Update (06.01.10): It's gone!  It's gone!  Banished to the netherworld, never to return again!   Thank you so much to everyone who contributed, you're all amazing.

Update (05.26.10): I'm in the home stretch!  The moustache is nearing its demise, but I'm making one last fundraising push.  Please consider donating! 

Update (05.18.10): It's official - I have a full-on, no holds barred moustache.  It's big and itchy, and there's no stopping it now.  On a more positive note, my fundraising has reached the astounding level of $300!  Thank you everyone that donated, you're all amazing.

Update (05.11.10): A week and a half in, and I think I could actually say I have a real moustache.  It's still sketchy, but much less so than it could have been.  I'm proud to say that because of my amazing skills and genetic gifts, I'm a frontrunner for the biggest moustache.

Update (05.07.10): Week 1 is nearly over, and my upper lip is bristling with fuzz.  Looks pretty terrible, but so far I've gotten a lot of support from friends.  To those who have told me it doesn't look that bad, it's the nicest lie I've ever heard.  See the updated photo.

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Growing a 'stache is something I swore I would never do, and believe me when I tell you it won't be pretty. It is a month of my life I'll never get back, and I'm sure the photos will haunt me at birthday parties and weddings for years to come. I'll slowly transition from "looks-like-he-should-be-loitering-a-street-corner" to "I-should-keep-my-kids-away-from-him" to finally, by the grace of St. Martin de Porres, "okay-he's-an-oddly-young-guy-for-a-moustache." I'm not going for Tom Selleck, I'll settle for Eddie Murphy. (Anything but Errol Flynn.)

So why do this? I'm raising money for the 826DC writing center. If you haven't heard about 826, it is the coolest tutoring program ever. Started by Dave Eggers, their writing centers double as stores for pirates, astronauts, superheroes, spies, time travelers, robots, and Bigfoot researchers.  For a great overview, see the talk given by Dave Eggers at TED.com

There's not many things on this planet I'd be willing to grow a moustache for; but kids' education, combined with the proliferation of this kind of whimsical, creative environment, is something I can really get behind. The moustache just shows how serious I am about it.

Please consider supporting me as I try to (a) grow a moustache, and (b) raise funds to open our new writing center and nurture the bright young writers of Washington, DC. It is faster and easier than ever to support this great cause by making your tax-deductible contribution online.

826DC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6-18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. Our services are structured around our belief that great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success.

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