Mirrored Glasses

I got new glasses last week. My vision has stabilized of late, so this is my first new pair in several years and I was excited to try a slightly different look. I opted for what I interpreted as austere Euro-styled frames, but in reality they're little more than a warmed over, slimmed down version of the ubiquitous NASA-engineer look from the 60's. I shot for Sprockets, and ended up with Falling Down.

There's always that period of adjustment with new glasses. It took a few days, but the new prescription bludgeoned my corneas into submission, and a few days later I had gotten used to my new look. It must be similar to how people adapt to plastic surgery, except you don't get to put your new titties back on the nightstand before bed.

Anyway, a funny thing just happened. I'm sitting in my London hotel, working late on some TPS reports. I'm working late because in today's digitally flattened world, nobody respects a good 6 hour time zone shift. But that's another story. I'm working late. In between micro-bursts of mini-brilliance, I gaze round my posh room and catch my relection in the nearby mirror. To my shock, I see my Dad looking back at me. Or rather, I see the hazy memory of my Dad's high school photo, complete with (now) retro specs.

I've never been entirely sure which parent I favor, and in what ways. People have commented in either direction, usually basing their opinion on which parent they know (or like) better. My personal pendulum has swung both ways (not like that, perve), but the new glasses definitely tilt the scales back towards Dad.

It's probably not a coincidence that this revelation comes as I'm about to become a father. Not that the glasses are related to knocking up my wife (that I'm aware of), but pending fatherhood is taking its toll. My little girl is still roughly 14 years + 2.5 months away from dating, and I'm already developing an anti-punk scowl to go with my growing collection of guns, both of which bring me that much closer to becoming my Father.

I guess I saw this coming. The new glasses just made everything a little bit clearer.