top 5: please come to boston in the springtime edition

Yesterday morning I sat in my room, drinking my coffee and watching the president speak on the bombings at the Boston marathon.  Today I sit in my room drinking my coffee and watching the manhunt. Like 99.99% of the country, I have remained pulled into the TV everytime I hear that "breaking news bulletin" music. Dum dum dah dum.

Am I from Boston? No. Have I ever been to Boston? No. Does my heart still invert itself for those affected? Absolutely. I think it would be wrong of me to say that Boston was my city or something like that...because I've never spent any time there, but Boston has enriched my life in many ways and given popular culture many perfect gifts. 

a gift left by the folks at DCXV

My biggest fear after any tragedy is that all the good things about the place will be erased and that it will forever be equated with crime and despair. [Tangent: Especially with the tragic death of an officer at MIT last night to add to the sorrow and today's events snowballing by the minute.] Because I feel sometimes you need a little escapism and because I never have been good at dealing with my sad feelings, I thought we should reflect on some of the reasons we love Boston as we come to terms with all that is going on. [Tangent: Anyone else would probably include Larry Byrd or The Departed in their daily devotional to Boston, but I grew up with estrogen and unlimited access to Television.] Sometimes in a dark place, just a little light is needed.  

1. Thank you for Cheers

The first time the city of Boston fell on my radar was when I was about 5 and watching cheers. I grew up with this show [Tangent: Like quite literally, it premiered in 1982- the year I was born.] and immediately had a sense that this was what Boston was about. Community. Lots of Beer. Tradition. Nothing that I have learned in my adult life about Boston has at all contradicted any of these ideals.

2. Thank you for Boston

Ok, let's be honest, I was years away from being born when this band came about, but who hasn't almost crashed their car because they were closed eyes belting out "More Than a Feeling." These gents must have loved their hometown a lot [or were just feeling particularly uninspired that day] because they named their group after the city they dwelled in.  [Tangent: I mean, it worked for Kansas, right? ] Tying yourself forever to your home by adopting their moniker...that's the utmost evidence of civic pride.

3. Thank you for New Kids on the Block

 

When I was in 2nd grade, and heard my first NKOTB song, my life was forever altered by a Boston accent. Everything Jonathan Knight said sounded like transcendental poetry to me...even though the transcendental movement is a heady concept for an 8-year-old. To a young girl from the burbs, Bosten seemed so edgy! [Tangent: I mean look how renegade Jordan is wearing overalls with no shirt tucked into BKs.] This led to my intrigue with all things Boston. 

4. Thank you for The Real World: Boston

I swore my allegience to the Real World on day 1 of the first season. [Tangent: I lost interest somewhere in Austrailia when all the girls have blonde hair with black low lights. barf.] but I think the series really hit it's stride in the historic east coast town of Boston, where the gang lived in a FIREHOUSE! A FIREHOUSE FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE. Genesis, Elka, Montana, Cyrus. Thus began the movement of only casting people with names like celebrity children. I can't promise that the people of Boston were smitten as I was with this contribution, but it was my first glimpse onto the beautiful historic streets of beantown.

5. Thank you for Good Will Hunting

It's really hard to imagine what Hollywood was like before Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The city that bore these two was Boston and Good Will Hunting was their love letter to their home on the Southside. If The Real World introduced me to the landscape, Good Will Hunting  made it familiar. It was shot all over the city and you believed these characters, maybe because it was written by its stars. Good Will Hunting will forever be one of my favorite films. I will watch it everytime it's on TV and cry everytime I hear the line "I gotta go see about a girl." Although, I have never traveled those streets, this movie transported me there. 

It's hard for me not to go on and on...and I didn't even mention that the Boston area gave us Conan O'Brien, but I hope this will remind us why we all inherently love this city and pray that it will rebound. I think if anyone can do it, the patriot's city can. I leave you with this- my favorite version of my favorite Boston-centric song. Love you Boston.