And now my beard is gone. I shaved it to fulfill a promise made to my girlfriend (that I'd shave after I won) and to live life as a beardless man for a while to experience the contrast before I grow it back . . . and I will grow it back. The next one will be permanent. I've come to realize that I prefer myself bearded so this period of shaving is temporary. It's amazing how different life is without the big beard. Once again I just blend in with everyone else, whereas the big beard commanded attention. People have very strong reactions to beards . . . and the bigger the beard the stronger the reaction. Some people were terrified of me, others were drawn to me. I could write a whole book on how wearing a beard changes peoples perceptions of a man. But enough of my blabbing . . . here are my final update pictures, plus a couple post-beard pics.
