April 11
Slim Sunday--
”Nothing Either Good or Bad…”
Gear
- Razor: Slim Jim (Gillette Slim adjustable)
- Blade: Personna Blue (2)
- Brush: Semogue Boar
- Soap: Barrister Reserve Cool (and a guest appearance by Stirling Iced Pineapple)
- Menthol: Stirling Frost Drops
- AS: Aqua Velva Ice Blue (1 Frost Drop)
- Balm: Stirling Glacial Unscented
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The Shave...
Attitude. It’s rather amazing how it guides the quality of my life. Hamlet said it best: “For there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” Take today’s B&M Reserves Cool escapades for example. I scooped a double-almond-sized bit of soap and pressed it into my bowl. My brush was squeezed out to merely moist, and I loaded, and loaded, and loaded. Once the boar picked it all up (approximately 5 years later), I slowly started adding water until I got a consistency that I was satisfied with. I completed the first pass (WTG and set at ‘9’), and went to apply more lather for a 2nd--but there was none! Not even squeezings. Just a bit of runniness which I added some water to and used almost as a residual slickness 2nd pass (XTG and set at ‘6’).
I am not going to lie and say that I was not
colossally frustrated. Or that I did not at one point in time wonder how far a sample-sized container of ‘Cool’ might travel if thrown side-arm fashion over one’s house--could I get it over the house behind ours as well and into the street where a cement truck might run it over? Of course I would never do such a thing. That would be irresponsible. Someone might stumble across it. Then try to use it.
Roughly at this point I identified the downward spiral of negativity I so easily slid into, and had to decide whether or not I was going to stay there--I occasionally indulge myself in that ride, but it never takes me anywhere good. Slim Sunday was starting to look like a bust. However, after a deep breath or three, I was able to identify the positives: (a) the 1st pass was wonderful, (b) the 2nd pass, while largely latherless, was slick enough that it was still comfortable and I was already at a BBS/DFS, (c) those passes (laced with 3 Frost Drops) were wonderfully cool, and (d) I smelled terrific.
Still, all the positivity in the world was not going to squeeze out a 3rd pass from that lather, and I had neither the emotional fortitude nor the physical stamina to whip up another batch of B&M Cool lather. Then I saw the Iced Pineapple shave stick. Done! Slapped a quick layer of soap on the ol’ mug, face-lathered it into a glorious yogurty consistency, and started a 3rd pass (ATG set at ‘3’ (btw, the ‘3’ setting on a Slim is ridiculously mild--too mild--
way too mild). It took a bit of concentrated effort at that setting, but with a few touch ups on the chin, I was introduced to the baby.
Funny. What I initially perceived as a catastrophic 2 passes was actually pretty decent; I just needed to see it with different eyes to nudge it back to fantastic. Speaking of fantastic, B&M Reserve Cool smells equally wonderful when laced with Stirling’s Iced Pineapple!
Have a happy and safe Easter, everyone!
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