Big Steps
I took a somewhat unexpected step sunday evening. I have been thinking about it for a little while, and to be honest the results of the Jagermeister episode definitely added weight to the decision…. I’ve shaved off my beard and moustache.
I’ve had a goatee of sorts (moustache and beard are not joined) for what seems to be at least 5 or 6 years now, so I’ve become very used to it and somewhat attached. Loki, my cat, has always used it to scratch her head as well. Not to mention the fact that the most wonderful woman in the world – R – has never actually seen me without facial hair, except in old photographs.
So Sunday night, in the company of R, Mum and Trisha I sucked back some liquid courage and shaved it off. The results were surprising – turns out I have an upper lip, incidentally. Once I’d finished I was both pleased and dismayed – I’m still a bit jowly so it kinda makes my face look shorter. As I commented at the time, I feel as though I look like Porky Pig! This will of course pass with the exercise, but in the meantime it’s going to annoy me. The general reaction from the ladies was favourable though – for Mum and Trisha it was a return to the Toby of old. It’s taking some getting used to for R though 
Overall I think I’m quite pleased with the result – or at least I will be when the excess facial folds have disappeared. It will be more comfortable while exercising, and I no longer will have to check it for milk after I eat my breakfast! The oddest thing is that I’ve developed a number of habits to do with checking or touching my beard that I continue to perform but get surprised anew each time that it’s no longer there. Ach well, we’ll see what they say when I get back to work!
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Holy Jeebus![Reply]
Okay, now that I’ve got past the first paragraph… wow. Weird thing is I was thinking about it on the night. Thinking about what you’d look like without it. But I thought you were so attached to it that wouldn’t come off for a while yet.<br /><br />What did B think of it?<br /><br />You know I haven’t ever had a beard for too long. Probably not ever longer than a 12-18 months at a time. But for weeks afterwards I would check it miscellaneous bits of food or drink. I didn’t do so much stroking of the beard as you seemed to do, but I still noticed it all the time. I noticed it after eating brekkie. After soup. And especially after brushing my teeth. I don’t know what everyone else does, but when I rinse I scoop water into my mouth with my hand. When I no longer had a beard I didn’t have to worry about getting it wet! A clean wet chin is easy to dry.<br /><br />You don’t have to post one here, but send me a pic. I wanna see![Reply]
Hehehe it looks a little weird – but B loves it apparently. He says it looks better this way, which is cool cos I was a little worried about how he’d react! Oh and the cat isn’t bothered by it in the slightest![Reply]
"nagging question of why I was such a foolish girl and never snogged Toby!?
" OI!! Keep your tongue to yourself missy! 
) <br /><br />I must say though, snogging sans facial hair is a little odd. It felt like kissing a different person at first and it freaked me out because I felt like I was cheating. Getting better at it though…<br /><br />B says Toby looks cute, and somehow came to the conclusion that Toby had shaved it off just for him because Toby knew B would prefer him that way. I don’t know how that logic manifested itself, but I guess it follows from every child believing themselves to be the centre of the universe.[Reply]