Growth

So this is the big beard. I've been letting it grow since we were in California, so that was what, August? Luckily this picture doesn't seem to show the grey hairs, though the camera was pointed right at many of them. They seem to be the hairs that don't fall out. Otherwise, other hairs seem to drop like leaves, and my work desk can have several of them. Still, the beard is so bushy that it doesn't seem to matter.

The longest hairs are somewhere around three inches in length, maybe a little longer, since they tend to curl and wave. Mostly they are thick and course and I've used more conditioner on the beard than I've ever used on my head. The whole thing is just about to need a full bottle of no-more tangles, as trying to run a comb through it is not only impossible, but painful.

You also should know that it's just this long at the front, like an extra long goatee, or perhaps it's just waiting to be braided like an Egyptian pharaoh. The sideburns are still relatively tame, though I have let them get a little wilder, lately. The grey patch seems to be running mostly on the left side of my face, so it's like I have a little racing stripe. It is more noticeable to me than anyone else, of course.

Believe it or not, I got hired by a financial company with this beard, but that was two months ago, so it's even crazier now. Today as I was coming back from lunch this guy started asking me about it, how long it took to grow, was it hot?, etc. He was cute, so I told him about it, of course. Not too many other people have talked to me about it, but it does get me noticed.

The question is how long do I keep it? I know as the temperature rises (heck, it will be 80 tomorrow) I'm not going to want to keep it. Personally, some of you on my list who have larger beards in hot places like Tucson or Atlanta, I don't know how you put up with it. Right now, it's already a mess, tangles and rough, and if I look down I see this mess of hairs there. I don't even know how to keep it properly trimmed, as it's a big bush. Luckily it's stayed roughly symmetrical.

It's odd though Chris seems to like to play with it. I've got to keep the man happy, right? I've also gotten plenty of complements on it, so it's not too bad. Still, I'm thinking the deadline will be just after TBRU. then it will be back to a more groomed, shorter look again.

My wildman days may be over in less than a month.