ENTERTAINMENT

The Untimely Death of My Idol

By Gia, age 17, Florida



I was sitting in front of my computer screen, updating my Twitter account for the millionth time, when gossip columnist Perez Hilton updated about Michael Jackson having a heart attack. I didn't think anything of it until 10 minutes later when I checked Perez's website. The headline was "TMZ Reports Michael Jackson Dead." I never really believed what TMZ wrote so I turned on the news. Every news station was reporting about him being sent to the hospital, that he was in a coma and that he had died. I was in pure and utter shock. I started bawling my eyes out like it was my own family member who had passed away.

To understand why I was so shaken up by Michael Jackson's death, we have to travel back a few years. I spent the majority of the year when I was 14 listening to Michael, and Michael only. I owned not only his "Number 1" hits, but for Christmas the previous year I was given the two disc greatest hits CD, from when he was in the Jackson 5 to the most recent songs. All I wanted to do was listen to Michael and dance like he did. Three years later, at 17, I was still pretty crazy about "The Gloved One."

I spent the week after his death like I did when I was 14. I listened to Michael and only Michael, and cried. The whole reason I wanted to dance was because of him. Some may say I'm crazy to idolize him because of his past. I don't look at him as the person portrayed in the tabloids. I saw him as a humanitarian, a father, and probably the greatest musician of all time. To me, whether he was or was not what the media said never mattered. I wasn't one of those fans who only liked him when he was on top. I loved him throughout the trials, and even when he was sick months ago. I'm actually immortalizing him as a tattoo. I haven't actually picked out the final design, but I want either a silhouette or a picture of the earth with a sparkling glove and lyrics from "Heal The World."

The memorial service at the Staples Center was beautiful, fitting for the King of Pop. I sobbed my eyes out when his daughter spoke and when everyone sang "We Are the World." Michael Jackson never seemed to let down his biggest fans; he never let me down. I will miss him, but I know that we still celebrate him as a musician because music like his never dies. So even now, as I'm writing this and listening to his music, I can smile and know that he will forever live, even if he isn't physically with us here on earth.

Rest in Peace, Michael Joseph Jackson.
1958-2009



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February & March Magazine Issues

March 15, 2012

The February and March issues of Sweet Designs Magazine are now online, featuring a combined 53 new articles and features!!

- Cover: Stephanie Lynn reflects on 5 years
- Cover: India (of Darn-licious knitwear)
- Life in the dumps (moving in with my bf)
- The difference between men and women
- Angels among us (parts 1 and 2)
- Arts graduates & the dark night of the soul
- Triple threat (how I survived my teen yrs)
- Dating isn't easy (my true story)
- How to turn not-so-great gifts ... (fashion)
- Ten reasons to love being single
- Taking the big leap (college)
- Valentine's Day (not what you'd expect!)
- The last of the cold (hopefully) (fashion)
- A month full of love
- Ten tips for successful airline travel
- Reasons I love writing for SDM
- Who needs love?
- They're not all the same
- The life I'm glad I don't have (fiction)
- Professional dress/ finding Fendi (fashion)
- An airport anniversary: a true story
- Inappropriate Facebook photos
- The perks of a big city (college)
- A night(mare) to forget (part 2)
- The Anita Blake series (book review)
- Saving June by Hannah Harrington (book)
- Under the Mesquite by GG McCall (book)
- The Lullaby by Sarah Dessen (book)
- If I Stay by Gayle Foreman (book review)
- My sweetheart (original poetry)
- Isn't it funny (original poetry)
- The stranger (original poetry)
- A winter wonderland (original poetry)
- One night valentine
- The thick envelopes (college acceptance)
- Southern love
- Healthy hair and vitamins
- It's a date (dating idea alternatives)
- The 30 hour famine
- School's out forever!
- Marching right back into spring? (fashion)
- Dear John
- When TV shows depict your life
- 3 Fun ways to rock spring's hottest trends
- Neglected teeth
- Starting something new
- Guy movies
- To hesitate or dive in?
- Deadly, by Julie Chibbaro (book review)
- Beastly, by Alex Flinn (book review)
- I don't care (poetry)
- Together, alone (poetry)

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