I am not sure why Michael Jackson dying would be different to me than any other celebrity except . . . it is different and I have been trying to put my finger on why.
Maybe it is because Thriller was the first album my friends and I loved together. Maybe it is because we listened to it over and over again on track day at the end of our 8th grade year. Maybe it is because we somehow managed to get a video tape of Beat It and then convinced one of the Jr. High science teachers to let us watch it in his empty classroom, everyday during lunch, for a week. (We had to promise not to scream -no lie.)
I remember moon walking lessons by Laura Larson and one of the Guymon girls trying to record a Michael Jackson concert on T.V. with her video camera and Laurette making us practice the Thriller dance until we all had it down. I remember not liking the Billy Jean video as much as everyone else and I remember standing in the mall in
These memories as well as a million others have been taking turns in my head ever since I got the news of his death and it has made me wonder why in the world I feel any connection with Michael Jackson. After sleeping on it and contemplating about it in the quiet of the morning, I think I understand now what I am feeling.
I realize that have not been thinking about Michael Jackson at all, rather, I am thinking about where the end of my childhood and the beginning of my teenage years intersected. I am thinking of Rachel and Sara and Laura and Laurette and Terry and Jacquie and Chris and J.C. and Lajusta as brand new teenagers and all the silly things we said and did and all our brave but innocent adventures before boys, cars, Depeche Mode and Molly Ringwald took over our collective consciousness.
I guess I didn't recognize until yesterday that I have a hidden affection for Michael Jackson not because of what kind of man he was or that I rock star worshiped him (May 1983 excluded) but because he provided the majority of the background music for all the fun, sweet, happy memories from that time in my life.
The kids are all asleep, they have no idea they are going to spend the morning learning the Thriller dance.
I am going to stay for a week or so to help her get set up and maybe take Robin to some of our favorite spots in SLC. I hope we will get to see some of you while I'm there. 
27 pretty little jars of jam; plum, blackberry,
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| Recap - Week of 6/8/09 | ||||
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Some we put in the onion basket to eat now.
We had such a fun weekend! Grandma Gloria flew out, arriving on Thursday evening, just as I finished getting the fake house ready. It was fun to hear all about her engagement and plans for the future. Thanks to my most excellent interrogating techniques, I was able to get lots of details and I have to say, John sounds wonderful. We can't wait to get to know him.
Friday was the last day of school. The three youngest were the only ones who had to attend. After breakfast, the adults and Robin and Paul went to a very long award ceremony at the middle school cheering for Dan when his name was called a couple of times.
Pauly texted me, “I love award ceremonies and I love the BCS.”
After the ceremony we checked Dan out, went and picked up the girls and drove straight to the movie theater to see the first showing of UP. What a fun way to celebrate the last day of school!
*QUICK MOVIE REVIEW: Of course we loved it! How could any movie featuring a zillion balloons ever go really wrong? It was very tender and heartbreaking and happy and if you haven’t seen it, go and see it.
Graduation was that night. Grandma Gloria and I made Robin a lei, which has become a family tradition.
I
Sara took some left over flowers and made an anklet.
The ceremony was held in the stadium and it was a quick, 1 hour and 10 minutes (shorter than the award ceremony earlier in the day). It was packed and I was glad we were there early.
The music started and the graduates marched down the track on each side of the field. About half way down the track the two lines turned and walked toward each other onto the field. They matched up in the middle by twos and walked to their seats.
Robin looked great, confident and beautiful. She he met up with her counterpart from the other side of the field and began to walk to her seat. As she did, she turned around and said something to someone behind her. Her blond hair flipped back and her robes and cords moved gracefully, she had a big happy smile on her face and . . . in that moment . . . that snapshot of time . . . she took my breath away. Where did this exceptional,. lovely, self-assured, young woman come from?
Sigh!
(you know how I love to sigh)
A couple of speeches, a Star Trek reference (just for Robin) and 223 names later, Robin was a graduate of Lindale His School.
She went to a Grad Night party at her friend’s house with all her friends and about 3:30am came back to our house with 4 or 5 girls to watch movies finish out the night.
Saturday we just relaxed and visited and that evening we had an open house in Robin's honor, for friends and neighbors. The menu was simple: cake, cheese and crackers, and lemonade from scratch.
Grandma Gloria stayed long enough to go to church with us on Sunday, to see Dan pass the sacrament for the first time and to hear her son give a really great 5th Sunday lesson. After church we delivered her safely to the airport.
. . . watching my three boys exercising their priesthood yesterday; presiding, blessing and passing.
