MJ Memorial Service

Yes, I watched it. Yes, I cried. Yes, I saw Paris and yes she made me cry.

In spite of how much his music makes me happy, Michael Jackson was a terribly sad,  unwell person in the end. I find it terribly sad that all the joy he brought to the world in his music & dance was at the expense of any sense of normalcy in his whole life. I feel sad for him and I feel sad for his children.

And this concludes the media fiasco (I hope).

Michael Jackson

I was a high schooler at the height of Nirvana’s fame.

I don’t remember the first time I heard a Nirvana song. I don’t remember when I was when I heard that Kurt Cobain had died. I didn’t cry. His death didn’t phase me at all. I didn’t even own a Nirvana cd until I was almost 30.

I absolutely remember when my parents brought home the Thriller album on vinyl. I doubt it was the first time I heard Michael Jackson. It was the same say they got Culture Club’s Colour By Numbers. When my parents asked me which one we should listen to first, I picked Culture Club. My mom asked me if I knew that the person on the cover (i.e. Boy George) was a boy and not a girl. I remember studying the Thriller album cover. I remember being allowed to watch the full version of the Thriller video as a scary movie.

I had this poster.

I never really identified myself as a Michael Jackson fan. I guess I just sort of assumed that everybody liked his music. He was a talented performer and he had an incalculable impact on music in the last half century.

I don’t remember where I was I when I heard that Kurt Cobain died, but I will probably always remember where I was when I heard that Michael Jackson died.

I was working in the library at Beach U, taking a break from editing the web page I’d been assigned to create. I read TMZ’s announcement that Michael Jackson had died, and then waited and waited to get “reliable” information. My immediate reaction? “OH MY GOD, MICHAEL JACKSON DIED!!” I guess I thought he’s just be around, like he had been for my entire life.

The Way You Make Me Feel and Beat It are probably my all time favorite Michael Jackson songs.

I hope he’s found peace.