RIP Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson died today. I spent approximately 30 minutes with friends surfing through all the legit news websites. We checked NBC, the LA Times, but it was only when CNN confirmed it that we knew it was true.

My generation wasn't around when Michael Jackson was at his best, rather we were around when he was at his worst. We were, however, well aware of the extremity of his popularity and success when he was at his best.


Michael Jackson was a very famous artist. So, of course, after his death was announced the facebook statuses that followed were all about him.


Here's a small portion of the ones that showed up on my mini-feed:

:( :( Can't believe he's dead!! he was my favorite artist of all time!!

RIP King of Pop.

Michael Jackson murio : /, dia extaño

"omg michael jackson died... I think I want a snack pack."

To the King of Pop, say hello to 2 Pac

devastated about the news, music legend, Michael Jackson has died

MJ and the Charlie's Angel's lady both dead, WTF...

....this world is confusing...MJ really? very random...i probably just joined the million status' commenting about this..but wow...

Is mourning Micheal Jackson's death. May he moonwalk in peace.

the king of pop is dead. Time to crown a new king: Long Live John Mayer!

Michael Jackson had many good songs, including "Billy Jean", "Beat it", and "Smooth Criminal." The Pride of Minnesota Marching Band performed one of their half-time shows to "Thriller," including a portion where they put down their instruments and did the choreography full out.

Michael Jackson will be missed by his 3 children, and the rest of the world.

Rest in Peace, Michael Jackson.

Life as we know it

Two nights, I found out that a good friend of mine has a brain tumor. They were hoping to operate on it today, but decided not to until they knew more about it. I am still waiting to find out the overall results.

When I heard the news, I wasn't totally sure on how to react. And for the first time in a long time, I didn't know exactly what I was feeling. I had had tickets to go see the Transformers midnight showing, but I gave them to a friend because I was no longer in the right mood to see a midnight showing.

I called a good friend of mine who came right over and joined me on a walk. We walked around Dinkytown and talked about it. We agreed that the situation was serious, but nothing to ever give up hope on.

The conversation soon led to the question, "What would you do if you knew you didn't have long?"

Our answers were slightly different, but more or less the same. His was that he would try to become more religious in practice, talk to friends he hadn't in a while, and reconnect with his family. My answer was that I would make sure all the people I loved would be okay after I was gone.

He then told me of an experience he had while traveling in Italy with his school's travel club. While in Italy, he really connected with a travel guide. They instantly hit it off and soon the travel guide told him of a personal life story.

The travel guide had been depressed, and thought about committing suicide often. After a while, he finally decided to go through with it. On the day of, he got a phone call from a friend. This friend invited him to a meditation session at their Buddhist temple. Not wanting to make his friend unhappy, he agreed.

Who knew that one simple act would save his life.

That one meditation session led for him to change his mind and his views on life. He now meditates an hour each morning religiously.

All the while this story was being told, the police had busted a street vendor who was selling metal trinkets without the appropriate vendor license. And just as the travel guide finished telling his story, the vendor ran by them. A metal trinket fell right in between them. The travel guide picked it up, only to realize that the metal object was shaped into a name, the name of my dear friend.

Although I didn't admit it at the time, hearing this story was exactly what I had needed that night. I needed something or someone to help me believe that everything could and would be okay.

That story reassured me that things do happen for a reason.

And I do believe that there is a reason for my friend to have this brain tumor. What that reason is, I don't know yet. But I do feel better knowing that there is one.

It's Hot

Minneapolis, MN should never be this hot. The high is 94 degrees. It was sticky and hot alll day. But I was lucky and went to Lake Calhoun for the day and cooled off there.

And as much as I complain about it, I secretly love this hot weather.

It's ten times better than the winter seasons Minneapolis has. I remember dreading going to class when there was snow on the ground. My outfit choices were always limited to a pair of boots, jeans, and some form of sweatshirt and my winter coat on top. I also remember falling down on icy sidewalks, once I even slipped down the stairs as I was walking down them to catch the bus. The 2C just might be the death of me.

Speaking of death, I almost died twice today. Both incidences with the same driver, same car, and same route. Apparently heat makes people think act differently.

That's what the receptionist at the Gopher Quick Clinic told me anyway. And he must know more about such things, right? I hope so anyway.