GO! St. Louis Guys' Night

Last night was the innaugural GO! St. Louis Guys' Night.  Midwest Moustache Alliance and Movember were naturally an integral part of the scene.  Knowledge is Power - Health is for Life was in full effect all evening. Medical professionals Dr. Bill Cragg and Dr. Kevin King gave us all great tips on how to keep ourselves in tip-top shape, inside and out.   Big River Running Company, represented by our very own Matt Helbig, also delivered some timely advice on staying motivated in this difficult running season.  Brooks and Nike (thank you Brian Deal!) all teamed up to give attendees great schwag and a chance to win a free pair of shoes. 

We are grateful to all those who kicked in generous donations to the Movember cause.  Cancer-fighting fu manchus everywhere are thankful!

The Jefferson Grill in Kirkwood was terrific as always. They kept the libations flowing, and the hot food stocked for the group.  A first-time, first class event all the way!

Check out the Mo Bros that were there representing the team.

With just a couple more moustached days to go, we are focused on making one last push to make people aware of Movember.  Help us if you can.  Share a link on FB.  Send a few dollars.  Follow the blog.  It's all good stuff.
http://us.movember.com/team/429145
Mo' on!

Brandon

Progress!

Check out these lip liners.  We are seriously changing the face of men's health.    If nothing else, we're changing the way our co-workers and family feel about us.  Just keep hatin' on cancer! Here are a few updates.

 

 

 

More to come!

http://us.movember.com/team/429145 if you prefer cancer-free prostates and testicles.


Moustache is king,

Brandon

Work in the yard, fellas!

Not content to let you flounder in society with some sort of in-between moustache, Mo Bro Brian uses actions, not words, to show you how to say "goodbye" to unwanted leaves and "hello" to a stunning 'stache.  Multitasking never looked so good.

Grow a mo',
Brandon

And check it out! Midwest Moustache Alliance is creeping up on $1,000.  Even a donation of $5.00 rather than your regular cup of Starbucks (which actually stunts moustache growth) can help make a difference in the world of men's health. http://us.movember.com/team/429145

Mo' growth

When your mo' needs mo' growth, sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands.  Literally.   In today's video, Brian demonstrates proper wood-splitting technique.  See how his moustache responds.  Remember, those of you with an in-between-moustache, it gets fuller.

http://mobro.co/MidwestMoustacheAlliance

Grow a mo',
Brandon

MMA Welcomes New Members

Brian Deal’s roots run deep in the south, particularly in a little town called Atlanta.  Like Sherman and his infamous march, Brian declared total war on his face and has blazed a trail across the region of his upper lip, making room for new and prosperous growth.  To accomplish his goal of a unified moustache, like Sherman’s troops he has taken to foraging for food and living off the land.  His primal instincts and high metabolism have made a noticeable impact on the goose population in Forest Park.

Peter Kim adds a little Eastern flair to Movember team, Midwest Moustache Alliance.  Hailing from the eastern regions of St. Louis known for their strip clubs, corn fields, and horse radish festivals, he has developed the recipe for the perfect ‘stache.  Here’s Peter on moustachery, “Growing up, my dad always had great tips on how to put hair on your chest, but never said, ‘Peter, this will put hair on your upper lip.’  I’ve taken some of his proven guidance, added in a few of the aforementioned aspects of living in St. Louis East and believe I have the precise formula for not just a Fu Manchu, but a full on B.J. Honnicutt."

Mike McLean, a Scottish Greek, grew up in a small community outside of Madison, Wisconsin.   His father, a haberdasher, raised young Mike in the family business.  Exposed to the dapper side of men’s style and fashion, Mike learned early on the fine lines between business casual and formal wear, along with the significant difference between an electric razor trim and a proper four pass straight razor shave with hot towel treatment.  Mike’s ability to grow a ‘mo is not in question, it’s whether he chooses to wax the tips and don a Tam O’ Shanter, or keep it classy with a neatly trimmed Chaplin and a bowler.

All the cool kids are doing it

Midwest Moustache Alliance supporter and all around cool potty-trained guy, Miles Janosky, dons a shirt meant to inspire Mo Bros during Movember.

MMA Stache Growing Tip #3: Grill Your Breakfast

MMA dishes up another tasty tip on how to grow your 'mo. 

 

 

 

Please don't forget to check out our Mo Space page! While donations are not our #1 priority, we do welcome them.

Cheers,

Brian
www.movember.com
http://us.movember.com/mospace/2876005

Moustache Education: Work on a Truck





Check out Mo Growth PSA #2.  Mo Bro Brandon demonstrates yet another macho activity that will encourage moustache growth.  Enjoy.

 

 

It's recommended that you have certain tests run by your doctor by the time you hit a particular age.  Movember.com offers up some tips that men of all ages can benefit from, here are a few (most of them obvious):

• Establish a relationship with a doctor and have an annual check-up
• Get to know your family health history (diabetes, heart disease, etc)
• Don't smoke (yes, people still smoke - it amazes me every day)
• Go easy on the booze (had a friend we called 2 Beer Joe, turns out he was brilliant)
• Eat a balanced diet (Meat AND vegetables fellas), and maintain a healthy weight
• MMA Tip: if you can't see your unit because your gut is in the way you've got a problem
• Exercise regularly (Exercise regularly)
• Be sexually responsible
• Manage your stress and take time out for yourself (see above)
• Have an annual dental check-up (dental health is linked to other ailments such as heart disease)
• Drive safely

Please don't forget to check out our Mo Space page!  While donations are not our #1 priority, we do welcome them. 

Cheers,

Brian
www.movember.com
http://us.movember.com/mospace/2876005

Election Day

It is Election Day and some 160 million voters will be casting their ballots today. I stole some time from work mid-morning to head to the polls, thinking a 10:00am line would be shorter than the 7:00am line my wife was in earlier. When I arrived the parking lot was full and there was a line snaking out the door, down the sidewalk and around the soccer field. I was not discouraged and stayed in high spirits as I conversed with my fellow Americans – thankfully no political talk, we reserved it to,  “can you believe this line?” and, “once you get to the steps it’s an hour.”

One electioneer was offering promotional post cards for a state treasurer candidate.  The guy behind me said, “no thanks, I’ve seen enough.”  Several of us nodded in agreement.  It’s been too much and I think I speak for all of us when I say I’m looking forward to not seeing a political ad for a while.

 
I had a little over an hour to kill, and as my mind wandered, I thought, how would the presidential candidates look with moustaches? Would we take them any more or less serious? A moustachioed president would command respect, that’s for sure. Here’s a little photo shop, you be the judge:

While the political campaign is coming to an end (thank goodness), our campaign for men’s health continues (wahoo!).  The Midwest Moustache Alliance has a mission to promote men’s health by encouraging our brothers to lead a healthy lifestyle, be aware of common health risks, and do it in a way that may be found funny in some circles.  You can help us out by following the blog – just type in your email address where it says “Follow by Email”, and supporting our Movember.com team, the Midwest Moustache Alliance. 

 

Cheers,

 

Brian

 

http://us.movember.com/mospace/2876005

www.movember.com

MMA Welcomes New Team Members

MMA welcomes two new members to the fold; Jesse Novotney and Rob Sutton.  Both men are great additions to the Movember.com mission of promoting men's health awareness.  Take a read and get to know them a little better.

 

Jessey Novotney’s passion for physical wellness began after he stumbled upon his mother’s cache of As Seen on TV exercise equipment along with a complete collection of Tony Little exercise videos.  Frustration set in after spending months trying to grow a blonde ponytail that his ginger curls wouldn’t allow, but he never gave in(he’s still working on that ponytail 13 years later). He found inspiration in Mr. Little’s advice, and often used Tony’s mantra “You can do it!” as self-motivation during the most menial of tasks like brushing his teeth.  For Jesse, perseverance is key to growing his ‘stache.  Jesse on his upcoming moustache exploits, “It may come in a little light and curly in the beginning, but watch out for the crescendo, the finale is going to blow your mind.”

 

Rob Sutton is not just a man, he is The Man.  Rob has a presence about him not unlike the moustachioed gent of Old Spice commercials.  Rob has many talents that are the envy of men across the globe.  To name a few: he can brew craft beer, bench press a car, and build a rocket ship.  Robs gorilla-like strength and machismo will be instrumental in guiding MMA members who have trouble with jump-starting their moustache growth.  These folicular-challenged team members will have the option of either wrestling a bear or Rob.  For their safety, it’s recommended they opt for the bear.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Brian

Having Trouble Growing Your Mo?

Midwest Moustache Alliance brings a PSA to all aspiring Movember members.  You'll find the first in a series of educational, informational, videos delivering foolproof methods for jumpstarting under-nose foliage.



 

Grow a Mo,
Brandon

MMA Welcomes New Members

Danny Stults currently lacks the ability to grow a moustache.  His Movember journey will involve moustache coaching from MMA senior members, Brian and Brandon, along with instituting many of the growing tips recommended by Movember spokesperson, Nick Offerman.  On the strict training regimen Danny will face over the next few weeks, senior member, Brandon Janosky weighs in: “We’ve already limited his diet to three meals a day of one whole raw onion and a rare steak.  Soon he will begin physical training that will include the following:  Each morning he will rub 36 grit sand paper on his lip to prime the area, followed by wood sniffing.  He’ll change the oil in all our cars and conduct multipoint inspections of each.  He’ll learn to ride a motorcycle and by the end of the first week he’ll chop down a tree with an ax and wrestle a bear (or the equally dangerous, Rob Sutton).”    

 

Matt Helbig was born a leader. A trained woodsman and survivalist, he led groups of soccer moms and their well-manicured husbands on trips through the wild and great unknown of the western United States. Matt is no stranger to the stache, and makes the strong argument that the moustache is actually an important survival tool. Aside from packing his first aid kit and iodine tablets, Matt would spend weeks leading up to a safari growing the perfect mouth filter. As Matt puts it, "When you're in the wild you need the proper tools to survive. The moustache strains and filters out deadly protozoa from drinking water, and prevents bugs from entering your mouth while sleeping. The added bonus is when spelunking it functions like a cat's whiskers, it’s the perfect measuring device for my head."

Meet the Team

The Midwest Moustache Alliance is shaping up nicely after the great Eve of ShaveOween.

Let’s highlight the team.

Travis “TL RUN RUN” Liles hails from Illinois.  He typically sports a clean dome to reduce his coefficient of drag during excessively long bouts of running.  He is a die-hard model airplane aficionado, and excels at blind-folded origami (2-time Tri County Champ – ’03,’05).  Travis promises to deliver dynamite upper lip growth, fueled by what he calls the “all spinach, all the time” diet.

Nathan Chase

 is a born and raised Missourian.  Claiming to be 1/17^th Native American, Nathan owes his penchant for living off the land to his tribal heritage.  Also, he will DVR Gonzaga University basketball games and watch them multiple times like he’s never seen them before.  With a Movember’s worth of moustache growth, Nathan hopes it will even be noticeable.

 

Brian Lyons is another Missouri-bred man’s man.  Rarely without a glow suggestive of having cranked out 500 hundred pushups, his passion for health and fitness is contagious.  Brian thinks that Sex Panther really works “because of the real bits of panther.  Duh!”  He eschews the traditional microwave cooking method and would rather barbeque his oatmeal each morning. 

 

Brandon Janosky grew up in Spokane, WA where moustaches were commonplace. An inspiring lumberjack at 8 years old, he committed the next six years of his life to only wearing flannel and brandishing a double-sided axe. It can be argued that during this phase of his life, Brandon inspired the “grunge” look that many bands took to in the early 90’s. Brandon’s daily diet and exercise regimen exudes his passion for health and fitness. A combination of a daily 12 mile run followed by a bike ride on the grass “because its harder” all while strapped into a parachute makes this man’s moustache grow. He’s also a Malt-o-meal man, because as he puts it, “Cream of Wheat is for pansies.”

 

Jake Menard, my brother-in-law, is originally from Minnesota, but finds himself living in God’s Country, Washington State these days.  Always one to rock a goatee in recent years, he has committed to defy that longstanding tradition and grow a moustache to help fight cancer.  When he isn’t busy teaching his 3 young daughters the finer points of a quality leg-sweep or helmet-to-helmet contact, he unwinds by taking strenuous 8-hr professional exams.  This is often followed by a Guinness or three.

Brian Rodenbeck is a heavily-credentialed all-around athlete who trains throughout the year and claims to be 100% waterproof.  His competitors have accused him of sleeping in a simulated altitude tent.   In addition to growing a moustache in the name of men’s health, Brian said, “I’d like to push the limits of my handsomeness and really take my boyish good looks to another level.”

Kyle Cameron has spent most of his life fetching things on the top shelf for those who are vertically challenged and is often asked, “How’s the weather up there?”  Movember and  Midwest Moustache Alliance brings an exciting change of pace for Kyle, as he will be our “highest” fundraiser.  “I’m really thrilled to be a part of MMA and raising awareness for men’s health initiatives.”  Kyle stated in a recent interview:  “I’ve never grown facial hair in my life, and have actually been more focused on removing my moustache.  It’s quite chilly with my head near the stratosphere.  I believe a moustache will be the sweater my upper lip has always needed.” 

Steve Pollihan is no stranger to a proper beard, goatee, or ‘stache.  But this time around, he’s dedicating his face to the fabled moustache.  Once this ultra-running badass completes serving his 6^th consecutive term as Webster Groves’ Sexiest Artist, he plans to attempt a handle bar moustache world record, much to his wife’s chagrin. In his words, “I was meant for moustaches, and moustaches were meant for me.”  Such eloquence!

Moustache Category

Movember 1^st is fast approaching.  I’ve dedicated these last few days to being 100% cleanly shaven.  It’s a look that will soon be a thing of the past, but when the hour comes, I will be primed and ready.  Over the past two months I’ve committed to a few test runs of the moustache.  One, in particular was for the MO’ Cowbell Half Marathon on October 7^th.  One would think with an event name like MO’ Cowbell, moustaches would be mandatory, but alas, I was one of the few with a Fu Manchu. 

After taking a couple of moustache test drives, I’ve discovered that I don’t look particularly good sporting facial hair dedicated solely to my upper lip.  Not a necessarily abysmal look, but far from fantastic.  After some thought, I’m trying to find the appropriate category for how I pull off “the ‘stache”.  

The Creep:  Thank goodness I don’t look like this guy (at least I hope not).  I imagine that one would have an inventory of gold jewelry and wear Bring It! body spray to be considered creepy.  I neither own any gold jewelry, nor wear cologne.  I gave both up in my prepubescent years.

 

 

The Badass:  Nor can I consider myself a badass like St. Louis Rams head coach, Jeff Fisher(video link), who can make a grown man wet his pants merely by raising an eyebrow.

 

 

The Lady Killer:  I don’t necessarily think the women of the baby boom swoon at the sight of my under-nose forest, the effect Tom Selleck has had on the women for decades.  Tom, I will never be the chick magnet you ever were.

It’s likely that my moustache could be considered in the class of not quite pulling it off, but good effort.  One thing is for sure, I will be going all out.  As my wonderful wife will attest, I rarely do anything in moderation; in fact, I’ve even dedicated my Halloween pumpkin to one of my favorite moustache wielding personas, Ron Swanson.  I expect great things from my upcoming moustache, and the moustaches of my fellow Movember Mo’ Bros.  I’m counting down the hours – exciting times await!

"Give me all the bacon and eggs you have."

 

Cheers,

Brian

As Movember approaches, it is hard not to be inspired by the amount of facial hair we see swirling about.  Look no further than the MLB Playoffs, and our very own Saint Louis Cardinals.  Playoff beards abound!  Jason Motte has a beard so thick I am convinced he is Zac Brown, of Zac Brown Band fame.  Think about it.  Have you ever seen the two of them together in the same room?  I didn’t think so.  He is very versatile, disguising himself with clever hats and fake glasses.

There are other perfectly acceptable reasons for a beard, too.  And they work!  For example, I am structuring mine to enhance my chances of success in a whitetail deer hunt in Washington State this weekend.   The hunting beard is said to increase odd of a successful harvest anywhere from 13 – 27%  Compelling numbers!

For more science, consider Midwest Moustache Alliance team member, Brian Lyons.  He was carried to victory at the recent MO’ Cowbell Half Marathon in St. Charles, MO by a stunning fu manchu.  When asked how it affected his performance, he said, “Without it, I might not have finished at all.”  There it is, from the moustachioed mouth of a champion.

So you see, friends, the case has been made clearly.  In order to boost your Fall lifestyle performances, consider donning a beard or moustache.  Call it practice for the real deal in a mere 14 days.  Don’t forget, October 31^st is Shaveoween.  Start with a clean canvas on Movember 1^st and do your part to change the face of men’s health.

If you’ll join the MMA team to help us raise dollars and awareness for serious health issues impacting men, head over to www.movember.com and get signed up.  We would love to have your support.

Grow a ‘mo.

Brandon

Bloomberg Interview with Movember CEO

http://www.bloomberg.com/video/845k-people-raised-126-3m-for-movember-in-2011-MMRAl7PAQwe1ZY_Jp1nTFw.html

Join in the fun.  Hey, it's for a great cause.

Grow a 'mo.

Brandon

Movember Team: Midwest Moustache Alliance

Now that Brandon has set up our Movember team, Midwest Moustache Alliance, we're open for business.  Number one priority right now is recruitment.  We want the Midwest Moustache Alliance to grow; in membership, moustache, and donations.  The more guys and gals we can get on board, the bigger our reach...so a quick promotion:

I have 4 VIP Lounge tickets to the Taste of St. Louis (http://www.tastestl.com) for Sunday, September 29th up for grabs ($50 value/ea). 

First 4 guys or gals(not counting me or Brandon) to sign up for Movember and team Midwest Moustache Alliance (here's our team page:  http://us.movember.com/team/429145) will get the tix.  Be sure to sign up soon, these tickets should go quick!


Cheers,

Brian

Movember is Live

Officially, Movember.com has opened their doors for business to kick off another Moustache Season.  The theme this year is Knowledge is Power - Moustache is King.  I love it!

This means that Midwest Moustache Alliance has registered as a team, and is seeking team members to help us be (on) the face of men's health.  Ideally, we would like to see a group of guys  - and ladies too! - join us in our fundraising efforts.  But perhaps more importantly, we would like to see people commit to growing the 'stache during the month of Movember.  This will create the conversations that are so crucial to encouraging our friends, family, colleagues, and community to see a doctor regularly and take proper precautions to catch diseases and cancers as early as possible.  Don't be shy about joining our group if you're from out West or Back East.  You can spread the good word and make a difference from anywhere.  Check out www.movember.com to get to know the cause.  Talk to me or Brian if you have any questions.

As more details become available, we will let you know about awareness and fundraising events that the Midwest Moustache Alliance will be hosting.  We plan to have a lot of fun with this, in addition bringing as much financial support as we can to the cause.

So, who's with us?! Grow a mo! Brandon

I'm Glad You Asked

“I’m glad you asked.”  That is what I’m prepared to say when someone asks, “what is going on with your moustache?”  I need a prepared statement that is more than just, “I’m growing it to raise awareness for men’s health.”  I thought having some statistics in my back pocket would help keep the conversation going and hopefully this will lead in to a conversation that results in, “I’m going to call my doctor to schedule a physical.” I think that’s an easier sell to most than “call your doctor, get a prostate exam.”  Your doctor can recommend whether or not you need to take this next step…here’s what to expect if he/she finds it necessary (exam).

A few statistics about prostate cancer (thank you, webmd.com):

·         80% of men will carry prostate cancer cells in their lifetime

·         1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer

·         1 in 36 will die from the disease

·         Nearly 100% of men diagnosed early, while the cancer is local to the prostate will live 5 years or more. (10-year survival rate = 91%, 15-year survival rate = 76%)

Most of us are going to hear the word “Cancer” and “Prostate” in the same sentence at some point in our lives, but if you get checked out and it’s caught early, you have a much better chance of living until you die from something else like heart disease or freak accident, which rank 1 and 3, respectively (all cancer is #2).

We all know about heart disease and what we can do to help prevent it.  Diet, exercise, avoid alcohol, don’t smoke, get enough sleep, etc. help to prevent heart disease and most other diseases, but how do you prevent freak accidents?  Three things come to mind:

·         Hire a professional to clean your gutters

·         Don’t drive like an idiot

·         Don’t tell inappropriate stories about your wife…(artificially forced) segue…

“I’m glad you asked.” That’s close to “Funny you should ask,” which was my lead-in when my daughter’s little friend asked why we had a bottle with a cork in it on our window sill.  I flatly told her that it was a captured fart that Mrs. Lyons let back in 2002.  We’ve kept it all these years…don’t open it, it will kill us all.  I could tell that at first she was trying to process how we could possibly capture a fart in a bottle, then why would we do such a thing, and eventually disgusted by the idea.  Both girls looked at my wife with twisted faces – “Is he telling the truth?” She just shook her head.  Worth the small percentage increase that I may die from an “accident”.

Cheers,

Brian

My Moustache Heroes

A couple more moustache heroes need to be highlighted.  Inspired by Brian's post, I will follow suit.  I, too, am blessed to have fathers in my life that are now, or have been, living the moustachiod American lifestyle.

First, my dad, Wayne.  I can hardly remember many days when my dad had a completely clean shaven face.  It was seasonal, though, his beard efforts.  Smooth in the summer, wiry in the winter.  Each time a new Spring would roll around, the fresh face would emerge from it's cloak of a rugged beard.  I admired the both the practicality and the execution of it all.  At some point during my high school days, though, we both made an effort at a goatee.  His was better.  That is all that needs to be said.  And he's never looked back since then... until a recent road trip to Louisville took us to the Derby City Chop Shop www.derbycitychopshop.com for straight razor shaves.  (Highly recommend this spot.) Thus, the fu manchu was born!

Perched atop my parents' old dresser was the wedding photo the elicited a snicker or muffled chuckle even when I was 10 years old. I remember the beard he rocked and that brown suit very vividly.  I'm not sure if he was joking, but I've heard him say he wants to be buried in that suit.  Which is good because my mother says if he's caught wearing it again, he's a dead man.  All in good fun!

Next, my father-in-law, Steve.  He had donned the same glorious moustache for a full 40 years until last Spring.  Your read that right! Count them... one two three four decades.  In fact, his wife had never seen him without it.  Not once.  It is still hard not to picture him with golden locks on his upper lip.  It was iconic.  Anything that stands the test of time to the tune of 40 years, deserves legen...

wait for it...

... dary status.

Here's to two more great moustaches!

Grow a 'mo.

Brandon

Choose Your Moustache Hero

My Dad, Les

This is my dad(circa 1982).  He was my athletic hero growing up.  He could run 2 miles in 10 minutes, knock down any shot on the basketball court, and dial in a 4 iron within two feet of the pin.  He was a master at any competition and borderline folk hero.  I also remember his intermittent moustache vividly.  He would rock it for a couple of weeks – because it was cool, but couldn’t stay committed because it drove him crazy.  I think this will be the challenge for me in Movember; letting the moustache go all out.  I mentioned before one of the reasons I casually keep a beard is to carve it into a moustache for family photos – primarily on my wife’s side of the family.  Letting it go all natural and full will be a challenge, but I hope to power through and get something more like my father-in-law, affectionately known as Papa Joe.

Papa Joe

This man fears no stache, mutton chop, beard, side burn, goatee, or Fu Manchu. He will knock out a Mark Twain mop and wear it proud. This man is my moustache hero, no question about it.  My moustache can only aspire to be more like him. Here’s to you Papa Joe and may you rock out with your moustache out. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that you will be the man with the moustache of the month in Movember.

Men, choose your moustache hero.  I've got mine and he's a pretty big deal.

Cheers,

Brian

Upgrade your shave

Movember, being outwardly dedicated to the craft of growing your own mouth mop, can be about other things, too.  For example, in order to have a great nose nuzzler, you're going to need to shave around it.  Carve it out, if you will.  Movember is a good time to get your shave den in order and re-think how you approach the task.

 

About this time last year, fed up with grinding the 'ol electric razor across my face, I turned to an old school solution.  If it was good enough for my grandfather, it should be good enough for me!  So, armed with a modicum of information - like knowing enough karate to get beat up - I acquired the neccessary equipment to get started with a double-ended safety razor.  Among my weapons of choice, is a 1956 Gillette Fatboy I found at an antique mall in Warson Woods, MO. Gotta love vintage.

A badger hair brush, some good shaving creams and soaps, a variety of razor blades, and a handful of after shaves entered my life and changed the way I looked at the ritual of stubble removal.  What was once an experience I would call aggravating and irritating at best was transformed into my favorite part of the day.  Nothing beats a four-pass, luxurious, baby-butt-smooth shave to start the day.



If you're curious about the process of giving yourself a real shave like your grandpappy used to, check out www.badgerandblade.com. Everything you need to know to get started is there.  And if you really get into it, perhaps you'll consider donating the money you'll save by not having to purchase expensive disposable Mach 13 blades, to the Movember team at Midwest Moustache Alliance.  You'll thank me later.

Grow a 'mo!

Brandon

Follicular Marketing

It’s unfortunate that moustaches have fallen out of favor.  One of the reasons I casually keep a beard is to shave it off, leaving a well-groomed fu manchu for family photos.  I do this to humor myself and drive my wife crazy, which adds to the humoring.  She knows the lifespan of my moustache is short, yet will still look me square in the moustache and demand its removal.  She wins and I'll head into the workweek cleanly shaven.  I've observed that most men who can seriously pull them off have been sporting the lip sweater for over a decade (thank you, Chuck Norris).  You can look these guys in the eye – not the moustache.  Whereas you can take an image of Kip Dynamite and not even notice he's wielding twin sais because you can't get past the strip on his upper lip.


It’s the Y Generation that can somehow grow a beard without their pals, girlfriends, or wives raising an eyebrow – but trim everything but the cookie duster and you can’t walk through Dierberg’s without moms holding on to their kids.  I guess this is why the moustache, when grown on anyone less than 50 years of age is the perfect marketing tool.  It’s an attention grabber and a conversation starter.  That’s the goal for Movember – starting the conversation and raising awareness for men’s health.

Cheers,

Brian

Practice

Practice makes perfect, right?  Sure, I know my beard will grow, rain or shine, day and night.  But to mentally prepare myself joining the moustachioed American lifestyle, I set about avoiding dragging the razor over my upper lip.  By the end of 5 days time, a starter moustache was revealed to me, and my poor unsuspecting family.  Not quite the real thing.  Probably just enough stubble to generate phone calls from nervous parents and faculty near elementary schools.  Yet not quite enough to just waltz right onto the Glendale Police Department without at least a fitness test.  And I assume they would want to see how I look in aviator style sunglasses.











I learned a few things in my brief effort.  First, that time is my enemy.  Or friend.  Depends on how I look at it.  On the one hand, I must grow a moustache only for the month of Movember.  Relief!  On the other, I have but one short month to sport a formidable fu manchu.  Might not be enough time.  Worry!

Progress was made, no matter how you shave it, though.  There is no question about it, it will serve as a fine conversation starter.  That is one of the biggest goals of Movember, so I have confidence that the Midwest Moustache Alliance will do a nice job changing the face of men's health one upper lip at a time.

Grow a 'mo!
Brandon

Getting started

Planning for Movember is already under way with the Midwest Moustache Alliance.  A core group of dedicated guys in the Kirkwood, Webster, Glendale area are taking aim at prostate cancer and other dangerous medical issues that men face.  Speaking of faces, that will be home turf for the battle against theses devastating illnesses.  By growing moustaches for the entire month of November - which shall heretofor be referred to as Movember - we will create conversations about men's health and encourage our friends to see a doctor for screening.  Along with these efforts to improve awareness, it is our collective goal to tap into the community's resources and make a significant donation to the Movember Foundation.  Learn more here www.movember.com. Ask me how you can help, if you're interested.

Grow a 'mo!

Brandon