Shaving notes of the MaineYooper

Eric, congrats on the milestone and thanks for sharing your personal insights. You never know who is reading and will benefit from your story.

I have been struggling with some personal things the last few weeks that are beyond my control. It has effected my journal entries, but not my shaves. I need my daily shave time to clear my head and refocus. Hang in there.

My thoughts are with you, brother! You hang in there, as well.

Congrats on 200 Eric! That's awesome.

I'll echo the previous thoughts with my thanks for sharing your story. I'm glad you are doing better. Life can be tough, but we know you're tougher. Heck, you dared to open the Tabac sample... Need I say more?

Congrats on 200 Eric! That's awesome.

I'll echo the previous thoughts with my thanks for sharing your story. I'm glad you are doing better. Life can be tough, but we know you're tougher. Heck, you dared to open the Tabac sample... Need I say more?

That was a beautiful post Eric.  As I write this roughly half a dozen posts and about as many people later, it strikes me that is was beautiful leadership too.  Perhaps it is more than a coincidence that I recently listened to Joni Mitchell singing Jericho and some of the lyrics have stuck in my mind for the last few days.  She sings about "how hard it is to make and keep a friend" and what happens when you "can no longer pretend that you're getting what you need, or you're giving out anything for them to grow and feed on."  It has gone without saying in my memory that in this venue, we abundantly give out many different kinds of things for each other to grow and feed on.  The journals are a big part of that, and you are a big part of the journals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JZYJa4IYIM

That was a beautiful post Eric.  As I write this roughly half a dozen posts and about as many people later, it strikes me that is was beautiful leadership too.  Perhaps it is more than a coincidence that I recently listened to Joni Mitchell singing Jericho and some of the lyrics have stuck in my mind for the last few days.  She sings about "how hard it is to make and keep a friend" and what happens when you "can no longer pretend that you're getting what you need, or you're giving out anything for them to grow and feed on."  It has gone without saying in my memory that in this venue, we abundantly give out many different kinds of things for each other to grow and feed on.  The journals are a big part of that, and you are a big part of the journals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JZYJa4IYIM

Thanks, Mike. That really meant a lot to me to read that post, and listen to the music. Thanks, brother!

You're very welcome Eric.

We are hooked on The Curse of Oak Island (tonight's show). I recently got captured by Stranger Things on Netflix.

I really enjoy police procedural stories, whether books or shows. One of my favorites is actually by Canadian author Louise Penney, her Inspector Gamache novels. And she announced that filming has started on one.

I will check out Reacher, thanks for the tip!

Edit: just did, and I am downloading soon! Amazon reports a Jack Reacher book sells every 9 seconds, somewhere in the world!

I’m working my through TV he Gamache novels now. Love them, just finished The Beautiful Mystery. I got my daughter reading them too.  

I’ve got a few Reacher novels in a box somewhere. I’ve not read any but I hoping to. 

I’m a fan of gritty British crime dramas. Loved Shetland, Broadchurch and Line of Duty and several others. Any Agatha Christie Poirot . I’m a little annoyed that the streaming services have put them all behind an additional pay wall as Brit Box.

Reporting back regarding Jack Reacher. I downloaded the first novel, Killing Floor, and I am hooked. And I will be checking out Shetland and Broadchurch, too. Thanks!

For the upcoming week, starting Monday



Returning from a small vaca in KY, the Overlander will be the tool of choice this week, loaded with a new Nacet blade. Canada Shaving Soap for the week. This is a hard soap but lathers up fast just by looking at it! Well, looking with a damp brush. Fifteen seconds is what the maker claims. I think it is pretty darn good but am looking to see about thickness. It almost seems airy and light, so I have been working it up both in the scuttle and on my face. The slickness is there, making me think this would be a great SR soap, as some advice I've read recommends almost runny lather so that the blade glides easy. Maybe Ken will chime in. In any event, this soap will easily make it to 2023 and beyond, especially given how many I currently have to in the soap drawer.

Brushes will most likely be the two shown: the Trotter Handcrafts Northeast Ice with the APSCo G5A knot and the Knothead Violet Pearl with an APSCo Cashmere knot. But I may switch, who knows!

This past week, I did hold the brushes constant, using the 24mm APSCo mixed knots in the Trotter Supernova and Fluffy 86S. Great knots in great handles, making for stellar lathering! The bummer was the razor blade. The Kai started the week on its 4th use, so Thursday it was feeling "done" and I put in a new Proline. It was tuggy and almost harsh feeling at various times while at other times it was the smoothness I remember. And it didn't seem to be only on certain passes, you know. Could be great WTG in one area and pulling in another. Same with the XTG and ATG passes. I made it through the last 3 shaves with no nicks, weepers, or even irritation (amazed me), but it was not the Really Comfortable Shave I shoot for. Afterwards, my face felt refreshed and stayed smooth for 10 or more hours. So why am I banging on about this?! I don't know, just writing down thoughts as they come to me!

Hope you all have a safe and happy week!

I think many times us guys never really want to talk about the lows going on in our lives. It can be viewed as a sign of weakness. While that is true in some context. Such as when I was in the Army. 
It was a “no go” to talk in defeatist terms. Let alone admit to depression. Today I think that they are a lot more proactive with the troops mental health. 
In this context (forums) it takes a good bit of courage to put things out there Eric. 
Like you I look forward to the interactions with each other. And the hobby gives us a nice little reprieve from the daily grind. 
Congratulations on the 200th shave. And may there be many more good shaves and days ahead buddy.

I think many times us guys never really want to talk about the lows going on in our lives. It can be viewed as a sign of weakness. While that is true in some context. Such as when I was in the Army. 
It was a “no go” to talk in defeatist terms. Let alone admit to depression. Today I think that they are a lot more proactive with the troops mental health. 
In this context (forums) it takes a good bit of courage to put things out there Eric. 
Like you I look forward to the interactions with each other. And the hobby gives us a nice little reprieve from the daily grind. 
Congratulations on the 200th shave. And may there be many more good shaves and days ahead buddy.

Thanks, Ken. I appreciate what you said about the hobby. That is definitely the case some days, shaving is my "happy place!"