Global Awareness Inspiration - Michael Jackson (and the media)

More History

Yes - it does say Michael Jackson...I think back and ask myself - when did I start to think about global issues/awareness or life beyond my home, school and community?
It was through music and the media around music videos and radio events while I was in high school and University.
When one hears Michael Jackson they may think - Thriller, Beat It, Billy Jean, etc. or they may think - skin bleaching or rumored/alleged sexual offender but I think of:
Black or White
Earth Song
We are the World - first time I thought of Christmas in a whole new manner
and most definitely I think of "Man in the Mirror" my absolute favorite song of his (Track 14 on the 'This Is It' album).
Its lyrics can be found here: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/michaeljackson/maninthemirror.html
but better yet why not listen?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUrqFkR7QlI
powerful eh?
why I am I on a MJ rant? - not sure but I'm lately obsessed with his last CD - every road trip I play it and usually repeat track 14 multiple times.
The docu - movie was amazing and made me cry.
The MTV awards were dedicated to him (I confess - I watched them after the fact so I could see the Taylor Swift/Kanye fiasco) I was moved to tears (yet again) by the tribute that Madonna opened the show with -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg0c5DWmb88

crazy huh?
The media through music also impacted me via U2 and the concert I attended in 2000 at the Forks for War Child - who knew a free event would make me realize there was so much more to The Tragically Hip and Chantal Kreviazuk...

Bottom line - I was introduced to Global Awareness through Music and Lyrics.

I have given varying amounts of thoughts and attention to the topic as well as local efforts at work and home and seem to go through 'spurts '
I haven't been to Siloam Mission for way too long.
I still buy bottled water on rare (lazy) occasions rather than filling my own bottle (I do know it came from a tap in some other city and the empty bottles are filling our landfills faster than we can ever possibly manage them.)
I support a charity one day and go crazy shopping for more shoes and clothes the next ( I own an embarrassing number of shoes!)
I hope to make the trip to volunteer with Habitat Winnipeg an annual one (thus far have only helped every second year...)
I am a continual work in progress!