So I went to the Bon Jovi Concert on Saturday night. I need to tell you. The 11 year old Leanimal is disappointed in the 35 year old Leanimal (oops, i said my age).

But when I was 11 it was 1986. It was an era of headbangers & well, the year the term 86′er came from. I was NOT a headbanger. One being that I was in grade 6. The other was that I was a complete prep. If it wasn’t Esprit.. it wasn’t for me. I actually owned a pink izod shirt, popped my collar & hung my yellow daniel hestcher sweatshirt over my shoulders (because I had yellow trousers on & well, then I alternated… yup… who knew an 11 year old could be compulsive about their wardrobe).

So I arrived to skating one day in my yellow dress & matching legwarmers (35 year old Leanimal is a little disappointed with 11 year old Leanimal), and I saw about three girls sitting off on some benches. They had feathered hair, jean jackets and tight jeans on with reebok runners and they were singing… They were singing bon jovi and nothing about them I thought was cool. They weren’t wearing name brands. They were NOT singing madonna my artist of choice (True blue came out that year….. ugh.. still love so much).

They were singing Bon Jovi… you give love a bad name. I remember that video too. Long haired JBJ running around on stage. tight jeans.. all the mayhem & I was appalled. I was such a snob that I looked down on anyone who would listen to that song.

Over the years, their popularity waned a little bit & I discovered beer. I discovered that after a few pints I LIKE to sing along to JBJ and maybe, once in a while throw in a high kick. This love was fully honed at my Loose Moose days and well, actualized last week.

I was actually pretty impressed with the concert. I couldn’t figure out why the boring guy next to me refused to sing along. Everyone else in the stadium was. No he sat there watching.. judging. He pointed out during one ballad that JBJ was reading his lyrics off a monitor so I look & sure enough, there was a teleprompter (we were above the stage). What is up w/ that JBJ? One would think that after 20+ years of the same music, assistance wasn’t necessary but I guess if Madonna lip syncs, he can be prompted.

I managed to coerce boring guy to stand at least during the encore of “living on a prayer” and for some reason he asked me to go to lunch….. because what you look for a girl is one that knows JBJ lyrics?

I wonder what 11 year old Leanimal would say about this.

Side bar. nanz just admitted she had matching headband & leg warmers. I can’t decide if I’m jealous or relieved.