BiaIchihara Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 This is the best column he's done since the one on punchinello (hope I got that right), imo... However...! Disappointed to see he thinks his older self won't have hooked up with a girl (even for a night! ) this means he thinks he's a Kinsey 6 ( a person who is exclusively homosexual on the scale of sexual attraction - which is comparatively rare) which means that whole thing he used to say about being able to 'fall in love with anybody' was a total line of BS :aah:tsk tsk about the ''fall in love with anybody'' is not totally a lie, he just didn't specify at that time it could be with anybody male and thanks for posting Alba and I hope those pretty curls stay in this head for a very long time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alireine Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Thank you! This is very touching Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiibet Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 So lovely he wrote something this personal for a change It feels genuine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krysady Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 This is the best column he's done since the one on punchinello (hope I got that right), imo... Right,I also believe these two are his best columns ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyaboutmika Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Come on Nas I've been telling you this forever. However I don't think it's necessarily true that he has never ever felt any attraction whatsoever. Maybe he has felt it/tried it/whatever but at this point in his life he knows there is no future in falling in love with and having babies with a woman. I have never been one to subscibe to the theory that you can't help who you fall in love with. I think at some point you make a decision (conscious or otherwise) to sort of let yourself fall in love. I am certain I would never fall in love with a married or gay man for instance. I just wouldn't give myself permission to do that because I know it would lead to unhappiness. It has nothing to do with sexuality. I think we totally agree when it comes to Mika Christine And I know I would never fall in love with a woman myself and if that ever happened I'd be really amazed Well with a gay man that's a different story I had but even then it could only develop into friendship since there's no point in getting hurt or hurting anyone when being friends is an option Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nas Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Come on Nas I've been telling you this forever. However I don't think it's necessarily true that he has never ever felt any attraction whatsoever. Maybe he has felt it/tried it/whatever but at this point in his life he knows there is no future in falling in love with and having babies with a woman. I have never been one to subscibe to the theory that you can't help who you fall in love with. I think at some point you make a decision (conscious or otherwise) to sort of let yourself fall in love. I am certain I would never fall in love with a married or gay man for instance. I just wouldn't give myself permission to do that because I know it would lead to unhappiness. It has nothing to do with sexuality. Should've listened to you Christine! I agree with the bolded part..at least for me.. Some ppl can't help who they're attracted to and they confuse this with not being able to help who they fall in love with.. In any case I also never thought future (or present) mika could ever settle down or fall in love with a gal, I just never ruled out the possibility of him *sleeping* with one, if only for procreation...until now! about the ''fall in love with anybody'' is not totally a lie, he just didn't specify at that time it could be with anybody male and thanks for posting Alba and I hope those pretty curls stay in this head for a very long time good point!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggie112 Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 One of my favourite Pop Up columns ever Should've listened to you Christine! I just never ruled out the possibility of him *sleeping* with one, if only for procreation...until now! There are also the options of surrogacy or adoption ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 In any case I also never thought future (or present) mika could ever settle down or fall in love with a gal, I just never ruled out the possibility of him *sleeping* with one, if only for procreation...until now! But put yourself in his shoes. You are not a 1 or a 6 either but you are in a committed relationship. Even taking sexuality out of the equation - what if your husband was paralyzed? Mika says he wants to have children while he's young and you don't have much choice. If you envision yourself having children ever in your life it will probably be with your current partner. Would you choose to sleep with another man when there is an easy option that doesn't involve sexual contact? Why upset your partner and risk damaging your relationship for no good reason? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyaboutmika Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 MIKA, POP UP XL 89 (ENGLISH VERSION): “AN OPEN LETTER TO MY OLDER SELF (TURNING THIRTY)” (SEPTEMBER 2013) On the eve of my 30th birthday, I decided to write an open letter to my older self. I can not read this letter again until the eve of my 80th birthday. Dear Mika, I hope this finds you well. I have no idea where in the world you will be when you read this. My life so far has been made up of so many twists, turns and contradictions, that there is no way of predicting where or how you will be. For starters, I just hope you are alive! Even if the world has become a terrible or hostile place, without water and without seasons, I still hope you’re in it. Not because I want to maintain my presence for as long as possible, but just because I’m curious and you’re my only way of finding out. You may wonder why I’m writing this, but the reason is quite simple. A lot of noise is made about someone turning 30. Yes, you can laugh, you’re about to turn 80. The only reason why I think we care is that childhood along with adolescence has been eroded. The normal transitions of life before adulthood don’t exist any more. We live a sort of ‘kidulthood’ for far too long and suddenly we hit 30 and have no more excuse. A 30 year old, a hundred years ago, was approaching the twilight era. You however, at 80, are probably not even considered old any more. I wonder how your health is and how long you might actually live? 100? 120? Perhaps you live in an augmented reality, which covers up all the destruction of the last 100 years. I hope that’s not the case. I hope things are still green and there is still winter and summer. What scares me the most, is that now as I turn 30, I don’t believe things as basic as seasons and fresh air are guaranteed in the future. As those around me have been making a fuss about my 30th, this is my retaliation. As a boy, the only secret power I ever wanted was to freeze time. In order to relish a little longer in moments I loved and to reap vengeance on those who hurt me. This is me freezing time just for a moment. Like a capsule or a message in a bottle. Beyond that I don’t care about my age, as long as I am free. I am writing this from the basement of my house in London’s World’s End. There’s a car engine outside making noise. My mother has just popped over to have a cup of tea and my dog is asleep in the corner. They will all be gone when you read this. I have never faced death, you have. How lucky you must think I am to have those I love around me in the flesh. Don’t romanticise too much however. They are not so perfect up close you know? So far I have seen terrible things happen to people I love dearly, but I’ve never lost any of them. You have and I’m sorry for the pain it caused you. I’m sure you’ve made some pretty amazing friends though. Not just the glamorous famous ones. Those ones I know already, come and go so fast, but real friends. I hope they are strange and keep you weird. Please stay weird. In the world right now, the US and the UK are spying on us and no one can do anything about it. Even Obama is unable to take a hard line on the subject. The Middle East is in turmoil and the incredible city of Aleppo which you visited at 25 is pretty much destroyed. In Russia, the government is turning viciously and bizarrely anti gay, as a result of the bigotry of the powerful orthodox church, but marriage in Europe and America is looking positive. Except in Italy, God knows about that! I wonder if you have children and how you got those, as I already know for sure that you haven’t hooked up with a chick. I hope you have kids, I hope they look like me. And what about Music!? OH GOD I wish I knew what that would sound like in the future. I could go on for ever, but I must stop. Please remember, we are not so different you and I. If you read this, and do not recognise the hand or the voice, something has gone terribly wrong. If you feel a little embarrassed, that’s OK. In the words of Doris Day, “che sera sera”. That’s true, but I can’t help but feel, that in the chaos of cause and effect that forms our future, the tiny action of writing this letter might change something further down the line. One thing, I hope your not bald, if so, wear a hat. With all the love in the world, You x (Illustration by DaWack) French version A la veille de mon trentième anniversaire, j'ai décidé d'écrire une lettre ouverte à moi même une fois que je serai âgé. Je ne relirai pas cette lettre avant la veille de mes quatrevingt ans. Cher Mika, J'espère que quand cette lettre te parviendra tu seras en bonne santé. Je n'ai pas la moindre idée de l' endroit de la terre où tu te trouveras quand tu liras ceci. Premièrement , j'espère que tu seras toujours en vie! Même si le monde est devenu d 'ici là un endroit hositile ou terrible, sans eau ou sans saisons, j'espère quand même que tu en feras encore partie. Pas pour survivre le plus longtemps possible mais parce que je suis curieux et que tu es la seul façon pour moi d'avoir une réponse. Tu vas peut être te demander pourquoi j'ecris ceci, mais la raison en est très simple. On fait beaucoup de bruit autour des trente ans. Oui, tu peux rire, tu en auras quatre vingt demain. La seule raison pour laquelle je pense qu'on s'interesse au cap des trente ans, c'est que les frontières de l'enfance et de l'adolescence sont devenues floues. Les transitions normales de la vie avant l' âge adulte n'existent plus. Nous vivons dans une 'adulescence' trop lontemps et soudainement le cap des trente ans arrive et nous n'avons plus d'excuse. Trente ans, cent ans auparavant c'était déjà l'âge du crépuscule. Par contre à quatre vingt ans tu n'es sans doute plus considéré comme âgé. Je me demande comment va ta santé et jusqu' à quel âge on peut vivre à ton époque? 100? 120? Peut être vis tu dans une réalité augmentée , qui remplace tout ce qui a été détruit les cent dernières années. J'espère que ce n'est pas le cas. J'espère que les choses sont toujours vertes et qu'il y a toujours un été et un hiver. Ce qui m'effraye le plus alors que j'entre dans mes trente ans, c'est que je ne crois plus que des choses aussi basiques que les saisons ou l'air frais soient garanties dans le futur. Avis à ceux autour de moi qui ont dit que j'en faisais trop au sujet de mes trente ans, ce sont mes représailles. Quand j'étais un jeune garçon j'aurai voulu avoir le pouvoir d'arrêter le temps. Dans le but de savourer un peu plus longtemps les moments que j'aimais et pour récolter les fruits de la vengeance sur ceux qui m'avaient fait du mal. C'est moi maintenant qui arrête le temps pour un petit moment. Comme une capsule ou un message dans une bouteille jetée à la mer. A partir de là je me moque de mon âge, aussi longtemps que je suis libre. J'écris ceci dans le sous sol de ma maison à London World's End. Il y a un moteur de voiture dehors qui fait du bruit. Ma mère vient de descendre prendre un thé et mon chien dort dans un coin. Ils seront tous partis quand tu liras ceci. Je n'ai jamais fait face à la mort, toi oui. Tu dois penser que j'ai beaucoup de chance d'avoir tous ceux que j'aime autour de moi bien vivants. Ne sois pas trop romantique malgré tout. Ils ne sont pas tous si parfaits de près tu sais? Pour l'instant j'ai vu des choses terribles arriver aux personnes que jaime tendrement mais je n'ai jamais perdu d'entre eux. Toi oui et je suis désolé de la peine que cela t'a causé. Je suis sûr que tu t'es fait des amis fantastiques et étonnants pourtant. Pas seulement les plus glamours et célèbres. Ceux que je connais déjà vont et viennent si vite , mais de vrais amis. J'espère qu'ils sont étranges et qu'ils t'aident à cultiver ta bizarrerie. Je t'en prie reste étrange. Dans ce monde à présent les Etats Unis et le Royaume Unis nous espionnent et personne ne peut rien y faire. Même Obama est incapable de gerer cet état de fait. Le Moyen Orient est dans la tourmente et l'incroyable ville d'Aleppo que tu as visité à 25 ans est presque entièrement détruite. En Russie le gouvernement devient vicieusement et bizarrement anti gay, à cause du concervatisme de l'église orthodoxe qui est si puissante là bas, mais aux Etats Unis et en Europe le mariage pour tous évolue de façon positive . Sauf en Italie, Dieu le sait. Je me demande comment si tu as des enfants et comment tu as fait pour les avoir puisque je sais déjà que tu ne t'es pas mis en ménage avec une femme. J'espère que tu as des enfants et j'espère qu'ils me ressemblent. Et la musique? OH DIEU je voudrais tellement savoir quel sera son son dans le futur. Je pourrais continuer comme ça pour toujours, mais je dois m'arrêter. Je t'en prie souviens toi que toi et moi nous ne sommes pas si différents. Si tu lis ceci , et que tu ne reconnais pas la voix ni la main, quelquechose sera allé complètement de travers et ce sera horrible. Si tu te sens un peu gêné , ce n'est pas grave. Comme disait Doris Day, " Che sera sera". C'est vrai , mais je ne peux pas m'empêcher de ressentir que dans le chaos des causes et des effets qui forment notre futur, le minuscule acte d'écrire cette lettre peut changer quelque chose à la façon dont la vie s'écrira. Une chose, J'espère que tu n'es pas chauve, si c'est le cas, portes un chapeau . Avec tout l'amour du monde, Toi x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IngievV Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Wh-what does he mean...he won't ever have hooked up with a chick? D-does that mean he is.....g-gay? Just kidding. It was a great column, well-written and clever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamy_Queen Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 In the end I found myself crying, though I didn't want to. I'm 34, but most of these thoughts already came to my head - about global situation as well as about personal state. I'm happy that I'm not alone... Being 10 years old, I wrote a letter to myself without mentioning the age in which I have to read it. I've lost it through the years, after all those changing of places to live....and it feels like I've lost something. So, his article means a lot to me. I wish he knew that he touched some hearts deeply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IngievV Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 I wrote a similar thing last year and posted it on my blog: http://ingridchant.blogspot.nl/2012/11/dear-future-me.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littlelady Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 It is a wonderful column and so emotional but also thoughtful. I love it:huglove: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nas Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 But put yourself in his shoes. You are not a 1 or a 6 either but you are in a committed relationship. Even taking sexuality out of the equation - what if your husband was paralyzed? Mika says he wants to have children while he's young and you don't have much choice. If you envision yourself having children ever in your life it will probably be with your current partner. Would you choose to sleep with another man when there is an easy option that doesn't involve sexual contact? Why upset your partner and risk damaging your relationship for no good reason? Good points! I guess I was thinking more in abstract concepts of sexuality more than his *present* situation I wrote a similar thing last year and posted it on my blog: http://ingridchant.blogspot.nl/2012/11/dear-future-me.html I remember this ingie! Wished I had wrote one too.. Guess I'll have to wait til 35 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathouzouf Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 In the end I found myself crying, though I didn't want to. I'm 34, but most of these thoughts already came to my head - about global situation as well as about personal state. I'm happy that I'm not alone... Being 10 years old, I wrote a letter to myself without mentioning the age in which I have to read it. I've lost it through the years, after all those changing of places to live....and it feels like I've lost something. So, his article means a lot to me. I wish he knew that he touched some hearts deeply. He made me cry too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikasister Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Thank you so much sweetheart Thanks a lot Alba!! This is a personal and touchy letter - and imo, a new reminder why we all love this man sooo much It's also funny that he refers to the Doris Day song, which was played a lot, with poor and bad sound, on the radio - in my childhood... Love,love me about the ''fall in love with anybody'' is not totally a lie, he just didn't specify at that time it could be with anybody male and thanks for posting Alba and I hope those pretty curls stay in this head for a very long time Thank you! This is very touching You're welcome ladies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zimwana Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 So beautiful and personal! And it's a really good idea, everyone should at one point in their life write their state on mind for them in the future, I for one know that I should since I have so bad memory.I've done this only once, the day I started dating my hubby 8 years ago I found it by accident recently and (I forgot I even wrote it ) Speaking of the hubby, he's also turning 30 in a month In the end I found myself crying, though I didn't want to. I'm 34, but most of these thoughts already came to my head - about global situation as well as about personal state. I'm happy that I'm not alone... Being 10 years old, I wrote a letter to myself without mentioning the age in which I have to read it. I've lost it through the years, after all those changing of places to live....and it feels like I've lost something. So, his article means a lot to me. I wish he knew that he touched some hearts deeply. Oh no! That's so sad losing a letter like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamy_Queen Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Oh no! That's so sad losing a letter like that I still hope maybe my mum had found it, but still not dare to ask. He made me cry too... Maybe I'm getting older and sentimental, but it is a kind of catarsis I think he was too shy , too insecure and that it was too early in his career to come out earlier but his songs have always been clear enough in my opinion.Look at it that way maybe he did try it for a night but it didn't work out I know that happens I don't see him hooked up with a girl either but the good news is he can get married with his boyfriend and have babies since the laws have changed for the better and that was my wish for him on his 30th birthday that I wrote along with the pic I took of three naked babies at the beach I'm so sure he'll be a wonderful daddy and I'd love to look after his babies that's my job after all What a lovely post, Anne! And I agree about being insecure in the beginning, it is obvious. What he was supposed to say? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kath Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Lovely Thanks for posting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Good points! I guess I was thinking more in abstract concepts of sexuality more than his *present* situation Well I think what he's probably saying is that any future partner will be a man as well. But as we discussed that doesn't necessarily make him a 6. He is 30 years old but maybe if you asked him at 17 he may have not been so sure. I wouldn't be surprised if Mika is a 6 so I am not arguing that he's not. But I don't think you can draw any conclusions from the fact that he does not want to get down with his baby mama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonjaD Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 This is one of the best columns he has ever done. Very personal and touching. Thanks for posting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokesignal Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 I wouldn't be surprised if Mika is a 6 so I am not arguing that he's not. But I don't think you can draw any conclusions from the fact that he does not want to get down with his baby mama. Let's just say he's probably pretty high up the scale, somewhere between 5,9 and 6 or so Not because of this column though. Regardless of the truth, the way this column was written is very clever. By approaching it in this way, he is normalizing homosexuality and still linking the whole thing to gay rights. With all the remarks in there, about a large variety of topics, this might be his most political column to date, but because of the way he writes it, the way he makes the whole thing feel so brutally honest, it doesn't seem that political at all. It's almost like some of his songs. They seem nice and innocent, but they really aren't. Probably that is the reason I love this column so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IngievV Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Let's be fair, anyone who still believed he was as straight as a line should be slapped out of their fantasy world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayaBadran Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 MIKA, POP UP XL 89 (ENGLISH VERSION): “AN OPEN LETTER TO MY OLDER SELF (TURNING THIRTY)” (SEPTEMBER 2013) On the eve of my 30th birthday, I decided to write an open letter to my older self. I can not read this letter again until the eve of my 80th birthday. Dear Mika, I hope this finds you well. I have no idea where in the world you will be when you read this. My life so far has been made up of so many twists, turns and contradictions, that there is no way of predicting where or how you will be. For starters, I just hope you are alive! Even if the world has become a terrible or hostile place, without water and without seasons, I still hope you’re in it. Not because I want to maintain my presence for as long as possible, but just because I’m curious and you’re my only way of finding out. You may wonder why I’m writing this, but the reason is quite simple. A lot of noise is made about someone turning 30. Yes, you can laugh, you’re about to turn 80. The only reason why I think we care is that childhood along with adolescence has been eroded. The normal transitions of life before adulthood don’t exist any more. We live a sort of ‘kidulthood’ for far too long and suddenly we hit 30 and have no more excuse. A 30 year old, a hundred years ago, was approaching the twilight era. You however, at 80, are probably not even considered old any more. I wonder how your health is and how long you might actually live? 100? 120? Perhaps you live in an augmented reality, which covers up all the destruction of the last 100 years. I hope that’s not the case. I hope things are still green and there is still winter and summer. What scares me the most, is that now as I turn 30, I don’t believe things as basic as seasons and fresh air are guaranteed in the future. As those around me have been making a fuss about my 30th, this is my retaliation. As a boy, the only secret power I ever wanted was to freeze time. In order to relish a little longer in moments I loved and to reap vengeance on those who hurt me. This is me freezing time just for a moment. Like a capsule or a message in a bottle. Beyond that I don’t care about my age, as long as I am free. I am writing this from the basement of my house in London’s World’s End. There’s a car engine outside making noise. My mother has just popped over to have a cup of tea and my dog is asleep in the corner. They will all be gone when you read this. I have never faced death, you have. How lucky you must think I am to have those I love around me in the flesh. Don’t romanticise too much however. They are not so perfect up close you know? So far I have seen terrible things happen to people I love dearly, but I’ve never lost any of them. You have and I’m sorry for the pain it caused you. I’m sure you’ve made some pretty amazing friends though. Not just the glamorous famous ones. Those ones I know already, come and go so fast, but real friends. I hope they are strange and keep you weird. Please stay weird. In the world right now, the US and the UK are spying on us and no one can do anything about it. Even Obama is unable to take a hard line on the subject. The Middle East is in turmoil and the incredible city of Aleppo which you visited at 25 is pretty much destroyed. In Russia, the government is turning viciously and bizarrely anti gay, as a result of the bigotry of the powerful orthodox church, but marriage in Europe and America is looking positive. Except in Italy, God knows about that! I wonder if you have children and how you got those, as I already know for sure that you haven’t hooked up with a chick. I hope you have kids, I hope they look like me. And what about Music!? OH GOD I wish I knew what that would sound like in the future. I could go on for ever, but I must stop. Please remember, we are not so different you and I. If you read this, and do not recognise the hand or the voice, something has gone terribly wrong. If you feel a little embarrassed, that’s OK. In the words of Doris Day, “che sera sera”. That’s true, but I can’t help but feel, that in the chaos of cause and effect that forms our future, the tiny action of writing this letter might change something further down the line. One thing, I hope your not bald, if so, wear a hat. With all the love in the world, You x (Illustration by DaWack) is all I have to say! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alireine Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Let's just say he's probably pretty high up the scale, somewhere between 5,9 and 6 or so Not because of this column though. Regardless of the truth, the way this column was written is very clever. By approaching it in this way, he is normalizing homosexuality and still linking the whole thing to gay rights. With all the remarks in there, about a large variety of topics, this might be his most political column to date, but because of the way he writes it, the way he makes the whole thing feel so brutally honest, it doesn't seem that political at all. It's almost like some of his songs. They seem nice and innocent, but they really aren't. Probably that is the reason I love this column so much. And I'm happy to see that I'm not the only one who felt like crying reading it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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