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Live Blogging the MJ memorial

I am sitting in my bed watching the Michael Jackson memorial – it is actually just wonderful.

It’s such a black and beautiful moment. This is such a black funeral – tears, laughter, memories, gospel, Jesus and all of that.

Performance wise, Stevie Wonder tore it up, and Jermaine really moved me. Usher also did a lovely job, and John Mayer made the smart choice of doing a guitar tribute as opposed to singing, really mature.

The speeches have been fantastic. Al Sharpton really spoke to the essence of Michael’s controversial life – “to Michael’s chidren: Your daddy wasn’t strange – it was strange what he had to deal with.”

Magic Johnson talked about eating Kentucky Fried Chicken with Michael – how starstruck he was, and then how comfortable they were.

While I am not a big church goer, there are moments in life when you need a preacher, there are moments in life when you need a gospel choir. Times when you need your siblings around you, times when you just need to be honored and defended and protected.

I am thinking of my great aunt annie – magnificent woman that she was. What it feels like to love and miss and let go of someone, it’s so deep.

they just had a little baby, apparently from britain’s got talent, get up and saaang. felt like the recreation of that moment when folks first heard that voice come out of michael – a child who can bring soul beyond their years.

they are doing we are the world and heal the world. lots of folks i don’t recognize…and neither is my favorite of michael’s songs, but the message is the legacy that michael was building his whole life, with all his charitable activities, with his money and his place on stage.

you can’t just love thriller michael, this is what you have to contend with. michael was an icon in the age of mother theresa – even in the bubble that was all around him he still understood the effects of inequality and sought to change and heal the world.

seeing michael’s children up on the stage is fascinating. they have been so protected and hidden their whole lives, and they are each so delicate and cute and look totally overwhelmed.

the whole family is tragic and bizarre to see together. it’s beautiful.

woah – michael’s daughter paris is speaking. speechless.

whew. i cried a LOT this morning. i am so grateful to have the sort of work environment where i could go all in for this.

that was a remarkable memorial, exactly how it should have been.

the music, the speeches, the images, the family. that was truly truly truly beautiful.

to experience it with sooo many people felt important.

i am going to post the entire entire man in the mirror lyrics here cause i have been singing it for two weeks:

“Man In The Mirror”

I’m Gonna Make A Change,
For Once In My Life
It’s Gonna Feel Real Good,
Gonna Make A Difference
Gonna Make It Right . . .

As I, Turn Up The Collar On My
Favourite Winter Coat
This Wind Is Blowin’ My Mind
I See The Kids In The Street,
With Not Enough To Eat
Who Am I, To Be Blind?
Pretending Not To See
Their Needs
A Summer’s Disregard,
A Broken Bottle Top
And A One Man’s Soul
They Follow Each Other On
The Wind Ya’ Know
‘Cause They Got Nowhere
To Go
That’s Why I Want You To
Know

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
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change
(Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change)
(Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na,
Na Nah)

I’ve Been A Victim Of A Selfish
Kind Of Love
It’s Time That I Realize
That There Are Some With No
Home, Not A Nickel To Loan
Could It Be Really Me,
Pretending That They’re Not
Alone?

A Willow Deeply Scarred,
Somebody’s Broken Heart
And A Washed-Out Dream
(Washed-Out Dream)
They Follow The Pattern Of
The Wind, Ya’ See
Cause They Got No Place
To Be
That’s Why I’m Starting With
Me
(Starting With Me!)

I’m Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
(Ooh!)
I’m Asking Him To Change
His Ways
(Ooh!)
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make A Change
(Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make A Change)

I’m Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
(Ooh!)
I’m Asking Him To Change His
Ways
(Change His Ways-Ooh!)
And No Message Could’ve
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make That . . .
(Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make That . . .)
Change!

I’m Starting With The Man In
The Mirror,
(Man In The Mirror-Oh
Yeah!)
I’m Asking Him To Change
His Ways
(Better Change!)
No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
(Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make The Change)
(You Gotta Get It Right, While
You Got The Time)
(‘Cause When You Close Your
Heart)
You Can’t Close Your . . .Your
Mind!
(Then You Close Your . . .
Mind!)
That Man, That Man, That
Man, That Man
With That Man In The Mirror
(Man In The Mirror, Oh Yeah!)
That Man, That Man, That Man
I’m Asking Him To Change
His Ways
(Better Change!)
You Know . . .That Man
No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make A Change
(Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make A Change)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na,
Na Nah
(Oh Yeah!)
Gonna Feel Real Good Now!
Yeah Yeah! Yeah Yeah!
Yeah Yeah!
Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na,
Na Nah
(Ooooh . . .)
Oh No, No No . . .
I’m Gonna Make A Change
It’s Gonna Feel Real Good!
Come On!
(Change . . .)
Just Lift Yourself
You Know
You’ve Got To Stop It.
Yourself!
(Yeah!-Make That Change!)
I’ve Got To Make That Change,
Today!
Hoo!
(Man In The Mirror)
You Got To
You Got To Not Let Yourself . . .
Brother . . .
Hoo!
(Yeah!-Make That Change!)
You Know-I’ve Got To Get
That Man, That Man . . .
(Man In The Mirror)
You’ve Got To
You’ve Got To Move! Come
On! Come On!
You Got To . . .
Stand Up! Stand Up!
Stand Up!
(Yeah-Make That Change)
Stand Up And Lift
Yourself, Now!
(Man In The Mirror)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
Aaow!
(Yeah-Make That Change)
Gonna Make That Change . . .
Come On!
(Man In The Mirror)
You Know It!
You Know It!
You Know It!
You Know . . .
(Change . . .)
Make That Change.