This is what it's all about!

I said I'd provide a sexy picture of Tracy Hurley from www.SarahDarkmagic.com if I got to over $100. When I said that I only had $20 in donations. By the end of that night I got up to $40 (because Mike Shea from www.SlyFlourish.com rocks) and then I sat stagnant.

Then, all of a sudden with a flurry of Twitter posts and an email to my coworkers I jumped up to $200 in 24 hours. You guys rock. I have dozens of people I know about that I should thank, and who knows how many that didn't tell me that they donated.

You guys rock! So far it's one of my better showings...and it's not over yet. If you have an extra $2 in your budget is there a better cause? No, no there isn't.

And this picture from the hardest working, kindest, most loyal and quick to lend a hand person I know is what this thing is really all about. So donate one more time, while you still have the chance.

For me, it's all over except waiting to see how the Cmar Awards come together tomorrow.

Thanks again!

One year ago today...

So I've found I've had a bit of a resurgence around here of late. Some how, in the last 24 hours I've picked up a flurry of awesome sponsors. You guys rock!

So that means a few things, some of my last thoughts. Not only have I see a boost in donations, but I've also seen a boost of hair. Look at my picture for the last day last year...pathetic. Look at my beard this year. Thick, luxurious, beautiful.

Okay, so none of that is probably true. In fact, I think the biggest difference is the neck beard. By trimming last year I made my whole beard a lot less than it could have been. If you Photoshop the beard off my neck from this year's picture, I suspect it would look just as scraggly as last years.

So I guess my beard isn't any thicker, it's just that I've found a away to make it look better when scraggly. That said, I think tomorrow I'll give it a trim but keep the full beard around for a bit longer.

Here's the second thing I need to mention...Tracy Hurley. A bit ago I cajoled her into sending me a provocative picture of herself after showing her how well Mur did with such things last year. I said if I got to $100 the picture would go public. I will see to this.

But that means, that's right, I'm posting twice today. That's right you slackers. I may not raise the most money. I may not have the coolest beard on the site. But I think I win the all-time blogging award for the site.

I not only posted every single day this year. I posted every single day last year. And I even posted every single day three years ago when we started this thing...and it wasn't even for charity back then. And to put a kicker in it...I'll be posting twice a day today. So that gives me the edge over every one else.

Cmar, I expect this to be noted in the awards.

I also noticed that this year there seemed to be less activity on the comments section. I guess we're all just a bit less social these days. We did a great job of posting and taking pictures. We'll see how the funds come together in these last few hours...but where's the love? That'll have to be my new agenda...next year!

I put up a tree today. None of that has anything to do with my post today...but I did it, so there.

So I guess I'm going to try and keep it short today. I have sooo many projects going on and a lot that has to be done...TONIGHT!

What I will mention, however, that participating in HoNoToGroABeMo is GREAT for my various projects. During the month of November I'm a bit more distracted, it's true. I spend time writing these posts and promoting the site...oh, and there's the hours of intense beard growing action. But what it's great for is forcing me into a habit. I make time to write these every night and do a picture. If I'm in this habit doing similar with other projects is great. I find my projects tend to get a post-November boost as a result of this little site.

So thank you HoNoToGroABeMo you've given me much.

Now it's your turn guys. Everyone who reads this, click the little "$$" symbols up in that green box and donate $1 or $2. That's all. If all of you do, I'll totally get to show you the special picture of Tracy Hurley from SarahDarkmagic.com for my last post tomorrow. Just $48 away!

Make it happen guys!

See the results for yourself.

Today I returned from DC and made it home safely and with a belly full of "Mexican" food (which is a big deal because I love it but have a food allergy reaction to many Mexican restaurants and I only know of two safe, non-fast food places I can go...none of which exist near my current city of residence).

Upon arrival home I immediately ran to the grocery store to get the needed supplies for my beard-growing experiment that was promised so many weeks ago. So welcome to...

Beard: The Dying!

I have, in the past, pointed out that I grow a horrible and scraggly beard. I have also wondered publicly if some of that is due to the fact that I never really grew beard until there was grey hair in it. Perhaps if all the hair was the same color it wouldn't be quite so bad.

So this HoNoToGroABeMo I've opted to give it a shot. I let my beard grow for most of the month until there would be something worth dying and now I have enacted the experiment. It went a little something like this...

I picked up the Just For Men Beard and Mustache product at my local Harris Teeter grocery store, the color is "Just Black".

I came home, ran to the bathroom, and read the directions. Mix the goo. Brush it onto my beard. Don't massage it into my face. Wash up all the supplies while I wait 5 minutes. Get in the shower and shampoo my face until the water runs clear.

This all went according to plan except as I was waiting the 5 minutes I found that my face-skin was turning just as black if not blacker than my beard. I freaked out a bit and waited 4 minutes instead of 5. I could always re-dye later (they say there are at least 3 applications in that one box). But I would have a hard time of it if I went to school tomorrow with black dyed face-skin.

So into the shower where I shampooed my head as prescribed. I hopped out to check the mirror...argh, face is still dyed. Back to the shower. Scrub it down three more times with three different products. Check again, better but still dyed skin. Back again, and again. All in all I can't recall if I did 3 revolutions with 4 products or 4 revolutions. But I'm pretty sure that I was exfoliating more than I was washing.

When it was all said and done, there was still a shadow of skin-dye on my face and I don't know that it had any impact on my hair. I guess there are some spots where it must have worked, I see colored ends and grey roots. But I also see fully grey hairs all over my beard in areas that I know I put the dye on thick.

So I'm going to call this experiment a success. Not that I successfully darkened my beard (I think if there is any difference it's a result of the shadow of skin-dying under the beard). But the purpose of any experiment should be to learn how something is effected by a process. I've learned, I have a sore, dyed face, and perhaps slightly darker beard. I know to be more careful if there is a next time. I think it would work better with a less scraggly beard (and best done on a Friday so there's plenty of time to tear the dyed skin off my head).

Success! Dying beard is a failure. The more you know...

This guy really knows beards. He did some other cool stuff too...but man, he really had some things to say about beard growing. I also have it on some authority that he's a fan of boobs.

Today I walked the heck out of this city. From the White House to the Jefferson Memorial (why do we hate old TJ so much, his memorial is SOOOO far away from the others) back through the FDR memorial (which I didn't even realize existed, but it's pretty awesome) to the Korean, WWII, Lincoln, and Vietnam memorial (in that order) and then walked back to the hotel at George Washington University.

It was like the longest walk ever and we're still hoping to hit up Arlington on the way to meet Mike Shea (www.SlyFlourish.com) for dinner before we prepare for the journey back home. Back to the land of not walking all over the place in the slightly above freezing temperatures with 738 mph wind.

Gotta say though, it's perfect beard weather. The only thing that would make it better...more sponsorships (thanks to Jason E. who recently lent a hand).

Oh, and it's worth noting that I went on my epic journey though the blisteringly cold winds in order to seek the advice of one of the most well known beards of all time. He had some really good advice. You all are in trouble now.

I challenged this guy to a beard growing competition. Turns out we both have the same "grow-face". I gave him a head start of like a thousand years and I totally out grew him!

So today I was off about town in DC here...here's what I did:

First stop was the International Spy Museum. Unlike many attractions in town my tax dollars didn't pay for this and so it was not free. The first 15 minutes or so was pretty cool. Lots of interactive things to do. Duct work to crawl through...LIKE A SPY. Little Soldier and I were impressed. After about the time that we saw the James Bond Astin Martin it stopped being really cool and started being just another history museum. This went over a lot less well with Little Soldier. I still wanted to see stuff, I mean, I paid for it after all, but eventually the going was quick so we could get back out. Part of the problem...way too crowded to really enjoy it. Of course, when we left the line to get in the door was almost around the block, so I guess if we were going to go here we got in at the right time.

We then headed to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. Little Soldier was PUMPED to see the dinosaur bones. We also saw a bunch of other stuff. You could spend days in that place and not see it all, but we hit the highlights and got out (again, big big crowd).

After that we got ripped off at the Hard Rock Cafe. $50 for a meal of burgers and hot dogs?!?! Okay, I'm not shocked, I've been to a few of these before. I knew it was a rip off when I walked in the door and I went anyway.

And then it was back to the National Mall to hit the Air and Space Museum. Little Soldier liked the planes and rockets, grown ups were getting tired.

So then it was back to the hotel and here we are. Along the walk we saw a lot of stuff as well. The FBI, the National Archives (there was a line for this place, do they have the Constitution or something on display, I didn't realize they'd have something worth a big mid-day line for), the Washington Monument, the Capital, and more. We swung by the Grant Memorial and took some pics as well as hitting up the front of Ford's Theater (which had a matinee showing, so tours were not possible).

Tonight, after dinner, we're going to head back to the Mall to check out some more memorials by moonlight (maybe it won't be quite so windy...although I don't think it will get warmer) and tomorrow is Arlington and who knows what else.

Jeff Greiner, Matt James, and fantastic Turducken!

Today I ate Turducken.

While visiting our nations capital I was invited by my good buddy Matt James, to come over for a quiet Thanksgiving meal. It seemed to grow and grow as the planning proceeded to the point that we ended up with a mellow dinner amongst 14 members of Matt's family...and us. To make matters all the better, Matt roasted up for us some really kick butt Turducken. I partook of my first three-fowl meal and it was yumm-tastic. As I ate it I realized, I have no idea what sort of creature I was devouring...but it was good in my belly.

My wife also provided some cupcakes that look like: 1. peas and corn (made from orange Starburst and green Runts), 2: Corn on the cob (yellow jelly beans and yellow Starburst for butter), and 3. Mashed potatoes and gravy (white frosting, same butter as before, caramel sauce for gravy).

We then hung out, talked to the family, and played some Castle Ravenloft.

We then proceeded to come back to the hotel, hang out, watch a movie, and consider our plans for tomorrow's day in DC. Thinking to maybe hit the Spy Museum and perhaps hit up the various memorials/museums in the Mall area.

Today I am thankful for: Freelance game designer Matt James, his lovely wife Dawn, his gracious family, my wife, and my phone, which consistently gets us to and from wherever I'm headed here in the city. Oh, and boobs. I'm thankful for them as well. And I'd like as many of them to be around for as long as possible.

Wouldn't you?

Well then sponsor me.

Everyone know that my sponsorships help boobs more than everyone else's.

"Grow or grow not, there is no shave."

Today I have visited the National Zoo in order to get advice on hair growing from the burliest, strongest, and by the hairiest man I could find in the world.

It was an adventurous trek in order to garner the wisdom of this Yoda-like being of beard-growing expertise.

He gave me a few pointers and I learned a lot. I think I've got this thing in the bag. Tomorrow I'll continue my research on beard growing by talking to another expert.

On a side note, while I was around I went ahead and toured the rest of the National Zoo. All in all, it was pretty cool. Of the three zoos I've been to in my life here's how it ranks now.

Best Value: #1 (it's "free", which I believe means, paid for in part with my tax dollars)

Best Zoo: #3 (out of three behind both the Omaha Zoo and the NC Zoo)

To it's credit, it does have the panda exhibit, which is pretty cool.

Anyway, that is all for today. Now I am off to try and do some podcasting so I can get this awesome episode out soon.

Hmmm...Executing Branch? Electrifying? Excruciating! That's it!

Today I grew my beard AND taught about the US Constitution AT THE SAME TIME!

I am truly amazing.

And between moments I also worked on all sorts of other things that I need to have done before I make my monumental first trip to Washington DC. I’ve never been before, so darn it, I’m taking this Thanksgiving this year as a chance.

While there I will continue to post here, plus I will be having articles published on various websites about using artifacts in your D&D game. One is already out (www.TemporaryHitPoints.com) and soon you’ll see articles on www.SlyFlourish.com and www.4eAtWill.com.

Beyond that, I also have a podcast to release.

But...that’s all you’re going to get from me today...now it’s time to pack.

Trying to get this Virtual Tabletop thing figured out.

For once, I'm giving you a short post.

Today I grew my beard, taught my students, and got myself a backdoor invite into the Virtual Table Top beta over at Wizards of the Coast for D&D.