It'$ the end... but the moment ha$ been prepared for.

So here's my beard at the end of 24 days of growth (in case you forgot, October snow threw me off a week by angering the trees, who took it out on our power lines). My sore throat seems to have returned (due to lack of new funds, obviously), but I don't think I'll have too much trouble seeing The Doctor.*

A huge thank you to everyone who sponsored me, or any of the other guys (if you forgot, why not see if it's still working by clicking the $$ button now).

And thanks again to my fellow beardonauts. It's been fun. Anyone would be hard pressed to find a finer flock of fuzzy faced fellows.

As you can see, the camera is focused on me, not my furry sidekick

Well, it's the last day. Time for one last game. One more trip saving the galaxy. One more day being heroic, because that, my friend, is how I roll. I will be back one last time tomorrow to count the lucre, thank the contributors, and sum up this (as always) great experience.

It was a bit surprising to realize that yesterday's game is more than ten years old. It seems like only yesterday (metaphorically speaking) that Mighty Mur Lafferty won the Origins Button Men tournament and got the honor of playing the great James Ernest himself. But in truth, that was nine and half years ago. Still, Button Men is a great game and should not be forgotten. The idea is that you have buttons, with numbers and symbols on them that represent various sizes of dice and their abilities. You use them to capture your opponent's dice until neither of you can make any moves. You then count up the dice captured (full points) and the dice you still have (half points) and see who wins. Games are usually best two out of three.

If that sounds fun, you can play Button Men online, or if you are iOS-enabled, you can download it for your iPhone or iPad. Android people are out of luck, alas.

Goodbye Mr. Scruffy

And so we come to the close of a fun month. It's been an interesting experience being bearded for the first time. I've happily discovered that I can, in fact, grow a respectable beard and mustache, and I can also do my very small part to raise money for a cause that's unfortunately too near and dear to my heart.

We didn't quite make the goal, but we did make a decent show of it. Perhaps next year we'll get a corporate sponsor!

Many thanks to all who donated, and to Bob for making this all happen. Here's to the dream that by next November this won't be necessary.

I'm here to cure cancer and chew bubblegum and I'm all out of gum.

The Finale is upon us folks, however my battle for first place has only just begun. I've fully outfitted myself with an arsenal of cancer crushing cannons, juiced up on Combat Powder(TM) and conquered the last 4 combatants in my path to victory. So please donate to keep this amazing curing spree going! Keep in mind that should we reach our final goal of $5000 we'll be one step closer to our true mission: nuking breast cancer from orbit (it's the only way to be sure).

Thanks everyone for yet another wonderful year I look forward to serving on the front-lines again!

Over and Out,

Pete "The Yellow Dart" DiLillo

30 November 2011 - The End

Well, that's a wrap folks. I may have drifted off on the posts here at the end, but I've stuck with the beard and here it is in all is follicular glory. Thanks to everyone who has donated to the cause, not just for my beard but to all of my hairy brethren. Anyone who is the proud owner (or lover) of a pair of boobs thanks you as well, I'm sure.

Have a great holiday season, and see you next year!

Math teacher by day, dock worker by night

This is yesterday's photo, just took a while to get here. Yes, on top of this impressive beard will be one more day's growth.

Do I look all rancid and clotted? You look at me, Jack. Eh? Look, eh? And I drink a lot of water, you know. I'm what you might call a water man, Jack - that's what I am. And I can swear to you, my boy, swear to you, that there's nothing wrong with my bodily fluids. Not a thing, Jackie.

We've come to the end, my friends. Today is the last day of our marathon and the last day for you to donate money. My donations more than doubled yesterday. Many thanks to all my sponsors! The day that I presented my big rocket also presented my biggest single day increase. What does this mean? You all like the fear and intimidation. There is one movie that has great evil in it but it forces you to laugh at the evil. That's right, it makes you a little evil too.

Yes gentlemen, they are on their way in, and no one can bring them back. For the sake of our country, and our way of life, I suggest you get the rest of SAC in after them. Otherwise, we will be totally destroyed by Red retaliation. My boys will give you the best kind of start, 1400 megatons worth, and you sure as hell won't stop them now. So let's get going, there's no other choice. God willing, we will prevail, in peace and freedom from fear, and in true health, through the purity and essence of our natural fluids. -General Ripper (as read by General Turgidson)

And folks, lets not forget the ladies and the boobies for whom we have grown these beards. There is a place for them in my post-apocolyptic world.

General "Buck" Turgidson: Doctor, you mentioned the ratio of ten women to each man. Now, wouldn't that necessitate the abandonment of the so-called monogamous sexual relationship, I mean, as far as men were concerned?

Dr. Strangelove: Regrettably, yes. But it is, you know, a sacrifice required for the future of the human race. I hasten to add that since each man will be required to do prodigious... service along these lines, the women will have to be selected for their sexual characteristics which will have to be of a highly stimulating nature.

Ambassador de Sadesky: I must confess, you have an astonishingly good idea there, Doctor.

Thank you all again for all your donations. Your contributions have been noted and I will give you the special consideration you deserve as the world is torn asunder.

Definitely a winter hat.

I see the donations are up, this is good. More is needed though folks.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Midwestern city life affords a man too few opportunities to just wear a cowboy hat at it.

We had a pretty good surge on day 29, taking us up over $3,000. We'll need some rather epic donations to take it to $5,000 in the next 24 hours, but I hold out hope. Regardless of whether we make the mark, however, we've done some good here again this year.

One more day on the beard growth front, as well. As to the person least able to not grow a beard, well, that award must clearly go to me. Lush, silky, manly hair adorns a once boyish face. The masculinity I exude makes it hard to perform my various responsibilities, tasked additionally as I am with politely informing the lady folk that I am committed to my beloved and therefore unavailable for extramarital acts of procreation.

Beard and brews

Pretty tasty brew that Black Butte Porter. It's not really local, but that's fine. Couldn't find the other ones in the store.

If I really want to go for a local dark beer, I would get the Raven's Eye Imperial Stout from Eel River Brewing company or the Belgian Porter from Redwood Curtain. Now those two are awesome local beers.

Anyway, I figured I should nurture my beard the last 24 hours with some dark beer.

Also, to everyone out there, if you're considering donating, please do so.

We got one more day to go, and every donation would help. Just pick one of these handsome beards and sponsor! We will all be thankful.