Your Weekly Townsend Fix Column 11

Hey readers! Sorry if I brought the mood down last column with one of those parental columns. I hope it didn't sound like I was in Witch (we all know it's the rhyming word I'm shooting for) Mode. I just have been getting those Hater E-mails and it really made me start thinking. If you're thinking it got to me, it didn't get to me the way they wanted it to. It actually helped bring into realization a lot of different things I won't get into here.

So how was everyone's labor day weekend? Mine was pretty ok, went to Santa Rosa, went to Union City, went to the laundromat to do laundry...good times. I think the most I gained out of this weekend was going to Union City to see my younger aunt and the rest of my family. I hadn't been there since earlier with my grandfather. It was strange, but it was nice going back with the memories still there. Little traces of my grandfather still lingers, his clothes in the closet from when he stayed over, his aftershave in the guest bathroom, and the last Chinese newspaper he read sitting on the nightstand still folded open to a certain page. My family was understanding of it being hard for my family. We were the only ones living in the city with my grandparents. I had gotten used to going back to my grandparent's apartment and it still kinda hurts. Everyone was really nice about keeping the mood up beat. My oldest cousin Travis, 22, was really funny, the only other boy in our family is the youngest cousin Calvin, 7. Calvin is off the wall sugar run. He's one of those skinny kids who runs around to burn off extra sugar. Travis and Calvin were running around with toy guns and those Nerf weapons shooting everyone with foam disks. I didn't get hit until Travis got me coming in the front door from hiding. Oh ya, Townsend was a big part of Sunday. This is the topic of my Fix for this column. I had brought the tape from the Airshow for my 18 year old cousin Jennifer, (who likes Nick and asks to see pictures of him a lot) to watch with me in the family room upstairs. Before we could even make it out of my grandparents' room downstairs my Auntie Judy, Gramma, Melanie, Calvin, and his sister Jessica had come to the room to look at the pictures of the airshow. When they heard the word "videotape" and "Townsend" in the same sentence they all headed towards the main livingroom to watch it. Everyone gathered into the room on the couch, the kids were on the floor, and my gramma had taken a seat right next to the television on a piano bench. I started the tape and during understand this I heard "Wow, good moves." and remarks on how good looking all the guys were. My entire family has the idea I like Ryan so everytime Ryan was front and center on the stage or he was zoomed in on I was always nudged in my side and given the "OooOOoohHHH" look. Afterwards came the introducing by Todd to the guys. Everyone thought that they were really good guys. Only the people who were in the room knew I was taken up on stage so first hearing Todd dedicating it with Nick, everyone let out an "Awww." When I walked out on stage, an even bigger, louder, "AW" was released from everyone in the room. I remember thinking, "Kristen, hold it together, your family is in the room." Just like every other time, I started to feel that burning in my eyes that hurt. After I had heard Matt singing I felt a couple tears in the corner of my eye. After people saw Matt take my hand everyone started to say, "aww" or say something to the effect of "how sweet." Right after Nick let go of my hand and I saw Dom stroke the back of my head, I let it go, I had tears flowing down the side of my cheeks and couldn't take holding in the Mississippi River in the back of my eyes. I started to turn my head and wipe them away until I noticed all 3 Dea sisters getting all Hallmark on everyone. We all watched the rest of "Just Say Goodbye" with tears and paused it right after to all hug. (Which my mom's side does a lot.) After we had all calmed down we started up the tape to watch "Tonight Is For You." You should've heard all of the females in the room. It was so funny, all of them were like "OOhhhH look at that." It was an instant mood fix. All of us were in a more cheery mood watching them dance. We all resided in the kitchen afterwards to have a snack and to chit chat. I think I was talking about getting my license and permit and out of no where my gramma brings up the twins. She went off on how "Good-looking." They are...I remember she brought up Dominic's name often referring to him as "Handsome." And calling Nick, "Cute." After we all talked about it she got up and told us she was going to go read the newspaper that my aunt's complex gets. My auntie Judy came in from the laundry room, sat down, and said, "Wow those twins are really good looking." We all looked at her and I asked if she ran into Gramma on the way in here and she said she didn't. After we had all talked about it and teased my Aunt for talking about what she called "young blood," Jenn, Trav, and I resumed talking about driving and cars. My dad and 2 uncles were drinking beer talking about news and sports (as usual). A couple minutes after Anutie Judy left, Jessica, 10, came in and started questioning on Matt. She wanted to know if Mel was lying when she told Jessica that Matt was from the top 25. I told her no, and that Melanie's the worse liar in the world. After that she wanted to know if it was also true if Ryan shared the silver screen with Freddie Prinze Jr. and I said yea, and reminded her Mel's a bad liar. She left the room all giggly. The entire kitchen had a good laugh out of Jessica's reaction actually, we call couldn't believe it since Jessica often refers to boys as "icky." I thought about it and realized that everyone but Todd was mentioned. No sooner than that passed through my mind, Travis asked me how old Todd was. I said that he had turned 23 in August and he was like "Oh dope," blah blah blah. And talked about how Todd seemed cool. After I had realized that I didn't say ONE WORD after the video that the entire house was buzzing with Townsend talk. My eldest aunt, Auntie Gail, said, "Never become a groupie...become a band-aid" and winked at me. She always has seemed really cool about me and boys, next to my mom she's a lot better in that respect.

I thought that the moment had passed until we were all eating dinner. Normally, on this side of the family, when dinner rolls around...everyone is quiet. I think it's because we're all too busy eating that only simple things are said, for example, "Please pass the chow mein." We WERE quiet until Jennifer said, "So, when are we going to meet these guys?" First reaction for me was, "What guys?" and as soon as she finished the sentence the entire table went, "Yeah, when?" And I realized they meant Townsend. I laughed and shrugged my shoulders and said, "I don't know....next year." and after that, I was the only one chuckling. It was one of either 2 things, 1) I have a really off sense of humor or 2) My family is becoming really big Townsend fans. I think it's 2 because Jessica kept nagging her dad to get a CD I had burned of Townsend out of the car for her to listen to and her mom, my Auntie Judy, said "No it's going in my car afterwards" then Jenn and my Auntie Gail wanted a copy of it and it turned into a "Why didn't I get one?" talk. I tried to change the subject by asking for someone to pass the duck but I didn't get it. So, I've come to realize how "family appropriate" Townsend is. Seriously, I mean my gramma thought Todd's flow in "Tonight Is For You" as "very creative and talented." She even understood it. I laughed because this is my Gramma...I call her "Grammy-Bear" and she's listening to rap? I refrain from watching BET or MTV because I'm afraid she might hear a word or something that might make her ask what I was listening to.

The point is...I will seriously never know the complexity of Townsend that makes them so Family friendly. My mom and dad and Mel are more willing to do things when Townsend is involved rather than when times I just want to go to the mall...hmmm favorable? My mom and I would talk sometimes and just the other day I told her about a conversation I had with one of the members about alcohol at my school and my mom immediately said, "You should listen to him...he knows what he's talking about, if you don't listen to me, maybe you'll listen to him." WHOA...I DO happen to listen to my mom...I think she thinks that Townsend has a bigger impact on me sometimes...honestly? They do...shh don't tell her that...lol. Another thing to back up the fact that they're family friendly is the fact that they can make ANYONE smile. They made my grandmother smile, my mom smile, they make everyone smile, any age, any race, and gender, Townsend is very very special in many senses, including the fact that they reach diversity at such an intense level. I'm proud to call them friends.

I think that next week's column is due for some humor...you think I should write about the time I embarassed myself in front of a group of people in the mall involving...2 things...Townsend and LOUD voice? Hmmm between that and me going all parental again...can i think of a better topic? We'll see...

Love Always,
Kristen

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