I can't imagine on a personal level how a year could have gotten any better. OK, we could have won the lottery! While all these blessings came to us, we were totally aware and affected by what was going on outside our little nest.
No need to elaborate on the economy, the war, unemployment or the many other things going on in our country unlike anything I can ever remember. Thank God this entire year gas prices have been under control. Where is Ronald Reagan when we need him?
This has been the year of deaths of people I never met but touched my life. It started with Jett Travolta and Natasha Richardson. Two untimely and shocking ways to go. Remember, as with Natasha, we lost Sonny Bono in much the same way ten years earlier. Makes you wonder about skiing in January. As for Jett, I can feel his parent's pain.
There were the deaths of celebrities, politicians, writers, sports figures, a who's who of the icons of my generation. I will not name them as you can find the list on your own. I am going to list those who touched me most.
Walter Cronkite and Ed McMahon. Walter told me JFK was dead and that the US had landed on the Moon. A news anchor to whom I'm sure every news person tries to emulate. Ed was Johnny's sidekick, who hosted "Star Search" long before "American Idol" or "Dancing with the Stars". He knew what people liked. Who didn't wish that he would show up on your doorstep with money from "Publisher's Clearing House". Both led wonderful lives, grew to be very old and forever remembered by us all.
Then there was Farrah and Patrick. My contemporaries. Prepared for their deaths. Cancer, more often than not, gets you. Just my personal experience. Kudos to both for their valiant fights. Farrah gave me a new haircut, starring roles in movies based on my favorite books....."Blood & Money", "Small Sacrifices" and "The Burning Bed". Plus, she choose to live her life with a man who gave me my forays into adulthood with "Peyton Place" and "Love Story". Patrick showed us that true love prevails by becoming a major star and staying with Lisa, the love of his life. In my list of top ten favorite movies of all time, there is "Dirty Dancing" and "Ghost". May you both rest in peace.
Then there was Jack Kemp, a quarterback and a good Republican. Within a couple of weeks we lost Teddy and his sister Eunice. Though I never shared their political views I knew everything there was to know about them and fascinated by the whole Kennedy clan. What a gift Eunice gave us with the Special Olympics. Ted, whose legacy was marred by some bad behavior, gained our respect as the Patriarch of a family who faced insurmountable tragedies. Ironically, he was the only one of his brothers who lived to be a senior citizen and die of natural causes. Rest in peace to you both.
I was called in from recess in 1963 to be told JFK was dead. I was with my mother in 1977 planning my wedding when we heard that Elvis had died. Had just entertained friends at home and turned on the TV while cleaning up to find out about Princess Di's car accident. I worked in a television station when Challenger exploded in 1986and saw first hand the coverage. I was on my way to work when I heard on the radio of the 9/11 attacks. As all of you know through certain horrific events that touched you, you will always remember where you were when you found out. Another one of those days came my way on 6/25/09, hours after hearing of Farrah's death, I walked into "Old Time Pottery" with my future daughter-in-law to shop for the wedding when my daughter called to tell me about Michael Jackson.
I remember the excitement of the 1983 Motown 25th anniversary special when I saw him "moonwalk" for the first time, my love of the Jackson 5, "Thriller" and "Bad". Again, the source of some questionable behavior. I think he will always be remembered as the little boy lost who had more talent that we can ever conceive of. Thank you Michael for being a part of my life.
Billy Mays annoyed me, but I sure have a lot of Oxy-Clean. He could have sold me so much more. You go David Carridine for being in your 70's and losing your life to some kind of strange sexual act.
As before, there are so many 2009 losses. These are the ones that touched me most.
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