Vanity…

I was in the gym this morning.
I mention it because I’m quite proud of myself for actually dragging myself there. We went out yesterday, which left me returning home yesterday quite late. I did manage to go though. I was motivated because we went yesterday to see ‘Priscilla- the musical’ (again). ‘JJ’ wanted to see it, as well and ‘hm’, so I didn’t mind watching it again. It’s a very good and funny show.

Most of the dancers there have amazing bodies (they’re dancers after all) and are half naked most of the time. Not in my wildest dreams I can look like that (I don’t really want to go to that extremes anyway – I like my food) but I wouldn’t mind getting a slimmer, firmer body. To be honest, I can’t really afford all that waxing, laser treatments anyway…

Back to my main topic, I was in the gym this morning. I did my usual routine and headed for the showers to get ready to go to work. I like going there in the morning, where it is quieter and less crowded. More or less, there are the same people going there the same time, so I kind of know their faces.

What puzzles me is how much time some of them spend in front of a mirror, taking care of themselves and their bodies. I’ll exclude the few who just flex in front of the mirror to admire their newly built muscles (really guys?) and comment on the rest of the people.


For example there is a guy, who I usually meet when I finish my routine. In most cases, he has just finished showering, has only a towel on and starts grooming / getting ready. I hit the showers, finish with it and finish getting dressed but he is still getting ready. He is putting various creams / butter on his body, different for each area, fixing his hair for around 15 minutes (just to look like he hasn’t spent any time on it) and getting dressed in slow moves not to mess with his clothes.


I first I thought that he’s doing that so he can stay longer in the locker room. Now, I’m thinking that maybe I should start paying some more attentionto myself. However, it’s a weekday; I’m going to work afterwards and not on a date. If I was going on a date, I would spend more time getting ready for it, but not before going to spend many hours in front of a PC screen. The type of work I’m mostly doing does not involve meeting with clients, so I am not going to be too much bothered about it, in an open plan office full of computer geeks with no dress code. After the shower, I dry myself, I put some deodorant on, a nice shirt (most of the times), a little gel on my hair and I’m done. It’s less than 10 minutes for the whole process. Maybe that happens because I am a little insecure spending too much time in the locker room. For example, I wouldn’t even shave in the gym. I like to do that privately, in my own bathroom.

However, I think that this needs some kind of training. You have to start keeping some rules in your everyday life to make sure that you keep them in special occasions. I believe that it would be good if I started spending a little more time in front of the mirror (I’m not saying I don’t take care of myself at all but still there might be some room for improvement). It’s nice to look good / feel good, even if you go to work / shopping / having a stroll. I’m glad that I managed to lose some weight after I started running / going to the gym / having a personal trainer. Maybe it’s time I start looking at other, maybe less significant stuff…

nightmare

How much time do you spend getting ready after gym? How much time is too much time before your friends will start singing to you:

You walked into the party
Like you were walking onto a yacht
Your hat strategically dipped below one eye
Your scarf it was apricot
You had one eye in the mirror
As you watched yourself gavotte
And all the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner
They'd be your partner, and

You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain
I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you? Don't you?