05 November 2012

Sun scare - noun, a condition of alarm or worry related to exposure to direct sunlight.

 I haven't written much about Florida. I don't know why. I think the animals I saw were the best part. I spent some time on the beach, read lots of books. The problem with me and the beach (or any activity, really) is my sun scare. I don't like tanning, but I can sit in a dark room in Florida and still get a tan, so I went outside anyway. 

Rainbow after afternoon thundershower.
My defense against skin cancer was thus: I'd wear a bathing suit - because it's the beach, y'all. Then I'd wear SPF 30+ on every inch of skin. Then I'd wear a tank top and capri-length pants over my suit, a full-brimmed hat, and sunglasses. Then I'd sit in the shade under an umbrella. I still tanned  and I was freaking hot because it was like 40oC or some crazy humid shit. My aunt, a nurse, kept talking about the "melanoma conference" she went to and said all kinds of discouraging stuff about the amount of sunblock you actually need to wear and and now I know I'm getting skin cancer. In her words, you'd "need to put on a shot-glass worth of sunblock every 15 minutes." Man, people must drink a lot at those melanoma conferences. Don't get me started on what she said about dental x-rays. It was a good lesson for me in Aunting, should my niece develop any hypochondriac tendencies.

Sunrise on the beach. Not pictured: coffee.
I will say that I have never fully appreciated air conditioning until this trip. Hot cars in summer have nothing on SW Florida. I still think AC is a luxury in my everyday life, but I can see how it makes life bearable down there. Even though I had to wear sweaters indoors because my Aunt kept the temperature inside at around 17oC.  

Anyway, here are some beachy pictures.   



Condo we stayed at.
 
Fisherman.

Fisherman at sunrise.
I take a lot of pictures of my feet. I wonder if I should talk to someone about this.         

Another sunset.
Sunset through the palms.

Wedding guests on the beach.
 

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