My Michael Jackson Fan Favorites for January & 2017 Resolutions

To start off my January favorites, I have to talk about these awesome shirts at the top of the list.

I am really excited about the new shirts in my collection.

The first one I received as a gift from my sister. We are both head over heels in love with Urban Outfitters and when she saw this online, she rushed to get it for me. First of all, the shirt is by a brand called Junk Food.

I mentioned this brand in my favorites post from last month because they also made the PYT shirt I shared.

Before Michael Jackson died in 2009, shirts with him on it were pretty difficult to find. But now, companies like Junk Food are making officially licensed shirts in beautiful ladies cut shapes and also in soft and feminine material. This shirt runs a little large but I think it's made to be off the shoulder. I personally like it a lot and could see myself sporting this a lot this Spring. Link to the

shirt is here!

If you're interested, run over to Urban Outfitters (fast!) and grab one. I also recommend checking there every few months and searching under the terms "Jackson" and "Michael Jackson" because they often have stylish and new merchandise every few months.

This next shirt is a Bravado licensed shirt from Forever 21. I am not sure if it's still available in stores because I got mine on Poshmark.

I really love browsing both Posh and eBay- it's kind of like when Michael talked about loving to shop at the Salvation Army... you find some good stuff both places (and at rock bottom prices).

What's a new year without a Michael Jackson Calendar? I actually have never purchased one but, I've always received MJ wall calendars on a yearly basis as gifts. I gave in and finally ordered mine off of Amazon.com because I didn't get one this time around. I realized that my kitchen wall just doesn't feel the same without it!

Now there's the option above and then there's the one below, which I like better.

I know I can't be the only one that chooses her calendar based on the photos inside... right? :-)

Here's a link if you're interested in purchasing this version of the

Michael Jackson 2017 Wall Calendar from Calendars.com.

One of my resolutions of the the past few years has been to develop a healthier diet. I'm on a pretty good track. I workout a few times a week and for the most part, I try to make a concerted effort to maintain a diet rich with protein and vegetables. But alas... I'm a sucker for sweets, especially C

hocolate chip cookie dough.

Well.. my life pretty much changed when a friend introduced me to

Lara Bars

. These vegan bars are made with less than 5 ingredients, all whole and natural foods. And let me tell you... they are SO GOOD! My favorite flavor is obviously Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough but, Apple Pie and Cashew Cookie come pretty close as my second and third choices. You can get a sampler pack on

Amazon

or at brick and mortar health food stores, like

Trader Joes

and

Whole Foods

As Michael Jackson fans, we often spend so much time reading newspaper articles, unauthorized books, and fan forums that it's easy to lose sight of Michael's truth. Though I haven't read

MOONWALK

in its entirety for almost a full decade, I always take time out to flip through it to rediscover Michael's voice. I've been looking at this book and

Marlon Brando's autobiography

a lot lately.

Not many people know this but, Marlon Brando is another one of my inspirations. I am a huge fan of classic films and one of my favorites is

On The Waterfront

. When I discovered him in this film, I was incredibly moved by his performance. And when I saw

A Streetcar Named Desire,

I was completely sold (and not to mention incredibly in love with the character he played).

Brando was credited with bringing realism to acting and often went to great lengths in preparing himself for roles. He dug deep inside of himself to bring out the realest emotions, his own hurts and pain, to portray characters with unmatched realism.

He was just so

raw

. I suppose that's part of why he is the only actor I've ever related to and identified with in a personal way. He was a pioneer, an incredible talent, and an activist that wasn't afraid to speak out about what he believed in. Oh and also, Marlon's son Miko was one of Michael's good friends for almost 25 years. If you are interested in learning more about his incredible story, I would recommend checking out his book

Brando: Songs My Mother Taught M

or watching

my favorite documentary

about his life.

A couple of years back I was gifted this

keychain

in exchange for working an event. I've held on to it ever since. I have a bunch of Michael themed charms on it and it's a little rainbow of sunshine every time I pull my keys out. The Motown ring is one I picked up on a trip to Detroit last year, the

Michael Jackson One

rhinestone hat was a gift from my mother, and the official fan club one was a gift from my host mother- she found it in a small novelty shop in Japan.

I'll wrap this post up by sharing my resolutions for the upcoming year.

It's taken me a while this time but, I always write out my goals and hopes for the new year.

Even though I rarely look at them, at the end of December, I somehow realize that I usually have accomplished and reached most of them.

Here are some of the ones at the top of my list for 2017: