One month of being Sly

• One month of being Sly by TJ on 14 Oct, 2012 17:11
• I just wanted to share a few observations now that I have spent my 30 days newly sly. I am happy that I got the nerve to do this. Thank you to those here in the forum who supported and encouraged me, and I hope these words are useful to those considering going sly.
  
  Pre-sly preparations:   Wife: I told my wife and she was very encouraging. She knew, and said as much, that I would love the freedom and that she’d find me just as sexy without hair as with. Friends: I dropped a few hints but didn’t come right out and say what I was planning except with my friend who was already sly.
  
  Sly Night:  I chose a Friday night so that I would have a couple of days to prepare. This day was the most difficult of all 30 days. Also, after the coming week, I was going to be out of the office, so I planned it that the five days before vacation would be coworkers’ first chance to see me, then a week of me away, then back to the normal grind. My thinking was they’d have a week to get used to me and then I would have a week at vacation for me to get used to me. It worked out well. So the Friday Night Sly, I waited until kids went to bed (age 9 and 10), and had a glass of wine with the wife. Then went into the bathroom and got after it. I had several kinds of razors and creams from the pharmacy and clippers. I started with the clippers and made the first hack. I have to say that was the most difficult, but once it was done, there was no turning back. I clipped off as much as I could then used a new razor to get to the skin. I am very white and have sensitive skin and expected a rashy mess, but that was not the case. I took my time and was careful, and shaved down to the skin. Of course it was surprising to me but I felt the liberation with each stroke. When I shave my face, I shave every direction with my right hand and feel right behind the blade with my left, so I can always get the tiniest stubble. I did the same with my head, and just shaved the heck out of it. It ended as smooth and shiny as glass, and that’s pretty much my routine a month later. I use only good fresh razors, and replace them the moment they start to wear. I’ll do that until my skin toughens up a bit. I texted the wife from my bathroom and she came into the bedroom and said I was sexy and gave me a big kiss. 
  
  First Weekend: I woke up the kids, age 9 and 10, who were startled at first but within minutes were back to cartoons. I took the kids out for breakfast and to run errands which we do every Saturday. I got one double-take at the diner where we eat, but that was all. They didn’t care. Sunday we went to church and they were startled at first but most of the ladies said they liked it, the men said kiddingly that  it looked like I had a haircut, and that was about all. It took a couple of Sundays to see the majority of people I knew, but in general, that was the reaction from the men and women. Kids didn’t care or notice.
  
  First club meetings: I’m in three clubs. The first club includes volunteering for the military, so many of the men are sly or nearly so. My best friend simply said, “Let’s see.” I took off my cap and he said, “Looks good. Now let’s get to work.” That was that. Most of the others said nothing or made minor comments. Second club – only one comment from a guy who had done the same about a year ago, just saying that he knew I’d love the freedom as he does. Third club – same as before, ladies liking it, men commenting on my “haircut” but only one fellow was negative, and it was kind of funny. He and I got out of cars at the same time and headed to the door. He said, “What did you do! You look terrible! I hate it! You have to grow it back!” He said that several times during the meeting, but by then I’d been sly for almost a month and I just laughed and said I’d never grow it back and that HE should go sly! He’s in his 60s and what little hair he has looks like a weed patch anyway. I told him he’d look better sly than to keep what little he has. He disagreed, and that’s fine. We’re human.
  
  Vacation: Awesome. Nobody knew me so I was relaxed and enjoyed being sly and learning about the shape of my head and how to shave. I had two bad experiences. In a dining room, I felt eyes on me and a couple of tables away, a lady was staring at me and she quickly turned away when I looked at her. So clearly she thought I looked funny. You know, I kind of do look funny, but I did before, so not a lot I can do. Later that week, I was in a fancy dark restaurant with pot lights. I sat in a dark leather wing back and I knew as I approached it that it had a pot light on it. I am sure it made my white head look like a boiled and peeled egg. Across the dining room four young ladies stared, commented, and giggled, then saw that I saw them, and that was the end of that. OK, so to a 20-year old I’m not hot. I get it. I’m not 20 so it really doesn’t matter. I have a lady at home who still thinks I’m sexy, so I have to shrug my shoulders and go on. The girls weren’t that cute anyway. Ha. Oh yeah, my passport shows me with a head of hair, and now I’m sly. Only one customs agent did a double take. I asked if he thought I looked better. He didn’t respond.
  
  Back to work: The next two weeks of my first month of sly were fine. Most everyone had seen me so the “Oh! You cut your hair off!” reactions were minimal. There were several new employees, and they’ve only seen me sly so they don’t know me any other way. I like that, and it made me realize that over time, it will simply just be the way I am and it will not be an issue.
  
  Daily routine: It’s pretty fast. I shave my face first and then my head. I tried several brands of razors before finding the one I like best. I shower next and then pat my new scalp dry. I don’t rub it – it is sensitive and freshly shaved, so I just lightly pat it. My skin doctor gave me some cream that reduces redness and I used it for a few days on my head, face and neck. It did help blend the color a bit, but there’s still a difference, and will be until summer I suppose. I now only use the medicine at night, and during the day, I use a small amount of a matte powder that I found at the pharmacy. It is like a dust and it is just a shade darker than white, so it’s the color of my skin. I rub a thin layer on my scalp and forehead and it tends to reduce some of the difference and reduce some of the redness on the few bumps that I have. Also, parts of my scalp are super shiny and parts are not, so the powder brings them closer together. I don’t plan on using this matte forever, but it does help while my scalp becomes used to being shaved and blends in better with my face.
  
  Last comments on this: I knew that I would only look better sly than with hair. So it was a very difficult start – I joined the forum in July and did not go sly until September. But that’s what I needed for the mental prep. But after that first clip, I knew there was no turning back. Going into places where I knew people was difficult, but going places where nobody knows me is no problem at all. Over the first 30 days, I encountered the majority of people that I know, and now have had enough experience to respond to the rest over the next few weeks as I bump into more family members and friends. So my confidence is up. As for being sly – I love it. The freedom is incredible and I can’t really describe it. I am happy that I did this.
  
  Any newbies need to chat me up, just send me a message. I hope I can be as supportive as others in this forum have been supportive of me.
  
  Tim
  
  
• #1 by theman on 14 Oct, 2012 17:23
• Thanks for your story,  and Welcome to SLY,
  
  You will enjoy each and every day.
• #2 by Sir Harry on 14 Oct, 2012 18:21
• Nice Story, thanks for sharing and congrats.
• #3 by RoWilJr on 14 Oct, 2012 19:02
• Good post TJ! Congrats8)
• #4 by BaldHDbiker on 14 Oct, 2012 21:52
• Great story. Congratulations on your first 30 days. 
• #5 by clarinetguy on 15 Oct, 2012 20:09
• Welcome! Your post was a great narrative of that first shave and a great reminder of my first shave. Enjoy!
• #6 by Paul the Headblader on 15 Oct, 2012 23:59
• Congratulations on your first month.
• #7 by Frontier Guy on 21 Oct, 2012 12:37
• Tim, thanks for recapping your experience. Yours is yet another example of a guy who takes control and changes his life for the better. Sure, there are occasional awkward moments, but they are so minimal compared to being unleashed from hair issues and maintenance.
  
  Also, you are blessed to have a supportive wife/partner which makes any other issues generally insignificant.
  
  Continue to enjoy the experience. Being sly is an ongoing journey and you will continue to find moments of unexpected pleasure because of the changes you've made.
  
  Well done.
• #8 by Arty Chris on 26 Jan, 2013 00:19
• Nice work Tim, both the shaving and the post
• #9 by Gary~ on 26 Jan, 2013 01:34
• I loved your post -- it had me laughing out loud at least twice. I smiled a few more times too. I still think that it's sort of odd how liberating it is. Anyway, we are the lucky ones.
  
  It would be nice if you posted an avatar pic and how about choosing you country too in your profile?
  

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• #10 by slyjoe on 26 Jan, 2013 13:50
• Thank you for the story. Enjoy the sly life friend.