wanted to be starting something

My tribute to the King of Pop

Nico and I in various MJ stages

Dance party on Alberta Street's Last Thursday Art Exhibition

Spinning to the beat!

Vaudville dancers!

Belly dancers paying tribute

My sister's second cassette tape (after Toni Basil's Word of Mouth) was Thriller. My sister and I would spend hours upon hours listening to it. We would sing the songs on road trips which is probably why we got put into the back of a covered, carpeted pickup. I thought every song on the album was a major hit because that's all we listened to.

Despite whatever became of Michael Jackson's personal reputation, the man was still the King of Pop. The legacy he left cannot be denied. From the Jackson 5 to Thriller, MJ made an unparalleled impact on the world's pop culture. Only a very small percentage of people have not heard his music and have not danced to his beat.

When I found out today that he died, I was in disbelief. It seems so strange that the world is without Michael Jackson. I found out that there was going to be a Michael Jackson Memorial Bike Ride today (organized within hours of the announcement of his death) and I knew that, despite whatever I had planned, I was going to go.

Despite my flat tire (thank you Seven Corners for continuing to be so awesome and getting it fixed lickity split), I was able to join around seventy other cyclists for the ride. Before we took off, we danced to "I Want You Back" by the Jackson 5 in the Peace Gardens on the eastside of the Steel Bridge, overlooking downtown. It was a feeling of complete joy mixed with sorrow in a way that I don't think I've felt in a long long time. With three sound carts on the ride, we headed up to Alberta Street's last thursday with a few stops for dance parties along the way. Normally, I would hate last Thursday. However, crashing it with a bunch of cyclists and forming an improptu dance party was awesome.