Not the TV show starring Dick

This past Saturday I was shaving with my good old trusty Mach 3 razor, and a spasm in my wrist (or perhaps someone playing with a voodoo doll of me) caused me to slice open my chin. Yes, three nice gashes about an inch long on my chin. Lots of blood on my towel and dripping onto the bathroom tile. I ended up wearing half a role of toilet paper on my chin the rest of the morning.

So I decided I wouldn't shave for a little while (to prevent re-opening the wounds daily), and started growing one of those Van Dyke beards that, like blogs, every second guy seems to have nowadays. I had one last year around the same time and kept it for about a month or so - I remember calling it my SAP-implementation beard. (like an NHL-playoff beard, I didn't plan on shaving until after we implemented SAP in our retail environment at work in May 2004). My son Alexander (eight months old this week) noticed the extra facial hair yesterday when I arrived home from work and was holding him.

I remember no more than 5 years ago how rare a Van Dyke beard was. Prior to them popping up all over the place these past few years, I can only recall a professor in University who had one in the early 80's/late 90's. Can't recall seeing many others. But now? Yeesh!

So right now I'm wondering if the Van Dyke I'm growing will be thick enough to at least look good when I'm doing a reading/signing at the Chapters in Sudbury on March 13th. If the cut on my face has healed properly by then I'll likely just shave it off.