About 10 years ago, when I was still working a network news producer, I was out in the field on some breaking news story when a producer from a local t.v. station came up to me. He told me that in his spare time he was the editor of a magazine and he thought it might interest me. Maybe I’d even like to contribute?
I was crazy busy trying to get my story fed to NYC, so I barely even looked up at him. When he tried to hand me the magazine, I asked him to stick it in my bag and said I’d take a look later.
That evening when I got back to my hotel I pulled the magazine out of my bag. It was a fetish magazine for men who like pale women. I kid you not. When he asked if I wanted to contribute he meant pictures. Pictures of my pale, pale, practically see-through skin.
Yup. That happened.
All of this is is by way of telling you that I am what one might call fair. And, if you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know that I am evangelical about wearing sun block every day of the year. The very first thing I do every morning — before I brush my teeth, even– is apply SPF 110 to every millimeter of my face from my hairline to my décolletage. I wear hats when I’m going to be outdoors for more than a few minutes. I eschew beach vacations.
I am careful.
And today, I am going to have a spot of skin cancer removed from my face.
This is not a huge deal. Luckily (because I am vain) it’s in my hair line by my right ear. It’s small and easily removable.
But here’s the thing: if I can get skin cancer, you can get skin cancer. FACT.
So wear sunscreen, damn it!
To flavor your pork belly, you can go old school with just salt and pepper or use your favorite bar-b-que rub or spice mixture. I used a tablespoon of sea salt, a teaspoon of coriander seeds and a teaspoon of fennel seeds. I just sort of bashed them roughly together with a mortar and pestle and then rubbed the mixed all over the belly, making sure to get it into all the little nooks and crannies.
