A bright red tomato

Nope, not talking about produce from my garden. Or the store. It's me. I'm the bright red tomato.

I was outside all day yesterday and I kind of forgot that I am pigment impaired when it comes to my skin. I mean, I didn't forget, obviously, I just forgot that it bodes ill for me to be in that much sun. 

I also forgot that it takes a while to notice just how sunburned I am, so what I thought was just a tinge of red ended up as a much more painful, bright red (and I swear swollen) burn on my legs and arms. And neck. If I get skin cancer, it will be because of all the sunburns on my neck. 

Fact. I do not make a good tomato. Fact. I have blindingly white skin. Fact. Life is much better with my very white skin than when I do an impression of a tomato.

Don't forget the sun is hot and it will burn you. 

Suitcase living

I've done a lot  of travel in the past year (you may have noticed). On my last trip, I spent two weeks with a 24" suitcase and had a bunch of stuff I didn't even use. 

Then I came home and had the realization that I have a LOT of stuff. And I can survive with a lot less.

Of course, you do have to account for the fact that there are a lot of things you don't need when you are traveling that are very handy other times. And even a lot of the stuff I have for every day living, I maybe don't use it all the time but when I do, it's super helpful. I don't play games every day, but I love having them for the times I do want them. And I don't typically have time to workout when I'm traveling for work, so I don't take my sneakers (unless I want them for hiking ruins). Definitely not going to travel with my piano.

But in terms of a lot of other things, yeah. It's just a lot of stuff. 

I think that's probably okay up to a point. I mean, as long as I know what is needed and what is just nice and what is just an absolutely ridiculous waste. As long as I'm not spending more than I have, and I'm taking care of the future and not just the present. And, I also want to be thinking about whether something is just going to end up in the garbage. I'm not always good at it, but there are a lot of things beyond my control when it comes to caring for the planet, and one that I can control is how much I buy that maybe I don't need. (Even then...there is definitely something magical about having a Harry Potter wand in your hand. Do I need it? No. But it does make me weirdly happy. And what is life if you can't have things that do nothing other than make you happy once in a while?!)

I definitely don't think we should all adopt suitcase living. It's super disorganized, for one thing, even with packing cubes! But, it is a good reminder that maybe I need less than I think I do. 

Whatever happened to buckles?

I've been looking for new sandals, because it's finally getting warm here and you know what I'm feeling really nostalgic for? 

Buckles.

I haven't thought about it in years, but in junior high, I had a pair of sandals that--brace yourself!--had buckles. I LOVED those sandals (not just for the buckles).

Now I'm looking at sandals, and they all have velcro. And not just for the strap at the ankle. Like, everywhere a buckle should be. Which, aesthetically is just not cutting it. And, velcro gets stuff trapped in it, and it's never positioned in the right place, so there's this huge bit of extra strap sticking out, with velcro on it. So inelegant and just...sheesh. Why all the velcro?!*

Buckles are not that complicated. They get the job done. They look so much better. 

I miss buckles.

*Also I'm not 5. I act like it maybe, but I'm not.

Did you graduate?

A few weeks ago, a co-worker told me about attending his 6th grader's 'graduation.' He lives in a fairly small town and it was pretty funny to hear him describe everyone in tears watching the kids say their goodbyes to elementary school. For a small town where everyone knows everyone, I imagine there is a stronger sense of community that would make one teary-eyed seeing the town kids grow up.

But, as one who didn't grow up in a time where there were lots of graduations, I admit, it seemed a bit much in a way. 

Then a few days ago, I saw some headline about a celebrity's kid 'graduating' from pre-school. Yes. Pre-school. Friends, we have definitely crossed a line when we are having preschool graduations. 

But just to be sure, I looked it up in the dictionary. And what do you know, the very first definition is "to receive an academic degree or diploma." 

Now, as far as I know, there is no Preschool diploma. And while I've been out of school for a while, I've heard nothing about a PS (Preschool) in any field. Pretty sure it still starts with a bachelor's degree.  

I suppose you could argue that under the second definition (to pass from one stage of experience, proficiency, or prestige to a usually higher one) some of these 'graduations' might count. But, I'd say it's a stretch. Definitely not something preschoolers are doing. I didn't do preschool, but is it really a significantly, notably different experience from kindergarten? Are they really that proficient in anything? And even for 6th graders, I'm not sure it counts. They might be changing the format of learning, or location, but the very fact that the transition from grade school to middle or junior high school varies makes me think it isn't moving from a stage of experience or proficiency to another one. For most of them, it is simply a result of being a year older.*

I'm okay with a school having a goodbye ceremony. I get it! These kids, be they preschoolers or 6th graders, have been a presence in your life! Celebrate, and give them a good send off! But it isn't really a graduation. So, maybe you can skip playing "Pomp and circumstance."**

*Oooh, maybe we should all graduate every year...oh, wait. That's a birthday. 
**And go for something way more fun. "Happy Trails". "Hit the Road Jack". "So Long, Farewell" from Sound of Music. Lots of options.