Weeks Twenty-One and Twenty-Two: February 7th to 20th

Welcome to the hidden reality of bearding:

Larger and shaggier beards, though truly awe-inspiring and, perhaps, envy-producing, make people uneasy. At least most people feel even more free to say things they would never ordinarily say to people.

Phase One:
"So, you're really letting that thing grow out, huh?"

"Huh, that beard's getting pretty long."

"Wow, I haven't seen a beard worn like that before."

Phase Two:
"So, are you planning to shave that thing?"

"That's a pretty long beard. When are you gonna shave it?"


Phase Three:
"OK, so that beard--you must be getting pretty tired of it now, huh?"

"Wow, that is some beard, doesn't it drive you crazy?"

"That's what you are wearing on your face?"

"Um, yeah, I think it's time to shave. that thing!"

Yes, but you see, the thing is, when you spend this much time cultivating the facial moss-mat like this, you get to enjoy it as much as you might a good pair of socks or favorite shirt, and I can attest that it is at least as warm as the good socks, and not nearly as holey as that shirt. Plus, whereas things of mine, like wardrobe items, that would once qualify as "best," because of their particularly ratty, ragged, or holey attributes, seem to disappear in the loads of laundry that I don't get to before my wife. I have no fear that I will wake up freshly-shorn because she actually enjoys, promotes, and endorses this entire project. And this despite the most frequently-uttered comment/question: "So, you're wife must be getting pretty tired of that..." OR "Well, how does your wife like that?" OR "Sure, you like it, but what does your wife think of it?"

However long this beard lasts, and it will be at least until the end of this school year/beginning of the Summer, it won't disappear because of public peer pressure, nor because of my wife asking me to get rid of it. Count on it!