Saturday, August 22, 2009

In Memory

This reaction would be almost two months late, but just wanted to put up a post about Michael Jackson's death. Well, not his death exactly, but what it led me to...okay, this is confusing. Let me just rehash what happened. So that day I found out MJ died, I was stunned. Who wouldn't be? He's like Coca-Cola (or Pepsi, if you want to be more logically correct) - a brand name known in almost all corners of the world and across all ages. He is just super popular. Plus, I was a child of the 80's, and was so mesmerized by the MV of "Thriller" (totally ruined zombie movies for me, everytime I see them I expect them to break into dance). There I was, initially stunned, and then I immediately thought of Jim Henson.

You heard it right. Jim Henson. And you ask what's the connection? Well, they both started significant changes for the etertainment industry. MJ was the King of Pop, and JH was the King of the Muppets. Plus, the peak of their careers was during the 80's, when I was as impressionable as a bucket of play-doh. And they both had a sudden death at a youngish age.

So while everyone was glued to their TV sets watching the news and the memorial coverage, I was searching videos of JH's memorial on YouTube. And let me tell you, his was hands down much better and more meaningful than MJ's. It was a big funeral, but not 2 auditoriums big. The most famous celebrity who performed was Big Bird. I'm guessing none of the songs they had sung reached the Billboard Top 40. But it was much more honest, and their grief and celebration was not marred by the glitz and pompousness. Both brought me to tears (I admit it with only the tiniest bit of shame), yet the child in me was more regretful for the loss of the more humble man.

This is a clip from JH's funeral that brought me to (more) tears and also inspired me. It was the last song in the medley performed by his muppeteers, and I was really awe-struck when almost all of his muppets came out.



This the version that came after the funeral, during the Muppet Show special. The muppets were trying to show a tribute for JH, but apparently they had no idea who he was. They even thought he was an accountant, since it was his signature that was on their paychecks. I thought they won't be presenting Kermit, because Jim Henson IS Kermit, but seeing Kermit the Frog at the end of the song turned me into a complete blubber. (Trivia: The whole production team made sure this segment is done in just one take.)



Cheers!

Friday, August 21, 2009

Ta-Da!


This blog has been long in fruitation. I initially had fantasies about being a writer, and even delusions that I AM a writer. Yet I've always avoided the idea of putting up my own blog. I always thought of it as more of a fad and a way for people to gripe publicly. The fact that I am not much of a consistent writer also didn't help. Then I realized that if I wanted to be a writer, I have to at least practice with the use of a keyboard.

On December 2007, I opened up a Blogger account, thinking "This is it!" Well, it was there, having a username and everything, and then I quickly got tired of the idea, and distracted by those wonderful online sales. So my poor blog was in hiatus for the rest of the year. My interest spurred some days after I finished my first marathon, all fired up with inspiration and adrenaline, but the draft for that went unpublished and forgotten.

It was sometime in January 2009 that I had the idea about utilizing my blog as an inspiration for me to chronicle my so-called best year. I drafted a longish description of my plans and "goals" in my profile. When I read it today, I thought that half of it was stupid (good thing I only had four). Becoming a stand-up comedian and another senseless goal that escapes my memory right now - proving its worthlessness - were scrapped. Finishing a novel and finally being part of a romantic relationship (read: getting kissed) still remain. However, even the idea of a best year was even moot, because this was the year I lost my job, had to go home and faced a lot of insecurities.

One thing remained consistent throughout those times. I was consistently reading and devouring other people's blogs. Besides my interest and blogs that I follow, I was reading one blog after the other, scavenging to the archives of those that I thought was either well-written or was just so interesting. And then I got it. I want to write my own blog. It will be a writing exercise, a chronicle of my life, a layout for my best years, a good read, and most importantly, it will be written and posted.  I spiffed up my template and feartures (although not sure yet if I will be keeping it this way), and I'm now writing my first official post. I don't really care if this is going to be read or not (mostly not for the meantime), but my blog exists, and that's perfectly fine for now.