It's a sad, sad day....

It is truly a sad, sad day. Today, Annette Funicello passed away. 

This is like dagger through my heart. 

As an only child to very overprotective parents, I was only allowed to watch shows and listen to music of their generation. This was not really a problem to me because I think it created a joy in me for the things that are quirky, less traditional, and generationally unpopular. 

My walls were covered in posters and pictures of Lucille Ball and Annette Funicello. I had the Annette Funicello ultimate box CD set. I watched the Mickey Mouse Club, Mr. Ed, My Three Sons, Donna Reed, and later, Gilligan's Island, I Dream of Jeannie, and the Mary Tyler Moore show. I watched Beach Blanket Bingo, Beach Party, Bikini Beach, Muscle Beach Party, and How to Stuff a Wild Bikini, in rotation, every day. I recorded and watched I Love Lucy and have seen every single episode. I listened to disco, the Beach Boys, Frankie Avalon, bands from the classic British Invasion....

I wanted to be Annette Funicello so bad. I wanted her olive skin and her dark hair. (My mother incidently has both of those things and I took after my dad....pale and red headed....not that that is a bad thing). But as a kid, I wanted to be something totally different than what I was and Annette Funicello was that person. 

The silver lining was that she is no longer suffering from the ravages of Multiple Sclerosis. What a devastating disease that was to her...no longer able to walk, talk, or swallow. Just terrible. 

So, tonight I study for the big test on Wednesday. And while I study, I will watch Back to the Beach, which I have EVERY SINGLE LINE of dialog memorized.