bernie goes to barber college

old dog / new trick

As many of you know, Bernie Jungle has been an avid woodworker for 31 years—that’s a lot of hands-on tool time! But for many reasons—health and otherwise—it’s time to shift careers. Ever since Bernie was a little kid back in Pittsburgh, he's set his sights (and his scissors) on becoming a barber. Here’s a true story: Bernie’s father, like many of our well-meaning and penny-pinching dads, used to cut his son's hair. Now, you may be acquainted with Bernie’s tresses and their unruly ways—so these home jobs sometimes got Bernie a bit, well, lopsided and snippy. So it was just his luck when the local mall announced a holiday coloring contest. Bernie got out his trusty crayons, colored inside the lines, submitted his masterpiece, and won first place! The prize? A Barbershop Haircut. He was in heaven: the smell of the powder, the swivel chair, the crisp paper collar, the fine cloth hair catcher, the feel of the horse-hair brush that the barber used with precision and a kind of wise artistry—the whole ritual of the occasion sent Bernie into a kind of rapture from which he’s never recovered.

And now the stars have aligned for Bernie to take his rightful place among the pantheon of great barbers--with a year-long house-sitting gig in St. Paul, Minnesota and the chance to make some headway toward certification at a long-time Barber School nearby! The only thing holding him back, though, is affording the training: between high California rents and the modest pay even for master craftsmen, Bernie hasn’t been able to save for his dream. So, he’s been prompted by many enthusiastic pals who believe this move makes sense--not only for him but for all the heads (and hearts) his hands will touch and tend—for a Go Fund Me site. Friends! Family! Curly heads, straight heads, brunettes, blondes, baldies—for the shear good luck of it, please consider playing a part in supporting Bernie on this new adventure in earning a living, and join the rest of his fans as he works toward his barbering degree. He’s so grateful for any boost you might be able to spare toward tuition and supplies—and humbly asks for a little help from his friends as he pulls up roots and cuts this new course. And finally: free barber cuts (once he learns how) for all donors upon request!