63 days before - My face is cold

So those of you subscribed to my YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/bandgeek8408) know that I shaved my beard off yesterday.

When I was in high school, one of the dress code rules was that you had to be clean shaven. No beards or mustaches, and they've recently started cracking down on sideburns too. Yes, recently, as in the rule is still in effect. It's a ridiculous rule for many reasons, not the least of which being that given that the point of the dress code is to limit distractions, and given some of the things people wear to school (particularly girls) and how distracting THEY are, the LAST thing they should be worrying about is facial hair. (Particularly considering that most guys of high school age can't even grow facial hair.) But that's just it: most of the dress code rules are not enforced. Why? Because if a male teacher tells a female student that her skirt is too short, the response could be, "Well, what was he doing looking in the first place?" The facial hair rule is easy to enforce because you can't get into any kind of trouble for telling a guy he needs to shave. So what ever problems Hillsdale High School is facing, at least they're keeping their guys clean shaven. Well done, Hillsdale. Well done.

Anyway, off my soapbox now. Back to the beard. It is a common trend among male graduates of Hillsdale to have beards, after four years of being forced to shave. I was no exception, and I was also one of those guys who was able to grow facial hair fairly quickly in high school. I also discovered that I look older with my beard. Without it, I still kind of look like I'm 15.

So, I've kept the beard. The only time I shave it is for shows, which I have now done four times since high school. Five if you count the production of 1776 I was in immediately after graduation. (So I had to postpone the growing of the beard for a couple weeks.) In 1776, men of influence such as the members of the Second Continental Congress didn't have beards.

After that, I was in a production of a completely crappy play with took place in the 30s and 40s, where I played a rich man of breeding who certainly would not have had a beard.

Three years later, I played Ching Ho in Thoroughly Modern Millie. Chinese men are not known for thick beards.

A few months after that, we took Thoroughly Modern Millie to our district OCTA (Ohio Community Theatre Association) competition, and I had to shave the beard off again. (A few months after that, we took same production to state OCTA, but that time I was able to get away with just trimming the beard really closely.

And now, this time. I am portraying a figure of Ashland County, Ohio history named Hugo Young. I doubt you've heard of him. But he did not have a beard, so it is gone once again.

But it will be back again in a few weeks. Oh, the sacrifices I make for the theatre . . .

-Matt