January 2018 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Looks like a nice hotel set-up, Jared. I haven't pressed any Stirling soaps into containers like that yet, but I see quite a few folks have done that.

I've never heard of that soap, Mark. Is it a favourite?

Are you going to be ok? It looks like your lawn is almost covered...
Just teasing...winter extremes are relative.
Nice pics, and a nice shave photo, Clint!

Well done with the CJB, Jim. I hope to get there soon!

Good, informative write up, Andrew.

 

Thank you all!
I didn't find the Arko unusually drying, Andrew, but I always use Witch Hazel and a Splash or Balm as well, though.

 

Thank you, Jason!

 

Thank you Jason. It is all relative. Atlanta like most of the Southeastern US is not equipped for snow or ice. The cities don't have enough equipment to treat the roads. Plus Atlanta just has horrible and aggressive drivers so a normal commute is bad enough. Rain is over the top bad. Any snow or ice and people lose their minds. Plus I am happy to have an excuse to skip work.

 

I wouldn’t even just say it is the SE USA, Clint. Here in British Columbia, our coastal communities and Vancouver Island (think Seattle) are quite mild in comparison to the rest of the province. Where I live now is in the Rocky Mountains, but where I grew up, snow was a once or twice a year type of thing, and days below freezing were not very common. When I was in high school, our day was cancelled once at it was expected to be 10 degrees below freezing and there was a realistic worry that kids wouldn’t have winter coats (everyone had a rain jacket!) and would walk to school. I went to University on Vancouver Island in Victoria, and it is even more mild there. If it snowed, the city busses would shut down, and one year, during the middle of December exam week, I played tennis because it was 15Celcius. I don’t believe many homes in Victoria have a snow shovel. The Coast doesn’t follow the stereotypical image of Canada in quite a few ways. Here, in the Kootenays, we are a typical Canadian postcard.

 

SOTD January 17, 2018

Prep: Stirling mentholated pre-shave soap
Blade: GEM PTFE
Razor: GEM G-Bar
Brush: JR #60 synthetic
Soap: Williams
Post: Witch hazel, Stirling Baker Street aftershave
WTG, touch up

Good shave today. The Williams didn't behave as well as the last time. It only dissipated slightly. I had to touch up the lather on my lower right neck as that's the last area I shave on the first pass. But otherwise it was pretty good. The puck was sliding around in the container and actually broke into three pieces. I'm going to let it dry a little bit and then form into a solid shape again.

The razor and blade were terrific and the finish from Stirling's Baker Street was excellent. I'm bound and determined to figure out Williams and have it be a consistent performer.

These Deep South snow days have thrown me totally off my routine. But that's not a bad thing in the long run. It's been lots of fun spending time with my little boy and wife without the stress of work. I'm enjoying the time off. Have a great day!

 

Sorry the Williams didn’t do as well today, Perry. At least you got to end with the fantastic Baker Street!

 

Thanks, Jason! The puck moving around the bottom of the container didn't help with the load. But it was fine in the end. And yes, Baker Street is great!

 

Random question for the day:

Am I the only one, when on a weekly hotel stay, cleans his own room and tips housekeeping, because he is terrified of what they might do with his toothbrush?

 

All my friends are imaginary.

 

Great brush, Mark.

 

When you get tired of it as a shave stick, grate it into a tin or something. Beat it like a rented mule and then lather it. I struggle getting enough product on my face as a stick. It is one I usually just grate up.

 

Thanks, Clint. I’ve been at this place 14 nights already this month. It’s okay. Twin Cities hotels, as long as you aren’t downtown, are unbelievably cheap in the winter. Why the heck would anybody come to MPLS in January? You can figure rooms go for around 1/2 to 2/3 what they would be in summer.

 

We hit the 20s today.

 

Thank, Fuzzy. I haul way too much stuff around with me. But when you have to plan for a week at a time minimum, it keeps it interesting.

 

Nice picture, Perry!

 

Looks super gloopy to me!

 

Send the soaps to Clint. He’ll have the empty tins back to you by the end of next week.

I cannot use my brushes that hard. Even when I see someone else do it on a video, I cry like Sarah MacLachlan at an SPCA fundraiser. I will forever be a slow latherer.

 

If a guy starts early enough, he can get in two good drunks on an old fashioned snow day.