It’s the seventeenth anniversary of all about beards today on the seventeenth of January, 2013. To mark this occasion, I’ve created a special video with a look back at some of the history and features of the site. To see the video, which is on the all about beards YouTube Channel, just click on the image above. While you’re there, be sure to subscribe to the all about beards YouTube channel. Thanks!

I knew the view counter on the gallery was nearing twenty-two million and should hit it in the coming days. Actually, I had hoped to reach it before the end of 2012. The beards.org gallery view counter hit twenty-two million already this morning some time while I wasn’t expecting it. Therefore, I did not see which was the lucky twenty-tow millionth photo viewed. So I’ve just selected an image from Andy‘s album to commemorate today’s milestone.

This counter started at zero back on January 26, 2006. That’s when the gallery moved to the current software package. The true count is not known because of database glitches and other various subtractions over the years. There are also some legacy photo galleries within the site that remain outside the main, whose views are not counted in this total. We can say, however, that the true count is greater than the number displayed. And where can you see this counter? It appears here:

http://www.beards.org/images/index.php

Thanks for your interest in all about beards! Keep growing!

Thank you, everyone, for all the likes!  The beards.org Facebook page started on February 12, 2010.  Today we reached 10,000 likes.  It’s great to have you with us.  Your participation on the Facebook page is much appreciated.

If you haven’t “liked” the beards.org Facebook page yet, today is a great day to do it.  Click on the image to go to the beards.org Facebook page and then click on “Like”.

We just hit our next major milestone on the gallery views counter: 21 million.  The counter hit 21,000,000 at 1:04 PM Pacific Daylight Time today.  I happened to be online to see it happen.  The twenty-millionth photo?  It was the shot of Dale from our popular beard style sets feature.  Click on the image of Dale above to go to a larger view.

The views counter on the beards.org galleries hit twenty million on May 16th.  Before I wrote it up, a database table crash ended up knocking the counter way back down quite a bit.  So we hit twenty million again on May 28th.  This illustrates that the true number remains unknown, but we do know that it’s higher than what the counter shows.  Thanks to all for your interest in all about beards.

Quite some time before “all about beards” was created, I had already taken my first “beard on the street” photo.  During a visit to Buenos Aires, Argentina, I noticed a man with a totally impressive full beard working at a newsstand kiosk.  I knew that this mighty beard really ought to be photographed.  The problem was that I had never just walked up to anyone on the street and asked to take their photo before.  Given that I would not be in Argentina much longer, it was a “do or die” situation.  So I summoned my courage and asked if I could take his photo.  He immediately responded affirmatively and I took the shot.  We chatted for a while afterward.  I believe his name was Ruben Milano.  I’m more certain about his last name than his first.  In any case, thank you very much, Mr. Milano, and congratulations on your outstanding beard!

In recent days while searching for another photo, I ran across a print of the photo of Mr. Milano.  I immediately realized that it was high time for him to take his place of honor in the “beards on the street” album as the official very first beards.org “beard on the street”.  Click on the photo above for the larger version.

It’s got to be better. Stay tuned for more.

Keep growing.  Today marks the sixteenth anniversary of all about beards, the longest-running beard site on the web.  If all about beards has encouraged you to grow your beard, helped you to improve your beard, improved your view of beards, or had any other positive impact on you, please share by leaving a comment here or sending an email.  Thank you to all of the site’s friends for your support over the years.

The happiness for the new beard year did not even last one week for me.  My little sister was taken from us unexpectedly — suddenly and without warning.  The loss has been too difficult to bear.  Understandably, updates to beards.org ground to a halt.  Normally, I would see when the gallery views counter hits another million.  This time, I did not.  I figure, however, that it was most likely on January 9th.

Right now, I cannot feel any optimism for 2012.  But I have to carry on.  The sixteenth anniversary of “all about beards” is only days away now.  In my sister’s honor, somehow, I will do everything I can to make it the best year yet for beards.org and to surpass that each year that follows.

Have a wonderful new beard year 2012! Happy beard growing!