immediately branded with an invisible "Bandwaggoner" label.

And you know what? Fuck it. Call me what you want. I know who sets her alarm to get up at 5am to watch games from Japan. I know who leaves GameDay up because she is so afraid she'll miss something. And I know who will be the Future Ex-Mrs. Papelbon-Varitek-Beckett-Lowell. And we'll have a beautiful wedding...in Boston... where NKOTB will sing just for us each time...