Big Kahunas
Yesterday, Justin and I went to Big Kahunas water park in Destin. We got there around noon and stayed until four and had a really great time. Those of you who lived in Fort Lauderdale probably remember Six Flags Atlantis. This park didn't have slides quite like Atlantis. They had much smaller slides. What they did have were quite a few different "lazy river" type rides which were very relaxing and very fun. The only time I wasn't relaxed was when I got stuck in a spot that I wasn't moving forward or when some poor little kid basically begged me to help her make some progress down the river. I got up this morning, and JB told me I should read Tara's blog which he had already read and commented on. Tara had this whole post about the sun. She included the statement: "Remember: white is beautiful." Now I have a problem with this statement, and I wrote it in my comment section. "Tara is naturally tan. So how can a 'naturally' tan person say white is beautiful when she has never been as white as I am when I am tan." If you don't know Tara, check out her blog and see what I mean. The girl has the most PERFECT skin color EVER! She definitely shouldn't get any sun with that beautiful skin. But then there is me. All my life, I have been pretty darn white. I grew up in South Florida where white was not seen as beautiful. Instead it indicated that you hadn't devoted enough time to tanning! I found this picture of 
JB and I during the first year we were dating. This was my color during high school, but it was a color I had to work quite aggressively to get. I could only stay this way if I continued to lay out on a regular basis. Okay so fast for about four years. When I was about 20, I went to the dermatologist to have a mole cut off. It was getting rubbed by the sports bra I wore everyday in basketball and starting to bleed. While there, the dermatologist found a "pre-melanoma" and did some minor surgery to remove it. They have to go to the root of this thing and ended up removing something about the size of a lima bean. He then told me that I had successfully gotten all the sun that I needed for a lifetime and needed to stay out of the sun for the rest of my lifetime. This didn't prove too difficult. A year later, I graduated from college and with my job as a teacher and a coach, I really didn't have time for sun. JB kept it that way when he took my to Minnesota in 2003. Forget sun! Who the heck can get tan in Minnesota? The closest I came to Tan in Minnesota was when my face got chapped from the cold wind. That gave me a little glow. So now, 2007, I am back in the Sunshine State. This is where John's comment on Tara's blog comes into play. JB wrote: "Tara... please ask Wendi about her latest sun experience... I'll just leave it at that and hope that you being an M.D. and all will be able to make some progress with her." So what JB is talking about is that yesterday, I got a bit burnt at the water park. But I really TRIED to be wise and protect myself from the sun. I brought an SPF 15 which probably wasn't enough, however, it was waterproof which I thought was more important. During the four hours I was there, I coated myself three times. And I mean, literally, coated. The only problem, I missed the areas right around my bathing suit. I guess I was thinking I didn't want to get sunscreen on my bathing suit so now I have a red burn around all angles of my swimming suit in the front. In the back, not much, since I was sitting in a tube on the lazy river for most of the day. So, my question: what is a really white girl to do? Not go out in the sun at all? I really do want to take care of my skin, but let's face it, if I stay as pasty white as I was in Minnesota, people here will laugh at me! Pasty white is only acceptable when no one sees any part of you except a bit of you face for 10 months of the year! And then, what am I supposed to do when now, nearly everyone I know is a physician? I'll end up exercising 42 hours a day, eating whole wheat saw dust, and never going outside. Yeah, so I'll have to run around my living room instead so the sun doesn't get me. Okay, so my physician friends aren't this extreme, but I just want to naturally not be so white. My whole problem would be solved if I wasn't the queen of pasty. Sigh ... I'm going to go sit outside for a bit and think this one through.
Yesterday, Justin and I went to Big Kahunas water park in Destin. We got there around noon and stayed until four and had a really great time. Those of you who lived in Fort Lauderdale probably remember Six Flags Atlantis. This park didn't have slides quite like Atlantis. They had much smaller slides. What they did have were quite a few different "lazy river" type rides which were very relaxing and very fun. The only time I wasn't relaxed was when I got stuck in a spot that I wasn't moving forward or when some poor little kid basically begged me to help her make some progress down the river. I got up this morning, and JB told me I should read Tara's blog which he had already read and commented on. Tara had this whole post about the sun. She included the statement: "Remember: white is beautiful." Now I have a problem with this statement, and I wrote it in my comment section. "Tara is naturally tan. So how can a 'naturally' tan person say white is beautiful when she has never been as white as I am when I am tan." If you don't know Tara, check out her blog and see what I mean. The girl has the most PERFECT skin color EVER! She definitely shouldn't get any sun with that beautiful skin. But then there is me. All my life, I have been pretty darn white. I grew up in South Florida where white was not seen as beautiful. Instead it indicated that you hadn't devoted enough time to tanning! I found this picture of 
JB and I during the first year we were dating. This was my color during high school, but it was a color I had to work quite aggressively to get. I could only stay this way if I continued to lay out on a regular basis. Okay so fast for about four years. When I was about 20, I went to the dermatologist to have a mole cut off. It was getting rubbed by the sports bra I wore everyday in basketball and starting to bleed. While there, the dermatologist found a "pre-melanoma" and did some minor surgery to remove it. They have to go to the root of this thing and ended up removing something about the size of a lima bean. He then told me that I had successfully gotten all the sun that I needed for a lifetime and needed to stay out of the sun for the rest of my lifetime. This didn't prove too difficult. A year later, I graduated from college and with my job as a teacher and a coach, I really didn't have time for sun. JB kept it that way when he took my to Minnesota in 2003. Forget sun! Who the heck can get tan in Minnesota? The closest I came to Tan in Minnesota was when my face got chapped from the cold wind. That gave me a little glow. So now, 2007, I am back in the Sunshine State. This is where John's comment on Tara's blog comes into play. JB wrote: "Tara... please ask Wendi about her latest sun experience... I'll just leave it at that and hope that you being an M.D. and all will be able to make some progress with her." So what JB is talking about is that yesterday, I got a bit burnt at the water park. But I really TRIED to be wise and protect myself from the sun. I brought an SPF 15 which probably wasn't enough, however, it was waterproof which I thought was more important. During the four hours I was there, I coated myself three times. And I mean, literally, coated. The only problem, I missed the areas right around my bathing suit. I guess I was thinking I didn't want to get sunscreen on my bathing suit so now I have a red burn around all angles of my swimming suit in the front. In the back, not much, since I was sitting in a tube on the lazy river for most of the day. So, my question: what is a really white girl to do? Not go out in the sun at all? I really do want to take care of my skin, but let's face it, if I stay as pasty white as I was in Minnesota, people here will laugh at me! Pasty white is only acceptable when no one sees any part of you except a bit of you face for 10 months of the year! And then, what am I supposed to do when now, nearly everyone I know is a physician? I'll end up exercising 42 hours a day, eating whole wheat saw dust, and never going outside. Yeah, so I'll have to run around my living room instead so the sun doesn't get me. Okay, so my physician friends aren't this extreme, but I just want to naturally not be so white. My whole problem would be solved if I wasn't the queen of pasty. Sigh ... I'm going to go sit outside for a bit and think this one through.
9 comments:
Hey, me thinks you just spent too much time at the hottest part of the day.(wonder what Justin looks like:)) And now you know, forget about worrying about sun-screen on your clothes:) Wendi,you are a beauty, blessed with a model bod! Speaking of which, most of the models-even for swim suits, and actresses are air-brushed so they don't damage their skin! The rest are just idiots. Blush and bronze make-up will keep you from ever looking pasty. And a few cute accessories that you can sooo pull off; the hats, the sunglasses,etc., will make you so gorgeous people will just be jealous - and admiring. Wishing I was up there having a glass of unsweetened:) tea -sitting under that big tree in your back yard! love ya
Wendi,
You are as you are. You are certainly not the pastiest person I have ever seen, and your skin is beautiful! I agree with MomK Don't try to change it! Don't you think Erin's hat is cute? :)
WEAR 30 or above, please. I agree with JB on this one (I know, not a new thing... ):)
And what's the deal with the fake people on the lazy river. Did YOU take pictures yesterday??
<3 t
Well, I guess you need to discuss that with your father. (the parents get the blame for everything!) You have his skin, teeth, body structure....I hope you keep your hair! :O!
(I'm really sorry Keith)
Sigh .... ok.
Tara, those were people I saw yesterday.
Okay. I lied. I don't have a waterproof camera.
Quit bagging on Minnesota! Not everyone up here is pasty white. I happen to be very white, but I hate going out in the hot weather. 87 and above and you will find me in the air conditioning. White is healthy...alligator skin is not only ugly, but you won't convince me it is healthy either.
So there!
Wendi, I would kill to have your skin. Seriously. Don't damage it anymore. You'll regret it.
Raised in Hawaii, I was a SUN BUNNY! Things didn't change when I moved to the mainland - I hit the pool the minute the snow melted or a tanning booth. And being part French and Cherokee, I actually tan very easily. (I lose it quick though from my Japanese side.)
But now I regret all those years trying to get dark. I'm 35, have tons of freckles and sun damage that I cannot reverse. I'm allowing my natural Japanese white to come through and it IS healthier. If I want the sun-kissed look I go for the lotions and makeup bronzers. I don't want to look like a leather handbag in 10 years and I'm actually afraid it's too late. :-(
I'm with JB Wen, and I am a FORMER Fl sun worshiper( using Baby oil and iodine; back in the 60s we slathered the stuff on and literally broiled like a "steak" in the HOT SUN!!!) and I am sure there is much damage to my skin!You look GORGEOUS just the way you are!!! And why risk another pre melanoma!( or leather skin when you are older!) Certainly not worth it!!Thats what they have all these great bronzers for; to LOOK like you layed in the sun!!Besides, ya gotta LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER!!We MOMS know BEST!!! Love Ya Nancy
I don't know much about "laying out" or being pasty, but I say "If you're pasty, then pasty must be pretty good" because I think you're just adorable. And I agree with Tara - WEAR 30+ SPF! I've got au-natural SPF and I STILL lather up with SPF 45!
First of all, did anybody notice John's haircut in that picture? Whoa, stylin in the 90's!
Madeline is strawberry blond and does not tan easily, although she can get more than most red heads. She bought Jergens tanning bronze and puts it on like lotion. She looks beautiful when she wears it. I think they have mastered the color and you don't look orange anymore. Linda
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