Look, I may be reaching the bottom of the barrel of ideas here, but upon looking at some new photos that I took, I realized that just because something looks gross, does not mean that it is gross.

Here are some illustrations.

And remember, as always, you have the option of point and click to exit this insanity at your earliest convenience.

First I give you The Fried Green Tomato.

When I was a kid down in East Texas, someone made these occasionally. At the time, I felt that my 10 year old self just might barf if someone ever got me within 2 feet of any sort of tomato. Oh, I was a good kid and tried it, red and fried green, but I thought nothing had ever tasted so disgusting. With the exception of hominy. My mother made this occasionally and I gagged that all the way down.

It’s true that your taste buds mature as you do. For instance, I never thought I’d wear jeans that weren’t tight rolled, but surprise! surprise! the bottoms of all my pants are a-flappin’ in the wind these days.

So now, not only do I grow tomatoes, I actually eat them. And one day, I saw another blog yappin’ about Fried Green Tomatoes, and I got a hankerin’ and rushed out to pick some and make the old Southern Favorite.

I just about passed out right there. I ate three tomato’s worth. By myself.

And as you can see, I tried my hand at the ever-so-popular food photography, and I’m not sure it translates the utter euphoria that I experienced when I took that bite on the fork.

But I assure you, it was not gross.

Speaking of tomatoes, here’s another shot.

It’s a little blurry. Ever so sorry. But you can see that gross, oozing split, right? But I’m sure that past all that, it tastes fine. Personally, I’m not eating that one. So that’s where the analogy breaks up. Except that when I saw this poor little guy, I felt we had something in common.

Do you ever have days when you feel split with all your ooze seeping out along with some seeds? I sure do.

And perhaps one of the grossest things in my possession.

I’ve mentioned it before. Me and my hair have not had a good go of it. From about third grade to 7th, this was the standard for my school pictures.

Thank you Big Yellow School Bus With All The Blessed Windows Down.

It pains me to show you this. But in the interest of illustrating a universal truth, I realized I had to break out the big guns.

True, to look at this image may make you a little yellow and green and unable to finish your lunch, but the girl inside was not gross. True, I had some gross habits, that for the most part I have grown out of. But deep down I was charming and innocent, zany and thoughtful, and occasionally had a good hair day.

I just don’t have the pictures to prove it.

So let this be a lesson to all you First Impressions Count Judges. Don’t judge a tomato by it’s cover.