Gone Too Soon

It was last August when I posted about Michael Jackson's 50th birthday, revisiting what his music had meant to me when I was a young teenager. I have long since moved on from being a big fan of his, but I continued to keep up with him in passing and always wished him success. After all, he was a legend in our time who, so it seemed, would be around for a long time to come, and who would make a "comeback" (though he never went away), and he had only weeks to go before starting a series of record-sellout concerts at London's O2 Arena.

It was unconscionable to all of us that his death was imminent (though rumors had circulated for years about the state of his health). To the surprise of everyone, it came to pass yesterday; he was nearly two months shy of his 51st birthday. I had just returned home from work around 5:00PM EST and had seen on CNN.com that he had been taken to UCLA after suffering cardiac arrest, and soon enough, details (and plenty of speculation) started to emerge. Soon enough, the truth came out: he was pronounced dead around 5:30PM EST.

As someone who had been such an admirer of his artistry, I was shocked and saddened like everyone else, fan or otherwise. Naturally, one can't help but to feel sorry for his family and friends. However, we then come to the sad realization that there will never be another album, another video, another tour. Think what you will about Michael Jackson as a person, but his impact on popular culture and his success in shattering racial barriers in entertainment will continue to reverberate. Those are just a few ways his legacy will endure.

Last night, my friends and I communicated on social networks while following the news on television. We shared memories, posted our favorite videos, and tried to encourage each other. His fans came together in the real world as well; crowds of fans gathered outside UCLA and at the Apollo Theater in Harlem to mourn, but also to celebrate; they joined together in song and in rousing chants of "Michael!". Similar scenes played out all over the world, showing just how far his reach truly was. I was a teenager all over again.

I wasn't alive when Elvis died in 1977, but I can't imagine his death being any more momentous than the death of Michael Jackson. Unfortunately, it was sometimes hard to focus only on Jackson's genius and look beyond the controversy that always seemed to swirl around him and which he never could weather, try as he did. Still, I think he will be remembered as one of the most talented yet tragic figures in cultural history. To the man who never had a childhood yet who had a profound impact on mine: thanks for the memories and the music.

Pet Smart

Unlike most of my friends, I don't currently own a pet. That wasn't always the case, though; I grew up in a family of cat lovers, and we always had at least two cats in our house when I was growing up. I've only had one dog in my life so far: Casey (pictured above), a black-and-white teacup Chihuahua who was perhaps my favorite pet; we even had her litterbox-trained! Casey is now 9 years old and is currently living with a chihuahua collector, to whom Casey is her favorite.

Why, you might wonder, do I not do myself the favor of once again owning a pet? I still think about it sometimes, but it seems like, for now, there are more reasons against than for. I live in an apartment at the moment, and I would need to pay more per month if I have a pet. Also, while I could easily handle the responsibilities of a dog or cat, I've seen far too many clothes and pieces of furniture ruined over the years due to claws and "accidents". Not in a hurry for a repeat!

Don't get me wrong: I'm indeed an animal lover, and my friends could tell you just how much I dote on their beloved dogs and cats as though they were my own. I suppose it's just a trade-off that one has to decide is worth it, and perhaps when I become a homeowner I may be more inclined to get one since I do like the idea of coming home to a pet. Maybe it would even add a year or two to my life! In the meantime, I have plenty of surrogate pets currently stealing my heart, such as...

Max the Corgi:


Bandit the Pug:


Woofie the Poodle:


As someone who has no pets, I sure have a lot of pets!

Touching the Sound

One of the biggest gifts I received in the Christmas of 1992 was a Sony boombox. I was 12 years old at the time, and it was especially exciting to me because it was the first CD player I had ever owned (my first CD was the soundtrack to The Jacksons: An American Dream miniseries). Actually (and I almost hate to admit this), before I got that boombox, I had been using an old Fisher Price cassette player that I had used since I was four or five years old. Since that Christmas, I went on to amass a CD collection numbering well over 1,000.

Fast forward to 2009. I rarely buy CDs anymore thanks to the ease of finding music via the Internet. However, I went with a friend to Best Buy yesterday and ended up purchasing Green Day's new album, 21st Century Breakdown after having heard some songs beforehand. The album, like so many others these days, is also available to download if you know how and where to look online, but in this case, I decided to get my music the old-fashioned way (I got the $24 special edition of the album, though it was on sale for $16 at the time).

It's a great concept album, and the 52-page hardback booklet is nifty. However, the main reason I bought it instead of getting it for free online was to show support for a talented band making meaningful music that I connect with. Buying music in a physical form has become obsolete (retailers and the music industry would agree). While it is certainly convenient to download music, there's nothing quite like holding a CD in your hand with its artwork and liner notes. Many people often miss out on that experience, and it's a shame.

'21st Century Breakdown', indeed.

Myrtle Beach in the Spring

A week ago from right now, I had just finished parasailing for the first time in my life. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision that was made while I was eating at Damon's on the waterfront, and there just happened to be a water sports business right next to the restaurant. That was easily the highlight of my most recent trip back to the beach (along with watching U2:3D on IMAX), and it was only days before one of the worst wildfires in our state's history struck the beach. Here are some mobile photos I took from the trip.

Our hotel, the Landmark:


The beach:


My first parasailing experience:


Peace:


Family Kingdom:


Fountain at Market Common:


Sitting area at Market Common:


Street at Market Common:


Another Market Common Fountain:


IMAX 3D Theater:


Fireworks over the beach:


Coastal Grand Mall food court:


Site of the former Pavilion:

Governor's Mansion Tour

Last August, I posted some pictures from a visit to the S.C. Governor's Mansion during which I had the opportunity to see the house from the outside along with its well-manicured yard. After visiting the gift shop last week and learning that tours of the mansion are free, I decided to book one, and yesterday I finally saw the inside (the first floor, anyway). While I didn't have my digital camera handy, I did have my Chocolate, and the pictures turned out not half-bad!

Fountain at center of estate.


Fountain in front of the mansion.


Front of the mansion. When the state flag is raised, the governor is in residence.


The main staircase is one of the highest straight home staircases in South Carolina.


View of the Large Drawing Room. One of the pictures in this room is of Governor Sanford with President Bush (who autographed the photo) aboard Air Force One.


One of the oldest artifacts in the mansion, this is one of two chairs in the Large Drawing Room that once belonged to King George.


The State Dining Room, featuring 22 deerfoot armchairs and a mahogany table that extends over 20 feet.


Battleship Silver as seen in the State Dining Room. It came from the USS South Carolina and its custodians are the South Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution.


The Palmetto Dining Room, with American landscapes such as Niagara Falls and New York Harbor depicted on the wallpaper.


Portrait of Governor Sanford in the Library. One of the smaller pictures below it shows Jenny Sanford with Michelle Obama and Jill Biden.