Monday, November 17, 2008

Her father's daughter

I always hoped that TLM would be more like her dad than like me - tall, clever, confident and allergy-free. So far, she's fulfilling my wishes.

But there's a downside to the fact that she's so much like the boy (albeit smaller, female and Asiatic in colouring). The downside is that she burns really easily.

My brother and I have that classic Chinese ability to turn almost black with sun exposure.
The boy, who comes from original English stock, has skin so white it's almost blue. When it's slightly off-white, that's when you know he's got a tan.

TLM's skin is so white it's almost English. She burns a little if she spends time outdoors even if it's very overcast (when it's very overcast my skin doesn't even get out of bed). Yesterday afternoon she spent an hour at the park, mostly covered up but un-hatted because it was so windy. Not long after, she started exhibiting the symptoms of mild sunstroke (I, on the other hand, don't even have tan lines around my sunglasses; the boy was safely tucked away in his darkened study playing computer games).

It's a shame that TLM is so sun sensitive. On the other hand, it's way better than having eczema.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree eczema suck. Unfortunately, it does appear that you can develop a propensity to it much later in life (like in your 30s).

Watson Woodworth said...

I have that skin too.
And the girlfriend, who is light skinned but definately black, does make fun a little bit.
But I have more of a pink base than blue, must be the smidge if Irish in me.

Anonymous said...

I on the other hand have that classic Chinese skin that goes lobster red (if I forget to put sunscreen on), peels off in sheets like wallpaper, and then turns a lovely shade of brown. I try not to do this too often, of course, but it's obvious SPF30 sunblock is a myth.

Anonymous said...

I was thinking - you'll probably have to wait for a while to see if TLM inherits the 'intolerance to alcohol' thing (ie. drink alcohol, go red in face and spew).

Angela said...

Hopefully TLM doesn't mind hats very much.

I guess you have to keep sunblock around all year long

Violet said...

donnasoowho : thanks :-(

nigel:I'da thought that being Irish would make you blue-white too. There must be different shades of off-white all over the world, eh?

desiree: hmm...that happens to me if I get too much all at once. Maybe your sunblock was one of the brands that had to be withdrawn because it's SPF was a big fat lie?

donnasoowho: it'd be a shame if TLM gets that too. Though not a tragedy. She'd be muc less likely to become an alcoholic.

angela: TLM doesn't mind sunhats - especially her My Little Pony hat - but the wind often blows it off her head!

Anonymous said...

absolutely. And girls who don't drink alcohol are such cheap dates (and therefore, can make up for it by ordering more expensive food).

Watson Woodworth said...

I think the freckle gene turns pale-blue to pale-pink.