Meme.

[helbling]

So, here's a new meme, and something of a carry on from my last post, because I've had a couple of people get in touch and say they have exactly the same problem of internal image != what photos show them.

And this is me flailingly trying to help.

If I'm someone you know from IRL (or if you're someone I know from cyberspace and post lots of photos), comment on this post and I will tell you what I think you look like in my head. Without referring to photos. Without looking at any notes. I will tell you what my mental image is of you.

If you feel so inclined, feel free to steal this for your journal.

Comments

[aralli.livejournal.com]

I have two distinct and incongruous mental images of myself ... I'm interested to see which one is closest to yours.

[helbling.livejournal.com]

- Dark curly hair, looks thick, but light in movement, a little longer than shoulder length.
- The eyes-and-nose triangle is the main focus point of your facial features, eyes especially, despite the fact that one of the other memorable features I have for you is that you smile easily.
- You have good eyelashes.
- Slender, with a way of moving that's quite easy, and you run in an almost loping manner - generally full of energy, but not prone to fidgeting.
- A little shorter than me?
- Your voice is a light hazely-green, sometimes fading to forest green.

[aralli.livejournal.com]

Interesting - we differ in our mental pictures of me in quite a few ways!

For example, I always feel my hair is thin, frizzy, and lacking volume. And my eyelashes are very straight, so they make my already-small eyes look even smaller unless I go to town with an eyelash curler!

I've been thinking about my mental pictures of myself, you and other friends, and I've realised mine are much more impressions and feelings than images - I'm not good at picturing people visually, but I can put words on the kind of impact my mind feels from their presence.

[helbling.livejournal.com]

I'd be interested to know examples for that, actually. If you're comfortable sharing, that is.

[aralli.livejournal.com]

Sure :) This is my mental image of you, with an attempt to include physical features where I can. It got long ...

In my head, you are the Standard Female Height most women default to in my mental images - five foot six or seven, so an inch or two shorter than me (I'm five foot eight). Your hair is a long, golden-brown cascade, with volume coming from the active movement of each strand rather than sheer dense thickness. You have a healthy colour in your skin, as if you're real and present and not translucent.

Your eyes completely change how you appear when you're acting: I can picture you in lots of different roles, and your eyes are the focus of the distinctive personalities you put on. I can recall you looking very stern and businesslike, earnest and inquiring, skeptical, commanding, and silly, all from the power of expression in your eyes. When you're just being you, I tend to picture your face as being quite quiet but with shrewd eyes; watching and waiting to be animated by your next expression. I picture your eyes without make-up. After your eyes, I think of your mouth: neat and small when serious or restful, but capable of opening into expressive support for whatever emotion or state of mind you feel or portray next.

You are a physically strong and comforting presence in my mind - I can picture you fighting and being supportive and being highly competent at both. You dress neatly and unfussily, and you look comfortable and real in what you wear, and your clothes are practical with a distinctly feminine flair. You have the air of always being capable of dealing with whatever happens next. Your body is very versatile: rather than being specialised for one task, you are fit and able for pretty much anything placed in front of you, whether it requires grace, strength, power, quietness or regality.

You always seem as though you have a strong connection to your body that allows you to use it to reflect whatever state of mind you want it to - you don't seem like someone whose mind is off flitting somewhere while your body fidgets around; instead you can be a quiet, reassuring presence, a commanding warrior striking fear into the player crew, or an engaged, funny and loving person, and that state is a whole and comes together through your expression, your body, your voice, your words and your actions. You never seem dissonant, and that makes social gatherings where you are (situations in which I have a tendency to feel very anxious and exposed) feel safer and stronger. Therefore in my head you are tagged with words like 'safe', 'strong', 'real' and 'present' - the last two being traits that have a particular resonance for me.