Aaliyah Haughton:

When I first heard on the sunday after, I had just returned from my Miami vacation. I was chewing my bagel when they said that Aaliyah died. Many of you may be able to relate when I say that the force hit me like a sack of bricks. That was an extremely hard bagel for me to swallow. The main reason why it was so hard -- aside from her celebrity -- is that I am an idealist when it comes to finding the right girl. Believe that I was measuring most women that I meet with intent to date or court to the standard of Aaliyah. Yes, I know, big no-no because all women are not Aaliyah and all that other crap, but she had it all; not just in looks, either…
She could sing and dance. She could act convincingly and be funny. She was hella creative. Let's not forget that Aaliyah was and will always be a serious hot momma.

Most importantly, she was nice to people. Really nice. When it comes to women in this day and age, that's kinda rare.

Note to angry ladies in the audience: You know it's true. Go 'head and get mad. Bring it.

I still can't believe she's gone. Personally, I think that everyone else got on the plane and she missed it. I want her to still be at that Bahamian airport wondering where the guys are. I want her to finish the Matrix 2 & 3 and get married to her man. I wanted her to pass on as a grandmother, preferrably in obscurity. I guess this shrine means I just can't have.

I thought I got all this stuff out of my system on Tuesday(2001.8.28). Coding and crying don't mix, people. Ah, who am I trying to kid? It'll all come back when I hear her songs as they whistle thru that hole in my heart I reserve for her. It always does. It'll come back when i look at the poster I made for her at the top. In a morbid way, it always cheers me up to think, "What if George Dubya died instead of her?" I think of it like a Chris Rock monologue:

"What it George W. Bush had died instead of Aaliyah? Do you know how many people would jump for joy? They'd be jumping aroung screaming 'Yahooie!' and shit. You know Black people woulda been happy as hell. They'd be doing the Electric Slide, y'all.

(cue Electric Slide music)
Make sure to open this link in a new window!

They'd even crack jokes while doing the dance--
'Hey man, I heard George W. Bush died in his chair! Ya know why? It's electric! Boogie woogie oogie!"

Comedy can only go so far when used as a defense mechanism for sadness. I tried my best. God it hurts so much. I really have to end this. Without further ado, I'll conclude by saying that Aaliyah is, through all the times people told me she was knock-kneed, hiding that she was cock- or lazy-eyed under her hair or had a hairy midsection, perfect to me and to many others. Hell, she's a feminine role model to me. She still is. I strongly hope that I'll remember her when I start my stuff and use her image as a model in my work.

My, I miss her so.

………

I think I'm done…

That's it.