Slyness is a state of mind, not a baldess of head.

Ya know...I've been sorta thinking about this.  Many of us have said this in some way, shape or form.

Actually, our in-house philosopher VASH should expand here....but I'll give it a shot.

The confident continuance of head shaving I suggest is the result, consequence...yea, FRUIT of already having achieved SLYNESS in the first place.  However, you can shave yer bean and NOT NECESSARILY BE SLY.   Conversly, you can be SLY and NOT SHAVE.

There are guys/gals who have come and gone 'round here who've shaved their head....and perhaps might still shave it.....but ARE NOT AND NEVER WERE SLY.   They never fully embraced the joy, freedom, practicality, individuality, CONFIDENCE, PEACE OF MIND of buffin' the ol' egg.

I don't think we've outlined a basic model of the mental process (akin to grieving) of becoming SLY completely apart from actually puttin' the razor to the pate.  Could be something like this:

I dunno....DENIAL.....FRUSTRATION.....RATIONALIZATION....PANIC....DESPAIR.....COUNTERFEITING (rugs, plugs...).....SHAME.....and then.....SLY

Some reach SLY before even putting the razor to the scalp.  I would venture to guess that my fellow BBC's might fall into this since we went straight to the joy, freedom, practicality, individuality, CONFIDENCE part.

Then there are some who--with much fear and trembling (and perhaps after the above suggested process)--trust our advice to "give it a try" and then step through joyfully to true SLYNESS.

Unfortunately, there are those who don't get past the fear and trembling and--whether or not they ever "gave it a try"--didn't or couldn't experience the joy, freedom, practicality, individuality, CONFIDENCE and PEACE OF MIND.   May I propose that THIS is the state of mind that never quite achieved SLYNESS.....regardless of whether or not actual scraping took place.

Whether or not one sports hair, the advice of the SLY to those struggling with hairloss will be as it is 'round here.

The advice of the NON-SLY would be as confused as the struggler himself and would include the prospects of RUGS, PLUGS AND DRUGS.

Real nice post Rob!!! I do believe that SLY is a state of mind as much as or more than anything.
I already had that state of mind before I started shaving my head so it was no big deal when i did it. I just said to the wife"I'm going to shave my head this evening". She said good and i went and did it. No big deal.

Great post, Rob.

CONFIDENCE and PIECE OF MIND....Biggest components of your initial post, Meister! 

As most of you know, I've grown my hair back as an appeasement to The Lovely Mrs. Schro b/c she hates the sly look on me. I'm keeping it at a close crop #1 setting (pic will be updated soon). But as I mentioned in another post, the feeling of going sly and the confidence I had as a result of it (being a MPB dude) was tremendous. Despite the fact I've grown back my "winter coat", I'll always be SLY.

CONFIDENCE and PIECE OF MIND....Biggest components of your initial post, Meister! 

As most of you know, I've grown my hair back as an appeasement to The Lovely Mrs. Schro b/c she hates the sly look on me. I'm keeping it at a close crop #1 setting (pic will be updated soon). But as I mentioned in another post, the feeling of going sly and the confidence I had as a result of it (being a MPB dude) was tremendous. Despite the fact I've grown back my "winter coat", I'll always be SLY.

Are the scalp skin problems under control?