Before the warm weather hit the DC area this year (2008), I had made a conscious effort to not tan during the warm months - and I mean naturally tan. When my husband and I went out to Arizona in March, for spring training (what else), where it was already in the 80s, I made sure to bring a big-rimmed hat (looking fabulous) to help cover up during baseball games. It worked - I didn't come back with a tan, which would be like the first time that I have come back from a warm-weather hot spot untanned.
But then one smoldering Saturday, in June, when I had a soccer game followed by a softball game, I absentmindedly left off the sunblock, the hat, even the bug spray. I got lucky, during soccer, because we played under the clouds. It was still humid, but at least we had cloud cover. By the time I reached the softball game, I wasn't as lucky. It was sweltering, sunny and in the upper 90s and I had to ask my teammates for reinforcements (bug spray, sun block, anything). Luckily I got my hands on all those things. Unfortunately, it was too late...I was burned.
I have the type of skin that tans EXTREMELY easily. As one of my other Asian friends has said, 'I tan in the library.' I wouldn't go that drastic but I share the sentiment. Give me 10 minutes in the sun (winter, spring, summer, fall), I'll give you a tan line. So growing up, I have spent my summers browning, and the winters turning pasty white again, with spring and fall as transition periods.
Well my conscious effort has gone out the window for 2008 as I am now tan and you know what, I'm glad. You know why? Cause I decided that I look better tanned. In looking at my pre-tan, summer pictures, I actually kind of look sickly with my paleness and the bright sun shining down on me. When I look in the mirror now, with my burn mellowing into a nice brown tan, I look pretty darn good - more lively, if you will.
So from here on out, I plan on being brown in the summer and pale in the winter - skin cancer, come and get me!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Sticking With It
Have you ever been reading a book and the story was moving so slowly that you didn't think you could even make it to the ending? And because you didn't think you were going to make it to the end, you decided to take a sneak peek at the last couple of chapters just to see if it was worth continuing? Guilty as charged, I'm afraid.
I was reading this book and I was really contemplating, for the last two days, if I should just give it up. Would I be 'OK' if I just stopped reading it and be satisfied that I knew how it ended? This had to have been one of the slowest moving books I've ever read. And believe me, if I like a story, I can finish a 360-400 page book in about 2-4 nights of bedside reading. This one took a Sunday and two nights. So it took the max and it was only because after deciding to continue, there was a good twist in the plot that actually made it interesting and bearable to finish. I'm actually glad I stayed with it because it really made the ending better than when I cheated and read ahead.
I have this standard now (in reading fiction) that once I reach the 100-page marker, I can look ahead to see if the ending is good. Or I read the epilogue because I really like epilogues. I like to know what happens to the characters so that I'm not left wondering. Yes, I can get very involved with books and their characters - I've even had dreams about books I was reading, picturing everything in my head. Sometimes I wonder if I'm reading too much fiction.
Anywho - there has only been one book that I have not been able to finish and that's only after reading the first two chapters....I won't name names because it belongs in a series of five books - and the one I could not finish was the fifth...just couldn't bring myself to do it. I was well satisfied with the fourth book (surprising, really) but after the first two chapters of the fifth book, I had to set it down and not look back - and it still lays at the bottom drawer of my night stand.
So I don't always stick with everything I read, but I think an important note to authors is that you have to get them (the reader) in the first two chapters...or your ship will sink. Fortunately, the author, of the above mentioned book that I couldn't finish, moved on to other stories. Perhaps I'll pick one of those up.
I was reading this book and I was really contemplating, for the last two days, if I should just give it up. Would I be 'OK' if I just stopped reading it and be satisfied that I knew how it ended? This had to have been one of the slowest moving books I've ever read. And believe me, if I like a story, I can finish a 360-400 page book in about 2-4 nights of bedside reading. This one took a Sunday and two nights. So it took the max and it was only because after deciding to continue, there was a good twist in the plot that actually made it interesting and bearable to finish. I'm actually glad I stayed with it because it really made the ending better than when I cheated and read ahead.
I have this standard now (in reading fiction) that once I reach the 100-page marker, I can look ahead to see if the ending is good. Or I read the epilogue because I really like epilogues. I like to know what happens to the characters so that I'm not left wondering. Yes, I can get very involved with books and their characters - I've even had dreams about books I was reading, picturing everything in my head. Sometimes I wonder if I'm reading too much fiction.
Anywho - there has only been one book that I have not been able to finish and that's only after reading the first two chapters....I won't name names because it belongs in a series of five books - and the one I could not finish was the fifth...just couldn't bring myself to do it. I was well satisfied with the fourth book (surprising, really) but after the first two chapters of the fifth book, I had to set it down and not look back - and it still lays at the bottom drawer of my night stand.
So I don't always stick with everything I read, but I think an important note to authors is that you have to get them (the reader) in the first two chapters...or your ship will sink. Fortunately, the author, of the above mentioned book that I couldn't finish, moved on to other stories. Perhaps I'll pick one of those up.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Big Night for the Brunettes!
I was sucked into watching the *beginning* of the Miss Universe pageant. I always like to see who is representing what countries, especially the US and the Asian countries, being of an Asian background. And I sit and I judge...one of my favorite pastimes!
Since the pageant was held in Vietnam, it was a no-brainer that Miss Vietnam would make it into the Final 15. Good thing she was good looking, according to my sister. I thought Miss USA was good looking - she had a kick-ass body. So not surprised, again, when she reached the Final 15. But as Jerry Springer and Scary Spice continued to read the names of the girls that reached the Top 15 spots, I thought it was getting redundant - redundant in that a lot of the Top 15 girls looked alike. I was talking to my sister on the phone as they were making the announcements and when they called Miss Mexico or Miss Dominican Republic, I was like, 'Hey, didn't we just see her, but her sash said Miss Spain.' (Side note - not surprised Spain made it into the Top 15 since they're coming off of their big Euro Cup win) I thought Italy and Russia looked similar - and surprisingly, there was only one "blonde" (a dark blonde, but a blonde nonetheless) from Australia. Otherwise the night belonged to the brunettes.
After they announced the Top 15, I was done with the show. I saw, this morning, that Miss Venezuela ended up winning. I believe she was the first one that was announced in the Top 15 and her eye makeup scared me. And rightfully so - in the pictures of her crowning, her mascara started running like a tribute to the late, Tammy Faye Baker.
But I digress. I'm glad to see that the field was dominated by brunettes, being one myself. And it never ceases to amaze me how much younger these girls are getting (18-22) and how much "older" they look with their gobs of make-up. But I guess it's all part of the show, right? Look your best and camera ready - where's that vaseline!
Since the pageant was held in Vietnam, it was a no-brainer that Miss Vietnam would make it into the Final 15. Good thing she was good looking, according to my sister. I thought Miss USA was good looking - she had a kick-ass body. So not surprised, again, when she reached the Final 15. But as Jerry Springer and Scary Spice continued to read the names of the girls that reached the Top 15 spots, I thought it was getting redundant - redundant in that a lot of the Top 15 girls looked alike. I was talking to my sister on the phone as they were making the announcements and when they called Miss Mexico or Miss Dominican Republic, I was like, 'Hey, didn't we just see her, but her sash said Miss Spain.' (Side note - not surprised Spain made it into the Top 15 since they're coming off of their big Euro Cup win) I thought Italy and Russia looked similar - and surprisingly, there was only one "blonde" (a dark blonde, but a blonde nonetheless) from Australia. Otherwise the night belonged to the brunettes.
After they announced the Top 15, I was done with the show. I saw, this morning, that Miss Venezuela ended up winning. I believe she was the first one that was announced in the Top 15 and her eye makeup scared me. And rightfully so - in the pictures of her crowning, her mascara started running like a tribute to the late, Tammy Faye Baker.
But I digress. I'm glad to see that the field was dominated by brunettes, being one myself. And it never ceases to amaze me how much younger these girls are getting (18-22) and how much "older" they look with their gobs of make-up. But I guess it's all part of the show, right? Look your best and camera ready - where's that vaseline!
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