The day Neil Finn followed me on Twitter

AKA the day I wished my office had a panic room so I could lock myself in it and scream like I did when I was at Split Enz concerts as a teenager …

Confession time: I have fancied Neil Finn for 32 years. I am very loyal with my crushes. You give me goosebumps once, you give me goosebumps forever.

The Neil Finn thing was ignited by seeing I Got You on Countdown and lead to a lifetime of lust for skinny men with floppy fringes.

It involved my dad buying tickets from scalpers outside the workers’ club whenever the band hit Newcastle to stop me sobbing brokenly about missing out.

And my mum taking me to a big day outy style affair during HSC prep when none of my friends were allowed to go. She looked very fetching pressed against the stage with her grey perm and powder-blue cardy. (I remember her being SO OLD then, but she must have only been 40.)

My best friend’s dad even organized for us to sit in the lighting booth at an over 18s venue one time. My best friend and I also spent many a happy hour making up elaborate fantasy tales involving me dating Neil and her dating his older brother Tim.

Until that Yoko/Sharon came along and married him.

When Split Enz broke up I wore a black armband to school. I got teased a lot. I didn’t care.

I did care when my dad ripped up my precious RAM magazine with Neil on the cover because it had swear words in it. I still haven’t quite forgiven him for that.

Split Enz broke up. The Mullanes formed. The Mullanes became Crowded House. Crowded House broke up. Crowded House became plain old Neil Finn. Neil Finn teamed up with Yoko/Sharon to become The Pajama Club.

I bought all the albums … and I never miss a tour. I’m going to see him at The Opera House on Sunday for my birthday. Yay!

Anyways, to cut a long story short … NEIL FINN FOLLOWED ME ON TWITTER YESTERDAY.

I checked my messages after lunch and there was one saying something about Neil Mullane Finn. And I thought, ah, one of those Twitter round-ups of messages that I might have missed from the people I follow. And I opened it and it said “@neilmullanefinn is now following you on Twitter!”. And I got CHILLS. And felt a bit fainty.

I looked around wildly, wondering who I could share this amazing news with … there was no-one, save a few twentysomething co-workers. And they wouldn’t get it at all.

I called my husband. It went to voice mail. He texted me to ask if it was important because he was in a meeting. And I texted him back saying YES IT WAS IMPORTANT because NEIL FINN just followed me on Twitter.

Fark!

Then I told all my Facebook friends. They were very happy for me, especially the ones who’ve known me since I was 13.

Then I thought, bugger it, I’m going to tell the twentysomethings, even if they don’t get it. They were lovely about it, very happy for me. One even said: “Oh, I’ve been wishing I bought my mum tickets to see him at The Opera House.”

Her mum.

Ah well, at least they knew who he was. One of them even played Don’t Dream It’s Over on her ipod to celebrate.

I was still dying to share the news more widely. But I couldn’t very well tell Twitter because Neil might read it.

And that’s when I realised Twitter had changed forever. Because I’ll always have to be clever and witty now … in case Neil reads it.

Now, you’re probably wondering why Neil Finn followed me on Twitter.

I’m not quite sure. I haven’t been stalking him or anything, I promise. But I discovered via @mariekehardy last week that Neil was on Twitter.

Her exact words were: “I love you, Finn RT @neilmullanefinn: we all have our quirks and foibles. I don’t like mushrooms, words on clothes, or picking favourites.”

My exact words to her were: “bless you for alerting me to following Neil on twitter. made my afternoon.”

And she replied: “Your existence will be better for it. Although full disclosure: I do like mushrooms.”

And I said: “me too. he rattled my 30-year crush a bit with that.”

And then I followed him.

And now he’s followed me back.

Be still my beating heart.

Who was your crush when you were 13?

PS OK, I’m belatedly deflated after discovering Neil Finn is followed by 12,864 people and follows 12,110 … So perhaps I should rename this blog “I’m the 12,110 person Neil Finn has followed on Twitter. Hurrah.” I’m not feeling so special after all …