I’m not altogether certain what Madonna’s doing these days. I lost touch with her doings some years ago but I can tell you this. She and Cyndi Lauper helped me define my differentness.

Madonna continues to hang on the fringes of exceptionality. She’s always had a knack for knowing what will draw attention and she understood how branding worked as an artist. I’m not all that certain she does now with these changing times and social media. I feel like she’s in her 60s now and could frankly care less about the naysayers as any other person of a certain age. That’s okay.

I don’t know that she’s hurting anybody but like I say, I’m not up to snuff of what’s going on with her. I have my own life but I do have time in the day to write this! Go figure.

Before Madonna’s big break, she dated Jean Michel Basquiat (I’ll speak on him at some point real good, okay?) and she worked at Dunkin Donuts. Girl couldn’t keep a job to save her own life but can we be mad at her? I’d probably have kept my weird tucked away had she kept ringing up donuts.

I’m glad she was able to separate from Basquiat, on account of his pharmaceutical habits, though he would always point her out and say she would be famous one day, as he said for himself as well.

In New York, they created a hub of artists in many genres. This was during and after Andy Warhol’s time because Basquiat himself was immersed in rap culture, although his band pretty much only did a bunch of hollering.

Point is, I liked Madonna more back in the day and we actually share the same zodiac sign. I think she’s a class to be studied, honestly. Her mom passed when she was young, from cancer, if I remember correctly. This made a young Madonna angry with her mom for a time and out of sorts. A young girl needs her mother but her dad was left to raise her and the brothers, one of  them passing away just days ago.

I have been an absolute fan, bought the albums and know most of the songs, folks. Express Yourself is one of my top favorites. You can’t feel anything but liberated when those words hit your ears.

Here’s a toast to the Material Girl.