Rest in Peace Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson has officially died and the news is circulating faster than anything I have ever witnessed in my 28 years of living. Everywhere you go, this is all you hear. This is quite possibly one of the saddest days for many people, especially his fans. I am at the grocery store and there are people in tears, sobbing over the king of pop's passing. 

The song "The Way You Make Me Feel" is playing and it is really sad to think that such a talented man who brought so much to music is gone. I keep thinking about his death and wondering if it really was drug related. I'm only receiving one-sided information, so I have no clue really what to think of it. 

He had so many great songs. If I had to choose a favorite, I am not sure which one I would choose, as I like a lot of them. I know, I heard a song called "We've Had Enough" a few years ago, which was good. I really like the song "They Don't Really Care About Us" as I really like the song "Morphine" but as I stated previously, he's introduced a lot of great music to us. 

To me, when I like of pop music as a genre, I think of Michael Jackson. I think he truly invented the genre. Today's music we hear on the radio wouldn't exist without Michael Jackson and his influence. Today is a very sad day in music, that is certain. 

Gone, but never forgotten. You will leave a legacy which will remain forever. Rest in peace, King of Pop. Rest in Peace, Michael Jackson. 

Michael Jackson is in the hospital

I just finished up work in my office. News is circulating all over the place that Michael Jackson is in the hospital. I write sporadically for Associated Content and recently started with Yahoo! Voices where I received the breaking news notification regarding this. My phone is about to die so I can't really find out more details until I make it home.

A source told me that it is not looking good and he may possibly die. I am also told that it is drug related; however, I am unsure if this news is accurate. I will admit that I have never been a huge fan of Michael Jackson, but there is no denying his talent. He has a lot of great songs. Although he's a little eccentric and possesses questionable behavior, this is very sad news and devastating. 

I always wondered throughout my life if Michael Jackson was a predator, but I never gave it second thought. Why? Because I haven't been interested in that kind of celebrity news. To me, Michael Jackson is the "King of Pop" as he is a talented singer, songwriter, musician, dancer and entertainer. Aside from several child abuse allegations, he was found innocent of those crimes. I think if he were guilty, he would definitely be in prison for as so many have been wanting to find any dirt on him. 

What if Michael Jackson is in the hospital because of the allegations against him? What if they are not true and he developed a drug addiction because of them? I guess we will never know unless Michael decides to discuss this. 

With this aside, I pray that he is ok. 

Happy 20th birthday World Wide Web

It is hard to believe the internet has existed for 20 years. I first discovered a computer when I was a child. It wasn't until 1996 where I discovered the internet as an unique platform. I remember the first time I typed, it took me forever as I would look at the keys. I think I typed 20 words per minute. Now, fast forward to 2009. I do a lot of work online (writing especially) where I type in the dark and flush out at least 100 words per minute with no errors.

At the time, the internet was an hourly rate. Provided by Yahoo!, MSN and AOL, you could have access to the internet. Those were the three main providers back then. Google was just a twinkle in the eye of technology and only dial up internet existed. There was no such thing as a modem let alone a router and cable and DSL connections were just ideas that had yet to exist.

Internet was also monitored heavily and many websites didn't exist. In fact, there was no such thing as social networking and because it (the world wide web) was an hourly rate, many didn't use it. I used it sporadically from 1996 until 1999. I used it also in the first year of college, but not so much as I didn't have a computer.

In early 2000 I bought my first computer. It was a Gateway. The monitor was super big yet thick. It was brand new and I also bought several accessories to go with it. In addition, I purchased a printer to go with it along with a laser scanner. Everything was incredibly expensive back then so I ended up spending thousands of dollars. As a broke college student, I charged everything.

That computer actually lasted until 2008 before I purchased my latest Toshiba which I bought several months ago.

Going back to the internet. HTTP and HTML were both heavily utilized for years before new programs began to take over. And speaking of new, the first time I heard about Google, I was in college. It was the main search engine back in the Fall of 2000. I remember asking the librarian at the time about Google where she informed it was a new browser the school was using. Needless to say, I was pleasantly intrigued and happy to see technology evolve.

And with that said, I am very happy to see technology evolve. To exist in an era where internet is growing rapidly. In the years of social networking. A whole new world that once ceased to exist, now exists. To be able to shop without actually leaving your house. To be able to talk to family and friends without leaving your bedroom. Convenient, efficient and effective. The internet truly is something.

Thank you for existing.

Happy 20th birthday world wide web!

DIY: Persian Gold Facial

Once you go Persian, there is no other version are wise words to live by. Especially if you are Persian. I have to admit, I am proud of my Persian culture and the richness it exudes. Looking back into history, there are so many great things Persians have accomplished. As one of the oldest cultures in the world, the eminent of Persia is extremely diverse.

Recently, I have been busy and finding myself picking out a project to do daily. I am starting to get older, as I am 28 and therefore, finding myself really appreciating my natural born roots in more ways than one. And speaking of one, one day I decided to take the initiative and create an actual gold facial inspired by my Persian culture.

For this particular facial, you are going to need a half of a cup of yogurt, one tablespoon of rose water, one tablespoon of pistachio oil, one tablespoon of pomegranate juice and the secret ingredient - one fourth of a cup of 24 karat gold flakes.

Just combine all ingredients in a small bowl and apply the mixture directly to your face. Let the mixture set into your skin for 30 minutes. Using a lukewarm cloth, just wipe the product off your face.

This facial is great for the skin for a variety of reasons. The ingredients are all heavily inspired by Persian culture, yes, but they also work to do great things to the skin. And when used together, they create magic on your face. Whether you suffer from acne, acne scars, depigmentation, age spots, dry skin and even fine lines this facial will work to correct your skin naturally without any risk.

I don't know about you, but I can't think of anything more amazing than that.

DIY: Persian Gold Paradise Facial

Lately, I have been really experimenting in the kitchen with a lot of  'do-it-yourself' (DIY) beauty items. After all, I find that so many products today are filled with an array of parabens, sulfates, and synthetic ingredients.

I am not trying to sway you not to use those, as I am guilty of using them, but to be honest, I want to kind of distance myself from using them daily and look at healthier alternatives to use on my skin. Recently, I discovered ways to utilize gold in homemade, DIY facials at home.

For this particular facial, you are going to need a half of a cup of yogurt, one tablespoon of manuka honey, one tablespoon of saffron oil, one tablespoon of lime oil and a half of a cup of 24 karat gold flakes.

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and apply directly to your face. I want to also add that you are going to want to make sure your skin is well cleansed before applying this. Let the facial product set into your skin for 30 minutes before taking a lukewarm cloth and generously wiping it off.

I am 28 and want to look 28, when I am 38 without having to go to the plastic surgery for help. You know what I mean?

I am definitely looking forward to trying a new facial very soon.

BTW, this is bliss.