Dog days of summer

"We put our sunscreen on this morning!
Too bad it won't prevent the 3-inch deep
road rash and head wounds we'll suffer
when we wreck this scooter because there
are too many of us on it -- oh, fiddlesticks,
sunscreen hasn't been invented yet.
WE'RE SCREWED!"

Being a fair-skinned, natural redhead, admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of the summer months. Despite my careful attention to the matter most of the time, on more than one occasion our ever-present, glowing ember in the sky has bitch-slapped me with unflattering and unhealthy burns. Also, the heat in the summer. I'm a Colorado Native and grew up in the coldest room in my parent's house. These days, I'm totally fine sleeping with the windows open in 30-degree weather.

OK, what's your point, Scooter Lass? I'm getting there, patient and gentle reader. Aside from the whole giving and sustaining life thing that I can totally gel with, there is one reason I welcome the sun in the summer months: scooting. As bad-ass as I feel being able to boast scooting a couple miles in 20-degree, snowy weather, the truth is: IT SUCKS. As you can only imagine (and then triple it, freeze it, break it into a million pieces, and cry a lot).

So, yes...the summer is coming, and I've already enjoyed my 35-mile round-trip scooter commute to work several times. Without thoughts of, "the cold may just murder me in the heart with ice shards any second now," I'm free to look around, watch the trees bloom, smell the smells of the city (pot... mostly pot...), and generally enjoy myself on the scooter again.

Now, summer is kinda cool and all for the outdoors aspect, but heed one warning...

Scooter Lass's important public service announcement for summer: For the love of God and universe and Buddha and whatever the hell you believe in, WEAR YOUR DAMN SUNSCREEN. Here's why:

1. It's not that expensive. 
2. It takes about five minutes to put on in the morning.
3. Vanity appeal: It keeps the wrinkles at bay.
4. Super vanity appeal: People who wear sunscreen are SEXY (it's written on the label).
5. And, kinda most importantly, it SAVES YOUR LIFE. I mean it. One of our close family friends who used to tan all the time died from complications of melanoma in the spinal region -- it took her fast and furious. And very painfully. This is a completely preventable death! Don't be stupid.
6. Don't be stupid (that one bears repeating).

And, by the way, thank you Mama Scooter Lass for making me wear sunscreen, hat, and a turtleneck (yes -- a turtleneck) over my bathing suit at the beach when I was wee. I was embarrassed, impatient, and ticked at the time, but now having people think I'm at least five years younger these days is really kind of nice. Yeah, I said it.

In conclusion: Scoot safe! Sunscreen up! Don't be stupid! Wear a turtleneck at the beach and LIKE IT! Now, you tell me: what excites you most about summer?