Bad News

Today Mordecai and I went to apply for a marriage license but left with our tails between our legs. One of us has not been driving or walking around with a driver's license since returning from New York/Pennsylvania. So we will return next week, and hopefully we will prevail.

Mordecai had to go back to work so I went to Chipotle for lunch. I ate an entire vegetarian burrito. On the way back home on the train, I was drifting in and out of sleep. I was totally owned by the burrito. I got back home, gave my tired feet a sea salt bath, and then fell asleep in the living room. I woke up once to move to the bedroom and slept some more. Mordecai apparently called me 10 times to see where I was since I didn't tell him my afternoon plans. So I wake up to Mordecai saying to me, "I called you a bunch of times, like within the past hour, I sent an email too" followed by "Michael Jackson died." I felt even more disgruntled than I normally am after waking up from a nap. I think Mordecai had thought I died with the news of Michael's death.

I saw that my Facebook and Twitter feeds were flooded with reports of Michael in a coma, rumors and then confirmation of his death, comments about Michael's scandalous ways, and lots of "R.I.P. Michael Jackson." I liked former LLA classmate Jhared's comments: "Take Tito! Take Tiiiiito!" and "Honestly...Mike died a long time ago. If you're real with yourself you know what I'm talking about." On the one hand, I was hopeful for at least one more good album and I really really really wanted to see him live. But I also had a feeling that it was all over anyway, that the concert in London was going to be a farewell concert, and possibly a sad one since he probably couldn't sing and dance like he used to.

A few years back, Mordecai and I were watching an MTV "Best Dancer" countdown, and we were sure that Michael would be number 1. Who could be better? But we were apalled to see Michael ranked at number 2. Guess who was number 1: CHRIS BROWN. Yes, CHRIS "WHEN WE GET HOME, I'MMA KILL YOU RIHANNA" BROWN. I mean, we didn't know him as such then, but that countdown was just a disgrace, lies, fallacies, real real messed up. I think of Michael Jackson as possessed when he sings and dances, like his mind is in another world when he performs. And I don't have a "theory" that explains my gut feeling, and I'm not interested in one, but I think that the scandals in his life are almost excusable given his talent. Maybe "excusable" is not the right word; perhaps "irrelevant" is better. To me, his life off stage was just not as interesting as his performances on stage! Maybe I'm not thinking right with the heat and all, but there are lots of people who do shady shit with children and lead tumultuous personal lives. But who could sing and dance and influence people like Michael? NO ONE. Today, Michael Jackson returned to his home planet.