Last time I was here in Antarctica I grew a beard. I quite enjoyed the liberating feeling of growing one but didn't enjoy the rejection I felt on returning home, after being away for over three months and the reaction of Emma (my girlfriend) when on seeing it she screamed and then ran, whilst at the same time making threats "to chop my head off" if I didnt sort it quick. Not the reunion I had envisaged and it left me I feeling like I had made a big mistake by not shaving it off before my return. I have therefore promised Emma that this time I wouldn't grow one or at the very least not return with one.
Now beards are not all bad and I find them a little bit facinating, the definition of a beard (according to Wikipedia) is : "A beard is the hair that grows on a person's chin, cheeks, neck, and the area above the upper lip. Typically, only males going through puberty or post-pubescent males are able to grow beards. However, women with hirsutism may develop a beard. When differentiating between upper and lower facial hair, a beard specifically refers to the facial hair on the lower part of a man's chin (excluding the moustache, which refers to hair above the upper lip and around it). The study of beards is called pogonology". Even though Beards are worth studying they in them self are not clever but that said Wikipedia does go on to state that "in the course of history, men with facial hair have been ascribed various attributes such as wisdom and knowledge, sexual virility, masculinity, or high social status". However in Emma's world beards are associated with "filthiness, crudeness, or an eccentric disposition, such as in the case of a bum, hobo, hippie or vagrant". Beards are mostly associated with nature and outdoorsmen and in particular probably one of the only things that grows whilst in the Antarctic. I have been here now for just over three weeks, and with a lack of reflective surfaces on base, I don't get to see my reflection as often as I do back home, so today I was a little bit taken back when I looked in mirror and saw that a beard was starting to appear on my face. With three weeks growth it is not a full blown beard but it is a start of something and the question is do I let it grow or shave it all off? Or do I stick to the original promise to Emma and not grow one bucking the Antarctic seasonal fashion trend and go for the clean shaven look? (Must admit I do fancy trying to go for the Kurt Russell "The Thing" look but I guess I would have to do a lot more than grow a breard to look anything like Kurt Russell. :-)