Bieber Fever

I certainly have not come down with Bieber Fever (a popular term coined for obsessed fans of Justin Bieber).  My plan Friday was to spend a relaxing afternoon exploring new reads and catch up on the latest top children's books for the upcoming school year.  My plans changed when I entered a Barnes and Noble buzzing with clusters of giddy 15 year old girls.  Apparently Bieber's mom was scheduled for a book signing of her newly released book, "Nowhere But Up".  Being nosy I planned to stay just long enough to catch a glimpse of the action but after finding her book in the Christianity section I got a little curious.  Fast forward an hour later and I'm standing in line with the high schoolers to get my own copy of the autobiography signed.  After the girl in front of me asked me what grade I was in and what Justin concerts I had been to, I began questioning my decision.  I admitted I was 25 and just happened to be here, but had (embarrassingly) seen Justin's documentary as if it was some kind of justification (she had seen it "dozens" of times).  As I stood there waiting with these girls, skimming the book, I became a little bothered.  First of all, the book really is an inspiring testimony of Mallets struggle as an abused, troubled, and single teen mom and how her faith in God continually shaped her, provided for her, and her continuous awe of how God has worked in her life.  The majority of the book are bible verses, her experiences crying out for help, and the lessons God has taught her through hardship and fame (well, her son's fame).  The girls were solely there because it was one step closer to their teenage dream and it had nothing to do with the raw story that this parent put out there for the world to read.  I know, it may be just another psuedo-celebrity making some money off a book deal but the way she lays her faith out in the book was real and I can't help but think that now that her son is old enough to be on the road by himself (yes, making questionable decisions), she has the time and chance to focus on something for herself and this book was more than a money making thing for her.  I mean, let's face it, money is no longer an issue for her at this point.  My first point is, I felt sorry for her.  The line was made up of fans of Justin's and while I'm sure she is so proud to see people enjoy her son's talent, this was something she may have been doing for herself.  It would have been nice to see some middle aged woman fans coming to acknowledge her testimony, strength, and challenges that led her to seek her walk with Christ. OR, maybe I just wanted some company in the twenty-something and above age group and am being too positive about her aspirations.  In addition, I can't really say much because I didn't even plan on being there.

My second point is- A baby sounds extremely easy to me after seeing the ridiculousness that was this mob.  Raising a teenage girl looks like the scariest thing in the world.  I remember putting a couple posters up and making up a few dance routines to N'Sync and Backstreet Boys but these girls were off their rockers.  They had pages and pages written out for Mallet to give her son. They had extravagant artwork for her. They were sweating, crying, screaming over this one step closer to Justin Bieber.  This boy who sings a few good songs and has exceptionally nice hair has such this giant hold on them that it was....weird! I don't know if the celebrity boy-crush area has amped up over the past 10 years or what, but mark my words, my daughter will be balanced enough to enjoy some music, have a silly dreamy crush, and then let it go.  Honestly, these girls were using this as a way to profess their love to Justin and were hoping to get a response through the e-mail addresses, phone numbers, and twitter accounts they were leaving with his mom.  Crazy!

Anyway, what a random Friday afternoon and thank you for reading my thoughts as I clearly had too much time to think about this small experience while waiting in line for an hour.  With being nearly done with the book already, I wish the best for the author and would actually recommend it as a quick and inspirational read.

Me and the Bieb's mom: