Pale is the New Tan

This post is part shameless plug and part PSA. First, let's get the shameless plug out of the way.



As you might have noticed, there is a JavaGirl logo on the left side of this blog that will take you to my CafePress store. Yep, I'm JavaGirl. I make a whopping $10 or $15 a month there if I'm having a good month, so it's not making me rich. But it is fun to come up with new ideas, slap them on some shirts and mugs and hope someone thinks they're fun, too.

My latest offering is this:


An assortment of items in 4 color variations of the "Pale is the New Tan" art which you can find here.



OK, enough with the sales pitch. Let's get to the reason behind the shirt. As you probably know, today is the official First Day of Summer. HOORAY! I love summer. It's quite brief around these parts, so I savor it while it lasts. I love to be outdoors, but that doesn't mean I bask in the sun. I prefer to view summer from a shady vantage point, and for good reason. Lots of good reasons, really.

In August of 1999, I went to the doctor because I'd finally called to make an appointment about the weird spot on my back. It had been there for a couple of years, probably, but I didn't think too much about it. Every now and then, I'd notice that it would bleed, but then it would scab over and I'd ignore it again. But that kept happening, and I couldn't keep ignoring it. So I made the call, and when I described the spot, I could tell by the reaction on the phone they were concerned.

They decided to remove the entire spot "just in case". Being the needle-phobe that I am, I wasn't looking forward to the whole procedure, but it went ok (aside from, you know, almost passing out) and 3 or 4 stitches later, I was out of the office and anxious to hear the results. They were pretty sure it was cancer.

And they were right. Basal cell carcinoma, to be precise.  I was 27-years-old and diagnosed with skin cancer. Lucky for me, it's the most common and easily treatable of skin cancers. Basal cell is slow growing and rarely metastasizes unlike melanoma. Still, it's nothing to fool around with and I should have gone to the doctor years earlier.

Please. If you have a strange spot on your skin, go to the doctor. Have it checked out. It's absolutely better to be safe than sorry. You don't have to be super pale like me; everyone needs to be careful. And you don't have to be sun-worshipper to worry about it, either. I wasn't. Sure, I'd done the fake-n-bake and "laid out" a few times when I was a teenager. All of that adds up, but the real kickers are those times you weren't anticipating a problem and got a major burn. It happened to me a few times as a small child. I was so fair and would burn so quickly that my parents wouldn't get sunscreen on me in time. I'm NOT blaming them! They always did their best, but sometimes, the next thing they knew, we were out in the sun longer than anticipated, and oh, holy crap! We forgot to put sunscreen on Kelly.

See, the damage that turns into cancer doesn't just happen as adults. It builds over time, starting in childhood. I was diagnosed at 27 but that cancer had been there long before.

If you have kids, PLEASE slather them in sunscreen—every 2 hours and always after swimming. If you can, keep them—and you—in the shade when possible. You can absolutely still enjoy summer in the shade. Trust me. Plus you stay cooler, too.

You need to be diligent with your OWN skin, too. You don't wan't a leather chest, do you? I know you know what I'm talking about. We've all see the women that spend years and years in the sun and tanning beds in order to have a "healthy glow"... and end up with leathered skin. Any dermatologist will tell you the best anti-aging advice is to wear sunscreen.

From The Skin Cancer Foundation's "Go With Your Own Glow" ad campaign.

Use moisturizer, body lotion and/or liquid makeup with SPF (PABA free is best for your face, especially if you have sensitive skin like I do). Use mineral makeup. It contains zinc oxide, a physical blocker. Sunscreen can be a chemical or physical blocker. Use both for the best protection. And always use a sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection. (Sunscreen can be confusing and the guidelines for labeling are set to change in 2012. You can read about it here.)

See how it says "waterproof"? I think that will have to go away in 2012. 

NO sunscreen is waterproof.

So there you have it. I'm Pale and Proud. Remember, there's no such thing as a "healthy tan". Not from the sun, not from a tanning bed. If you want to have a bit of color or knock back the glare like I do with my legs, use a sunless tanner. They've come a long way, baby. They're about a hundred billion times better than they used to be back in the olden days, so find one you like and nix the tanning habit.

Wear sunscreen. The end. 

Also? I'm not a doctor, so this is not intended as medical advice, just my 2 cents on the subject and my experience with skin cancer and sunscreen. 

And also? Never let me get in front of the camera with a remote control. This is what happens.

HAPPY SUMMER EVERYONE!

Wordless Wednesday — Kitties have to eat their greens, too

Wordless Wednesday—German Chocolate Cake

(Well, almost wordless)
This was Dwight's birthday cake back in March and was amazing. Recipe from David Lebovitz can be found here.

Dear Cold,

Hey there, buddy. I notice you're still here, hanging out in my nose and chest. It's been 9 days, dude. What gives?

I know. I shouldn't have mentioned that I haven't been sick in a while and thought I got through cold and flu season unscathed. It was an open invitation, I see that now. Me, bragging. You, plotting your revenge until you found a weakness.

Well, mission accomplished. Congratulations—you got me. So..... can we call it even and you can take your snot and congestion and move on? Please?

Sincerely,

Me

Lehman's Orchard

Dwight & I (and all of our co-workers) had the pleasure of sampling some of the goodies offered by a family-owned area orchard. One of our clients brought us a basket laden with fruit and nut mixes, hard ciders and some honey roasted cashew butter made at her boyfriend's family orchard.

Lehman's Orchard located in Niles, Michigan, is a family-owned orchard specializing in tart cherry production since 1929. Since then, they've branched into all sorts of other crops including apples and pears and also produce honey and offer a vast assortment of dried fruits and nuts. And in addition to all of that, Lehman's also makes their own hard cider from their apples and pears AND they offer a large variety of fruit wines.







Unfortunately, I didn't get to sample hardly any of the products, they were gobbled up so quickly at work - which I think is a testament to the quality of their products. Lehman's has received some really great reviews on Yelp and other sites, lauding the quality, taste and selection offered. Dwight and I are really looking forward to visiting the orchard in the near future, now that spring is in full swing. I'm very disappointed that I didn't get to try the honey roasted cashew butter. Man, that sounds SO good! Oh, and the chocolate covered cherries. Yeah, I'm all over that, too.

If you're in the Niles, Michigan area, I definitely recommend a stop at Lehman's Orchard. If you're around in July, they offer u-pick tart cherries! I KNOW I'll being going up for that. Just the thought of having a stash of tart cherries in my freezer makes me very happy. I mean, you know how nuts Dwight and I went over local blueberry picking. I think the blueberries need some freezer buddies.

Thanks, Brenda, for bringing us all of the goodies. We'll see you this summer!

Quick Tip: How I Freeze Hamburger

This isn't earth shattering or going to cause world peace, but it's something I find helpful. Maybe you will, too.

I discovered, mostly by accident, that the best way to divide and freeze hamburger is to put it in a quart-size freezer bag, press it flat – to about 1/2" thickness or so – to the edges of the bag.

This is really convenient for a couple of reasons.

1. A quart size bag holds a pound of meat perfectly.

2. They stack —compact storage, saving freezer space.

3. They thaw SO much more quickly when only 1/2" thick. OR if you want to save even more time, you don't have to thaw it. Just open or cut the bag, pop into a pan. Cook over low heat to start, and you'll be browning in no time.

Hey, it works for me. I hope it works for you, too!