Wheee, back to the salt mines again.
August 28, 2005, 5:36 PM
So far, we’ve spent two days back at work post-vacation. Saturday and Sunday. Everyone was glad to see me, and actually was questioned a couple of times on whether or not I really actually went to the beach. Why? Because I came back home from the beach the same color as I was when I left. And that would be a pasty white color over most of me, and then a little bit browner over one side of my arms (and slightly more pronounced on my left arm due to the “driving tan” effect).
Why did I keep my original color? Because I was really careful with my sun exposure for that very reason. I did not want to come back with something like what happened last year – where I had a huge sunburn, with a white spot on my chest shaped exactly like Big Mavica (seriously!). So this year, we took a lot of precautions. First of all, I made sure to either cover up or lotion up. On Tuesday, when it rained all day, and I did the strip, I didn’t use sunscreen (due to an oversight). But I did keep covered. When it was raining, of course I used the umbrella. But even when it wasn’t raining, for those brief periods when the sun was out, I still used the umbrella. And I remained pasty-white.
Then on Wednesday when I spent a few hours in the ocean and also did some beach photography, I was quite liberal with the SPF 30 sunscreen. I used the aerosol continuous-spray kind of sunscreen, and I got better coverage with that than any lotion that I’ve used. I also felt far less greasy using that. All in all, it was good. And then I reapplied after getting back from swimming.
I also made sure to mind when I went out and did stuff. Besides Tuesday during the day, I also would hit the strip at night, with no sun to burn me.
Interestingly enough, though, I only got a mild sunburn on the top of my head near the front. I also thought I’d be getting another sunburn on my left leg from the drive home. All the way as far as Richmond, the part of my left leg near where my shorts stop was right in the sun, getting some serious light and heat. Weird.
Still, I’m glad I had my vacation. I feel very refreshed, and reenergized. And that’s a good thing, since Christmas will be here before you know it.
Web site: Wikipedia on Sunscreen
Song: Poisoning Pigeons in the Park by Tom Lehrer
Quote: "Yes, I did come back the same color that I was when I left!"
Categories: Myself, Virginia Beach