Wellington Journal

Hirsute no more

When I got sick in January on our trip around the south island, I didn’t bother shaving.  And when I got better, I figured what the heck?  Nobody really knows me here in NZ, so if I were ever going to see what it’d be like to have a beard, now would be the chance.  A sorta “bucket list” idea, if you will.

Despite the fact that it was my idea, and I kept it going despite negative reviews from family and friends (I’m looking at you, Bruce), I was always pretty ambivalent about the whole thing.  Like I told Sara, I had a Princess Bride attitude: every night I’d say, “Alright, beard.  You looked okay today.  I’ll most likely shave you in the morning.”

That day finally came yesterday, when Sara said (very politely, but also quite firmly), “I think it’s time for the beard to go.”  And off it went.  Since it’s not likely to be an experiment I ever repeat, though, I had to make the most of the removal.  I started by doing something I’ve always wanted to do: hack at my beard with scissors like Harrison Ford in The Fugitive.  After that, I got some pictures of myself with just a mustache.  I did that because it’s the one facial-hair configuration Sara has prohibited, no discussion.  Her loss, of course.  I now leave it to you, dear reader, to decide what she’s missing out on when she ruins her chance to get close to this handsome fella:

Would it be David Thewlis of Harry Potter (Professor Lupin) fame?

Or maybe Sam Rockwell from Galaxy Quest?

No, I’m guessing that you’re thinking of that hunky 80s dreamboat, Mr. Mustache himself, Tom Selleck, aren’t you?

 

Votes in the comments, please.

UPDATE:  Bruce Montgomery has helpfully provided a chart that shows “the % of people that will like you, based on your hirsuticity.”

UPDATE II: Sara points out that Bruce’s graph has me losing 25% of my popularity by Week 4 no matter how hirsute I am.  So either people like me less the longer they know me, or Bruce needs to take Sara’s statistics class.  And she’d also like to congratulate Bruce on his productive workday.

Labels: Observation

posted by Dug @ 4:09 PM