Mikhail, Harlow

[Harlow Mikhail]

Welcome to the New York Tribune, MISS HARLOW MIKHAIL. Please be seated and we will begin the interview.


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Let's start with the basics

What is your full name? Harlow Paige Mikhail
Do you prefer to go by a different name? Harlow's fine...though my mother always called my Harley, and I do tend to prefer that. But really I'm not all that picky.
How old are you? I'm 23 years old.
When is your birthday? August 16, 1986
What position are you applying for? Sports Photographer

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Let's get to know you

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

"I am a very outgoing and enthusiastic Leonian. I have no problems being the first one to speak up or introduce myself to a stranger. I find conversation extremely easy and love to talk to and meet new people. I tend to be spontaneously creative and extroverted. I’ve often been described as ambitious, courageous, dominant, and strong willed, positive, independent, and self-confident. There is no such word as doubt or can't in my vocabulary, and I am usually very self-controlled.

I feel I am a born leader, usually in revolt against, the status quo. My personal magnetism and innate courtesy of mind tends to bring out the best from those around me. I am uncomplicated, knowing exactly what I want and using all my energy, creativeness and resolution to get it, as well as being certain that I will get whatever I am after. If someone gets in the way of my goal, I will view them as just one more obsticale to overcome...which can result in hurt feelings or some such crap. If I meet with setbacks I usually thrive on the adversity.

People always know where they are with me; I don’t play games or fib. I don't see the purpose in dancing around an issue. I tend to think and act bigger than others would normally dare; the ambitiousness of my schemes and idealism sometimes daunt my friends. My practical hardheadedness and ability to go straight to the heart of any problem reassures those who depend on me, but will annoy those who are against me.

I can be one of the most unpleasant human beings imaginable, when it comes to my excessive hastiness of temper. Piss me off, and you will see just how scare all five foot two of me really is. I've been known to make men nearly twice my size take a step back in fear of my rage. I have no issues will moving from a verbal rampage to a physical one, but I won't pick a fight if I know I'd lose. If I become jealous or suspicious of rivals, I will not hesitate to use cunning, lies and trickery to discredit them. It's just a nasty habit of mine. As long as you're on my side you really have nothing to worry about.

I love to receive plenty of flattery, which tends to be a downfall for me. You want to be on my good side, flatter me. And I'm not just talking about my appearance, that I really don't care too much about. Sweet talk me in regards to my photography or something like that. I can be rather overbearing at times but do my best to curb that trait. If I notice I'm becoming overbearing, or if someone points it out, I will try to stop or fix it. Otherwise I am usually open, sincere, genuine and trusting. Outgoing, spontaneously warm hearted and plain spoken, though never lacking in kindliness.

I am usually not a very good judge of character and inclined to favoritism and an exaggerated faith in my companions which too often ends in disappointment. I am more disillusioned than the average if let down by those I trusts. This is often connected to my weakness for flattery. Manipulative personalities can usually pick up on my weaknesses and play me without me being any the wiser. I don't take well to being used and this usually ends up in either a verbal or physical altercation.

I have a strong sex drive and am so attracted to the opposite sex that I find it hard to be constant; I can be so intensely sexual as to become dissolute. I might have numerous love affairs for my love of pleasure and beauty is liable to drive me from one attractive partner to another. Yet I am always sincere and generous to my lovers while love lasts. If by some chance I find someone that can hold on to me or that I feel I could stay with for a long period of time, I will be very dedicated…but that likelihood is slim. "

What are your strengths?

:: I’m very passionate about whatever I put my mind too. If it’s important to me, then I will give it my all. I will never half-ass something that I dedicate myself to.
:: I love to try new things and will not hesitate to jump in and do something new and exciting.
:: I am rather independent, and have no problem fending for myself. I dislike the idea of having to rely on someone for something, so I will usually try to do it myself.
:: I am very athletic and agile. Years of gymnastics and softball has made me physically fit and rather flexible. While strength-wise I’m nowhere near being the next Ms. Universe, I am in no way a weakling.
:: I thrive on challenges and tend to do my best work when I’m told I can’t or when a roadblock has been put in my way. I’m too hardheaded to back down from a challenge and will give it all I have to prove what I’m capable of.

What about your weaknesses?

:: My mother is my biggest weakness. I love her so much but I constantly feel like I have to protect her from the world. I would do anything for my mother, anything just to make her happy.
:: I have a horrible temper. It’s one of the most dangerous aspects about me. I have no issues telling off or getting physical with someone that has pissed me off.
:: My right leg is still not completely healed and it tends to start to hurt really bad if I’m on it for too long.
:: I tend to be a glutton for flattery, and it is one of my biggest downfalls. I can’t help but be tricked by pretty words. A silver tongued person could easily sway me to their side.
:: I have a jealous streak like no other, and will not hesitate to make my adversaries life miserable by any means necessary.

What kind of things do you like?

:: I love the feeling of a hot shower, especially after a long day. The feel of hot water beating down on me is so relaxing, I just love it. I tend to take long showers, with the water as hot as I can stand it. I also will splurge on really nice body wash, one of the few really girly things I indulge in.
:: Horror movies, any movie that can actually make me scream is a good movie in my book. I like to have the pants scared off me, not literally. The adrenaline rush when you’re scared is awesome.
:: My leather jacket; it’s warm, fitted and just looks absolutely wicked on me. It goes with everything and keeps me warm in the winter. Plus, the smell of clean leather is like none other.
:: Birds, they are my favorite animal. They are graceful and beautiful. They can fly and yet those who are bonded to you will always come back. That’s a trait I can respect, one few humans exhibit.
:: The smell of freshly washed clothing and baking spices. It’s clean, fresh and rather invigorating. The spices remind me of my mother, who was always baking when I was younger.

How about dislike?

:: My step-mother, Julia. She’s a pain in the ass and living on the other side of the states isn’t far enough. She could make Rambo cry. Her daughter’s a pain too!
:: Not being able to play sports. I really hate being told I can’t, and I tend to get into a lot of trouble with my physical therapist because I still try to play every now and again.
:: People who act like they know sports but really don’t. I don’t pretend to know everything about politics, so I just don’t argue with others about it. If you don’t know anything about sports, it’s best to keep your mouth shut.
:: Prissy girls, they make the rest of us look bad. Don’t get my wrong, I’m not a hardcore feminist but I just hate girls who refuse to get down and dirty every once and a while. You’re not a china doll, stop acting like one!
:: Being called sugar, toots, baby, or any other degrading chauvinistic nickname like that. Fastest way to piss me off and get a bloody nose is to call me some stupid nickname like that. And if you even try to touch my butt, I will rip off your hand.

Do you have any habits?

:: I have a slight limp but it’s only noticeable if I’ve been walking or running for a few hours.
:: I’m overprotective of my mother and refuse to talk about her. I tend to get very aggressive and temperamental when the topic of my mother is brought up.
:: I fiddle with my locket when I’m feeling nervous or upset in any way.

What is your sexual preference? Straight, I may be a tomboy but that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to appreciate the opposite sex.

Where are you from originally? Born in Manhattan, New York, but forced to move to Newport, California. Returned to Manhattan at eighteen and been there ever since.

What has you life been like?

"My father, Bryce Mikhail met my mother, Paige Winchester, at New York University. My father was getting a business degree while my mother was working through a Biology degree. From what I remember my mother saying, it was love at first sight. My mom was always a dainty, fragile woman, where as my father was strong and outgoing. He liked feeling like he needed to protect her. She used to always call him her Superman.

Anyways, they got married after dating for a year, and a year later my mother gave birth to me. She named me Harlow Paige, though she usually called me her little Harley. Apparently I was a very active child and I was none too quiet about it.

My father had gotten his business degree with a minor in photography. One of his two passions was photography and my mother convinced him to open his own studio. His other passion was sports. This became a bonding experience between us. My mother didn't really care for sports, she preferred to bake. Even as an infant I would sit for hours watching sport with my father.

As I grew up, it was obvious that I gained his affection for anything sports related. I was constantly playing any and every sport I could learn. If I wasn't playing then I was watching. Even at the age of three I could tell you who my favorite team was and all the names of the players.
I started playing soccer when I was five, and I loved every second about it. My mother played team mom while my father was my biggest fan. I also took up softball a few months later. Both sports I was very dedicated too, even though I was only five.

A few months after my sixth birthday, my picture perfect little life was turned upside down. My mother had decided to get some shopping down while I was at school. She was abducted, in broad daylight, by two strange men. Neither my father or knew anything was wrong until my mom never showed up to pick me up from school. My mother was always five minutes early to everything she did. So for her to not show at all, we knew something was wrong.

For about a week my mother was missing. We really have no idea what went on during this time, but she mumbles a lot about it being dark, so we assumed she was blindfolded. All we know is that whatever it is, it was too much for her. For my father, this time was very stressful. He was worried sick about her, refusing to eat or sleep. I wasn't sure what exactly was going on but I knew something was wrong.

During the week she was missing, we received three ransom letters asking for an insane amount of money. My father tried to get the money together, but the police were insistant that we not pay.

Suddenly, just after the week mark, my mother showed up in the middle of the same shopping center she was taken from. She was covered in scratches and her clothing was dirty and slightly charred. She was rambling relentlessly about the bad men not hurting her family anymore. It was hard for anyone to make much sense of what she would say. She was taken into the police station, but she seemed to tramatized to talk.

It was another few days before anyone would give me a straight answer about what was going on. Apparently, my mother was even more fragile than I had thought. The weight of what happened was too much on her and her mind just seemed to break. Apparently, at the threat of hurting me she had snapped and killed them. We were never able to find out who they were and why they chose our family to ransom, because she had burned the little cabin she was kept in down. Her explinations were too random and insesnt to make much sense.

My father tried to bring her home, but no one could touch her without her freaking out and we had to leave every light in the house on all day. It was devastating but after a few days of trying, we had to take her to the New York Psychiatric Institute. My father and I would visit her every Sunday. As the months passed, her memories started to become clearer but not enough. The doctors said that she suffered from a severe case of post tramatic stress syndrome, which was just too much for her mind to handle. For her safety we had to leave her as a long-term inpatient.

Two years later, my father announced he was getting remarried. Her name was Julia Angelos, and she was tall, blonde, and a royal bitch. She brought with her a daughter named Juline, who was two years younger than me, and the spitting image of her mother.

I never got along with my new step-mother or step-sister. Julia always felt I was too much of a tomboy and not girly enough. As the years progressed I threw myself further into any and every sport I could get my hands on. Softball became one of my main focal points.

When I was twelve, Julia decided she didn't like living so close to my mother who was still at the psychiatric hospital. She forced my father to move us all to Newport, California. Once we got there, she continued her changes by forcing me to enroll in gymnastics. She felt that since I had to be into sports, why not try a relatively feminine one. It turned out to be the one good thing she ever did. I loved gymnastics and ended up bring pretty good at it.

I joined my new schools softball team, and stuck with gymnastics. Those were the only things that got my through the following years of having to put up with Julia and her snobby daughter. I rarely got to see my father, but he never once missed a single one of my softball games or gymnastic competitions.

After graduating high school, I was accepted at New York University on an athletic scholarship. It was hard to leave my father behind, but I missed seeing my mother too much. She was the reason I applied at NYU.

I spent three years working on a photography degree and playing on the university's softball team. I also spent my other time doing gymnastics. Junior year I got injured during a game. I broke my right leg just below the knee and made a mess of the calf muscles.

Sports were no longer an option for me while I healed and went through physical therapy. So I focused more on my degree. Luckily for me, my father helped to pay for the rest of college since the scholarship was no longer an option.

I'm still in physical therapy, so I can't get back into sports like I used to be. So I'm doing the next best thing, applying to be a sports photographer."

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Let's talk about appearance

Who do people say you look like? People always say I look like Kristen Stewart as a brunette. Which I don't get cause she is pretty and well...I'm too tomboyish. Or so my step mother says.

Tell us about your hair.

"I have silky dark brown with a red tone to it. My hair is not thick, but it’s nowhere near thin either. I keep my hair a little on the longer side, with it reach down to the middle of my bust. It has some layers cut into it, but nothing high maintenance. My hair is naturally wavy, and the layers show it off. I usually wear my hair down because it’s easier that way. If it isn’t down then it’s in a ponytail. I don’t really do much with my hair. The most elaborate you will see it is in a braid."

What are your eyes like?

"I have greenish-hazel eyes. I’ve been told that they are warm and enjoyable to gaze into. But if I find you gazing into my eyes I might just pop ya!"

How tall are you? I’m a bit on the short side, standing at 5’2” but I like being short.

What is your body like?

“I have a rather athletic build, from years of softball and gymnastics. I have a medium size bust, a decent sized B cup, as well as a thin waist and slender hips. I have a flat stomach that shows some muscle definition, but not a whole lot. My back is the same, toned with some muscle definition. My arms and legs are well toned and firm. I have a round bottom that is a good handful but still firm. I keep in good shape, which is something that I’m proud of. I work for my body, so I love it!”

What kind of clothes do you like?

"My style screams comfort with a sporty edge. When I go shopping, I look for clothing I can move in. My closet is filled with mostly jeans, both long and short, and in a variety of shade of blue, with a few black thrown in the mix. My shirts are simple, mostly fitted v-neck t-shirts in a variety of colors. I also have a number of vintage t-shirts, the kind that are super soft. I love my henleys and my many jerseys. I’m not big on dressing super girly, but I think I might have one or two dresses in my closet…can’t promise anything though. I have a variety of sneakers and tennis shoes in different styles and colors. My favorite item of clothing is my fitted leather jacket. It’s black, made of real supple leather with zippers all along the sleeves. I saw it in the shop and it fit so well I had to buy it. I’ve loved it ever since.”

Do you have any distinguishing features?

"I have what is called peaches and cream skin, which doesn’t burn but also doesn’t tan. I have a few random scars from playing rough in the sports world, but none that are super special. I don’t have any tattoos, yet, but I will likely get one or two in the future. My jewelry is minimal, consisting of simple earrings and a locket necklace. It is a simple, antique silver locket given to me by my mother when I was five. It is oval in shape with the image of a dove on a branch engraved on it. It’s on a long silver chain so that it dangles just between my breasts. Inside, on one side is a picture of her and on the other side is an inscription that I consider personal. I don’t wear make-up, I rarely have the time for it. I do use chapstick though, and occasionally I will wear lip gloss, but I have to be in a really good mood. My voice has been described as a high alto with a soft husky feel to it."

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Let's get a bit more personal

What is your name? Fini
How old are you? 22
How long have you been doing this? Forever and a day...okay more like 8 years.
How can we contact you? AIM - FiniTee
How did you find us? I watch you while you type.

[Kristin]

ACCEPTED :: PHOTOGRAPHER

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