Gotta admit, I submitted my request to attend the Michael Jackson Memorial at Staples Center tomorrow far more to just bear witness to the public spectacle than to publicly bare any grief at his passing.

And when yesterday came and went without getting confirmation — especially with the news that I was literally among a million-plus vying to be one of the 8,750 bestowed with tickets — I shrugged and moved on.

Then I checked my email this morning — and there were two in my inbox from Staples Center. I opened, the second one first, delivered at 12:10 a.m. this morning, which advised:

Thank you for your registration.

Sorry, we regret to inform you that your registration to attend the Public Memorial Service for Michael Jackson was not selected.

Hundreds of thousands registered, but only a few can be in attendance.

And I shrugged again, thinking it was at least nice of Staples not to leave anyone hanging.

Figuring it was just a repeat I opened the second email, which was datestamped earlier, at 10 p.m. yesterday. Whoa, it was the exact opposite:

Your application to attend the Michael Jackson Public Memorial Service at STAPLES Center this Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, was successful!

Please read this notice carefully. This is your chance to receive two tickets for either the service in the STAPLES Center (subject to availability) or a live big-screen simulcast in the adjacent Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE.

Instructions To Obtain Your Two Tickets and Security Wristbands Are:

  1. Click on the GET VOUCHER button below before Monday, July 6, 2009 at 11:59 a.m. Pacific Time.
  2. Select 1 in the quantity window.
  3. Enter your unique password into the box as prompted.
  4. Password: [redacted]
  5. Click Find Tickets button
  6. Continue through security screen
  7. Create a new ticketmaster account or use existing account by entering information requested
  8. Choose appropriate ticket fast delivery method for your country
  9. Enter information as requested to Submit Order
  10. You will see a confirmation screen confirming that your order is processed. THIS IS NOT YOUR TICKET.
  11. WAIT: You will receive an email that will link to your voucher
  12. Click on “Pick up your tickets” within the email
  13. Select VIEW AND PRINT tickets
  14. Print the Ticketmaster voucher. THIS IS YOUR VOUCHER. Your voucher will read “This is your ticket” and contain a barcode. You must print out this voucher and bring it with you, along with your valid I.D. to Dodger Stadium on Monday, July 6, 2009, between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time to obtain your two tickets and two wristbands.

I went through the process and indeed I was successful in completing it. So despite Staples Center first takething away and then givingeth, it looks like I’ll be heading up to Dodger Stadium today and then Staples Center (or Nokia Theater) tomorrow.

More to come.