Sorry to hear things are piling up at work. You have a good one too, Don. 
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Welcome to the Danger Zone!
- Thread starter dangerousdon
- Start date
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Time for a raise for Don as your stock is rising......
thanks John! I am pretty concerned about this. I am sure I will make it work...I just don't want it to be a $400 mistake.
Razor: Merkur Progress
Blade: Gillette 7 O'clock Super Stainless (Green) (6th Shave)
Soap/Cream: Central Texas Soaps - Mr. Pepper
Brush: Stirling Synthetic
The Penultimate Aftershave: Humphrey's Lavender Witch Hazel
The Ultimate Aftershave: Fine Platinum
Good Stuff Up Front:
Again...doing what I do best...I stuck my nose in the tub! This stuff smells like Dr, Pepper. That syrupy cherry scent that we all love too much! AND...you can actually smell that bubbly, fizzy, effervescent-ness that a can of soda has. It's some good stuff. Yeah...I might want to buy this soap just because of this scent alone. Evidently it's an exclusive soap made for WCS. From the WCS website, they give the scent notes as: vanilla, caramel, cola, cherry, and juniper. So yeah...Dr. Pepper.
Okay! I had a great shave! I mean..a pretty great shave. I don't know if it was because I am in a good mood or if the soap was just really good! But I had a great shave. It was so good, in fact, that I assumed that this was a tallow based soap. Not so. Looking at the ingredients...I would actually consider this a relatively minimally comprised soap. The ingredients area: Coconut Oil, Stearic Acid, Shea Butter, Castor Oil, Aloe Vera, Glycerin, Water, Potassium Hydroxide, Bentonite Clay, and Fragrance. Seriously though...I really thought this soap had tallow or some other kind of animal fat!
I was able to lather this soap pretty easily and with little water. The lather was a nice and rich lather without being overly thick. This lather ended up being pretty slick. Maybe not the slickest soap but pretty darn slick. Shaving with it gave me really nice protection and cushion and because it was slick...the glide was very much top notch. Residual slickness with Mr. Pepper was VERY good. Not an elite status residual slickness, but very good nonetheless. And as every soap that has really good residual slickness...the post shave feel did not disappoint. I don't think it is quite as good as yesterday's shave with Siliski Soaps, but it is not far off.
Mr. Pepper did not disappoint. And while it wasn't quite as good as yesterdays foray with Siliski Soaps...it's not far off. I can't imagine what this formula would be like if it was a tallow version...it might just be elite! But until then...I give this soap a grade of:
Tier 1, Box 3
I will definitely consider buying a Central texas Soap in the future based off this one shave.
The Danger Zone!!!
About an hour and a half before the weekend begins and I can't wait. The weather here is perfect right now. I took a walk around the park that is near where I work and just soaked in the sun and fresh air. It's 65 and sunny right now with about a 5 mph wind. Just perfect.
Blade: Gillette 7 O'clock Super Stainless (Green) (6th Shave)
Soap/Cream: Central Texas Soaps - Mr. Pepper
Brush: Stirling Synthetic
The Penultimate Aftershave: Humphrey's Lavender Witch Hazel
The Ultimate Aftershave: Fine Platinum
Good Stuff Up Front:
- Scent - Pronounced and lasts through the shave with little weakeninig.
- Lather-ability - Easy to lather and easy to make into a really slick lather.
- Slickness - Super slicj if you want it to be.
- Cushion/Protection/Glide - Very good and better than most.
- Residual Slickness - Pretty darn good residual slickness.
- Post Shave Feel - It did not disappoint!
- Final Grade - Tier 1 , Box 3
Again...doing what I do best...I stuck my nose in the tub! This stuff smells like Dr, Pepper. That syrupy cherry scent that we all love too much! AND...you can actually smell that bubbly, fizzy, effervescent-ness that a can of soda has. It's some good stuff. Yeah...I might want to buy this soap just because of this scent alone. Evidently it's an exclusive soap made for WCS. From the WCS website, they give the scent notes as: vanilla, caramel, cola, cherry, and juniper. So yeah...Dr. Pepper.
Okay! I had a great shave! I mean..a pretty great shave. I don't know if it was because I am in a good mood or if the soap was just really good! But I had a great shave. It was so good, in fact, that I assumed that this was a tallow based soap. Not so. Looking at the ingredients...I would actually consider this a relatively minimally comprised soap. The ingredients area: Coconut Oil, Stearic Acid, Shea Butter, Castor Oil, Aloe Vera, Glycerin, Water, Potassium Hydroxide, Bentonite Clay, and Fragrance. Seriously though...I really thought this soap had tallow or some other kind of animal fat!
I was able to lather this soap pretty easily and with little water. The lather was a nice and rich lather without being overly thick. This lather ended up being pretty slick. Maybe not the slickest soap but pretty darn slick. Shaving with it gave me really nice protection and cushion and because it was slick...the glide was very much top notch. Residual slickness with Mr. Pepper was VERY good. Not an elite status residual slickness, but very good nonetheless. And as every soap that has really good residual slickness...the post shave feel did not disappoint. I don't think it is quite as good as yesterday's shave with Siliski Soaps, but it is not far off.
Mr. Pepper did not disappoint. And while it wasn't quite as good as yesterdays foray with Siliski Soaps...it's not far off. I can't imagine what this formula would be like if it was a tallow version...it might just be elite! But until then...I give this soap a grade of:
Tier 1, Box 3
I will definitely consider buying a Central texas Soap in the future based off this one shave.
The Danger Zone!!!
About an hour and a half before the weekend begins and I can't wait. The weather here is perfect right now. I took a walk around the park that is near where I work and just soaked in the sun and fresh air. It's 65 and sunny right now with about a 5 mph wind. Just perfect.
I feel your frustration on the work front. It's looking like we're about to be down a paramedic because reasons. That leaves one FF/paramedic per shift, one engineer/paramedic who is not obligated to ride the box, and our interim EMS coordinator who is part of admin and on days. To say we're short staffed would be an understatement. Keep fighting the good fight, Don!
Glad you enjoyed Mr. Pepper! You love Texas deep down inside.
Glad you enjoyed Mr. Pepper! You love Texas deep down inside.
I like the Tacos and the enchiladas. The BBQ...eh...meh.
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Brisket Baby, oh yeah !!!!
A non-shaving Danger Zone today...
The Danger Zone!!!
After a beautiful day yesterday...today is wet and rainy and will likely be that way all day. Temps are going to hover around 50 degrees. So while it isn't super cold...man this himidity makes it seem a little colder...at least in the bones.
Nothing super special to write about. Just want to give a health update. Two weeks ago I said I was going to try to get rid of my holiday fluff. I set my goal to get down to 250. I really want to be at 240...but lets get to 250 first. The lightest I have been over the past two years is about 255. From that I fluctuated between five and seven pounds for quite a while. The winter holidays I would gain some though...as I partook in foods that are not all that great for you...much like most people do. But overall I have been really happy with my weight in general. Over the last year...I have been adding in exercise to my life. Some of it has had to do with strengthening my lower back to manage pain. Other exercise was about getting my heart in shape. I didn't make the strongest commitment to exercise, though.
This year...I want to build upon all that I have learned about myself over the past two years. Use nutritional tools to become healthy in all aspects of my biological self. Exercise for host of reasons...increase muscle mass (not that I want to get huge or anything...but maintaining and building muscle is really important as I get older), inhibit loss of bone density, improve cardio and respiratory fitness. I have made a bigger commitment to exercise this year.
Okay...so back to the progress...
December 30th I weighed in at 287 pounds. This wasn't when I set my goals...but it's important to know how heavy I got over the holidays.
I think January 6th I decided I wanted to start things off but then got sick...the wife got sick...and exercise and nutrition sort of took a back seat. But I was still trying to watch what I was doing...sort of.
This past week I was a lot better. Added in more exercise and started really watching what I was eating. So despite some road blocks...I have done a little better than anticipated.
Today I weighed myself and came in at 275.6 pounds. That is a grand total of 11.4 pounds since the beginning of the year! I would have liked to have lost a bit more so far...but considering I have been sick and not always doing what I was supposed to be doing...I think this is pretty darn good!
Another thing I am starting to do is checking my glucose levels. This is something that I have wanted to do for a really long time. I will be checking my morning fasting levels, before I go to bed levels, sometimes pre and post workout levels, and checking how certain foods affect me. The later is something I feel important.
In a perfect world what I would really like is continuous glucose monitor. That way you get a look at how your glucose levels are throughout the day...after a meal or snack, when you wake up, when you are asleep...and other times during the day. But these are REALLY expensive! Not just the initial purchase, but the disposable things also. Plus, you have to have a prescription to get one (not that is really all that hard to get). But it isn't covered by insurance at all and you have to come out of pocket entirely. Maybe in the future...just not now.
But I did the next best thing. I bought a manual glucose monitor. I paid a little extra for one that is supposed to more accurate than others, and has a few more bells and whistles. I have had my finger pricked for various tests before and have always hated it because it always left my finger really sore. I found out...those people are idiots. My glucose monitor came with a lancet device that basically pricks your finger in a non-painful way. Think of an auto-injector (like an Epipen) that doesn't inject. The needle also doesn't go that far. And if you prick the side of the finger...it is so much better.
Okay...enough of my ranting and raving for today. If you have read this whole post...then man...you really like me for some reason or another.
Have a great rest of the weekend Cadre!
The Danger Zone!!!
After a beautiful day yesterday...today is wet and rainy and will likely be that way all day. Temps are going to hover around 50 degrees. So while it isn't super cold...man this himidity makes it seem a little colder...at least in the bones.
Nothing super special to write about. Just want to give a health update. Two weeks ago I said I was going to try to get rid of my holiday fluff. I set my goal to get down to 250. I really want to be at 240...but lets get to 250 first. The lightest I have been over the past two years is about 255. From that I fluctuated between five and seven pounds for quite a while. The winter holidays I would gain some though...as I partook in foods that are not all that great for you...much like most people do. But overall I have been really happy with my weight in general. Over the last year...I have been adding in exercise to my life. Some of it has had to do with strengthening my lower back to manage pain. Other exercise was about getting my heart in shape. I didn't make the strongest commitment to exercise, though.
This year...I want to build upon all that I have learned about myself over the past two years. Use nutritional tools to become healthy in all aspects of my biological self. Exercise for host of reasons...increase muscle mass (not that I want to get huge or anything...but maintaining and building muscle is really important as I get older), inhibit loss of bone density, improve cardio and respiratory fitness. I have made a bigger commitment to exercise this year.
Okay...so back to the progress...
December 30th I weighed in at 287 pounds. This wasn't when I set my goals...but it's important to know how heavy I got over the holidays.
I think January 6th I decided I wanted to start things off but then got sick...the wife got sick...and exercise and nutrition sort of took a back seat. But I was still trying to watch what I was doing...sort of.
This past week I was a lot better. Added in more exercise and started really watching what I was eating. So despite some road blocks...I have done a little better than anticipated.
Today I weighed myself and came in at 275.6 pounds. That is a grand total of 11.4 pounds since the beginning of the year! I would have liked to have lost a bit more so far...but considering I have been sick and not always doing what I was supposed to be doing...I think this is pretty darn good!
Another thing I am starting to do is checking my glucose levels. This is something that I have wanted to do for a really long time. I will be checking my morning fasting levels, before I go to bed levels, sometimes pre and post workout levels, and checking how certain foods affect me. The later is something I feel important.
In a perfect world what I would really like is continuous glucose monitor. That way you get a look at how your glucose levels are throughout the day...after a meal or snack, when you wake up, when you are asleep...and other times during the day. But these are REALLY expensive! Not just the initial purchase, but the disposable things also. Plus, you have to have a prescription to get one (not that is really all that hard to get). But it isn't covered by insurance at all and you have to come out of pocket entirely. Maybe in the future...just not now.
But I did the next best thing. I bought a manual glucose monitor. I paid a little extra for one that is supposed to more accurate than others, and has a few more bells and whistles. I have had my finger pricked for various tests before and have always hated it because it always left my finger really sore. I found out...those people are idiots. My glucose monitor came with a lancet device that basically pricks your finger in a non-painful way. Think of an auto-injector (like an Epipen) that doesn't inject. The needle also doesn't go that far. And if you prick the side of the finger...it is so much better.
Okay...enough of my ranting and raving for today. If you have read this whole post...then man...you really like me for some reason or another.
Have a great rest of the weekend Cadre!
You really are a glutton for punishment!
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
I'll admit I read and skimmed. Glad you're making health progress again Don
Razor: Merkur Progress
Blade: Gillette 7 O'clock Super Platinum (Black) (New Blade)
Soap/Cream: CBL Premium Soap - CBL Tonsorial - Balsamic Oud (9th Shave)
Brush: Stirling Synthetic
The Penultimate Aftershave: Humphrey's Lavender Witch Hazel
The Ultimate Aftershave: Fine Accouterments - American Blend
Well the Soap Sample Box has come and gone...I am happy to get back to the CBL soap. And today...well...today...was a really good shave! I didn't forget how good CBL soap is...but I realized this morning just how good the CBL soap is! An absolutely amazing shave. I did get a few weepers on my neck...but I observed this morning that these weepers might be the result the corner of the blade making them and not some other bad technique I have. Anyway, there are a couple trouble spot on my neck that are not as smooth as I would like, but are smoother than I almost always am able to get. The rest of my face is slicker than an aquatic mammal in the middle of an oil spill. Wait? Can I say that?
A few VERY healthy glugs of Fine American Blend and man do I feel good! Don't worry though...I will apply a few more glugs...you know...just so the people in the elevator can smell me.
The Danger Zone!!!
I have switched to just black coffee in the morning, as I have been doing some time restricted eating. Basically, from 8 PM in the evening until 12 Noon the next day, the only thing I will eat or drink is water, black coffee, or tea with nothing in it. I thought it might be hard to get in a groove with black coffee...but it turns out...it's not nearly as bad I thought it would be.
I hope the Cadre starts off their week right with just an incredible Monday!
Blade: Gillette 7 O'clock Super Platinum (Black) (New Blade)
Soap/Cream: CBL Premium Soap - CBL Tonsorial - Balsamic Oud (9th Shave)
Brush: Stirling Synthetic
The Penultimate Aftershave: Humphrey's Lavender Witch Hazel
The Ultimate Aftershave: Fine Accouterments - American Blend
Well the Soap Sample Box has come and gone...I am happy to get back to the CBL soap. And today...well...today...was a really good shave! I didn't forget how good CBL soap is...but I realized this morning just how good the CBL soap is! An absolutely amazing shave. I did get a few weepers on my neck...but I observed this morning that these weepers might be the result the corner of the blade making them and not some other bad technique I have. Anyway, there are a couple trouble spot on my neck that are not as smooth as I would like, but are smoother than I almost always am able to get. The rest of my face is slicker than an aquatic mammal in the middle of an oil spill. Wait? Can I say that?
A few VERY healthy glugs of Fine American Blend and man do I feel good! Don't worry though...I will apply a few more glugs...you know...just so the people in the elevator can smell me.
The Danger Zone!!!
I have switched to just black coffee in the morning, as I have been doing some time restricted eating. Basically, from 8 PM in the evening until 12 Noon the next day, the only thing I will eat or drink is water, black coffee, or tea with nothing in it. I thought it might be hard to get in a groove with black coffee...but it turns out...it's not nearly as bad I thought it would be.
I hope the Cadre starts off their week right with just an incredible Monday!
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
I switched to black coffee over 12 years ago. Nice read Don 