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One wonderful thing about South Florida summer is the breeze. Not that there’s always a breeze, of course. But often the ocean winds come in steadily toward shore, cooling and soothing your skin against the powerful heat. That’s how people lived in Florida before air conditioning. They built their houses under shade trees and beside the shoreline. To this day, some folks lucky enough to own homes near the sea rarely if ever use a.c., instead throwing open their windows and welcoming those Atlantic drafts. Water just naturally seems a conduit for wind down here. I frequently experience a pleasant breeze when sitting along the Intracoastal Waterway or even some canals. Well, this summer I’m going to feel all that breeziness a little more than I ever have. Because I shaved this weekend – that is, I shaved off my beard and moustache. For the first time in my adult life. So for me, South Florida just got a tad cooler.
I probably should explain why this is a big deal from my perspective. I mean, lots of guys grow facial hair and shave it off on a fairly regular basis. It seems every time I see another picture of George Clooney he’s got a new crop of beard or has just whisked his whiskers away. But not me. I’ve worn a moustache since I was 19-years-old. I’ve had a beard since I was 30. It’s been a while. So shaving this thing off was an event. Not that I exactly sold tickets, though I would have if I’d thought anyone wanted to come.
But you well might wonder at this point: Is South Florida a whole new experience for me now? Has this shave changed my life? Uh, no. Not yet anyway. I was hoping someone might mistake me for George Clooney but so far no autograph seekers have surrounded me on the street. Naturally, it’s not exactly the same as before. I did notice small drops of sweat on my upper lip for the first time that I can recall. And I do need to put a little extra sunscreen on these rather white patches of skin. Driving home this morning on A1A in my convertible, top down, I also noticed an unfamiliar gusty sensation where my beard and moustache used to be. It’s a nice change, I guess. Though in all honesty, now that I’ve felt the summer heat with and without facial hair, I’m not sure it makes a whole lot of difference. Bewhiskered guys don’t exactly suffer under an extra layer of insulation. Either way, you can enjoy our water-borne breezes during the warm weather months. But if you really think you’ll look more like George Clooney without the beard, by all means shave it off. Maybe it’ll work for you better than it has for me.
I probably should explain why this is a big deal from my perspective. I mean, lots of guys grow facial hair and shave it off on a fairly regular basis. It seems every time I see another picture of George Clooney he’s got a new crop of beard or has just whisked his whiskers away. But not me. I’ve worn a moustache since I was 19-years-old. I’ve had a beard since I was 30. It’s been a while. So shaving this thing off was an event. Not that I exactly sold tickets, though I would have if I’d thought anyone wanted to come.
But you well might wonder at this point: Is South Florida a whole new experience for me now? Has this shave changed my life? Uh, no. Not yet anyway. I was hoping someone might mistake me for George Clooney but so far no autograph seekers have surrounded me on the street. Naturally, it’s not exactly the same as before. I did notice small drops of sweat on my upper lip for the first time that I can recall. And I do need to put a little extra sunscreen on these rather white patches of skin. Driving home this morning on A1A in my convertible, top down, I also noticed an unfamiliar gusty sensation where my beard and moustache used to be. It’s a nice change, I guess. Though in all honesty, now that I’ve felt the summer heat with and without facial hair, I’m not sure it makes a whole lot of difference. Bewhiskered guys don’t exactly suffer under an extra layer of insulation. Either way, you can enjoy our water-borne breezes during the warm weather months. But if you really think you’ll look more like George Clooney without the beard, by all means shave it off. Maybe it’ll work for you better than it has for me.
posted by LauderBLOGGER at 2:31 PM
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