It is with the shedding of a manly mustachioed tear that we wrap up a thoroughly successful Movember for 2012 (NB: men don’t cry – their eyes vomit water). I realize we’re well into December now, and that only the jolly white moustache is on everyone’s minds now, but if you’re anything like me, after every Movember there is a mourning period for our furry little friends that one must respect. Naming it didn’t help. Suffice to say when it came to shaving ‘Miguel’ off of his upper lip perch, it got a little…e-mo’-tional.
But the legacy our lip warmers left behind for 2012 is nothing to be scoffed at. Our dedicated crews, including 80 Mo’ Bros and Mo’ Sistas, raised a monumental $10,259 – all for men’s health awareness, education and research.
Hats off to:
Creation Bay Area
Creation Burnaby Mo Crew
Creation VBU Blue Manchu
Creation Toronto Mo Crew, and
Creation HQ Mo Crew
For those of you playing along, Canada was the leading fundraising nation for the 2nd year in a row with (at time of publishing) 247,318 registered Canadians raising $39.4 million. The UK and Australia rounded out the Top 3 for 2012.
This year was my first official foray into Movember, and so I’d like to share some of my discoveries, lessons and observations during the month-long test of manhood.
Top 5 Movember Lessons/Observations:
1. Take men’s health seriously and get regular health checks. With great moustache comes great responsibility.
2. Practice daily Mo’Kaizen – Trimming and tidying your moustache reduces its unsightly food catching abilities, keeps it gentlemanly for the Mo’ Sistas and helps eliminate dreaded facial Muda.
3. 5S can apply to your Mo’ too – Sort, set, shine, standardize and sustain your Mo’ grooming station and routines. There’s nothing worse than scampering around the bathroom, face covered in shaving cream, blade in hand, searching for that elusive silky moustache wax you love. Get it in order and your Mo’ will reflect your discipline.
4. No man is an island. Even the biggest Mo’ Bro will discover the unity in Movember – the silent acknowledging nod at the bus stop, the cheeky smile from the Mo’ Sista in the supermarket isle, the encouraging, all-knowing look from the veteran Mo’ Mentor (that’s a Mo’ Bro that’s dedicated his life to the long-term cultivation of a fine moustache) – know that you are not alone.
5. You will have Mo’ Downs. These are silent friendly Mo’ Showdowns between Mo’ Bros. Mo’ Bros will unconsciously size up and compare competing moustaches as they cross paths. You will win some. You will lose some. Do not be disheartened, you are on your own path of Mo’ destiny and everything is unfolding as it should.
A big Thank You to all who participated and for all your generous supporters, Movember 2012 couldn’t have been as much a success without your tireless efforts and your manly Mo’s.
Until Movember 2013 ladies and gentlemen, here’s a quote from Salvador Dali’s book dedicated entirely to his moustache:
“Since I don’t smoke, I decided to grow a mustache – it is better for the health. However, I always carried a jewel-studded cigarette case in which, instead of tobacco, were carefully placed several mustaches, Adolphe Menjou style. I offered them politely to my friends: “Mustache? Mustache? Mustache?” Nobody dared to touch them. This was my test regarding the sacred aspect of mustaches.”
― Salvador Dalí,
Dalí’s Mustache
Below: Pictures of the Movember 2012 Gala Party in Vancouver
