Remembering Michael Jackson

Okay...so it's been the biggest news story for several weeks now and I know everyone is growing weary of it. But, I wanted to join my wife and do my own Michael tribute. One of the first (if not the first) album I ever bought was Thriller. Yes, it was vinyl. It even had the poster inside the cover that I hung for a season on my closet door. I loved Thriller, Human Nature, Beat it, P.Y.T., and many other songs of that album. I remember watching the premier of the Thriller video on MTV and being enthralled by the grandiose production of it all. I even rented the making of the Thriller video later on and I remember watching it with my friend Leonard. I remember watching the infamous Pepsi commercial when it aired and trying to see where he might have caught his head on fire. I watched the videos for Billie Jean, Beat it, Say Say Say, Black or White, and others over and over again on MTV, VH1, and Video One hosted by Richard Blade on KCAL. I remember always making sure that whenever I went to Disneyland, I HAD to see Captain EO. I'd always end up singing "Another Part of Me" for the rest of the day. Later, when I was in high school, my good friend John came clean and told me (almost ashamedly) that he had just gone to a Michael Jackson concert. He told me not to laugh at him. Actually, I was angry that he didn't tell me sooner or invite me. I would have LOVED to see Michael live. I'm still bitter at John about that...and I rub it in periodically.

I was saddened that he started to change his appearance through tons of procedures and surgeries. I am secure in my manhood...so I am not ashamed to say that I thought the Thriller Michael Jackson was the handsomest. Why he didn't stop there was beyond me. After that, he started to look like some deformed alien zombie monster. Something akin to his Thriller video...but worse. It makes me sad that he was never comfortable with the face, nose, and skin that God gave him and that he felt the need to change it.

When Michael died, I was shocked. I wondered if it was just another strange publicity stunt. But, it appears to be true. Michael really is gone. Yesterday when driving home from work I set my iPod to play all Michael's songs. I was amazed at the sheer volume of #1 hit songs. I think my all time fav is Human Nature. I don't know why. It's just a pretty song. I still don't know what he's singing about in it...but it sounds good. Yesterday evening, I decided to introduce my boys to Michael's music. I played them "Wanna Be Startin Something" and "Another Part of Me" (the Captain Eo theme). Joi picked "Thriller" and "Man in the Mirror". The boys seemed to like them. It's weird to think that they will grow up in a world without Michael Jackson. He's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. From the Jackson 5 with "ABC" and "I Want You Back" to "Dancing Machine" when I was a child...to "Rock With You", "Off the Wall" and eventually "Thriller" when I was a pre-teen/teen. It's weird to think he's gone.

One mourner at the Memorial Service said "Michael Jackson is the soundtrack to our lives!" How true! How true!