A Bearded Goodbye

Dear Brothers,

This has been an amazing time in my life. Things have not always been the best in my personal life: I am not currently employed, and the creative well often runs dry. I often spend my time traveling, and I am never truly certain where I will lay my head or what I will lay it on. The only constant I have had in my life these past four months has been Whiskerino.

Allow me to explain. I was a network, database, and systems administrator for a company, but when I moved to a new job over a year ago, I lost it in these hard economic times. Since then, it has been impossible to find a job for one such as I. The economy hurts IT infrastructure positions more than any other IT category. This led me to try my hand in other things.

One of these things is writing. I try to write every single day, and I have been successful since I started. It's hard work, and the creativity is not easy to come by. My work is often bad, but that is necessary to find the gems. Just keep on truckin', as they say in the place where they say things.

I was turned on to Moustache May in 2005, but I did not participate until May of '07. With an always-volatile job situation, it is difficult to find a place willing to hire someone with a pervy little moustache (which is all I was capable of back in those days). Since Moustache May of '07, I learned that I can grow facial face. I can grow it well and have had a beard most of the time since then.

I was unable to participate in Whiskerino '07, but I did try to turn others onto the phenomenon. I even succeeded once. A few of y'all might remember him. He even started this season with me, but was unable to finish. Work, and such. I attended the Throwdown in '08, and I had been waiting for my true shot ever since.

Flash forward to October of '09. I had been waiting for my chance to shine for two years, now. Sadly, I didn't shine very brightly, but luckily, my talents lie elsewhere. The well runs very dry most days, and it's hard to refill before it's time to write again. And OH CRAP! I need to take a picture! I don't want to miss it! I'm gonna get perfect attendance! Oh...sadness, I missed it...well, I'm not gonna miss anymore. What? Two more days!? That's preposterous! No excuses. None at all.

I look at most of your pictures, and have trouble wrapping my mind around how you guys conceive most of your ideas. You play? I don't understand playing with a camera. Words, yes. Images, no. I truly feel blessed to have been a part of this, and I know that while words cannot fully express this, it's good to try. I would say that I wish I had participated more, but I did what I could. There's no shame in that.

Meeting everyone I met at the Throwdown...I've said what I need to say. If you met me, you know who you are. I hope we can all keep in touch.

I say to you all, "Keep creating." This is one of the most talented group of people I have ever met. This is time well-spent. As we move into a new day, a day without Whiskerino, keep that spark of hope alive.

Beards, you shall be missed.
posted: February 28 @ 10:37am