Not My Look

I don't know what made me decide to do it.

It wasn't a conscious decision. I just got lazy and let nature take its course for about a week. When I finally took action, I only did so in a half-assed way.

I'm talking about growing facial hair.

Every few years, on a whim, I decide to grow a beard. It's not a good look for me, as some spots on my face just don't seem to want to grow hair, especially around my sideburn area and where a moustache meets up with the beard.

Also, as each year passes, my beard has changed from a dark brown to a salt-and-pepper grey.

As May was nearing a close, I stopped using my razor as part of my morning routine. It's not uncommon for me to not shave on weekends, as I often get up early and head out, either for a bike ride, kayak paddle, or to hit up a store before it gets busy, and when I get home, I don't tend to want to take the time to shave.

When Monday came around, I woke up later than usual and again, didn't want to take the time to shave, as doing so would have put me off my work routine. On Tuesday, I just got into the habit of not shaving.

After a week without shaving, I finally picked up my razor but kept a goatee. I don't know why I didn't take it all off, but that's what I did.

My parents liked it. One friend said I was rocking it, especially when I wore my expedition hat, as I was when we were kayaking.

I even took a selfie and started using the photo as my image for Twitter and my work profile.

Edited in Prisma.

But the more I looked at that image, with me wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, the less I recognized myself. Who was this guy? What are his interests? Who are his friends?

As with any time that I let facial hair accumulate, it comes to an end as soon as the whiskers in the corners of my mouth are long enough for me to bite them. Hair in my mouth just grosses me out.

Last Monday, I shaved it all off again. I updated my Twitter photo to the guy that I recognized.

As always, I shaved and told myself I'll never grow a beard and moustache again. But even if I do, I'll grow them knowing that they won't last.

Maybe that's why DW has stopped complaining when I do it?