Oh crap, not now!

Ok, I’m a Michael Jackson fan. Yep. I love him. I have rarely mentioned him here because he doesn’t play such a significant role in my life anymore — and well, his life has been quiet for the past few years. If I’m going to be honest, I went through many years of idolising him, probably to an unhealthy degree. I was never unrealistic though, I didn’t expect to marry him (haha), or be some super duper fan who would even get the chance to meet him….

But see, I decided that I wanted to try anyway so I turned 18 and went to see him in New York and met him — and actually had the amazing opportunity to chat with him and talk to him one-on-one… (All because I was Australian and had come ’so far!’ to see him!) … It made my … world… And again I met him in California in 2005 during the molestation trial. I have no shame in saying that I went specifically to show support — perhaps another face in the crowd, but it was during my coming to God that I went along and prayed about it for awhile before deciding to go. I won’t launch in to a huge rant on how innocent I knew he was, because I know most people believe he is guilty only because they didn’t actually see what went on inside the courtroom. I had the opportunity to sit in on the court hearing for a whole week even during the testimony of the mother of the child who was accusing. And even the jury laughed at her during her testimony — and the fact that he was vindicated should be enough. (How unfortunate that it’s not… Do people question a jury when someone is found guilty?)

Anyway. So… over the past few years my interest in Michael Jackson as a person has waned considerably. He has a huge place in my heart still, and at times I miss being a carefree fan that could just live and breathe MJ all day long and feel excitement from little things such as new photos popping up online, or a visit he might do to another country — but I don’t really… Crazy right? A far cry for me, considering at one point my (amazingly talented) friend and I ran the most successful Michael Jackson fan website on the internet. (http://www.steady-laughing.com)

I was driving home from classes the other day listening to Thriller album and I was thinking, Wow, I really miss Michael Jackson. There has been talk about a new album for about a year now but I adopted a very “I’ll believe it when I see it” attitude since it took 7 years between MJ’s 2 previous albums…. Then recently a good friend of mine who I met when I went to NYC to see MJ almost 10 years ago saw him in L.A and got to hang out with him for an hour or something — told me some promising tidbits of info… but still, believe it when I see it.

Well — Michael Jackson is currently in London and has set up a press conference at 4pm at the O2 arena– and there has been talk of this for months (and I paid absolutely no attention to it) … Michael hasn’t held a proper press conference for more than 12 years… and back then there were no phones, not everyone had the internet and the digital camera world wasn’t exactly prominent….. it’s such a different time in comparison to his last tour. No one does press conferences to announce this kind of stuff — but already it’s world wide news.  To be honest, I feel a bit giddy with excitement. Michael Jackson was in Australia 13 years ago this year — and I was only 13 at the time and probably the most obsessed you could imagine. (Think of a sickly 13 yr old talking about nothing but Michael Jackson all day every single day. Watching nothing but Michael Jackson videos, listening to nothing but Michael Jackson music, looking at nothing but Michael Jackson books…) I was unfortunately really sick though, and at the time of his concert, I was in hospital having a stupid bypass surgery!! … Gutted (haha, I made a funny, I was gutted – literally!) and I never let my parents forget it. (Like it was somehow their fault!)  so I never got to see him live. When I was in NYC there was an opportunity for me to see him perform live but I got thwarted by some evil fans who forgot about the little Aussie girl and didn’t put me on a “list” that Michael’s security asked them to make.

So….. I think it’s fair to say, MJ probably wont be doing a lot of huge tours anymore. And while I in all honesty, don’t feel that same awe about him as a person (as in he’s not God… God is God…) I am definitely still in awe of whatever he does music wise. And while I’d probably never think about going to see him in another country to just watch him go shopping, or sit outside of a hotel with 100 other fans for a week straight — I am kind of quietly considering going to London if the concerts are later in the year.

I am sort of … bashful about it because I wouldn’t want to do something that’s morally wrong, but intentions are pretty clear…. If I didn’t go, and it was his last concerts, then I’d be in regret for awhile… But, why England!? The place where the money is probably the most expensive in comparison to Australian dollars — worse than USA!! If it were in Vegas like originally planned, it’d take me 3 months to save! I’d be there, but oh no…. it’s gotta be London. How does one find cheap accom in London? How does one afford to EAT in London???

These are all very important things to consider… lol.

So basically, after talking about it with my Mum — if I am not putting myself out financially (as in I am not sacrificing anything stupid to go), if I am able to get tickets for a reasonable price, and if my conscience is clear about my intentions — then it’s not bad to go… There could be 1000 worse things I could be doing….

After all this excitement it really would be funny if this press conference is to announce that actually there won’t be any concerts, he is tired of the rumours and thought he would come to the O2 to set things straight. Hahaha. He’s so … pretty.