Michael Jackson

When I was in second or third grade, I remember we had to write in journals every day.  The only entry I actually remember is one day I couldn't think of anything interesting to write, so my teacher told me to just make something up.  Well, I did.  It went something like this: Yesterday, I met Michael Jackson.  He was really nice and we got married.  I moved to Hollywood to live in his gigantic house and now we are going to live happily ever after. 

I'm sure there was more but that was about a zillion years ago and besides, I'm already embarrassed enough as it is.  When I was a kid, I had all the tapes, the MJ stickers, I checked out MJ books from the library... all of the crazy.  Now that I'm older, I've just gotten worse.  I'm no longer interested in marrying Michael (or any of the remaining Jacksons) but I've got an alarming amount a good bit of stuff collected and of course my Jackson 5 tattoo, which you can see here.

It was cheaper and easier than having NERD tattooed across my forehead.  

When he died, I had just moved to Germany.  We had been there for just a few days, not even a week, and I was so excited for the move.  I love to travel and explore, and my husband and I were planning a night out to celebrate our anniversary.  When he got home from work that day and I cheerfully greeted him at the door, he seemed worried.  His exact words: Oh, you haven't heard yet.

That evening was rough, and it was bittersweet.  I was genuinely happy to be where I was, and with the man that I loved, celebrating a wonderful milestone.  But everywhere -literally every place- we passed was blaring Michael Jackson out into the streets.  In the next week or two I had people contacting me to make sure I was okay.  Some were people I hadn't heard from since I moved, and even people I hadn't spoken to in years emailed to offer condolences.  It was completely surreal and it struck me as bizarre, since I had never even met the man.  But honestly... it actually helped.  In some inexplicable, unquantifiable way it really helped me.

As always, leave your notes in the comments if you have any Michael stories. And don't forget to subscribe so you won't miss a week.  No spoilers, but next week will be nice and nerdy.