Well, I figured that my next journal entry would be a lot of happy fun-time and sparkly talk about the new Star Trek movie, or the surprisingly epic Transformers 2, or the new Ghostbusers videogame... Well, it isn't. As you probably know by now, Michael Jasckson is dead. The king of pop from a time when it wasn't all garbage and pretentious and over-glamorized debauchery is gone. On that day, I found myself musing on how quickly the media bullseye "Jacko" has suddenly become Michael Jackson again. For years, we hear nothing but ghoul jokes and allusions to child molestation, and only now, can "Billie Jean" and Thriller be remembered. But what I found myself musing the NEXT day, was that I had bought into it all. Me; a free-thinking, analytical creature who makes HIS OWN decitions. Even I had lost sight of what I always believed. During the trials in recent years, I never found Jackson to be guilty. In fact, I considered the knowledge that the accusing mother had a history of extorting money through law suits of child molestation, to be irrefutable proof of his innocence.

Six years later, I had lost sight of my own belief, and am reminded only now of that which we had, that has been lost. Looking back, my earliest memories were those of watching his music videos on MTV, and loving his music, and him, in ways I was incapable of describing. He had problems, he had issues, and he would have done well to have some serious therapy and a reality check. As Jesus said, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone." So, here's to you, Michael Jackson. A toast your your life, your legacy, and your innocence. (Raises glass and lowers head.)