Our long-time hirsute reader sends an update:
I kept going back to The Dish all day on Wednesday hoping there would be at least one more post after “A Note To My Readers“. It’s been ten years since I started visiting your blog on a daily or sometimes hourly basis, depending on what was happening in the world. I was honored to be a part of The Dish with my BOTD pics on not one but three occasions this year [here and here, including the year-end contest].
I will leave you with one last beard pic in your honor. You will be greatly missed.
Likewise. And every one of these BOTWs will be missed as well. Bonus beards after the jump:
I went on an impromptu pre-blizzard hike this weekend with a friend and perennial beard-of-the-week contender. It was a gorgeous day on top of the world in New Hampshire. I snapped this photo of him coming down.
Four years ago I worked up in the mountains with zero cell service. I’d arrive 3500 feet down the trail and spend my precious valley time catching up on the Dish. I missed some VFYWs that summer, but the Dish, and the three NPR stations and CBC that we got up high, kept me in touch with the world.
Another reader:
After reading your post I was in shock and flooded with emotions. Tonight I feel robbed. For nearly three months I’ve been growing this thing with the dream of one day making Beard of the Week! Tonight I just keep staring at my 7mm Kent beard comb wondering what now …
Update from a reader:
I always believed there would be so much more time to write to you… and most importantly to get critical feedback on my beard. Then, out of nowhere, you tell me you are leaving. Then, the first thing I see posted today is the “Beard of the Week, Ctd” with Bonus Beards!!???
I am lost, but not angry… just lost… yeah, lost and thankful and sad. And I have a beard of sadness, but it is not angry, I promise:
All the best to you and the crew. I have been a daily reader for ~10 years and will always be grateful to you and your team for …………. I typed and erased and typed and erased for 20 minutes before saying fuck it. I am grateful for too many reasons that cannot be described well with any kind of brevity.
More beardage:
I know how much you have been flooded with reactions to your departure. I won’t add much to that other than to say thank-you so much for keeping me from becoming a complete knee-jerk liberal gay man over the years. Your presence has deepened my thinking and provided nuance and flavor to my social and political opinions. I’ve deeply appreciated the continually engaging content of your blog and I will miss it terribly.
And just for the hell of it, here’s my Baby Boomer beard to represent one of your most-beloved generations:
Be well, Andrew, and best of luck.
The Dish 