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www.ambiente.us JULY | JULIO 2009
The Way You Make Me Feel |A Devotional to Michael Jackson
by Armando Diaz Jr.
My brother sends me a text message a few days ago, “did you hear about
Michael Jackson”? Immediately after I receive a text message from my sister,
“is it true”? In our 21st century age of the immediate I of course went to
Google, then I turned to CNN.
Our one of a kind wella (abuelita) still fills my memories with things she’d say like,
“vaya papi coma” or “ya salganse de aqui sipotes (kids)” or “¡Baile papi baile!
¡Jesus”! I distinctly remember one of the ¡baile! Cheers as I was cutting a rug to
Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough. I would do my best to spin around and make my
hips seem to pop out of place like his did.
There was some confusion coming out of the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical
Center in Los Angeles as I tuned into CNN. The headline on the screen was
“Michael Jackson suffers cardiac arrest”.
I owe my love for all things music to my audio-video obsessed parents. My
father used to have us (my brother and I) tape MTV videos for him on our huge
VCR, while he was at work. The task always felt so important and later the
The Way You Make Me Feel |A Devotional to Michael Jackson
by Armando Diaz Jr.
My brother sends me a text message a few days ago, “did you hear about
Michael Jackson”? Immediately after I receive a text message from my sister,
“is it true”? In our 21st century age of the immediate I of course went to
Google, then I turned to CNN.
Our one of a kind wella (abuelita) still fills my memories with things she’d say like,
“vaya papi coma” or “ya salganse de aqui sipotes (kids)” or “¡Baile papi baile!
¡Jesus”! I distinctly remember one of the ¡baile! Cheers as I was cutting a rug to
Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough. I would do my best to spin around and make my
hips seem to pop out of place like his did.
There was some confusion coming out of the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical
Center in Los Angeles as I tuned into CNN. The headline on the screen was
“Michael Jackson suffers cardiac arrest”.
I owe my love for all things music to my audio-video obsessed parents. My
father used to have us (my brother and I) tape MTV videos for him on our huge
VCR, while he was at work. The task always felt so important and later the
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reward was getting to enjoy time together watching the music videos. I
remember being 8 years old and how very important it was to tape every
second of Thriller. There was this big build up to the debut of the video, it was like
a mini movie having ending credits and of course the whole turning-into-the-
scariest-werewolf-ever scene. I don’t know but that werewolf scared the buh-
jesus out of me, however I couldn't get enough of the song, the video, or the
dance! Even as a 2nd grader, if you didn't know at least a few of the steps from
Thriller, you were blacklisted on the playground.
I started sending and receiving text messages back and forth from various
friends including my brother, sister and father. Some knew more, some knew less.
remember being 8 years old and how very important it was to tape every
second of Thriller. There was this big build up to the debut of the video, it was like
a mini movie having ending credits and of course the whole turning-into-the-
scariest-werewolf-ever scene. I don’t know but that werewolf scared the buh-
jesus out of me, however I couldn't get enough of the song, the video, or the
dance! Even as a 2nd grader, if you didn't know at least a few of the steps from
Thriller, you were blacklisted on the playground.
I started sending and receiving text messages back and forth from various
friends including my brother, sister and father. Some knew more, some knew less.
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What is going on? I kept looking at the time, it was almost 6pm. I wanted to
remember what time it was, what was the weather like outside, where was I
sitting…
I wish I was in better touch with someone from my elementary school
(Wadsworth Avenue Elementary), so they can help me sharpen some of the
details. But in 1988 my grade put on some sort of performance on the black top
where about (45) 11 year olds, including myself, were choreographed to the
moves of Smooth Criminal, though come to think of it, it may have been Another
Part of Me. Man! We were wearing black loafers, with black slacks where the
legs were brought up enough to expose our white socks. But not just white socks
mind you, they had glue spray on them with silver glitter sprinkled over them.
Then the white pressed button down shirts and of course the glove, which
received the same production effects as the socks. To this day I am still a fan of
fedoras and jazz.
CNN now had the headline “Michael Jackson in Coma”, I was
becoming very hungry now for information. They were starting
to toss in all these other tangents like what was he doing taking
all kinds of prescriptions, the effects of that trial a few years ago,
his upcoming world tour, the alleged shady characters in his
immediate entourage…none of that mattered to me.
My family had become heavily involved with the The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints (Mormons) when I was a teenager. When burgeoning and
confusing feelings about my sexuality and core identity where near their most
intense, at age 17, I brought it up to my church leaders. Besides advising me to
pray, that following Sunday they stripped me of my Priesthood duties such as
blessing the sacrament, preaching with the missionaries, and teaching any
Sunday school classes. I just didn't know what to make of anything, especially
myself. There must be something wrong with me, very wrong. I must be
unworthy. But you know what, deep down I knew different. That same Sunday
remember what time it was, what was the weather like outside, where was I
sitting…
I wish I was in better touch with someone from my elementary school
(Wadsworth Avenue Elementary), so they can help me sharpen some of the
details. But in 1988 my grade put on some sort of performance on the black top
where about (45) 11 year olds, including myself, were choreographed to the
moves of Smooth Criminal, though come to think of it, it may have been Another
Part of Me. Man! We were wearing black loafers, with black slacks where the
legs were brought up enough to expose our white socks. But not just white socks
mind you, they had glue spray on them with silver glitter sprinkled over them.
Then the white pressed button down shirts and of course the glove, which
received the same production effects as the socks. To this day I am still a fan of
fedoras and jazz.
CNN now had the headline “Michael Jackson in Coma”, I was
becoming very hungry now for information. They were starting
to toss in all these other tangents like what was he doing taking
all kinds of prescriptions, the effects of that trial a few years ago,
his upcoming world tour, the alleged shady characters in his
immediate entourage…none of that mattered to me.
My family had become heavily involved with the The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints (Mormons) when I was a teenager. When burgeoning and
confusing feelings about my sexuality and core identity where near their most
intense, at age 17, I brought it up to my church leaders. Besides advising me to
pray, that following Sunday they stripped me of my Priesthood duties such as
blessing the sacrament, preaching with the missionaries, and teaching any
Sunday school classes. I just didn't know what to make of anything, especially
myself. There must be something wrong with me, very wrong. I must be
unworthy. But you know what, deep down I knew different. That same Sunday
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after church a song came on the radio, that I later taped and played over and
over. That song changed the way I looked at myself, and how I would respond to
came out to my peers, my parents, wore freedom rings to my graduation and
invited a male date to my senior prom.
The song behind that key life moment was,
The Man in the Mirror.
The headline was now “Michael Jackson is Dead.”
I turned away from the TV and grabbed my
headphones and my iPod. And played a song
that I remembered would bring me so much calm
and reflection, Stranger in Moscow. Happens to
be a favorite of my sister’s also.
I presume we will always remember where we were when
Michael Jackson died. My personal family history and memories
above are the best way I can possibly describe what Michael
Jackson meant to me and how his music influenced me, as it
has millions of us. He was a living legend, and icon, an
individual like no other.
It’s ironic really, that I feel he gave up his childhood so that I could have such
vivid moments in mine. The greatest and ultimate fact about Michael Jackson is
that his music is timeless, it will live on forever, and in turn so will he.
Thank you Michael, thank you.
CLICK HERE for more Armando Diaz Jr.
Copyright 2009| Ambiente. Do not reproduce without prior authorization.
over. That song changed the way I looked at myself, and how I would respond to
came out to my peers, my parents, wore freedom rings to my graduation and
invited a male date to my senior prom.
The song behind that key life moment was,
The Man in the Mirror.
The headline was now “Michael Jackson is Dead.”
I turned away from the TV and grabbed my
headphones and my iPod. And played a song
that I remembered would bring me so much calm
and reflection, Stranger in Moscow. Happens to
be a favorite of my sister’s also.
I presume we will always remember where we were when
Michael Jackson died. My personal family history and memories
above are the best way I can possibly describe what Michael
Jackson meant to me and how his music influenced me, as it
has millions of us. He was a living legend, and icon, an
individual like no other.
It’s ironic really, that I feel he gave up his childhood so that I could have such
vivid moments in mine. The greatest and ultimate fact about Michael Jackson is
that his music is timeless, it will live on forever, and in turn so will he.
Thank you Michael, thank you.
CLICK HERE for more Armando Diaz Jr.
Copyright 2009| Ambiente. Do not reproduce without prior authorization.
