Germany or Italy? a.k.a. Life's Little Shaving Principles

[AshleyC]

Kind of a tough choice for a midwestern American to make. Both sound pretty good, especially when you consider my third, unofficial option: The West Virginia.

After going out at 6:00 AM in 12 degree Farenheit temperature to warm up the car so the windows will be defrosted by the time you leave for work, you retire to the bathroom for your morning shave. Your black labrador no longer bothers to follow you around the house on these mornings and just lays there on the couch, the picture of comfort and drowsiness. And he'll be laying there when you get home from work. Your radio is on, tuned to one of the few stations you can get in this mountainous terrain. Johnny and June Carter Cash sing about going to Jackson.

Sorry...I can't keep this up.

 

[Rhody]

Kind of a tough choice for a midwestern American to make. Both sound pretty good, especially when you consider my third, unofficial option: The West Virginia.

After going out at 6:00 AM in 12 degree Farenheit temperature to warm up the car so the windows will be defrosted by the time you leave for work, you retire to the bathroom for your morning shave. Your black labrador no longer bothers to follow you around the house on these mornings and just lays there on the couch, the picture of comfort and drowsiness. And he'll be laying there when you get home from work. Your radio is on, tuned to one of the few stations you can get in this mountainous terrain. Johnny and June Carter Cash sing about going to Jackson.

Sorry...I can't keep this up.

you lost me at 12 degrees......

 

[Macfrommichigan]

I never thought of WV as Midwestern.

 

[AshleyC]

I never thought of WV as Midwestern.

Oh, I'm from Ohio. We Buckeyes just think West Virgina is a good setting for parody.

 

[Twelvefret]

Kind of a tough choice for a midwestern American to make. Both sound pretty good, especially when you consider my third, unofficial option: The West Virginia.

After going out at 6:00 AM in 12 degree Farenheit temperature to warm up the car so the windows will be defrosted by the time you leave for work, you retire to the bathroom for your morning shave. Your black labrador no longer bothers to follow you around the house on these mornings and just lays there on the couch, the picture of comfort and drowsiness. And he'll be laying there when you get home from work. Your radio is on, tuned to one of the few stations you can get in this mountainous terrain. Johnny and June Carter Cash sing about going to Jackson.

Sorry...I can't keep this up.

How do you endure such noise?

 

[Macfrommichigan]

Oh, I'm from Ohio. We Buckeyes just think West Virgina is a good setting for parody.

Gotcha. Couple years ago drove from Harrisonburg VA to Athens Ohio...through the WV mountains. I was driving a little car about the size of a breadbox. It was pedal down going uphill, and hang on tight going back down. The truckers scared the heck out of me. And this was daylight in good weather.

 

[AshleyC]

How do you endure such noise?

How do I endure it? Sometimes several days a week. One my co-workers is a West Virginian. And if he gets to the jobsite before I do, HE picks the music. So, lots of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings. Older stuff like Marty Robbins, "The Big Iron on His Hip".

Much of it I can either tolerate or tune out. But sometimes he even goes back before all that. I mean country music where the singer yodels. That is a bit much to take.

 

[Boghopper]

I would make it my mission to be on that job site very very early.

 

[davent]

Having a good chunk of German heritage obviously i have to go with Italy, Tuscany if you please.
dave

 

[Ed Gcom]

Ahhhh, the ambiance of Italy, but let me keep my Merkur.

 

[Ed Gcom]

........ i have to go with Italy, Tuscany if you please.
dave

Perfect. My destination this summer with my daughters.

 

[Davidkimberly]

Sono tutto italiano!
my shave today closely mirrors your description (except for the Fatip).

And I would switch out a Moto Guzzi Eldorado for the Vespa.

 

[dmshaver]

I'll choose the Italian scenery, & the shaving gear ain't bad either!

 

[1Vader]

Both sounds wonderful but I love the city, I will probably enjoy number 2 more.

It pains me cause I am fan of both Tabac, and Saponificio Varesino (another Italian gem).

 

[BigJ]

Great descriptions!!

Voted Germany, but I could have easily voted the other way.

 

[CLM54]

Riesling is good, but I will stick with Sassicaia.

 

[Merle]

Wake up bleary-eyed, stayed up until 3 am... the lady of the house is having another night terrified of dying before the light comes and/or while she's alone. I tried to get up at 7, 9 but finally up to stay at 10:30 - the cats are starting to eye my toes as good nibblets before I feed them. I used to be a Ben Franklin kinda guy but that was years ago now. Maybe again; after it's all done. Stumble into my ensuite, past my large sink, the jetted bathtub (I've used it once), my shaver's station, into the little room for sitting and showering. Turn on the water and let it run a while (the result of mounting the on-demand hot water heater at the laundry/kitchen side of the house...) deal with unloading the unmentionables while I wait. Finally, the shower and a semblance of wakefulness, stepping out and drying down with a lovely bath sheet, I'm ready for my shave!

German? Italian? nah... I use those for my 'unique' shaves when I'm seeking something different. Something, not Barrister & Mann. (I've others, but...) Now that I've removed my whiskers, applied my matched ASL and balm, possibly even EDT, off to heat the espresso machine up and prepare the drinks for me and Her. Once more it's time to have my espresso or Americano and She, milk and sugar-laden latte. Looking out the window out into our little bit of shared forest inside a golf course, the outdoor temperature is already 80F and humidity nearly the same: Good old Georgia!

It's time to go downstairs to the dungeon (it's always dark, 60 degrees and many of the same television programs...) and put my time in - torturer or tortured I no longer know... I look out occasionally throughout the day, doing the laundry, the dishes, sometimes a culinary construction I can't build in a makeshift kitchenette down below. The world I hope for still turns outside, waiting. Perhaps we'll know something different the next time the sun rises from over the East.

(ahem, sorry lads, sometimes it takes 'in a mirror, darkly, to see how good life can be.)

 

[azwetshaver]

Italia for me. I love many Italian products but few German.

 

[Nicholas]

I voted for Italia.

You created some wonderful images too. Thanks!

 

[guitarslinger]

Italy all the way. No contest, imo.