MOtivated MOnday MOrning MOvember MOustache MObile MOney MOment

 

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MOvember is Coming!

 

MOvember is upon us!

The month formerly known as November is now Moustache November, or MOvember for short!

MOvember is the annual awareness campaign to improve men's health. MO Bros and MO Sistas spread the word and collect donations to support the MOvember Foundation. 

Men are dying too young from 

• Suicide
• Testicular cancer
• Prostate cancer

MOvember supports

• Mental health and suicide prevention
• Male cancer research, diagnosis, and treatment
• Encouraging men to get check-ups

I am an 11-year MO Bro and 10-years cancer-free. I believe in the purpose of this organization, and I support them with my time, talent, and treasure.

Won't you join the cause and support the effort to prevent men dying too soon? 

Read more

• MOvember Foundation, where you can read more about the organization: https://us.movember.com/
• My personal MO Space, where you can read my story and make your tax deductible donation: https://us.movember.com/mospace/2270268 

Apple: Meet Tree

 

I had a lot of fun growing my beard recently, and Herman Melville liked it, too... Those curly locks were sacrificed for MOvember, and they are fondly missed. However, duty calls! 

And to soothe my hurting heart and freshly scraped face, I would like to pay homage to the only reason I am able to grow a decent beard: 

I am my father's son. 

When it comes to beards, Dad knows a thing or two. His beard-growing prowess is legend-hairy! 

When I was a young lad, living with my Mom and Dad and little brother in Lincoln, Nebraska, Dad saw an advertisement for a beard growing contest. This contest was sponsored by a local bank to celebrate Nebraska's Centennial of Statehood. 

Not only did Dad enter the contest, but he won the top prize for the best overall beard. Some details are in the article below. Let's assume the date was a typo! 

Dad was 28 years old in this picture. The contest was announced just 6 months before the judging, so his beard was less than six months in the making. 

Here is a picture of Dad's prize-winning
beard for the Nebraska Centennial in 1967

All of the grooming was done at home. Dad had some help from Mom, and the results were spectacular!  

Contestants dressed in period costume. Dad dressed as a banker might have been in 1867. He had arm-bands that bankers used to keep their sleeves pulled back tightly and some round spectacles that I borrowed and accidentally broke while enacting Ebenezer Scrooge in a middle school production of A Christmas Carol. Mom dressed the part too, with a beautiful yarn-dyed taffeta gown she made herself. I was six at the time and I remember Dad grooming his beard on Sunday mornings before church and listening to the men bantering about it after service. 

After winning the local contest in Lincoln, he went on to earn 2nd place and a big trophy in the Lancaster County contest. 

Nebraska revived the popular pioneer days beard contest for its Sesquicentennial in 2017 but I think Dad's beard and outfit will never be topped.

MOvember MOtto: vultus capillos est sapientia

vultus capillos est sapientia

"In facial hair there is wisdom."

This shall be my motto (MOtto?) for MOvember 2020

MOvember is coming...

MOvember 2020: How can you help?

MOvember is coming! In honor of the awesome power of the moustache, the month formerly known as November is now called MOvember! Otherwise sane men around the world will be raising a moustache in MOvember while raising awareness about men's health issues. We're making progress, but there is plenty more to do, and I am looking for some help. 

I joined the MO team in 2010 as an active cancer patient. During my battle, I noticed that too many men are dying before their time. I became interested in joining the fight to improve men’s health. 

2020 will be my 10th year as a MO Bro, part of a global organization that is committed to helping men live longer, healthier, and happier lives.

These statistics show just how much the men’s health crisis needs our attention:

• In the U.S, men die on average six years earlier than women, and for largely preventable reasons 
• Undiagnosed or untreated male-specific cancers claim too many men
• 1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime
• Testicular cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in young men 
• Stress and mental health issues cause early, avoidable death
• 3 out of 4 suicides are men
• Men commit suicide at a rate of 60 per hour around the globe. 
• The suicide count includes 22 US military veterans per day
• Many men have difficulty coping with stress 
• Inactivity leads to obesity which increases disease and cuts years off of life.

Since inception in 2003, the Movember Foundation and an army of MO Bros and MO Sistas has raised and invested millions of dollars for projects in prostate cancer, testicular cancer and men’s mental health and suicide prevention, but our work is only just getting started as we change the face of men’s health.

We must continue this game-changing work so that men live happier, healthier, and longer lives. This is only possible with the support of the amazing MO Community each year, raising funds and awareness – and having fun along the way.

Once again I will be participating as a MO Bro! I am almost 60 and my fundraising goal is 10X 60 or $600. Here are my planned activities, and YOU can help

• Participate in the Distinguished Gentleperson's Ride, or support a rider < On 9/27 I rode 60 miles in a suit and you can see pics and donate HERE
• Serve as Captain of Team Just Twist It < You can join my team as a MO Bro or MO Sista! No MOustache required! Just help raise awareness and funds. Easy and fund and I will coach you! Click the LINK.
• Sacrifice my Walt Whitman-esque beard and long hair < Currently looking for a skilled barber to delicately trim my treasured tresses
• Participate in the Great American Shave-Off < This will be a membership drive and Fundraiser on 10/31
• Raise a MOustache, not my best look, but I will endure the humiliation for a great cause and share progress on My MO Space < You can offer encouragement and stifle your inclination to mock
• Create a Facebook Fundraising page and manage the MO8: MOnumental MOnday MOrning MOtivated MOustache MOney and MOvement MOment! < You can Like, Share, and Donate from my Facebook page
• Host at least one fund-raising event, likely a happy hour at The Breezeway Cafe < You can drop a comment and I'll invite you to the events. Participate live or via Zoom.
• Walk at least 2 miles a day to MOve for MOvember < You can pledge any amount. The suggestion is $0.60 per mile, for the 60 male suicides globally each hour. That will be $36 when I complete 60 miles.

My fundraising goal for this year is $600 from all sources. Maybe half of that will come from Facebook, a third from Walking, a fourth from the Ride and other events, and the rest from passing the hat. Yes, pocket change is accepted! No gift is too small. There are so many ways you can help! It would be great to have your support this year – our mission to stop men from dying too young truly depends on you.

Thanks and Let's MO!

MOVEMBER FOUNDATION - CHANGING THE FACE OF MEN'S HEALTH
movember.com

There are FIVE (5) MOndays in MOvember 2020, so that is FIVE MO8s!

• 2 Nov: Let's MO! 0% of Movement and Moola goals
• 9 Nov: Doing great! 25%  of Movement and Moola goals
• 16 Nov: Half-way!  50% of Movement and Moola goals
• 23 Nov: Nearly there! 75% of Movement and Moola goals
• 30 Nov: Wrap it up! 100% of Movement and Moola goals

Get ready for MOnumental MOnday MOrning MOtivated MOustache MOney and MOvement MOment! 

Doing good and having fun! 

The Swanson Pyramid of Greatness

“I’ve been developing the ‘Swanson Pyramid of Greatness’ for years. It’s a perfectly calibrated recipe for maximum personal achievement.”

Words of wisdom from Ron Swanson, our hirsute hero. Now available on t-shirts, mugs, and posters. 

Enjoy this extended video presentation of the Swanson Pyramid of Greatness from the season three premiere of Parks & Recreation. 

MOvember 2016

The MO is no MO...

Another MOvember is in the books. 

It's December, and the MOustache is no MOre.... 

Proud of that unruly, wild, ill-mannered upper lip rug

15-thirtieths of an inch of fur: half a thirtieth a day for a whole month!

Back in naked mole rat mode

Thanks for the meMOries! 

MOnday MOrning MOustache MOment: MOvember in Crystal City

MOvember gives us a reason to start or sustain
some conversations about men's health issues. 

Greetings from Crystal City! This is my 5th and Final MOnday MOrning MOustache MOment for MOvember 2015.  

I'm a:

• retired Army officer now consulting for clients in DoD (still serving!), 
• cancer survivor now four years in remission (still kicking!), and 
• 5th year MO Bro now sporting a 30-day 'stache (still MO-ing!). 

Why do I MO, year after year? Because I want more men to be encouraged to take better care of themselves, and that means: 

• Making and keeping appointments for testicular and prostate cancer screening
• Seeking help for mental health issues like stress, depression, and suicidal thoughts
• Combating obesity and diabetes by eating less, eating better, and moving around more

Men: I MO for thee! Get thee to thine doctor! 

To those of you who have raised a moustache as a MO Bro, or supported a MO Bro with your donations of time or money, THANK YOU! Together, we are helping to "change the face of men's health!" 

  

Happy MOvember! 

Let's MO!

MOnday MOrning MOvember MOustache MOment #4

Report from Day 23: Every little bit helps!

Yes, every little bit helps. Whether we are talking about the glacial pace of facial hair growth or how your spare change might help improve men's health, small contributions really do add up! So please visit my personal "Foam Fan" MOvember site and drop some coins in the bin: http://mobro.co/FoamFan

Good news! 

With just over a week left in MOvember, we are excited to announce that we at Team Just Twist It have added some fine-looking new members! Now there's more MOs for you to love and sponsor!

Allie-MO

Maddle-stache

Chesapeake Fats

Miracle Slim

Please support our effort to raise awareness for men's health issues. We are raising moustaches in MOvember for a good cause. We are working to end

• testicular cancer
• prostate cancer
• mental health issues, and 
• inactivity. 

Contribute to MOvember via our "Just Twist It" team space: http://moteam.co/just-twist-it.

Every little bit helps, and we thank you!  

MOnday MOrning MOvember MOment #3

Is a faint moustache visible in the bright morning sunlight?

Day 16. Just over halfway there and making progress on the cookie duster!

Care to support the cause with a small donation? Any amount will help!

• My personal "Foam Fan" MO space: http://mobro.co/FoamFan
• My "Just Twist It" team space: http://moteam.co/just-twist-it

MOnday MOrning MOvember MOment #2

MOnday MOrning MOvember MOment #1

A couple of days ago, I got a clean scrape, leaving my bearded face bare for the first time since--well, since last October 31st, when I sat in the mobile barber's chair for a straight razor job at Samuel Beckett's Irish Gastro Pub.  

This is my 5th year supporting MOvember by raising a moustache to call attention to men's health issues. I feel naked and completely unafraid.

Monday, Movember 2d: Day 2 of MO 2015

But here's the real deal. I did not inherit my furry father's thick, dark, Nebraska Centennial award-winning beard. I have never had a 5 o'clock shadow "problem." After a whole month of my best effort, my moustache will look like an eighth of an inch of reddish-grey fuzz on my upper lip. For the first 10 days, most people will simply assume I forgot to shave that morning! How humiliating! 

"Where my MO Go?"

Why do this to myself, year after year? There is a reason for all this potentially embarrassing facial folly. For starters, it's fun to change up my appearance a little. In addition, there is a nervous tension between my being self-conscious and the other person wondering if I am doing this moustache thing deliberately. That tension really does work as a conversation starter. Launching the "men's health issues" conversation is important, so growing a 'stasche--even a light 'stasche--is as effective as it is fun. 

Know why you MO, bro!

Why is the conversation so important? Left alone, most men would never go to a doctor for a check-up. One way to deal with a threat is to ignore it. (I didn't say this was smart, just that it is common!) It's easy for a man to shift his focus from preventing a possible threat to his own health to any other more imminent threat, even if the substitute is far less important. Why are we men so often "addicted" to work or sports or gambling? Could it be that we men push off our fears of mortality by focusing on other battles--ones we have a chance of winning? Do we sometimes manufacture battles and conflicts to take our minds off our own weaknesses and threats outside of our control?  

The fundamental reason for the annual exercise in follicle farming: I want men to live longer, happier lives. 

Yes, of course, I want all people to live longer, happier lives. But there are some threats to health and happiness that men uniquely face:

• Male-specific cancers like testicular cancer and prostate cancer 
• Certain role-based challenges that show up in men as hypertension and depression 
• Certain lifestyle-based challenges--less physical exertion results in diabetes and obesity  

The MO matters because the conversation is important. Intellectually, we men know that we need to get checked, but emotionally, we would rather not face the prospect of bad news. Enter MOvember! Men need the support and encouragement of other men to:

• Understand that it is not "weak" to go to a doctor and get checked for male-specific cancers. Cancer is random! Get thee to thine doctor, dude! 
• De-stigmatize the process of seeking treatment for hypertension and depression. These crippling diseases are all too common! Take time to make sure your brothers are  
• Overcome the inertia of a sedentary lifestyle. Staying physically active is the best weapon against diabetes and obesity! Whether you MOustasche or MOve or both, do something and encourage each other to do MOre.

My own brush with cancer was an eye-opener. Early detection, competent doctors, excellent facilities, and well-funded research enabled me to survive my three-year ordeal. But not all men have been so fortunate. If shaving my beard and sprouting a faint little 'stasche is enough to spark 100 conversations and convince just one man to get and keep an appointment for a physical or mental health exam, then the embarrassing folly of farming facial follicles will have been worth it!   

I know why I MO!

Final MOnday MOrning MOvember MOustasche MOment of 2013

Day 25 and feeling pretty good about it. Obviously! I look like the Cheshire Cat, only without teeth and with fewer whiskers. LOL. Adding to the embarrassment: I took the picture myself!

Well, this is the Final MO MO MO MO MO of MOvember 2013. As this year's campaign draws to an end, I want to say THANK YOU to all the people who have raise awareness about Men's Health issues--either by raising a moustasche, or by simply starting a conversation with someone who has avoided the doctor's office for too long. Thanks to MO Bros and MO Sistas, my Just Twist It Teammates, and friends and family for helping to make a difference! 

Proud to be part of the Washington DC MOvember Network, which together has raised over $500K to support research, diagnosis, treatment, and counseling. Outstanding!

Thanksgiving is nearly here and hopefully we will all be pleasantly distracted. So, if you have been waiting for the last minute to drop some coin in the MOvember kitty, why not do it right now? It's easy, and you'll feel good about yourself. And maybe I'll feel a little less ridiculous about this wispy 25-day old Foam Filter.

DONATE: https://www.movember.com/us/donate/payment/member_id/2270268/

Further information
DC Network Page: http://us.movember.com/mospace/network/view/id/26785

Team "Just Twist It" Page:  http://us.movember.com/team/1120013

My Personal "Foam Fan" Page: http://us.movember.com/mospace/2270268

MOnday MOrning MOvember MOustasche MOment: Day 18

Getting there...

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

MOnday MOrning MOvember MOment

Generation MO is springing up everywhere. We are swift, we are silent, and we are HAIRY (or getting there, one unshaven day at a time)!

Raise a moustache (or support someone who is) and let's all raise awareness about men's health issues. 

Not to put too fine a point on it, but we're referring specifically to health "issues" that are of concern to men. In particular (and I hope this isn't too much information for some readers) but in particular, we are talking about issues with a man's plumbing. Some of you are still unclear. OK, don't make me go all biological and start naming parts and stuff!

MOvember is a fun way to raise funds for research, prevention, diagnosis, counseling, treatment, and patient care for men dealing with testicular cancer, prostate cancer, and depression. Please encourage the men in your life to check what they can (testicular self-exam) and get help with the rest (the prostate is, um, harder to get to). 

Early detection by competent doctors well-versed in the latest research and operating in state-of-the-art facilities. That's what I had. Yes, I am lucky. And yes, that is why I am participating in MOvember for the 3rd year in a row. Because no one should have to rely on luck to survive cancer.

My MO Space http://us.movember.com/mospace/2270268

Team "Just Twist It" http://us.movember.com/team/1120013

A Farewell to MO

Movember: How One Man Turned the Moustache Into a Movement

Mighty MO 

I read and enjoyed this article about the MOvember MOvement. I have to admit, the awesome illustration is what really drew me in! But pop on over to LinkedIn and read the story, too. It's well worth your time. Movember: How One Man Turned the Moustache Into a Movement 

And if like the idea of MOvember as a means of raising awareness about men's health issues like prostate and testicular cancer, please visit my personal MO space: http://mobro.co/FoamFan

Three days of MOvember left!

Rogue's Gallery of Memorable MOs

In celebration of MOvember's goal--raising awareness of men's health issues--I offer this gallery of memorable MOs. One moustache can launch a hundred conversations, raising both awareness and cash for research. These are a few of my favorite MOs!

Did Duchamp desecrate this postcard, or did he make it MO betta? 

My MO-brother Todd  is hanging TOUGH!

My MO Papa

My MO-tivation: Grow a handlebar and forked soul patch like this Italian  Brigadier

I have a goal: http://mobro.co/FoamFan

The MO-family

MOna Lisa rides a HOG and sports a Trucker as thick as a LOG

tee shirt with existential angst

Every little bit helps: http://mobro.co/FoamFan

Andy Warhol and his wispy MO

My MO Nephew Alex

My MO Nephew Brayden

Drop some coin in the coffer: http://mobro.co/FoamFan

My MO Bro Kyle

My MO Bro Teej

MO Mad 1

MO Mad 2

Stop on by and say hello: http://mobro.co/FoamFan

UEd MO 1

UEd MO 2

Whiskers: the audacity of badassity

Rainbow 'stache

Donate to MOvember: http://mobro.co/FoamFan

Mystery MO ???

Mellow MO Sista Mel

Magnifico MO Bro Angelo

Dada MOna

Brought to you by MO & Sons, purveyors of wisdom and fine moustachery

Support my MO site: http://mobro.co/FoamFan