Shave My Beard

I look silly…

Jed — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:08:10 +0000

Well folks, you asked for it. I look positively silly. I guess I just don’t have whatever it is that is necessary to pull off the Franz Josef. In light of how the votes went, I have to ask:

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

My biggest fear is that when I shave the rest off, I will still look silly. I forgot how weak my chin was. Oh well. Lesson learned.

I think I can mitigate the silliness (or at least explain it) by maintaining a goofy look:

Here are some additional pictures, including a direct before & after comparison.

Before (and looking a little sleepy)

After (a little more awake after realizing what I've done)

So, who is next? Please comment or email me to let me know if you are interested in participating in another round of this crazy experiment in facial hair management (if you don’t have a beard yet, but are planning to grow one and will be ready to shave by a certain date, just let me know the date and I’ll schedule you in).

Franz Josef!?!

Jed — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 22:03:13 +0000

Well, the polls are closed. I never would have expected the Franz Josef to come in first place, but I’m glad it wasn’t “shave it all off”. I was a little suspicious of someone stacking the votes, so I checked the voting logs. After removing duplicates from the same IP address, Franz Josef actually tied with shave it all off, but I never said duplicate votes didn’t count. Anyone comitted enough to actually stack them deserves to win. Anyway, I’ll shave it later today and post pictures. Thanks for voting!

Choose My Next Beard Style

Jed — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:24:54 +0000

First, please forgive my terrible photoshop skills. Below are the 19 styles of beard that I’ve selected as possibilities, based mainly on the excellent work of Jon Dyer, who has taken up the seriously awesome Quest For Every Beard Type. For better pictures that represent the styles I will shave, check out Jon’s chart of facial hair types.

So here is the deal: you vote, and on January 30th, 2009, I’ll shave the most popular one, and post the pictures for all to see. If you have a suggestion as to a style that I should include, then get it to me quickly, cause it won’t have a fair shot if it is added too late in the game.

Red Lines indicate areas that I will shave, NOT the beard style. (The poll is at the bottom, below all the pictures.)

UPDATE 1/7/2009: I’ll add a picture for “Shave it all off!” option S, and for “Two-Face” (an asymmetrical style) in the next day or so. Also, I’ve been asked if I’m willing to shave my head to compliment certain styles, and the answer is no. Shaving my head is out of the question. I will get a haircut though, I’m starting to look too much like a scruffy nerf-herder.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Help me decide how to shave my beard!

Jed — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:39:03 +0000

Hi. This is me. I know, I’m not much to look at. But hey, I’ve got a beard, and I’m going to shave it.

Yes, that is what I said: I’m going to shave my beard. I want to have some fun with it. Help me decide what to do. Starting now, I’ll take votes and suggestions on what I should with my beard. Then I’ll do the most popular thing, even if it is silly, weird, or whatever*. I will shave it on January 30th, 2009, or after I’ve received 1000 votes, whichever comes sooner.

Soon I’ll put up a poll or two with some ideas that I’d like you to vote on. Until then, feel free to put suggestions in the comments.

*Disclaimer: if someone offers me a pile of money to do something else, like carve their logo into my beard, or use their product, or whatever, I reserve the right to do that. Sorry, it is a recession, and this isn’t a serious enough issue to not be willing to “sell-out”, should the opportunity present itself.