The Scandal Sheet: Straights and other stuff

[Darth Scandalous]

@Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker , I think some of the reporting on that stuff gets a little overblown. We had dress codes when I was in school 30 years ago. Sure, they've changed some since but not appreciably. I think the all-black ban is dumb but I got my fashion sense from Johnny Cash. Cell phones, my first wife has been a teacher since 2001 and every school she's worked in had a no phones in class rule, if your phone was out it was confiscated and you could pick it up in the principal's office at the end of the day. Bathrooms....well, considering in my (small, rural) school, the bathrooms were where you went to screw off, smoke, drink, and do drugs (if you could afford them), I guess I can see trying to limit traffic there. Most of the girls put little magnetic mirrors in their lockers but maybe you can't do that anymore. We rarely were allowed to go to our lockers outside of passing time and lunch anyway, so you had to haul all your books everywhere. Wasn't a problem then because we could carry backpacks. Not any more I guess, but that probably is for the better too.

I have four kids in three different school districts, all of them have somewhat different rules but the kids don't seem to think they're too restrictive, so there's that. The one does have to lock their phone in a faraday case during the day. The others don't. We have no issue getting in contact with them, actually it's easier to get ahold of that kid during the day than the others for some reason.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Busy day today, one of the kids is marching in a parade. But it's absolutely gorgeous, mid 60s and blazing sunshine.

I went back to the new (to me) Feon just to see if the first shave was a fluke. It wasn't. Just phenomenal. I think it would be in my top 3 or 4 actually. Visually it's a lighter quarter hollow or a heavy half hollow but the shaving sensation is more like a big full hollow. Just enough flexibility to be forgiving but enough mass to dampen any excessive vibration at the edge. And what an edge. As keen as any I've made and smoother than most.

I used Beeswax today, that was very nice as always. I honestly could have skipped the DE pass, I wouldn't have been BBS everywhere but not far off. I did load up the Durasharp into the R41 and got to BBS without much effort. Most of my shaves have been great lately but this one stands out.

Finished with Myrsol and my skin feels like glass.

Be well.

 

[Guido75]

For a long time public schools couldn't start until after labor day. Now I think they can if they want but most of them don't. I don't know what the deal is with Northwestern University, I think classes start on the 24th. Which seems kind of ridiculous.

We have 3 regions in the Netherlands and depending on where you are the region dictates holiday times. They rotate in which region gets to go first and last. This year schools in our region started the 27th actually.

 

[huck1680]

We have 3 regions in the Netherlands and depending on where you are the region dictates holiday times. They rotate in which region gets to go first and last. This year schools in our region started the 27th actually.

Plus the nice thing is...you don't really need to worry too much about your kids safety. At least as far as bullet-proof backpacks are concerned.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Another busy day. Shave was nice. I did a final coat of enamel on my Vielong brush a few days ago. It seems cured. Hopefully it will stand up to use. I lathered up some Mühle Sea Buckthorn today and it was nice. This soap seems to react very well to Proraso preshave. Better even than the Proraso soap. The sum is greater than the parts for me. I also used Stirling preshave soap for my *post* shave rinse. Makes my skin feel very smooth and nourished. Crazy? Maybe.

No- model ivory Heljestrand and R41/ Durasharp did the cutting, the Veg did the wrap up.

Here's a live video of one of the new Welch/ Rawlings songs. It's very interesting. Reminds me of Satie. I'm still forming opinions on the album as a whole. If I have time I'll write more tomorrow. Be well.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Felt like a good day for a Fili shave. I'd been drooling over a few of them online and thought, why the heck do I need another one. I already have one I don't use as much as I should. So I did. We're having a stretch of warmer weather this week so I figure it might be the last hurrah for MdC Agrumes and Myrsol for a while. The Oumo brush was quite pleasant today. I went for a sloppier, soupier lather and it was just right. Cleanup was a new (I think) Treet 7 Day in the R41. I think it's new, the wrapper was opened but I vaguely remember opening it and then remembering that I already had one going with one shave on it so I put it back. It shaved like it was new. Very nice all around.

Plans are solidifying to make a quick trip to Chi-town next week. I think I'll be crashing with a friend of my wife's.

Listened to most of Woodland by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings again today. I have some thoughts. One, some of the songs are really, really great. Others are a little more "meh" but still well-done. The album is a bit schizophrenic. First couple tracks are a little more modern, full instrumentation and they're a nice change from their earlier work which has been almost entirely in a bare-bones, folk style. The next couple tracks are in their more familiar style and they are maybe some of their best work ever. "Lawman" is painfully beautiful and that's before you even get to the poetry. "The Bells and the Birds" which I linked above is really cool, folk meets French impressionism. There's a few more songs on the album that sound like they could have been written and recorded by Bob Dylan in the mid-60s. Even down to the harmonica on "Turf the Gambler." Maybe not my favorite thing but, very very well done. "Here Stands a Woman" is a really poignant perspective on aging. Although I find it to be melodically and harmonically confusing. Anyway. Rawlings sings a few leads...I prefer his backing vocals (which are always exquisite) but he does well, and his guitar work is brilliantly melodic as always. It's a good album but I think overall I like their last album of orginals (The Harrow and the Harvest) better. Which isn't really fair as it's probably one of my top 5 in any genre. But, if you have a minute, listen to "Empty Trainload of Sky" and "Lawman" off this new album. I think they're great songs.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Shave today was interesting. I used my Friodur, which I recall from the last time I used it, has a very nice, keen yet forgiving edge. The sensation during the shave didn't feel all that efficient, and while it was comfortable it wasn't anything to write home about. Similar, in many ways, to the Törnblom I used a few days ago (which, by the way, is on its way to a new home) Perhaps I'm becoming spoiled by my heavier ground razors. But here's the deal, when I went to do the clean-up pass with the R41 there wasn't a lot left. It was quite close, much closer than I would have guessed. I think maybe what's happening is that the extra vibratory feedback of these thin full hollows is messing with my mind a little, even going over smooth skin there is some feedback that I'm probably mistaking for stubble. I don't know for sure, though. Will have to pay more attention.

I used Mühle soap today, judiciously bowl-lathered with the Yaqi two band. Second run on the Treet 7 Day. Finished with Bog Water. And again, my skin feels very good. Better than I expected it to. Very nice.

Be well.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Decided to go back to a heavier grind (Daishi) today even though there are two or three full hollows in the rotation that haven't been used recently. Overall the end results were the same, as yesterday, that is, very good and very close. But the sensations during the shave were more pleasant. It's funny, I used to not care for heavy grinds but I think as my technique has improved, my tastes have changed. A good familiar soap (MdC Rose) and a delightful brush didn't hurt either. The cleanup was quick and uneventful and I actually had a pang of guilt at binning the 7 Day today, it showed itself very well. But, I'm a man of habits. Speaking of habits, I finished with a generous handful of Lilac Vegetal and that was very nice too.

Had a first of sorts yesterday. I was just tucking in to read the Journals and Diaries after breakfast and noticed that I was having trouble seeing. More than normal, anyway. As it progressed it became like looking at the world through a piece cut glass or crystal. That was a little disturbing until it dawned on me that it was a migraine aura. And true to form, the aura passed and the headache ramped up, although it was quite manageable. Once things stabilized I googled "migraine aura illustration" and I'll be damned if it didn't look almost exactly like that. Funny thing, I used to get crippling migraines, with all the symptoms *except* auras, but I haven't had one since my last bad head injury in 2016. All in all I guess I'll take this new and less painful variety, although I'm quite glad it didn't kick in an hour earlier while I was driving. I do have a followup with my GP to discuss this new development.

Anyway, all's well now, just some lingering fatigue and headache, but mild enough to ignore.

Be well.

 

[Eric_75]

Anyway, all's well now, just some lingering fatigue and headache, but mild enough to ignore.

Hope you're 100% soon, Matt.

Wishing you a peaceful day.

 

[thombrogan]

Hoping your migraine goes away quickly, Matt

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Speaking of headaches. I have a handful of razors listed on everybody's favorite auction site, a couple sold quickly (same buyer) so I shipped them Monday. I checked in on the tracking today. They hit a distro center outside of Pittsburgh last night and left there at 10:49pm. So far, all good. Final destination is in PA. But. The next scan is Seattle, WA at 11:30pm. Now, even assuming that those times are local...3.5 hours from Pittsburgh to Seattle is pretty good time.

I hope it's just a reporting glitch because this is a repeat buyer and I want him to be happy.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Well, the package that went from MN to PA to WA is now back in PA and out for delivery. And frankly, 3 days isn't bad. Still, one wonders what in the sam hell is going on.

Speaking of selling. I fail at it. As you guys know I had gotten a pair of Eikos a while back in a lot, with the full intention of only keeping one. The problem was, they're subtly but noticeably different and I kind of like them both. After wrestling with it for a while, I listed one of them this weekend along with a few others. But every time I walked past the dresser where I had parked those razors I had a pang of remorse. So, finally, yesterday, since it didn't have any bids yet, I pulled the listing. So for now, they stay together.

I like these razors a lot and they're well used so I don't really feel bad about using them and honing them whenever I feel like it. So I used them today, mostly the one that I hadn't planned on selling, it's a little closer to near wedge than the other, definitely the heaviest grind I own at the moment. Even though I think I like it a little better than the other I haven't used it as much for some reason. I guess it was a little jealous because it nipped me lightly in a couple spots, just enough to leave a mark but not enough to draw blood. But, even with that it was a carefree shave. New Nacet in the R41 and it was blazingly good from the first stroke.

Soap was Agrumes, splash was Myrsol. All good.

Be well.

 

[Eric_75]

New Nacet in the R41 and it was blazingly good from the first stroke.

That's been a fine pairing for me, Matt.

Enjoy your day.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

That's been a fine pairing for me, Matt.

Enjoy your day.

I do like them in general but they do seem to shine in the R41. They can feel a little bitey in others. I have the opposite take on Treet 7 Days, they seem to feel more bitey in the R41 and smooth in everything else.

 

[huck1680]

Had a first of sorts yesterday. I was just tucking in to read the Journals and Diaries after breakfast and noticed that I was having trouble seeing. More than normal, anyway. As it progressed it became like looking at the world through a piece cut glass or crystal. That was a little disturbing until it dawned on me that it was a migraine aura. And true to form, the aura passed and the headache ramped up

That is exactly what I used to go through as well. And also for me the migraine came after the aura cleared up. It got to the point where I would go to the hospital where they'd give me a buttshot of Demerol. Damn I loved that stuff.
It began with the doctor asking me if I could touch my chin to my chest. NOPE. The top of my head felt like it would literally blow off. A few minutes after getting the shot I'd be wandering around just enjoying the colours, the scenery and trying to be helpful to anyone. The staff would usually guide me back to a safe haven.
Now I still do get the auras but the resulting headache is very mild and almost negligible. But I have to wait for my vision to clear up before driving, golfing etc.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Had a bunch of stuff going on this morning, doctor visit via video, mailing out some straights to new homes, etc. Finally realized I didn't write a journal entry. It's Friday, Frameback Friday, that is, so one of my few remaining narrow razors was up and it was very nice. Not a lot to note. My TGN badger did a great job with MdC Rose and it had just the right amount of scritch for today. Second run on the Nacet in the R41 might have been a touch less comfy than yesterday, but it got the job done. Finished with a large handful of the Veg. I keep my Veg in a 12 oz decanter and I've never bothered to use a reducer because I like applying it wantonly, but today I got way too much. Still, I tossed it towards my face and besides a little burning of the eyes from the fumes I managed to get a fair amount into my right ear. Would not recommend. It's an odd feeling. Although I'm sure my tympanic membrane smells AMAZING.

Haven't been listening to music as much the last few days, have some poetry/songwriting ideas kicking around again so I've been trying to work through those. Which is nice because I've had a solid case of writer's block for about 6 years. But I also forgot what an annoyingly painstaking process this is.

Be well.

 

[Eric_75]

I'm sure my tympanic membrane smells AMAZING.

These journals are getting too complex.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

These journals are getting too complex.

You gotta keep your ear on the drum, son. Eardrum. That's a joke, son. Flew right past ya.

Nice boy, but about as sharp as a sack of wet mice.

 

[Eric_75]

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Brilliantly understated.