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!

Happy Birthday beard

DSC_1365.JPG
Originally uploaded by chronic-shock

My beard is a year old. One whole year of growth. When I set out to grow a beard, I didn't have any expectations of length or shape. I just let it grow. There are traces of red and grey amongst the dark brown curly hirsuted landscape. The wife and I give everything a name, yet I've never named my beard. If you've got any ideas let me know. The mustache became unruly and was impairing my eating, so I trimmed it a month or so ago. I get lots of compliments, mostly from men, but a couple women have praised the facial follicles. I'm continuing to grow the face rug for the National Beard and Mustache Championships which is being held June 5 in Bend, OR. After that, who knows? This is a pic of me and Fletch at a Texas winery. I believe he is reacting to finding wildlife living in my beard.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Beard Team USA National Beard and Moustache Championships (shocksalaskanbeardquest.blogspot.com)
• Inaugural US National Beard & Moustache Championships Set for June 5, 2010, in Bend, Ore. (prweb.com)

Fletch and Furry Daddy

64/365: Fletch and Daddy
Originally uploaded by chronic-shock

I thought this would be a great beard progress pic. It's just me and my son chillin' on the couch. Check out how huge my face fur is. Damn! Seeing my beard in a different medium rather than the regular looks in the mirror really puts it in perspective. I might have competition worthy facial hair. A couple months back I bought The Facial Hair Handbook by fellow BTUSA member and world champion Jack Passion in preparation for my next beard competition. I didn't get very far into reading it before leaving it in the seat pocket on a plane during a flight to Albany, NY a few weeks back. I've asked Santa for another copy.

A future Shock beardsman

First bath at home
Originally uploaded by chronic-shock

It's been awhile since I've posted. But I have a very good reason-my son Fletch was born on June 28! Fletcher "Fletch" Owen was 7lbs 15oz and 21" long. I hope he becomes a competitive beard grower just like his dad. I just hope he didn't inherit the weakass Shock moustache. The pic is Fletch's first bath at home. I've been growing the fur on my face since mid-March. More pics of Fletch. Follow Fletch's saga.

"Beards...They Grow On You"

The title of this post is my new motto. Lots of "beards are back" in the news of late. MSNBC looks at the current full-grown trend (pun intended) in this article. My favorite quote in the article epitomizes why I'm a 'beardsman'-

“For some it’s a trend, but for others it’s a way of life and simply self-expression,” [Paul Roof, assistant professor of sociology at Charleston Southern University in South Carolina] says. “At the heart of the revival, I think, is the ‘reclaiming of masculinity.’ Beards are a direct backlash against metrosexuality and the feminization of modern man. But beards are also the only accessory route that men have — the only way men can change their looks.”

Be sure to check out the video featuring MSNBC's Willie Geist with Beard Team USA member Matt Saccoman who is organizing the New York City Beard and Moustache Championships in Brooklyn on March 14. I've also submitted this post pic to the MSNBC "Return of a Hairy Trend" First Person gallery. I'll keep you posted when it gets posted.

Fellow hirsute pogonologist and blogger furface posted a comment to this very blog regarding the 2009 World Beard and Moustache Championships. Furface is member of the Alaska Beard and Moustache Club and host of this years competition. He's also created a blog where he encourages beardsmen and wannabeardees to "lay some smack about the event".

I've added a whole host of new beard links in the links section.

Check out the cool WBMC logo:

Progress Report 1/22/09

I decided to change it up this time and went with the beard ponytail to showcase the length. The moustache was becoming unruly, getting in the way of all mouth activities, so I got it trimmed at my last haircut. Other than the moustache the rest of the goatee is untouched. Seven months and counting. As a warmup for the World Beard and Moustache Championships, I'll be participating in a local beard contest in March at the waterfront in Alexandria, VA. The contest is part of the Old Towne St Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday 7 March 2009.

Speaking of the World Championship, something big has come up and I won't be able to participate. Mrs. Shock is pregnant! My baby's mommy is due July 5. Momma Shock can't travel in late May, and I'm not going without her. I'll compete in the next World Beard and Moustache Championship in 2011. The beard world can wait for me to conquer it later. For now, I'm taking one for the home team.

P.S. I'm not shaving anytime soon so I'll keep updating this blog with my beard growth progress and the results of the local beard contest.

P.P.S. If you are one of the awesome contributors to my beard quest, I'll be in touch with each of you separately to discuss a refund.

9/29/08 Beard Update

We are up to 5 centimeters and counting! Atom decided to play with the mustache wax the other night, so we decided to go ahead and do a progress picture. The fuzzy chin is coming along nicely. This has been growing since his sister's wedding in June. Personally...I think he should wax that sucker every day!

Beard Progress as of 8/7/08

Here is the first beard progress photo. Atom decided that for the competition, he would like to compete in the Musketeer category. This style is a long, curled mustache with a long goatee. We have come up with a costume/outfit to go with this style, but we can not divulge that information. It will remain a surprise until we get to Alaska. So he will be growing a full goatee, which will look some-what normal for a while...until it becomes an unruly patch of fuzz. Next beard progress photo, I will include a ruler so we can start measuring growth.