I came home from work tonight and went immediately to storage. I knew somewhere I had a stash of Michael Jackson memorabilia saved since I was in elementary school.
Who doesn’t remember the Thriller video at the skating rink? My neighborhood rink was Great Time Skate on Aldine Bender. The video screen would slide down and everyone would skate to the center to sit and marvel at Michael Jackson.
At home, my bedroom wall was covered with Michael Jackson pictures torn from Tiger Beat and Bop. One day in first or second grade, I remember a kid in class was talking about how Michael Jackson’s “Off the Wall” album was so much better than Thriller. When my mom picked me up from school, I told her “Mom, I want Michael Jackson ‘Off the Wall’.” Her reply: “Good, cause he’s off.” She had cleaned my room and taken down all of my prized posters.
The ones in these pictures were from the later years of Junior High. Pay no attention to the girl in the photo… or the cheesy curtains (or the Coke can collection on the windowsill). 
In the picture on the left, Jackson is on my right.
In the picture on the right, you can see my door-size Michael poster just above my head. Funny story (I think, anyway)… once when my dad was away on a hunting trip, my mom awoke in the middle of the night and thought someone had broken into the house. She called 911 and a Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy came out to our house. We had burglar bars… and they were still locked… so it wasn’t likely someone was inside; but the deputy offered to look around anyway to make my mom feel better. Across the living room, he flashed his light inside my bedroom and saw the silhouette of a man. We saw him sort of jump and do a double take. He let out a laugh when he realized his beam had landed on my Michael Jackson poster.
Michael’s mystique never seemed to wear off. In 2005 my boyfriend (now husband) and I took a trip to Santa Barbara. I insisted we make a side trip to the Neverland Valley Ranch and the courthouse where Jackson was on trial. I made a video… but can not for the life of me remember where I put it.
I know millions of fans just like me are remembering “Michael” moments tonight.
Everyone has a story that can one-up your co-workers… as if to say “I liked him more.” Tonight, I enjoyed looking through all my old souveniors to remember an icon who gave my generation the hope to “Heal the World, Make it a Better Place,” glitter socks, parachute pants, the Moonwalk and Ben.
King of Pop Playing Cards
1995 Calendar
Oh… and I really did like him more:)
It’s past the time for Spring Cleaning… but it’s always a good time to spruce up your pad. And who doesn’t love free stuff?
Going on vacation? A 
Reporter Scott McCartney says hotels have added all kinds of fees from mandatory daily valet parking fees to “in-room safe warranty surcharges.” It’s happening all over from the Howard Johnson to Hilton hotels.
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