Thoughts of Michael J. Jackson

Michael's Christmas Story

2011-12-05T06:08:00.000-08:00

Perhaps you have had read this story,

thought I want to re-post this to welcoming the special moment of the year, Christmas :))

------------------------

My close encounter with Michael Jackson

By Gwen J. Cariño (The Philippine Star)

Updated July 05, 2009

Handing out a loot bag to a boy during the Orphan‘s Christmas Party held at Manila Hotel on December 1996

MANILA, Philippines – When I was a PR officer at Manila Hotel, I was assigned to head the annual Orphan’s Christmas Party where 300 children from different orphanages around Metro Manila were treated to a day of fun and surprises. It was one of the biggest projects on my plate and it was such a challenge to focus on work the day before the big event, knowing Michael Jackson was billeted in the hotel.

Two nights before, I had been fortunate to be part of his welcome line at the hotel lobby together with the rest of the PR and sales staff but was content enough to see him walk by.

The day before, a guy claiming to be Michael Jackson’s aide from Mamarao Productions came to the office. I couldn’t recall his name but he looked for the “person in charge” and said his boss had read the announcement about the event in the Dear Guest flyers we had circulated to all the rooms a week before. Michael wanted to know how he could help. His aide went up to the Penthouse and down to the PR office several times after we gave our suggestions.

Michael offered to fill up the 300 loot bags with goodies and toys, candies and chocolates. But after getting close to 50 sponsors, it was actually a problem for us to dispose of everything.

So I thought hard…how can the King of Pop meaningfully join the affair? I couldn’t possibly have him be with the kids in the palayok game or the pabitin as he might end up being mobbed! And since the annual event was really all about giving, I mustered all my courage and told the Mamarao guy that the best thing I could think of was for Michael to literally be present to help distribute the loot bags, sign autographs and pose with the children for photos. “Wow, that may not be easy. You’re talking about handing goodie bags to 300 children and I can just imagine the chaos. We’ll see, Ms. Jacinto. I’ll get back to you,” he said.

Lunch break came and it was the most hurried one I ever took in my entire life. It wasn’t until after 5 p.m. that Michael‘s aide came back and said, “Michael is more than happy to do whatever you suggest. How do we go about it tomorrow?”

I wanted to scream. I had to calm myself and regain composure as the Lizzie Maguire in me said, “Get real, get back into focus.”

We agreed that Michael would join after the games, musical program and snacks, and at the last part to give out the loot bags. My colleague Annette Africano and boss Dulce Agnir requested for additional security around the garden and the stage area as this was where we decided to distribute the gifts. We made sure the children would form an orderly line.

Then the moment arrived. It was at the Champagne Gardens on Dec. 7, 1996. I was surprised to see him walking towards us, guided by his aide. Michael came up to me as I had to brief him.

“Hi, how are you? Thanks so much for letting me in, I know I’m early ’coz I didn’t want to miss the program.”

I said, “Are you kidding? Thanks so much for volunteering! Here’s what Michael, why don’t you just sit here and watch the musical numbers before we get into the gift giving. I will have to tweak the program a bit.”

He replied, “Sure, anything you say… (pausing to look at my name tag) Gwen!”

I was stunned at how incredibly sweet and modest he was. And in my mind it was, “Oh my God, this is really happening!”

Amazing how he patiently sat through the whole program. Carol Banawa, then an Ang TV mainstay couldn’t believe MJ was watching her perform. She had her red blouse signed by him right after her number. Then followed Stefano Mori’s dance number. Later, his back up singers and dancers came up on stage followed by select kids from different orphanages who danced to the beat of Billie Jean. Oh, the smile on Michael’s face was just amazing.

Then we announced that Michael will be distributing gifts onstage. I explained to him that there’s a loot bag for the younger kids and another for the older ones and he nodded. The thrill and excitement he gave those children was incredibly touching. It was in between the gift bag distribution that I caught a glimpse of MJ, not as a performer but as a person.

It was one in the afternoon. Santa Claus (David Endriga, a friend of fellow PR officer Francis Capistrano) was with us. The heat was scourging and I was worried that Michael felt so hot with his black long-sleeved signature attire and hat.

“Are you alright Michael? We can let you take a break,” I asked.

He said, “I’m cool Gwen. Just imagine how Santa feels inside his velvet suit and beard. We’ll be fine.”

I never heard him complain or say a word about how hot it was or how long the line was. He had the most beautiful manners. He didn’t even ask for a drink or a towel to wipe his sweat but one of our banquet staff made sure he got a glass of fresh orange juice.

An hour passed and we were halfway through gift-giving when we noticed that the garden was getting filled up. Suddenly, there were people from media, politicians, officials and hotel guests including those in a wedding reception at the nearby Champagne Room who deserted the newly-weds just to get a glimpse of the King of Pop.

“Oh oh, this isn’t supposed to be, I’m so sorry,” I said.

"It’s all right, we’ll get through it,” Michael said smiling.

As we finished giving out the last loot bag to an 11-year-old orphan, a new line of more kids and adults formed. Michael’s bodyguard, Wayne, said. “We can leave now.”

Michael replied calmly, “We can’t leave when there are still people in line. It’s Christmas, dude.”

I felt my heart beat faster and the hair on my arms and the back of my neck stood up. He wasn’t just the most electrifying performer, but the most generous person.

One of the most memorable moments was when a lady came up to him for an autograph. Laughing and holding his tummy, he said “Hey Gwen, you’ve gotta check this out. He whispered, “It’s a blank check. The lady is making me sign on a blank check.”

We laughed hard and little did we know that it wasn’t even half of the comedy. He later showed me and Wayne other stuff people would use or pick up on the ground when they couldn’t find paper for him to sign on. One lady made him sign at the back of her elegant, designer Filipiniana gown. One teenager came up to him holding a dead leaf and another one, a popped balloon. Imagine how our laughter ballooned as well.

It was an amazing, genuine experience. At one point he asked if I was going to catch his History concert and I said “tomorrow night.”

“Oh, you’ll have a blast!” Michael told me.

At this point he became concerned about the stage as adults outnumbered the kids. His face had nervousness written all over it but he still didn’t complain. He tapped the wooden floor with his foot several times making sure it was sturdy enough not to fall apart. “I’ve experienced the stage collapse and I just want to make sure we’re all safe here,” he explained.

Half of me wanted the line to finish because we were literally melting and worried about our safety, but half of me didn’t, knowing that once the line ended, Michael will leave.

At some point it did end. I managed to get an autograph for my sisters and me before our general manager, Clem Pablo, requested him to sing Give Love on Christmas Day.

Cesar Sarino, one of the hotel’s officials, addressed his thank you note to the King of Pop. Then I saw his guards and aides whisking Michael off stage.

I said in my mind, “Oh man, I didn’t even have the chance to say goodbye.”

Suddenly, I saw Michael return on stage and say, “Thanks so much to you and your team, Gwen. This really means a lot.”

Then he held me beside him and said, “I’ll see you at the concert.”

As Michael Jackson is laid to rest and returned to pristine condition in the afterlife, these two incredible acts of the King of Pop — volunteering for charity and unselfishly spending time with the less fortunate, will forever be the way I will remember this man.

----------------------------

Here's the video :)

Enjoy your Christmas season, everyone :))

Peace around the world and may the joy of Christmas spirit be inside of us - not only on Christmas seasons, but through the year of our life.

I love you, Michael

and I love you all ♥

For those who want to read/watch Michael's Christmas message, click here: Michael's Christmas Messages

Respecting Michael's own words, and others'

2011-12-03T00:42:00.000-08:00

I've been on twitter for one and a half year with a dedicated account to share Michael's own words. I tweeted what I read, watched and listened, may it's from his songs, interviews, dialogues, speeches, and other sources that came out from his own, written or spoken.

I don't mind if anyone copied and tweeted the quote I just tweeted, because it's not mine, it's Michael's, and my goal on twitter is to share Michael's words around the world. (Yes, I see several times it happened, sometimes they 'favorited' my tweet to tweet it on their account... perhaps it's hard to click the RT button.)

BUT anyways,

What saddens me is, to see other quoted some words/statement/phrase and claimed it as Michael's when actually they're NOT.

For instance, I saw someone quoted: "Those who know don't talk, those who talk don't know." and says that it's Michael's -- NOPE, it's not, it's Lao Tzu's.

And, read this:

"God knows the truth, and that's what really matters to me" ~ Michael Jackson -

Michael never literally said that.... (???)

"God will handle the situation" ~ Michael Jackson --tell me, when did he say this?

Or,

why changing his words to this -- "Before you know if you have red or brown hair, if your black or white, or what religion you are apart of, u must know that your loved" ~MJ

while the exact words from him:

"Before you know if you have red hair or brown, before you know if you are black or white, before you know of what religion you are a part, you have to know that you are loved." ~ Michael Jackson ~

I know the messages are alike, but it's still not his.

Anyway,

I just need to post this on my blog, I hope you guys who read this, Please...:

- Do not use other's words as if it's Michael's..

- Don't write your own words and put is as Michael's

- and please,... you do NOT need to change his words, as if you're revising his statements. His words are beautiful as the person he was.

If you don't like them how they are, leave them, dont' change anything.

If you have no time to check what's the real phrase? Leave it and let it up to others who lovingly quote the right words, there several others who are dedicating their accounts to spread MJ's quotes: @InDefenseofMJ, @MJJQuotes, @MJQuoteOfTheDay, @omgmjquotes

Just,

if you want to respect other,

start from the very single thing: RESPECT your own IDOL.

It may be simple, but every thing start from the simple thing.

Life is about Perception, through a camera

2011-12-02T17:00:00.000-08:00

MJ: The tabloid press ... that kind of press .. Not the press ... the tabloids ... the paparazzi ... that type. I've been running for my life like that ... hiding, getting away. You can't go that way cause they're over there ... well let's go this way and pretend we're going that way ... and we'll go that way. Somebody should say, " Hold on! Stop! This person deserves their privacy. You are not allowed to go there!" I go around the world dealing with running and hiding. You can't ... I can't take a walk in the park ... I can't go to the store ... you can't ... I have to hide in the room. You feel like you're in prison.

BW: What's been the most intrusive thing? What's the worst?

MJ: They always have been ... they go as far as to hide things into places. They'll slide a machine up under the toilet ... tch, tch, tch, tch [Michael makes a sound effect like clicking a camera] ... and you go, "Oh, my God!" They've done that.

BW: When you came into this hotel, you had to come in ... or you felt you had to come in ... through the kitchen.

MJ: I've been doing it for years. In many lobbies, I have never seen the front door. Never.

Just want to share a story tale about Michael from Margena A. Christan, a EBONY senior writer -- @MargenaXan

When I visited Los Olivos, Calif., where MJ's Neverland Ranch was located, I was pleasantly surprised at how nice everyone in town appeared.

While staying at a little hotel there, I met a hotel worker. He was also a photographer.

He told me how MJ would often walk around town alone. Everyone knew him. Nobody bothered him. He LOVED nature and people.

The man also taught photography at a local college in Los Olivos. He recalled meeting MJ.

The man told me that MJ was very fascinated with his camera. He wanted to hold it and examine it. MJ asked him lots of questions.

Like most Virgos, he was inquisitive. The man said that MJ was a joy to speak with. He wanted to see the photographer's work.

A small detail though it may be, the man was delighted that MJ took an interest in photography.

The man said he asked how everything on the camera worked. He studied it closely. MJ was also pleased to learn the man was a professor.

What stood out most about meeting the man was how he held on to the fact that MJ was so "normal." How MJ was a "regular" guy.

At the front gate of Neverland, I met many of MJ's neighbors. One told me, "He'd come out and stand where you are and talk to us."

He had so much land that he'd rent space so the neighbors could allow their animals a place on Neverland.

Life is about perception. The world saw MJ as a "freak" and "strange" person. I never saw him that way. The people I met didn't either.

The glass really is half full. It's how you view things. MJ was a man full of questions. He was a man who enjoyed learning about a camera.

His fascination seems to make sense now. His entire life folks chased him around w/a camera hoping to get picture.

Little things in life mean so much. Understanding the enemy, in MJ's case the camera, might have been important for him. Who knows?

Story tale from @MargenaXan's tweets

"I can look at a painting and lose myself. It pulls you in, all the pathos and drama. It communicates with you. You can sense what the artist was feeling.

I feel the same way about photography.

A poignant or strong photograph can speak volumes."

~ Michael Jackson ~

Any picture can give you many perceptions on your mind, though most of the time it depends how the photographer captures the images. Sadly, the media/tabloids make pictures of Michael to earn money, get ratings and for their own fame without even try to touch the essence of the man himself.

"I just hope that one day that they will be fair and portray me the way I really am,

just a loving and peaceful guy wanting to make wonderful, unprecedented entertainment and songs and music and film for the world, you know that's all I wanna do,

I am no threat, I just wanna do that, that's all I wanna do.

I want to be a joy to the world."

~ Michael Jackson ~

What is it that so hard to see him fairly? He had gave his life for the world, and for the children!!

We Call Him Peter Pan

2011-10-17T01:45:00.002-07:00

♫ What kind of man

Who gives so much

And we not understand.. ♫

source pic

When the first time I listened to the album of "Beats of Our Hearts" released by MJTP, this song left me in silence because of its lyrics. Michael always said that he's Peter Pan. and he always mentioned how he loved Neverland so much...

I said, that one day I should make something with this song. And so I did, I made this video:

 "Peter Pan, to me, represents something that is very special in my heart.

It represents youth, childhood, never growing up, magic, flying, everything I think that children and wonderment and magic, what it's all about."

~ Michael Jackson ~

♫ A man who loves and cares for all children

And yet they all misunderstand

We call him Peter, Peter Pan

His spirit lives in Michael's Never Neverland ♫

Michael's words about Neverland:

"Neverland appeals to the child inside of every man, woman and child."

"[Neverland] It’s a place where I feel that you can return to your childhood."

"[Neverland] It’s just a fun place. I love it.

And … I will always love it and I will never, ever sell Neverland.

Neverland is me, you know.

It’s, it represents the… totality of who I am. It really does.

I love Neverland."

Thanks to Tony Wilson who wrote this song. He was inspired in 2004 because of the Granada Television documentary Living with Michael Jackson with journalist Martin Bashir. (source)

"I hope this song changes the mindset of people and stops the negativity around his life...and death," said Wilson.

Why Peter Pan?

In an interview with MJTP, he added:

"Peter Pan came to life in Michael Jackson. They connected as one, and the adult world wasn’t ready for a magical human being to be in existence here on Earth. Michael was being the real Peter Pan; the human form of him, and he was very serious about it emotionally, physically, and with mind, body and soul; not as a character, but as a natural human having that forever spirit of love, giving, sharing and believing."

"I'm Peter Pan."

"But I'm Peter Pan in my heart."

~ ♥ ~ Michael Jackson ~ ☀ ~

source

We Call Him Peter Pan, by Tony Wilson

Full lyrics:

Michael we will always believe in you and to us you are Peter Pan

What kind of man

Who gives so much

And we not understand

That he cares so much for the children

In this cold ,cold earthly land

He is hurt, betrayed and a father

A human being with a broken heart

When he was young, he sang with his brothers

And now you look, and turn away

We call him Peter, Peter Pan

His spirit lives in Michael's Never Neverland

We call him Peter, 'cause we're the fans

He will never grow up and become a man

Mum and Dad you both were children

So I know you'll understand

How I love to play with laughter

Or walk with just holding hands

You taught me never accuse somebody

Mistaken water just for sand

A man who loves and cares for all children

And yet they all misunderstand

We call him Peter, Peter Pan

His spirit lives in Michael's Never Neverland

We call him Peter, 'cause we're the fans

He will never grow up and become a man

What's the matter with you?

I've thought you knew me too

I didn't just arrive

You knew me since I was nine

I have a family too

I'm just as innocent as you

Oooh why?

We call him Peter, Peter Pan

His spirit lives in Michael's Never Neverland

We call him Peter, 'cause we're the fans

He will never grow up and become a man

What do you do when you're telling the truth?

We call him Peter, Peter Pan

His spirit lives in Michael's Never Neverland

We call him Peter, 'cause we're the fans

He will never grow up and become a man

Never, never grow up and become a man

----

"I would love to come back as, as,

as a child that never grows old, like Peter Pan." ♥

~ Michael Jackson ~

(Pictures above are not mine, click on each pic will lead you to the source)

Watching from the Moon

2011-09-23T03:53:00.000-07:00

I want to share a poem that is written by one of my favorite (local) poet from Indonesia, Sapardi Djoko Damono. This poem is called "The Day Will Come". Every time I read this poem, I always remember Michael, just in replacing the word 'poem' with 'song'...

and the song of "One Day in Your Life" keep playing in my mind.

So, here we go....

The Day Will Come

The day will come

When my body no longer exists

But in the lines of this poem [song]

I will never let you be alone

The day will come

When my voice is no longer heard

But within the words of this poem [song]

I will continue to watch over you

The day will come

When my dreams are no longer known

But in the spaces found in the letters of this poem [song]

I will never tired of looking for you

For the love that Michael had shared with us,

that we shall continue to spread his words and realize his dreams,

knowing he is watching from above, and he will never leave us...

Always remember: We are not alone, we never will

The Moonwalker is watching from the Moon

Artwork: copyright of @MyMjjTribute

♪♫ Would you ever even dream

To go to the extreme?

And would you ever wanna

Be the one to rescue me?

On the moon,

that's where you'll find me soon.. ♪♫

"A star can never die.

It just turns into a smile and melts back into the cosmic music, the dance of life"

~ Michael Jackson ~

You were there, and I'll never let you part

2011-08-29T10:29:00.000-07:00

Video for Michael on his birthday 2011...

The song, "You Were There" where he sang it for Sammy Davis, Jr., also expresses my messages to him, that he were here with us, against the unfair life he had gone through..

and yet, he won the day because he had successfully surpassed it all..

That's not all, he had also open my heart for the better: "I'm here, because you were there.."

I added the clip of "Will You Be There" to let him know that

I'll never let him part of me, and that he will always in my heart, forever...

To Make My [His] Father Proud

2011-08-20T10:57:00.000-07:00

The young kid who wanted to make his father proud, and his mother smile ♥

on 3:06 ~ his name, 'Michael' itself means 'who is like God'

lyrics:

To make my father proud

To make my mother smile

I need not conquer worlds or fame

Nor set the pace for style

If I can follow through

On what they gave me as my tools

I'll find a way to sail my course

Avoiding ships of fools

If I don't come up, number one

I'll stand not well apart

As one for numbered numbers

When knowing in my heart

I've done all to be done

To always do my best

By listening to me, myself

So he can do or else

For without compromise,

shall flower the fruit of constant care

In my eleventh hour,

I'll be a man when

To face whatever falls my way

Prepare that utter shame

To just be called a part of God

For which I have been named

A man and woman's youngest son

While growing, still a child

And that will make my father proud

And make my mother smile

Proud

--------

I do not own all these clips, and all these clips are from the movie of "Motown on Showtime: Michael Jackson, the Legend Continues" (1988)

Africa: Michael Jackson and Nelson Mandela

2011-08-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

I made this video Africa: Michael Jackson and Nelson Mandela,

the only thing that triggered me to make this video is knowing that Michael and Nelson Mandela has been a good friends for years,

and a good friends becomes a GREAT friends when they both are inspired by each other to do great things... "Great Friends inspire others to do Great Things."

Nelson Mandela has inspired Michael to write "What More Can I give"...

"In an earlier conversation I had this year with President Mandela," said Michael in 1999, "we discussed the concept of giving, and the words 'what more can I give' kept coming into my mind... we all have to do what we can, to help end the needless suffering in the world."

From Michael, Nelson Mandela found his strength...

MANDELA: MICHAEL JACKSON GIVES ME STRENGTH: King of Pop a Source of Inspiration, Former South African President Says

“When you are behind bars with no hope of release, you need to find strength wherever you can,” President Mandela said in an exclusive interview, “Personally, I found strength in Michael Jackson.” (2005)

The former South African president said that while imprisoned in the 1980’s, he drew emotional sustenance from following Michael Jackson’s recording career.

“It took great courage to leave the Jackson Five and go solo,” President Mandela said. “I thought to myself, if he had the courage to do that, I, too, must have the will to go on.”

Nelson Mandela's story has given Michael a lot of strength

Q: ....Because you go from being held so high and now your very character, your very integrity is under attack. How your handling it?

Michael: "I’m handling it by using other people in the past who have gone through this sort of thing. Mandela’s story is giving me a lot of strength, what he’s gone through..." (2005)

About them, from Michael's own words:

"He [Hitler] built that anger, so strong, while [Nelson] Mandela did the opposite. He became a lamb in prison. He had no bitterness, to this day saying even though he is eighty and his youth is gone—because he was in prison so long—he doesn't regret any of it."

"He [Nelson Mandela] is sweet, very childlike."

Q: Does he like to giggle?

"He [Nelson Mandela] loves children because when I went to see him I had some kids with me and people were saying the kids have to stay, but Michael Jackson can come. I said. "I'm sure Mr. Mandela wouldn't mind seeing children. I won't go in unless the children go too." I remember his representatives looked at me like this [makes stern and suspicious facial expression] and they went back and then they said, "Everybody come." The first thing Mandela did is run to the children and pick them up and hug them. I knew he was that kind of man and he loved them. He was talking to them and then he shook my hand. I knew I was right." ~ Michael Jackson ~

And, in September 4, 1999: Michael presented Nelson Mandela with a check for 1,000,000 South African rand for the “Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.”

For Michael, Wherever You Are...

2011-08-12T09:05:00.000-07:00

So,

it was some days when I didn't feel Michael around,

I thought, perhaps I've been abandoned him for so long since I've been so busy with my study and everything.. and plus, my excitement was for the new movie of Winnie The Pooh (Yes, that's my favorite Disney's character, lol)

But, then I found this video of Winnie the Pooh:

and its lyrics really express my feelings of Michael...

"I need you to come here and find me

Cause without you Im totally lost

I`ve hung a wish on every star

It hasnt done much good so far

I can only dream of you

Wherever you are..."

So, I decided to make a video of Michael with this song:

"I used to believe in forever

but forever's to good to be true

I've hung a wish on every star,

it hasn't done much good so far...."

I represent myself as Katie [Moonwalker],

which at the end, she said: "THANK YOU, Michael, Good bye..."

"I don't know what else to do,

except to try to dream of you.

I wonder if you're dreaming too,

wherever you are..."

Keep the Faith

2011-07-31T07:38:00.000-07:00

Suffer from low self-esteem?

Don't believe in yourself?

Have lots of doubts in life?

BUT you still wanna succeed in life?

Still have dreams to reach?

Hey, KEEP your FAITH!

Here's what Michael taught us:

"You can't do your best when you're doubting yourself.

If you don't believe in yourself, who will?

Just doing as well as you did last time is not good enough.

I think of it as the "Try to get what you can" mentality."

~ Michael Jackson ~ [Moonwalk]

Michael Jackson's MENTAL PROGRAM -

THOUGHT OF THE SUBCONSCIOUS TO BECOME THE BEST

Dream: Greatest Actor, Singer, Dancer of all time and Entertainer, The Best.

Confidence

Faith

Persistence

Belief

Study the great of your field and become Greater.

Know the secrets of your endeavor "The Method"

Mind Target: Control and Influence the subconscious

Best in your field

Be Scientist know. The Great's Method

Try out and then perfect it.

Move Mountains

True Training: A never ending persistence to equal or exceed the performance in your minds eye

(In Photos: Michael Jackson wrote this in the early 80's in his home in Encino California. This really defines how Michael wanted to become the greatest by not only working so hard but also conditioning his mind. First thing that comes to my mind after seeing this is I want to share this amazing writing to everyone especially to young MJ Lovers out there that like Michael, every dream is possible as long as you are willing to put your heart and soul into it. Passionate Michael became THE GREATEST because of he is willing to work so hard (no short cut), to sacrifice and also condition his mind. He fights for his dream. No wonder, everyone looks up to Michael and wanted to be like him. Michael will continue to inspire... It's up to us now how we will fight for our dream like Mike. Or it can never be done :) FIGHT FOR YOUR DREAM #MJFAM! )

---

If you wanna be like Michael, on @MJJPhotos has said it all :)

REMEMBER this:

"I believe we are powerful, but we don't use our minds to full capacity.

Your mind is powerful enough to help you attain whatever you want."

~ Michael Jackson ~ [Moonwalk]

Life is not easy, it never has and never will.

Problem is part of our life, and it will always be. In fact, I've learned that those who do not have problem are INDEED is having problem.

and how we deal and overcome the problem shall enrich our life-skills.

So, don't worry, problem exists to be solved anyway. :)

by MyMjjTribute

- do not copy or steal this artwork - respect the copyrights of ownership -

"No matter what, the most powerful thing in the world is

the human mind and prayer, and belief in your self and confidence and perseverance.

No matter how many times you do it, you do it again until it's right.

And always believe in your self.

And not matter who's around you that's being negative or thrusting negative energy at you, totally block it off.

Because whatever you believe, you become.

~ Michael Jackson, 2001 ~

I believe, Michael's fans, MJFam want to be mike-like,

and as Michael's ambassador, we should practice his words in our daily life.

If something or even someone bothers you, in every precedents of life, ask yourself, 'what would Michael do and/or say?'

"Even if you're sweeping floors or painting ceilings,

do it better than anybody in the world, no matter what it is that you do.

Be the best at it,

and have a respect for others, and be proud of yourself..

and to honor; be honorable,"

~ Michael Jackson, 2001 ~

I'm not always have confident on myself either, I have low self-esteem and many doubts, but yes, I still have many goals to reach.. and reading these words has made encouraged me to step forward realizing my dreams.

"If you enter this world knowing you are loved

and you leave this world knowing the same,

then everything that happens in between can he dealt with.

A professor may degrade you, but you will not feel degraded,

a boss may crush you, but you will not be crushed,

a corporate gladiator might vanquish you, but you will still triumph.

How could any of them truly prevail in pulling you down?

For you know that you are an object worthy of love.

The rest is just packaging."

~ Michael Jackson, 2001 ~

Here's my favorite quote of Michael that had triggered me moving out my comfort zone to reach my dreams and goals:

"And no matter what, no star is too far to reach and you never give up."

~ Michael Jackson, 2005 ~

Have a good day, everyone,

and remember: KEEP THE FAITH

Mm-hmm

If you call out loud

Will it get inside?

Through the heart of your surrender

To your alibis

And you can

Say the words

Like you understand

But the power's in believing

So give yourself a chance

Cuz you can

Climb the highest mountain

Swim the deepest sea-ee

All you need is the will to want it

And a Little self-esteem

So keep the faith

Don't let nobody turn you round

You got to know when it's good to go

To get your dreams up off the ground

So keep the faith, baby yeah

Because it's just a matter of time

Before your confidence will win out

Believe in yourself no matter what it's gonna take

You can be a winner but you gotta keep the faith

Gon' keep it brother

You got

And when you think of trust

Does it lead you home?

To a place that you only dream of

When you're all alone

And you can go by feel

'Stead of circumstance

But the power's in believing

So give yourself a chance

I know that you can

Sail across the water

Float across the sky-i

Any road that you take will get you there

If you only try

So keep the faith

Don't let nobody take you down brother

Just keep your eyes on the prize

Feet flat on the ground

So keep the faith

Baby yeah

Because it's just a matter of time

Before your confidence will win out

I told my brother how to do the thing right

Lift up your head and show the world you got pride

Go for what you want

Don't let them get in your way

You can be a winner but you gotta

Keep the faith

Gon' keep it brother

You got

I know that keepin the faith

Means never givin up on love

But the power that love has

Has to make it right

Makes it

Makes it right

So keep the faith

Don't let nobody turn you round brother

You got to know when it's good to go

Get your dreams up off of the ground

So keep the faith, baby yeah

Because it's just a matter of time

Before your confidence will win out

Better stand up and act like you wanna do it right

Don't play the fool for the rest of your life

Work on it brother and you'll make it someday

Go for what you want and don't forget the faith

Look at yourself and what your doin right now

Stand back a minute just to check yourself out

Straighten up your life and how your livin each day

Get yourself together cuz you gotta keep the faith

Don't let nobody take you down brother

Just keep your eyes on the prize

Your feet flat on the ground

So keep the faith, baby yeah

Because it's just a matter of time

Before your confidence will win out

Lift up your mind before your mind gets blown

Some things in life you're best just leave them alone

Go for what you want

Don't let it get in your way

You can make it happen but you gotta keep the faith Gon' keep it brother

You got to keep the faith

Yeah keep the faith

Gon' keep it sista

You got to keep the faith

I told my brother how to do the thing right

Lift up your head and show the world you got pride

Go for what you want

Don't let them get in your way

You can be a winner if you keep the faith

Straighten out yourself and get your mind on track

Dust off your butt and get your self-respect back

You've know me long enough to know that I don't play

Take it like you want it but you got to keep the faith

Gon'

Vibe, March 2002

2011-07-12T08:24:00.001-07:00

VIBE Magazine, 2002

After more than 30 years of creating music, Michael Jackson remains an enigma. Regina Jones sits down with the mysterious legend to discuss hip hop, life as a single parent, and the unexpected joys of an all-out water-balloon fight.

I first met Michael Jackson some 33 years ago when Diana Ross introduced the Jackson 5-then a brand-new Motown act-to 350 music and media folk at the Daisy Club in Beverly Hills. My husband, Ken, and I were then publishing Soul, one of the first national black-entertainment newsmagazines.

Ten-year-old Michael already knew how to charm a crowd. Acknowledging Diana's support, he said, "After singing for four years and not becoming a star, I thought I would never be discovered-that is, until Miss Ross came along to save my career."

Just four months later, the Jackson 5's first single, "I Want You Back," soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts, followed two months later by "ABC." Thousands of letters from across the country poured into our mailbox. Responding to the Jackson's first tour, one reader wrote: "Those youngsters performed in a manner that could be harmful to one's health. The heart can only stand so much soul, and their performance was definitely an overdose."

Over the next decade, Soul kept up with the Jackson family as a guest at parties, weddings, and concerts. We were also regular visitors to the family home, where Michael-soft-spoken, polite, curious, and quiet-was usually off by himself, drawing or playing with his snakes and other pets, while his older brothers, cousins, and visitors played basketball. But when Soul stopped publishing in 1980, I lost touch with the family.

And then Michael became a pop-culture superstar, changing the face of music, dance, fashion, and music video with hit after hit. He was idolized and chased by fans and media wherever he went. He took an art form, refined and packaged it, and became an international icon. The American Music Awards recently named him the Artist of the Century. When it comes to the King of Pop, the world is insatiable.

You can tell a lot about someone by the people who work for him. Arriving at Michael's 2,700-acre Neverland Valley Ranch in Los Olivos, Calif., north of Santa Barbara, I'm greeted by some of the 70-odd members of Michael's exceedingly friendly staff, which helps the self-proclaimed King of Pop maintain the complex and welcomes busloads of visitors a year, mostly kids who suffer terminal illnesses.

Dressed in black slacks, white socks, black loafers, and a soft yellow shirt, Michael greets me with a warm hello and a big hug. He then excuses himself to see about his son, Prince, 5, and daughter, Paris, 3, who have just returned from a long walk and are excitedly chattering to their dad about their day. The governess, who closely resembles Michael's mother, Katherine, suggests I have a brief look around the ranch before dark. So I take off in a battery-powered golf cart, while Michael spends time with his babies.

I discover an amusement park, playground, train station, arcade, zoo, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, bumper-car tent, and various areas where animals roam free. I spot a llama, a parrot, a cheetah, a pony, and several deer.

Michael is ready to talk when I return 45 minutes later. I've brought along a bound volume of Soul, and he looks at the old photos and laughs at himself, his brothers, and a picture of Diana Ross. "Do you remember interviewing me when I was little?" he asks, reminding me of the time Soul talked to him through his "interpreter," Janet. "It wasn't a game, it was real," he says. "I felt afraid. I felt that if my sister was there, the person would go easier on me."

Often very animated, Michael goes from a whisper to raucous laughter in a split second. The only matter that he refuses to address is his plastic surgery. "That's a stupid question," he says. "That's one reason that I didn't do interviews for years."

At a time when stars routinely boast about their Bentleys and bling-bling, Michael is singularly modest. He brushes off a question about his financial health-there have been recent reports of trouble-saying only, "I'm taken care of fine." Michael makes money when he sleeps. He owns half of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, which includes most of the Beatles catalog as well as songs by Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, Babyface, and Elvis.

At 43, Michael is indisputably back. Invincible, his first album in four years, was No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. His two sold-out tribute shows at Madison Square Garden last September (just before the terrorist attacks) were later aired as a CBS special watched by more than 25.7 million viewers, making it that network's highest-rated music special of all time.

As we resume the conversation that began so many years ago, I discover that, in spite of all the flash and tumult of Michael's time in the spotlight, he's remarkably unchanged-still caring, inquisitive, and sensitive.

---

VIBE: How is it to be competing for sales with the likes of 'N Sync and Britney Spears, children who were basically born at the height of your fame?

MJ: It's a rarity. I had No. 1 records in 1969 and '70, and still entered the charts in 2001 at No. 1. I don't think any other artist has that range. It's a great honor. I'm happy; I don't know what else to say. I'm glad people accept what I do.

VIBE: What are your thoughts on the current state of R&B?

MJ: I don't categorize music. Music is music. They changed the word R&B to rock 'n' roll. It has always been, from Fats Domino to Little Richard to Chuck Berry. How can we discriminate? It is what it is-great music, you know.

VIBE: Are you feeling hip hop?

MJ: I like a lot of it, a lot of it. I like the music. I don't like the dancing that much. It looks like they're doing aerobics.

VIBE: How did you decide to feature Biggie Smalls on "Unbreakable," off Invincible?

MJ: It wasn't my idea, actually. It was Rodney Jerkins, one of the writer/ producers working on the album. It was my idea to put a rap part on the song, and he said, "I know just the perfect one-Biggie." He put it in, and it worked perfectly.

VIBE: Why did you choose Jay-Z for the remix of the first single," You Rock My World"?

MJ: He's hip, the new thing, and he's with the kids today. They like his work. He's tapped into the nerve of popular culture. It just made good sense.

VIBE: What was it like for you to appear at New York's Hot 97 Summer Jam concert as Jay-Z's guest?

MJ: I just showed up and gave him a hug. There was a tumultuous explosion of applause and stomping, a lovely, lovely welcome, and I was happy about that. It was a great feeling-the love, the love.

VIBE: Does it bother you to see people emulate you, such as Usher, Sisqo, Ginuwine, and even Destiny's Child?

MJ: I don't mind it at all. These are artists who grew up with my music. When you grow up listening to somebody you admire, you tend to become them. You want to look like them, to dress like them. When I was little, I was James Brown, I was Sammy Davis Jr., so I understand it. It's a compliment.

VIBE: Did you know that you were creating timeless classics when you were recording Thriller and Off The Wall?

MJ: Yes, not to be arrogant, but yes. Because I know great material when I hear it, and melodically and sonically and musically, it's so moving. They keep the promise.

VIBE: Do you feel there's greater acceptance of black artists these days?

MJ: I think people have always admired black music since the beginning of time, if you want to go back to Negro spirituals. Today, the market is just accepting the fact that that's the sound. From Britney to 'N Sync, they're all doing the R&B thing. Even Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, he always tells me [imitating a British accent], "Man, we do R&B." I say, Barry, I don't categorize it, but it's great music. I understand where he's coming from. I love great music-it has no color, it has no boundaries.

VIBE: You seem to be enjoying life as a single parent.

MJ: I never had so much fun in all my life. That's the truth. Because I'm this big kid, and now I get to see the world through the eyes of the really young ones. I learn more from them than they learn from me. I'm constantly trying things and testing things on them to see what works and what doesn't. Children are always the best judges to monitor something. If you can get the kids, you've got it. That's why Harry Potter is so successful-it's a family-oriented movie. You can't go wrong there. We want a wide demographic, and that's why I try not to say things in my lyrics that offend parents. I don't want to be like that. We weren't raised to be like that. Mother and Joseph [Michael's father] wouldn't say stuff like that.

VIBE: What do Prince and Paris listen to?

MJ: They listen to all of my music, and they love classical, which plays all around the ranch. They like any good dance music.

VIBE: How would you feel about your children becoming pop icons, based upon your experience?

MJ: I don't know how they would handle that. It would be tough. I really don't know. It's hard, since most children of celebrities end up becoming self-destructive because they can't live up to the talent of the parent. People always used to say to Fred Astaire Jr., "Can you dance?" And he couldn't. He didn't have any rhythm, but his father was this genius dancer. It doesn't mean that it has to be passed on. I always tell my children, You don't have to sing, you don't have to dance. Be who you want to be, as long as you're not hurting anybody. That's the main thing.

VIBE: Which artists-past and present-inspire you?

MJ: Stevie Wonder is a musical prophet. All of the early Motown. All the Beatles. I'm crazy about Sammy Davis Jr., Charlie Chaplin, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson-the real entertainers, the real thing, not just gimmicks, showstoppers. When James Brown was with the Famous Flames, it was unbelievable. There are so many wonderful singers-Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis. Real stylists. You hear one line, and you know who it is. Nat "King" Cole, great stuff. Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke-they are all ridiculous.

VIBE: How involved were you in selecting the artists to perform in your 30th anniversary special?

MJ: I wasn't involved at all.

VIBE: How were you able to let go of something so big and so special?

MJ: Trust.

VIBE: What was your experience on September 11?

MJ: I was in New York [after performing at Madison Square Garden] on September 7 and 11, and I got a call from friends in Saudi Arabia that America was being attacked. I turned on the news and saw the Twin Towers coming down, and I said, Oh my God. I screamed down the hotel hallway to all our people, Everybody get out, let's leave now! Marlon Brando was on one end; our security was on the other end. We were all up there, but Elizabeth Taylor was at another hotel. We all got out of there as quickly as we could. We jumped in the car, but there were these girls who had been at the show the night before, and they were banging on the windows, running down the street screaming. Fans are so loyal. We hid in New Jersey. It was unbelievable; was scared to death.

VIBE: On another tip altogether, what do you do for recreation?

MJ: I like water-balloon fights. We have a water-balloon fort here, and we have a red team and a blue team. We have slings and cannons, and you are drenched by the time the game is over. There's a timer, and whoever gets the most points is the winner. If I'm going to do some kind of sport, I have to laugh. I don't do anything like basketball or golf. Basketball is very competitive, and so is tennis; they make you angry. I'm not into that. It should be therapeutic. I also like to go to amusement parks, hang with animals, things like that.

VIBE: Do you have a fantasy of something that you'd like to see in your lifetime?

MJ: I would like to see an international children's holiday to honor our children, because the family bond has been broken. There's a Mother's Day and there's a Father's Day, but there's no children's day. It would mean a lot. It really would. World peace. I hope that our next generation will get to see a peaceful world, not the way things are going now.

VIBE: Has singing ever stopped being fun and become work?

MJ: It's always been fun. Unless I get physically sick, it's always fun. I still love it.

VIBE: Many of us see you as a historic figure, an innovator who has set a standard that still exists in music. Where does Michael Jackson go from here?

MJ: Thank you, thank you. I have deep love for film, and I want to pioneer and innovate in the medium of film-to write and direct and produce movies, to bring incredible entertainment.

VIBE: What kinds of movies? Are you looking at scripts?

MJ: Yes, but nothing has been finalized yet.

VIBE: Are you ever lonely?

MJ: Of course. If I'm onstage, I'm fine there. But you can have a house full of people and still be lonely from within. I'm not complaining, because I think it's a good thing for my work.

VIBE: Tell me about the inspiration for "Speechless." It's very loving.

MJ: You'll be surprised. I was with these kids in Germany, and we had a big water-balloon fight-I'm serious-and I was so happy after the fight that I ran upstairs in their house and wrote "Speechless." Fun inspires me. I hate to say that, because it's such a romantic song. But it was the fight that did it. I was happy, and I wrote it in its entirety right there. I felt it would be good enough for the album. Out of the bliss comes magic, wonderment, and creativity.

VIBE: Do you collect anything?

MJ: I like anything having to do with Shirley Temple, the Little Rascals, and the Three Stooges. I love Curly. I love him so much that I did a book on him. I got hold of his daughter, and we wrote the book together.

VIBE: Is there anything that you would like to say to VIBE readers?

MJ: I love Quincy Jones. I really do. And also, I want to tell the readers not to judge a person by what they hear, or even what they read, unless they heard it from the person himself. There is so much tabloid sensationalism. Don't fall prey to it, it's ugly. I'd like to take all the tabloids and burn them. I want you to print that! Some of them try to disguise themselves, but they are still the tabloids.

VIBE: Finally, how do you channel your creativity?

MJ: I don't force it; I let nature take its course. I don't sit at the piano and think, I'm going to write the greatest song of all time. It doesn't happen. It has to be given to you. I believe it's already up there before you are born, and then it drops right into your lap. It's the most spiritual thing in the world. When it comes, it comes with all of the accompaniments, the strings, the bass, the drums, the lyrics, and you're just the medium through which it comes, the channel. Sometimes I feel guilty putting my name on the songs-"written by Michael Jackson"- because it's as if the heavens have done it already. Like Michelangelo would have this huge piece of marble from the quarries of Italy, and he'd say, "Inside is a sleeping form." He takes a hammer and chisel, and he's just freeing it. It's already in there. It's already there.

Ebony 1992

2011-07-10T01:15:00.001-07:00

EBONY, May 1992

MICHAEL JACKSON: Crowned in Africa

Pop Music King Tells Real Story of Controversial Trip

By Robert E. Johnson

When he was out front as the 14-year-old lead vocalist of the Jackson Five singing group, Michael Jackson visited Africa for the first time. “When we came off the plane in [Dakar, Senegal] Africa”, he recalls, “ we were greeted by a long line of African dancers. Their drums and sounds filled the air with rhythm. I was going crazy, I was screaming, ‘All right! They got the rhythm…This is it. This is where I come from. The origin.’”

Nineteen years later, when Michael, now 33, came off the plane in Gabon, a West African neighbor nation of Senegal, he was greeted by an excited, screaming crowd of grade-school students who carried a banner than proclaimed: “Welcome Home Michael.” Drum sounds again filled the air with rhythm that flowed from fans who gathered at the airport and lined the streets in anticipation of seeing the “king of pop, rock, and soul,” who would later be crowned “King Sani” in a West African village.

Despite or perhaps because of this acclaim, the pop idol almost immediately became the center of an international controversy based on a negative media campaign. The media bashing included these big lies:

- The trip was a “public relations disaster for Michael.” Truth: It was a triumph in which he drew more spectators in Gabon than Nelson Mandela and more in the Ivory Coast than the Pope, according to African spokespersons.

- “The singer cut short an African tour after a stopover generated the wrong kind of excitement.” Truth: The sponsors wanted him to extend his tour to meet the demand for his appearances everywhere.

- He held his hand to his nose because the African nations smelled. Truth: He sometimes touched his nose, an old nervous habit which earned him the nickname “Smelly”, given originally by Quincy Jones because Michael was touching his nose in Los Angeles.

- He collapsed from the heat and he went to London for a medical appointment. Truth: He was never bothered by the heat. His personal physician, Dr. R. Chalmers, accompanied Jackson on the trip. Jackson didn’t go to London for a medical appointment.

- He refused to shake hands with Africans. Truth: He shook the hands of hundreds of people, hugged and kissed children in hospitals and institutions for the mentally retarded.

- He is “neither Black nor White” and is not a good role model for children. Truth: After Michael read a prayer in the basilica of Our Lady of Peace in the Ivory Coast, a 9-year-old boy exclaimed: “Michael is love, love, love! I want to be like him.”

Because he is well known for his humanity and philanthropy, tour organizer Charles Bobbit reflected on the African tour and said: “I was impressed with the interaction between Michael and the children. He sat on the bed with children who were deformed and children that were ill… He sat there and talked to them, hugged, cuddled them. He shook hands and did not wear a surgical mask like he does sometimes to America…That qualifies him as a role model for children – his deeds and not his looks.”

While the international controversy raged, Michael remained aloof, refusing to read the stories and saying that he preferred to let his deeds and his songs speak for him. Strangely and significantly, he had anticipated this and other criticisms in the song, “Why You Wanna Trip On Me”, in the Dangerous album. The song says, in part:

They say I’m different

They don’t understand

But there’s a bigger problem

That’s much more in demand

You got world hunger

Not enough to eat

So there’s really no time

To be trippin’ on me…

It was clear from the beginning that the African people agreed with Michael. And from the time of his arrival, the native of Gary, Indiana was welcomed like a ruling dignitary and a long-lost son.

He had come to the land of his ancestors to participate in a historic ceremony conducted beneath a sacred tree in the gold-mining village of Krindjabo, populated by the Agni tribe and located near Abidjan, Ivory Coast. As the village people stood in admiration, Amon N’Djafolk, the traditional tribal chief of Krindjabo, placed a crown of gold upon the head of the musical monarch and pronounced him “King of Sani.”

Almost overcome by emotions, the shy, sensitive son of Joseph and Katherine Jackson smiled and said, “Merci beaucoup,” to the French-speaking people and repeated in English, “Thank you very much.”

He then joined elders of the king’s court, signed official documents and sat on a throne of gold as women dancers, clad in white gowns, gave a dazzling performance of ritual dances. These elderly women are the guardians of the village, and their ceremonial dances gave their blessings to the crowning of “King Sani” and asked God for protection at a tree that symbolized the essence of power.

The musical messenger, who journeyed to West and East African nations as a self-proclaimed ambassador of peace, love, and goodwill, achieved a success that exceeded his expectation.

From his sunset arrival in Gabon, where more than 100,000 people greeted him with spiritual bedlam, to his stop in Cairo, Egypt, to which he had paid homage on his newest album, Dangerous, with the best-selling single and music video Remember the Time, Michael was caught up in a hurricane of happy happenings.

In French-speaking, oil and mineral rich Gabon, he received the West African nation’s Medal of Honor from President Omar Bongo, who was the official host of the performer’s “Come back To Eden” tour.

President Bongo told Jackson that he was the first entertainer to ever receive the medal, which until then has been given only to heads of states and high-ranking diplomats and dignitaries – including Nelson Mandela.

As host of the tour, President Bongo appointed his daughter, Pascaline Bongo, the nation’s Foreign Minister, and his son, Ali Bongo, to coordinate the tour along with Charles Bobbit, a consultant to the president, who initiated the idea for Jackson’s visit.

Jackson agreed to go on the non-performing tour with the stipulation that his priority was his “desire to visit orphanages, children’s hospitals, churches, schools, and playgrounds.”

During his visits to Gabon, the Ivory Coast, Tanzania, and Egypt, he encountered “Michael mania” everywhere. His image was on posters, T-shirts, billboards, a postage stamp (in Tanzania), and street banners. His music was played on the radio, piped into hotels – Okume Palace in Libreville, Gabon; Hotel Ivoire in Abidjan, Ivory Coast; and the Kilimanjaro Hotel in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Energetic and intensely interested in his fans, he logged 30,000 miles in 11 days; passed through 11 time zones, slept in five time zones and landed on four continents – South America, Africa, Europe, and North America. His 26-person entourage traveled in a Boeing 707 Executive plane with stateroom, private bath, open bar, lounges, dining areas, video and audio equipment, telephones, and fax machines.

And when it was over, the entertainer, contrary to false rumors, had given a new Michael Jackson twist to person-to-person diplomacy and had touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of proud Africans.

The interview

Things you had taught me

2011-06-24T10:55:00.000-07:00

*this poem is going to FL with @RevaMJ -- BIG thank you to her

Remembering You

2011-06-19T02:01:00.000-07:00

The saddest thing of today is remembering the sweetness of you,
remembering when you were here
Provide the luxury beauty in this Earth
and bring the sweetest joy in the midst of life

The saddest thing of today is remembering the sweetness of you,
although eyes haven't meet eyes
Thus I felt your heart presence in my life
Touched the my soul comfortably

You had left us the memories of your lifetime happiness
For us to recall with a smile
and you had left us the memories of your beautifulness
that shall be immortalized for the rest of my life..

Michael,
Your spirit shall never dies,
For thy always in heart...

Do Something in Our Small Way

2011-04-23T12:16:00.000-07:00

Continuing my previous post, here is something I want to share...

It was last week when me and friends met to laugh and chat about anything concerning our life events where then we ended up in questioning "What is life?" from our point of views. There are many answers,

#1: "My scenario of life has been written, and we're the actor/actress of the scenario that we have to act the best we can be"

#2: "I see me as a puppet that some higher force taking control of me"

#3: "Life is.. up and down"

#4: "Life is.. when tears and cheers meet and blend onto each other"

On that conversation, we started to talk about the phenomena that we see and watch almost everyday...

the war in the middle east,

the corruption that never stop,

the twisted history that has been written,

politician with their hypocrisy and lies,...

and also those the ironic and unfair life that we meet almost everyday:

beggars in every road site,

homeless children,

physical disabled people that keep struggling to live their life

Until we then turned to ourselves, Us: doing nothing about it.. !!!

But, then, we kept saying:

~ "How can we help?" ~

"I don't believe any organization that already interrupted by their hidden agendas"

"If we give money to them (e.g: beggars), then we only help them for some short time. Not to mention that they all ARE managed by someone who used them to gain moneys"

..............

~ You know, perhaps that excuses are true, but those were ended by this story:

It was after Sunday services when they saw a lady selling her cakes.

One of them wanted to buy, so they called the lady. And beyond their belief, the price was so expensive for the cake. But it was too late, they decided to buy it instead.

The one that wanted to buy at the first place said, "Why is it so expensive? Ohhhh, I doubt that lady really needs the money!", angrily of feeling disappointed and being used of her generosity.

And the other replied, "Hey, why upset? We just wanted to help, but if our intend is being used, then it is beyond us."

I think that story answers any excuses.

"But if someone wants to do something good, they just can.

They don’t really need to worry about all that other stuff.”

~ Michael Jackson ~

Then, suddenly the cafe played "Man in The Mirror"....

- long silence, as we realized the sign of approval from above-

♫ I'm starting with the man in the mirror 

I'm asking him to change his ways

 And no message could have been any clearer 

If you wanna make the world a better place 

Take a look at yourself and then make a change ♫

and if there's any excuse that may come up later,

then we should realize that the main problem is within us,

the problem is... us!

Last Friday was the Earth day, that coincidentally also Good Friday -

Team It's All For Love-blog posted a very touching story that I want to quote the bible when

Jesus said, "Anything you did for any of my people here, you also did for me."

(Matthew 25: 40)

Have we done anything for HIM?

And what have we done to make this world a better place for living?

I simplified the question: What have you done to yourself to make a better person?

Is it enough just to talk about it?

Is it enough just to make plan?

and what is our concrete action?

"We are all doing too much sitting back, and reading and watching TV

saying how awful it is and NOT actually doing something about it."

~ Michael Jackson ~

Remember this song....

♫... Maybe you and I can't do great things

We may not change the world in one day

But we still can change some things today

In our small way...
♫

Go to Sleep, Mom...

2011-03-30T08:01:00.000-07:00

Go to sleep, Mom..

The night is getting darker...

Mom,

Please weep your tears away,

There's no need to cry

of the wounds we've been through today

Look at little sis, Mom

She's dreaming about her school

embraced the wooden pillow

smiling and drifting in to her own

Mom,

Let's pray.

Take us away from this hunger,

and from this coldness night

"Dear our warmth God,

Praise and thanks for today,

for the rice You had given to our little sister

as the yield of fighting to wrest the pieces from those worms,

rodents, and birds,

in the trash of mountain by the river side.

Hopefully tomorrow,

things shall be better,

Amen"

It's okay, Mom

You can go to sleep now

and have a sweet dreams...

This poem is copyright of http://suarakepala.blogspot.com/2011/03/sketsa.html#comments

---

"I get a taste of poverty, too.

When I go to a country – like in the Phillippines and in Trinidad and in Africa –

I really get out and go to the poor sections and talk to the people.

I sit in their little huts, their cardboard houses, and I make myself at home.

I think it’s important to know how different people feel, especially in my field of endeavor."

~ Michael Jackson, 1980

"I love to travel,

and, so far, I’ve been lucky enough to see a great deal of the world.

In certain parts of the Globe,

I’ve seen hungry children walking the streets with no shoes on.

I’m very concerned about the hungry children of the world and

I hope I can do something positive to help alleviate this problem."

~ Michael Jackson, 1976

"But just as important, let's love one and other,

let's forget hatred and turn to those that are suffering."

~ Michael Jackson, 1992

Angel calls

2011-03-26T23:27:00.001-07:00

There was some days where I felt that Michael is communicate with me, the coincidences were too much that makes me hard to say that it was nothing...

When I was at McDonald, the Heal the World playing...

and the next day, at Emax (cafe near my campus), Hold My Hand...

Then, in middle of discussion with some friends, Earth Song was playing in Tator Cafe..

And I thought, "Ok, he's watching me right now" :)

On the 4th day, this is what appear on my tumblr page:

Twinny from different era, but with the same style.. ^_^

and so I said:

*well, not exactly, this pic was suddenly appear on my tumblr-dashboard,

so I had to screen captured it..

And not long after it, this also came on my tumblr-dashboard:

I hope it's nice where you are....

These are 3 of 6 screen-caps that I made over one night...

Do you feel your Angel next to you?

If you are, give that Angel your most beautiful smile,

and say "Thank you" for watching :))

Angel of Light

It's hard to see angels, although I've stared at their pictures for hours. Some people can see them without pictures, and they tell interesting tales. Guardian angels are all female, for instance, which didn't surprise me once I found out. A birth angel, recruited from the younger ranks, attends every baby when it appears, while another angel, older but not grim, helps the dying to leave this world without grief or pain.

You can pray to the angels and they will listen, but the best way to call them, I am told, is to laugh.

Angels respond to delight, because that is what they're made of. In fact, when people's minds are clouded by anger or hatred, no angel can reach them.

Not all angels have wings -- so the visionaries claim -- but those who do can unfurl a span of golden feathers stretching over the entire world. If you had eyes that could look straight into the sun, you would see an overwhelming angel presiding there; a more serene one smiles out from the face of the moon.

Angels spend their entire lives, which are forever, spinning around the Creator's throne, singing His praise. People with keen ears have listened in. The harmonies of the angelic choir are incredibly complex, they say, but the rhythm is simple. "It's mostly march time," one eavesdropper affirmed. For some reason, that fact is almost the best I have learned so far.

After a while it got lonely hearing about angels you couldn't see for yourself. When an angel-watcher heard that, she was shocked. "Not see?" she said. "But you have an angel in you. Everybody does. I can see it right now, and I thought you could, too." "No," I said sadly, and I asked what it looked like. "Did it look like me?"

"Well, yes and no," the angel-watcher mysterious answered. "It all depends on what you think you are. Your angel is a speck of light perched at the very center of your heart. It is smaller than an atom, but just wait. Once you get close to it, your angel will expand. The closer you come, the more it will grow, until finally, in a burst of light, you will see your angel in its true shape, and at that very instant, you will also see yourself."

So now I am looking for my angel all the time. I sit silently, turning my gaze inward. It wasn't long before I caught a glimpse of something. "Is that you, Angel, holding a candle?" One flicker and it was gone. Yet that was enough to set my heart wildly beating. Next time my angel will be waving a lamp, then holding a torch aloft, then lighting a bonfire.

That's what the angel-watcher promised, and now that I have caught sight of glory, I know enough to believe.

Thank you, lovely Elizabeth

2011-03-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

Grace with beauty, charm and talent

I've posted quotes of Michael about Elizabeth in my previous blog, "What a Friendship Means.." tho those words are not enough to express how special their friendship was..

Q: "So you're Wendy and Michael is Peter?" I had asked Elizabeth Taylor afterwards.

Elizabeth: "Yeah.Yeah.There's a kind of magic between us."

"Elizabeth is also like a mother–and more than that.

She's a friend.She's Mother Teresa, Princess Diana, the Queen of England and Wendy."

~ Michael Jackson ~

Have you ever feel a true friendship?

A friend who will speak on your behalf when you no longer can say a word

A friend who will be there for you when the world leaves you alone

A friend who facing the triumph and disaster with holding hands together

A friend, who publicly defends you when no one believe you..

and a friend, who love you as being you, because no one is you-er than YOU..

And the honesty is there,

and that's enough for a true friendship...

“Elizabeth’s friendship is like the perfect jewels she owns — indestructible and eternal.”

~ Michael Jackson ~

So many tribute had been made to honor Michael and Liz' friendship, from making graphic artworks, Gifs, video, and even a dedicated side for Elizabeth, here are my favorites:

by @MJJ777HeTheWo

Last, but not least, a dedicated site for Dame Elizabeth Taylor: http://elizabethweloveyou.tumblr.com by @MyMJJTribute

here's one of her artwork:

source

More glimpse of their friendship:

source

“It is 1993, and this will be Michael Jackson’s very first Christmas.

It has taken me… I would think about 5 years of talking him into celebrating Christmas at Neverland because I understood that if you are a Jehovah’s Witness you don’t celebrate Christmas.

When he quit being a a Jehovah’s Witness I said to Michael,

‘I think Christmas is a wonderful way of celebrating love. It’s a celebration of love.’

And I can’t see Christmas without Michael or Michael without Christmas.”

~ Elizabeth Taylor ~

source

Michael: “But what Elizabeth didn’t know was that I was planning a surprise for her also.”

Elizabeth: Gasps “Oh my God! That’s amazing! I love it! Oh thank you!”

Michael: “You’re welcome.”

“The gift that I gave to Elizabeth, to me, it was unique. It looks like a painting but it isn’t. It’s a tapestry. This guy did it piece by piece.” ~ Michael Jackson ~

---

On February 19, 1994, at "The Jackson Family Honors" event held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Today we honor Elizabeth Taylor for who she is, as much as what she does.

For me, Elizabeth Taylor is the ultimate humanitarian, because she is the embodiment of love, compassion, faith, and integrity and she has been that ideal for hundreds and millions of fans over the five decades of her illustrious career.

Elizabeth began her career when she was nine years old and since then, has starred in some of the greatest of all American films. She has been, and she continues to be, one of the most celebrated women of the twentieth century. I know, from having the honor of being a friend of Elizabeth Taylor's, that she's in no need of another trophy or plaque to recognize her humanitarian work on behalf of the fight against AIDS.

And I also know Elizabeth is here tonight not for any ego gratification, but because this gives her another chance to get the all important message out to the public. The message of AIDS awareness and the need for compassion and the efforts to find a cure.

To the formation of AMFAR in 1986 and her own Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, no one has done more to fight this dreaded disease.

But in knowing Elizabeth, I know her reward comes from the work itself, from the small battles won in the all-out war, from the gains she's been responsible for by eliminating the problem for the world to see and from the unspoken things of the victims who's lives she has enhanced during their times on earth. In the midst of my recent trials and tribulations, Elizabeth stood by my side with unwavering strength and support.

Elizabeth stands for truth.

She's immune to criticism and unfearful to any challenge and places the highest truth in the wisdom of her own heart and the direct knowledge of her own intuition.

She is not swayed by public opinion, because she knows in the end truth always triumphs.

Elizabeth, I love you and we honor you not only for what you stand for, but also for the magnificence of who you are.

The world is a better place because of your existence.

Because Elizabeth is so unselfish in her devotions to humanity, it is doubly fitting that she be the recipient of the Jackson Family Honors award."

~ Michael Jackson ~

I've wrote a poem about friendship few years ago,

and I thought about this poem when I heard the news about Elizabeth, and flashed back on their special friendship..

“BE COOL and RELAX”

'Cause I’ll be there when you need me

I have two eyes to look after you

I have a mouth to advice you

I have two ears to hear you

I have a nose to smell

and warn the danger that may came after you…

But…. That’s not all…

I still have two hands to lift you up

when you’re down

And I still have two foots to walk beside you

when you’re alone

So.. Don’t Worry….

'cause I’ll be here for you

Just… Be Cool.. and Relax..

And my mind are full with our memories,

that always kept in my heart

...

"[Elizabeth Taylor and I] we're like brother and sister, mother and son, lovers...

it's a potpourri... it's something special." ~ Michael Jackson ~

source

♬ Remember the time I was alone

You stood by my side and said:

"Let's be strong"

You did all these tings

That only a true friend can do.. ♬

♬... Elizabeth, I love you

The world knows your work now

Above the things on Earth now

I pray one day I'll be just like... you... ♬

source

"It's so wonderful to be with her [Elizabeth].

I can really relax with her, because we've lived the same life and experienced the same thing"

~ Michael Jackson ~

and so, this beautiful friendship continues in Heaven,

lovely friends re-united again, only this time, it will last forever...

source for this gifs creator

Thank you, lovely Elizabeth, for always be there for Michael,

We love you more...

Both of you are safe now from those tabloid junkies :)

We promise, to keep your legacy alive, to spread your messages, and to continue your humanitarian efforts...

"If it is not to make the world better what is money for?" ~ Elizabeth Taylor ~

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've saved @DameElizabeth's tweets in here, if any of you want to re-read them again: http://mjacksonwords.blogspot.com/p/dameelizabeths-tweets.html

Sometimes

2011-02-23T22:57:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I scream in silence

To giving up, unable to resilient

They give me nothing but negative words

Keep on trying making more and more wounds..

Who are they, and what are they..??

No lawsuit against them,

No trial to prosecute them

Hence, there is no peace even on your death

God is above,

but they are pretending as Him

Judging like they’re god

Sometimes I wonder,

Are you smiling from heaven, Michael..

probably you’re talking with God and say,

“That’s it... That’s exactly what always happened to me when I was on Earth!”

As if, God never knew.. :)

Yes....

I hope you can smile from above,

and lead us to bring justice for you

‘cause when your justice prevails,

that is when the world would start learn to live and love each other,

just like you used to teach us..

"He loved to read"

2011-01-02T03:19:00.000-08:00

Michael loved to read,

many had testified on his reading habit, and also was caught in the bookstore

Michael Jackson's Lawyer, Bob Sanger, Talks to West Coast Sound About the Pop Star, His Life -- and His Reading Habits

[here are few excerpt of the article]

"We talked about psychology, Freud and Jung, Hawthorne, sociology, black history and sociology dealing with race issues. But he was very well read in the classics of psychology and history and literature."

"He loved to read. He had over 10,000 books at his house."

"And there were places that he liked to sit, and you could see the books with his bookmarks in it, with notes and everything in it where he liked to sit and read. And I can tell you from talking to him that he had a very - especially for someone who was self-taught, as it were, and had his own reading list - he was very well-read. And I don't want to say that I'm well-read, but I've certainly read a lot, let's put it that way, and I enjoy philosophy and history and everything myself, and it was very nice to talk to him, because he was very intellectual, and he liked to talk about those things. But he didn't flaunt it, and it was very seldom that he would initiate the conversation like that, but if you got into a conversation like that with him, he was there."

"And few people really had the opportunity the have these intellectual discussions about great thinkers and writers. Freud and Jung - go down the street and try and find five people who can talk about Freud and Jung."

The Bodyguards' testimony of Michael's reading habit

source: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/michael-jacksons-love-reading-10048405

"Anytime he was going into a bookstore he wasn't buying one or two books. No. You know, he was easily walking out with...

"..thousands.."

Q: Did he read all of the books that he bought?

"I believe so.."

"As much knowledge, as being around him, we learned something every day just going to work. I'll tell you that right now"

"I think he was also just very big on knowledge, and that was the way he ...fed his kids that, you know very big on them being educated ... very..."

"..very special"

"..very intelligent"

A story from The Strand bookstore

Prince Michael brought over an oversized book on collectable toys, barely able to carry it. He said in the cutest little voice; "Dad, can I have this" Michael lovingly smiled and asked if he was going to read it. He replied, "Yes."

He wanted books on black folk music, books by Roald Dahl (including James and the Giant Peach), and something on Versailles. I would send my troops to look for the books and hand the findings to Jesus. On a previous visit, my dad had helped him, and he picked out books on Howard Hughes, dictionaries and first edition children's books.

..he spent $6,000 in books and allowed anyone in his group to take books. Although the people in his entourage did choose some, they did not seem as excited about shopping for books.

Michael Jackson, the bookworm

"He was a longtime and valued customer," a store representative of art and architecture bookstore Hennessey + Ingalls said Thursday. "We'll miss him."

"He loved the poetry section," Dave Dutton said as Dirk chimed in that Ralph Waldo Emerson was Jackson's favorite. "I think you would find a great deal of the transcendental, all-accepting philosophy in his lyrics."

"It was Rose who instilled in me a love of books

and literature that sustains me today.

I read everything I could get my hands on.

New cities meant new places to shop.

We loved to shop, especially in bookstores and department stores,"

~ Michael Jackson, Moonwalk

"She [Miss Rose Fine] taught me the wonderful world of books and reading

and I wouldn't be the same person if it wasn't for her."

~ Michael Jackson

MJ: "I watch cartoons. I love cartoons. I play video games. Sometimes I read."

Q: "You mean you read books?"

MJ: "Yeah. I love to read short stories and everything."

Q: "Any in particular?"

MJ: "Somerset Maugham.. Whitman. Hemingway. Twain."

"I love to read.

I wish I could advise more people to read.

There’s a whole other world in books.

If you can’t afford to travel, you travel mentally through reading.

You can see anything and go any place you want to in reading."

~ Michael Jackson, 1984

LoL.. oh mike!! :p

Michael's Christmas Messages

2010-12-22T08:24:00.000-08:00

As Christmas is near..

*counting days everyone!!* XD

Despite all the issues around us, let us all remember the meaning of Christmas, which is Love.. and like Elizabeth said about Michael:

"I can’t see Christmas without Michael and Michael without Christmas." #MikeLike :)

So here it is,

Michael's Christmas messages..

In December, 1992,

Michael Jackson sends a videotaped Christmas message to his fans in United Kingdom

“It is a real privilege for me to be able to have this opportunity, to send all my fans a message on what is a very important day.

Today of all days, we focus on loving one another and giving.

Let’s do this, not just one day of the year, but for 365 days.

The Heal The World Foundation is now set up.

Donations are invaluable.

But just as important, let’s love one and other,

let’s forget hatred and turn to those that are suffering. Not just today, but everyday.

Join me in healing the world and make it a better place. Thank you.”

~ Michael Jackson ~

---

In December, 2002: Christmas Message For The Children of Germany

"Good evening, children and Merry Christmas.

When I create music I always hope that my music will give joy to many people.

If that happens I am very happy. Giving joy makes one happy.

Unfortunately there are many children that are not happy.

In Germany and in other countries.

During Christmas, this is especially hard for those children because it is on Christmas when they see what they miss.

For some it may be just a small present,

for some it may be a warm meal,

for some it may be a family,

for some it may be just a little bit of love.

That is why I need you!

I need your help.

Let us work together and help those children.

Let us reach out to those who are alone -

Let us all tell them: "You are not alone".

This year it is I, only I, speaking to you, children in Germany and sending you a few little gifts.

If you help me, then next year, we will do the same but in many more countries.

We will speak together - maybe we will sing together -

and we will give gifts together. Let us think big.

Let us find many people to join our effort.

Here and all over Europe and then all over the world.

We can do it! I know we can do it!

To all of the grown ups I like to say this:

To us, so many things seem important. Sometimes, we think we are important.

We are not important.

Nothing is more important than our children!

They are the future. They can heal the world.

It is our obligation to be there for them.

To advise them. To motivate them. To help them and to love them.

Let us encourage them to go for their dreams.

And let us as parents, friends and relatives help them to have good dreams.

I look forward to the new year,

to working with you children and to create an organization that will help other children.

I promise, I promise you, if you come along,

it will make you feel good and it will be so much fun!

Merry Christmas! I love you from the bottom of my heart!

Thank you so much!"

~ Michael Jackson ~

Michael's LOVE on CHRISTMAS

December, 1992: Relief supplies airlifted to children in Bosnia in association with Operation Christmas Child, consisting of 30,000 "shoebox gifts" of toys, school items, photographs, and letters collected by U.K. schoolchildren.

December 16, 1993: The Heal The World Foundation UK supports “Operation Christmas Child” delivering toys, sweets, gifts and food to children in former Yugoslavia.

January 22, 2000: During Christmas last year a violent storm ravaged the park of the Chateau de Versailles and destroyed 10,000 trees in the park. The estimated cost for rebuilding the park is around $20 million. Some celebrities are supporting the restoration of the park. French officials are reporting that Michael Jackson is one of them. He was one of the first people to donate money to this cause.

Michael Jackson hosts 200 children at Neverland party

"You see a whole other side of Michael here and it's hard to believe there are such charges.

So much good is being done and it shouldn't go untold." - Neverland visitor (source)

[Up on the House Top]

But you just want toys and stuff

♪ Yeah, but that's not even half enough... What I want means more than fun ♪

What's that?

♪ Love and peace for everyone! ♪

”Love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay—Love isn’t love ‘til you give it away”

(The Sound of Music)

Warm regards from.. my home,

Wishing you a peaceful and loving Christmas

♥ ✥ ♥ ♥ ✝ ♥ ♥ ❄ ♥

Me, about that Album

2010-12-16T23:07:00.000-08:00

From what I've learnt, I could never agree with an album called "Michael" that claims as Michael Jackson's album. NOPE, I think it's NOT Michael Jackson's!!

I've searched his words about creating music and collaborating with others, and I found ONE that justified my own decision:

"A thought, it is an embryo of a thought, of an idea. It is a brief concept.

And then you collaborate with someone. Could be a writer.

I say, I want to do this, I want to do that, and I want to do this.

You tell him to develop it, because you..... I cannot do it right now,

because I got to go on to the next song, the next thing.

So they'll come up with something, working with their ideas

and they'll come with them back to me ...

you go [to see] whether you like it or not.

I mean I have done that with pretty much everything that I have done.

I am usually there for the concept for the writing.

I co-write usually all my pieces that I do."

~ Michael Jackson, 1996 ~

The highlight is when Michael said that

the collaborators come back to him, to see WHETHER he like it or not!

Question #1: One of the song was recorded in 80's, almost 30 years ago, then why Michael never release that song while he was alive? He chose to go to tour instead! He won't let $ony releases his "unreleased" songs!

The ALBUM: 3 of 10 are fake - check here: http://www.fakemichael.com/

1. Hold My Hand (Duet with Akon)

2. Hollywood Tonight

3. FAKE: Keep Your Head Up — imposter vocalist

4. (I Like) The Way You Love Me

5. FAKE: Monster — imposter vocalist

6. Best Of Joy

7. FAKE: Breaking News — imposter vocalist

8. (I Can't Make It) Another Day (featuring Lenny Kravitz)

9. Behind the Mask

10. Much Too Soon

And here's what happened on "Breaking News",

Tony Kurtis, Jason Malachi's producer uploaded a video http://youtu.be/KRfzf8KT2sc

BUT!! you can't see it there anymore, because it has been removed *wonder why*

I watched the video before it has been removed, and here's the screen cap from my YouTubeHistory

Don't worry, a fan had saved it and upload it to facebook where you can find the video here:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1535935314562

"Breaking News Real Recording at 16 BIT 44k, JASON MALACHI in 2009"

This video then being support by a statement on a forum that says:

"It's finally come together, guys. I haven't spoken on this too much, but since Tony Kurtis has come forward, now is the time.

Jason Malachi has always been responsive to my messages. He's a cool brother. His wife is funny. They've always been nice to me. I've never met them in person, but they've always been really nice and answered my questions.

I asked Jason in November if he was singing on the Cascio tracks. He said "I can't confirm or deny anything right now." If he wasn't singing on those songs, he would have just denied it. I only shared this information with the team and a few others, because I didn't want to betray Jason's trust. But with his former producer coming out with this info, the time is right to speak up. The top is off the bottle, now. So I have nothing to lose by saying what I know.

Tony Kurtis said that Jason is tone-deaf and could never really nail the vocals. He left many comments under the video he posted. He is against sony releasing this album because those three songs are not Michael. Honestly, with Tony Kurtis coming forward, this thing is about to pop off."

Question #2: Do you still believe that that fake song is Michael's voice?

Next,

3 of those songs are produced by Teddy Riley: Hollywood Tonight, Monster, and Breaking News (???)

You remember Teddy Riley, who tweeted: "I am a reflection of MJ." source Like, SERIOUSLY???!! but he's spreading bias, telling that MJ's is still alive?!!

and... cek this pic: "They tried to make the kids lie"...????

(source: http://twitpic.com/3fqmsy)

Someone should make him STOP!

WATCH THIS VIDEO:

Q: You recently tweeted that Michael Jackson is alive....?

TR: When I speak, I speak from the heart, and I speak from the truth, and.. from my heart, YES, I DO... (bla bla bla bla bla)...

Even with this interview, some fans (if not one), keeps saying that Teddy is lovely and dedicated to MJ? *smh*

From this article, Teddy said: "This album is greater than his best album." - another disrespecting statement by TR! ONLY Michael-HIMSELF that can make the album greater!

Question #4: And... you still believe in Teddy??!!

last but not least..

These FACT-tweets are so TRUE! #THINK

- George Harrison's son finished his father's unfinished work~which was already planned b4 he died~why cant MJ have that same respect? (source via @Justice4MJJ)

- #MJFam, did some1 EVER touched unreleased/unfinished Beatles songs? http://bit.ly/dIBg4f Don't think so! Motive for Michael release is clear! (source via @MJJ777HeTheWo)

----

With those so many questions, remember Michael's own words...

"I'm putting my heart & soul into it [Invincible] because

I'm not sure I'm gonna do another one after this. This will be my LAST ALBUM"

~ Michael Jackson, 1999

"I'll do at least over 100 songs until I come up with about 20-30 that I like, I cipher it down." ~ Michael Jackson, 2001

"The record companies really do conspire against the artists. Especially the black artists.

They LIE, they STEAL, they do EVERYTHING they can."

~ Michael Jackson, 2002

"Somewhere greed got in there, and somebody.. I.. I can't quite say.

But it has to do with money. It's Michael Jackson. Look what we have here.

We can get money out of this. That's EXACTLY what happened."

~ Michael Jackson, 2003

"I have been a vulnerable target for those who want money…"

~ Michael Jackson, 2004

Check out the story when a perfectionist made his BAD album:

"Why did it take so long to make Bad? The answer is that Quincy and I decided that this album should be as close to perfect as humanly possible. A perfectionist has to take his time; he shapes and he moulds and he sculpts that thing until it's perfect. He can't let it go before he's satisfied; he can't.

If it's not right, you throw it away and do it over. You work that thing till it's just right. When it's as perfect as you can make it, you put it out there. Really, you've got to get it to where it's just right; that's the secret. That's the difference between a number thirty record and a number one record that stays number one for weeks. It's got to be good. If it is, it stays up there and the whole world wonders when it's going to come down....

We don't ever try to pander to the fans. We just try to play on the quality of the song. People WILL NOT BUY JUNK."

~ Michael Jackson, Moonwalk ~

Guess that's the reasons why there are so many "unreleased songs" that he kept 'unreleased'

----

Updated: Dec 22nd, 2010

More compelling words from Michael himself, about how he write his music..

[Q: Does your perfectionism slow the process?] => MJ: "It did take a while because I'm never happy with the songs. I'll write a bunch of songs, throw them out, write some more. People say, "Are you crazy? That's got to go on the album." But I'll say, "Is it better than this other one?" You only get 75 minutes on a CD, and we push it to the limit." ~ Michael Jackson, 2001

"Every time I do an album, I write, almost, nearly a hundred or over a hundred songs, so we have to sucker them down.." ~ Michael Jackson, 2003

"So... we can't let them get away with what they're trying to do, because now I'm a free agent. I just owe $ony one more album, it's just a box set, really, with two new songs which I've written ages ago. Because for every album that I record, I write like, literally, I'm telling you the truth, I write.... I write at least 120 songs every album I do, so... I can do the box set, just giving them any two songs.", ~ Michael Jackson, 2002

"I'm a perfectionist by nature. I like things to be the best they can be. I want people to hear or watch something I've done and feel that I've given it everything I've got. I feel I owe an audience that courtesy." ~ Michael Jackson, Moonwalk

Will You Be There

2010-11-27T23:08:00.001-08:00

27th Nov, 1991

On occasion of MTV's 10th Anniversary Show, he appears live on stage to perform songs, 'Black Or White' and 'Will You Be There', the latter being included in the videoclip as part of a montage of other stage performances of the song.

A gospel choir of various ages joined Michael for Will You Be There, with an angel, performed by Angela Ice, flying down to Michael and putting her wings around him symbolizing hope.

--------

"I wrote "Will You Be There?" at my house, "Never Land" in California. ...

I didn't think about it hard. That's why its hard to take credit for the songs that I write, because I just always feel that its done from above. I feel fortunate for being that instrument through which music flows. I'm just the source through which it comes. I can't take credit for it because its Gods work. He's just using me as the messenger."

~ Michael Jackson, 1992 ~

"I call it my giving tree, because it inspires me.

I love climbing trees in general, but this tree I love the most, because I climb up high and I look down on it's branches, and it gives me -- I just love it! So many ideas! I've written so many of my songs in this tree.

I've written Heal the World in this tree, Will You Be There, Black or White, Childhood."

~ Michael Jackson, 2002 ~

Hold me like the River Jordan

And I will then say to thee

You are my friend

Carry me like you are my brother

Love me like a mother

Will you be there?

When weary tell me will you hold me?

When wrong, will you mold me?

When lost will you find me?

But they told me a man should be faithful

And walk when not able

And fight till the end

But I'm only human

Everyone's trying to control me

Seems that the world's got a role for me

I'm so confused

Will you show to me

You'll be there for me

And care enough to bear me?

Hold me, show me

Lay your head lowly

Gently and boldly

Carry me there

I'm only human

Carry, carry

Carry me boldly

Gently and slowly

Carry me there

I'm only human

Lift me

Lift me up carefully

I'm weary and falling

I know you're there

But do you still care?

In Our Darkest Hour

In My Deepest Despair

Will You Still Care?

Will You Be There?

In My Trials

And My Tripulations

Through Our Doubts

And Frustrations

In My Violence

In My Turbulence

Through My Fear

And My Confessions

In My Anguish And My Pain

Through My Joy And My Sorrow

In The Promise Of Another Tomorrow

I'll Never Let You Part

For You're Always In My Heart.

Too simple

2010-11-27T10:40:00.001-08:00

Pictures are too simple to capture
Words are too simple to describe
the love you shared,
and my endless love to you..

Let's Start Giving

2010-11-16T07:55:00.000-08:00

I wish.... instead of buying any of things that use Michael's name~, either it's a so-called album, song, dvd, movie, tour, or anything, ~ ... I wish everybody could use their money to donate for charity.....

The only thing I know is, my country still needs some support.. #prayforindonesia

and the disaster in Haiti also has not finish yet... thus I heard that they're suffering of cholera now..

and.. and..

And today,

I had a class about education in remote areas around Indonesia, and I saw their pictures, some of them don't even have a bench to sit during the class,...

YES, they sit on the floor..!!!!!

"An education opens a person's minds to the entire world.
And there is nothing more important than to make sure everyone has the opportunity for an education."
~ Michael Jackson ~

Below, this picture is even more better than the pic I saw at the class today...

School in Papua, Indonesia....

you might want to see the other part of Papua:

This place called "Raja Ampat", part of the famous Coral Triangle..

Hm, surprised? and.. Ironic...?

Anyway...

I know it's only $0.99 for a song on iTunes, but in Indonesia, it means 5 (five) packs of wrapped noodles... but if we all make a donation, like we donate "A Million Trees for Michael", on behalf Michael's name, they probably can build a proper school... for the children...

I LOVE MICHAEL, and I believe Michael knows that,

And I love all his songs, and even more, I LOVE every message in each songs, especially those message about humanity.... and about this world, this lovely planet called the Planet Earth..

His message taught me about LOVE in universal sentences..

It's not about keeping his legacy alive through striving his song into number one charts,

but for me, it's about his BIGGEST LEGACY => LOVE.. giving back, help others,

-- If Michael is here with us,

what do you think Michael would choose for us,

to donate for charity,...

or to buy his song to be the #1 chart in the world? --

Answer it for yourself, both are Michael's ambitions,

which one is his priority...?

[WE ARE THE WORLD]

♪♪ There comes a time when we heed a certain call

When the world must come together as one

There are people dying

Oh, and it's time to lend a hand to life

The greatest gift of all

We can't go on pretending day by day

That someone, somewhere will soon make a change

We're all a part of God's great big family

And the truth, you know LOVE is all we need

♪♪We are the world, we are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day so LET'S START GIVING

There's a choice we're making we're saving our own lives

It's true we'll make a better day just you and me♪♪

Well, send 'em you your heart so they know that someone cares

And their lives will be stronger and free

As God has shown us by turning stone to bread

And so we all MUST LEND A HELPING HAND♪♪

"Following that experience ('We Are the World', 1985), it was my dream to create a worldwide series of concerts, which would RAISE FUNDS TO BRING AID TO SUFFERING PEOPLE AROUNG THE GLOBE...
In the years ahead, it is MY INTENTION to create similar events, which will bring together musicians from around the world to raise additional funds for the World Peace Foundation for Children."
~ Michael Jackson, 1998 ~

And remember his words about Invincible album,
"This will be MY LAST ALBUM", 2001

Please remember this:

Humanitarian: Guinness Book Of Records Names Michael "Most Support Charities"

and please,

notice this video

"A PRIVATE MEETING ON CHARITY TWEEN"

Blanco and Michael Jackson during which Michael signed all 5 paintings and aquired 2,

one which will be Autioned for Charity to help Cancer patients (Children) and the other painting for Michael's own collection.

Meeting took place at the legendary Hotel in Singapore The Raffles. source

----

"We are behaving like people without compassion and love for the most vulnerable section of society.

The children of the universe are without a spokesperson, they are voiceless...

We are all touched by the atrocities committed against children: sexual, physical abuse, child slave labor, educational neglect. We feel ashamed. Angry. Appalled.

But there is no action.... - NO ACTION. -"

~Michael Jackson~ South Africa, May 1998

Let's DO SOMETHING NOW...

Let's START GIVING...

Life is too short

2010-11-14T06:21:00.000-08:00

For me (and perhaps most of us), Michael is PERFECTION.

So, today, I'm gonna post this thought, besides to share this with all of you, this also to remind me of 'How' to be "Mike-Like" :)

A dear friend of mine remind me that despite all the news about Michael, one thing we have to remember of his BIGGEST legacy, which is LOVE...

Michael never stop continue giving his love, even in his death - as it is written on his will..

"...because to heal the world, we first have to heal ourselves."

~ Michael Jackson, 2001 ~

Thus for us, we always say that his life was too short because we still need his LOVE, on contrary, I keep asking myself, what have I done to keep his "LOVE" legacy alive..?

Not just giving my LOVE for Michael himself, but for the world, for the people, for the neighbors..?

"Follow the Golden Rule. Be kind to your neighbors, love them as much as you would love yourself, do unto others...."

~ Michael Jackson ~

My thought of the week:

While I'm focusing for Michael, unstoppable love for him, remembering him, missing him, and I wonder of what concrete action have I done to keep his BIGGEST legacy alive..?

Another new friend from college asked me: "Why you love Michael?",

and I replied, "because he had given all his life for the world...";

Then an insight came of my mind, "hm... and, so.... what have I done for my 28 years of life...?"

"Life is too precious and too short not to reach out and touch the people we can." ~ Michael Jackson ~ [Moonwalk]

----------

♪♪ This life don't last forever (Hold my hand)
♪♪
♪♪
So tell me what we're waiting for (Hold my hand)
♪♪

Won't be Fooled Again

2010-11-09T09:24:00.000-08:00

There's a connection of $ony, AEG, the Estate, and even Kenny Ortega because they are the ones behind Michael's sudden death, it's all conspiracy!!

Do you believe it's all conspiracy? A long time conspiracy against Michael...

"But there’s a lot of conspiracy, I’ll say that – conspiracy going on as we speak."

~ Michael Jackson, 2005"

And, imo, that quote still applicable even after his death...

Though I'm not an expert of the conspiracy theory, or even the conspiracy-against-Michael theory, but I read! Esp. the mjfansboycottsony site, and the more I read, the more puzzling my head became.. Then I turned back to watch and read his words, and... Yupe, there it is:

"..My level of trust will change. And ah, there’s a lot of conspiracy going on. I’ll say that much. A lot of it..... All around me."

~ Michael Jackson, 2005 ~

I don't even know how did they do this to Michael, but I just feel that I won't ever betray Michael, thus I already did once: watched the TII movie.

A new friend of mine said that her father is also a huge fan of Michael, and she said that her father refused to watch TII because it's not Michael's film. Of course she shared that story with her peculiar face of showing that she feels weird about her father's decision, BUT, on contrary, it was like a slap on my face! She got me there, her father is right!!!

My mind went here and there, the questions of: "why her father thought that way?", "What brought it to his mind?", "Does he know about this conspiracy?"

- on my last question, I doubt he knows it, her father is a pilot, and the issue about the conspiracy never had in our media headlines, and I don't think he has the chance for social network either..

And at the end, I wish that I can be like her father..

He uses his logical thinking above the consume behavior based on emotional feelings.

When I decided to watch TII, I was on the state of missing someone I love (as I still missing him now).. I watched 3 times, two of them are with my friends, and the last one was just me and myself - it was when these tears can't hardly stop.....

My emotion beat my logical thinking. Did Michael ever blessed this movie?!! He was killed to do this movie..!

Hm, here we go, the conspiracy cover up with excuses of "We're doing it for the fans", ~ A so-called-new-MJ-album is about to finish and ready to be released by $ony.

Oh, c'mon, WHAT MORE CAN HE GIVE? He had given all his life for the world, and the fans, and for $ony either!

And that Breaking News, which is definitely NOT Michael's voice, is just another emphasis that $ony NEVER intend to keep Michael's legacy alive, they're only after for the big M; $-MONEY-$!

They GOT me once, but I won't be fooled for the second time!
Are you...?

".... being the artist that I am, at $ony I've generated several billion dollars for $ony. Several billon. They really thought that my mind is always on music and dancing, it usually is, but they never thought.... that this performer myself would out think them.

So... we can't let them get away with what they're trying to do, because now I'm a free agent. I just owe $ony one more album, it's just a box set, really, with two new songs which I've written ages ago. Because for every album that I record, I write like, literally, I'm telling you the truth, I write.... I write at least 120 songs every album I do, so... I can do the box set, just giving them any two songs.

So I'm leaving $ony, a free agent... owning half of $ony, I own half of $ony's Publishing... And I'm leaving them, and they... they're very angry at me, because I, I just... I just did good business, you know.

So the way they get revenge is to try and destroy my album. But I've always said, you know... art, good art, never dies.
Thank you."
~ Michael Jackson, 2002 ~

Bless Michael's Soul

2010-11-02T06:29:00.002-07:00

I try to do what's right for me

But no one sees the way I see

And then I try to please them so

But how far can this pleasing go

Somethings soon to come over you

You just can't please the world and yourself

You gotta start doing whats right for you

'Cause life is being happy yourself

Then you should bless his soul

It's hard to find

A person like you

You're one of a kind

If I were you, I'd change my mind

And start living for me in these changing times

Sometimes I cry 'cause I'm confused

Is this a fact of being used

There is no life for me at all

'Cause I give myself at beck and call

Somethings soon to come over you

You just can't please the world and yourself

You gotta start doing whats right for you

'Cause life is being happy yourself

Then you should bless his soul

It's hard to find

A person like you

You're one of a kind

If I were you, I'd change my mind

And start living for me in these changing times

The life your leading is so dangerous

It's so dangerous, dangerous all

The life your leading is so dangerous

Doggone dangerous, dangerous, dangerous

Somethings soon to come over you

You just can't please the world and yourself

You gotta start doing whats right for you

'Cause life is being happy yourself

Then you should bless his soul

It's hard to find

A person like you

You're one of a kind

People will cry

If rain or sun

Try to please all

And you've pleased none

Mother Earth

2010-10-30T04:46:00.000-07:00

Mother Earth

I was walking along the beach one winter day. Looking down, I saw a wave push a feather up on the sand. It was a sea gull feather stained with oil. I picked it up and felt the dark slick film on my fingers. I couldn't help wondering if the bird had survived. Was it all right out there? I knew it wasn't.

I felt sad to think how carelessly we treat our home. The earth we all share is not just a rock tossed through space but a living, nurturing being. She cares for us; she deserves our care in return. We've been treating Mother Earth the way some people treat a rental apartment. Just trash it and move on.

But there's no place to move on to now. We have brought our garbage and our wars and our racism to every part of the world. We must begin to clean her up, and that means cleaning up our own hearts and minds first, because they led us to poison our dear planet. The sooner we change, the easier it will be to feel our love for Mother Earth and the love she so freely gives back to us.

[Michael Jackson, Dancing the Dream p.96]

Thank you, Anne-Sophie for sharing this video

Do We Give a Damn?

2010-10-30T03:00:00.000-07:00

"I’m very concerned about the plight of the international global warming phenomenon.

I knew it was coming, but I wish they would have gotten people’s interest sooner.

But it’s never too late. It’s been described as a runaway train;

if we don’t stop it, we’ll never get it back. So we have to fix it, now.

That’s what I was trying to do with “Earth Song,” “Heal the World,” “We Are the World,” writing those songs to open up people’s consciousness.

I wish people would listen to every word."

~ Michael Jackson ~

Recently, there are several natural disasters happened in my country, Indonesia.

On October 25th, 2010, earthquakes followed by tsunami hits Mentawai Island, Sumatra (Indonesia). And 2 days later, a volcano erupted from Merapi Mountain, Central Java province (Indonesia). Thus Merapi itself means "Mountain of Fire", but that doesn't mean that we all had prepared for this disaster....

Maybe we all wonder, "why Indonesia?" Please learn here, "Pacific Ring of Fire", as it is noted that the volcanoes in Indonesia are among the most active of the Pacific Ring of Fire, others than in Chile, United States, and other countries the in the Pacific Ring of Fire.

The Earth is Mad

Many earthquakes had happened, but most of us don't know the exact number. I calculate the total of the last 4 years earthquakes from wikipedia list, and found:

On 2007, there are 25 earthquakes with min. magnitude of 6.1 SR and the maximum: 8.5 SR which happened in Sumatra Island, Indonesia.

on 2008, in total 24 earthquakes with min. magnitude of 5.8 SR and the maximum: 7.9 SR, was in Sichuan Province, China

on 2009, decreased into 20 earthquakes with min. magnitude of 5.4 SR and the maximum: 8.1 SR, happened in Samoa Island, followed by the tsunami

And, 2010, up to October, we already had 24 earthquakes with min. 5.6 SR and maximum 8.8 SR that was happened lately in Mentawai Island, Sumatra (Indonesia), also followed by tsunami.

In average of 20 earthquakes every year, but then look at this table below

(click to enlarge) source

2 of the ten deadliest natural disasters, had happened in recent years: 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and 2010 Haiti Earthquake.......

And, not also mentioned about the global warming phenomenon...

Do we give a damn?

"We don’t look to man to fix the problems of the world, we don’t. They can’t do it.

That’s how I see it. It’s beyond us.

Look, we don’t have control over the grounds, they can shake.

We don’t have control over the seas, they can have tsunamis.

We don’t have control over the skies, there are storms.

We’re all in God’s hands.

I think that man has to take that into consideration."

~ Michael Jackson ~

"I respect the secrets and magic of nature.
That's what makes me so angry when I see these things that are happening in our world.
That every second I hear the size of a football field is torn down in the Amazon.
I mean, that kind of stuff really bothers me.
That's why I write these kinds of songs. You know, to give some sense of awareness and awakening and hope to people.

I love...I love the planet. I love trees. I have this thing for trees. And the colours and the changing of leaves. I loove it! And I respect those kinds of things.

I really feel that nature is trying so hard to compensate for man's mismanagement of the planet. Cause the planet is sick. Like a fever.
If we don't fix is now, it is at the point of no return.
This is our last chance to fix this problem that we have.
It is like a runaway train. When the time is come, this is it.

People are always saying, "Oh," they think, "They'll take care of it."
"The Government'll do..." "Done with that..." "They'll..."
They who?? It starts with us. It's US! Or else it'll never be done.
We have four years to get it right. After that it would be irreversible.
Let's take care of the planet!”

~ Michael Jackson, This Is It, 2009 ~

"Man in the Mirror" as music therapy

2010-10-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

Probably you have read Seven's article "Michael Jackson: King of Academic Literature and Scholarly Study" and to add his legacy on this, I found several article and journals-related... Yes, Michael's song entering the mental health education :)

As we, MJFam, listen to his songs are likely as self-healing process for us. Did you know that his songs are also used for music therapy in several researches, and... as a reference for a music therapy book? From what I read, I learnt that the one that are used more often is "Man in the Mirror" song....

What is Music Therapy?

Music therapy is the use of music and/or musical elements (sound, rhythm, melody and harmony) by a qualified music therapist, with a client or group, in a process designed to facilitate and promote communication, relationships, learning, mobilization, expression, organization, and other relevant therapeutic objectives, in order to meet physical, emotional, mental, social and cognitive needs. Music therapy aims to develop potentials and/or restore functions of the individual so that he or she can achieve better intra- and interpersonal integration and consequently a better quality of life through prevention, rehabilitation or treatment. (World Federation of Music Therapy, 1997)

And here are articles and journals that used Michael's song for their reference as music therapy:

- Music therapist brings comfort to breast cancer patients

Along with the chemotherapy and radiation came Paige Robbins — strumming her guitar and singing “I’ll Fly Away,” “Sound of Silence” or "Man in the Mirror"

The idea was to use music to brighten the lives of women undergoing breast cancer treatment.

And for many patients, it worked.

- The Effect of Music Therapy Techniques in a Coping Skills Group for Individuals with a Dual Diagnosis of Mental Illness and Substance Dependence

He used the song "Man in the Mirror" as one of his list as a treatment to see the effect of using music for individuals who deal with issues involving mental health and substance dependency in music therapy techniques with the result:

"When comparing the use of music therapy techniques of song selection and lyric

analysis to a more traditional, non-music approach, in a coping skills grolving mental health and substance dependency, participant attendance was shown to be considerably higher during the music condition compared to non-music. Survey results also corroborated the findings that participants felt the issues surrounding chemical dependence were dealt with more effectively during music-condition sessions than during the non-music sessions."

"An especially interesting point to consider is the fact that the participants found using the song selection technique to be more effective when dealing with issues of chemical dependence than the passage selection, which is geared specifically towards those issues. Most of the song choices available did not refer specifically to drugs or alcohol, but rather to larger themes such as hope, acceptance, change, and struggles. The participants were very proficient at interpreting a song’s lyrics and applying it to their own life, making it personal to their own difficulties with addiction and dependence."

- Three Men’s Experience of Their Journey To and Through Divorce: The Unheard Songs - dissertation

The following songs were attached to the themes that emerged from the written testimonials of the participants and were identified as similar experiences that the participants shared on their journey to and through divorce: ‘And then I kissed her...’, ‘From this moment, live has begun...’ , ‘O-bla-di-o-bla-da, live goes one...’, ‘I’ll be watching you’ ‘Thunder Struck!!!’, ‘Goodbye My lover, Goodbye my friend... ‘, ‘Since You’ve Been Gone...’, ‘...and it’s Hope that makes you carry on...’, ‘The "Man in the Mirror", 'Don’t Worry Be happy Now...’

Michael Jackson’s song "Man in the Mirror"carries a message that all your experiences and journeys in life will be reflected in yourself, and if you are unhappy with anything in your life you need to start by changing within yourself. I also asked the participants how they felt while writing their stories. Of great interest to the researcher was the fact that two of the participants spontaneously included in their stories these feelings while writing their narratives, which indicated that while they were writing, they were consciously thinking about the events and what they viewed as important and significant to them.

- The Effect of Music Therapy and Psychoeducation Versus Psychoeducation for Mainstreaming Mental Health Patients into Society

He compared the experimental group and control group, where the experimental group received psychoeducation with music therapy and the control group received psychoeducation only. The music he used is the song and lyrics of "Man in the Mirror".

The design of this study was experimental and control groups with pre/posttest. And, as the result, the subjects in the experimental group rated their sessions much higher than did the control group as a direct result of the music because the material between all sessions was identical. The effect of subjects' higher ranking of music therapy sessions could be attributed to the diverse use and effectiveness of music therapy techniques at achieving common rehabilitative goals.

- Music therapy methods in neurorehabilitation: a clinician's manual (2006, by Felicity Baker, Jeanette Tamplin, Jeanette Kennelly. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.)

In this book, "Man in the Mirror" is categorized as "Active Change" on the list of songs that they found useful to simulate self-reflection and self-exploration in patients.

"'Man in the Mirror' is a great message. I love that song.

If John Lennon was alive, he could really relate to that song because it says that if you want to make the world a better place, you have to work on yourself and change first.

It's the same thing Kennedy was talking about when he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change.

Start with the man in the mirror. Start with yourself.

Don't be looking at all the other things. Start with YOU."

~ Michael Jackson ~

Let's interpret the meanings of "Man in the Mirror" song itself...

A paper, published on 2008 by Dutch researchers in The Journal for Experimental Social Psychology. The authors attempted to investigate how looking into a mirror (and thus increasing self-awareness) would effect our tendency to stereotype others.

The results showed that the mirror made a big difference for those people who already measured high in prejudice. Participants who made judgments without a mirror were significantly more likely to label as “irresponsible.” Those who completed the study while occasionally seeing their own reflection were more likely to perceive as “easygoing.” In essence, seeing themselves in a mirror made people high in prejudice behave in the same manner as participants who showed low levels of prejudice.

The authors go on to speculate that looking at oneself in a mirror forces us to consider how we are viewed by others. As a result, seeing our reflection makes us more likely to conform to social norms (you know, like not being racist). Michael came face to face with the man in the mirror and realized he needed to “make a change,” to become a more concerned and compassionate person. Here at least, everyday people seem to be no different than the King of Pop. source

----

"Few people remember that he was Dr. Jackson, having received this Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Fisk University." source

Anyway,

And from that article, researches and book, I'm sure Michael would be happy to know how he has contributed to the world through education area.. :)

"An education opens a person's mind to the entire world, and there is nothing more important than to make sure everyone has the opportunity for an education."

~ Michael Jackson ~

Updated:
Click here:
“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’:
MJ in the Scholarly Literature: A Selected Bibliographic Guide”

PRAY

2010-10-17T08:06:00.000-07:00

I went to church today, and the pastor preached about PRAY, a very simple preach but it has deep meanings...

He said, when we pray, we're talking to God, and there are 2 essential points that we acknowledge when we're praying...

First, who is taking the prayer.. that is: me (us)

Second, to whom are we praying... of course, God

So, yes, praying is like having dialogue with God,

even when we started our prayer with, "God, I don't know how to pray", at that moment we already pray...

Pray,

don't have to be at some sacred place, it could be anywhere..

and it doesn't have to be on special moment, it could at anytime..

Thus, the most important thing that we used to forget on praying is.. Be THANKFUL for His blessings..

When we are at the top of the world, when we had succeed in achieving our goals, We -human kind- arrogantly see those things as our own achievements, yet forgot God's involvement in it..

"I gain strength from God." ~ Michael Jackson ~

#MJFam, thanks to the team of Uncover Michael Jackson's name, had succeed to reach the goal and made his name officially UNcover..

And have we pray and say thank you to Him?

"I pray every night. I don’t just pray at night. I pray at different times during the day." ~ Michael Jackson ~

"And I pray a lot and that’s how I deal with it and I’m a strong person, I’m a warrior"
~ Michael Jackson ~