PATRICIA HEATH: EIGHT WONDER OF THE WORLD: The Mustache and Beard

I suppose it's only fair to say that I'm a bit bias when it comes to facial hair. Matt has sported a mustache since we were twenty and slowly over the years also started donning a beard. He is very proud of his facial hair, as other men are, and despite my attempts at convincing him to shave for special occasions, I'll admit that I prefer him with a 5 o'clock shadow. Not only do I prefer stubble over long beard hairs, but there is something so masculine about a beard that is growing in and a mustache that, in this case, will never cease to exist. Much like his father, Matt has vowed to never shave his mustache and claims that he feels naked without it, so I've grown accustomed to his new face, facial hair and all. It's a package deal and my only request is that he kept it maintained and groomed because we all know that there is nothing worse than an unkempt beard with food and toothpaste in it.

While looking for some artwork for my office, I stumbled upon the wonderment that is facial hair art. True, mustaches and beards have both been revived in recent years and these days are a requirement if you go to San Francisco State or live in the Mission District, but I can't ignore the fact that art focusing on men's beards and mustaches has caught my attention. These little jewels are usually done by an artist specializing in "indie" art and certainly have a "cutesy" feeling to them. They are often times humorous, glamorizing, or poking fun of the recent trend and I love each of them dearly. I think that it would be great to frame a collection of say 3-5 and hang them strategically on Matt's side of the bathroom. Let's just say that I am pro-facial hair and want this fad to stay for as long as possible. After all, I've never met any man that didn't look better with some hair on his face. Here is my ode to the mustaches and beards in my life, I'll be framing a few of these little gems over the next few weeks and can't wait to see the results.