Mirror Mania

Dear Friends,

After posting bizarre topics like “Being brave comes from within” and “Premonition a gift or curse” I would like to hit on this topic.

Most of us have a vice in life. It could be in so many forms. Vice need not always be harmful. Yes, it could be hilarious to others. Here, I am to open the Pandora box on many such events on Mirror Mania.

Each of us would like to see our image in the mirror. But, few out there are so obsessed with this habit that they become a topic for discussion. Friends, who have similar habits please do not feel offended. Read on:

Mirror Mania runs in the blood of my Mom’s family. While in my Pa’s family they do not have such obsessions ( I have my Pa’s genes.. escaped… ). I also have friends who have this fixation. It is quite a pleasant sight to have one of my mom’s relatives at home. This also runs in the blood of most of my cousins, niece and nephew.

Aunt One visit to my home is always a pleasure. She would say hi/ hello and then give a warm hug to us and wade her way to the room where the mirror is placed. She would have an appreciative look of her reflection on the mirror and keep talking to us looking at her image in the mirror, often adjusting her chain, saree palav, stretching out her lips, setting the few strands of her hair which has come out the neatly tucked pins whilst on her way to our home. Her coffee has to be served there itself.

Aunt Two also had the same mania. Did I not tell you it runs in the blood. Now this aunt is not worried about her saree palav or clothes for that matter. She immediately picks up “Kajal” and applies it to her eyes. Opens her hair and combs it again and a dash of lipstick. She is obsessed with her make up to be in place all the time. And during her stay in house of around 1 or 2 hours she would see her reflection in the mirror umpteen times.

My Uncle retired holding a very senior post in one of the leading banks of India, is not very far away from this obsession. In fact the mirror in his house is kept in the passage of two rooms. One will often find him standing in front of the mirror and appreciating himself. He would immediately brush his small curly hair and also his moustache. Many have also caught him fondling the hair in his chest standing in front of the mirror. And Friends, the acts mentioned above is not done once or twice, it is repeated many times in a day.

My Cousin Sister crosses more boundaries when it comes to mirror mania. She often perches herself in front of the mirror and holds a conversation with us seeing our reflection through the mirror. Once I accompanied her to a leading office in Mumbai. We are asked to sit in the reception. Now we all know the reception of leading companies is very impressive. The hand bar of the Couch on which we were perched was made of steel. And Lo.. I caught my cousin seriously enjoying her reflection in the narrow hand bar. Focusing her in different angles as by now you all know that we cannot have a full view of our face on a narrow hand bar. The receptionists (there were two) was keenly observing my cousin and I was feeling very embarrassed. When those two girls exchanged any views I would feel that they are discussing about my cousin. But, she is not bothered. :mad:

My second cousin moves a step further. Friends did I not tell you it is in the blood. Food is served in steel plates in most of the Iyer family. By the time rice is served my cousin would immediately lift the plate and have a look at herself. I have often caught her looking at her image in the steel glass too.

My friend (female) does not have much obsession on her make up but her way of looking at the mirror is different. Whenever she stands in front of the mirror she would first open her mouth and have a check on her teeth. Then she would press her nose to the mirror and check for black heads and white heads. (And friends at any point of time anywhere washroom of a theatre, washroom of Railways , mirror in her house, my house anywhere), then she would turn side ways to check if the curve of hips is maintained. I have seen her doing this for more than a decade. She would pull her hair in front and have a look at herself.

My another friend (this time male) is different. He would say hello to all of us and then after few minutes quickly go and stand in front of the mirror. He would give few tucks to his paunch and comb his hair. Now he would prefer to sit on the bed from where he can see himself and talk to us. He would ask me, “How is the colour of my hair. My cheeks are coming out along with my paunch. This colour suits me. I know.” Whenever he comes to our house he repeats this many times.

This female is rather hilarious. She never looks in to a large mirror (full length rather). I always see her with a small oval shaped hand mirror ( the we carry in our purse), even when she is at home. I was shocked. “Why are you struggling with this small mirror. There is a nice large mirror on your cupboard why are you not using that” I queried. Pat came the reply, “Well, I do not like large mirrors. I don’t look good when I see myself in those mirrors. That’s the reason I use this small ones. This gives me confidence to move on.” WHAT!!!!!

Here another female who would pull out a mirror after every fifteen minutes during our journey to office which was around 90 minutes ride by train. We would pull her leg saying, your face has not changed, how many times are you going to look at yourself.

I had a boss whose cabin was decorated with mirrors. We have often seen him almost gazing at himself in the mirror. Even while discussions he would keep looking at his image on the mirror.

Mirror Mania… ha ha…

Happy reading

Hai Mals,
sure your post is hilarious. I often find that men look into mrrors than women. In my maternal house, we had many mirrors. In the hall, there is a small mirror and opposite to that there is a large mirror. In one of the rooms, there are 2 mirros facing each other, large ones. When we look into one of them, we can see our backs verywell, the mirros are positioned that way. So whenever my friends come over, they are always having a good time, looking at their reflections from all sides. They just used to be friends with me for this purpose, I had a doubt then.

Hi Mals,

Good post - . I have seen many people looking into the mirror of parked vehicles, adjusting their hair and other accessories.

In my paternal grandmother's home, there were several mirrors - one in each room. My grandmother never disposed off any old things and hoarded a lot of clutter. These mirrors were also part of that antique heritage that the family possessed. There was something wrong in each of these mirrors - there was one in which you would look elongated. There was another in which you would look stout. On the whole there was not a single mirror in which a person would look the way she was. Nobody dared dispose them off during my grandmother's life-time.

Hi Mals
Good write up. Wonderful observation ! Enjoyed reading each and every character study.

Saw this verse on an Ad. for some anti-aging cream:

" Mirror Mirror on the wall
why do you have to show it all !"

manjula

hi Mals,
That was hilarious! Thanks a bunch.

We had a neighbor who would always keep doing her hair. When ever her mood changes, her hair style changes. Like a filmstar. If she is talking to you pleasantly, her hair is in a braid. If she is telling you something sad, her hair is open like a tragedy queen. If she is in a fighting mood, her hair is in a rough knot piled up on her head. Mind you, she does this right in front of you. Doesn't use a comb. We would keep a count on how many times she did her hair in the few minutes she talked.

Regards,
Sharada

Hilarious post. looking at all these posts looks like there are people spending lot of time in front of the mirror.

Great One Mals!!!!!!!

Hello Malspie....

A hilarious observation. Shall think of you when I check myself out in the mirror next time

L, Kamla

Dear Mals,
Your post made very enjoyable reading !
I had a paternal aunt who was obsessed with, looking at herself in the mirror. Since she had an asymmetric face, I always used to laugh to myself, how differently she looked when seen by herself in the mirror, which she could never be aware of.
Believe me, Mals, I avoid looking at myself in the mirror for fear of cursing God !
I cannot help mentioning that you have a knack for writing very interesting, enjoyable posts. Though not an astrologer, I strongly predict that you will be an acclaimed "poster" in I L , before long.
Love,
Chithra.

Hi Malspie,

That was good write-up on Mirror Mania. But the way you wrote about it...makes me think twice before I look myself into the mirror. "Is this mirror mania? " I ask myself.:mad:

Great going...Malspie.

Malathy