Milestone: First request from a stranger for a photograph

My milestone today was having a stranger request to take my picture for the first time. I obliged. I noticed a couple of stares and whispers from an 8 year old +- boy at a table at the restaurant where I work my second job. The party was made up of people from more than one family - the group with the boy had left when one of the woman from the group came up to me. "Can I ask you a favor?" she asked. "Sure" "May I take your picture? I don't know if you noticed it or not, but the other woman's son was fascinated by your mustache. He wondered if it was real. I wanted to get a picture for him... If you're OK with that." "It's definitely real and that would be fine." I smiled for the picture after which she thanked me. I only wish that my picture could have been taken with the boy. I think that we both would have enjoyed that.

Mustache and Trinity necktie knot

Mustache waxed but not curled, and trinity knotted necktie

Last night I styled the mustache with no curl, but not quite an English Style, and also tied the neck tie as a trinity knot.  I can never get anyone to comment on the Trinity knot, but as usual I did get mustache comments.  This was the first time where an acquaintance whom I know pretty well did not immediately recognize me due to the mustache.  Once she did, she said that I looked really good in it.

Mustache and the Eldridge Knot

Mustache and necktie with Eldridge knot

As mentioned in my last post, I make myself unique among the staff at the restaurant by wearing and awesome handlebar mustache and using fancy knots for my necktie.  Here is how I looked at the restaurant tonight with the mustache in curls and the necktie in an Eldridge knot.

After Sam's rather brutal suggestion that I lose the mustache earlier in the day, I was starting to ask questions of myself.  Does wearing both unusual facial hair and strangely tied neckwear make me look cool or eccentric?  Have I crossed a line to where I am weird and a freak show which cannot be taken seriously? 

Lose the mustache

This morning's mustache - au natural - after being told to lose it

 

 

When dropping of a key at another office, Sam who works there saw me from the desk and said, “Is that John with a handlebar mustache?”

“Yes, this is John with a handlebar mustache.”

“Lose the mustache." he frankly said, "It puts you in the league of those who wear ascots and Tam o' Shanters.” (I had to Google these to see what these even were).  “Keep the goatee but lose or trim the mustache?”

How are your fabulous mustaches today?

This morning's mustache styled with only a little bit of glue stick just over the lips to keep my mouth clear.

I briefly saw my friend Diane when we were both at the bank today.

"Good morning Diane"

"Good morning John,  How are you and your fabulous mustaches today?"

"We're just fine thanks,  how are you?" as I smiled.

"I'm good too.  I think that it is funny that in England or some other places they say 'mustaches' like if you have two of them.  Maybe one for each side?"

"I have never heard that.  But I know that in Spanish you have 'butts' instead of 'a butt'.  Perhaps it's the same kind of thing."

(Loud laughter):"Have a great day"

"You too.  Bye."

   ---

Any day where I am asked about my "fabulous" mustache or mustaches must be a good day.

A good mustache day - a wax test - a passerby's compliment, and the brotherhood of the mustache

At the end of the day still holding

The wax test

I have completed the experiment and the Firehouse Moustache Wax (Dark) has passed the test.  The challenge was to see if it would hold the curls after a complete day of abuse without the need to reapply wax.  The abuse included a picnic lunch complete with bottled water, a Subway sandwich, a lush plum, followed by a wafflecone of peach ice cream, and a day of walking about in summer weather of a nearby tourist town before returning home. The picture above shows the mustache still kept it curls.  Keep in mind that curls are natural and the wax pretty much just keeps them bunched together.

Clubman Wax failed after two hours. Had to use glue stick.

After gluing goatee trim and glued tips



Today prior to church I waxed the stache with clubman and it looked good.  I received four different compliments about how it looked good, made me look like I was always smiling.  Some one else said that I was one of the few people who could pull a mustache like this off  (I disagree.  I have average growth and most men could grow an equally impressive mustache).

The sermon was on things that may not be sins, but may be distracting us from living a life of faith that we could be living.  Was he talking about mustaches?

I styled it using Clubman wax, and it looked great with the ends coming to nice pointy tips.  But, by the time church was over the points were coming apart.  Obviously clubman lacks the staying power that I need.  Before this picture, I glue sticked the ends to get the points back that clubman could not hold.

The mustache in the rear view mirror

The mustache as seen in the rear view mirror

How time changes things. 

A while back, the first hairs started poking my lips and it really bothered me.  Immediately I went in search of products and techniques to tame these renegade hairs that insisted on attaching my mouth.  Evil whiskers must be brought into submission, I thought.  I would wax, glue, paste, or do whatever was necessary to keep my lips clear (except for trimming - that was and still is prohibited).

For the last several days, however, I have given the mustache more latitude.  I have used no waxes or glues - just a little bit of oil on a couple of the mornings.  And the undisciplined hairs, suddenly realizing that their target is once again obtainable, have set their sites on my mouth.

Today, while riding as a passenger in the back seat of a car, behind the driver's seat, I looked up and saw the reflection of my face in the rear view mirror.   Framed right in the middle of the mirror, there it was - a nice full handlebar mustache.

"Mr. Follicle" says that he can't grow a mustache like mine! Really?

Close up shot - no wax or other product used



I walked into a conversation that two of my restaurant coworkers were having about my mustache.   One of them, whom I will call Mr. Follicle,  was saying how he could never grow a mustache like mine - he just didn't have the genetics.

I could hardly keep a straight face since he is not some smooth-faced cherub, but one of these men who develops a heavy 5 o'clock shadow by noon.  Usually, however, he wears a couple of days growth and clearly he has no lack of facial hair including that on the upper lip.   I jokingly told him that he had more hair on one of his cheeks than I do on my whole body.  I told him that I had virtually no sideburns and whiskers were as common on my cheeks as trees in the Sahara.

Handlebar Mustaches Grow Twice as Fast as Other Hair - Let Me Explain

37 days ago vs now

Last night I arrived home freshly back from the family reunion where the my appearance received a whole lot of attention - all of it positive.  Everyone seem to love the mustache.  My one nephew who can grow facial hair, even decided to groom his scruff and start pursuing a new look for himself.

Family Reunion

Today my family got together for the family reunion.

At the family reunion - I am the one with the Mustache

 

My three oldest nephews which are in their early twenties and late teens thought that the mustache was pretty cool. I got asked many questions as far as how long I have been growing it and if I have been able to curl it up. The youngest of the three actually has some pretty decent facial hair considering that he just graduated from high school. The older two are true to their Asian roots and have limited beard and mustache ability.  

American Crew Fiber

Using American Fiber Crew

Hold still going strong about 14 hours after applying American Crew Fiber

 

OK, I was wrong.  A couple of days ago, I posted how I was happily styling my mustache with no need for waxes.  Then, just as quickly as it really started to fill out and lengthen in the last week, the lower hairs decided to start a full assault on my mouth.

Reaction at the Restaurant and Battling Undergrowth

I am having fun with my new look and I like that it is getting attention.  Three times tonight my mustache became the topic of conversation.