Sunday, July 26, 2009

Life is Funny - Rock Lobster

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So, you think your life is funny? Do ya punk? Prove it. Join the carnival and sign up below. Make us laugh. Now.

Well, it's about a gazillion degrees here right now. Much to my dismay, this is only the beginning of the 5 day heat wave that they're predicting. I don't like hot. My brain gets all melty. And what did my melty brain come up with for a topic this week? Sunburn, of course.

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A little background on me. I grew up in Southern California, not terribly far from the beach. I have red hair and blue eyes. Do you know what comes with that combination? Fair skin. Now I'm not talking Snow White fair. That chick is tan compared to me. I'm talking pasty white. With freckles. I've burnt to blister more times than I like to remember. (And yes, I get yearly skin checks at the dermatologist.) I've even managed to burn the BOTTOM of my feet. Now that's saying something. Of course, all my friends were tan. All of them. They liked standing next to me because it made them look even darker. I always wanted to be tan...

Back when I was in junior high, one of my friends was having a pool party for her birthday. Fun, huh? Yeah. All my friends were slathering on baby oil so they could get even darker than they already were, and I was jealous. So, yeah, I grabbed the baby oil myself.

Anyone see where this is going?

I spent most of our pool time floating around on a raft under that bright California sun. I kept checking myself, but I didn't seem to be turning color at all. So I just continued to float around, sunning myself like everyone else.

Or not.

When I got home, I realized that I was fried. Lobsters everywhere were jealous of the deep red color of my skin. I probably could have toasted marshmallows with the heat coming off my skin. Well, part of my skin anyway. Did I mention that I didn't turn over the entire day? Oh yeah, bright red on the front of my body, ghostly white on the back. And a very clear line where the two colors met. I looked like a different person coming and going. It was not a good look on me.

But wait, there's more.

When in a situation like this, most would try to hide the two-toned skin under clothing, right? Yes, that would have been ideal. Except for one small problem. I was on a swim team at the time. I was forced to wear a swimsuit, in front of a lot of people, and show off the glory that was my skin. There was much pointing and laughing as I tried to get into the water as quickly as possible. Good thing I was in junior high at the time. Nothing is embarrassing in junior high, right?

Now it's your turn. Ready to play? Here's what you do.


1. Anytime this week, blog about what in life you find funny. It could be something that happened during the week, your general impression about why life is funny, or even just your favorite joke. Be creative!


2. Please put a link to my blog in your post. And I'd appreciate it if you'd add my carnival button (made for me by Andie - thanks so much Andie!) to your post. To make this easy, I've put the code to do so under my blog button on my sidebar to the right.


3. After you've posted, come back here and sign up on Mr. Linky below. For the first box, put your name and your blog (example: Wendy @ Weight...What?), then your URL in the second box. Make sure you link directly to your "Life is Funny" post (not to your main page) so we can all read what you have to say.


4. Visit all the other participants and see what they have to say, even if you don't have a blog of your own. And very important: Comment, comment, comment! Oh, how we love getting comments...


5. If you Twitter, please tweet about this - the more participants, the merrier! So go out and spread the laughter! I can't wait to see what everyone has to say!


13 comments:

Lianne said...

Oh.my.gosh.

It's like I have a twin!

I don't have the red hair (my mom does), but I have the same complexion. I have been burned so many times that it's embarrassing/scary.

I took the kids to the pool last Friday. After marinating in sunscreen, I still got burned on a little "piece" of my chest. Yes, I am a victim of BooBQ! Terribly painful and oh-so-attractive in a tank top.

Lanette said...

Although I haven't had the red front and white back, I've had so many other odd sunburn marks it isn't even funny (or maybe it is!) I have strawberry blonde hair and very light skin, my sister who tans beautifully refers to it as "raw chicken" nice huh? I have now passed this skin on to one of my girls. Pretty sure she loves me for it :)

Helen said...

I had red hair as a child. It kind of turned brown as an adult, but I digress. My point is that you brought back some memories of yesteryear. I now need to rub Nivea cream all over...

Beki - TheRustedChain said...

Haha!!

I've burned myself to blisters before too. I'm fair like you, but with light blonde hair.

There have been times when I had two weeks worth of self tanner built up on my skin, and was quite proud of how I was looking and someone would say, "Dang girl, you need to get some SUN!" Blah.

sherri said...

I'm still red headed, and lilly white with freckles! This story made me laugh outloud Wendy, because only someone in our shoes whould truly understand! I've done the very same thing, just wasn't on a swim- just had to go to prom that way!

katdish said...

I'm one of the baby-oil bronze gals. Do you know how I learned to drive a stick? My friend Laurie and I drove to Corpus Christi one year for Spring Break. Blonde hair and freckles. She was so sun burned I had to drive her car back.

Good times...

Kelli said...

Too funny! I actually tan really well (even through sun screen - which we should all wear religiously, by the way). When I was in high school though, I was in the band. Every summer, we would get what we called farmer tans. Our legs were nice and tan, except for our feet, ankles, and where your shorts stopped. Most of the time, we would march in bathing suit tops just to let your shoulders get some tan. It was really an attractive look that took until September to go away.

jasonS said...

I feel your pain and know about the dreadful heat emanating from burnt skin. I'm a redhead with blue eyes too (well, most of it is gone on top- oh well). I'm sure we could swap stories. I have a couple doozies too...

Heather said...

I use to use oil and bake for hours. Sure I'd have a little burn but by the next morning I'd be tan. I'm so sorry for your blisters and hot weather!
I would take your hot weather over mine - its been over 110 degrees for the last 20 days or so and it doesn't cool down at night!

Beth said...

Even with brown hair and brown eyes I'm a sunburn magnet. I am the sunscreen nazi with my kids...they are even fairer than I am.

Tiffany S said...

Okay, you are not THAT white. But maybe I think that because I'm so white myself. No red hair and freckles here though. Just the inability to tan. Oh well.

Casey said...

Bless your little heart!!

I don't think I have ever been that burnt before, although I tend to block out lots of embarrassing things I don't want to remember.

I have however tripped and fell too many times to count. One never learns I guess...

Anonymous said...

Priceless. I've done the whole "fall asleep" thing. Not a good idea. I passed out in church - when I was in the choir! So yeah....ouch.