I feel like I shouldn't be surprised, but yet, I am still shocked...

Regardless, of what many people may think of Michael Jackson and the strange, eccentric life he lead that was definitely filled with much controversy and scandal, I can't deny that he was a huge part of my childhood who influenced my taste in music as I was growing up in the 80's. I remember fondly, how I asked my parents for the "Thriller" album for my 11th birthday in February of 1983. My sister and I used to listen to it religiously on our turntable stereo in the living room and sing and dance to all of the songs...We had them all memorized!! The first full-size poster I ever had was of Michael wearing white pants, a white shirt and a light yellow vest, and he had his hands in his pockets. My sister and I shared a room, and the poster was hung on the wall between our 2 dressers and right over our TV. We even wore one white glove to school occasionally with whatever outfit we were wearing that day. Our dad was a police officer, and he had given us each of pair of white gloves that he would use to direct traffic. I even had the Michael Jackson doll...the one in which he is wearing the "Beat It" outfit. I am a product of the MTV generation and used to love watching his videos...in fact, it was an event, when the "Thriller" video made its premiere. A whole group of us gathered at a friend's house to watch it for the first time...I thought it was scary. And, I also will never forget when we had our 6th grade dance, and one of the highlights of that evening was when we had the moonwalking contest...I did not win, by the way.

It did seem that as his look and lifestyle changed in the post "Thriller" days, he seemed to lead a sad and troubled life, and no doubt, had an incredibly dysfunctional childhood, but I will always remember him for what he was to me in my growing years...which was the King of Pop. I now understand what it was like for my parents when it was announced that Elvis Presley died. I do feel strangely sad today, and I think I will go dust off my "Thriller" album now and give her a spin.

RIP, Michael Jackson.