Your Weekly Townsend Fix Column 10

I had a completely different column ready for you. In fact next to this it's boring and I've deleted it and replaced it with this. If you've been Club Faithful in returning every week, you will know that Holly and I do our best to bring you up to date news as it comes to us, as soon as it comes to us. We don't want this club to only be fun we want it informative too. It's a family happy place run by family happy girls if you want to look at it that way. So if you have been in here you will know that Townsend had a mention in San Francisco's Chronicle! I couldn't be happier for these guys. Part of the reason I rewrote this week's column was because I also want to stand in Townsend's defense and want to be able to take the blows before Townsend does it as a shock absorber type of deal.

This week's column has 2 purposes. The first is as I said as a shock absorber. Partially for me so I can restate where I stand. I have come to realize that there are haters. I've recieved email from people who come to visit this club and leave me hateful emails and emails that question where I stand in this critical time for the boys. Some aren't offensive at all, they merely question where I stand and there's nothing wrong with that. But the hateful emails are towards Townsend, people actually think I will forward them to the boys or even worse, bring me as well as the boys down. I absolutely refuse to let negative bring the mood down anytime, especially at this time. The boys have worked so hard, and although they shake it off like a small paper cut, I take it deeper, probably because they really do mean the world to me. So if you're a visitor and a hater, this isn't for you, this entire scene isn't for you, I absolutely refuse to forward your crude messages and definetly refuse to let it affect me as much as it has in the past. I have always supported Townsend, they've done so much for me from day one and if taking these emails and reading hurtful words as the punches before they get to the boys helps, I will do everything in my power to make sure it doesn't hurt as much as it does me. The second and more important reason this column's topic comes is as celebration to Townsend's first press mention. The article is posted as one of the more previous messages left by myself and you can read it if you don't know what I'm talking about. Townsend has once again finished writing another chapter in their lives by accomplishing the mention of their names in the San Francisco Chronicle. I felt so good after I read it and actually had a couple tears. I know I have talked about the boys, my stance on them, but I wanted to re-inforce it and bring more to what I mentioned earlier. It is important for those of you out of state or others who haven't met them, understand that Townsend is all for their family, friends, and fans. They are the most self-less people in the world and are truly inspiring. They inspire me to make something of myself in this world and to try to be a good person. This week's column won't quite as much touch on humorusness, I know a lot of you are about to close this window right? Don't, if you read this, you will truly understand the stance that I have on my relationship with the guys as a group rather than them as individuals which I have written about. This is a column that I wrote that is especially close to my heart. I have shared these feelings I have through my actions and have written emails and letters to the guys about it but haven't shared it very much with as many people as who will read it today. So please, do take the time to read about Townsend and all they are associated with.

I was really thinking about what I wanted to write about that would truly present to you who Townsend is. I know we have some out of state members who haven't had the chance to meet the guys yet. There are a lot of people I meet who haven't heard of the guys yet. I thought it would be a good idea to tell you about who and what Townsend is as a whole. I kinda did that earlier but more things just pop into my head and more things are worth a lot of us to know. For a while I've taken a chance to introduce you to the guys as individuals, but Townsend is a team with a team. Don't get it yet? You will. Ryan Torres, Nick & Dom Restani, Todd Dolci, and Matt Yoakum are undoubtedly different people. (Yes, even the twins.) No matter how you want to look at it, they're 5 different personalites with 1 very special bond. They're a group, they're a team. But though they appear to be five good looking guys who dress great, sing great, and dance great, they do many things that I think should detach them from the cliched "Boy Band" term. Now, not a lot of groups are worthy of the title I will give you later for them that still has "boy band" in it, in fact I think Townsend is the only qualified for it. Townsend is a group you could say that goes "the extra mile." They're obviously recognized in California by many and will pretty much be bombarded with people. Have you seen groups (I will not name any) who go through crowds of people, walking right by a little girl who wants an autograph? A kid in a wheel chair who wants a picture? A teenage girl who idolizes them and has the stories to prove it? Yea, it happens all the time. A lot of rock stars get into "Diva mode" where they go from needing the people to not even recognizing the people. It's sad that popularity, a expensive car and some nice clothes will do a person. Seriously, what happened to sticking to your roots and foundations? The aweful description you read just now, is exactly what Townsend ISN'T. I can't think of a group that is more deserving of the world than anyone else. For those of you that haven't met them, they're incredible. They're so incredible I can't even word it to tell you how awesome they are. I know that they DO go up to the little girls, even carry them and take pictures with them and hug them. They do go up to the child in the wheelchair, they took pictures with him, talked with him, shook his hand, and offered their help for anything. And they did take the time to talk to the girl who idolized them with stories, that girl, that girl was me. I was so deeply touched by them, that this is where I am today. I am where a lot who met them are today.

Townsend goes that extra mile. If they can do something to help, they'll do it. If they can do something that will make you smile because you've had a bad day and you told them about it, they'll do it. All other celebrities had to do was smile for a picture in front of a steel blockade or sign what they say is their name with a sharpie. Townsend does that minus the blockade, and asks your name so they can personalize the autograph. They do that and will get up for a picture from sitting down behind a table, they hug you, they look at you when you're talking to them. I love them because they don't talk AT me, they talk TO me and they aren't at some supreme level so that I feel like a little, itsy bitsy fan or person, they make me feel like a friend and that they make people feel like they're on the same level. They are consious they are human too but do everything they can that isn't in normal human capabilities to make others happy. These guys also have a team of people behind them. And I mean team in every way. They have a managment team, a team of family, a team of friends, and a team of fans and supporters. Their managment team is incredible, they hold the guys at this critical time together. Julie has done an incredible job rounding up the guys, keeping the guys informed, and all in all, really keeping Townsend rising. Bob, as much as he doesn't say it, is an incredible help. I think it would be awesome to have my own dad helping me do what I love and helping to give the extra confidence when I need it to make a living. Bob is that. In fact he's such a great guy that in a way he's like a second dad to me. He's just "Pops" to me. He is incredible and organized. I remember wondering what it would be like to work with dad or mom, that question was answered when I found out Bob was a manager to them and saw that Townsend was progressivly becoming Townsend. The deeper and deeper that the boys go into this critical time, the more and more Bob works. Wendy, is also included in that note. Have you taken a look at Townsendboys.com? Good Lord! It's a major difference from TeamPrettyBoy.com from when it was simply 1 bio per guy and a group picture. Wendy (also like a second mom, and an awesome mentor) is constantly at work on that website. It's one of the most up to date, interesting, "I'm-coming-back-tomorrow" websites I have ever seen. And on top of that she manages to be the one taking the pictures for the site, going to every event, and working for NASA. I can barely handle doing my homework and watching the dog to make sure he doesn't chew up our livingroom. Bob and Wendy deserve credit for everything, including working Townsend and at NASA. Super parents....they're everywhere. The other member's families are awesome too. The parents, the siblings, the grandparents, it's just incredible. All of their families are incredible people. You can tell that the boys get their roots and foundations from the people they've been raised by instantly. For example, I can tell that they hold a close bond to their family by actually seeing the family in the same room together. I went to Gina's play. (Twins' younger sister) It was an incredible show and I was looking at the reactions of her father and the twins. Dr. Restani was sitting front and center all smiles the entire show. He looked at Gina with such a proud smile, it reminded me a lot of my own parents.You could tell he was proud of her and that he wouldn't have missed this show for the world. I was sitting at the other end of the row that Dom was in. I was repositioning myself in the chair and I glanced over at Dom and saw him leaning forward hand on his chin just watching his little sister go back and forth on the stage. You could tell he was proud, happy, and intrigued all at the same time by his sister's voice and performance. Nick switched seats for the second act to get another angle of his sister's performance. Nick was so proud of Gina and so happy for her. It really gave me a warm feeling knowing that I've associated myself with and know people who hold the same morals and understandings of family as I have been brought up to live by. I"m sure all of the other members' families are like this too. I've had the oppertunity to meet Ryan's mom and she is just incredible. She's one of the nicest people ever! There's no doubt in my mind that all of the guys get wonderful attribudes of their personalities from their parents and families.

And last but definetly not least, the friends, fans and supporters. How often do you see these 3 groups getting along well? It's rare but it happens in this Townsend Community. I think in a way, a lot of us are all three. Obtaining the "friend" label happens just by the way the guys treat people. It takes away from that quality that makes you feel like you're watching them from afar. The fan label occurs everytime I hear one of their songs, see one of their flyers, see an old tape, see another fellow fan, and everytime I sing into my hairbrush one of their songs and your happy. The supporter label, although you may think it's similar, is not. We obtain the supporter label by calling up radio stations asking for Townsend, everytime we tell someone about Townsend, everytime we hand out a flyer or give out the website address, it happens everytime we introduce Townsend to someone else's life. All 3 of these groups come together to form such a group of people. I have never seen so much unity amongst so many people with so much diversity in so many ways. I can't tell you how good it felt when after the Airshow performance I had people give me hugs, tell me it was ok, and offer tissue. It was just incredible to know that people I have never met were so warm and generous. And people I knew on the internet that I have met in person at one event or even not at an event has been incredible. I have made so many friends within this particular group of people that will last me forever. I'm sincerely happy that I have found my "nitch" in a group of people as incredible as this. Townsend's social group is very complex but all worth getting to know. They are everything I have been raised to believe in. I would choose no other group to recieve everything they want than Townsend. I told you that there is a name that I'm giving them that separates them from the cliche "Boy Band" but will still keep "Boy Band" label (for identification). They're a Super-Boy Band. No one deserves it as much as they do, and I highly doubt anyone ever will. Take it from me who had the Beach Boys as my first CD and first favorite "boy band" ever. Through the years I've loved, the Beach Boys, Debbie Gibson, Boyz II Men, All-4-One, Backstreet Boys, NSync...but unlike a few of who I just mentioned, Townsend is not a "phase" that I will go through simply because I"m a teenager. It's not a phase at all, Townsend is no doubt in my mind a group of people who act as, favorite group as well as favorite group of friends. They carry titles left and right to me. Big Brother (Todd), shoulder to cry on, arms to hug, friends, people who will listen, people who will help, and so much more. They're the first Super-Boy Band and I can only hope that people will follow in their footsteps.

That's it for now! I don't know still whether or not you'll get an early edition, maybe....just keep comin back! Take care everyone.

Love Always,
Kristen

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