"Michael Jackson is Dead"

So, as everyone should know, the King of Pop has come to his own demise. It's sad for most and a happy occasion to others. Me, I'm in the middle. He was an idol of many while I grew up and a monster to those my age. The scandals that surrounded Michael Jackson may have been only rumors but there was always the nagging thought of what if. However, in an article posted as Michael Jackson is Dead, the author writes about how Jackson's death is a tragic event and it made me realize that though there many bad things that occurred around him, Michael Jackson was still the King of Pop. And that he did not get there just by sitting on his butt, he worked hard to please the American interest. I'm not exactly sure what my point is but, I do think that Michael Jackson's death is not something to celebrate or mourn but rather to acknowledge.

Expect the Unexpected

Since I was young, my mom always said to expect the unexpected. At first I followed this philosophy because, well, she’s my mom. However, as I grew older, fate insisted on throwing the unexpected at me.

First, it was my brothers believing they were invincible and were constantly hanging around the wrong crowd. Almost every day when I came home, there would be one Clark or another sitting in the kitchen nursing a bruise, a cut or even a really banged up face. Though it was scary, it was my mom who appointed me to be the nurse of our family. Hence, my memories as the one taking care of my older brothers rather than the other way around.

Later on, when I was older, our whole financial situation changed and we were given two options: find a new home in a short amount of time or move out to Madison with my brother. Of course, there weren’t many places in Fargo, ND that accepted small money for housing. Thus, we moved to the capital of Wisconsin. Though I wasn’t very thrilled, it was just one of those kinds of things that I had no say in. In spite of this, I learned that this move was one of the best decisions that we made.

Another instance of fate not exactly being on my side, was when I was in fourth grade, my mom took me to her friend’s lake cabin and I was about to go swimming. Unfortunately for me, I was overly happy about going to play that I tripped over a twig. It was not a log or a stick, but a twig. And then, much to my misfortune, I went tumbling down the steep, concrete stairs. According to a very wise woman- otherwise known as my mom – there were approximately thirty-six stairs and we were very lucky that I did not break a leg or worse.

Though some of these aren’t exactly my fondest memories, it just goes to show that life isn’t a straight and narrow road, but a climbing and winding path that doesn’t have a definite destination. And it is because of this philosophy that I have come to believe that it’s better to not hope for a straight forward and consistent life and expect the unexpected.