Shake and bake

So this week I did something I never thought I'd do. Something that goes against everything I believe in when it comes to health and basic common sense. And that something is ... indoor tanning.

Really. I'm going to Mexico next week and I didn't want to be a total slave to the SPF 45 and the beach umbrella and the heavy robe and helmet and space goggles. So I found this tanning place that, at least according to yelp, is clean, professionally staffed and as conscientiously run as such a thing can be. And the experience has borne out my choice. 

The choice of places, that is. Not necessarily the choice to tan. But I've gone on three visits, with two to go. We've got some really moderate goals. The first day I was on the bed for just 5 minutes. And today was 7. I'm not burning, which is good. And I have no intention of keeping it up after next week, due to the obvious health consequences.

At the same time, though, I have to say it's making me feel pretty good. In a couple of ways. One is probably just psychological, or just the good feeling of being truly warm for a few minutes. Or just maybe, as the tanning guy says, it has something to do with the Vitamin D. But I don't know if you can get that from the artificial rays.

No, what's really making me feel better is, the sun is actually good for my skin -- or my kind of skin. That's an actual medical fact and I do always feel better in the summer. And this is working the same magic. Again, it's the old trade-off -- short-term relief from near-intolerable discomfort in exchange for long-term, possibly debilitating health consequences. 

Such a deal!