Through the Looking Glass

After chatting with the young woman parked next to me during the missile range stop last Thursday, I noticed my reflection on her SUV.  It made the vehicle I was driving long and sleek, like a stretch limo.  However, I was oriented vertically, and at just one point on my car's profile, so I looked like a stubby guy with chunky legs.  It was like looking into a fun house mirror.

The mirror over the sinks in my gym's locker room has the unfortunate ability to reflect anyone by the lockers (which is usually me).  It shows me just as I am.  While I appreciate seeing my improving muscles, I also must look at my fat.  I don't like this mirror.

There's a mirror I like in the men's room on the second floor of Corbett Center at NMSU. It's very tall, so I can see a full body image of myself.  (Extremely few mirrors in the world can do that.)  Plus, I think I look good every time I see myself.  It shows off my legs, which I feel are just shy of excellent, while minimizing my waistline.  I wonder how difficult it would be to pry the mirror off the wall, sneak it out of the building, and get it home in my car.

My favorite view of myself is in my bathroom at home, when I have the dim, ceiling light on, and I'm not wearing my glasses or contacts.  I see a very fuzzy, dark view of myself, which accentuates my pectorals and biceps and all but eliminates my somewhat corpulent abdomen. It is very flattering, and I'm glad I'm not a narcissist, or else I'd be there now.  Now if I could only get other people to see me the same way...