This is It!

I was in Canada last Saturday. My daughter wasn't working that day, and for once I was not rushed to accomplish a ton of things, including shopping, to prepare for my return to Mexico. This 'not working' thing is just great - it didn't take long to lose the sense of pressure to do too many things in too short a time.

Honestly, I think there is a lot to be said for one parent staying home to take care of the home front. We are all pulled in so many directions all the time, no wonder we snap and have relationship issues. We don't have time or energy for relationships! (maybe I should just speak for myself...).

My life has become a mass of chaos and disorganization and clutter (probably redundant words here, but you get the drift). Too much travel, too many homes, too little free time, and even less energy, have led to this current state of affairs. Anything that I had to deal with outside of the day-to-day pressures became a big stressor (i.e., preparing the paperwork for Miguel's visa). It was hard to sit down and focus on just one task. Multi-tasking became the normal way of life, and although I'm very good at it, it created stress I didn't really need.

So - for now I am loving the more relaxed day-to-day living, and having the time to wade through the chaos. I had my list of priorities, and since I've been back I've taken care of my FM3 renewal and Miguel's visa application. In the case of the visa, it's now out of our hands - if he gets denied, we'll just drop it. The requirements are unrealistic for a lot of Mexicans, so Miguel could not provide everything that was asked for. I doubt that anyone growing up in Canada (unless they are 75 or older), would understand how different life is here in Mexico for the majority of the population so I'm not sure the people doing the review and approval would understand that what they are reviewing is as complete as it can ever be. It's obvious by the list of paperwork requested that the Canadian government doesn't have a clue.

Anyway, back to last Saturday. For once I had time to enjoy some time with my daughter. "This is It" was playing at the local theater. Jen, who has danced all her life, is very familiar with Michael Jackson's music and has performed some of his numbers on stage, including the original choreography of "Thriller" (one of my favorite performances done by her studio).

So we went and watched the film (movie isn't the right word, it was not that). It was a matinee and the theater was almost empty - we had perfect center seats without anyone's big puffy head of hair blocking part of the screen.

We both thoroughly enjoyed the film. I don't know what the reviews are saying, but from my point of view, I think they did a great job portraying Michael's creativity, his passion, his talent, and his energy. The news media has always shown Miguel as a fragile, feminine oddball (at least in later years), so I was pleasantly surprised to see Michael up there dancing and singing just like he did in the early years. Perhaps he was in pain, I don't know, it didn't show. I chose to forget all the hype about his personal life and just enjoy the masterpiece of what Michael's concert would have been. It would have been fabulous!

For those who don't know, the film is not a movie, nor is it a documentary. It is a compilation of film taken during rehearsal for the concert. It shows the staging, the choreography, and the supporting performers (dancers, singers, musicians). You feel like you are watching the concert but have the benefit of seeing how it all was put together, and you get to see a lot of Michael's contributions to the final product. His was the final word, and everyone working with him gave him what he asked of them. There was a definite sense of love and respect for Michael - he really seemed to have a team that understood and appreciated his art. I got the sense that nobody worked harder than Michael Jackson - he performed, but he also directed and created.

I found out that "This is It" is playing at a local theater here in Cancun. I went online and was able to reserve tickets for a show - didn't have to pay, just reserved with an email address. Miguel loves Michael's music and I can't wait for him to see the movie. I think it is a loving tribute to a brilliant man, and will hopefully help people remember Michael as the musical talent he was. For me, Michael Jackson was 'IT', nobody else comes close to putting it all together as he did. It's ironic that because of his death more people will see his 'concert' than would have otherwise. So for those of you who love Michael Jackson's music and his dance moves - go and watch the film. You won't regret it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P.S. I just found this review and feel it most closely describes my impressions as well. Here for your reference: Review of "This is It".