Thanks for Demon Barber for inspiring me to write this introduction. I have mostly been a lurker on these sites since around 1997. Every now and then I private message or email someone, but I figure if I would like to meet people, then I need to put myself out there as well and not just lurk.

I knew from an early age that haircuts, the act of haircutting, the setting, etc. interested me. I am told that my parents took me to a local barber for my first haircut and that barber started by running the clippers straight up the back of my head and gave me a "little boy's regular." Well, my mother freaked. All I remember about my mother from a very early age is that she said that barbers didnt know how to style hair, and just knew how to "skin your head." I was forbidden from going to a barber shop for a haircut. I was made to go to a beauty shop with her for my haircuts. I had a longer side parted haircut with the hair just over my ears. This would have begun in the early 80s. She hated short hair on men and boys, and would not let me get it cut any shorter, even by the beautician. When boys were getting flattops and quarter-inch crewcuts (buzzcuts) for summer, I was not allowed. I won't say that my dad wasn't allowed to go to the barber. He really didnt care and she told him where she wanted him to go so she made him appointments and he went. My dad and I have a great relationship. but I remember going to a barber shop with him only once, and it is not the way you would imagine. So, my dad really has no place in my haircut interests or memories.

A barber shop became a place of mythological proportions to me. If we were going somewhere in the car, I would make sure to sit on the side of the car that the barber shop would be, so I could try to look inside. At the same time, though, I was self-conscious about it because I knew it made me feel funny. So, I would hide my enthusiasm in wanting to go to the barber shop, and my interest in looking inside, etc. I had the same feelings when anything would come on tv related to haircuts/barbers, any men or boys would start talking about their haircuts or going to the barber, or really mention of it all. I had a great, overwhelming interest, but I was self-conscious about it because of the way it made me feel.

In the years past, I would spend some Saturdays with my grandparents, and on the days that grandad went for a haircut, I got to go with him. Even though my mother made it very clear that I never get my haircut there. but, just being in there was AMAZING. It only happened 3 times, to my recollection.

Finally when I was 14, I asked my grandad to go with him. It was just as amazing as you could imagine. I remember every detail, and it is probably my most important memory.

Since that time, my barber shop interest and experience have just gotten stronger and bigger. I can safely say that I have had haircuts in more than 150 barber shops. I have gone into other barber shops where I have not had a haircut. But I can't count how many that would be. I have a ton of stories and a ton of pictures, videos, etc that I have collected over the years.

My interests are in nice looking haircuts, barber shops, barbers, the barber's tools, the chair, the cape, the customers, the interaction, the dialogue, the dynamics, hair falling, and more. Like Demon Barber, the element of control in the barber shop is a big component of my interest. I love traditional barbers and barber shops. The image of an older barber in a white smock that buttons at the shoulder is at the top of my list.

I discovered this community in 1997 when I was in grade school. I started with Buzztown Barber Shop, and Milhair. I then saw the birth of The Haircut Site, which was great for years and then died. THCS is what actually spun off what has become this board! About the same time as THCS, we saw Jarhead Video. I still have never met anyone who has any of their videos. That turned into Jarhead Officers' Club, which became The JOC, which became Buzzed Hard. Around the same time, we have Crewcut4U who was producing videos and had a site. Also, I have never spoken to anyone who has any of those videos. And we also have Barber Shop Video. There are some of those videos on YouTube and they are still amazing to this day. We had Crewcut dot com, and House of Wyatt. Then they all faded and Male Short Cuts became the place to go for this content. As we have all seen, it died recently. There have been many people on this board, and other related sites. I know that we are all out there and wish there was a better way to connect with one another, and at least talk and exchange stories and compare our experiences and mutual interests.

Before I discovered this community, I thought there was just something really deep in me that got flipped and that it was so out of left field that I had to be the only one. When I found these sites back then, my mind was blown. I am now a professional adult and I still have the same interests, if not more.

If I have one regret, it is that I haven't connected with many of you guys out there. Reading Demon Barber's post got me thinking, "I would love to chat with him." But then, I also though that he had the courage/balls to put himself out there to everyone, and I should do the same. Maybe someone will see this and want to connect with me. So, here ya go!

I hope to connect with people of mutual interest. Could be for chat, but I am not opposed to more than chat. Meeting to explore barbers or other experiences. Please feel free to message me on Discord as "barbershaircuts" or email me at uneasilyinfluenced@yahoo.com. I am not always at Discord or my email, so if I don't respond immediately, then please dont be offended. But, I would love to hear from you. I have really taken an interest in hearing other peoples' real life experiences. I don't think that my own stories are that interesting, but I am happy to tell them. but that brings up an important point. We all probably think our experiences are nothing special, or not that interesting. But, to someone else, they are liable to be very interesting. Don't be afraid to tell them.

Have a good Saturday, gentlemen. I hope to hear from some of you.