Filed under: A Little Me, ADD-ness, Kurious, My Awesome Internship, Open, Religion? What's that?, Try
Lately, something has been up with me and I’m not exactly sure why or how.
Strangely enough, I’ve had this strange urge to explore my spirituality. It’s weird for me because I think of myself as a firm believer in the theory of evolution and such like that. Other religions and their beliefs fascinate me and I like to learn them but I have never sought to actually pursue a religion. Not sure if I’m even doing that now… I’m just broadening my spiritual horizons. Discovering what it is I’m supposed to be doing in this world and what this world is in my life.
I kind of feel like a loon right now because this is so not like me. Can’t help but follow my gut on things though and my gut has been telling me to check it out for the couple weeks. Sooo… that’s what I’m doing. It’s pretty interesting though as I’m getting some opportunities to learn more about faith and such, so I’m not complaining.
What really freaked me out was when I went to AstrologyZone.com to read my monthly horoscope for June (Virgo, in case you were wondering). Here is what it said:
Having Jupiter in Taurus will be a blessing to you. For the first time since the year 2000, you will have Jupiter, giver of gifts and luck, setting up shop in your ninth house, which rules, among other things, long-distance and foreign travel, higher education, and the media. This house deals with the gathering in and dispersal of information, which is why college study, publishing, and broadcasting are included in this house.
Yep, that’s ringing pretty true right now (ABC 4 News internship anyone?)… but the next bit threw me because I thought my sudden interest in religion could be just a fluke.
I sometimes fail to mention another very important area in the ninth house that is also covered – philosophy and religion. (While another house, the twelfth house, rules pure belief, the ninth house rules the dogma that forms the underpinnings of religions.) This is the area of the chart where we ask, “Why was I born?” “What contribution can I make to the world?” and other mysteries of life. Taking courses in philosophy and religion will also be favored in the coming year. Another excellent manifestation to this trend would going on an important religious retreat to pray and meditate. Your spirituality will be greatly expanded, and you may find answers to questions you’ve often pondered and that satisfy your inner yearnings.
Say what?! The bold part in particular is a lot of what has been going on in my mind lately. It’s no fluke… it was set in my stars. And yes, I like to follow this kind of stuff because I’m also a believer that things happen for a reason and that the universe plays a large role in that. So perhaps I will develop more beliefs with my newfound spiritual side? I’ll just have to enjoy the ride while/if I do!
Isn’t it funny how beliefs, religion and all that good stuff also seem to tie into the universe? I love being fascinated! =D
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A discussion with one of my co-workers the other day got me thinking…
With all the smart phones, laptops, and other such technologies, who really bothers to memorize phone numbers anymore?
I remember back when I was 13 and had to memorize my friend’s phone numbers if I wanted to talk to them outside of school. We’re talking before Windows Messenger or anything like that cropped up.
Even today there are very few phone numbers that are engrained in my subcranium permanently. They would be my own phone number, my mom’s cell, my best friend’s cell, my step-dad’s cell, and my home phone. My dad’s Las Vegas phone number is still far too new and the use of my cell phone keeps it so I can easily call him without having to “memorize” his number. What is weird is that I prefer to physically dial my best friend’s number than look it up in my phone.
So tell me… do you even consider memorizing phone numbers in this day and age when our phones can easily recall them for us?
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Filed under: A Little Me, Futuristic Musings, Imagine, Love, Music, Open, Relationships, Remembering, Try
As I’ve done a major clean out of my room over these past few weeks to prepare to sell our house (sad, I know), I have found a few gems from my past. One of them was in a book/diary that told me to write a letter to my future self.
—
Date: December 25, 1999
Dear Mikael,
How my best qualities will help me succeed in life:
Singing will help me become a great singer.
My plans for self-improvement are:
No pushing or pulling on my voice.
My goals for the future are:
Learning to skate better.
When I grow up, I want to be:
A singer, teacher, and professional skater.
When I picture myself in ten years, I see:
A tall, beautiful young woman with dirty blonde hair with the career of a singer.
Sincerely,
Mikael L. Short
My thoughts when I was eleven...
—
Well… it’s about 12.5 years later and I’m pretty sure things have changed and my life isn’t quite as I expected it to be when I was 11 years old (which was quite shallow). Why don’t I rewrite this to suit me and my goals now?
Date: June 5, 2011
Dear Future Me,
How my best qualities will help me succeed in life:
I am a very compassionate person and apparently, that is a rare commodity in itself. I’m told that that will ultimately help me be successful in not only my relationships but my professional life as well. But I also know that I am smart, driven, curious, love learning and take pride in doing a good job which will help professionally. I will leep striving for whatever I want if I’m not there yet in 10 years… I know I can do it and will still work my ass off to get there.
My plans for self-improvement are:
Develop skills that will help me in whichever career path I choose, may it be broadcast journalism or publishing. Until I decide which one to pursue, might as well get as much experience as I can. As far as relationships go, the relationship with myself has never been better so I can only hope that it improves from here. Then for friends/romantic interests, I hope to not be so gullible or to not fall for anyone’s crap. I have a habit of either trusting too quickly or not trusting at all so it’d be nice to find that balance since I know some degree of trust can be crucial to any relationship.
My goals for the future are:
Live/work abroad is a big ambition of mine so I’d love to do that if a better opportunity doesn’t show up. But I’d like to get my foot in the door either in journalism or publishing as that is the kind of career that I would enjoy most. Work my way up from the bottom. I want a good group of friends wherever I may be that can depend on each other and hang out often. Try out a few more guys as I discover what I want in a future partner. I’m still learning what I like and don’t like in the people I spend time with and there’s nothing wrong with that. I want to be able to see/talk to my family a lot still even if I live out of state. Ultimately, I’d like to stay true to me.
When I grow up, I want to be:
Happy with wherever I go with whatever career I may have. I want to have the opportunity to indulge my music passions every once in a while if not often. Hey… you never know. I may break into the music industry and I’d like to keep that door open just in case. ;)
When I picture myself in ten years, I see:
Ten years… so I’ll be 32. I’m pretty sure I’ll still be blonde and tall. I’m already confident but by then I may be even more so (hopefully not cocky though). However, right now I’m unsure of what my future may hold and in ten years, I hope I have a firmer grasp on that. I see myself potentially half-way up the corporate ladder in whichever career I choose. I see myself wanting to have a family and a home. I see myself doing the things I love which will always include music and the stage. And I see myself being more open and knowledgeable of the world and people around me.
Sincerely,
Mikael L. Short
Thoughts of a 23-year-old me...
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As I watched Glee’s Prom episode last night, a wave of sadness swept over me. I never had my prom. Whenever I watch prom-themed shows or anything, I can’t help but get a little emotional because I never experienced it and I always wanted to… Isn’t that what every girl dreams of? Going to prom clad in a stunning gown to dance the night away with someone special? Ending it with a kiss? Yep. Pretty sure my high school career missed out on that little gem of an experience.
Technically, I did go to a prom but not my prom. In fact, I don’t like to consider it prom at all because the date was set up solely because the guy was my mom’s boss’s son and he was nominated for prom court but didn’t have a date. So I wasn’t asked in a cute way. I was a dress-repeater with the dress I wore to the Charlonian Ball (a girl’s choice dance) in my junior year. It wasn’t at my school. It was a fun night, but I didn’t know the guy. There was no kiss. There was no spark. There was nothing special. It wasn’t my prom and that’s that.
The reason why I never went to my prom? Nobody bothered to ask me and there was no way in hell I would go to prom alone. The only dances I was asked to in high school were the Homecoming dances in my junior and senior years. Homecoming my sophomore year was another arranged set-up and I didn’t even really like the guy… he had a crush on my best friend apparently and my best friend’s date ended up flirting with me way too much so it was a pretty messed up night all around. I’d ask guys to the girl-choice dances but for some reason no one really asked me to any. Talk about depressing.
If I had been asked to prom at least once in those three years, that might have made up for the fact that I was asked to only one dance. The ones mentioned above were set up and the other was a “get-to-know-you” date for me and the gross guy who played my love interest in the school musical (yuck!). I was legitimately asked to only one dance. Now that I’m thinking about it… I can’t even recall a school dance where I got a kiss after. That’s even more depressing because we all know what a kiss-a-holic I am!
Yeah… I feel pretty deprived since high school is long gone. It could have gone horribly wrong or wonderfully perfect, but I would have loved to be able to say that I went to my high school prom.
Is it bad that I hope to someday have a prom-like experience just so I can have a taste of what it might have been like?
***
Picture is from the girl’s choice Valentine’s dance my junior year.
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Filed under: A Little Me, College, Dreams, Family, Friends, Good Things, Happy Dance Time, My Awesome Internship, Updates, Writing
So if you missed the memo… I graduated from the University of Utah last Friday. I’m still waiting for the surreal feeling to go away. I cannot believe that chapter of my life is done but at the same time I’m incredibly relieved. None of my attempts at a post-semester coma have been very successful though, unfortunately.
BUT we did have a pretty spectacular she-bang to end my college career. At first I was maybe expecting 20 people to show but it quickly blew up to about 50 people swarming my house throughout Saturday evening. It was pretty crazy and awesome. Mucho martinis made by my mom, many friends, and even a jam sesh with my musician friends who decided to stick around a little longer.
In fact, it was one of the best weekend’s I’ve had in a while. Friday was the family celebration and that was amazing too (I have the best family in the world!). One of the greatest things about it was that my bestie Francesca surprised me by coming home from Wyoming to spend the day with me. I nearly burst into tears while I was getting my makeup done when she showed up, looking all golden (so glad my eyes weren’t done yet). Best surprise ever! It was amazing to spend the day with her.
More good things are coming too… Guess what else is soon? Bloggers in Sin City!!! GAH! I will be heading down next Wednesday and I cannot wait… It is seriously going to be complete bomb-sauce. I’ve decided that my celebrations post-graduation are turning out to be the very best ever.
No more school for me! Well, not any time soon anyway. Time for pursuing dreams and careers and all that other good stuff. First, I have the ABC 4 News internship for the summer along with a couple part time jobs. Other than, that I intend on writing and singing more. Both stories (anyone heard of Figment?) and songs. Just everything! In fact, I’m just about to go start writing a song that was inspired tonight. =)
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Filed under: A Little Me, College, Dreams, Futuristic Musings, My Awesome Internship, Quotations, Updates, Venting, Writing
There are 10 days left until I graduate college…
HOLD THE EFFING PHONE!
That’s 10 days left of an 18-year chapter of my life justly titled “School.”
How can it be over just like that? My last day of actual classes was today and I only had one class out of three even going on… I feel like yelling, “What’s going on here?!” alla Timon in The Lion King because quite frankly this is weirdest realization ever. No more school. Time for real life.
Wait… what is real life anyway? As a kid you think real life is what you get to do as an adult. Once you get to the “adult point”, real life is what has been happening all along. It’s a pretty harsh realization but a good one to have nonetheless.
What is scary is that the older I get, the faster time seems to go. About five weeks back, booguloo left a comment about this. The past six weeks really have flown by in the blink of an eye (yes, I liked the rhyme). And now… gah! The time is nearly here!
The weirdest thing is that my finals this semester have been easy peasy but still intense in the “amount of work” department. I have a post coming about one of my final “requirements” that is pretty amazing so stay tuned for that.
But this past week has been extremely emotional for me. It’s not just college I’m saying good bye to… Last week, I seriously sat in Libby Gardner Hall (the main concert hall at my University Campus) for 45 minutes after class because I simply didn’t want to leave. Choir has been such a huge part of my life ever since I was 13 so to not have that anymore was an even harsher realization than the “time flies” realization. Then we had our final choir concert where we sang an Edgar Allen Poe poem entitled “Dream Within a Dream” as arranged by Debra Scroggins. I was nearly in tears on stage while singing the second stanza. One of my absolute favorite choral songs I’ve ever done, hands down.
Take this kiss upon the brow
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow-
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand-
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep- while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
I just had to share it because I feel like it’s ringing quite true to how I’m feeling about huge chunk of my life slipping away. It’s like the years of school that I’ve had are nothing more than the grains sand upon my beach of memories. I long to keep them close, to let them sit in the palm of my hand but I must let go of them in order to go forward from here. That beach, which holds much golden sand, seaweed, and even a couple crabs, will always be there. However, the gate to it is about to close… but I can still look upon it fondly through the fences. I know I’ll miss it.
Sigh.
Oh, my god… I’m graduating in 10 days. If there weren’t great things waiting for me this summer, I’d be scared shitless.
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Filed under: Dreams, Fiction, Flash Fiction Thursday, Imagine, Stories, Writing
Over the past couple weeks, I’ve been having these strange dreams that have come in “chapters” for a lack of a better term. The first two dreams were difficult for me to remember hardly at all until the third dream came last Friday. It all clicked… and now a story has emerged in my mind. This small scene is not one I dreamed of, but a predecessor to the dreams that (for some odd reason) I know must have happened. Please enjoy!
* * *
“There is only one pair left.”
The crackling fire grate nearly masked the words emerging from the blood red chaise facing it.
“This is your last chance, Cardone.”
Alexander Cardone adjusted his tie, loosening it to allow himself to breathe. He had had five chances to return to his rightful place yet none of them had been successful.
Clearing his throat, he hesitated, “I understand. Where can I find the final two?”
“They will be in Utah,” the voice sighed. “They attend Canyons High School.”
Cardone’s head snapped forward.
“You are certain of this?”
“Indeed I am.”
“But they will be too young! How can I expect high school students to handle these kind of experiments?”
There is a moment where a deep inhale filled the silence, sounding as though the fire were about to be sucked inward towards the core of the chaise.
“Do I sense hesitation, Cardone?”
Nervous, Cardone bowed his head before speaking quite quickly.
“If I may, mistress. Might we consider waiting until they are of age? If the prior pair couldn’t withstand the hours despite being a few years older, I do not see how high school students could either.”
“Do you still wish to get back to your family?”
“Yes, mistress but-“
“Then do you not recall my instructions?”
“No, I do-“
“Find the alternate bodies, pay them prettily to take part in our research, teach them how to manage themselves, and hope for the galaxy’s sake that they can stop what we know will be upon us imminently soon. Is there any part of that which is unclear?”
“No, mistress,” Cardone began. When no response came from the chaise, he began again. “But how can they pass the second hour or the third hour when most others haven’t?”
Another deep sigh emanated through the ornate office. Slowly, the flames in the grate flickered downward as though contemplating whether or not to dance across the floor with their sharp, bright red tongues.
“That’s why we make sure they are trained and warned of everything that may happen so they can act accordingly. And if they try and rebel, we can convince them otherwise before everything turns to dust.”
Cardone was at a loss. The first pair could not make it through the first hour whereas the second and third got trapped in the third. The fourth, considerably the most fit alternate bodies of them all, had disappeared somewhere in the fifteenth hour. And the fifth pair turned against them within the second hour. The likelihood of two teenagers managing more than those before them was bleak.
What was Cardone supposed to do when this research failed? He could never to return to his family for execution would surely be his fate… unless complete and utter destruction of both worlds came first.
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Filed under: A Little Me, Friends, Good Things, Happy Dance Time, Imagine, Laughs, My Awesome Internship, Updates
I think I forgot to mention my April Fools prank that I pulled this year… it was quite effective. The best I’ve ever had actually.
Everyone in my life knows I’ve been on the hunt for a job/internship for post-graduation. And a few of my friends even knew about my interview that I had on April 1st with a local news station. Because of these two facts, I thought of the perfect prank and it went like this:
My facebook status aptly posted after my interview:
You are now looking at ABC4’s newest reporter come summer! =)
Once this went up, 16 of my FB friends commented their congratulations and even more “liked” my status. I was seriously just cracking up at everything people were posting. Because seriously, who could get a reporting job immediately out of college without any experience?
There was a friend who asked if it was an April Fools joke–which I deleted immediately and messaged him to not spoil my fun (which he obliged). Then when midnight approached, I came clean. I told everyone that it was my April Fools joke. Most were bummed because they thought I was destined for greatness such as that (and also for being duped–points for me!). But I did mention that I had an interview for an internship with that news station so they wished me luck on that.
And now, while I may not have the experience to be a reporter, I was selected to be a summer intern for a local news station! The email came this morning saying that I had been chosen! I’m sure my classmates went deaf because I started squealing and screaming like a little girl when I got it.
I remember at my interview, I felt like I was a hyperactive child in Disney Land just dying to go on Splash Mountain when they gave me a tour of the place (don’t worry, I kept myself as subdued on the exterior as humanly possible). There was no doubt in my mind that that was where I needed wanted to be this summer. These past 12 days have been agony waiting to find out if I got it or not–I even stopped looking for jobs while I’ve been waiting to hear back. That’s how badly I have wanted it. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to properly thank the person who told me about this internship…
It’s a part-time unpaid internship with absolutely invaluable experience. No doubt that it may even set me on a good journalism track for my life! Writing news stories, shadowing reporters and getting feedback from them, and more things like that. Sounds pretty amazing to me! The coordinator said that I could even make a good reporter down the line (also where I got the idea for my April Fools joke). I’m unbelievably excited for this opportunity!
Can I just say that life is good right now? :)
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Doesn’t it suck when there is something that you want more than anything? Something that you can’t talk yourself out of wanting no matter how hard or how many times you try? But the worst is that you can’t have it? Or you can’t even try to obtain it without causing problems for the people around you? Or that it’s, in a sense, forbidden for the moment? And yet… should that moment come when you can possibly get it, you won’t know if you will actually get it?
*sigh*
Some tormented love story I’m in. Once I graduate, the gloves will be off so my hands will be reaching for it. That’s all I’m saying.
<3
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Filed under: A Little Me, College, Family, Fitness, Friends, Futuristic Musings, Health, Imagine, My Awesome Internship, Roam, Updates, Utah, Vegas!
If you can’t tell, my write a blog every day adventure has kind of… fallen by the wayside this past month. In my defense, I’ve been uber busy. Like to the point where tears were shed over the stupidest things and I started to get really touchy about topics that aren’t worth getting touchy over. I don’t want to say I’m giving up on this “adventure”, but I have decided I only want to blog when I truly feel like it. Which does happen a few days a week but sometimes my time isn’t always so lenient… I’m thinking that’s the best way to go. Do what I can and not stress about not doing it every day.
Working in sports journalism/communications during the end of February through to mid-March (ahem, NCAA Championship time)… let’s just say I would not wish it on anyone valuing self-preservation. I was fine doing the work but the pressure added to it on top of school was a little cramming. Lots of stress eating went down with not enough workouts to counteract it… *sigh*
Spring break was last week and it couldn’t have been more welcome. My bro and I went down to Vegas, spent some quality time with my dad, stepmom, my dogs and a couple friends who live down there. I even met and danced with a guy who looked like a younger Patrick Dempsey at Harrah’s one night (*drool*). Did a lot of recuperating too… relaxing, reading (Sing Me Home by Jodi Picoult is my new favorite book), playing my gameboy (Pokemon Black is AMAZING!), went for a couple runs. It was just what I needed after the insanity of March Madness.
Did I also mention that I’ve started hunting for jobs for post-graduation? And that it is the most addictive thing I’ve ever done? Seriously! I have several websites that I check out at least once or twice a week. And once I start… it takes me at least three hours to pull the reins on myself. Searching for a job is quite exciting! Applying was a little nerve wrecking at first, but now I have applied to around 10 internships/jobs and waiting for responses while keeping on the ball for others. I do have my first interview on Friday though for a local news station internship, so that should be interesting.
So yeah… Just a lot has been going on. I’m praying this month will be a little tamer before finals crop up near the end. A look on the bright side though… I graduate in less than 6 weeks! Scary? You bet. Exciting? Even more so! I’m so ready to take on the big bad world. ;)
MikShorty 
