Facial hair for ulcers and a craving for Ruby Tuesday's

Spending a few days in the hospital with my wife during the birth of our son was quite an experience. Several days on the make shift bed nestled on the pull out sofa the birthing center provided was hard on my back, but it was still an experience I would never miss had I the ability to do things over again...

In the days that followed the delivery, I watch my wife get catered to by the hospital staff. They would bring her food, but never offered me anything. Feeling like chopped liver, I considered going across the street to the mall and hitting the Ruby Tuesday's for a burger and a beer. One night, my wife's dinner just sucked. I mentioned my craving for a burger and fries, my diet consisting of random junk food and offerings from the lobby Dunkin Donuts was just not covering it.

My wife agreed that a couple of burgers from Ruby's were called for. I ordered them via phone and planned on getting there early so I could grab a quick beer while I waited. In case you missed the news, Ruby Tuesday's is trying to embrace craft beer. At that point, our boy was born, he was healthy and happy, and I felt like indulging in a celebratory craft beer.

By time I got to Ruby's the food was ready, and there was not enough time to order a beer and still get the food back in time to be enjoyed at the proper temperature. So no beer for daddy...

Later that night, I stopped in at the house to let our dogs out and fished around the fridge for a beer. All I had left were the last four bottles of my holiday ale. Not a great beer, but aging it in the basement seemed to improve it. So, alone that night with my two dogs, I toasted the birth of my son with one of my very one Holiday Ales...

Side bar: Just got back from the mall to return some baby clothes my wife wanted sent back. Had to stop in Ruby's and have a couple beers. I've been locked away in the house now for about a week, and I figured a little me time wouldn't hurt. I ordered a plate of Buffalo Wings and had a couple Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPAs... Good stuff... Ruby's is certainly trying to dip it's toes in the craft beer world, but they really should try and stock some local brews... Most of their better beers are in bottles rather than on tap...

But on to the facial hair issue...

The guys over at Monday Night Brewery are really pushing for folks to grow mustaches in order to help folks with ulcers... OK, I don't quite get it either, but it's funny none the less...

The day after my son was born, I shaved to look good for the first day photos. Sadly, a good shave would not make up for the fact that I'm not exactly a male model, and that I had little to no sleep in the days that preceded the birth. Afterwards, I did not shave, and still have not shaved. I'm on leave from work, something akin to "paternity leave" and I'm enjoying every minute of it... As a military man, I'm required to be clean shaved, but if I'm on leave, my face is my own. So I've decided to see if I can grow a beard within two weeks. We have a post pregnancy photo scheduled a week from Friday, which will require me to shave. My goal is to have enough facial hair in place before then to say that I can in fact grow a beard if I wanted to.

Here I am today, one week into the facial hair growing phase. Note the tired look in my eyes from tending to the chosen one (my son) at all hours of the night. My only solace is that this facial hair may help someone with their ulcer. But lets be honest, this pathetic display of facial hair only serves two goals.

1. It proves I'm not really capable of growing a full beard.
2. It points out my double chin, making me look like the fat arce I really am.

The things I do for charity...