Bingo, webwzrd.  Glad you found the ties (thanks for the info, Dennis).  If I want a tie higher up I use a hair tie with a diameter of about 1.25".  I really prefer the long, pointed look, though, so even when I don't wear a braid at the bottom I throw in one of those cheap little colorless ties.  A word of caution.  If you have marble or granite counter top those little bugger are damn-near impossible to see if you put them on it!

Hey, thanks Mike, Mr. recently-retired-and-now-I-can-grow-as-long-as-I-want smiley: smokin.  Just let it grow and start playing around and you'll have it before you know it.  That is if you stay away from that barber!

HA!  You'd never heard that before, Matt?  I actually learned it from a British friend in college.  Maybe it's just fallen out of fashion and it's up to you to re-introduce it  Glad to hear you're still enjoying the beard, my friend!

Thank you for those kind words, Maverick.  It means a lot.

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Last Monday was my first day with a 'new' company.  I put new in quotes because I still have my same job, it's just that my company split up.  We had a huge party to launch the new company and celebrate a successful closing of the fiscal year and management made it clear they wanted everyone to be there (I'm not much for parties and probably would have blown it off).  So, I thought 'what the hell', most of those folks have never seen me wear my beard braided and beaded so I'll go all out and even waxed the mustache into a loose English style that really stuck out.  In fact, many people there, some of whom I've worked with off-and-on for 21 years, haven't even seen me bearded!  As I walked into the warehouse where the party was being held a VP that I've worked with for ages reached out to shake my hand and said, "I'm glad to see someone took the take-no-prisoners request to heart."  I guess he approves of the look  Anyway, someone snapped a quick shot as I was heading in, so here's evidence that I did (and often do) wear that to work.

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Happy Movember folks!

Cheers!
Tom


Some helpful links:
Library Central of Beard Growing


Taming the Wild Mustache
Tips for eating and drinking with a big mustache

Excess on occasion is exhilarating. It prevents moderation from acquiring the deadening effect of a habit. ~ W. Somerset Maugham
A jerk with a beard is just a bearded jerk, but a bearded gentleman is awesomeness personified. ~ Triibeard