On the subject of "Breaking News"

Did you notice things slowed to a crawl yesterday? The world got slower?

Some icons passed yesterday and suddenly, old feels a little older.

Using the internet to get information was quite interesting yesterday, as I looked for news on the stories of the day. I was struck by the fact that the passing of these three legends took me back to a simpler time... where the internet, nay, computers were just a dream.

Hoy-yo!
His voice was unmistakable; his laugh even more so. "You are correct, sir." "Funk and Waggnals jar since noon today." Ed McMahon was the consummate sidekick. He made everything go just that much easier and added the laugh track to Johnny. Some would say that Ed alone could have been the audience for Johnny and his jokes would still resonate.

The thing I always loved about Ed is the thing I have the hardest time with. He was able to take a back seat to the star, and never desired to be the star himself. I could learn a lot from that, and maybe, someday I will.

The Poster
I had "that poster" on my wall. She wasn't my favorite angel, but she sure was pretty, I am more of a Jacklyn Smith type, but Farrah was something else. I loved her car almost as much as I loved her.

Her courage in later life was something we can all take a lesson from. She died with dignity and with a passion. I am happy she married Ryan before she left, as they lived life together, and that simple act showed their undying love.

The Roller Rink
I remember the blue SpotBilt shoes that were converted into roller skates. I remember the rink in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Learning to dance on skates seemed to be a lot easier back then, but the song I will always associate with skating backwards was "Rock with You."

I loved the "innocent" pre-thriller Michael Jackson. "Off the Wall" was, by far, my favorite Michael Jackson album. I am happy that as his is being memorialized that people are remembering him for his music, and not the craziness that became his life.

Like a player becoming a coach. Like a coach becoming a hall of famer. Like a hall of famer passing away, these three deaths have signaled a passing of time, and another reminder that I am getting older.

May God bless them all.

Yours truly,
Johnny Blogger