Rich_by_the_Bay
Moderator Emeritus
So having gone camping for 10 days a couple of weeks ago, I took advantage of the journey and stopped shaving. By the time the vacation was over, I was past the itchy phase, and only vaguely evoked a Yasser Arafat look. The moment of reckoning occurred at 23:15 the night before, when I asked the DW, "how do you feel about my just cleaning things up a bit but keeping the beard?" She blessed the idea so I did. It's kind of a salt and pepper situation. Well, maybe a lot of salt, easy on the pepper.
It's been a long time since I had a beard, and I trimmed it very short and "neat" but a little full and not too sculpted. What interested me was a very consistent reaction among my co-workers. The guys do a quick double take, and grunt something like "nice beard looks good" and maybe 20% tell me a personal beard story.
The women, OTOH, stare at me blankly for maybe 4-5 seconds, jaw aslack. My take is that if they don't like it or are not sure, they beg off with a pithy comment like, "oh, you grew a beard... my husband had a beard once...must feel good not to shave." This is maybe half the distaff side. Those who (I think) like it say, well, "I like the beard" or even "I love the beard." Notice it's "the beard" as if it has a life of its own and doesn't belong to me. My favorite: "you've got that Sean Connery thing going on" (my personal assistant whose life and wellbeing depend on keeping me happy).
And, from one individual who knows me long and well: "you only let your beard grow when you've come to a decision about something."
I've no idea whether beards are in style but I'mm guessing there are some hysterical beard stories out there. You men can chime in, too.
It's been a long time since I had a beard, and I trimmed it very short and "neat" but a little full and not too sculpted. What interested me was a very consistent reaction among my co-workers. The guys do a quick double take, and grunt something like "nice beard looks good" and maybe 20% tell me a personal beard story.
The women, OTOH, stare at me blankly for maybe 4-5 seconds, jaw aslack. My take is that if they don't like it or are not sure, they beg off with a pithy comment like, "oh, you grew a beard... my husband had a beard once...must feel good not to shave." This is maybe half the distaff side. Those who (I think) like it say, well, "I like the beard" or even "I love the beard." Notice it's "the beard" as if it has a life of its own and doesn't belong to me. My favorite: "you've got that Sean Connery thing going on" (my personal assistant whose life and wellbeing depend on keeping me happy).
And, from one individual who knows me long and well: "you only let your beard grow when you've come to a decision about something."
I've no idea whether beards are in style but I'mm guessing there are some hysterical beard stories out there. You men can chime in, too.