Best. Sunburn. Ever.

[constance]

Okay, so today was one of my swimming days. I was there a little longer than usual today, and only applied my sunscreen once, so I did expect to be a little pink, as indeed I am, tonight, across my shoulders, the tip of my nose and chin and across my cheekbones. But I did forget one spot on my body, and man I am lucky I have bangs, because my face right now, delicate pink until you get to my forehead which is a painful-looking purply-pink, would otherwise be a sight to behold.

Comments

[laurelwood.livejournal.com]

Wow, now that does sound like a singular sunburn. Beware the neon forehead of DOOM! I'll keep my fingers crossed that it doesn't get too uncomfortable or peel.

(Have you ever drawn flowers or letters on an arm or leg with sunscreen, and left the rest unprotected? Good fun, but takes a while to fade, and probably isn't too responsible, skincare-wise.)

[tofty.livejournal.com]

I really can't sit in the sun for any length of time at all, because my skin's very fair, and I tan verrrrrry slowly and burn easily, so I pretty much don't go out in the sun at all without slathering myself in sunscreen. (Hence the long and arduous -- and now over -- search for the perfect sunscreen, and I meant to comment to your comment and tell you how delighted I was that it worked for you too. :D) So no to the patterns-in-the-skin thing, but I've seen friends do it, and it astonished and delighted me.

My Weirdo Sunburn is not too uncomfortable because, you know, the forehead doesn't see too much activity. The most I've felt is a sort of tightness when I raise my eyebrows! *waggles them at you*

[dahlia-777.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, you forgot your forehead? Cute. I once forgot to wash fake tan off my palms, which was a little silly.

I can't remember whether you like Stephen McCauley's novels? I've nearly finished Alternatives to Sex, his new one, and I love it. I think I might prefer it to True Enough, even.

[tofty.livejournal.com]

I did like True Enough, very much. I looked Alternatives to Sex up on our computer today at the bookstore, and we don't have it in, so I'm going to order it and then check it out. Devious, huh?

And hahaha, I've heard stories about tanned palms but never known anyone who's done it! :D It makes me happy that I do now.

[dahlia-777.livejournal.com]

Finished it this morning and the ending was better than I expected.

Re your question on teaching, two members of my family and one of my exes are teachers and I've learnt it involves a lot of strife that outsiders don't usually see. Children can be right little sods, They can make teachers' lives a misery. Notwithstanding this, and despite some hair-raising experiences, all of them have had enjoyable and successful careers. One of them is naturally bossy and authoritarian; another uses quiet but effective intimidation tactics to control classes; the last struggled hardest but eventually prevailed through patience and experience.

I'm not trying to put you off in the least - I'm sure you'd be great at it, and are just the kind of person people want teaching their kids - but I'd talk to as many teachers as possible to hear about the realities of the job before you make a decision. I'd also follow the advice of that poster who said you should do some volunteer work with kids. That's a good way to find out if you could stand dealing with them day in and day out. I know for a fact I couldn't :D.

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Well, I have had professional experience -- but I am talking to pretty much everyone I know, teachers and civilians alike, to get a proper handle on things. I know kids can be monsters, and have dealt with them in monster-mode before, and can often do it pretty well.

I haven't decided yet whether I would want to do it all the time. But being reminded that it's possible to be driven to distraction by something and still find it rewarding and worthwhile: that is a very important point. Thank you for making it. :)

[amelia-eve.livejournal.com]

I'm a little sunburny myself, and rather reveling in it. Saturday was my first beach trip of the whole entire summer and my first time ever at the beach with Emerson and we had so much fun! If it would just stop raining every single weekend I would go to the beach a lot more often because it rocks.

I was using the 60 SPF but I was mostly in the water so I knew it wouldn't be super effective even though it claims to be sporty and not wash off. The saving grace is that my little white tan lines from the swimsuit match up perfectly with the position of my bra straps, so only slightly ouchy.

And one late thought about the teaching thing.... Another factor to consider is the bit about not really interacting with grown-ups for most of the day. I really enjoy my colleagues as a big part of my worklife, perhaps in part because I live alone. I think it might be difficult for me to be alone with only kids for most of my professional day.

[tofty.livejournal.com]

May I recommend Coppertone Sport as a sunscreen? It's the closest thing to a genuinely waterproof sunscreen I've ever seen -- so much so that if I put an SPF 60 lotion on my face and their SPF 30 (the highest SPF, as far as I've been able to determine, that they make) on my body, I still get more sunburn on my face if I go swimming.

If you get more rain-free weekends, that is! I'll wish some up for you -- or you can send the rainy weekends my way, because my grass is getting silvery and I could use the rain.

:::

And you know, that's an excellent point about a teacher's potential craving for adult conversation. I live alone too, and get pine-y for adult voices sitting home alone all day, and sitting with seven-year-olds all day and only dogs (much as I adore them) all night, with nary a grownup in sight: I have to say that this is the best argument I've gotten so far against becoming a teacher. Definitely something to think about.