Bula, Blogcatters! I’m here to propose a brilliant invention that would forever alter the course of history.
I recently went to Fiji on my honeymoon, and much of our time was spent relaxing on the beach, laying by the pool, playing tennis, jet-skiing, and going on waterfall hikes. Given that it was 85° and sunny 13 of the 14 days we were there, The Kid got tanner than I’ve ever been in my life. It was glorious.
Yet, as one of the whitest kids you know, I was fairly terrified the entire time that I was going to get burnt. We went through 5 bottles of sunscreen in 2 weeks, so it wasn’t as if we weren’t being careful, but I was still anxious. Sun screen can only do so much when you’re outdoors for hours, in and out of the water, laying directly in the sun. And considering we had days and days of this sun-soaked dynamic, the last thing I wanted was to get toasted early on and then not be able to enjoy the weather for the rest of the trip.
The root of the issue is that, although it’s nice to pick up some color, it’s difficult to determine just how much color you’ve picked up until after the fact. You can start to feel it a bit in the moment, but usually at that point you’ve already started to burn. By the time you know, it’s already too late.
So you know what this world needs?
That’s right! A tanning thermometer and pop up timer! We have them for turkeys – so why not us?
The closest thing to this I could find out there is a wristband that changes color based on how much sun it’s been exposed to, but that’s only a simulation. That doesn’t take into account how your own individual body is reacting, or whether you might have missed that one spot on your back.
So: Get on it, engineers! The world needs your help – and more importantly, so do I.