I was absolutely devastated to learn yesterday of the passing of music legend Michael Jackson. I had no idea his death would affect me in the way that it did, but I simply could not stop crying. Due to the sad news of his death, I didn’t feel it would be appropriate to post a regular blog entry today.

And while I do realize that Michael Jackson was hated just as much as he was loved, because I grew up long before any of the problems in his personal life had occurred, my memories of the pop star are all good ones. Simply put, Michael Jackson was a part of my childhood. Some of my fondest memories in life are of sitting in front of the television set watching and re-watching The Making of Thriller with my dad, learning the steps to the Thriller dance with my adolescent friends, and, of course, stalking the many locations from Michael’s iconic music videos. As John Mayer said after the news was announced “I think we’ll mourn his loss as well as the loss of ourselves as children listening to Thriller on the record player.” Whatever Michael Jackson did or did not do in his personal life, no one can argue that the man was a musical genius, an icon, and a legend who absolutely revolutionized the music industry. I find it only fitting that Michael’s “retirement” concert tour that was scheduled to begin on July 13th will never see fruition, as his is a legend which can never be retired.

Michael, you will be missed.

For some happier reading, you can re-read my post on the recent Michael Jackson exhibit in Beverly Hills here.