Whisky4Movember

To be perfectly honest I blame the Australians. It could have been any number of of countries in the southern hemisphere, but in the end it was the Aussies that have set things up ready for a month of pain for me: it is almost time for Movember. Started years back somewhere in the heat blasted antipodean wasteland, Movember is a charity movement dedicated to the cultivation of top lip facial hair during the month of November. As is usual with the charidee the participants approach everyone they see and demand sponsorship for their silly activities, this time the growing of a moustache and no other facial hair (unless it can be considered part of a moustache style). This post is that demand.

I’ve had a beard, which includes as part of its makeup a moustache, for coming on ten years. Over time bits of the beard have been removed and regrown (currently the whole lot is in full bloom due to an effort to make my Movember transformation all the more shocking) but the two constants have been chinny bit and moustache. The thing about Movember is that in order to grow a mo’ (an abbreviation for ‘tache that I’ve not heard outside of Movember) you need to not have one to start with, otherwise its more ‘cultivating an already existing hedge’, so I’m looking at Movember from a slightly different place than many of the participants. In short, I’m going to have a shave.

And this is where my Australian blaming comes to the fore – what kind of sadistic people would export a charity event that will lead inexorably to the exposing of my usually fur insulated face to the perils of a London winter? Our southern hemisphere summer experiencing far flung former colonial chums.

So, sponsoring me is sponsoring a three-in-one holy trinity of stupid activities:

1. Growing a moustache, like all the other Mo’ Bros (sistahs can join in with stick-on ‘taches if they wish)
2. Being clean shaven for the first time in almost a decade, and remaining that way (apart from the ‘tache) for a month
3. Exposing my poor delicate face to the ravages of biting winds

Movember supports men’s health charities, especially focusing on prostate cancer in the UK (one of those fun men’s problems that we generally keep quiet about, even though we moan loudly about the potential of getting a cold), so you could count this as enlightened self interest, what with me being a man and slowly encroaching upon the ages where the probabilities of experiencing many of the health problems in question rises, but you should all sponsor me anyway.

My “Mo Space” is where you can go to sponsor me and keep an eye on my ‘tache growing progress through the month. I’m part of a team called Whisky 4 Movember, organised by Whisky Guy Darren Rook and featuring members of Whisky Squad, and we are also going to be doing some whisky related charity shenanigans during the month – there’s a potential for for a fun run (with whisky in hand) as well as some tastings and special Movember bottlings from Master of Malt (here are last year’s – I’ve seen the labels for this year’s and they’re rather nifty). I’ll update here as soon as I hear any details.

Anyways, sponsor me, relish my humiliation and do a bit for charity.