In Movember 2011, I kept a blog of my Moustache's growth...

G’day. Max here.

I’ve never, ever grown a moustache.

I’ve never, ever grown a beard.

I tried to grow a goatee once, but it never took.

But this Movember it’s on; the space between my nose and mouth is going to become a hair farm. And in doing so I hope to raise money for The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue: the national depression initiative

To make a monation, or find out more about Movember, click here to mo to my Movember Mospace.

And if you’re cultivating your facial hair for Movember, fill out the form below to send me your motographs so we can share and compare our hairy new friends! Remember to send a clean-skin shot first, so we can trace the progress from go to mo!

Good luck, and here’s to a hairy Movember!

Max's Mogress

Day 1

They say the best place to start is at the beginning.

Here is my blank canvas:

Clean shaven and ready for lip hair.

Plenty of potential eh?

Click here to make a Movember donation to aid the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and BeyondBlue: the National Depression Initiative.

Day 2

24 hours in and there are some brave little stubs pushing their way up.

As Paul Kelly once wrote: "From little things big things grow"

Ever notice that if you drive a yellow car, all you see on the road are yellow cars?

Or that if you see a word you have never seen before, you will see it again soon after?

I'm led to believe that this is a phenomenon known as "availability".

For the last three days I've been experiencing "moustache availability" ; all I see everywhere is moustaches!

Speaking of moustaches, check out today's mogress - definite signs of life I'd say!

Day 4

When does a moustache become a moustache?

Does the intention to grow one automatically change what is under one's lip from "unshaven" to "moustache"?

Or is there a point at which the moustache assumes it's proper identity - and if so when is that point?*

Welcome to moustache rhetoric 101.

* that point is clearly not today!

Day 5

The oldest portrait showing a shaved man with a moustache is of an Iranian horseman circa 300BC.

The newest portrait showing a shaved man with a moustache* is below!

*See Day 4 for philosophical discussion as to when a mo becomes a mo.

Day 6

I think I need to work on my motography.

In real life my mo is far more impressive than it appears below.

And when I say far more, I mean a little.

Stay tuned for a change of angle tomorrow...

Day 7

Today's mogress motograph is brought to you by the colour "salt & pepper"

Either Sunday is a particularly virulent day for moustache growth,

or I'm onto something with this change of angle and light.

Day 8

According to the 21st Century's deepest well of knowledge, Wikipedia, human hair grows at around 125 mm a month.

Painstakingly inaccurate measurements conducted this morning reveal that in a week, my mo hairs have grown between 20-40mm in a week.

So by 30 Movember I can expect between 82-164 mm of Mo* hanging off my lip.

* Is "Mo" a proper noun deserving of a capital "M"? I say it is. From now.

Day 9

A group of bike riders (a peleton?) are currently pedalling from Brisbane to Melbourne to raise awareness of men's health, raise funds, and spread the word about Movember.

Next Tuesday (15 Movember), I'll be joining them at the Upper Hunter Men's Shed (Oxford Road Scone) from 6:30pm to hear their stories and learn more about how blokes can look after ourselves and our mates. There'll be a free BBQ - moustaches are optional but encouraged!

All are welcome to attend - just give the Scone Neighbourhood Centre a call before this Friday on 6545 2562, so they know how many sausages to sizzle!

Meanwhile, back on my face, it appears the sides are growing faster than the middle!

Day 10

Here are three famous moustaches.

See if you can guess to whom they belong - answers tomorrow.

(a) (b) (c)

And here is a less-than-famous Mo, 10 days in;

Day 11

How did you go?

Here are the owners of those famous Mos:

(a) Bolshevik Revolutionary Joseph Stalin

(b) Aussie cricket legend David Boon

(c) Tom Selleck aka Magnum P.I.

I am so jealous of these Mo Legends.

If you'd like to check out my Mo in the flesh, I'll be at Scone McDonalds this Saturday from 10-12 as part of McHappy Day!

Day 12

Movember is all about raising awareness, and money, for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, and beyondBlue: the national depression initiative.

If you're enjoying my Movember Blog, the best way you can show your appreciation is to click here, and make a donation.

Massive thanks to all who have already donated.

Strangely, today's motograph appears to show less hair than yesterday...

Day 13

It occurs to me that come December first, a decision will have to be made: to Mo or Go.

It may well depend on how firmly entrenched my hairy little friend becomes.

I wonder if full-time Mo owners feel a little put out by Movember, with all us Johnny-come-latelys muscling in on their year-round turf.

Will my month-long Mo be worthy enough to join the full-time Mo Club?

Day 14

Did you see Brad Pitt on 60 Minutes last night?

His Mo and my Mo looked surprisingly similar.

No. Really.

Stay tuned as we head into Week Three...

Day 15

For those who have come in late, welcome to my Movember Blog!

To raise awareness (and hopefully some money) for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and

beyondBlue; the national depression initiative, I'm growing a moustache.

Click here for further Movember info, or to make a donation.

Here's how it appears after 15 days;

It's a little patchy isn't it. But not too bad.

To see it in the flesh, join me at the Upper Hunter Men's Shed (Oxford Road Scone) for a special Movember BBQ, from 6:30pm on Tuesday the 15th.

See Day 9 for more details.

Day 16

I had the pleasure of meeting the Ride for Movember Team at a BBQ hosted by the Upper Hunter Men's Shed.

They have already raised nearly $30,000 for Movember as they pedal from Brisbane to Melbourne.

Well done team!

Check out my photos from the BBQ here.

Hear what Brett from the Ride For Movember had to say about the Ride while he was pedalling between Scone and Cessnock;

The team were sporting some excellent Moustaches - putting my effort in the shade;

Oh well - I'm trying and that's the main thing

Day 17

In 2010 over 130,000 Aussie Mo Growers raised over $25 million!

To date, 2011 Aussie Mo Growers have raised nearly $10 million.

I have raised $100 so far, which is great, but...

I would love to be able to contribute more.

If you can spare a donation, click here.

Meanwhile, back on my face, are they ginger hairs I spy on the edges?!

Not that there's anything wrong with that...

Day 18

Today I would like to share with you a wonderful piece of moustache folklore.

Seven-time Olympic gold medal winner Mark Spitz grew a moustache in college because his coach told him he couldn’t. It took him four months and it became a personal accomplishment for him. Swimmers usually shave all body hair to reduce drag and Spitz planned on shaving his for the 1972 Munich Olympics; however, people gave him so much attention about it, he decided to keep it.

“I had some fun with a Russian coach who asked me if my moustache slowed me down. I said, 'No, as a matter of fact, it deflects water away from my mouth, allows my rear end to rise and make me bullet-shaped in the water, and that's what had allowed me to swim so great.' The following year every Russian male swimmer had a moustache.”

You have to love the Cold War!

I wish I could tell you that my Mo has made me more aerodynamic, but I don't have access to a wind tunnel so it's hard to say.

Day 19

OK time for another episode of "Guess the Mowner"

Who mowns these Mos?

(a) (b) (c)

Find out in tomorrow's instalment.

A change in light today shows my Mo is coming along nicely as we near the end of week three;

Day 20

How did you go this time?

The (in)famous Mowners are:

(a) Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin

(b) Dennis Keith Lillee

(c) Adolph Hitler

What is it about tyrants, Aussie cricketers and moustaches? (See Day 11)

I am neither a tyrant nor an Aussie cricketer.

But I do have a Mo - of sorts.

Day 21

It's the end of week three and here is the mogress:

Today someone told me my moustache needed a trim!

It started me thinking; will I keep growing my Mo after Movember has finished?

And if so what form or style will it take?

Questions to ponder during Week Four...

Day 22

Welcome to week four of my Movember Blog: Max's Mogress.

Movember is a chance to grow a Mo and raise money for beyondblue and the Australian Prostate Cancer Foundation.

To date I have raised over $100, which is great!

If you would like to make a donation, click here.

Here is today's Mogress Motograph;

What do you think so far?

Day 23

I've decided to defer any trimming/grooming/tidying of my Mo for a few more days.

I'm going to give it every chance to bloom until the end of Week Four, then try a little Mo-Craft on Movember 29 & 30.

Sure there won't be a lot to work with but we will see what we will see.

Here's today's Mogress;

First word that comes to mind? Ratty!

Day 24

Some people have been asking why I haven't been showing my full melon during this blog.

Movember is all about the Mo; so showing it in isolation each day means you (and I) can concentrate solely on the Mo.

But rest assured you will see the mo in it's full facial context next week.

I bet you can't wait!

Day 25

This weekend will be interesting.

I am going bush with some Sydney mates who I don't think know that I am growing a Mo.

It will be funny to see what they think about this;

It will also be a chance for me to ask them for a donation.

Have a great weekend!

If you would like to donate to Movember, and aid in the awareness and treatment of Prostate Cancer and Depression, click here.

Day 26

Today it looks like my Mo has actually shrunk?!

Must be all the rain!

Day 27

Three days left and my donation total is still languishing at $130.

Any last minute donations will be gratefully accepted!

Click here to donate to Movember

Day 28

Not long now until I reveal the full effect of my Movember commitment...

Day 29

Well tomorrow is the big day, when I will reveal the full impact of the Mo upon my face.

So it's almost your last chance to donate to my Movember appeal.

If you've been enjoying viewing my Mogress,

show your appreciation by clicking here to make a donation

Day 30

1 November 2011: Dull, hairless, lifeless. Yawn...

30 November 2011...

WELCOME TO MO-TOWN!

What a difference a month makes! Now...does it stay or go?

To Mo or not to Mo; that is the question. Click here to help me decide at Max's Mo Poll

And it's not too late to donate...

Click here to help the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia

and beyond blue: the national depression initiative

Thank you for sharing my Movember journey.