Lack of Sunscreen and Pretty Flowers
By sovknight | July 27, 2008
Ok, firstly… let me apologize for the crappy picture. I know it’s in my bathroom, and I know the angle is weird, but honestly, the best light is in the bathroom and the angle was an artistic indulgence. Please forgive. As for the quality of the picture, well I’ve never been one for self-portraits anyway, so point&shoot blurry with blown-out highlights is the new cool.
The whole reason I took the picture, despite my non-photogenic-ness, is to show you the new color of my skin as of tonight. I had to restrain myself and forego my usual tendency to Photoshop the shit out of everything so as to give you an accurate representation. Yes, my neck (and to a slightly lesser degree my face) really is that red. Bright, shiny, almost pulsating red. My forearms and my calves are roughly the same color as well, and oh boy is it just as painful as it looks. No Photoshop trickery.
Wear your sunscreen kids. Let my pain be a lesson to you all. Well, those of you that are mutant redheads like me. Whereas most people can develop a pleasing tan in the summer, my skin is one of two colors. I get: Pasty white, or bright red. Sometimes, like now for instance, I get to be both at the same time! So much fun! I won’t be wearing a collared shirt for a couple of days. (Like I would anyway, sheesh.)
So I forgot the sunscreen. Kinda sucks, but in trade I got a wonderful day with my friend Sra at the Red Butte Garden in Salt Lake, up behind the University of Utah. Such a cool place! There is a botanical garden and arboretum near the front, and tons of hiking trails behind that going up a little ways into the mountains. You know I love the hiking, and I’ve finally gotten used to hills and terrain, so the exercise benefit is quite extraordinary without all the wheezing (or less wheezing at least.) Plus, the scenery and the view over the valley is exceptional too. Exquisite! After hiking the trails for a couple of hours, we hit the gardens for some shade. Sadly, summer in Utah isn’t conducive to happy plants, so there was some much needed work to be done, but a few of the flowers were in full bloom and quite interesting to see. There were also some interesting animal-shaped hedges, some indigenous fauna scampering about, and a couple of rowdy kids chasing ducks. (I was hoping the kids would fall into the lake, but no such luck.) A very cool place, and I recommend it highly to anyone visiting Utah.
Just make sure and bring your sunscreen.
Topics: Thoughts |
10 Responses to “Lack of Sunscreen and Pretty Flowers”
Comments
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July 28th, 2008 at 2:13 am
Oh, RedHead!
And RedArms!
And Red…um…Butte??
Sorry to hear about your solar scalding. Yeesh!
I cannot empathize (Summer always makes me grateful I inherited Ma’s Mexi-melanin (I’m considering trademarking that term) instead of Dad’s lily-whiteness), but I will certainly sympathize.
My moisturizer has sunscreen in it, and so does my foundation, but somehow I still tan, so, um, yay? Do you moisturize? All I’m saying is, two birds, one stone, my friend.
I’m still visiting Charleston Falls these days, but it doesn’t sound a patch on your fancy-pants Utah hiking spots. When Jess and I come visit you, we’ll have to stagger out there for a hike. I’ll bring my parasol just in case you forget your sunscreen!
Claires last blog post..Barack on Board
July 28th, 2008 at 4:06 am
This is exactly why I’m always wearing long sleeves, long pants, and hiding from the sun as much as possible. I just treat it like that evil sun that chases you in Mario 3.
Bens last blog post..The Only Quest That Matters
July 28th, 2008 at 7:26 am
Holy Flamin’ Sunburn, Redhead!
No wonder you haven’t written anything for a couple days….hiking, exploring, and baking!
Drink extra water and slather on the Gold Bond Ultimate Healing lotion….wait-that is good stuff but it may irritate your burn. When Jim gets a sunburn he uses Aloe Vera gel. I try to avoid the sun when I can. I’ve turned into a SPF whore.
July 28th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Ouch. I burned this weekend as well, but not quite as bad as you.
Whenever I burn I cake on Aloe Vera gel every couple of minutes. It helps a lot.
Trovans last blog post..When Barbies Attack…2
July 28th, 2008 at 10:05 am
Mother of!
Solarcaine!
July 28th, 2008 at 11:30 am
I know I made fun of you, but then I realized that I forgot to SPF the back of my neck too, and it is red as a lobster. I usually avoid getting burned like the plague, but failed a little bit yesterday. I think there’s nothing wrong with being pale as a ghost if that’s what your skin color is. Besides, people who tan up nicely are in for some serious wrinkles and leatheryness in old age.
Even though the trails weren’t too strenuous (my wheezing on the uphill bits aside), I’ve got quite a bit of stiffness in my shoulders and legs. But it’s a good warm-up for Angel’s Landing later this week!
July 28th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Speaking strictly as a MexiTan (see what I did there? HA! OK, yeah, I’m retarded):
Hey! I don’t plan to wrinkle or turn all Gucci-ish! I use my SPF! I’m tanning against my will, I tell you!
My people used to worship the SUN, for Pete’s sake! Tezcatlipoca wouldn’t let me wrinkle - he promised!
Of course, he also wants my beating heart fed into the stone maw of his altar in order to ensure a bountiful harvest, so I might be willing to accept a few wrinkles.
Claires last blog post..Barack on Board
July 29th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
OWIE
July 30th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Ouch! That looks really painful. Lots and Lots of aloe vera…possibly some ibuprofen. Next time remember, sunscreen is your friend!
Taunis last blog post..Necessity, not luxury…
July 31st, 2008 at 8:41 pm
You’re doing that thing with your lips again in this picture… the puckery thing. It’s so cute.