Will I be more S or P?

I'm taking bets!

Seriously, though, I AM taking a poll:

Will I be more SALT or more PEPPER?
	Salt/Gray
	Pepper/Brown
pollcode.com free polls

It's still hard to tell...

Here are a few picks so far:

So, whadya think???

I dyed my hair for years, the first time as a college sophomore when, after getting my first REALLY short cut - punk style - my hairdresser noted the quarter-sized white/gray spot in the back of my head!

"WHAT the...???" I exclaimed.  

As it turned out, this was an early manifestation of the vitiligo (click link) that I've dealt with most of my adult life - thanks much, family genes!

This is the autoimmune disease/condition (I prefer the latter) Michael Jackson suffered with and, while my natural skin tone was pretty dark - for a white girl ;-) - I can't imagine what he went through as a teen idol!  Lest you doubt this explanation for his hats, glove, plastic surgeries (so he didn't look so oddly black with white skin), depigmentation, and umbrella, take a look at what vitiligo DOES (click link).

Here's a pic of my first leg "spots" (on my knees):

The result of my own body attacking my melanin as if it was foreign (the nature of autoimmune diseases such as celiac - attacks the intestines when gluten is ingested [I have this too, as do 2 cousins and our late grandfather], and type 1diabetes - attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas [precious daughter has this, as do the same 2 cousins, another cousin, and our late grandfather).

As this FUN adventure in body changes continued (much more rapidly after the birth of precious daughter), I tried body makeup, which only ended up getting on carpets and clothing :/

My students used to get a little freaked out, especially when my hands became spotty, looking like I had something that might be contagious - lol.  But, seriously, I feel for children who have to deal with this - at least I was an adult!
Not that it didn't bother me, mind you!

While dye worked for my hair, I used a ton of full-coverage makeup once it hit my face.

As it got progressively harder to cover up, and my body became more and more vulnerable to the sun (melanin's a protector), I had to drastically change my summer way of life.  Some of you reading this will remember how, even in February, I could lay out in the sun and get a good tan in 30 minutes 8)
No lie!!!

So, I started buying sun protective clothing, STRONG sunblock, and some really attractive swimwear:

~LOL~

I saw a specialist about 5 years ago, to ask him about total depigmentation (a la MJ - :mj ).  At the time I had very little pigment left, but it was in aggravatingly visible places - my lower legs, my shoulders, and my back.  He studied my body under special lights (which make vitiligo "glow"), turned to his assistant and smiled - then turned to me, with a laugh, "This is amazing!  You're so fortunate..."  Not that the disease condition is benign, but that I'd naturally (without the poisonous depigmenting chemicals) lost most of my pigment and looked "...quite normal!"  No, he wouldn't depigment the rest of my body, but sent me away feeling much better, blessed in a way :angel

So, after about 30 years of this self-attacking (the last 15 or so being the most aggressive), here's what's left:

Dark areas are my original skin coloring - having been out of the sun for 10+ years

But I digress...

Back to the HAIR issue!  My FIRST saltiness was vitiligo-induced, my more recent trend is just age ;)

I'm thinking more S at this point, but we'll have to wait a few more weeks to know for sure!!!

OH!!!  And here's an exciting thing - I got a Fit Bit Flex for my birthday last year, but didn't REALLY get to use it b/c...  well, you know, my life took a bit of a meander!

Put it on yesterday and MET MY GOAL of 10,000 steps :e

Of course some of those "steps" may have been the active gesturing I do when teaching ;)