For the Love of Old Spice - Illini's Shave Journal

[Fightingillini22]

We're into day two of our formal "return to office" and there are already murmurs that 3 days a week isn't going to last very long. Turns out our HR department (you know, the ones who instituted the 3 days in the office, 2 days at home hybrid policy) are only going to be doing 2 days in. Find that fairly comical. There is something nice about being around all my colleagues again, though. But 2 days will definitely be the sweet spot. Commuter rail was absolutely packed the last 2 mornings, standing room only, and felt no different than pre-Covid. That was a little shocking since even as recently as 2 weeks ago, I was still able to have an empty seat next to me.

Placed an order for Denton Majik "Masters of the Green" on Sunday, not only because the combination of Green Irish Tweed and Silver Mountain Water sounds wonderful but the Masters theme was just perfect. Interested to give it a try.



Shaves have been wonderfully fresh, CBL Hombres continues to be a big winner for me, chased with my chosen "signature scent" YSL L'Homme.

Tuesday April 5th, 2022
Razor : Schick Krona
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (1)
Brush : Yaqi Tuexdo Barberpole
Pre : Shower
Soap : CBL Hombres
Post : Thayers WH & YSL L'Homme EdT

Wednesday April 6th, 2022
Razor : '55 Gillette Flare TIp SS
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (2)
Brush : Stirling Boar
Pre : Shower
Soap : CBL Hombres
Post : Thayers WH & YSL L'Homme EdT

 

[GearNoir]

Turns out our HR department (you know, the ones who instituted the 3 days in the office, 2 days at home hybrid policy) are only going to be doing 2 days in.

That would be highly aggravating for me to know…

 

[woodpusher]

"Since we make the rules, they don't apply to us."

 

[Fightingillini22]

Talk about a crazy end to the week and weekend - it's been a while since I've been able to check in with the journals! Feels nice to be here this morning.

Thursday and Friday were both very busy at work. We had our new Mendota fireplace insert installed on Friday morning which both my wife and I were super excited for. For anyone who was following along, our family room is exposed to the garage on 1 wall, exterior wall on 2, has vaulted ceilings and is also the furthest room from the furnace. All of that coupled together lead to a room that wasn't particularly comfortable to be in during our long Chicago winters unless we wanted to spend even MORE on gas to keep the rest of the house uncomfortably warm and have that room be more pleasant. Won't be able to truly tell until next winter, but it's been unseasonably cold here and we've been extremely impressed so far with how much of a difference it makes not only into the family room but also the adjoining kitchen and even dining room. We be happy if net-net we end up with a similar gas bill next winter, but also cautiously optimistic that we'll be able to turn the main furnace down a little bit since we spend most of the time in the family room or kitchen and the upstairs never has temperature issues. Time will tell!

Before insert (just gas logs)



New Insert:



Saturday I got some stuff done outside in the lawn, including digging out the long neglected "greenery" that was around the large tree in the parkway. Not sure who planted everything there, had to be over a decade ago, but it was never maintained and never looked good. So I dug everything out and edged a nice circle around the trunk to mulch next week when we get our delivery. Sunday one of my best buddies came over and we watched The Masters. Always a fantastic start to spring, and the major I enjoy the most hands-down.

Shaves have been lovely, my new soap came in on Thursday afternoon so used it both Friday and Saturday - it's a wonderful scent, but I think I had a different idea of the Green Irish Tweed profile in my head. I've obviously never had a bottle of the Creed juice, and missed the boat on the Irisch Moos soap ages ago, so only had my beloved Irish Spring as a scent profile in my head. This is a combo of GIT and Silver Mountain Water, another juice I've of course never owned, and while I get the green notes no doubt, it has a lot more musk and citrus than I had expected. Again, it's not bad, and a pick up I'm very happy to have made, just not quite as Irish Spring as I had in my head.

A very generous shaving buddy on Instagram sent me a couple bottles of "hyped" cheapie frags that he didn't enjoy that arrived Saturday as well - Hugo Boss Reversed and A&F First Instinct Together. I've used both now and both are hits in my book! I don't have any Invictus "bubblegum sweet" bottles, so the A&F First Instinct may be redundant for most, but not for me! Also has some nice YSL Y notes. The Boss Reversed is a perfect springtime/summertime one to replace my just finished Nautica Blue Sail, and I love the grapefruit notes I get.

Lots of updates today, thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read!



Thursday April 7th, 2022
Razor : Gillette Prewar Ball-end Tech
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (3)
Brush : Rudy Vey Custom Plisson
Pre : Shower
Soap : B&M Sunny Lane
Post : Thayers WH & YSL L'Homme Ultime EdP



Friday April 8th, 2022
Razor : Schick Krona
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (4)
Brush : Ever Ready 100T with Plisson
Pre : Shower
Soap : Denton Majik Masters of the Green
Post : Thayers WH & Nautica Blue Sail EdT

Saturday April 9th, 2022
Razor : Schick Krona
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (5)
Brush : Whipped Dog HM
Pre : Shower
Soap : Denton Majik Masters of the Green
Post : Thayers WH & A&F First Instinct Together EdT

Monday April 11th, 2022
Razor : '64 Gillette Slim
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (1)
Brush : Razorock F400
Pre : Shower
Soap : Denton Majik Masters of the Green
Post : Thayers WH & Hugo Boss Reversed EdT

 

[woodpusher]

Fireplace looks great!

 

[MarkB]

Beautiful fireplace!!

 

[Scuttlesoap]

Fantastic - that fireplace looks phenomenal!

 

[GearNoir]

Great find on the insert! Glad you had a great weekend!

 

[Fightingillini22]

Well, my direct reporting manager called me yesterday morning and told me she had given her notice. While this could potentially open a nice door for me as I have a great relationship with my senior director, I'm a little concerned they'll take a couple of people I'm not fond of and place them in my boss' role. Only time will tell. Crossing my fingers and hoping for the best but always preparing for the worst.

On the bright side, we have our 20 week ultrasound at 9am, so I'm very excited to see baby girl! Nice fresh shave to kick off the morning.

Tuesday April 12th, 2022
Razor : '52 Gillette Bakelite Tech
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (2)
Brush : Omega Proraso Boar
Pre : Shower
Soap : CBL Hombres
Post : Thayers WH & TdH EdT

 

[MarkB]

Hope things at work work out in your favor, Ryan.

 

[Scuttlesoap]

Well, my direct reporting manager called me yesterday morning and told me she had given her notice. While this could potentially open a nice door for me as I have a great relationship with my senior director, I'm a little concerned they'll take a couple of people I'm not fond of and place them in my boss' role. Only time will tell. Crossing my fingers and hoping for the best but always preparing for the worst.

On the bright side, we have our 20 week ultrasound at 9am, so I'm very excited to see baby girl! Nice fresh shave to kick off the morning.

Tuesday April 12th, 2022
Razor : '52 Gillette Bakelite Tech
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (2)
Brush : Omega Proraso Boar
Pre : Shower
Soap : CBL Hombres
Post : Thayers WH & TdH EdT

Fingers crossed that it all works out for you!

 

[GearNoir]

Well, my direct reporting manager called me yesterday morning and told me she had given her notice.

I’ll bet HR told her she’d only have to come into the office 2 days a week…then she found out they were only having to come in one

 

[MilkCrate]

I can relate to the changing of bosses. Not fun.

 

[Fightingillini22]

Hope things at work work out in your favor, Ryan.

Thank you Mark!

Fingers crossed that it all works out for you!

Thanks Brian, I'm hoping all the good vibes from the TSC drive some cosmic energy or something!

I’ll bet HR told her she’d only have to come into the office 2 days a week…then she found out they were only having to come in one

HA! I'm raising that in our weekly team call tomorrow, I'm curious as to if our leadership even knows that - my guess would be no as us do-ers tend to know a lot more a lot faster.

I can relate to the changing of bosses. Not fun.

Yes, I've gone through it more times than I wish to count, but hopeful it might actually play into some good development opportunities for me this time around.

 

[Fightingillini22]

20 week ultrasound yesterday went perfect, it was great to see baby girl and everything is looking great and as it should at 20 weeks! Hard to believe we're half way there. Back to the office today, enjoying some spring weather yesterday and today before it gets a little colder tomorrow.

Wednesday April 13th, 2022
Razor : Maggard MR3
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (3)
Brush : Razorock Beehive
Pre : Shower
Cream : Captain's Choice 45th Parallel
Post : Captain's Choice 45th Parallel & A&F First Instinct Together EdT

 

[woodpusher]

Wonderful stuff!

 

[Scuttlesoap]

20 week ultrasound yesterday went perfect, it was great to see baby girl and everything is looking great and as it should at 20 weeks!

I’m excited for you my friend!

 

[GearNoir]

Glad everything is well!

 

[Fightingillini22]

Thank you for the kind words, friends, we are very excited too!

It's been a busy week at work, and looks like that will be the case for the next month or so. That's okay, better to be busy than board! This upcoming Easter weekend is going to be a busy one. Easter Bunny and Egg Hunt at the neighborhood clubhouse tomorrow morning, my parents for dinner tomorrow night, then out to my wife's grandparents on Sunday afternoon. Lots going on, lots of family time, will be an exhausting but good weekend.

Thanks for stopping by, Happy Friday friends.

Thursday April 14th, 2022
Razor : '52 Gillette Superspeed
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (4)
Brush : Omega 11575
Pre : Shower
Soap : Soap Commander Endurance
Post : Soap Commander Endurance & Azzaro PH EdT



Friday April 15th, 2022
Razor : Gillette Prewar Ball-end Tech
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (5)
Brush : Razorock Beehive
Pre : Shower
Soap : Denton Majik Masters of the Green
Post : Thayers WH & MJ EdC

 

[Scuttlesoap]

Thank you for the kind words, friends, we are very excited too!

It's been a busy week at work, and looks like that will be the case for the next month or so. That's okay, better to be busy than board! This upcoming Easter weekend is going to be a busy one. Easter Bunny and Egg Hunt at the neighborhood clubhouse tomorrow morning, my parents for dinner tomorrow night, then out to my wife's grandparents on Sunday afternoon. Lots going on, lots of family time, will be an exhausting but good weekend.

Thanks for stopping by, Happy Friday friends.

Thursday April 14th, 2022
Razor : '52 Gillette Superspeed
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (4)
Brush : Omega 11575
Pre : Shower
Soap : Soap Commander Endurance
Post : Soap Commander Endurance & Azzaro PH EdT

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Friday April 15th, 2022
Razor : Gillette Prewar Ball-end Tech
Blade : Personna Lab Blue (5)
Brush : Razorock Beehive
Pre : Shower
Soap : Denton Majik Masters of the Green
Post : Thayers WH & MJ EdC

Enjoy your time with the family and the Easter Egg hunt - I am sure your son is going to have a blast!