A Hypothetical Letter to Octavia Butler

Once while I was struggling through the obstacle course required of those hapless mortals compelled to write a Master's thesis in English Literature, one of my professors asked me about the author I had chosen for my topic, Octavia Butler. I explained that she was a groundbreaking science fiction writer, a pioneer for black women in the field where they are almost non-existent.  When I explained that she lived somewhere on the East coast of the United States, he suggested I write to her as I was living in Miami at the time.  He thought she would be glad to hear from someone interested in her work. I thought it was a good idea though I wasn't sure how I would get the letter to her. Eventually the task shrivelled away, overwhelmed by the presence of other, more looming, tasks, though I hung on to the concept.  Someday I would do it.

In my head, I planned what I would say.  Ms. Butler's books are among the most disturbing I have ever read. Sometimes I've had to put them aside to give myself some relief from the images they’ve created in my mind. They are not at all typical horrors or science fiction with clear cut figures of good and evil, but curiously vivid situations where flawed human beings had to make terrible choices which could leave them changed and broken whatever the choice. Nothing is ever simple.


For example, in her Xenogenesis saga, Butler's main character Lilith must work with the aliens who have basically taken over the future of human beings. They wish to bond with mankind to help it survive, but this means changing the way humans live, breed and exist. Lilith is seen as a traitor by many humans, but how can she openly resist them without destroying them all? In Kindred a young woman is mysteriously transported to an antebellum plantation in the old South and discovers that to ensure her family's survival she has to condone the possible rape of one of her ancestors. Butler was interested in looking at the difficult options humanity has to face.  There's no doubt that her works suggested a boundless imagination. As a writer myself, I was intrigued by her original ideas nurtured by her interests in medicine, cloning and what makes us human. While she sometimes horrified me, she compelled me with her juggling of possibilities and with her amazing ideas.

I was fascinated by her herself: reportedly shy, quiet and introspective, she found the creativity and courage to write and succeed in a field populated by white males.  At the age of ten, she started writing her own science fiction, unfazed and unconscious of the trail she was breaking.  She never stopped writing after that. I have to remember that.

The content of that hypothetical letter to her dwelled in my mind even as I procrastinated. I believe I would have thanked Ms. Butler for her single minded determination to do what she wanted to do.  I would have thanked her for opening the eyes of people of many ethnicities to the fact that science fiction and fantasy wasn't just for Them. Somehow I would have tried to express my gratitude for the way she has terrified, inspired and challenged me ever since I got to know her. I would have also thanked her for exposing me to the worlds in her stories, and to the whole experience of immersing myself in that world as I trudged through my thesis.

I would have enjoyed writing that letter. Octavia Butler died far too early at the age of fifty-eight.  That was four years ago. The solitary woman was alone when she died.  As her birthday approaches (June 22), I think of her and again I am glad that her astonishing work was acknowledged and admired during her lifetime.   She won every major award in science fiction, and she generated a large fanbase which spans age, race and ethnicity. Hopefully, she knew that her worth was recognized.  Perhaps my one simple letter would have not had much impact upon her. Or perhaps she would have been pleased to hear from yet another person she had inspired.  Mentioning as much to my sister, she observed, "At least she knowns now." Perhaps she does

Octavia Butler - Bibliography
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/octavia-e-butler/

Sci Fi Heroines Who Are Way Better Than Megan Fox

While watching Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen some months ago, I was moved by various emotions. Not strong ones mind you – I did not feel any strong pathos or excitement or delight while watching this movie. In fact at one point I actually zoned out for a while. Sorry Transformers fans!

What I did feel was a mild annoyance with Megan Fox. Understand me I don’t know Megan Fox. She could be a very nice person. I have never seen her in anything else but Transformers movies, so she may be Academy award calibre in all her other roles (thought I doubt it). I also feel sorry for her because she’s one of the people some of the media don’t like, and when the media don’t like you whoa ho ho! However I don’t have any fond memories of Megan Fox in the first movie, and I wasn’t too pleased with Miss Fox in the second one. Again I didn’t have any strong feelings for her – it just wasn’t that kind of movie – but Megan was so obviously supposed to be eye candy and nothing else it got tiresome. She worked in a garage dressed in skimpy clothes which no self respecting mechanic would wear for fear of severe burns, cuts and other damage. Her makeup and body language was terribly obvious and pinup style, prompting one reviewer to comment that she never seemed to close her mouth. The heroes dragged her around by her hand or arm whenever they were dashing from place to place. In short, she seemed to have been designed to mildly annoy me.

I’m glad that in general the critics seemed to feel the same as I do. I would be worried that people would try to hold her up as a candidate for the Sci Fi Woman Hall of Fame. That would have brought on some strong emotion from me! Despite the fact that science fiction can be a bit of a boy’s club, there are some great female science fiction characters out there, and thankfully no one is making any concerted efforts to try to elevate Megan Fox up there with the sci fi female greats who have gone before her.

However, I am afraid for the rabid fans who think Megan Fox scored in that movie because she was just so hot and – ugh – kick ass. To this I would reply, huh?! Surely those who think this have forgotten (or never knew) that there have been female characters in the past who have been strong, well acted, admirable, feminine and have made you feel for them and actually care what happened to them. At the same time, they didn’t need their attractiveness to be hyped up to obnoxious proportions, their characters shone through and enlivened their appearance or at least that’s not all you remembered about them. Just in case some of these excitable people have forgotten the true stars of the female sci fi universe, I have put inordinate amounts of time into compiling a list of the ladies I have admired in sci fi movie and television over the years. Just in case you weren’t paying attention.

Don’t forget, despite my aspirations to geekdom, I’m not versed in every sci fi show out there, so of course I won’t mention every great female out there. That’s what my comment section is for. As usual my blog is slanted to my preferences. These are the ladies that inspired me, and I’ll try to make you see why as best I can. Feel free to disagree.

Nyota Uhura

If you read my blog posts, you may have noticed that I am a leetle obsessed with the new Star Trek movie. (No you haven’t noticed? Really?) My love for the newest movie rekindled my interest in the character, but I’ve always liked Uhura. Culturally, the character is a role model for many. At the time of the Star Trek original series, it was unusual seeing a black woman playing a character like this.



Ironically (though not suprisinginly) Uhura did not get a lot of chances to shine, but in retrospect the character has many admirable qualities which have been explored in books and later movies. Uhura is intelligent! There is no question. She has an unmatched mastery of many complicated languages. In one of my Star Trek books, she takes some time off to serve on another ship because they need someone with her level of expertise. She is one of the few female officers serving on the bridge. In the new movie, her determination and ambition is made very clear.




There is no doubt that Uhura has evolved over the years. She even moves up through the ranks in the series timeline, going from Lieutenant to Commander! Whether she is Nichelle Nichols or Zoe Saldana, we now know her as a formidable member of the Enterprise bridge crew and the character has bypassed any notion of her being a mere prop...unlike some people we know....









Leia Organa
Much is made of how in Star Wars: A New Hope Princess Leia basically took over her own rescue, and I too applaud her resourcefulness. The importance of her role in the movies was vital I think. Her courage was amazing. I liked how she was so clearly a member of the specialized squad which comprised of Han Solo, Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian. Particularly in the final movie, she goes into Jabba’s Palace alone. Later she is part of the plan to infiltrate the Empire on Endor. They cannot do without Leia.


Luke cannot do without her. One of the strongest draws of the series to me is the bond that grows and exists between the twins. She quickly becomes a steadying core in the hearts of those she is closest too. I imagine if Han Solo had any conscious thoughts while trapped for all that time in carbonite, it was thoughts of Leia that kept him from going mad. When Luke was at his lowest moment, he thought of Leia and knew she would save him. She steadied him when he was conflicted later about what he should do about the threat of their father. Not surprisingly when he thought he would lose her later, it was what made him snap.

I cannot imagine Megan Fox playing such a regal, resilient, powerful person. Not at all.

Queen Amidala/Padme Naberrie

No wonder Anakin Skywalker is fascinated and entranced by the Queen of Naboo. Padme Naberrie is the youngest elected official on her planet and we can see why. She is poised. She is regal. She is determined. She is smart. She works tirelessly to save her people. You can see where the Skywalker twins have inherited resilience and honour and nobility.

I have to say that I feel George Lucas did Amidala a disservice in the final episode when her leadership and strength is diluted and overshadowed by Anakin’s story and her own pregnancy! However, I feel even during these problematic plot twists, her nobility shines through, and her potential doesn’t waver in my mind. Lucas had created such a strong character she could not be extinguished in my mind. There are books to be written about this character if need be to explore all of her intricacies. I’d like to see Ms Fox manage to breath any life into such a character.



















Ellen Ripley




I’ve only watched one “Alien” movie and that was Aliens. That was all I needed to know that Ellen Ripley is a great sci fi warrior. Sigourney Weaver is a leading player in the sci fi genre, and this movie showcases it well. For me, it’s because as Ripley, she can be fierce and determined, but at the same time vulnerable in her manner that hurts your heart a little. You know she may be wounded. You know she feels strong emotions and can be afraid. By this, she surpasses a lot of heroines I see these days who are so steelly, they’re unbelieveable. Some of the suspense is lost at once. They’re practically invulnerable right? So who cares?

In Aliens, you can fear for Ripley, but you have faith in her because she has the strength at her core that can help her get the job done. And of course she rewards our trust in her, and shows that she cannot be brought down. All the elements I love come to the fore in the classic scene when she faces the Mother Alien. That one moment is unforgettable kind of like the time when Megan Fox said.....hm....

See what I mean in the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtcqN8g65qU


Eowyn, Shield Maiden of Rohan

No matter what incarnation you find her in, you have to be fascinated by J.R.R. Tolkien’s shieldmaiden of Rohan. While Arwen Evenstar is a princess in an ivory tower, Eowyn is a princess of the trenches. When her people are called to war, she sets to work. When she finds she cannot bear to be left behind, she goes into battle.

I don’t mean that you can’t feel for Arwen, but I feel that many people feel more connected to Eowyn. Her feelings of pain when it comes to unrequited love are something we have all experienced. Her hopelessness is real. Her troubles are real. And we see her desperately take her fate into her own hands to try to do something.

In Peter Jackson's superior movie Mirando Otto does a wonderful job as Eowyn, and like many of the other ladies I have mentioned, her scenes are memorable. Just take a look at one of her greatest scenes here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSNPeJAgBzo&feature=related



So as I have mentioned, I do not want to deprive Megan Fox of a paycheck. (I admit I could not help smiling rather evilly when I heard she was dropped from Transformers 3 recently, but she's in Jonah Hex soon, so you see... don't worry about her.)I just want to be sure that anyone who thinks she may be a superior science fiction heroine thinks carefully before they make that distinction. The standards in this category are very high, and I really don't think Ms. Fox will ever attain them. Though I could be wrong! Feel free to agree or disagree in my comments and let me know who I've missed from my list!

The Movie Tide is rushing in!

I just realized that my yearly "Summer Movie Madness"* blog post is imminent. Summer movie insanity has begun in the states, and as usual I am swept up in the tide. I have no predictions about the upcoming season at all. Usually by now I have a solid list of movies I want/need to see. However, at this late stage I only know I am interested in seeing "Prince of Persia" and the new Robin Hood. No inward trembling and anticipation. No figurative salivating. The first movie fills me with concern as Jerry Bruckheimer is involved, and the trailers make me fear that there will be a goofiness involved which will devalue the story for me. I hope and expect the second one to be a good film but not an earthshaking,amazing one.

I really need to get a good preview of the summer movies and really give them a close analysis. I am surprised though that the usual strong anticipatory buzzing has not reached me as it usually does. Is it that my "movie senses" are not as sharp as they once were or is this year's buzz less energizing than usual? We will have to see.

Anyway whatever the season brings, I must admit that it has had a promising start. I saw Iron Man 2 yesterday (it came here before the states. Imagine that.), and I was most happily mesmerized once more by Robert Downey Jr. Surprise, surprise..

(Observe the joy of my recap during the glorious year of the first movie: http://crossroadsofimagination.blogspot.com/2008/08/demi-gods-of-summer.html)

After seeing Iron Man 2, I feel as if the big blast for the summer has come and gone, but I hope I will be proven wrong. I won't go into great detail about my viewing experience just yet. In the meantime, in the true summer movie tradition, I will post a teaser to get you panting with anticipation.



Nice eh? Impressed? Me too!

Anyway feel free to post and let me know what movies you are looking forward to seeing in the next few months. I am also open to recommendations of what you think I should see.

And check out last year's recap as well: http://crossroadsofimagination.blogspot.com/2009/08/progression-of-my-summer-movie-madness.html

*Yes I am still using the word "summer" to describe the movies that premiere between May and August. I know I don't live in a place which has a summer time, but I have no problem using the term. For one, it's the handiest word to describe these movies which are almost a genre in themselves. Besides that this "season" is inherently an American one. I see no problem with using the American way of describing it.

Out of desolation: Inspiration

Today they pulled a seventeen year old girl out of the massive rubble left over after the earthquake in Haiti.

I think about how many hours she spent alone in the dark, thinking she would die, and I fear that she will find herself back in that darkness everytime she closes her eyes. She made it out though, and she lives.

It seems petty to say that this disaster serves as a source of inspiration to us. It seems a little self centred to wonder how I can benefit from such horror when I should be thinking about the Haitian people, but I can’t help how I feel.

I see people going doggedly on with their lives despite everything. People talk about the Haitian people being resilient. Unlike the situation in many Caribbean islands, their slaves rose up and took their independence from the colonists. I don’t like making sweeping generalizations about any group of people, but I hope that many Haitian people have this hardy streak to get them through the next few days – well months and years actually.

I look at news reporters who are on the scene looking haggard and tired and losing their patience because they feel too much. I’m seeing Haitian people sent away to live a better life coming home to help. I see rescuers, trying and trying for hours. I honor the dogs, who with their simple wills, just keep searching and searching because that’s what they love to do.

Who cares right now about language barriers? Rescuers and relief aid workers are there from all over the world. So many little Haitian children will be adopted by families who may not look like them, but will love them anyway.

Yes I’m inspired a bit. I cannot help it, but I don’t want to belittle the horror with my small desires right now. The best I can do is to hold this feeling to me and try to help however I can. If I don’t forget the pity, horror and motivation I feel, I can use this to drive me to reach out and help as I have so often planned to do. Just feeling bad or moved is not enough. It would be unfair to them, and they’ve already had enough wrongness.

Happy Birthday Sesame Street!

Sesame Street is 40 years old this week. Goggle is celebrating in its usual inspired manner.





I am celebrating by re-posting a blog I wrote awhile back expounding on my love of the place where there's friendly neighbours and the air is sweet! Enjoy!

http://crossroadsofimagination.blogspot.com/2009/04/these-were-people-in-my-neighbourhood.html

(Oh and have no fear I will be posting a fresh and tangy new blog entry soon.)

The Progression of my Summer Movie Madness

I hate Math, but it has its usefulness. For instance, I can most accurately chart my feelings about this "summer's" movies with a line graph which starts on high then dips suddenly. I'm not drawing anything for you, so use your imagination.

Anyway I started off looking at this season's movies with barely concealed delight, then midway down I became less excited and elated. I know the reason why though. I know the reason, and I'll explain in a moment. However, this season had some good stuff out there I can't deny it, so let's get down to my annual (?) recap.

Star Trek
Okay you know what spoiled me for the rest of the summer: Star Trek. Curse you Star Trek, I would blame you if I didn't love you so much. Too much coolness and vulcans and pathos and excitement, and, and this......



I know, I've raved enough. If you want, check out my blog on this movie, and we'll never speak of it again! Never!(Except on days that end with the letter "y".)

http://crossroadsofimagination.blogspot.com/2009/05/i-need-to-go-down-black-hole-to-past-so.html

I Love You Man
(This movie came out early in the year in the US, but only came to T&T fairly recently I think.)




This movie reminds me why I like a good bromance. In the tradition of "guys who love each other, but are straight", this movie had a hilarious take on a poor guy who realizes he has no guy friends and starts to go on "man-dates" to find a good buddy.

Watched this one with my BFFF on a "girl-date" (hmmmm that doesn't sound as good). It had lots of laughs - perhaps the most I had with any comedy for a long time. I also got to watch Paul Rudd who played such a sweet, sensitive guy that he became one of the heroes of the season for me. He didn't need to go up against killer robots, terminators or ninjas to win my affection. In some ways his situation was more real than a lot of the other hyped up movies in the past months. I am always fascinated by the intricacies of male relationships. If I was a sociologist, I would definitely be hiding behind a lamppost observing the male species in their natural habit. Fascinating! But I digress.

I have to give props to the ladies in this movie. I don't know Rashida Jones from anything else, but as Paul Rudd's fiancee, she was understanding, sweet and adorable which was wonderful considering that the movie could have gone the old route and made her horrible and controlling. I am glad I did not have to wonder why Paul Rudd's character loved her.

Up

Yes, Pixar, you did it again! I knew you could! People wondered about Up and said no one would be interested in it etc. etc. Yet I saw Up, and was delighted. During one scene, a tear ran down my cheek, and that is my equivalent to bawling like a child. That hasn't happened to me in a movie for a while.

As usual, the characters made the movie. Poor Mr. Frederickson! - Another wonderful and unlikely hero just like last years little-robot-that-could Wall-E. Russell - wilderness scout, who never gave up, ever! The dogs have to get a special mention too. I really loved how despite their super intelligence, they were still very dog-like. They are distracted by squirrels and easily upset when their humans are upset with them. They just want to be loved! They also really hate "the cone of shame". At one point, Dug, the hero dog of our tale tells a horrible joke, and for some reason, I can imagine my own dog telling that joke - if dogs could tell jokes that is.

I love that a movie about an "old guy" and a "fat kid" became Disney's second highest grossing film domestically. Pixar once more struck the right keys in this movie. They played real love (more real than a lot of movies you see these days), pathos, humour and adventure, and made a symphony that thrilled my heart.

Pixar can do no wrong.



Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Every time another Harry Potter movie comes out I think I'm all "harry pottered" out, and go to see it just "because". However I usually end up getting caught up in the story anyway, and enjoying it more than I thought.

I attribute this mainly to the actors. Daniel Radcliffe and the others are doing very, very good jobs. There is a scene where Hermione is crying and Harry is comforting her, and it is very effective.

The characters continue to have just the right "look" as well - the twins, Mrs. Weasley, Dumbldore..... I am not a fan of the first film, but you have to admit, the casting people got it right the first time. They're even growing the right way. Rupert Grint is taller than the other two, just as Ron should be. Neville Longbottom has gone from a small chubby kid to a very tall one with an entirely different look, which I think will totally fit his role in the upcoming movies. I thought Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy looked drawn and squirrelly, but then I realized that his looks fit his tortured role in this movie well.

The kids who played Tom Riddle were very creepy. They were well chosen. And the adults did well too. I like this Dumbledore. Don't care what anybody says. Alan Rickman gets points as well for Snape. The movie does well for setting up the final confrontations.

I don't know about you, but I don't read the books before the movie. I don't have time for one thing. For another, I don't want to spend most of the movie, figuring out what was left out. It's a pointless task in my opinion, and I can't really fault the filmmakers. The same people who complain about things missing would complain profusely if the movie was six hours long, which it would have to be if they put everything in. Sorry folks. You can always use audiobooks.

One of the reasons I am putting Harry Potter on my list is because there were lots of highlights to this movie. For instance, the commericials make you forget that there are a lot of laughs to be had in Harry Potter, and the fun was really fun in this one. Lots of good humour.

The growing attachment between Ron and Hermione is well done here as well. The romantic element was actually well done over all. For example, the movie actually improved on Harry's kissing scene with Ginny. I really didn't like the one in the book. None of the romance seemed forced or annoying. It was just nice.

It was also great to see a nice, death defying Quidditch match, and to see Ron doing his thing as a goalie.

I am also still tickled by how much the costuming has changed and improved in my opinion. I was never a fan of those pointy hats from the first movie. I love how the kids now wear regular clothes out of school, and their "wizardly robes" look like private school uniforms in different variations. I can't say why. I just love it.



I must say how surprised I am that I could not pinpoint more movies worthy of mention in my recap. This time last year there were quite a few more. http://crossroadsofimagination.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html
But I do not despair, the good among the not-so-good was very high up there in the quality factor I must say, so I can't look back on the past few months without any great regret.

MY GENERATION’S ANSWER TO “THE KING OF ROCK”......

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a very special blog post today. Put your hands together for my very first guest blogger. Marissa Gomez has been my best friend and partner in crime since secondary school, so I figure she was the ideal person to make history with my first guest blog. I asked her to write about someone creative who inspired her, and she sure did, so enjoy. Be sure to check out her own blog at Marissa's Space http://marissaamandagomez.spaces.live.com/

MY GENERATION’S ANSWER TO “THE KING OF ROCK”,
MY TRIBUTE TO THE “KING OF POP”
Marissa A. Gomez

As I sat and watched the memorial service today of Michael Jackson the “King of Pop” I was still incredulous. Surely this was a gimmick for his upcoming concert. Surely he’d rise out of the casket, jump out and proceed to moonwalk to a huge standing ovation and a sigh of relief. I mean, it would be just the exact kind of showmanship that I’d expect from a man who epitomized the word. He popularised the “moonwalk” for Pete’s sake (and I bet Neil Armstrong is still wishing he had done that when he landed on the moon in July ’69). Michael created the Video Movie as it were; before “Thriller” videos were kept short and had a run time fit to be aired on TV. This man created HISTORY! Surely he can’t be dead!

But alas, the tears shed by his family members, his kids, and his friends were all too real. Truly an icon has passed away and we, the fans have to cope with this reality and cling to our memories.

I remember fondly that “Thriller” was my introduction to a vinyl record. I was 4 years-old when it was released in November 1982 and I could not get enough of the infectious songs, the beat and the lyrics. I learnt every song Side A to Side B (yes harken back to the days when LP’s had “sides”, so when one was done you had to go to the turntable and flip it over. The CD ruined that bit of fun surely!). Then in 1983 when he released the almost 14 minute video for the song, I along with the rest of the world and whatever aliens were out there in the galaxy picking up the MTV feed, well we all went wild. That was off the hook and at the time just about the most innovative thing we had ever seen! There was no turning back after that. His popularity escalated along with my love for him. I used to grab my dad’s motorcycle riding glove and jacket and put on the album and go dancing round the house to his music (I think we all did it as kids). Then just when I thought the man had done all he could do to impress me in my tender years he pulled the “moonwalk” out during a performance of “Billy Jean” at a Motown Television Special in March 1983. I remember thinking that that was the coolest and craziest thing I had ever seen. I wanted to marry the man then and there. I couldn’t get enough of him.

I followed his career as his music and fame grew and as I grew with him. Truly he provided the soundtrack to my formative years. He reinvented himself and his music and unlike some other artistes who started their career in the 70’s, he was able to keep up and adapt to the changing music scene. He seemed to know what we wanted even before we ourselves knew. As I heard someone express during an interview the other day – there are brands and then there was Michael Jackson. MJ was a brand and was as recognizable as the shape of the coca-cola bottles are throughout the universe.

I admit I also felt a little sad for the guy. I don’t know who among us would have grown up ‘normal’ if they had grown up under a microscope as he did. He was unable to go anywhere without being mobbed. His quest for stardom had come at a cost.

Sure, things got a little awry for him later on – the crazy plastic surgery, the crazy pets, the crazy marriages and couplings, the crazy antics (dangling his kid over a balcony for one), those crazy child molestation charges and the bankruptcy rumours that arose out of them. But I can’t remember him for any of that. I remember him as an artiste – a stellar one at that. I remember him as a philanthropist who supported dozens of charities and causes, AIDS, children, ending world hunger and world conservation being at the top of the list. I put all the ‘weirdness’ and ‘crazy’ antics aside and continued to love the man who co-wrote, “We Are the World”, and wrote “Heal The World”, and “The Earth Song”. I continued to admire the man who sang with such emotion, feeling and poignancy at age 5 and continued to do so throughout his life. I was constantly awed by his concerts and performances and wondered what he would possibly do next to eclipse the last.

So when on June 25th 2009 I heard that he had passed away I cried. I felt I had lost a friend who had been with me since I was born – and truly he had been. On my way home from the office that night I pulled out the 25th Special Anniversary edition CD of “Thriller” – ironically the ONLY ORIGINAL CD I had in the car that afternoon which I had put there some weeks before to play for my 5 year-old niece who had become a huge fan, like me, when she saw the “Thriller” video a year ago (again just re-emphasizing the fact that the man’s appeal spanned generations). I blasted it at full volume, singing along and got all teary-eyed again when “Human Nature” started to play.

And so today on 7th July, 2009, I still sit disbelieving that this icon is dead. This must have been how my mother felt when she heard that her childhood mega hero Elvis was dead. I cried again, and shamelessly so when I viewed the memorial service. I’ll probably continue to be a little sad when I hear “Gone too Soon” played or “Man In the Mirror”. But I will also smile when I think back on me as a kid, twirling round the room, with a glove and my dad’s jacket on trying to do the moonwalk to Billy Jean. I’ll smile as I remember his legacy, his music, his talent, his dance moves, his style (who else but Michael could popularize sequined socks and the wearing of one glove?), his videos, and his charitable works.

But somewhere, deep down inside, I still say that my icon is not dead. He’s off on the island that Elvis, Tupac, Biggie Smalls, Aaliyah and Princess Di are on, sipping on some juice, doing the moonwalk and having a good laugh. But wherever he is, I hope that he’s finally found the peace and quiet that evaded him for most of his life. R.I.P. Michael.

I'm Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change
His Ways
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change