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I have been pretty absent of late. Lots going on in life has added to a writing funk. I've been thinking about my beard. Even doubting it. I feel like each day I flip from loving having a big beard to contemplating shaving it all off. It's a turbulent time, as I'm sure you can imagine.
I started growing my beard 10 months ago. It grew quick and it grew big. There are many pros and cons to having it and recently I'm struggling to see which side outweighs the other.
People know me for my beard. I changed jobs at the same time as I started to grow it and now my new colleagues have only known me with it. My name is 'Beardy'. It's a part of me now. I get attention when I am out, which is both a pro and a con. I admit it is flattering when I'm complimented on my facial fuzz but at the same time, when walking through a crowded pub from the bar to my group and I'm stopped at continuous drunken lad checkpoints to endure touching, mocking and the same old questions, it does get frustrating. There are two sides to the coin- you stand out from the crowd but, at the same time, you stand out from the crowd.
So many little issues are starting to get to me more and more. Not being able to have a cup of tea or a pint without using a stack of napkins to wipe my sopping wet moustache may sound trivial but it is very annoying. Sometimes I am up at 4am for work and at that time of day I can barely remember my name, let alone take care of my beard by combing, applying beard oil, moutache wax etc.
There are benefits to having this big bushy beard, though. Since growing it I have become familiar with some brilliant brands, interesting lifestyles and fascinating people. It seems that having a beard can expose you to different aspects of life. Prime examples of this are three names that I have mentioned on this blog before- Sailor 85 Clothing, Pall Mall Barbers and Tommy Cairns. It's strange to think that so many opportunities and experiences are concieved from hair on a face:
Sailor 85 is an independant clothing company that I have praised numerous times, both on this blog and my personal Twitter account. My bearded profile aided in our paths crossing and we have been big supporters of each other ever since. I am a huge fan of their products and will be reviewing them soon on this very site.
Pall Mall Barbers used to just be the barbers where I went to get my haircut. Now it is the barbers where I get my hair cut and also learn about beard products, trimming techniques and the life of a barber as I get my beard trimmed. I have met some great people in the shop who influence my style as much as they create it based on my requests.
Another example of meeting great personalities is photographer Tommy Cairns. I met Tommy when I heard about a project he is currently doing. It is a beard project that sees him travelling the world taking photos of different bearded gents. I would never have got the chance to meet Tommy without my beard. It was great to talk to him, listen to his story & inspirations and be involved in such an experience.
Maybe I'll trim my beard down rather than go to the extreme of shaving it off. Just typing this piece has kind of rekindled my love for it. I know it's a trivial problem that I have just explained to you all and to be honest it may be a welcome problem to distract from real life issues. Sometimes it is nice to think out loud (or on to a keyboard).
Who knows what the answer is, maybe I'll post a picture on here soon of a clean shaven me?!