Beard of the Week

Among various blogging traditions one that I've never understood is "Friday Cat Blogging". Iit's not that its origins mystify me, I just don't see the attraction. This may be because I'm not a cat person. Still, the idea of a pointless periodic theme for posting has its attractions.

We're more dog people here at Björnslottet, and so one might leap at the idea of dog blogging. However, to be honest, our greyhounds are really interested in little more than cookies and furry, squeaky toys, so that would probably get old real fast. I could take my inspiration from John Arovosis (at AmericaBlog — see the links) with his Friday orchid blogging, but — alas — we don't have plants that are quite so photogenic, nor so alive.

Instead, I think I will take my inspiration from Avedon Carol's Bra of the Week feature at The Sideshow (see the links). Given my proclivities, I considered weekly shots of beefcake in provocative underwear or tiny nylon or Spandex swimming suits, but I wasn't sure that it would appeal to all four of my regular readers.

Now, it's certainly no secret that I'm attracted to men and, as I've written about elsewhere and will likely write about again, I usually key in first on a man's face, and my attention is invariably drawn first to those men with facial hair of some sort. This has been true for me for as long as I can remember. Thus, it was a revelation for me to discover, in 1992, the gay subculture known as "bears", where beards and body hair are celebrated rather than disparaged. I am not at all upset that facial hair has become popular again in American culture at large.

Behold: the beard of the week! That's it, I thought: the perfect periodic theme for me! I am perennially fascinated by men with beards. Many, many people (particularly older women) seem to think that all men with beards look alike but, as a connoisseur, I recognize that beards come in infinite variety: all sort of growth patterns, colorings, textures, and densities, not to mention the uncountable ways that each wearer may choose to shape his beard. Vive la différence! The man who, in our opinion, does not look better with a beard is exceedingly rare, although it does happen.

I hope we enjoy exploring the beard æsthetic together.

Posted on April 3, 2006 at 15.44 by jns · Permalink
In: All, Beard of the Week

3 Responses

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  1. Written by Chris
    on Monday, 3 April 2006 at 21.18
    Permalink

    I considered weekly shots of beefcake in provocative underwear or tiny nylon or Spandex swimming suits, but I wasn't sure that it would appeal to all four of my regular readers.

    well, speaking as one of the apparently four of us, I take exception to that. I'd QUITE enjoy attractive men barely clothed in spandex.

    but then, I've also got a beard.

  2. Written by jns
    on Tuesday, 4 April 2006 at 16.10
    Permalink

    Well then, if 25% of you think we should have spandex-clad beefcake, perhaps we will as an occasional treat. I just didn't want to scare the, um, horses.

  3. Written by S.W. Anderson
    on Tuesday, 4 April 2006 at 19.19
    Permalink

    As a lifelong cat person who's straight, I don't know that I would be run off by occasional photos of scantily clad men, but don't expect any oohs or ahs. I always thought the famous statue of David was kind of erotic, but mainly in the sense that I imagine women find it erotic.

    Let me share this much about cats. If you find yourself up close and personal with one, really examine it closely. You'll see they have eyebrows and lashes. If you please the cat, look at the corners of its mouth. You'll probably notice they're turned up, in a smile.

    Spend some time interacting closely with a cat and you'll be amazed at how human-like they are in many ways.

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