I am a vegetarian. I have been for at least the last 7 years. I have often said that I would eat meat if I were the one to hunt and kill an animal with the purpose of eating it and using its parts. I wont get into my political reasons too deeply in this post, but I am more against the meat industry than meat itself. Living in a city like New York has taught me that there are a diverse amount of eating preferences. I have met fat heavily tattooed raw vegans, skinny baconholics, and friendly pescatarians. Unfortunately living in this city gives little opportunity to hunt. I’m sure pigeon is a delicacy somewhere, I’ll pass. I was reminded of my thoughts on hunting my own food from a recent blog post my wife showed me by her friend Keith.

Everyone’s doing it doing it it doing it.

Growing their beards and not trimming it.

Some people trim non-facial hair parts in the restroom at my workplace – and that is grossing me out.

What the point of this post was that everyone and their mothers has a beard. It’s like beards are so in that it’s time for them to not be so in anymore. People say it’s to keep warm, but seriously, it’s just like a space for water to get caught and then freeze while you’re walking.

I know our friend Atom has had a beard for a super-long time. Everywhere I turn in the East Village, people have some scruff or a full-on beard. I do too. It’s really alright by me but I’m always thinking like why such huge groups of people – especially in a big city like NYC – grow beards at the same time.

Fashion is weird. Beards are in. But who knows what ’09 will bring??

Things in my beard

I got a bagel this morning from Pick-A-Bagel on 23rd and 3rd ave. and I realized something, bagels and cream cheese just do not mix. I am still finding bits of it hours later. Yum! You can also ‘toss your own salad’ there, as their sandwich board states.

The other day I was going to get some bagels on my bike. It was gray out and I decided not to check the weather forecast. I ran my errand and when I was leaving I turned and looked outside and it was pouring! Well, said my beard to me, no avoiding getting wet with this one. So with the resignation from my beard that I was going to get soaked through for my 7 block ride home, I ran out into the rain. When I got home this is what I looked like. If my beard had only reminded me to check the weather I would have at least brought a rain jacket out with me.

p.s. my hair looked exactly like that the rest of the day.

So my beard and I went to a movie last night. That’s right, I went to see a movie on opening night, in Manhattan. What the hell was my beard thinking? Well, it was thinking that Hellboy II was going to be freakin’ sweet. Which by the way, it was. Seeing a movie on opening night in NYC is kind of a punishing experience. I went to one of the theaters in Union Sq. to a 7:15 showing, which amazingly was the only show not sold out for the rest of the night. I bought the ticket an hour in advance and then went to grab a taco. I thought if I show up about 40 minutes in advance I should be near the front of the line. That is the last time I listen to my beard about this sort of thing. We got there and wham, back of the line, buddy. About 50 or so people in front of me. But they kept coming. Hordes of people showed up for the now sold out show. The theater was playing it in their biggest auditorium that has a balcony. The line kept stacking up, further and further it went. People were going to get their money back because they thought the line was too long (pussies, can’t wait in a line, sheesh). This is freakin’ opening night people… (more…)

Hello Spring! Walking on the streets in NYC in the springtime is one of my absolute favorite things to do. I was walking to a local restaurant to get some dinner last night and had two beard conversations! I ran into Ron whose beard is looking fabulous. I picked up my dinner and started walking back to my apartment. I ended up walking next to a spry looking guy with a full white beard lugging some big bags. He complimented my my beard right off and we started talking about all of beard styles we have ever had. He used to be able to grow a stomach length beard in 13 months’ time! Amazing! It takes me about a year to get to my maximum of about 6-7 inches. He was an absolute treat to talk to. It made me smile to talk with a random person on the street and have such a effortless conversation. Hint to all men: Grow a beard, it’s an instant conversation starter., and the ladies like it too!

This afternoon while walking by the Whitney my beard was on the radio! My beard truly likes being on the radio, or in any spotlight type situation for that matter. A woman in a wheelchair who was sitting in a storefront with a microphone stopped me and asked me if my beard would answer some questions. (At least that’s what it heard!) She asked some generic “how long did it take to get to that length”, and “how do you eat” questions. My beard loves the attention and it was very nice to speak to someone nicely and respectfully. I often have people come up to me on the street and give me weird looks before asking with a sneer how long it took to grow that thing. Pleasant conversation is what a healthy beard desires.

Last night in my dreams I must have been at odds with my mustache. It chose to revolt and attack the eye.

Very unprofessional mustache, very unprofessional.

This morning in the elevator at work, a man told me I reminded him of ZZ Top for soooome reason

This evening my beard told me it wanted to grow longer. I say, let it.

The other night we had a bit of rain. This is all fine and good, washing the city clean, yadda, yadda. Part of being an avid cyclist in NYC is dealing with the elements, that is why god made beards. Right? To deal with the elements? Riding up 1st Ave. with wet brakes in Manhattan traffic is a skill difficult to learn. As I was sitting down for a short, wet assed, break to have a bite of dinner at Curly’s I realized it was my first wet beard of the season. Welcome back cold fall rain, may my chin be warm and dry.