The Biggest Fan?

Well, we are FINALLY getting a brand new computer - not one that ol' whatzhisface has built from scraps of other practically dead computers - a brand new one!

So I was going through all my photos on my hard drive and transferring them to my online Yahoo account, when I realized that I had over 1500 pictures of Taylor Hicks.

Which got me to thinking - how does one determine if they are the biggest fan? Does possession of every media clip, every picture, every magazine article, and in fact every CD that the person in question has done - does THAT make a person the biggest fan?

If I should decide that I don't need 1500 pictures of Taylor, does that mean I love him less?

I don't think so.

I remember, growing up and obsessed with NKOTB (ok, no laughing), I had to have EVERYTHING that the marketing genius' behind the group slapped their pic on. I had pillowcases, scrap books, magazines, dolls, trading cards, stickers, t-shirts, puzzles....I could go on and on (and I did - ask my mother). I felt, as most teenagers do when obsessing about a band, that if I didn't own every single one of these things that I didn't love the band as much as I said I did. I even had an NKOTB themed bday party. But that's what the vultures in marketing feed on - that naive opinion. That's why they can get away with charging $25.00 for a "tour book" in the stores, or $50 for a double DVD set.

As we get older, we're supposed to get smarter - and maybe some do. But, at the beginning of January, when I fell in love with our Tay Tay, I saved every picture I could find to my hard drive. I've downloaded every possible clip ... burned every song.

And yet, all I can think of is WHY do I have over 1500 pictures? Some of them - and no shooting please - I don't even like. There are some that I think are awful pics of him, but I still have them. Do I plan on printing out all 1500 pics? Hell NO, cuz I can't even catalogue the ones I have now. I've got scrapbooks and embellishments, and stickers and plans, but I have yet to make ONE page of a scrapbook.

And, still thinking here, who's job is it to judge who's the biggest fan anyway? And why is it such a competition? Most of the time, it just means that some have more disposable income than others.

I think what makes you a fan is your love for the product that your favourite performer (or player) produces. If that person touches your soul, whether you have 1500 pictures of them, or 5, you're a fan.

So, I'm forgetting about what it means to be the biggest fan - which, in the end is nothing - and I'm just going to be a fan.

And I'm cutting my pictures down from 1500 to a more manageable number. What that is, I'm not sure yet. But I'm sure it will grow back to that number in time - because his career is going to be LONG and prosperous.

I'm sure my hard drive will thank me.

Stay sane inside insanity - and never forget your towel.