Attempting to live and breathe for an audience of one
I’m constantly trying to figure out who I am. Should I go by my Twitter bio?
Jesus follower, wife, mother, daughter, Haitian-American, Presbyterian (PCA), Beatles fan, pop princess, non-mommy blogger, suicide survivor, and more…
My Twitter bio only allows 140 characters so I’ve always wondered what I would add as “more” if I had unlimited space. But I also want to define how I describe myself in my Twitter bio. So here goes nothing… Continue reading “Twitter bio and more…”
Analysis of Chapter 4 in Rob Bell’s Love Wins will resume tomorrow. I compose these posts daily and today had to turn my attention to other pressing matters (like completing the PowerPoint slides for a class I’m teaching at the library next week). If you’re absolutely hungry for an original post from me today (though I doubt you are), I wrote up a review on Britney Spears’s latest album Femme Fatale over on my other blog, Pop! Goes the Music. If you’re a Britney Spears fan or enjoy pop music, you may want to check it out.
On this blog, however, tomorrow we’ll look at “Does God Get What God Wants?” An interesting question to delve into considering that the Bible says “The Lord is not . . . wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (II Peter 3:9)
Also, there are some comments from the last post I hope to respond to tomorrow as well. There are some interesting points that I’d like to address.
Yes, a new blog.
I’m still working on the post in the Love Wins book that’s probably the most controversial chapter but in the meantime, I started a new music blog called Pop! Goes the Music. It’ll be updated twice a week just so I can feed my pop addiction. If you’re a Pop! Diva like me,, it might be worth checking out.
I have a confession to make: I didn’t know about The Beatles until I was in 5th grade.
I grew up with Paul McCartney and was obsessed with his (at the time, vinyl) album All the Best, so I was rather familiar with Paul, Linda, and Wings. I’d also grown up listening to Beatles songs on the Lite FM station but I’d never actually paid attention to who they were. But I would know Paul if I heard him.
One day as I’m talking about my obsession with Paul McCartney and his music, a classmate looks at me funny and says sarcastically, “Um, you do know he was part of a huge band called The Beatles, right?”
That revelation changed my life. Continue reading “The Beatles in My Life (I Love Them More)”
On the one-year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, I must admit that I’m part of the Cult of Michael Jackson (MJ). (I will be playing his music ALL DAY tomorrow.) The immediate news of MJ’s passing crippled the Internet for hours and went on to dominate the media for weeks on end. What is the draw/appeal of Michael Jackson in both life and death?
I. The Freak Show
Anyone born before 1981 remembers what MJ looked like naturally. Anyone born before 1986 remembers what MJ looked like with relatively dark skin. Anyone born before 1994 remembers when he was still of musical relevance. Anyone born afterward probably cannot disassociate MJ from allegations of child molestation. The fact of the matter is that MJ was the train wreck we all loved and hated to watch. His nose frequently changed. Then there was the sudden lightening of skin color. Rumors of hoarding the Elephant Man’s bones, spending time with his monkey friend Bubbles, and sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber. He seemed so normal then suddenly became… so weird — “Wacko Jacko.” The moonwalk was a cool dance move; the crotch grabbing… eh, not so much. It’s always easier to make fun of the person who stands out and seems a little off rather than express care and concern.
II. The Magic
In spite of the freak show status that surrounded Jackson, the Elizabeth Taylor-dubbed “King of Pop” infused new life into entertainment. Jackson was a creative genius, a brilliant mind who is emulated by many R&B stars in song and dance today and helped solidify MTV (for a little over a decade anyway) as the place to turn for innovative music videos. His concerts were nothing short of amazing and nothing was too over-the-top to be used on stage. *NSYNC, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, and Xtina (to name a few) have all taken cues from his spectacular ability to put on a mind-blowing show.
III. The Madness
Jackson grew up in front of the spotlight, working hard as a child star. When most boys were outside running around or playing with trucks and toy soldiers, Jackson was running through rehearsals or performing in front of audiences. As a child, all he did was work — he was never able to have a childhood. Once he grew up and established solo success, he craved the childhood he’d been robbed of. He founded children’s organizations, created Neverland, and loved to play childish games. At a point where most adults had matured and accepted the responsibilities of adulthood, Jackson reverted to a childlike mind with juvenile mannerisms. In American society, such behavior is not tolerated or accepted and shunned. And it’s this behavior that would unfortunately bring him legal trouble and rumors of child molestation, tarnishing his reputation forever.
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A year after Michael Jackson’s passing, he still has devout fans (of which I am one). These fans loosely comprise a cult which will rival that of Elvis Presley’s. Why is this so? Continue reading “The Cult of Michael Jackson”
This Journey Is My Own 