Hey there...your beard in #152 looks great and even if not balmed up it's a great look, and not unkempt at all, so I can just echo what Tom E said.
I didn't have really bad comments about my beard, just the usual terrorist or did you loose a bet side blows from people who I either don't know or who's opinion is really not of any interest for me. But I can relate to the fact that even if you won't let anybody notice it, that such a comment can very well hurt and get through to you...but once that happens, I think we beardos have to learn to deal with that.
Hope the conference will be a success for you!

Happy bearding - Tom72

MY JOURNEY SO FAR   |   1st beard: 15th December 2014 - 19. August 2015 (8 months, 4 days - read my post #419, page 21 to know how and why I killed my first beard) 

2nd beard: 19. August 2015 - 21. October 2015 (2 months, 2 days)  |  currently just maintaining my usual short stubble beard and not growing out more for an unspecified period of time