The Balding Bigfoot Syndrome

In class the other day, we were discussing the long term effects of taking certain medications during pregnancy. One that I was discussing was Thalidomide, which has a varient that is used to grow hair on men; Propecia. Now, my hairline has been thinning since I was 23, and I've been "bald" (typical male pattern baldness) since 30. During this discussion, one of my students raised his hand and asked;

"Do you miss your hair?"

Ummmm...hmmmm....NO! I don't miss my hair. I mean, even though it's gone on top, I still have plenty. I am, afterall, a member of the Great American Rugbacks.

Besides, I have my beard. And for a year now, I've been letting it grow out. When I needed a new picture for my new school i.d. card a few months back, I had a new picture taken. Yeah, why would I miss the hair on top of my head? (Granted, this ain't the best picture of me, but it works for the moment...)

So, yesterday, different class, and we were discussing impression formation, and I was discussing how our impressions are often formed right away, and in most cases, they'll change over time. "For instance," I said, "most likely, you're impression of me has changed." One of my students just busted out laughing. "Not really. You still remind me of an lumberjack from Oregon. Bushy beard, stocky..."

"Well," I rejoined, "we all know stocky is a polite way of saying fat." After the laughing died down, she went on to explain that now, she does have a different impression of me.

That's when one of the smart asses in the back said, "He still reminds me of Bigfoot from the Mythbuster's ads."

I don't get it. I don't sound Canadian.