Moving On

I'm retiring this blog. It's been a good run. I'm still into bearding, but it has run its course as a hobby. I've merged this blog into my personal blog Toxic Shock Syndrome. To all my bearded brethren I say let it grow. Shock has left the building.

The Big Surprise

Originally uploaded by chronic-shock

I promised a big surprise when I got back from the Nats. Well, if you take a gander at the pic, the surprise is obvious. I shaved off the beard. It's bittersweet. I loved the beard and the wife doesn't. Nuff said.

Beard bingo!

While in Bend, OR for the Nats, I picked up the local paper and saw a new game, Beard bingo!

A Hair Raising Experience

in costume
Originally uploaded by chronic-shock

Wow. Where do I start? The first ever National Beard and Moustache Championships in Bend, OR was awesome. I had a blast. I meet many new bearded brethren with whom I partied my ass off.  We all felt like rock stars for a weekend. There was so many people taking pictures and lots of press coverage. OregonLive.com was there, Demotix was there, even the Los Angeles Times was there. There are of course YouTube videos. I'm quoted and featured in a video called Bearded In Bend from the local ABC affiliate station KOHD. I even got my picture in the LA Times. My pics of the event are on Flickr and Facebook. Visit the BTUSA website and Facebook for lots more pics and videos of the event. We even went for a Guinness Book of World Records record for the most bearded people in one place. My traveling companion, two time world sideburns champion and one of the coolest dudes I know, Toot Joslin, won the partial beard category. He also held a grooming clinic. Here's the competitions full results. Bearded badass Jack Passion emceed.

The day before the competition was activity day. I choose the Central Oregon Microbrew Pub Tour. Our tour guide, Amanda Gow from Specialized Meetings and Events wrote in an email "I wanted to extend a huge THANK YOU to all of the tour participants for making today's tour the best one I have ever been on."  We were a rowdy bunch. We visited McMenamins Old St. Francis School, Cascade Lakes Brewery and Deschutes Brewery.

The weekend was bookended by my whirlwind tour of the Pacific Northwest, from Reno to Bend and back again!

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The Nats are here!

Originally uploaded by chronic-shock

I'm heading out to the Nats tomorrow. Fifteen months of not shaving culminates into the biggest bearding event of the year. I'm giddy with anticipation. I'm tingling in my nether regions. I'm competing in the full beard category. Check me out in all my curly, fuzzy glory. I'll post all the pics and videos of the event and my misadventures in Bend, OR here on the beard blog. I'm also making a pit stop on my way home to visit my kid bro in Lake Tahoe. When I get back home, I've got a big surprise for everyone!

Less Than a Month Until the Nats!

Here's the latest BTUSA news:

Magnificent Specimens

Saturday was the opening of "Magnificent Specimens," Dave Mead's exhibit of photos from the WBMC last year in Alaska.  The exhibit is at the Chelsea Market in New York City.  It will run there through June.  There was a strong BTUSA presence at the opening, including a film crew from LA.   Details on the exhibit here: http://davemead.com/ magnificent/  Check it out if you can!

Springfield Beard and Moustache Contest

Memorial Day Weekend will see the final, final warm-up event for the Nationals -- the Springfield Beard and Moustache Contest.  It's at the Patton Alley Pub on Saturday night, May 29.  Organizer Christy Claybaker has promised a great time for anyone with or without a beard.  Brighton- and Anchorage-vet Devin Cara and Christy's husband Clay, both of whom will be competing in Bend, will serve as judges.  Proceeds go to the Lance Armstrong Foundation.  See http://www.facebook.com/#!/ event.php?eid=115300261835815& ref=mf Which Springfield?  Not the Simpsons' one.  This one is in Missouri, Missouruh to some.

Burke Kenny to Judge

And now, announcing another celebrity judge!  FBSM former world champ (many say he should be the current world champ) Burke Kenny will be on the judges' panel in Bend.  "Beards should judge beards," says Burke.  Also it looks like Burke's band, As the Devil Dances, will have their gig in Bend on Friday night, not Thursday as previously planned.  This will be at the big welcoming party at the Old Stone Church to which everyone is of course invited.

Judge Applicants

We have several applications for others who want to judge.  Go to beardteamusa.org, check them out, and let your opinions be known!

Posters

If you'd like to print out some of the posters for yourself, the full resolution images are available http://beardteamusa.org/nationals/posters-and-logos.

Nametags

Finally, a reminder:  If you want a super-cool Beard Team USA name tag to show off in Bend, you need to Paypal me $5 by this Saturday, May 15 at the latest.  Let me know how you want your name and hometown to read 

Twitter and Facebook

Beard Team USA now has a much more active presence on both Facebook and Twitter.  Be sure to become a fan/follower to keep up on last minute preparations for Bend.  Also be sure to keep the rest of us posted on your own plans.  Twitter.com/beardteamusa and facebook.com/beardteamusa.

See you soon,

Phil Olsen
Founder and self-appointed Captain
Beard Team USA

 

==============================

I'll be in NYC in June visiting my sister and bro-in-law. We're going to see the "Magnificent Specimens" exhibit. With Burke Kenny judging and Jack Passion MCing, two championship beards are not competing in the Nats, opening the floor for some new blood to be crowned champion.  -Shock

Carstache™ | Glorious mustaches for cars and trucks

I randomly came across the Carstache™ Car Mustaches website in an email. Here's the Carstache story:

Carstache™ is the global leader in automotive facial hair, delivering the industry’s most luxurious in car mustaches.

We made Carstache™ purely because we think it’s funny and it makes people smile. No other reason. When people see a Carstache™ on the streets they laugh, wave, thumbs-up, fist pump, gun flex, wink wink, kiss kiss, you name it.

Some of you will rock Carstaches on a day to day basis, and for that you are awesome. For most, though, the Carstache™ is a sensational flare piece for events and special occasions like tailgates, birthdays, bachelor parties, Bar Mitzvah’s, Father’s Day, weddings, Halloween, Cinco-de-Mustache, etc… When you drive into a tailgate with a Carstache™ you get free beer, hot dogs, and high fives.

From the Hills of Hollywood to the Plains of Panama to the Alps of Awesometown, let it be known that the Carstache™ has arrived. Your car grille has been naked until now. It’s time to ‘stache up and feel the power!

Carstache™ car mustaches became available for retail purchase on April 12th, 2010. Carstache LLC is located in San Francisco, CA, and each Carstache™ is made right here in the USA.

Awesome is as awesome does…

~ Ethan at Carstache™

They come in classic black, firestache orange, legendary blond, so hot pink and wisdom gray. Check out the pictures that illustrates how cool these things are. If I had a car, I'd definitely get a Carstache.

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