Shaving fun time.

First off, I feel I am finally on the mend from whatever awful cold/bug kicked my ass the last week or so. No more sore throat and I am coughing up less and less vile substance as the days go on. Still have to blow my nose every 30 seconds and my head often feels like it's stuffed with nothing but cotton (or cement, it varies) but I'll take it.

Secondly, many months ago I purchased a straight razor shaving set. Nothing extravagant, just a $40 set to give it a whirl. However, extrenuating circumstances didn't allow me to try it at the time.

However, now shaved of my refugee beard, I figured I'd give it a shot.

you see:

-Shaving cup
-Puck of shaving soap (put in cup)
-Brush
-Leather strop (for...uh, stropping the blade)
-two razors

Not pictured: Honing stone, cause I forgot about it.

I read about shaving with one of these and it is pretty astounding how many tips and little intricacies there are for things like getting a proper lather, holding the razor, maintaining the blade (honing/stropping) and so on.

Many people seem to have this down to a fucking ART. That's truly what it seems like.

I more or less took a bit of that advice and just jumped in. Aside from the soap making my face feel like it was on fire, it was actually FUN. Something that shaving never is to me.

The one problem I had is that I don't think I took the time to lather that shit up good enough, because it dried pretty quickly on my skin after applying with the brush, much like a layer of soap would do.

I did NOT slit myself wide open, but I will admit to avoiding my neck area (for the time being!) and using the ol' mach 3 on that. I will also admit to going over my entire face with it, just in case.

For a first try it was pretty successful...but really, a success would have just been not cutting myself at all.

Next try I'll probably just take my time even more, and perhaps use the strop to make the blade feel a bit sharper before hand (which is kind of a scary thought). I've been watching videos on doing just that and it seems simple enough and makes a pretty big difference, apparently

if anyone out there has any tips or experiences I'd love to hear 'em.
(this it the part where I remember that a total of 4 people read this blog and then hang my head)

Here.

Long winded political rant that adds depth and variety to my blog.

And now, the trifecta

I finished off Alan Wake a few days ago. It ranks somewhere between "fucking awesome and fucking great" to me. Awesome writing and combat and tons and tons of atmosphere and mood. Loved it. Ending is totally "what the fuck?" but I wouldn't have it any other way. Keeps you guessing all the way.

I got Red Dead Redemption on the same day (last Tuesday) and while it has taken a back seat to Alan Wake since then, I am now ready to really sink my teeth into it, and so far it's Grand Theft Auto 4 in a western setting (note: this automatically makes it 10 times more awesome) but of course it has a lot of new shit added as well. I love Westerns and I love games with a strong story. Mix the two and it's a big ass slice of awesome.

I grabbed Super Mario Galaxy 2 in the morning after work. Me and some other guy who was there to get it had to make those Wal Mart bastards get it out of the back, but it was worth the wait. I think I am about 6 stars in and it's already incredible. Made of pure magic. I'm sure I'll have more to say about it in a day or two when I really get into it.

Listen.

Team Ghost is awesome.

Formed by Nicolas Fromageau, the (arguably) better half of the duo that was M83. The EP "You never did anything wrong to me" is entirely worth downloading for $7 because it sounds more like M83 than M83 does, which is pretty much the best thing ever.

Crappy quality sample:



Gravenhurst sounds to me like someone jammed the lighter aspects of Porcupine Tree into a blender with about 4 other bands and then hit the "mix slowly and deliciously" button.

This is a good thing. If you don't like this song, you're a fuck.



Well, I'm off for a bit of a ride on the bike.

beards 4 lyfe

Finally got my computer hooked up here, so I thought I'd hammer something out.

I was gonna write all about moving here and how it all went, but who cares. Moving sucks. Everybody already knows that.

Instead, I'll show you my transformation and talk more about that if the mood strikes me.

Yep

This is it.

The tools. I stuck with the Mach 3. You fags and your razors with 473 blades can suck it.

After a bit of scissor action (which is pretty annoying)

Not sure at which point this was taken, but whatever.

GET A NICE LATHER GOING

MOUSTACHE POWER. You'll probably have to click and zoom in to notice it. it was hilarious and disgusting to me. I kept it until the next day as a joke, but didn't dare go out in public for fear of being called a child rapist.

Add a haircut a few days later and here I am.

I have to admit the thought of just letting it grow another year or so was in my mind. I don't know why. I guess because it's so ridiculous looking that I enjoyed seeing the results all these months... But I had a deal with myself and saw it through to the end.

I feel very naked not having some form of fuzz on my face, so in a week or so I might feel a bit better, but right now it's just...odd.

I'd also like to say that any man who is capable of growing an awesome beard (so, anyone but me, really) and doesn't at least let it do its own thing for a few months just to SEE is a wimpy fuck. Beards are awesome. Everyone should give it a go as an experiment.

It's good and strange to be back in this house. There is plenty to sort through and do.

I have nothing else to say.

Wide open.

Today I mounted up my GPS on the bike to see how it'd sit/work out. I used a $10 camera/Garmin mount I got off ebay and it seems to do the job. The cradle that the GPS sits in came with the unit itself and is meant for cars, so I'm not sure how sturdy it'll be on the open road, but it feels pretty good, so I'll give it a go and if someone catches a Nuvi bouncing down the highway, well, blame me.

Where to? nowhere, because it's fucking raining/snowing.

Then I tried out the saddle bags finally, they seem to fit quite well even by default. I was too lazy to hook it all up to the frame completely, but it's relatively easy once you tighten all the straps and would be easy to take off because you can just unclip and leave the straps, which is real nice.

The hardest part was getting the plastic "stiffeners" into the bottom of the actual bags. Jesus Christ. Never again.

TOURING MACHINE.

Seems to be a decent bit of room in them as well. Certainly enough for the necessitates for a short/medium road trip, I'd say. I'm not gonna fit a tent in there or anything...actually, I'm sure I could manage somehow.

This is what it looks like when you are too lazy to try and rig the straps under the seat.

I did this all in the garage on a miserable day where rain is dribbling down and you can feel that cold really creeping in. There's a winter storm warning for tonight, which bothers me not because I don't expect it (so spare me the "this is Alberta/Canada" bullshit) but because, fuck snow. Fuck rain while we're at it, too.