1. Working
2. Shaving
2. Shaving
The not-working is pretty much self-explanatory, but also leads into the not-shaving, since my work does not allow beards of any kind in the workplace. So, vacation for me means goofing off, and growing a beard.
I grow beards pretty fast. In a week, I have enough facial hair to be called a beard; give me two weeks, and it's just about ready for a trim. (Note: since my beard now has much more 'salt' than 'pepper' in it, it doesn't look nearly as thick as it did years ago.) From the time I graduated from high school until I started this job, I had a beard all but about six months--so that means that I had a beard continuously from 1977 until mid-1990.
I still miss it. It was a way to hide my rather weak chin, and gave me a bolder, more fierce appearance. And something to tug on when I was bored or wanted to look pensive.
All this leads up to what I really wanted to talk about.
This week, as I was shaving in preparation for returning to work, I decided to leave my mustache in place. I've been without one (except on vacations) for about three years. I can't remember why I shaved it off in the first place, but now it's back.
The funny part of it all is this: upon my return to work, some of my more observant co-workers remarked on the change in my appearance. But the comments they made and the questions they asked were completely off the mark.
The most common question I was asked was, "Did you get a haircut?" No.
Then I was asked, "Did you get new glasses?" No.
Not one person noticed the mustache--or if they did, they weren't talking.
You'd think that a bushy gray and black caterpillar on my lip would prompt at least some notice.
I guess that what this means is that either I'm too nondescript for anyone to care about a fairly major change in my appearance...or I'm so devilishly handsome either way that comment is unnecessary.
And so it goes...
I grow beards pretty fast. In a week, I have enough facial hair to be called a beard; give me two weeks, and it's just about ready for a trim. (Note: since my beard now has much more 'salt' than 'pepper' in it, it doesn't look nearly as thick as it did years ago.) From the time I graduated from high school until I started this job, I had a beard all but about six months--so that means that I had a beard continuously from 1977 until mid-1990.
I still miss it. It was a way to hide my rather weak chin, and gave me a bolder, more fierce appearance. And something to tug on when I was bored or wanted to look pensive.
All this leads up to what I really wanted to talk about.
This week, as I was shaving in preparation for returning to work, I decided to leave my mustache in place. I've been without one (except on vacations) for about three years. I can't remember why I shaved it off in the first place, but now it's back.
The funny part of it all is this: upon my return to work, some of my more observant co-workers remarked on the change in my appearance. But the comments they made and the questions they asked were completely off the mark.
The most common question I was asked was, "Did you get a haircut?" No.
Then I was asked, "Did you get new glasses?" No.
Not one person noticed the mustache--or if they did, they weren't talking.
You'd think that a bushy gray and black caterpillar on my lip would prompt at least some notice.
I guess that what this means is that either I'm too nondescript for anyone to care about a fairly major change in my appearance...or I'm so devilishly handsome either way that comment is unnecessary.
And so it goes...
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