We have certain traditions on my family’s annual beach vacation. We always have a cornhole tournament. One night features a crab feast. In recent years, we have added a scavenger hunt for the children in the family.

This year, one of the irregular traditions I observe has returned. I got sunburn really bad, really fast.

As one of true Irish blood, I don’t really tan. I can get a darker tint to my skin, but you would never mistake me for one of the “jersey Shore” characters.

That crew tans so much, they almost turn orange. I get red after just a few hours in the sun.

We arrived around lunchtime on a Saturday and found a perfect beach scene. Family members who had arrived earlier staked out our location on the sand. The waves looked perfect.

Now that Bridget is a little older, I can take her out in the water more often. The opening day waves made it perfect – no big breakers and just enough activity to make it fun. Plus, the temperature could not have been more perfect.

We spent tons of time in the water, bobbing up and down, diving through a few waves and just soaking up the atmosphere of the best week of the year.

I had applied sunscreen at the beginning of the day, but didn’t really pay much attention to keeping up with that necessary task. Besides, I spent most of my time in the water. What could go wrong?

Somehow I forgot to notice that the bright sun beat down on myneck and shoulders all day. I can neither confirm nor deny that someone called me “Lobster Man” at some point the next day.

Even as a repsonsible (kind of) adult contributing (kind of) to society, I have trouble sometimes thinking about basic personal safety when I’m wrapped up in a fun activity. I’m not talking about driving recklessly or anything like that. I just don’t always remember to rehydrate in the heat or put on sunscreen at the beach.

I knew even before I left the beach that afternoon that I would get reacquianted with my old friend aloe vera. We have a bottle of the stuff that probably cost hundreds or thousands of plants their lives so I could sooth my skin since I’m a big dummy.

The aloe did the trick and made me feel better, but I had another six days ahead of me. I worried about what I would look like by the end of the week. I could accept a more regimented sunscreen application schedule, but I could not accept staying off the beach just because I got sunburn.

Eventually, I broke down and bought one of those new-fangled “surf shirts” which helps protect you from the sun. Technology has really come a long way to protect guys like me from having to look goofy by wearing a t-shirt into the water to protect the sunburn.

I appreciate when people come up with ideas that make my life a lot easier. The alternative would be actually remembering to put on sunscreen to protect myself. I don’t know if I can handle that responsibility on vacation.