Ladies and gentlemen, the goatee is making a comeback.
After having facial hair for nearly eight years, I shaved off the goat last summer. This means that for a year now, I've gone around with a cold face. Why would I subject myself to that kind of torture? I'm glad you asked.
I came to a point last summer when I just decided it was time to get rid of it. It was a point in my life when I was about to start fresh in a new place. The question I kept asking myself was: "Do I want to be known as 'Aaron, the goatee guy?'" And I don't think people would have actually called me "Aaron, the goatee guy." I just mean, when people had a picture of me in their mind's eye, they would have seen me with a goatee. And then later, if I had decided to shave, it may have freaked people out.
My whole life, Dad had a beard. That's how I knew him. That's how people knew him. Once, when I was a kid, he shaved everything off. And it looked weird. And I didn't want to be that guy. The guy that always had facial hair and then one day, just didn't.
But then, one day last summer, I was that guy. The guy that had a goatee for many years, and then didn't. When I looked at myself in the mirror after I shaved, I regretted it. But it was too late. The facial hair was gone. And I know I could have grown it back within a week (or less), but there was a part of me that wanted to see the reactions of my friends, who had more or less always known me as "Aaron, the goatee guy."
I know I have a few readers who stumble onto this blog and don't know me in reality. But in reading this post, you're probably looking at my picture at the top and thinking, "Doesn't this guy already have a goatee?" That's a very old picture. That's from my junior year of college.
Those of you who do know me, I'd like some opinions. With or without? What's the consensus? I know that asking people to comment on this blog is often like pulling teeth, but humor me once or twice.
However, be aware that no matter if I get responses or not, the decision lies with me. If I decide to keep the goatee and you happen to be one who voted against, you might have to learn to love it.
Alright, I'll bite and answer. I vote goatee. I remember times when you didn't have it and in reality I thought you looked young. Now that's not to say I thought you looked older with the goatee, but more like you were suppose to have it than not.
ReplyDeleteDoes that last sentence make any sense?
what's interesting is that i've known you for ... at least 10 years now .. right? no .. more than that.
ReplyDeleteanyway
if i try to recall a mental picture of you with a goatee i absolutely cannot.
so basically if i ever saw you with one it didn't stick in my mind. that means that the default image of you in my mind is goatless.
so it doesn't matter if you grow it back or not ... i won't accept it. i will always just view it as a passing fancy .. and i will count the moments until you are once again bare faced and beautiful.
jen to the H