my own personal tribute

Again, I apologize for the delay in a post but the Prodigal Son has returned.

Or in my case, the busy working/party planning girl has returned.

A lot has gone on in the past week since I last posted.

I've been working a lot. When I wasn't working; I was party planning.

My dad turned 65! Hence the party planning.

My real life Edward Cullen came up to visit for the weekend which resulted in all kinds of distractions.

And Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Billy Mays all died, like, simultaneously.

While I wasn't exactly devasted or even really affected by the loss of Ed McMahon or Billy Mays - whom I'd never really heard of but for some reason my boyfriend is mourning as if it was an actual family friend - I was saddened to hear Farrah had left us for the real angels and absolutely devastated to hear that Michael Jackson had passed.

Though many of you who read this know me in the real world; some of you don't. Which also means, you don't know that I actually had the amazing experience of serving Michael Jackson and his two youngest children when I worked in Las Vegas last summer - on his 5oth and now last, birthday.

Without getting into a long, neverending tribute, I only want to say this: When I heard that he died, I no longer cared about the wrongs he's done in the past. I realized I could no longer ever jokingly call him Whacko Jacko.

I could only think of the joy he brought me as a young child in the 80's.

The tremendous amount of time I spent choreographing dances to his popular tunes.

The way I knew every lyric to 'Dirty Diana' and sang them with conviction; at the age of 8 without a clue what the song was actually about. It was totally about a hooker.

The way I still get goosebumps when I hear the Free Willy theme song 'Will you be There'.

And most importantly, I thought about his wonderful two little children who charmed my heart in the few minutes I got to spend with them. They didn't see him as 'Wacko Jacko' or as any other character the media like to portray him as. They saw him as Dad. They excitedly announced ' Happy Birthday Daddy' when we set the cake down for Michael. They snuggled him as any young child would their father. It is those children and the memories of my own childhood that are the reasons this news shook me.

It's never easy to swallow the news that a celebrity has passed. Personally, I always feel like celebrities are invicible and indestructable. I only wish that were the case.

So I leave you with this...

This photo was taken in the restaurant
I worked at in Las Vegas last summer.
It was his 50th Birthday Celebration.
His last birthday.
The night I met him.
A night I will always hold dearly to my heart.
Thanks for the great childhood memories MJ.
May you rest in peace