As a former Utahn transplanted to the Midwest, I’d like to take a moment to warn you non-Utahns about this pretty little state I used to call home and the one Loralee currently resides in.

(By the way, my name is Casey, I call a little blog moosh in indy. my home, hi, how are you?)

First of all, don’t let all the snow fool you. Utah is a desert. Utah is a desert that will suck your skin of any and all moisture it possesses within moments of your arrival. Bring lotion and slather liberally.

Second. Salt Lake is very high in altitude. This means two things. Less oxygen and you’re closer to the sun. Which means you will huff and puff up every flight of stairs no matter how fast you can run a mile at sea level and you will burn to a crisp much quicker. Bring a bottle of water and sunscreen, drink and slather liberally.

Third. There is an enormous lake thataway. It’s called the Great Salt Lake. It’s really salty. Don’t go in it after you have shaved and be aware that when conditions are just right there is something called “Lake Stink.” And trust me, it’s a whole new kind of stink.

Fourth. Want to move here? Just know it’s really bloody expensive. The house I grew up in was bought in 1981 for $40K. It sold in 1998 for $189K. Today? $500K. Ridiculous.

Fifth. Drivers. Utah drivers are stupid, idiotic, psychotic, insane, aggressive, rude, impolite and most of them drive large overpriced SUV’s. Driving in Utah is not for the faint of heart. Be prepared to honk and flip off liberally. Seriously, before I come I have to spend an entire day readying myself for the death derby on Utah’s roads.

Sixth. If you eat outside in Utah, especially a sandwich, it will be turned to toast in a matter of moments. Dry air + soft bread = See dry skin reference in numero uno.

Lastly. Utah is pretty. Both in people and surroundings.

Forbes names Salt Lake City the vainest city in the nation. No doubt. Plastic surgery billboards are everywhere. Everywhere. And it’s just not fair to the rest of the country how pretty Utah is. (Well, the top and bottom of Utah at least, I’ve still never learned to embrace that whole sagebrush thing going on in the middle.) So be prepared for pretty, but don’t look too long or that soccer mom in the Escalade with run. you. over.

Thank you for taking time to learn about this state from someone who knows best. A native. And if you could let me know about any other states crazy drivers I should watch out for I’d appreciate it. But I doubt anyone has worse drivers than Utah. Seriously.

Good news though? Lots of pretty things to look at in your sideview mirrors while the PTA president on her cell phone in the Lexus SUV is chewing you out.

**Edited to correct linky stupidity on my part!
Sweetney formed a Flickr group called “Truthiness in Self-Portraits”.

Basically? Point and click when you aren’t glammed up, primped, curled, powdered and pressed and let people see “You”.

I mainly lurk at Sweetney, but when the awesome Mrs. Flinger slapped her photo up, I thought strongly about participating. When two of my crushiest of blog crushes posted their morning glam for the internet I knew that I was going to be a big, fat lemming and participate.

Personally, I don’t mind having touched up self-portraits of myself on my blog. However, I also have thousands of grody “ACK!” photographs for every shot that is so pretty or amazing that it makes me want to make out with myself, so I think it is a good thing that the un-gussied up me should be brought to the surface from time to time.

So, here you go:

I took this photo a couple of months ago before I got my hair dyed and cut for the King and I. I am fresh out of bed with no make-up.

I know that my mouth isn’t showing and that this isn’t the worst photo I’ve ever taken. It’s not a bad photo at all, actually, (that would be this one) but there is a very specific reason that I chose it. For one, I actually do roll out of bed like this a lot of the time and for another, this photo illustrates one of the flaws that bugs me the most.

No, it’s not my nose (Although, that is something that bugs me. It’s large and crooked from being broken.)

It’s…

My forehead.

Or shall I say, the vast canyons that are running across my forehead. I don’t have crows feet, a double chin or laugh lines. What my super-special aging trait is giving me is the strong resemblance to a bassett hound with each progressing year.

I don’t play around with photoshop all that often. Usually I just use correct levels, etc. I DO use the clone stamp if I have an unseemly zit or cold sore, but the thing that I fix on my photos the MOST is my forehead lines. (Well, that and I often “Wax” my eyebrows if I am channeling Burt from Sesame Street.)

Don’t get me wrong, I do NOT feel like I need to wear a bag over my head. I think I’m definitely ok looking. We ALL have our “Things” and looking like a hound dog with a biggish-nose is mine.

So? Do you have a thing or feature you do or would photoshop and correct if you could?

**OOPS! I didn’t realize I was supposed to linky! Check out these other babes in the morning:

HBM
Sweetney
Breed ‘Em & Weep
Missus Mamalogues
Mrs. Flinger
Ms. MotherBumper
Izzy
OTJ
Loralee
CamiKaos
Petroville
Redneck