White legs in the wintertime

Unless you've visited a tropical island (jealous) or a tanning salon (tsk tsk) recently, chances are your legs are looking a little "pasty" by mid-December. I just got back from a trip to Michigan for Tim's brother's wedding, where I decided to wear a new LBD and peep-toe pumps despite the fact that it was 18 degrees and snowing. Usually I wear tights with dresses and skirts when it's freezing out, but when it comes to a semi-formal wedding or holiday party, there are times when I'm faced with the inevitable: baring my white legs in public.

Of all my body parts, I have always been most self conscious of my legs--especially without a tan. I toyed with the idea of buying some Jergens self tanner, but ultimately decided against it. If nothing else, it was a good reminder that even I sometimes fall prey to vanity and the peer pressure to maintain a tan year round. When I see even my friends continue to tan (even the UV-free kind) I can't help but wonder what they think of me and my white legs. After all, unlike some of my other silly worries (e.g., Is everyone staring at the zit on my chin?), people have made comments about my legs. They did it when I was in 8th grade and they've continued to do it since I was diagnosed with skin cancer. I admit that my legs look smoother and slimmer with a tan than without, but I also realize that my health is more important than how thin my thighs look. I just hate that I sometimes still feel like I should be hiding beneath closed-toed shoes, tights, and leggings.

What about you? Do you bare your legs in the winter?

Winter is coming: cold weather essentials

Please pardon the double entendre. I just finished book four in the Game of Thrones series, and it's true! Winter really is coming. Here are a few of my cold-weather favorites.

Winter is coming by katielise

Burberry earmuffs
Not a hat person? Me neither. Earmuffs are great for keeping warm sans hat hair. I have a pair I found on clearance at JCrew that I love, but I wouldn't mind a pair of these from Burberry. A girl can dream, right?

OPI glitter nail polish
Throughout the month of December, I keep my manicure festive with a coat of silver or gold glitter over my regular nail color. It's a foolproof way to add a little sparkle to your look.

Dr. Jart BB Cream with SPF 25
Just because it's cold outside doesn't mean you can ditch the sunscreen. Every morning, I use a moisturizer with sunscreen to protect against sun damage and premature aging. Feeling lazy? A BB cream with SPF built in keeps skin hydrated, protected, and helps even skin tone. This one is super moisturizing and the coverage is light enough that it works with my fair skin tone.

L'Occitane hand cream
My skin gets extremely dry in the winter, and my cuticles are a lost cause. I love this super-rich hand cream so much that I keep a tube of it on my desk at work.

JCrew cashmere infinity scarf
Earlier this fall, my friend hosted a scarf exchange. A solid 90 percent of scarves exchanged were "infinity scarves"--and with good reason. They're warm, stylish, and comfy.

Peppermint hot chocolate
The ultimate winter-time beverage. Reminds me of being a kid, in a good way.

Shop Barnes & Noble to support melanoma research, Nov. 22-24

Get started on your holiday shopping early! Now through Sunday, November 24, 2013, a percent of proceeds from your purchase at Barnes & Noble supports AIM at Melanoma's efforts to find a cure for melanoma.

Barnes & Noble Bookfair

In-Store & Online across the U.S.

November 22-24, 2013

Purchase Books, Nooks, DVDs, CDs, Toys & More

% of purchase supports AIM's efforts to find the CURE for melanoma

In-Store Shopping

Present Voucher or Provide #11197969 to Cashier

Click Here to Print Voucher

Online Shopping

Visit BN.com/Bookfair
Enter #11197969 at Checkout

Quarter-life crisis, pt. 2

 "You are your own worst enemy. If you can learn to stop expecting impossible perfection, from yourself and others, you may find the happiness that has always eluded you." -Lisa Kleypas

"Guilt: the gift that keeps on giving." -Emma Bombeck

In 2008, I faced a textbook case of quarter-life crisis-itis. My dream of becoming a writer in NYC was shattered after I spent three months interning in the publishing industry and didn't love it. Was it glamorous? Sort of. Was it meaningful? Not in the way I had hoped.

Ultimately, I decided to move back to my hometown of Portland, Oregon (free rent!) and "temped" with a variety of companies until I figured out what I wanted to do with my life. I spent time at a finance company, a small creative agency, and a nonprofit before ending up at my current employer--OHSU--in January 2010. What I appreciate about my job is that I've had the potential for growth, and my boss has been incredibly supportive of my extracurricular activities--from planning countless fundraising events to traveling to DC to review grants like I did earlier this week.

If you're a regular reader, you may have noticed that I've been a bit quieter than usual over the past few months. I've been super busy reviewing grants, planning bachelorette parties, and taking online classes, but I've also been doing some serious self reflection. I've been calling it quarter-life crisis: part two.

Last spring, I accomplished more in the realm of melanoma education and advocacy than I had ever hoped--I helped raise $40,000 for melanoma research and got to meet our governor who thanked me for sharing my story about melanoma and tanning beds.

When I started this blog, I admit, I had some selfish motivations: I still felt like I was the one who gave myself cancer and that I didn't deserve to be as "lucky" as I have been. Every time I log onto Facebook, I see posts from friends who are dealing with brain metastasis or who have lost a loved one to melanoma. It kills me to see this, especially when I'm still hearing so many people brush off skin cancer like it's no big deal. My motivation for blogging, for planning the Portland Melanoma Walk, and for sharing my story on as many public forums as possible, has been driven largely in part by good old-fashioned guilt. And, I'm actually very pleased to report, that at some point over the past six months or so, that guilt has finally lifted. Somehow, by serving this sort of self-imposed penance, I have come to terms with what happened to me, and I don't blame myself any more.

What does that mean? It's taken months for me to put this into words, and I'm still a little unsure. As I mentioned, I've been doing a lot of reflection on what my next steps should be in life. While I've wanted to go back to school to pursue a master's degree for a while, up until recently, I felt like there was something holding me back. I'm still not 100% certain what direction I want my life to take, but it may or may not involve a bit of a break from melanoma advocacy. Rest assured, I'm still organizing the Portland Melanoma Walk this spring (May 31, 2014 - save the date!), and I plan to continue blogging, but I don't want melanoma to get in the way of my life any more than it already has.

Thank you to all of you who have been so supportive of me throughout this journey. Several of you I've had a chance to meet with in person, but for those of you I only know "virtually," your kind words and support still mean more to me than you know.

Infographic: Know your skin

I'm back! ...kind of. Still working away until my trip to DC next week. In the meantime, someone sent me this infographic on how to spot a melanoma. I'm mildly obsessed with infographics, and I think this one does a really great job of distinguishing different types of skin spots.

View the full size infographic.

Mini break

Just a heads up that I'll probably be a bit MIA over the next few weeks. I'm in the midst of an intense grant review and much of my free time is being consumed by that.

One quick update before I sign off: our Portland Melanoma Walk planning committee just started meeting again. If you live in the Pacific Northwest and you'd like to get involved in any way, send me an email at katie@prettyinpale.org.

Take care!

Review: My Berry Organics Antioxidant Wild Blueberry Moisturizing Face Creme

When Rebecca Webster from My Berry Organics approached me to try one of her antioxidant skin care products, I couldn't resist. I have so much fun trying new things, especially those that are good for your skin. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals that are produced by sun exposure and environmental pollutants. I've been seeing antioxidants more and more in skin care products lately. While it's probably better to eat a handful of blueberries than to slather them all over your face, it probably doesn't hurt to add antioxidants to your skin care regimen, too.

My Berry Organics Wild Blueberry Moisturizing Face Creme $39 for 2 oz.
First impression: This lotion smells amazing. Exactly like fresh blueberries, but not in a fake or weird way like some blueberry-scented products (I'm thinking of this shave cream). It's made with fresh fruit, so you can actually see tiny specks of blueberry skin in the lotion. The lotion is relatively light weight, which makes it suitable for day or night. When I use it as a night cream I usually layer it with a serum, though, because my skin is so dry. After using this lotion for two weeks, my only real complaint is that I just wish it came in a jar instead of a bottle! The squeeze bottle design doesn't offer as much control as a jar or a pump, so sometimes I dispensed more of the product than I needed. This is super important to me if I'm spending $20 per ounce on face lotion. Otherwise, I'm really enjoying using this lotion and I appreciate that its owner is spreading awareness about skin cancer.

Learn more about My Berry Organics.

Disclaimer: I received this product for free in exchange for providing a review. Opinions contained in this post are my own.