That's pretty much what I ask myself every morning when I look in the mirror...

Know the feeling?

I bet you do.

My brother in law told me a few weeks ago that he hardly recognizes himself in the mirror anymore. Like his mind got stuck in his mid twenties yet he's in his mid forties. He was actually surprised to find out that I felt the same way, except that I seem to be stuck in my mid forties, reality being in my mid fifties.

When I separated from my wife almost ten years ago, I was lean, sharp, still pretty good looking and in great shape, health wise and physical wise. My idea of separation was to make the next twenty years better and more exciting than the previous twenty years had been.

I forgot to add 'aging' to the equation. O_o

Now I look in the mirror, wonder where all of that gray came from, where all of those wrinkles hid for so long and truly ask myself what has ever happened to that lean body that I had. My thinking isn't as trigger fast as it used to be, I think I look older than I should and my joints aren't as cooperative as they used to be.

Dayum.

Who are you?


I made a google search on the subject and it seems to be on par with how most people see themselves, in that dreaded mirror.


Yep.






And it doesn't seem to be just a man thing either...







So...Do tell, how's your relationship with your mirror?

No, it isn't just a male thing :)

This is one of the avatars in my repertoire.   You may remember it from another place. It really says how I feel much better than words ever could.



Jasmine






EDIT:  The picture disappeared so I guess the "cord" was cut..LOL

If you're interested, here's the originals stored on my computer (I'm sorry, but I don't know how to make them any larger.)

           

My relationship with the mirror sucks!    

I've put on a pound or two since my knee problems from last fall.  Not being able to walk much, or exercise has really dampened my spirits when I look in the mirror and see how the worrying has aged me in such a short amount of time. 

Yes, it's amazing how you still feel in your mid thirties, but when you walk past the mirror you do a double take because you thought you saw your mother walking beside you.  

I guess for me, my bad habit would be to think I'm in my mid to late 30's.
Yet I turned 50 this past May....ugh.

Although, this past week or so, I can definitely say I feel my whole age and then some.

But a friend of mine made me feel good when I had to go retrieve our house trailer, and they were asking how Jim was doing (he was still in hospital).
I said he wasdoing better, but that I am really wore out with stress and worry.
(not to mention the fact of me having to drive nearly 1,000 miles in 3 days and hope truck drove fine, all the while leaving Jim by himself)


She actually said I looked good for someone who was under the amount of stress I was under.
God bless her heart.....lie or not, I needed that.
Truly I did. Ha.



Seriously tho, other than weighing a little more than I used to, albeit I'm tall so the added pounds are not too noticeable, I still kinda look the same. (plus highlights in my hair now)

Having said that, my body itself has more aches and pains, even tho I do my daily stretches.
Guess the years of heavy lifting and other strenuous work is finally catching up with me.

THAT is what makes me feel old.
My body itself hurting after we tear down or the evening of setup day. (reaches for Aleve)
All the lifting, pushing, pulling etc etc plus the heat wearing me down.


Yeah, that is where I keep thinking I'm 35, yet my body says ---"oh hell no you're not!!  Remember when you lifted the air compressor, how does you back feel now, eh. How about when you pulled in the 175 ft. S10 outdoor cord ? How does your shoulder feel now?"



Big friggin sigh  :smallundecided:

Mr. G. here.
You're as Young As You Feel and I'm Feeling,,,,,,,,,
  
I Guys,,, Mrs. G. here now,,,,
   

Rogue Girlfriends,,,,,,,,

Heh ..... other than ton of scars collected in war zones over the years ..... still in damn good shape here .... at 73 still get people think am in my 40's .... no grey hair - keep head shaved  ..... drink .... smoke .... 13 evil-ex wives scattered around world .... still run kids into the ground ..... ( run 5 km in 9 min 48 sec ) ......  meh ..... age largely irrelevant concept ..... gonna be around long time yet for the satisfaction of pissing on politicians graves ......  besides king of hell not want me take his job so am stuck here ..... 

Secret to long life :
1.smoke cigars
2.drink lots alcoholic beverages.
3.chase women
4. Dont give a ff about the 99% bullshit people get worked up over as none of it means a damn thing .....

Life meant to be lived.... live it ...

(08-12-2016, 03:33 AM)Daitengu Wrote: Heh ..... other than ton of scars collected in war zones over the years ..... still in damn good shape here .... at 73 still get people think am in my 40's .... no grey hair - keep head shaved  ..... drink .... smoke .... 13 evil-ex wives scattered around world .... still run kids into the ground ..... ( run 5 km in 9 min 48 sec ) ......  meh ..... age largely irrelevant concept ..... gonna be around long time yet for the satisfaction of pissing on politicians graves ......  besides king of hell not want me take his job so am stuck here ..... 

Secret to long life :
1.smoke cigars
2.drink lots alcoholic beverages.
3.chase women
4. Dont give a ff about the 99% bullshit people get worked up over as none of it means a damn thing .....

Life meant to be lived.... live it ...

pssst.... the World Record for 5km is held by Kenenisa Bekele in 12 min 37 sec..... you should be at the Olympics right now!

G

(08-11-2016, 03:54 PM)solarius Wrote: ....
So...Do tell, how's your relationship with your mirror?

Well, I'm just gorgeous (obviously), but then.... my mind isn't what it once was.... and neither are my eyes.... so...
I'm probably just as ugly as I was, but older and wrinklier?

Bring it on!

G

I only occasionally shave now, so when I do decide to tear off this greying attempt-of-a-beard, I know
the mirror is waiting for me to display my latest morning-matinee.

I lather my face, clumsily search for a razor that hasn't magically turned into a cold-chisel and make
sure the water hasn't turned into the same stuff Arctic Char enjoy swimming in. All of the standard
proceedure and what most men do, I suppose.
But the mirror knows differently.

That cheap, circular reflective glass on it's single steel leg sees the other guy, the craggy-chinned
darker-one grinning at himself because he made it through another night. Oh, I know he's there...
just to the left of my view when I glance up from my retrieval of a razor sans female leg-hair.

As the blade tugs and then rasps across my throat, I feel him watching from behind my eyes, the
vigilant one that I rarely ponder on now in my older years. 'Careful...' I hear him say softly with a
mocking tone that hints of selfish reasons and a deep knowing of such flesh-rendering implements.

I catch myself from checking my gaze and making it look like I wish to recognise his reality.
I am shaving nothing more, I am shaving.

The white foam with it's itchy-contents becomes smaller and smaller as the fresh-faced 'me' appears
in the steam-kissed mirror and the view causes a genuine smile on my lips. The day is waking up too
and I'd better get on with the small tasks I've convinced myself are important.

'He's gone for now' I whisper into the towel and selfishly soak in the shadowed-softness of the material
as the plug-hole gurgles a ballad without a beat.
....................

My arm is cold and wet, but the windows look better. The sills still need something more abrasive than
elbow-grease to take away the winter's deposits of dirt. Maybe I should dare myself to climb my ladders
and clean the bedroom windows...? Maybe I could venture up there where the wind blows?!

Wringing the sponge out in the greying soapy water, I think upon what I glimpsed in the mirror earlier.
Is it really me...? A split-personality that refuses to acknowledge it's other half? Surely that type of ego
-perception belongs in a fictional story or a chuckled-yarn from the asylum!

I gather myself and stand upright to see if I can make a better-job of the blanched-crud some passing bird
left and stare straight into the face of the other guy from this morning.

Some would explain and with a bored expression -no doubt, that I was merely looking at my reflection
again, some might even snort with mirth and mouth the word 'loony'
I certainly wouldn't blame them.

The face was leaner, I've always known that and his mouth seems to have a cruel twist to it.
But the eyes... the staring eyes that know my sins, they seem so full of potential hate and oblivious to
affection.

Oh God... and he's in the house.

(Forgive me...! I know it belongs in 'Short Stories' but I couldn't resist!!)

(08-12-2016, 09:01 AM)gordi Wrote:

(08-11-2016, 03:54 PM)solarius Wrote: ....
So...Do tell, how's your relationship with your mirror?

Well, I'm just gorgeous (obviously), but then.... my mind isn't what it once was.... and neither are my eyes.... so...
I'm probably just as ugly as I was, but older and wrinklier?

Bring it on!

G

Oh hell yeah, my eyes too  

Jim always said once you hit your mid 40's, they start getting bothersome when trying to read.
And be damned if he wasn't right.  :smallundecided:


Now I am constantly looking for my reading glasses, can't read shit without them otherwise.

(08-13-2016, 07:47 AM)senona Wrote: And be damned if he wasn't right.  :smallundecided:

My old Dad warned me too, I recall him giving a resigned sigh and relating that time
has a habit of wearing down those faculties we take for granted.
"...I suppose it's okay for your weird friend..." he said, stretching his back and picking
up his bag to get ready for work. "...Boy In A Dress isn't like the rest of us"

I smiled and suggested that he was actually talking to the coat-stand and I was further
to the left. "See?" he murmured and went off to his daily grind.

gordi

(08-12-2016, 03:33 AM)Daitengu Wrote: Heh ..... other than ton of scars collected in war zones over the years ..... still in damn good shape here .... at 73 still get people think am in my 40's .... no grey hair - keep head shaved  ..... drink .... smoke .... 13 evil-ex wives scattered around world .... still run kids into the ground ..... ( run 5 km in 9 min 48 sec ) ......  meh ..... age largely irrelevant concept ..... gonna be around long time yet for the satisfaction of pissing on politicians graves ......  besides king of hell not want me take his job so am stuck here ..... 

Secret to long life :
1.smoke cigars
2.drink lots alcoholic beverages.
3.chase women
4. Dont give a ff about the 99% bullshit people get worked up over as none of it means a damn thing .....

Life meant to be lived.... live it ...

pssst.... the World Record for 5km is held by Kenenisa Bekele in 12 min 37 sec..... you should be at the Olympics right now!

G


Stuff that ..... hate crowds ... not to mention the pc wimps would whinge about my drinking and smoking ....

Guess I should let the lads on the jdfsfg team that lead know ...... of the 11
of them their run times for same distance are between 10 min 55 seconds and 13 minutes 24 seconds .....

Worse is would have to deal with damn media pukes ...... hate media pukes as much as politicians ..... lawyers.... bankers ..... religious nuts and the rest of the bottom feeding scum thats bolloxing up the world .....