Day 56: Sliding out of Movember

I’ve been growing this thoroughly ridiculous moustache since the start of November in aid of the brilliant men’s health charity, Movember. The annual humiliation of men growing absurd facial hair is all in a good cause, with people sponsoring the efforts and this money being disbursed to a range of good causes, including those helping people with (or to escape) Prostate Cancer, Testicular Cancer, Mental Health issues and Suicide.

In the spirit of Stuart Brown’s ‘purposeless’ criteria of play, it didn’t feel fair to count this as my play activity for a particular day in November, since it clearly has a good reason why I was doing it. But now that I’ve reached December, the cash is in, and I’m free to shave it off, I can genuinely say that wearing crazy hair above and around my mouth is a playful, amusing choice that I make with no other motive!

I did have a beard before the start of the month, but was informed by a friend (thanks, Anselm!) that I’d have to start clean-shaven, and grow it over the 30 days. So now I’ve reached the end I’m allowing the rest of my beard to grow out, and reclaim the mown lawn that had been so carefully topiaried (to mix metaphors and invent a verb).

Best of all, and this shows how serious I am about play, my passport is due for renewal, so I thought I’d double-down, and get my ID photos before shaving. So this will be my passport photograph for the next ten years. It’s definitely a good look.

I think there is nothing sexier than a handlebar moustache – Isla Fisher

Ease of play: 3/10 (This took real investment)

Resemblance to play: 4/10 

Aggression: Low-to-Medium (depending on the mo’)

Speed: Slow

Enjoyability: Low-to-Medium

Potential frequency of play: Low