Beards

For my upcoming trip to the Middle East, I decided that to fully fit in, it would be ideal to have a beard. So as of last Saturday, I have not shaved. I wish I could say that a lot of deep, pensive thought went into it, but basically I was in the metro with Jerry on Easter, and this is all that happened:

Me: "So, I'm thinking about maybe growing a beard for the trip."
Jerry: "Yeah, you really got to."
"Yeah, but I don't know, though."
"Well, I think you, like, have to, don't you?"
"I suppose."
"Yeah."
"Done!"

And so, it seemed like a good idea. I forgot, though, that beards don't come as instantaneously as the whim to grow them does. So now I am in the awkward post-four days stretch, where it just looks like there is something awkward growing on your face.

Furthermore, in my previous three or four beard growings (there have been more concerted efforts with themed names in the past several years than any face should go through. Octobeard, Lenten Beard, Peruvian Beard, etc.), I have noticed something a bit peculiar that I think tends to run in my family.

The mustache and goatee grows in much more quickly and stronger than the beard on the cheeks. And like previous, attempts, it is happening again. This has led me to consider a rather unorthodox strategy.

With my facial hair several days in, I would shave only my mustache and goatee, while leaving the cheeks untouched. It would basically be like letting the cheeks tee off from the women's tee's on a golf course.

The goatee hitting from the back tees.

But then, I realized that the implications would be that for about two to three days, I would be walking around with a beard that lacked the center, and that would be much too ridiculous of a look to ever take on.

And so, we wait...

In perhaps the creepiest collage one could ever possibly make, here it is, through good times and bad.