Turn a flakier shade of pale

I did my best to stave off the inevitable skin peel -- and not the chemical kind that you pay lots of money for at the spa. The sunburn simply was too much for the back of my neck and shoulders. I might have done enough to avoid significant peeling on my face and arms. That's crucial because I can cover up my peeling shoulders well enough. Should be back to normal in another day or two.

In other news, it's time to start getting excited about Harry Potter again. We're a month out from the release of the fifth film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. And later in July, we've got the release of the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. So, now is the time to bust out the first four DVDs for a pre-movie screening. Or crack open Book 6, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, to catch you up on where the series has left off. Or fire up your iPod to listen to the downloaded book on CD that you may or may not have illegally. Now's the time.

And if you, for some reason, need a little help becoming excited, here's a little reminder: