Shocked and Saddened...

I have had few things in life shock me like getting the IM at work that Michael Jackson was dead.

I don't know about you, but I expected some kind of punchline. Really.

I immediately went to my online news outlet of choice and was in much pain to realize there was no punchline coming, just the punch. I sat there, shocked for a few minutes. I couldn't wrap my head around it...

When I did come around, I couldn't help but imagine this was much like my Mom must have felt hearing that Elvis had died. Maybe it is how we all feel when someone that has excited our youth is suddenly dead...

I've spent the better part of this evening taking a walk down memory lane, with the help of You*Tube. I was saddened most by the songs that were the hottest in my middle school years.

I can still see the gym/theater/auditorium where we used to have recess on bad-weather days. They woud move out all the chairs and we would play games and jump rope. In my last year they started letting us have "free time" during recess, which really meant the teachers took a break from us. :)

WE, however, launched into full Michael Jackson tribute zone. There was Beat It on the boombox, red jackets on the guys, and one lone glove on every cool kid. There were impromptu moonwalking contests on the stage, breakdancing on the gym floor, and lypsyncing to a hairbrush in every corner of the room. Those who pulled out all the stops won the day - whether they be boy or girl.

I think that was the beauty of his style... We ALL wanted to be him - it didn't matter if you looked or sounded like him. He was the idol of the age.

For me he will always be in a red, heavily-zippered jacket and tight black pants with white socks and black shoes. Heh. Not too many people could pull of that look, but he did it so well. Beat it, Michael, it doesn't matter who's wrong or right...

A lot of people have spent a lot of time ridiculing him for his questionable choices in life... I think it's time we let him RIP.

MJ... thank you for some good times and the gift of your music.