Recession Beard

I have just discovered that the new growth of hair on my beloved, the Maharishi's face, is officially known as "The Recession Beard" ie. 'a beard with a story.' Great story (two week-old) in the NY Daily News about The 2009 NYC Beard & Mustache Championships. The Recession Beard is noted in the very good new column Schott's Vocab, in the NY Times.

Nate Stahura from Rochester, N.Y., won the “recession beard” competition with a shaggy five-month-old effort that he grew after being laid off as a banker.

Even MSNBC weighs in with a story entitled: Hairy Economy trend: Beards are back

The Maharishi in his typical laid-back style, doesn't know what all the fuss is about. "Why do people keeping commenting on my beard," he asks, somewhat demurely, as if he were Audrey Hepburn basking in new-found stardom after the premiere of Roman Holiday. Ignorance is bliss, is it not, Dear Reader?