Growing a Moustache
Some time ago, I came upon this image while surfing Google Images. This image led me to wonder about three of my worst character flaws: lack of discipline, time management, and tendencies towards indecisiveness.
DISCIPLINE
Quite honestly, the morning ritual of leaving a perfectly comfortable bed to face the rigors of various necessary habits of the morning has never, and will never, appeal to me. I lack the discipline to find purpose in ruining a perfectly good night’s sleep by arising from bed to do battle with the necessary but inescapable requirements of taking care of oneself. My lack of discipline reaches a crescendo as I consider what the day will look like if I neglect to make my bed before proceeding to brew that first cup of coffee.
And so, I attempted to create a new morning ritual based on improving personal discipline. Get up, attend to the basic needs of my body, exercise and finally, meditate. Then shower, make the bed and head to the kitchen where I will happily grind fresh coffee beans and enjoy a cup of freshly brewed coffee. That new regime/discipline lasted almost one week.
I don’t have the discipline to willingly interrupt the comfort of my oversized mattress and the cocoon-like arrangement of sheets and assorted seasonal bed coverings. It’s a character flaw, this lack of discipline or, as my parents identified it, being flat out lazy, lacking in motivation. That sounds a bit judgmental don’t you think?
TIME MANAGEMENT
Secondly, time management. Shaving and showering and getting dressed take on average 20-25 minutes. I find since I have started to care for my moustache, the extra time I need to shave, shower, get dressed and prepare my moustache for waxing and combing requires 25-35 minutes. That extra 10 minutes means setting the alarm 15 minutes earlier, 5 minutes for swearing at the dawn and 10 minutes to add to my normal routine
By the way, the longer my moustache grows, the greater the amount of time it takes to get it to resemble the shape and conformity seen in the photo found at the beginning of this post. Since I have now progressed to the full handlebar moustache experience, grooming of my upper lip hair takes at least an extra 15 minutes.
That seemingly small change in my routine puts me at odds with coffee bean grinding, preparing that all important first cup of coffee, and the time it takes to make ready and consume a daily assortment of breakfast items. Everything is 15-20 minutes later than usual. Instead of leaving my house at 8 am for my 9 am meeting, I know have to leave at 7:45. Between discipline and time management skills, if I get out of the house by 8:15 I declare success.
This is just one example of the demands into which my lack of time management skills traps me. The stories I could tell concerning my time management challenges at work could be the basis for someone’s doctoral dissertation. They would also be a good premise for a YouTube channel presentation.
INDECISION
Finally, there is indecision – should I wax my moustache this morning or let it hang limply? Should I trim the errant hairs or let them fall free form from my lip? After all, will anyone take the time to judge me solely on my sartorial skills?
This kind of indecision re my moustache preparation spills over into other areas as well. What will I have for lunch? Will I invite someone to join me for lunch or take that downtime by myself? Do I return phone calls and emails as my first task at work each morning? Do I set out a plan for my entire day? On and on it goes. Decisions upon decisions, decisions I almost always defer till later. Discipline, time management and indecision all wrapped up in one simple chore – growing a moustache.
THE CONSEQUENCE OF MY CHARACTER FLAWS
There is a price to pay for these character flaws. Here is where this moustache growing/grooming/waxing/ might lead me. I am fearful that growing a moustache will unleash dire consequences as once again I am confronted by and succumb to human characteristics that haunt me.
Help me please before it’s too late.
