That Modern Gal, does she ever blog anymore? Apparently not, judging by how little the home page has budged in the past week. Alas, it’s becoming one of those times in my life where life gets in the way of blogging. Packing for the big move — or rather thinking about packing — has consumed much of the free time that I have when I’m not working or hanging out with friends or going out on dates. Going out on dates? Are you a glutton for punishment, MG? Don’t you know that keeps ending badly for you? Ah, well.

Anyway, I promised some Michael Jackson tributes, and I suppose the week anniversary of his death is as good of a reason to do one as any. Because my ambition of doing a weeklong tribute has vanished with the winds of early this week, I’m going to try to roll it all into one. Here goes.

First for something serious. Lisa Marie wrote this blog post about about her time with MJ, and I thought it was very insightful. I’ve dated someone who could almost fit the description she offers of him. They are amazing and difficult people and hard to share a relationship with.

Now for something kind of random. Billie Jean is hands-down my favorite MJ song. As the Modern Ex would say about certain songs/singers: he brings the hurt when he insists the kid is not his son. And the video, like so many of his others, is awesome. Who doesn’t want the sidewalk to light up as you step on it?

Anyway, one of my Twitter friends shared this Twitter tribute to Billie Jean with me. Kinda random, but kinda cool too.

Here are two things I posted when MJ turned 50 a few months back, but I’m willing to bet you don’t remember so they will still be interesting: The 50 weirdest facts about Michael Jackson and a pictoral HisTory of MJ’s face.

Ok, now for my favorite songs/videos. This is so hard because I love so many and for so many different reasons, but I’ll try anyway. I’ve already named and posted a link to Billie Jean, so that’s No. 1. (Embedding isn’t an option, so you’ll have to click through, just COME BACK WHEN YOU’RE DONE!)

No. 2: Beat It, because it’s my favorite of all the MJ video dances. I do the dance in my living room when I’m alone and need a short workout.

No. 3: Thriller, because duh, it’s Thriller, Thriller night. And it’s the greatest video ever made, or something like that.

No. 4: Never Can Say Goodbye, because I loved the Jackson 5 just as much. And Isaac Hayes loved it enough to cover it.
(oh look! an embedded clip!)

No. 5: Man in the Mirror, because, c’mon. You all know you look yourselves in the mirror and rock out when you hear that song. It makes you want to change the world.

No. 6: Dirty Diana, because if that doesn’t make you want to be a bad gal, I don’t know what will. Speaking of bad …

No. 7: Bad, because Bad was the album and song I associated with him as a child (I was still pretty young when Thriller came out.)

No. 8: Black or White and Who is It, because I listened to the Dangerous album on repeat with my fellow summer campers circa 1991.

No. 9: P.Y.T., because that’s the song that gets played most regularly at two of my favorite drinking establishments.

and lastly

No. 10: Tie between Smooth Criminal and Scream, because I just can’t decide. Both are kinda weird but cool songs. And the Scream video was such a big deal.

Ok, since that post took me like two hours to write, I think I’m done for the day. Happy long weekend!