Hello From Kansas!

[KeeperOfTheBeard]

Hello all.  My name is Matthew and I live in Wichita, Kansas.  I've been shaving my head off and on for several years now.

I have a modest bald spot on the back/top of my head and a slightly receding hairline.  I've always kept my hair short - but rather than fret over the look of my bald spot I decided to shave it off completely - hey, it looks great on Michael Chiklis and Bruce Willis...

My wife and friends said I have "a good shaped head" for being bald.  Now there's something I can put on my resumé!

A few little factoids about me:

1.  I am the father of three girls - ages 12, 4 and 1
2.  I am married to my wife and we will be celebrating our 9 year anniversary tomorrow 
3.  I am turning 40 later this year   
4.  I am very fond of beards and moustaches - I am the president and founder of the Midwest Beard and Moustache Club
5.  I see "Handlebar" (Jim) is a member here as well - I've known Jim through the beard and moustache world for a few years now - I think this may be the 6th forum that we are both members of (FPN, Fedora Lounge, BCBB, Handlebar Club, MBMC and now here)
6.  I make my living as the CIO for a company based here in KS
7.  I have my Master's in geology and would love to get back into the field
8.  I love vintage things - especially Art Deco, Modern Age, and Atomic Age
9.  I collect and restore old Bakelite tube radios
10.  I love riding my motorcycles - I have a newer Triumph but I am right now restoring a 1914 HD Board Track racer
11.  I hate shaving my face but I love shaving my head

I've tried many of the Headblade products (shave lotion, Matte/Glossy lotions, the original HeadBlade from a few years ago) - I've tried the BaldGuyz shampoo and wipes as well.

Right now I am using the HB TripleBlade along with Shave Secret oil.  I used the Jack Black All Over Wash on my bald head - I shave every other day - but my hair is so dark and thick that I get a really thick 5 o'clock shadow by the end of the day so I should just shave it every day.  I am lucky in the sense that I get zero irritation or bumps.

I had a foot long year beard that I just shaved off recently (for my wife) - but I am 8 weeks into growing it back - and it will be long again soon enough.  Hopefully the bald head/massive beard combo will look good.

Following photos hosted offsite to conserve server space:

Me in March with my year beard:




Deep in thought - almost bald...heh





Me two weeks ago with the shaved head and the 6 week old beard growing back in




I look forward to getting to know everyone and spending some good time here.  I hope everyone is having a great Wednesday.

Regards,

Matthew

[Razor X]

Welcome, Matthew.  Nice pics of the dome.

Why do you call it a "year beard"?  Do you always shave it off once a year and then grow it back out?   What's the longest length you've ever grown it to?

[Tyler]

Matthew, welcome to Sly Bald Guys!  I think you pull off the beard and shaved head look very well.  Great intro and I look forward to getting to know you!

[Bensen]

hey, welcome matthew. good intro story. i hope yill have some fun here! i'm sure you will

[Paul]

Welcome Matthew, that was a great intro.   Definitely like that full beard and sly look, your's might be the one that finally pushes me over the edge to try it.   Oh, and Happy Anniversary.

[KeeperOfTheBeard]

Welcome, Matthew.  Nice pics of the dome.

Why do you call it a "year beard"?  Do you always shave it off once a year and then grow it back out?   What's the longest length you've ever grown it to?

It turned a year old - hence the year beard.  I had no intention of shaving it off but my wife HATES the beard so I did it for her.  But I was miserable so I am growing back!




Thanks for the welcome, gang.  And thanks for the Happy Anniversary, Paul.  I threw that in there because my wife was reading over my shoulder as I posted!

[Tyler]

 I threw that in there because my wife was reading over my shoulder as I posted!

Smart man!

[KeeperOfTheBeard]

Tyler, I love your quote about ego.  I am well read in the works of Tolle, and Frankl who both talk about ego and the egoic mind and how it leads to suffering and pain.  I appreciate your quote immensely.

Regards,

Matthew

[herronm]

Welcome Matthew!!!  Glad you found us.  You certainly have the SLY look down.  Great intro with an interesting background.  There are a lot of us IT guys here, you won't feel lonely.

Max

[Razor X]

Welcome, Matthew.  Nice pics of the dome.

Why do you call it a "year beard"?  Do you always shave it off once a year and then grow it back out?   What's the longest length you've ever grown it to?

It turned a year old - hence the year beard.  I had no intention of shaving it off but my wife HATES the beard so I did it for her.  But I was miserable so I am growing back!

Hmm, you could be on to something here.  All you guys whose wives don't like shaved heads, are you paying attention?  Grow a huge beard like Matthew's.  She'll probably hate that, too.  Then you can "compromise" by shaving the beard if she lets you keep the bald dome.   

[SlickEric]

Welcome Matt.

So Jim got you to go the full monty. He can be very persuassive. Very cool. It's good to see another FL'ounger here.  
We'll have to start a thread on Sly Style. Nothing like a Panama to shade the bald noggin' from the summer sun.

Eric

[Tyler]

Tyler, I love your quote about ego.  I am well read in the works of Tolle, and Frankl who both talk about ego and the egoic mind and how it leads to suffering and pain.  I appreciate your quote immensely.

Regards,

Matthew

Thanks!  I got it off the movie "Revolver" by Guy Ritchie.  Here's the full verbiage, though I don't agree with it fully, I do think much of it applies to what we're accomplishing here.

The ego is the worst confidence trickster we could ever figure.

"I am you".

The problem is that the ego hides in the last place that you'd ever look within itself.
It disguises its thoughts as your thoughts, its feelings as your feelings.

"You think it's you".

Peoples' need to protect their own egos knows no bounds.
They will lie, cheat, steal, kill, do whatever it takes to maintain what we call ego boundaries.
People have no clue that they're imprisoned.
They don't know that there is an ego, they don't know the distinction.
At first, it's difficult for the mind to accept that there's something beyond itself, that there's something of greater value and greater capacity for discerning truth than itself.

In religion, the ego manifests as the devil. And of course no one realizes how smart the ego is, because it created the devil so you could blame someone else.
In creating this imaginary external enemy, it usually made a real enemy for ourselves, and that becomes a real danger to the ego, but that's also the ego's creation.

There is no such thing as an external enemy no matter what the voice in your head is telling you.
All perception of an enemy is a projection of the ego as the enemy.
In that sense, you could say that 100 percent of our external enemies are of our creation.

"Your greatest enemy is your own inner perception, is your own ignorance, is your own ego".

[BALDANDRE]

Welcome Matthew!

The bald head and beard looks good!

Not only do we have a bald head in common, I'm also a fan of vintage type stuff too, especially atomic modern, danish modern and 40's-60's asian...and lastly tiki type stuff..

Nice to have you aboard!

[SLYinKC]

Welcome, Matthew.  Great to have another Kansan.

[PigPen]

Welcome Matthew! Great intro and we're glad you joined us.