#PUT SOME GOOD SUNSCREEN ON AND DO SOME YARDWORK

[scum-belina]

Spray tans look so bad if you can't be that tan naturally then it's going to look bad on you this needs to be said

[hornyliverpudlianputz]

Tips for moving to a different climate

Alrighty so I recently made a move between states (in the US) that have VERY DIFFERENT CLIMATES. So here are some tips that might help people doing the same thing.

Hot to cold - Dress. In Layers. You will freeze your first winter, that’s ok. But layers are the key to success. I’m talking undershirt, shirt, cardigan/sweater, knee socks, ankle socks, leggings, pants, scarf, jacket, hat, thin pair of gloves, thick pair of gloves, WHATEVER YOU NEED. Wear it all at once. Trust me. Layers. - Black ice. It’s a super shitty type of ice that is basically totally clear and as a result almost completely invisible. You will not see it unless you are really looking for it. You will slip on it just as easily. Watch out. - Buy several pairs of gloves, thick and thin. These are like your sunglasses. Put them in your coat pockets. You should never be caught without gloves in the winter. Side note, touching a Very Cold Thing with bare skin, especially if it’s metal, is a Bad Idea. Even if you’re skin is dry, there is a very real possibility you will stick to it. This is why you need gloves. If you do, for some reason, touch a Cold Thing and you stick to it, do not yank. EXHALE on the stuck thing (don’t blow, exhale, the key is warmth) until it comes unstuck. If you need to, spit or drool on the thing (DO NOT LICK, this will leave your tongue stuck too) until it comes off. This technique will work with frozen locks as well. - Learn the difference between between “cold fingers” and the beginnings of frostbite. Redness is good, even if they are feeling numb. It means you still have circulation. You should probably be trying to warm them up though. If they start turning white and waxy it is Bad and you need to get them warm ASAP. Get inside and soak them in water (LUKEWARM, NOT HOT, YOU WILL BURN YOURSELF) at the soonest possible time. The circulation returning will HURT. Do not let it get to that point.  - If you have canvas or cloth shoes, DO NOT wear them outside in the winter. Not only will they get soaked in the snow (when it melts) but most places put down salt on roads/sidewalks to prevent ice. This will RUIN your shoes. This is also why most people will expect you to take your shoes off at the door, tracking dirty, salty water through people’s houses is Not Cool. Get a good pair of snow boots, you will use them. Also don’t be That Guy who wears heels in the snow. Just don’t. Change when you get where you’re going. - When you’re clearing your car off (get an ice scraper and a snow brush, trust me) the FIRST THING you should do is get in your car and turn the heat on full blast. Turn on the rear window heater and turn the windshield blower (the thing you use if it starts fogging up) on FULL. Then go out to clear the car. Not only will the car be toasty when you get in to drive, but it will heat the windows from the inside and it will make the ice scraping SO MUCH EASIER. It helps if you give yourself an extra 5-10 minutes in the morning to clear as well. (also DO NOT throw hot water on your car to get ice off, this will CRACK YOUR WINDSHIELD. GET A DAMN ICE SCRAPER.) - If you are doing a physical activity in the snow (skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding, shoveling, anything) recognize that the activity will warm you up and be prepared to shed layers. If you start sweating, cool yourself down. If your clothing becomes sweatsoaked, it will be wet and therefore become cold. Wet, cold clothing will not keep you warm. This is a Bad Thing.  - It is possible for it to be too cold to snow. Bright, sunny, clear days are often THE COLDEST ONES in the winter. Cloud coverage, especially at night, acts like a blanket that keeps the heat in. If there are no clouds, there is less heat. Also, you will use your sunglasses in the winter. Snow blindness, being physically “dazzled” by bright sunlight reflecting off of fresh snow, is a thing. Do not trust sunny days. You can and will get sunburned. - Remember to cover your ears. It’s a thing most people don’t think about but your ears are one of the first things to get cold if exposed, along with your fingers and nose. If you don’t want to wear a hat because it will mess up your hair, get an earband or ear muffs. - Clear your damn sidewalk. Packed snow will basically become ice, it is not safe. At the very least put down salt but if you live in a place where it snows, get a shovel. And note, the warmer it is when snowing the wetter the snow will be and the heavier it is. Don’t throw your back out shoveling because you tried to lift a shovelful that was too heavy, be smart. (The wet snow is good packing snow though, that’s the kind for snowballs and snowmen.) Alternatively, if it is dry snow and it’s a light enough layer you can get away with just sweeping.  - When driving in the snow, do not panic. A light to medium snow is like driving in a heavy rain except you can see better. DO NOT drive faster than you are comfortable going. Turn on your hazards if you need to. Trust your gut, you can FEEL when your car is losing traction. If you start to skid, steer INTO it. Take corners slower than you would normally, and start braking for intersections WAY before you normally would. Drive in the tracks of the car in front of you, get your tires as close as possible to direct contact with the pavement. DO NOT. I REPEAT, DO NOT, drive in ice. No one can drive in ice. Don’t fucking do it. Carry kitty litter in your trunk, if you get stuck, put it under your back tires for traction. If you are stuck stuck, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CAR. Wait for help. Keep peanut butter or pretzels or other non-perishables in your car to eat in emergencies. - It will be dry in the winter. Chapsticks and moisturizers are your friends. Watch out for nosebleeds. - Do not follow too closely behind snowplows, they are often laying down salt behind them and this will RUIN your car. (The salt will get to your car anyway, be vigilant about rust, but tailgating snowplows is a Bad Idea.)

Cold to hot - You will be hot. You will not like it. You will sweat. So much. You will probably need to shower more often to wash sweat off. Learn to accept this. - Buy several pairs of sunglasses. These are like your gloves. Put them in your purse, your car, your bag. You should never be caught without sunglasses. Same applies to hats. - If you do not have a sun shade for your car (the thing you put up on the inside of your windshield) GET ONE. USE IT. It really does keep the temperature down, it allows you to physically touch your steering wheel, and it stops your dashboard from melting. - When travelling from place to place in the summer be dressed for the heat, but also carry something light you can thrown on when you go inside. Restaurants especially keep their temperatures EXTREMELY LOW for food safety reasons and when you’re going from 95 to 75 you FREEZE. - Do not. Trust. That the pavement can be touched with bare skin. It probably can’t. And I don’t just mean black asphalt, I mean ANY PAVEMENT. If you are going to an outdoor pool, bring shoes for the deck. - If you’re changing latitudes (and if you’re changing climates you probably are) remember that the “danger times” for sunburn are different. Also remember that the sun exposure will be different. Be vigilant with that sunscreen. - It may not snow but THERE WILL BE ICE. Keep your ice scraper for your car, you will need it in the mornings. - If you’re outside when it’s hot, wear an under layer. It seems counter intuitive, but you WILL be sweating and the under layer will help save your outer clothing. Also get plenty of loose, breathable clothes. Any little bit helps. - If you wear makeup, you might need to experiment with different moisture-resistant types. - Mentally prepare yourself for a snowless winter. It is a sad thing. - Do yardwork in the morning/evening, not in the middle of the day when it is hottest. If you overheat and start feeling faint, seeing spots, or are getting tunnel vision/brownouts, STOP what you’re doing. Find shade or get inside, lay down, drink water, and if needed apply ice packs to your forehead. If you need to cool down quickly, putting ice packs near you lymph nodes is helpful. (That’s your armpits, groin, and either side of your neck under your chin.) For humid places - Mold. Watch out for mold. Fucking everywhere. At all times. - Damp chill is COLD. It will seep into you and you will be cold. Have blankets, be prepared. - Your hair will behave differently. Hairspray, bobby pins, grooming cream, you will need it. If it is long, try to keep it off your neck. If it is curly, consider cutting it short because let me tell you, you can FORGET about brushing it. - Put a few grains of dry rice in your salt shakers, it will prevent them from clogging up. For dry places - Water. Have water with you at all times. Drink it. You will need it. - Moisturizers and chapsticks are your friends. Also you will probably get nosebleeds. - Your hair will behave differently, be prepared. It will be the flattest you have ever seen in your life.

Add your own if I forgot something!

[rainey-staerie-daize]

Oop, I never posted about last weekend on here yet, huh?

I reraked most of the yard, and got all the dog poop I could find, and actually got up the nerve to use the kitchen trash bags, so the piles finally got picked up. Except for the one big one, because I ran out of bags, and the side runs with the trees because I'm tired, but whatever. I can finish another day. At least I had gloves this time, so the pine needles didn't hurt.

I wish I had done it all on Friday or Saturday instead of Sunday, because then, Mom wouldn't've built the trampoline over a pile of dog poop like she did, but she doesn't care. If she did, she would've gotten it herself.

I also used the spare kitchen scissors and finally cut away the old weeds and grass like I've been wanting to do, but the scissors gave me two blisters. Oy. And the Band-Aids didn't really like to stay in place under the gloves.

Later, I washed up my hands, and tried this rainbow ice cream Kare picked out at the store. Tried to take an artsy photo, but this phone's camera hasn't been able to focus lately, so I got my yardwork in the background in focus.

After I finished my ice cream, Mom and Skye came back from Home Depot and I was relieved of my babysitting duties. Finally was able to go take a bath, and try out my new kojic acid soap.

It was really nice. Lathered really well, and combined with the washcloth to exfoliate, got me super squeaky clean, which was good because I was covered in dirt from the yardwork. Was hard to see it, but I could feel its presence, and the water was brown when I washed my hands earlier.

Kinda wished the soap smelled like oranges or something, because it just would've been such a lovely addition to the watermelon bubble bath (smelled like the Jolly Ranchers) and the apple shampoo.

I got out of the bathroom and finished getting dressed around six hours later, around midnight, because despite the blisters hurting in hot water, that was relaxing as Hell.

And then, while I intermittently put on lotion and ate my burger, because Mom grilled earlier, I noticed that it felt weird to swallow, and I had swollen red patches on my arms, where they're usually very dry and stretch-marky. I also noticed that my hands looked deathly pale compared to my arms, and there was also quite an obvious line where the red stopped near my wrists.

I thought it was hives, and looked up pics, and yeah, that's exactly what hives are (along with the thing that happens when you scratch yourself and it shows up, apparently). Did a little more research, because I like to read, but before I knew it, it was also getting kinda difficult to take deep breaths, and I started looking for the children's allergy tablets on top of the fridge. Mom walked in and asked what I was looking for, and I told her, and she told me not to use the soap again.

I left it on my face for ten minutes as a mask when I first got it, and washed my hands with it twice, and I was fine, so it was all kinda confusing. For a bit, I wondered if it somehow reacted with the soap left on my wrists from when I washed up for ice cream, but was still puzzled because I thought that line was up higher. Mom just thought that since that part of my arms are sensitive and not used to a lot of stuff, the kojic acid was kinda harsh on them, and that I started having a panic attack when I saw the redness. I told her that panic attacks don't make it difficult for me to swallow, and I know because I've had them before, and she said they're different every time. She opened the tablets for me because I was having trouble, and told me to drink lots of water.

That night, I dreamed I was fucking with kojic acid some more, and literally melted off parts of my teeth. I'm 20 and don't have nightmares, but I think that was the first time I've ever been scared in a dream.

When I woke up, I was fine, except I felt a little like garbage. Which usually means I'm dehydrated, so Mom was right about the water. I also woke up late, so I missed my Japanese class, but I figured it was okay given the circumstances.

I thought about the situation more through the day, and realized at some point that the weirdly-crisp line between deathly pale hands and red arms was exactly where my new work gloves cut off.

Don't spend hours in the sun doing yard work and then use kojic acid, apparently. You're just torturing your skin cells.

Also, since I spent such a long time sitting in weak kojic acid water, my hands basically got a mild chemical peel. Comparing them to my face, they weren't any more pale than normal. They were just dry as Hell, and mildly peeled for the next few days. Which was annoying, since little peelies make it seem as though my hands were rough, but at least it's done now as I type.

I actually got to try the trampoline for the first time that Monday though, so I guess the whole weekend wasn't a total bust. Slathered on a ton of sunscreen first though, because duh, kojic acid. Skye and Xan asked a couple times while I was putting it on if I was even gonna come out, and I told them I was.

The trampoline was fun for a few, but I think I've had my fun. Mostly just walked around and hung out.

Mom said something about going back to Home Depot for more potting soil, and since I was already sunscreened up, I asked if I could go. I like actually getting out of the house.

Ended up not going, which was disappointing. Mom said we'd go the next day.

Surprise, we didn't. I watched some Gravity Falls and hung out with Skye. I think that was the day we went for a walk around the neighborhood because the air was nice and cool in the evening and I wanted an excuse to wear my new green and pink mask. I carried Roxie in my arms in her little jacket because I felt like bringing her with, and a neighbor kid said she liked my dog.

Wednesday, Mom banged a pot against the breakfast bar to get something out of it, right over Roxie's crate. And when I asked her not to get garbage in her crate that I work hard to keep clean, she looked me right in the eyes and said "can you not bitch at me right now" and left to go get Bry from his Dad.

I dare her to complain to me about anything when I'm in a rush. I'll use that line right back at her, and not stay and listen and make myself late to humor her like I usually do.

She came home with Bry, and more potting soil. She went out without me. And had the nerve to make a shit-ton of noise coming through the door as well, probably talking about what she did at the store. While I was in class. Good thing I was muted, but still. These headphone aren't noise-canceling, so I had a hard time fully hearing my teacher. I pushed them in all the way, and covered my ears over them, but that only helped minimally.

I was already annoyed at the pot thing, having to put Xan's school mess on the floor to use the desk because he never put any of it away, missing class on Monday and falling asleep during it last Wednesday, and having to stand the laptop against the printer to use the "back" keyboard camera because Mom broke the front camera by throwing the laptop on the ground, so the noise on top of it all kinda ticked me off. I'm proud of myself for keeping my cool in the moment, but seriously? She wants us to pretty much not talk at all when Xan's in class, but she does this to me?

After class, Skye informed me that Mom would get louder in her talking every time I answered a question in class, like I was trying to interrupt her or something. She hates when I get loud when people try to interrupt me, but I guess it's okay if she does it?? Because being a mom apparently means being some kind of overlord of the house that you must respect no matter what??

I'm sick of this household.