new thread
Hey Guys and a few Gals (to burrow jonalbear's fun phrase - lol),
WOW, sure is different reverting back to being a lurker! It provides its own sort of flavor of entertainment, though... For example:
I was completely baffled when I first saw animosity's thread titled, "Natural Evening of Hair" My initial reaction was: 'What could be so different about hair in the evening that couldn't also be said of morning hair???' Thank goodness I'm smart enough to click and read what he said inside, as it made perfect sense then (hey, just because I'm a little "slow on the uptake", doesn't mean I don't EVENTUALLY get it - lol)!!
And then there was reading Luckskind's thread, "Hair is not Fur... Head hair vs. Beards + Body Hair", ---- HOLY ROAD TRIP!!! Man, I've been on long car drives before; but, usually mostly across the North American continent only in the East-West directions. To tour the human body in that way, exploring in such great detail how hair is so diferent, depending on its longitude and laditude placement... Well, all I can say is: I was genuinely dizzy going so far South!!!! I've always dreampt of someday seeing the stark beauty of Polar regions, as well as would love to visit more of the sunny tropics; but, after reading Luckskind's thread, I felt as if I was on the National Geographic Exploration Team, having visited both the North AND the South Poles *AND* a few brief steamy stop-overs in Equatorial regions as well, --- even in places where the sun don't even shine! Great job, Luckskind! It was a terrific read (and I think you should write for Michelin)!!
I wish I had time to reply to all of the great updates I saw; but, my new job at the moment is keeping me too busy (and too exhausted afterwards). I also want to say a warm, hearty, "WELCOME!" to all the new guys who've recently introduced themselves, --- you've just found a great place to hang out on the Internet!!
And a special message to all the guys who've recently posted about having cut their hair...
Hey, there's no shame in cutting hair, anymore than shame in growing it. We all have the right and priviledge to pursue happiness in whatever form it takes. The journey of Life is ultimately a very individual one, --- even though we collectively get to enjoy moments of pursuing similar goals together sometimes. As far as hair itself goes... I, personally, am always a bit saddened to see a great mane have to be detached from its original owner. But, hey, that's MY problem; it doesn't have to be yours!! Most people here already know that I cut my waist-length hair backin Y2K, and deeply regretted it afterwards. But, there are plenty of folks who cut off their long hair who DON'T grieve over the loss (my nephew, for example, who had dreads for over 6 years, and now enjoys having his hair short). The solution to my grief after my Y2K haircut was to grow my mane back; but, I remind myself daily of the fact that there are people on the planet who have lost their hair because of accident or illness who aren't so lucky...
There are 2 eternal facts about hair that nobody can argue with:
1) Mother Nature dictates that head hair always grows back, regardless of any effort on our part (the only exceptions to this would be because of the result of unusual accidents or illness);
2) Man invented the scissors a long time ago, resulting in mankind's ability to have hair CUT.
Even the most boring, non-adventurous people in the world, --- the ones who have maintained the exact same hair-length and style throughout their entire lives --- still experience going back & forth between #1 and #2 above.
So, rest assured: if you have gone through the experience of having grown your hair out long, you have done something that the vast majority of men in Western Society usually DON'T have the guts to do... to at least TRY having their hair long! And, even if you've just now cut it... nobody can ever accuse you of being, "boring!"
My best to all!
- Ken in San Francisco
Hi Ken ...
I too lurk a bit more now than before... time is such a huge factor these days.. I guess it boils down to wanting two things in life...
1. More Hair
2. More Time
.... and in that order..
Peace..
Tristan
G'day Ken
Great to see your presence on the board!
I am just making myself a little more known to the board as I have now gone through a whole year of growing my hair out!
I will sheepishly admit I had one trim February this year... I wanted a trim, a tidy up to prepare myself for growing my hair out... and that event possibly cost me 2-3 months of growing my hair out :( but that is nothing compared to what other people have done on here so I have learnt from that mistake!
February 2008 marks a whole year without going to a salon!
My 18 month update comes June 2008... hopefully that will generate more than 1 reply lol
Peace
Ryan in Australia
Hi Ryan from Australia,
I have been to your fair country, although that was about 13 years ago, --- but, I loved every bit of what I saw, as I think it's just BEAUTIFUL there!! I was on holiday w/ my brother, sister-in-law, & nephew for slightly over 2 weeks (my brother was on a business trip at the time, and the rest of us just tagged along). They were kind enough to pay for my airfare, as I never could have afforded it; but, I'm so glad I got to see "Oz", --- it's WONDERFUL!!!
No worries about the trim you mentioned, mate, --- I've trimmed off about an inch myself recently. Sometimes you just need to go ahead and do that (in my case, the split ends were getting pretty bad). I've twice gone through the awkward stages (grew it long on 2 separate occasions, --- once starting in the early '90s; then again after a devastating short haircut in Y2K).... And each time I've done that, had to occasionally go in for a trim (averaging about once a year or so).
Losing a month or 2 of growth isn't so bad. It's only when one goes to a bad hair salon or stylist that it can prove to be a real disaster. Anyway, better to trim off just a little, if it saves your sanity, than it is to get completely frustrated and annoyed w/ your hair, --- and then "throw in the towel" completely. My 2 cents, anyway!
Take care, --- and happy growing!
- Ken
Excellent post Ken! I like that extended metaphor too.
I too am lurking, only posting once in a while, so sorry about people's updates that I haven't replied to. Rest assured I did see them and you have my best wishes :)
Hey derf,
Yeah, it's a hard decision sometimes when you don't have as much free time as you used to, as far as picking and choosing who to reply to re. updates... especially considering that I used to respond to nearly ALL!! Rather than appear rude or disinterested or picking too many "favorites" (at the expense of possibly hurting people who'll feel "left out"), for now I'm just rarely posting ANYthing.
Sometimes it's even hard to keep up w/ the lurking; but, so far, so good with at least THAT (lol)!!
Take care, --- and my best to you, derf!
- Ken
...well, I could have gone on and on so then it would have been a trip around the world, almost.
I forgot to mention differences in hair growth.
Head hairs can rach the floor in certain individuals, but if you move just a few inches down the hairs of the eyebrows and side taps sually stay very short.
Move a short distance down and, once again, the hair in the beard region is capable of growing significantly long.
Hair on the body, arms and legs included, usually stay very short and the pubic region will remain relative the same the same length.
Also, body hair was never intended to keep us warm so why is it there? Men and women actually have about the same number of hair follicles but these need to be activated by male hormones. But even then that is not the entire answer as some men with high levels of testosterone have virtually no hair.
Some have suggested that hair is there to guide sweat downward into certaqin areas. Certainly the eyebrows and eyelashes do that.
Others have mentioned that hair prevents naked bodies from sticking to each other during moments of intimacy.
Well, I have to stop for gas and an oil change.
Hey Luckskind,
I forgot to mention that the best part about your whole road trip tour of the human body and its hair was that i DIDN'T have to stop to fill up my tank with expensive gas, --- to go from North to South Polar regions, AND make some brief stop-overs in the steamy Equitorial jungles... WITHOUT having to fill up a single gas tank... Now, THAT's a road trip I definitely want to repeat!!!
Take care, --- and all the best to you, Luckskind!
- Ken