Penguins & Moisturizer

This morning I waited for my bus for 8 minutes. On most days that isn't too long but considering the official weather at the time was 24 degrees (but felt like 17) it was a long and harrowing 8 minutes. It was so cold and the wind was making my eyes water so I had tears running down my face and maybe boogers too but I couldn't tell about the boogers because my nose and upper lip were frozen so I couldn't feel them if they were creeping out. I bet my fellow bus companions were thinking "Is that crazy woman crying because the bus is late?" Indeed, you could say I was crying because the bus was late.

I've also made it a habit to slather moisturizer on my face lest I turn into a leathery-faced Clint Eastwood type. Last year at Debbie's Christmas party I met a really nice woman who used to live in Texas but relocated to San Francisco. The first thing she said to me was, "OH! Your skin! It looks so youthful and healthy!" all the while analyzing every pore on my face and then with a wistful sigh she said, "Oh, I'm sure I would have aged so differently if we stayed in Texas". For some reason this woman's very casual comment is forever emblazoned in my memory and now I have a complete fear of living in dry climate where my skin will surely shrivel up like a prune if I don't take serious precautions. Maybe I should bump it up a notch and make sure every morning begins with a thick Vaseline mask to prep my face for the abuse ahead. What a scary sight that would be....here comes Vaseline face!

If you haven't seen the movie March of the Penguins I highly recommend it. I'm such animal person though so I love anything that has to do with animals that have even a remote sense of personality. And I have learned by watching this movie that penguins have an AMAZING personality and sense of family (at least with their family the year they breed). Ok, I know you're laughing but...they do!

Anyway, watch the movie....my point is that the Emperor penguins in this movie survive harsh winters in Antarctica where the temperature is 80 degrees BELOW zero. How insane is that?! It's a mystery to me how the penguins don't just freeze solid instantly. Maybe they could use a Vaseline mask....hmmmm. So all that to say -- it makes me feel better that it's only 17 degrees in Phila and I don't have to huddle with my head tucked down in a crowd of people at the bus stop to brace against the wind....that's what the penguins do. Thank goodness I am no penguin. But if I were a penguin you can bet I'd be a highly moisturized one :)

We're settling in for a cozy night. It's supposed to snow!