Pale or Tan?

[Stray Cat]

I'm a "less words, more action" person when it comes to insults. So, in order not to behave like a 4 year old version of me (push the insulter into the nearest mud on the road) I have to swallow it and smile. Some might find it to be a graceful way to part one's ways with I-put-my-nose-in-your-business people.

But, if you've got some catchy phrases.. do share.
(I used to say: "Oh, yes.. since I have Xeroderma pigmentosum, my doctor ordered me to AVOID sun shine.".. and they'd believe it) lol

 

[C-dot]

But, if you've got some catchy phrases.. do share.

Depends on what kind of mood I'm in, or what my relationship with the commentator is. These are all real exchanges:

Rude Person: "Wow, you're so white you look like a vampire."
Me: "You should have seen my wicked incisors before I had them filed."

RP: "I would hate being that white. You should get a tan."
Me: "I would hate having [insert one of their attributes], so I guess a tan can't fix everything."

RP: "Ahh! Your skin is so bright, it burnt my eyes!"
Me: "That isn't fair. I look at your hairstyle without screaming."

RP: "Jeez, you really need some sunlight. Do you ever leave the house?"
Me: "Only when I feel I can stomach people like you, so no, not often."

RP: "Hehe, you're white and have red hair. You're a ginger."
Me: "Isn't it awful? My lawyer says we can sue Canada Dry for millions!"

And this one had to be the best:

Arrogant Guy: "If you weren't so white, you'd be really hot."
Me: (Scrutinizes him hard)
AG: "What are you looking at?"
Me: "I was looking for what it is that makes me hate you. While I'm tanning, I'll write you a list."

 

[Stray Cat]

Mwahahahahaaa! lol
They are all great!

 

[Tomasso]

many people obviously did go to the beach, but it's another matter as to how often, for what purpose, and if a summer-long tan was the result ..

They probably went as often as they could, to cool off, relax and socialize. How often they went and how long they stayed would determine their tan but since this was pre-sunblock there must have been some seriously tanned people running around.

And how about those who were landlocked, which was the majority of the population? .

Well, I would bet that most of the population in the interior had relatively easy access to a lake or river. Certainly the major cities (most situated on lakes or rivers) but even small towns like, say...Dixon (Illinois) had a beach on the Rock River. Don't you think the lifeguards at Lowell Park liked to get a nice tan.......maybe they even liked it so much that they moved to California.

 

[Stray Cat]

Handsome young man, if I may notice.

 

[Widebrim]

They probably went as often as they could, to cool off, relax and socialize. How often they went and how long they stayed would determine their tan but since this was pre-sunblock there must have been some seriously tanned people running around.

I'm sure that there were some seriously tanned people running around, but my point was that getting tanned was not a main goal of city women the same way it is today.

Well, I would bet that most of the population in the interior had relatively easy access to a lake or river. Certainly the major cities (most situated on lakes or rivers) but even small towns like, say...Dixon (Illinois) had a beach on the Rock River. Don't you think the lifeguards at Lowell Park liked to get a nice tan.......maybe they even liked it so much that they moved to California.

Nice photo of Ronnie. Yeah, life guards then, just like today, did get nice tans, but that was due to their being surfside on an almost daily basis. Much different than going to the seaside (or lake or river) infrequently, as would have been the case with city dwellers in general.

 

[Tomasso]

my point was that getting tanned was not a main goal of city women the same way it is today.

I'll give you that. My point is that they enjoyed spending time in the sun and appreciated the resulting tan.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Depends on what kind of mood I'm in, or what my relationship with the commentator is. These are all real exchanges:

Rude Person: "Wow, you're so white you look like a vampire."
Me: "You should have seen my wicked incisors before I had them filed."

RP: "I would hate being that white. You should get a tan."
Me: "I would hate having [insert one of their attributes], so I guess a tan can't fix everything."

RP: "Ahh! Your skin is so bright, it burnt my eyes!"
Me: "That isn't fair. I look at your hairstyle without screaming."

RP: "Jeez, you really need some sunlight. Do you ever leave the house?"
Me: "Only when I feel I can stomach people like you, so no, not often."

RP: "Hehe, you're white and have red hair. You're a ginger."
Me: "Isn't it awful? My lawyer says we can sue Canada Dry for millions!"

And this one had to be the best:

Arrogant Guy: "If you weren't so white, you'd be really hot."
Me: (Scrutinizes him hard)
AG: "What are you looking at?"
Me: "I was looking for what it is that makes me hate you. While I'm tanning, I'll write you a list."

:eeek:
Wow! Rough crowd up there! Or as Seinfeld would say, who are these people? While I suspect that pale complexions are a little less of the norm down here in the land of Surf and Sun, It would never occur to me in a million years to make comments of the nature of which you've been subjected to.

 

[C-dot]

:eeek:
Wow! Rough crowd up there! Or as Seinfeld would say, who are these people? While I suspect that pale complexions are a little less of the norm down here in the land of Surf and Sun, It would never occur to me in a million years to make comments of the nature of which you've been subjected to.

It gets me, too. I don't know whether its because of South Park, but young people have a real thing about "gingers." I had one friend who was quite pale and freckled with flaming orange hair, and when we went to an amusement park, he was pointed and laughed at many times! It wasn't just little kids either, it was teenagers and people in their early 20's. I was disgusted, and not just because I'm a "ginger" too - because nobody should be ridiculed for something they cannot control.

While I haven't had that kind of treatment, many people comment on my pale skin, either in the ways I wrote down or just "you're very pale." (Thanks, I hadn't noticed...) I don't understand why they think its okay to point it out to me, to make fun of me, or to tell me to change it, and I don't think I ever will.

 

[Tomasso]

And here I thought Canadians were a friendlier version of Americans........

 

[C-dot]

And here I thought Canadians were a friendlier version of Americans........

Maybe more polite, in that we apologize and thank everybody too much, but I don't know about friendly

 

[Octavia]

I prefer pale on myself. I don't wear spf whenever I go out, but if I go to the beach I'll use spf 100. :lol: My mom's Norwegian side keeps me pretty susceptible to burning, even though my dad gave me a touch of olive in my skin. I always agreed better with classic standards of beauty and found fair skin to be very feminine and beautiful. I've never gotten comments from strangers, but I've known people who find it ridiculous and kind of treat it like it's just a mental condition - like OCD or something. [huh] A lot of my friends agree that pale suits me better than tan, though, which I can always appreciate.

Edit: C-dot, I have to say your comeback post gave me a chuckle. Nice ones! But I still can't believe people would be so rude, wow.

 

[Stray Cat]

..or like a medical condition.. sickness of a sort, yes. What can you do..

 

[ciaolatina]

Pale, only because i hate sunburn and spray tanning always comes out orange...urgh!

 

[MikeBravo]

A friend of mine is of Armenian descent and grew up in Bulgaria. Armenians and Bulgarians are quite dark skinned and freckles are very rare over there

When he moved to Australia and got a girlfriend (of Scottish descent) with freckles. He loved them! Especially on her breasts lol

 

[Tomasso]

. He loved them! Especially on her breasts lol

Oh, so she had a habit of letting the girls loose in the sunshine, did she....

 

[MikeBravo]

Oh, so she had a habit of letting the girls loose in the sunshine, did she....

mmmmm Not sure about that one haha Probably from lazing by the pool

I think it was more in the upper area.

 

[Juliet]

C-dot,

this brings to mind my friend. She was in a larger company, and two ...well, excuse while I'm being rude - grilled chicken Barbies - were commenting to her that every woman should take care of herself, especially (?) be tanned. She replied - "Isn't it interesting, how you can get a tan, but can not grow brains?" lol

 

[C-dot]

C-dot,

this brings to mind my friend. She was in a larger company, and two ...well, excuse while I'm being rude - grilled chicken Barbies - were commenting to her that every woman should take care of herself, especially (?) be tanned. She replied - "Isn't it interesting, how you can get a tan, but can not grow brains?" lol

Your friend is my kind of woman I've never heard grilled chicken Barbies, I'm going to use that from now on!

 

[Juliet]

You know, the bronze grilled skin, badly bleached blond hair and PALE pink lips