Hmmm... which am in the mood for today? How about both? Nah, maybe today I'll stick with fairy tales and whiskey. Ha ha. This is a sign for a bookstore in Manzanita, Oregon, town of our future beach house (that is, if you and twelve million other people buy my book next year!) Alexandra and I went out there recently to prove that it IS possible to get a sunburn at the Oregon coast! We weren't all bathing-suity or anything, heavens forfend. This WAS the Oregon coast, after all. There were sweatshirts involved, and a little bit of huddling near the dunes, keeping below the wind, but there were also capri pants, and lying on my stomach to read, and then... there were bright red calves. Ouch! It's been a LONG time since I had a sunburn, and that last one, in Turkey six years ago, was incurred for the same reason as this one: the wind can fool you. It didn't feel hot!
I used to be a sun-worshipper. I spent many summers very, very tan. But some time in my mid-20s I started to finally believe the sun could be... bad. This was long before my husband had melanoma. That just sealed the deal. I will never ever be tan again. When I see tan people now I want to lecture them. Tans make you look old and they kill you! It's like listening to the dentist when she tells you to floss: she knows things you don't know, has seen things you don't want to see, especially in your own mouth, ever. Same with the dermatologist. Dermatologists pretty much believe tanning beds should be illegal. They're the cigarettes of the dermatology world. THEY CAUSE CANCER. Don't go to them! Jim's dermatologist also said that the sun is pretty much 100% responsible for aging the skin, and that he's seen plenty of old ladies whose skin on their tushies is smooth as baby skin, from never being exposed. Can white please be the new bronze?
This isn't at all what I planned to write about. All I meant to say was, I'm still here. I've been in revision-hibernation, but that is done now. My book is in copyediting! Halleluja! (I am curious to see what kind of changes will come back to me after this last "last" pass.) Also, I am having some technical difficulties. My desktop computer, the one with internet access (I keep my laptop carefully free of the distraction of the internet; it is a dedicated writing computer) is in the shop, so I'm sort of off my blogging game. But I miss everybody and I'm trying to keep up.
P.S. Stay out of the sun!
18 comments:
People who use tanning beds mystify me-- truly-- but then I don't understand plastic surgery either---
Can't WAIT to buy your book and cast some dollars toward your beautiful beach house.
~bluepoppy
An internet free laptop? that's kind of like caffeine-free diet coke. Or sugar free jello. Or ... you get the point.
Problem is, it doesn't escape me that all of these are *healthier* alternatives, internet-free laptop included.
And, did you see my scar? http://bivo.blogspot.com/2006/08/wear-your-fucking-sunscreen.html Yeah, the title is totally inappropriate, but so is what the sun did to me!
We miss you too, sweets! Only Laini can provide her Laini-wisdom, and it's been in sadly short supply lately...although I'm glad it's for a good cause (your revisions).
I must admit I am remiss about my own sunscreen, although I am religious about Madam. I'll be better about it now. :)
And tanning beds? The Debil.
Stay out of the sun is right! The last time I got a bad sunburn was in 1987 and I haven't exposed my face (or much of my body w/o sunscreen) to the sun since. French women are coming back from their month in the sun with terrible complexions - splotched, too tanned and looking far older than their years! My French dermatologist says they are all quite mad. I really don't understand how they can look in the mirror and not cringe. Sigh. Hope you get your computer problems sorted soon! And yes, that beach house - something to look forward to!
You'll have my dollar (if, after royalties and all of that mess, it actually is a dollar) for your book. I am fascinated by what promises to be the whimsical/ethereal art by your husband and your brilliant words, so there. I know how crazy editing can be, so I sympathize. Glad to hear you got to enjoy the shore--the sunburn is no fun and I am relentless with the sunblock (know that old Irish burn a little too well.)
I love the skin lecture - I've been saying the same thing for years and years now. I'm very pale and couldn't tell you how many times I've had people tell me I'm too pale and should get some color. Um, NO! Don't think so! I regret every time I ever did try to tan (and usually burned) when I was younger. I don't understand why people can't just be happy with whatever color skin they were born with.
Yay at how your book is coming along!!
Laini - we're off to the coast tomorrow and it promises to be a warm one for Oregon - 80 degrees! We'll remember the sunscreen for us all - thanks for the reminder!
I'm so glad to see really white skin be so "in" the last few years. I have to laugh when I hear dermatologists talk about being aware of new freckles. How. The. Hell. Would. I. Know.? I'm Irish. I have a lot of freckles. But, really, sunburns aren't fun and the danger is so real.
I'm so excited about your book. I will gladly finance 1/12,000,000th of your beach house.
Hey...
Thanks so much for checking out our blog if only because it led us to yours...
will definitely keep reading this...your message about the sun was certainly appreciated (though a bit too late...we both burned our shoulders off trekking) and about making dreams into reality. AS writers, we always appreciate such encouragement.
keep up the good work! we'll be reading...
I am with you 100% on the sun thing. My husband's actually allergic to the sun - he has a strong reaction if he's in it too long or if it's too intense. Now, that isn't stopping us from planning a vacation south for our anniversary next year - but it will keep us covered!
And consider yourself one book purchase closer to that beach house - I'll be picking one up for sure!
uh-oh! You got spam on your comments! My cheeks got sunburnt and I thought I was just using too much blush. I'm really glad that my mom use to follow me around like a lunatic with the sunscreen though I still managed to squeeze in a couple of bad sunburns. I knew people in high school who use to go the tanning salons regularly- I hope they are okay now!
oh, you are making miss the oregon coast! and mazanita especially. i love that little town.
White is the new tan dahling. I say healthy skin is always the most fashionable kind there is!
Ouch - sorry about the sunburn. Even before I knew how bad it is for you, I'd hide from the sun because I hated getting sunburned. Aloe vera is my herbal heroine - it's rescued me so many times.
As for the beach house, I, too, will happily help fund one square inch by buying the book!
Oh Fewie. I am glad I am not the only one who hasn't been posting much lately. I'm back in the saddle almost -( but I must proudly declare it isn't because of the Nasty Graham I received on my blog! Hrrrmph!)
I will be one of the 12 million to buy your book! Looking forward to it in fact! And now I have a great excuse for my pasty complexion. Love that.
Oh how delighted i be to have
discovered this colorful world
of yours -
smiles!!
That was my take on tanning beds too.
Good news to be copyediting.
You once said you liked my food pics. I made a new site devoted to it now. When you get back to blogging, you might enjoy it.
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