In Memory of Michael Jackson

So usually I hate to follow along in the trends of the moment and no doubt there are a few hundred thousand memorial blogs for Michael if not millions. I usually wait til everything dies down before writing out my feelings. However this is not one of those times and if my mom was alive she would be bugging me to do one. Not to mention making her a cd of MJ's music. No doubt had my mom been alive she would have been at the start of a week long cry-fest. My Mom was truly a super fan. I think we personally bought at least five Thriller cassettes because me and my mom wore them out so fast. She always thought Michael was so mistreated as a child and even through his weirdness and accusations she loved him. Of course my mom knew what unconditional love really is. If my mom could have changed his childhood to make it happier and have shielded him from all the things that caused him pain she would have. She didn't care if the child abuse accusations were true. She always said you can't stop loving someone because they have sinned and messed up. Thats all the more reason to help them and love them. She taught me to love someone truly is to accept them for all their faults and mistakes. She would always say 'Hate the sin not the sinner'. Love doesnt judge or make conditions. From what I can tell mom loved Michael way before she had me.

I still have 8 tracks of the early Jackson 5 albums that it looks like my mom put a lot of use to. My grandparents never had any motown-esque music. It was all religious music but I dont even think they had records in their house before my mom and I moved back in with them when grandma got sick with breast cancer. I remember my grandpa liking country as I got older but he never liked me playing Michael Jackson. I think it was a sign of the times and maybe my grandparents attitudes towards minorities. I am glad I had a progressive mom though. Idaho is predominantly Caucasian. In the 60's my mom was dating my father, who was hispanic, after she found an apartment of her own. I can tell by her records, 8tracks and cassettes this is when her music library started. Its full of all types of music. Rock, Motown, Rythmn and Blues, Pop, Country.....its weird to me that she has Pink Floyd. Anyway so she was very progressive for the area she lived in and the times. I am glad she was that way though. It must have been hard for her. My grandma apparently had voiced her displeasure for my mom's choice of boyfriend, music and getting pregnant with me out of wedlock. Mom said Grandma journaled about me, the half white childe, but she never went into detail to "sheild me" she said. It makes me sad that my mom had to put up with this from my grandma. I figure my grandparents were a bit racist. I am glad my mom was able to teach me otherwise, especially through music.

The Thriller album is the first music cassette I ever owned. The Thriller video is the first music video I had nightmares over =P. I remember singing Human Nature, Billie Jean and PYT with my mom as we did dishes, or laundry, or lots of chores. Then my mom would attempt to dance.....oy. My mom had double bubble JLO booty back in the day...not to mention a rack she had to special order bras for.....so you can imagine my embarrassment over her dancing. Occassionally though she would just grab my arms and we would just swing around to the music of that album. Ok I have to stop its making me cry a bit. Its like a little more of my past died again when Michael died. I still have his music though. I will always cherish the good times I had with my mother listening to his music. Mom if you read this...take care of Michael in heaven....that is if you dont scare him with a high pitched scream and run at him with your immense rack in an attempt to hug him. Love Ya Mom and MJ.. RIP