Unholyalliance said:

mozfonky said:

ya, i've heard of elvis and Michael asking people "how will they remember me?" and asking it in a tone as though they would be remembered as less than what they intended. Elvis, of course, worried about the many detours he took in his career, the army, the movies, sadly, on the whole, I think both went to their grave unaware of the renaissance and rediscovery that would come with their passings.

I think that both of them went to the their graves not realizing the impact that they made, especially since at the times of their deaths since they were way beyond their peaks and both turned into jokes by the media.

Like, for MJ he always let people know who his inspirations and influences were, but yet could he even wrap his head around all of the generations of people that he influence all across the globe, in kind? Like the way he felt about James Brown, there were a lot of artists, and others, who felt the same about him. I guess we'll never know, but somewhere...I would like to think that he did. Not that it makes a difference to me, but it's that kind of satisfied feeling you get when you know that you have lit a spark in someone else's eyes and inspired them to pursue the same art as well. It makes you want to work even harder I think. (Well, for me at least.)

also, I guess it's no different than the rest of us, how many things go according to plan in our lives, it's no different for them. both never got to do a lot of things they wanted or set out to do. I think America being the country it is, will look more kindly on the white man and more controversially on the Mike but both have been given their props posthumously.

Yeah we will never know what else he had planned, musically, visually. Even if he wasn't active when alive, there was still knowing that he could comeback anytime. I know I sound selfish right now, but I'm already done grieving for how the family feels, now I only care about the kids and janet, and am done with the others and don't focus on them.

I guess since he was always there, no one was prepared for him going out like this, this way, especially when he was just about to perform again and I was finally "grown up" and at the age where I could work full time with good pay and take vacations and all and was going to see him perform.

Maybe the universe felt we were all undeserving of michael after what he was put through and took him back with open arms

[Edited 4/6/11 12:59pm]

Unholyalliance said:

mozfonky said:

ya, i've heard of elvis and Michael asking people "how will they remember me?" and asking it in a tone as though they would be remembered as less than what they intended. Elvis, of course, worried about the many detours he took in his career, the army, the movies, sadly, on the whole, I think both went to their grave unaware of the renaissance and rediscovery that would come with their passings.

I think that both of them went to the their graves not realizing the impact that they made, especially since at the times of their deaths since they were way beyond their peaks and both turned into jokes by the media.

No. Michael knew he was loved. Can't remember who he said it to, but he was quoted before his death (in relation to TII sales) "Wow. Really? A million tickets?!" or something very like that.

He knew.

I always believe he knew he was loved....maybe in a way he needed fans for strength as much as we needed him, though it's sad to think of it that way, but look at the circumstances. I think selling out all 50 shows was like a huge confirmation for him that he IS loved and erased any doubts if there were any.

alphastreet said:

I always believe he knew he was loved....maybe in a way he needed fans for strength as much as we needed him, though it's sad to think of it that way, but look at the circumstances. I think selling out all 50 shows was like a huge confirmation for him that he IS loved and erased any doubts if there were any.

i think there is a major difference between being loved in that way, and actually feeling you have real solid relationships/friendships. he acknowledged being loved by fans, etc. but he also acknowledged that despite this, he was really lonely. at the end of the day, the fans do not go home with you. who did he have to turn to outside of his role as a performer? he had very few people he could count on. that is the sad part.

Unholyalliance said:

I think that as an artist one of your biggest concerns is if your art will continue to live on even though you are gone since it's such a big part of you. So even though MJ may not, physically, be with us anymore his music and art are still here for us to enjoy. That way, I feel, that he is still with us, very much alive. By keeping the art alive you ensure that his memory lives on forever. By keeping his memory alive, you keep him alive.

i agree. the teachings (or whatever the relationship to his art is to you) live on.

Marrk said:

Unholyalliance said:

I think that both of them went to the their graves not realizing the impact that they made, especially since at the times of their deaths since they were way beyond their peaks and both turned into jokes by the media.

No. Michael knew he was loved. Can't remember who he said it to, but he was quoted before his death (in relation to TII sales) "Wow. Really? A million tickets?!" or something very like that.

He knew.

Michael knew he was loved and that comforts me. He saw his fans support him at his trial, he saw the reaction he got when he went out, he saw the response he got from releasing tickets for This Is It.

"If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with."- Michael jackson

MJJstudent said:

alphastreet said:

I always believe he knew he was loved....maybe in a way he needed fans for strength as much as we needed him, though it's sad to think of it that way, but look at the circumstances. I think selling out all 50 shows was like a huge confirmation for him that he IS loved and erased any doubts if there were any.

i think there is a major difference between being loved in that way, and actually feeling you have real solid relationships/friendships. he acknowledged being loved by fans, etc. but he also acknowledged that despite this, he was really lonely. at the end of the day, the fans do not go home with you. who did he have to turn to outside of his role as a performer? he had very few people he could count on. that is the sad part.

Oh I definitely know that, it's not the same thing and we are just people from afar and not disciples. He wanted people in his inner circle he could trust and interpersonal relationships

Marrk said:

No. Michael knew he was loved. Can't remember who he said it to, but he was quoted before his death (in relation to TII sales) "Wow. Really? A million tickets?!" or something very like that.

He knew.

I'm sure he knew about his fans, but I don't even think he, or anyone else, knew the extent of his impact. As we all know, the response after 6/25 was massive. The news of his death not only overtook the news of the Iranian protests that were going on at the same time, but it lasted for weeks until they had the coverage about the overcoverage of his death. Prior to his death, I don't think anyone could have foresaw that happening.

[Edited 4/7/11 7:18am]

Michael knew he was loved.

End of story.

Maybe that love SOME members of his family (Joe, some of the brothers and sisters) was questioned but I think he knew they loved him the same even with all that mess. He gave them the most praise in the liner notes of his Ultimate Collection set.

Other than that, yeah he was loved.

Uhh............................

By teamSkeem - Today, 11:34 AM - Boxden > BX Daily Bugle - news and headlines Spot the difference: The sculpture, right, recreates the moment Jackson dangled baby Prince Michael II out of a Berlin hotel window for fans below in 2002 It's like looking at a man in the mirror. But a new statue depicting the heart-stopping moment Michael Jackson dangled his nine-month-old son from a fifth-floor Berlin hotel balcony has sparked outrage from his fans. The London music studio where the life-size sculpture of the late king of pop with baby Prince Michael II is on display has become the target of hate mail and [rip] threats. It was unveiled just two days after Fulham Football Club chairman Mohammed Al Fayed told fans they could 'go to hell' if they did not like his new Michael Jackson statue which he revealed at Craven Cottage stadium on Sunday. The latest statue, called Madonna and Child, is the work of Los Angeles-based artist Maria von Kohler, and can be seen 20 feet up on the side of Premises Studios, in Hackney Road, East London. A barrage of angry messages have been posted on the company's website, with one Michael Jackson fan even threatening to set the studios on fire. 'For your information, MJ was not dangling his baby, but showing the baby to his fans who asked to see the baby. 'I urge you to remove this sculpture and replace it with one that honors Michael Jackson's amazing talents and humanitarian accomplishments.' Another fan calling herself krazy4kitties wrote: 'This is disgraceful. What kind of person would do a thing like this? 'It is based on a 3 second incident that happened years ago. MJ said that although he was holding his child firmly, it was a mistake. 'Think of how it makes his child feel to have this horrid 'sculpture' on display. 'Why don't you look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself why you did such a thing.' But Viv Broughton, chief executive of The Premises Studios, said the artwork would not be taken down. 'How can a work of art that's faithful to a real event be construed as an attack on anyone?' she said. 'Madonna and Child is as much about extreme fan worship as it is about Michael Jackson. Lots of people have come here to view it. Most people think it's brilliant.' Swedish-born von Kohler, who is a former Royal Academy of Arts student, took six months creating the sculpture. First it was modelled in clay, then, using a plaster mould it was cast in polyester resin and finished in acrylic and wax. It will be on display at Premises Studios until May 1, when it moves to Los Angeles. It is the second time a Michael Jackson statue has caused controversy in recent weeks. On Sunday, Fulham Football Club chairman Mohammed Al Fayed told fans they could 'go to hell' if they did not like the new Michael Jackson statue at Craven Cottage stadium

ali23 said:

Uhh............................

Apr 7 - MICHAEL JACKSON BABY-DANGLING SCULPTURE

By teamSkeem - Today, 11:34 AM - Boxden > BX Daily Bugle - news and headlines Spot the difference: The sculpture, right, recreates the moment Jackson dangled baby Prince Michael II out of a Berlin hotel window for fans below in 2002 It's like looking at a man in the mirror. But a new statue depicting the heart-stopping moment Michael Jackson dangled his nine-month-old son from a fifth-floor Berlin hotel balcony has sparked outrage from his fans. The London music studio where the life-size sculpture of the late king of pop with baby Prince Michael II is on display has become the target of hate mail and [rip] threats. It was unveiled just two days after Fulham Football Club chairman Mohammed Al Fayed told fans they could 'go to hell' if they did not like his new Michael Jackson statue which he revealed at Craven Cottage stadium on Sunday. The latest statue, called Madonna and Child, is the work of Los Angeles-based artist Maria von Kohler, and can be seen 20 feet up on the side of Premises Studios, in Hackney Road, East London. A barrage of angry messages have been posted on the company's website, with one Michael Jackson fan even threatening to set the studios on fire. 'For your information, MJ was not dangling his baby, but showing the baby to his fans who asked to see the baby. 'I urge you to remove this sculpture and replace it with one that honors Michael Jackson's amazing talents and humanitarian accomplishments.' Another fan calling herself krazy4kitties wrote: 'This is disgraceful. What kind of person would do a thing like this? 'It is based on a 3 second incident that happened years ago. MJ said that although he was holding his child firmly, it was a mistake. 'Think of how it makes his child feel to have this horrid 'sculpture' on display. 'Why don't you look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself why you did such a thing.' But Viv Broughton, chief executive of The Premises Studios, said the artwork would not be taken down. 'How can a work of art that's faithful to a real event be construed as an attack on anyone?' she said. 'Madonna and Child is as much about extreme fan worship as it is about Michael Jackson. Lots of people have come here to view it. Most people think it's brilliant.' Swedish-born von Kohler, who is a former Royal Academy of Arts student, took six months creating the sculpture. First it was modelled in clay, then, using a plaster mould it was cast in polyester resin and finished in acrylic and wax. It will be on display at Premises Studios until May 1, when it moves to Los Angeles. It is the second time a Michael Jackson statue has caused controversy in recent weeks. On Sunday, Fulham Football Club chairman Mohammed Al Fayed told fans they could 'go to hell' if they did not like the new Michael Jackson statue at Craven Cottage stadium

How pathetic...

Affairs, strip clubs, photos of Michael Jackson’s body should be off limits, Conrad Murray's defense says

Dr. Conrad Murray's legal team asked a judge Thursday to prohibit any mention of the physician's extramarital affairs, out-of-wedlock children and fondness for strip clubs at his manslaughter trial next month in the death of Michael Jackson.

In papers filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the defense argued that such evidence was irrelevant to the question of Murray's guilt and would be used by prosecutors only "to inflame the passions of the jury."

"The prosecution's case involves the treatment and care of Michael Jackson provided by Dr. Murray. It is not about the existence and number of children Dr. Murray has, or about his personal sexual relationship with women," wrote defense lawyer Nareg Gourjian in the documents, which also sought to bar prosecutors from presenting evidence about lawsuits against Murray for failure to pay business debts and his home mortgage.

The defense also objected to the use of pictures of Jackson's dead body at the trial, saying the "graphic, gruesome and highly prejudicial" photos would appeal to jurors emotions and jeopardize Murray's right to a fair trial. Judge Michael Pastor has ordered a hearing on the requests for April 21.

The parties took another step toward selecting a jury Thursday with the finalization of a pool of about 170 prospective panelists. In the run-up to final jury selection May 4, prosecutors and defense attorneys will review 30-page questionnaires completed by the potential jurors.

A copy of the questionnaire was unsealed by the judge Thursday. Panelists were asked 117 questions about their background, life experience and opinions on the case and those connected to it. Among the questions:

• Have you ever considered yourself a fan of Michael Jackson or the Jackson Family?
• Did you ever watch "This Is It" (the documentary of Michael Jackson's concert tour prep)?
• Do you have any positive or negative feelings or opinions about Conrad Murray or Michael Jackson?

The questionnaire also asked if panelists had ever used a laundry list of prescription drugs, including propofol, the surgical anesthetic blamed in Jackson's death.

Murray, 57, faces a maximum of four years in prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter. He has pleaded not guilty.

http://latimesblogs.latim...trial.html

mimi07 said:

Affairs, strip clubs, photos of Michael Jackson’s body should be off limits, Conrad Murray's defense says

Dr. Conrad Murray's legal team asked a judge Thursday to prohibit any mention of the physician's extramarital affairs, out-of-wedlock children and fondness for strip clubs at his manslaughter trial next month in the death of Michael Jackson.

In papers filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the defense argued that such evidence was irrelevant to the question of Murray's guilt and would be used by prosecutors only "to inflame the passions of the jury."

"The prosecution's case involves the treatment and care of Michael Jackson provided by Dr. Murray. It is not about the existence and number of children Dr. Murray has, or about his personal sexual relationship with women," wrote defense lawyer Nareg Gourjian in the documents, which also sought to bar prosecutors from presenting evidence about lawsuits against Murray for failure to pay business debts and his home mortgage.

The defense also objected to the use of pictures of Jackson's dead body at the trial, saying the "graphic, gruesome and highly prejudicial" photos would appeal to jurors emotions and jeopardize Murray's right to a fair trial. Judge Michael Pastor has ordered a hearing on the requests for April 21.

The parties took another step toward selecting a jury Thursday with the finalization of a pool of about 170 prospective panelists. In the run-up to final jury selection May 4, prosecutors and defense attorneys will review 30-page questionnaires completed by the potential jurors.

A copy of the questionnaire was unsealed by the judge Thursday. Panelists were asked 117 questions about their background, life experience and opinions on the case and those connected to it. Among the questions:

• Have you ever considered yourself a fan of Michael Jackson or the Jackson Family?
• Did you ever watch "This Is It" (the documentary of Michael Jackson's concert tour prep)?
• Do you have any positive or negative feelings or opinions about Conrad Murray or Michael Jackson?

The questionnaire also asked if panelists had ever used a laundry list of prescription drugs, including propofol, the surgical anesthetic blamed in Jackson's death.

Murray, 57, faces a maximum of four years in prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter. He has pleaded not guilty.

http://latimesblogs.latim...trial.html

Timmy84 said:

Michael knew he was loved.

End of story.

Maybe that love SOME members of his family (Joe, some of the brothers and sisters) was questioned but I think he knew they loved him the same even with all that mess. He gave them the most praise in the liner notes of his Ultimate Collection set.

Other than that, yeah he was loved.

i think that depends on your perspective... i think you can love your family and still carry a lot of issues. michael was not that secretive about the issues he carried, either if you're discussing his speech at oxford or the conversation with glenda. there are indeed a lot of issues he took with him to his grave, but he still acknowledged he had a lot of healing to do.

your perspective seems to be that he knew he was loved. i agree with you, up to a point. i think he knew he was loved, but in my mind it seems to me he felt the love was conditional. i mean, if he was just some guy off the street, would the fan base love and defend him the same? i can't say. his fame (and our perceptions of him) appears to be the condition which drives the love.

in terms of his father, michael stated that his father told him and his brothers they'd be dropped "like a hot potato" if they stopped performing. again, i see that love as conditional.

i would HOPE that despite all the issues, his family loved him unconditionally... but i have difficulty believing that.

my perspective is one that looks at michael as someone who has been abused. those who have histories with childhood trauma and abuse are likely to have trust and boundary issues. so when i see michael speaking about his abuse, i understand when he talks about lonliness. a lot of people don't come to terms with their abuse until they become much older. and michael working so hard to try to form friendships backfired (according to him) due to his fame.

so yes, he knew he was loved... but at what price did that love come? did he have any true friends and companions (outside of his field) he could count on? did he have someone he could confide in about his traumas? did he have anyone in his life who did NOT see him as 'michael jackson (tm)'?

or simply, was he just loved by fans, who for all intents and purposes, saw him as a product, an entertainer?

this is purely my opinion, but i think the only people who loved him unconditionally (who didn't look at him as an entertainer, some gateway to a fantasy or a cash cow) were his children.

so for me, it's not the end of the story at all. i think these are questions to explore, in relation to the psychology of abuse and trauma. how much healing was actually done? did he have an opportunity to even get there?

Even if they loved him unconditionally or said it to his face, young MJ was not raised to believe that and carried it into adulthood, and nothing and no one could repair those emotional scars imprinted on him. It was too late and could not be undone.

I think the reason he never gave up later was cause he had children. I don't think he would have been able to handle the trial had he not had children. I think a part of me, as well as other fans. saw him as someone who has been through hell and back and felt that if he could deal with his issues, they can deal with theirs. I did that for so long that by the time mj went though I don't think it's his fault though I don't agree with every choice, I felt he gave up though he didn't really.

MJJstudent said:

Timmy84 said:

Michael knew he was loved.

End of story.

Maybe that love SOME members of his family (Joe, some of the brothers and sisters) was questioned but I think he knew they loved him the same even with all that mess. He gave them the most praise in the liner notes of his Ultimate Collection set.

Other than that, yeah he was loved.

i think that depends on your perspective... i think you can love your family and still carry a lot of issues. michael was not that secretive about the issues he carried, either if you're discussing his speech at oxford or the conversation with glenda. there are indeed a lot of issues he took with him to his grave, but he still acknowledged he had a lot of healing to do.

your perspective seems to be that he knew he was loved. i agree with you, up to a point. i think he knew he was loved, but in my mind it seems to me he felt the love was conditional. i mean, if he was just some guy off the street, would the fan base love and defend him the same? i can't say. his fame (and our perceptions of him) appears to be the condition which drives the love.

in terms of his father, michael stated that his father told him and his brothers they'd be dropped "like a hot potato" if they stopped performing. again, i see that love as conditional.

i would HOPE that despite all the issues, his family loved him unconditionally... but i have difficulty believing that.

my perspective is one that looks at michael as someone who has been abused. those who have histories with childhood trauma and abuse are likely to have trust and boundary issues. so when i see michael speaking about his abuse, i understand when he talks about lonliness. a lot of people don't come to terms with their abuse until they become much older. and michael working so hard to try to form friendships backfired (according to him) due to his fame.

so yes, he knew he was loved... but at what price did that love come? did he have any true friends and companions (outside of his field) he could count on? did he have someone he could confide in about his traumas? did he have anyone in his life who did NOT see him as 'michael jackson (tm)'?

or simply, was he just loved by fans, who for all intents and purposes, saw him as a product, an entertainer?

this is purely my opinion, but i think the only people who loved him unconditionally (who didn't look at him as an entertainer, some gateway to a fantasy or a cash cow) were his children.

so for me, it's not the end of the story at all. i think these are questions to explore, in relation to the psychology of abuse and trauma. how much healing was actually done? did he have an opportunity to even get there?

Thank you for sharing your opinion MJJStudent. Excellently and wonderfully put!

alphastreet said:

I think he was slowly dying thanks to how he was treated over the years and murray was the final nail in the coffin. The others emotionally killed him, and he physically did. I think about this and start getting sad, but it is getting so much easier getting out of bed and telling myself to get a grip.

I'm not getting defensive when I ask you this, but do you think he killed himself? I don't believe he did, but it is one of the first thoughts I considered though I quickly dismissed it too, I had a million thoughts all at once, yet I felt very very empty and floaty when it was all happening, like an out of body thing, as if I was the one who died. In shock but also very calm though shaky, though later on, giddy cause I didn't know how to act. I was at peace he was at peace cause they gave that man a hard time but the minute I heard of Conrad, all hell broke loose, yet I couldn't admit what he did to him.

I even dreamt exactly a decade before the death that he killed himself and it felt so freaky and real, that I woke up and turned on the tv to make sure nothing really happened :*(

I don't think that Murray was the only one killing Michael.. I do believe that Arnold Klein has alot to do with giving him Demerol... Both Doctors... how pitiful.

Utimalety Michael is responsible but how unethical these Doctors are. . I just wonder who really cared for Michael, other than his children, and fans.

*just saw the baby-dangling sculpture*

...They're starting that bullshit back up again, huh?

Interesting....

Lindsay Lohan and MJ -- T...Connection

Lindsay Lohan had one hell of a greeter when she arrived to LAX on Wednesday -- because the man who escorted her out of the airport was Michael Jackson's former bodyguard Alberto Alvarez ... the man who called 911 on the day MJ died.



Sources close to Lohan tell us ... Lohan has NOT hired Alvarez on a permanent basis ... and it's unclear how the two hooked up in the first place.



Alvarez reportedly told LAPD detectives that Dr. Conrad Murray had asked him to hide bottles of Propofol in MJ's house on the day the singer died.

As TMZ previously reported, Alvarez was fired from his gig with the Jackson family last year.

NaughtyKitty said:

Interesting....

Lindsay Lohan and MJ -- T...Connection

Lindsay Lohan had one hell of a greeter when she arrived to LAX on Wednesday -- because the man who escorted her out of the airport was Michael Jackson's former bodyguard Alberto Alvarez ... the man who called 911 on the day MJ died.



Sources close to Lohan tell us ... Lohan has NOT hired Alvarez on a permanent basis ... and it's unclear how the two hooked up in the first place.



Alvarez reportedly told LAPD detectives that Dr. Conrad Murray had asked him to hide bottles of Propofol in MJ's house on the day the singer died.

As TMZ previously reported, Alvarez was fired from his gig with the Jackson family last year.

This reminds me of some of the latest 'MJ death-hoax' theory shit I've heard, trying to connect MJ to Lohan lmao...

Honestly, it's probably just as simple as - the bodyguard needs to eat and pay his bills just like the rest of us. Dude's gotta work.

So i was watching the memorial tonight for my own reasons. Does Stevie really say Michael did a version of 'I never dreamed you would leave in summer'? cause he certainly implies that he did in the intro.

I wonder how I would react to the memorial now, I was too numb and in shock to cry when watching it, and didn't understand why. I imagined myself crying nonstop, I was in too much shock.

More Victory Tour footage has surfaced

bboy87 said:

More Victory Tour footage has surfaced

Damn talk about a clear picture.

Timmy84 said:

bboy87 said:

More Victory Tour footage has surfaced

Damn talk about a clear picture.

It came from a beta tape so it's definitely gonna be a lot more clear than regular VHS tape footage

bboy87 said:

Timmy84 said:

Damn talk about a clear picture.

It came from a beta tape so it's definitely gonna be a lot more clear than regular VHS tape footage

True.

bboy87 said:

More Victory Tour footage has surfaced

My mom was there!!!!

MJJstudent said:

Timmy84 said:

Michael knew he was loved.

End of story.

Maybe that love SOME members of his family (Joe, some of the brothers and sisters) was questioned but I think he knew they loved him the same even with all that mess. He gave them the most praise in the liner notes of his Ultimate Collection set.

Other than that, yeah he was loved.

i think that depends on your perspective... i think you can love your family and still carry a lot of issues. michael was not that secretive about the issues he carried, either if you're discussing his speech at oxford or the conversation with glenda. there are indeed a lot of issues he took with him to his grave, but he still acknowledged he had a lot of healing to do.

your perspective seems to be that he knew he was loved. i agree with you, up to a point. i think he knew he was loved, but in my mind it seems to me he felt the love was conditional. i mean, if he was just some guy off the street, would the fan base love and defend him the same? i can't say. his fame (and our perceptions of him) appears to be the condition which drives the love.

in terms of his father, michael stated that his father told him and his brothers they'd be dropped "like a hot potato" if they stopped performing. again, i see that love as conditional.

i would HOPE that despite all the issues, his family loved him unconditionally... but i have difficulty believing that.

my perspective is one that looks at michael as someone who has been abused. those who have histories with childhood trauma and abuse are likely to have trust and boundary issues. so when i see michael speaking about his abuse, i understand when he talks about lonliness. a lot of people don't come to terms with their abuse until they become much older. and michael working so hard to try to form friendships backfired (according to him) due to his fame.

so yes, he knew he was loved... but at what price did that love come? did he have any true friends and companions (outside of his field) he could count on? did he have someone he could confide in about his traumas? did he have anyone in his life who did NOT see him as 'michael jackson (tm)'?

or simply, was he just loved by fans, who for all intents and purposes, saw him as a product, an entertainer?

this is purely my opinion, but i think the only people who loved him unconditionally (who didn't look at him as an entertainer, some gateway to a fantasy or a cash cow) were his children.

so for me, it's not the end of the story at all. i think these are questions to explore, in relation to the psychology of abuse and trauma. how much healing was actually done? did he have an opportunity to even get there?

this is getting philosophical but I'll comment. I love Mike because of his spirit, what he as an artist to me as a young man and so on. That said, I would also say, love isn't always a good thing, I try to keep love in control for myself. You can love some screwy people and ruin your life and vice versa, I'm just saying love isn't all it's cracked up to be. But yes, I'd love Mike if he'd never sang another not or wrote a song, we lost someone special.

alphastreet said:

I wonder how I would react to the memorial now, I was too numb and in shock to cry when watching it, and didn't understand why. I imagined myself crying nonstop, I was in too much shock.

God, almost 2 years later and no way could I watch this again. Just so depressing.