When I was a kid, Michael Jackson was my absolute reason for getting out of bed each morning. So blinded by love was I that I never once realized that the belt and shirt he’s wearing in The Way You Make Me Feel makes him look like Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz.  I just thought he was, well, BAD. The good bad, you know.

I believed in his Badness so much that I proudly sported my convictions on a button, which I wore to school every.single day. (see picture – mine was JUST LIKE THAT).

I also remember my grampa being not-so-very supportive of my declaration of intent to marry MJ. I was quite serious. Mom was very sweet about it though: “If you still feel that way when you get older, we’ll talk about it.” Thanks, momma!

(sigh)

I’m quite jealous of my actual hubby for getting to see him live — twice. But as I mine YouTube for live MJ performances, I feel like I’m there. Especially when I see this one, which I remember watching, mouth gaping, as if it were yesterday: