As a new member to the board, I thought it would be proper to introduce myself.
Name: Eric
Age: 24
Occupation: College student
Bearded in some shape or form since: November 2002
Longest beard worn for: 8 months, with one minor trim
How I found Jeff's Beard Board: Through a a membere here, "fullbeard"
For me, my love of beards started young, with my uncles getting shaggy and growing beards during the winter months for hunting season. I vowed that I too would wear a beard when I grew up. My first beard was a chinstrap during my senior year of high school for a role in a play as a middle-age business man with a anxiety problem. I received a lot of compliments from friends and family so I kept a variation of it throughout the rest of my final year of school. College brought on the challenge of adding a moustache to the chinstrap and while uncomfortable for the first few weeks, I grew to like it. I've worn a beard ever since, rarely being clean shaven, just long enough to grow it back out again.
I have flirted with a big beard a few times already over the past few winters and each year, the beard gets bigger, better, thicker and has more character than the last. A few highlights:
April 2008: 5 months, no trimming except the 'stache. After this pic was taken, I had to trim down for work.
July 2008: 8 months, 1 trim (mentioned above). I grew it right back out after trimming down for work. This is the longest it has ever been and I LOVED it!
January 2009: 4 months, no trims at all (not even the moustache). I then had to trim down for work.
I decided to try something completely different for the spring and summer this year by carving away the beard and wearing a big, thick horseshoe moustache as part of Moustache May. I definately liked how the 'stache made me look and I even found myself listening to more country music because of it.
Browsing the site, I would like to comment that there are a LOT of great beards on here that have not only given me new ideas on trimming, shaping and styles to consider but also the encouragement to stick to my guns and remain bearded (in some form) for the rest of my life. In a few years, I hope to have one of those huge "chest resters" once I'm done with college and settled into a real, beard-friendly job.
So anyways, just wanted to say "hey" and "keep it growin'!".

