What it means to be a Beardomancer.
When Ryan and I recorded the first episode of our podcast, it didn't even have a name. We tossed a few back and forth, until one day I thought of "Beardomancy101." I don't know where the name came from, maybe it's my love of bearded, fantasy Dwarves. Maybe it was the fact that I was learning the wide world of comics from Ryan and he has a majestic beard himself. Whatever the cause, the name stuck. Since then we've been thinking what does it even mean to BE a Beardomancer, let alone teach a 101 class on the subject?
We've had the answer all along.
Being a Beardomancer is more than facial hair, it's about being you unabashedly. Having the strength to say "This is what I like, this is me. It's cool if it's not your deal, but I'm not letting that fact change my opinion on the matter." It's also having the acceptance and grace to let others freely relish in the things they love, and the people they are.
You don't need a beard to be a Beardomancer. You don't have to be a guy to be a Beardomancer. You don't even need to be human to be a Beardomancer! You simply need the courage to be the real you.
I've always been a bit of a goober. I like blacksmithing, I have bookshelves filled with R.A. Salvator, Rober Jordan, Patrick Rothfuss, and of course Tolkien (to name a few.) I have a garden, have played a lifetime of videogames, worked at a comicbook store and a smithy, play the banjo, and my spirit animal is the Tortoise. I still play with legos, pack lunches, watch Adventure Time (too much), love Hellboy, and play DnD.
The reason I picked the word beard is because to me, a beard personifies the man I want to become. A man who every day I strive to be. A man who is courageous, steadfast, loyal, polite, tough, gentle, self-motivated, self-sustaining, humble, and honest.
All of those and many, many more components make me who I am, and I am a Beardomancer.
What does being a Beardomancer mean to you?
