Is it just me or does anyone else see the symbolism of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcetts’ deaths in the middle of the huge change and shift that the U.S. is currently going through?

I’ve always been fascinated by group psychology and how when “one or more of us are gathered” a separate invisible entity is created. The jury is still out as to whether this entity is a good thing or a bad thing…..

For years politicians, marketers, advertisers, sales people have used this group entity to manipulate and spin for their gains.  I call it the Lemming Principle which is the idea of group persuasion that if one strong leader decides it’s a good idea to run and jump off the edge of a cliff–the group will follow.  Then we have the icons that represent the idea that the group has been fed to believe such as Michael Jackson, Farrah and GM to name a few.  I remember listening to Michael Jackson when I was in junior high and having a secret crush on him since most of my friends were into white rock bands at the time.  Then in high school, Farrah came along with her gorgeous mane of hair and of course I, along with all my girlfriends, curled and shaped our hair as best we could to look like Farrah’s.  I streaked my brown hair blonde and tried to get the darkest tan possible but couldn’t make my brown eyes blue.

Then when I was in my early twenties, Michael came back around again only bigger than before. Even some good guy friends, who happened to be white rockers, loved the “Thriller” album. In fact, one of my fondest memories was rocking to MJ as my best friend and I stood up dancing in the back bed of a pick up that one of our boyfriends was driving alongside the Guadalupe River on the way to a thrilling weekend of camping and tubing.

What I realize now is that there was always this vague uneasiness to buying into the whole world loving Michael Jackson and Farrah. In fact, I remember worrying about how Michael was going to handle his amped up celebrity when the Thriller album came out.   Soon, both of these beloved icons, who we often forgot were people just like us, were pushed off their pedestals and stoned for their human frailties. 

And then, of course, their is GM.

So when do “we” individually take responsibility for our part of creating these icons and what they represent.  When do we step back to question what our contribution was to their demise?

Unity is a value that is very dear to my heart and an idea that I realize that I need to explore more fully so that I can understand when “we” step off from being united in love to going to sleep in our egos.

All in all, I believe many of us are waking up and growing in huge leaps and bounds simultaneously.  Let us not forget the individuals as we collectively reach out to the unity of each other.

Rest in Peace Michael and Farrah.

As I write this, I’m sitting at the counter watching our friend Steve cook up some fresh fish. My husband and friend Cindy are watching “Reno 911” and Crystal is washing plates for us to eat on while Ric is offering witty comments from the peanut gallery.

Meanwhile the ocean continues to wave on. David and I took an hour long walk on the beach today and saw a whole lotta different versions of sea gulls and cranes. I tried to find a friend from college’s beach house that used to be right off of Beach Road 2 but there is so much new development that I don’t know where to look. We had many good times in that house of hers. Tracy and her three sisters came from Goliad, Texas where we would always stop for a nite’s stay on the way to the beach for spring break. Their Dad was a Lone Star Beer distributor so the girls would always pile cases and cases of beer into Tracy’s old station wagon for our beach excursion. I could never keep up with their drinking without getting really sick. Lightweight that I was back then….now 32 years later and almost 19 years sober, I am still coming to the beach with friends and enjoying it so much. Most likely even more now that I can pay attention to everything going around me and the people that I am vacationing with.

Last night we played a mean game of Mexican Train Dominoes. I am holding out as the winner although we stopped at “3’s” and so we still have three more sets to go through before I can claim my official title as Mexican Train Dominoe Queen.

We listened to all kinds of good music that the guys had downloaded. Crystal and Ric love Herb Albert and the Tiquana Brass just as much as I do; however, Steve was chagrined. He kept telling us about the Muswell Hillbillies and then this morning clarified that this was what the Kinks were known by back before they were the Kinks. I liked the music.

This is good for me to get away and get back near the beach and to be in community with friends. Especially friends who make me laugh so hard that my cheeks were hurting last night.

I suspect that this kind of get away would be good for you as well. It’s always important and good to break away from our day-to-day routines of life and see life through a different set of eyes.

Have to go for now. We’re about to chow down on some fresh fish, roasted potatoes and squash and a big ole salad with garden fresh vegetables.

Where are you going next?