My Legal Marketing Association pals Sarah Minjoe and Amy Trevino absolutely made my day with this arrival a few weeks back! At our #LMASW23 conference they had included me in a presentation that also referenced Ted Lasso. Fine company in which to be!

They mailed me some of the materials, as I was not able to attend, and included this beautiful letter. Their kindness means the world and their contributions to our community are joyous and profound.

In return, I framed all of this, placed it all on my office wall (which dangerously is starting to resemble the decor of a Ruby Tuesday restaurant), and sent a photo along with this note: “I told you I’d frame these! You are now proudly alongside the boys of 98 Degrees in my Detroit Clark Hill office!”

WHICH … in turn, prompted them to ask: 98 Degrees?! And I replied …

As for how this 98 Degrees thing came to be, it’s a long and sordid story. Not that you need to read these posts but somewhat captured over years on my blog:

• https://reelroyreviews.com/2013/06/09/an-instantaneous-good-hearted-sense-of-community-the-package-tour-with-new-kids-on-the-block-98-degrees-and-boyziimen/

• https://reelroyreviews.com/2017/12/18/boy-bands-who-dance-make-more-money-98-degrees-let-it-snow-concert-at-detroits-sound-board-plus-the-barn-christmas-cabaret-blaine-fowler-and-christmas-story-live/

• https://reelroyreviews.com/2018/12/06/the-other-two-degrees-98-degrees-return-to-motor-city-casinos-sound-board-for-at-christmas-redux/

In short, my hubby is CRAZY for them – I was always like, “meh.” (I was more of a 90s diva gay – Madonna, Janet, Whitney, etc.) That said, I took my hubby to see them in 2000 at the height of their … fame. My husband, who is a gentle soul, was embarrassed that we were the only dudes and the only people over 12 in attendance, so we left after one song.

Years later, I took him for his birthday to a NKOTB/BoyzIIMen/98 Degrees package tour and paid a ridiculous amount for a meet and greet. John was less embarrassed this time. Everyone was … older. And gayer.

Interestingly, in a twist on inclusion, our VIP package included two … women’s t-shirts. Nick Lachey seemed particularly befuddled there were boys in the VIP line to meet them. Jeff Timmons (who we’d met a year or two prior at a Ferndale Pride event) couldn’t have been lovelier.

And then, a few years later (tracking against where their popularity now is), they were playing the Motor City Casino. We saw them twice in two successive years. I sprung for the VIP meet and greets again. John is now at this point giddy to meet them. They “get” that their audience is far more diverse. I suspect Jeff helped with that. Drew is also lovely. And they couldn’t have been kinder the last few times we saw them. Genuinely appreciative.

I mean, they are all basically my age. I think it helps that I’m just like “hey guys, good to see you again” (while my hubby melts). And looking at these pictures you’ll see how comical that is.

Jeff and I now have a light twitter friendship – for lack of any better term. I’m not saying there’s a strong connection, but he’s savvy enough to respond on twitter and insta and is always very gracious. And I in turn comment and share his content sometimes.

So … that’s how this happened. Welcome to my very weird world.

P.S. Toldja … 😅