Glad all went okay for you...
The Shaving Cadre
Welcome to The Shaving Cadre, a forum dedicated to gentlemanly discourse about wet shaving and other topics of common interests. Membership is always free so register today and join in the fun
Welcome to the Danger Zone!
- Thread starter dangerousdon
- Start date
SteveChuckFrank
Close Enough*
Glad to hear you’re back home and the family is safe Don!
Thanks guys! I really appreciate the well wishes and all the positive vibes!
I am continuing my journey to Afghanistan and show some of the wonderful and not so great things about an area of the world that I gave an important piece of my life. This next section of pics are just going to be random pictures with no theme. I hope you enjoy...
I am continuing my journey to Afghanistan and show some of the wonderful and not so great things about an area of the world that I gave an important piece of my life. This next section of pics are just going to be random pictures with no theme. I hope you enjoy...
Check out the eyes on the ring maker.
Ha! I have another pic where he looks a bit normal. That ring maker was on a street in Herat that we called "Gold Street." I know, creative right? Anyway, this street was the central place in the city where most of the jewelry was made and sold. I honestly had not seen more gold in one place in my life. It was crazy. But there was so much Persian turquoise, Lapis Lazuli, Silver, Star sapphires, and other really beautiful jewelry. Okay...so now that we are talking about it...today's theme is Gold Street, Herat!
Razor: Mekur Progress
Blade: Bic Chrome Platinum (2nd Shave)
Soap/Cream: Stirling Soap Company - Hot Apple Cider
Brush: TSC - SV Brush
The Penultimate Aftershave: CBL Unscented Aftershave Tonic
The Ultimate Aftershave: Stirling Soap Company - Hot Apple Cider
Wow! It's been a while since I have posted an actually Shave of the Day. That doesn't mean that I haven't shaved in all that time. But I looked back and the last time I posted an SOTD was in March. Holy Cow a lot has happened since then.
The Shave -
I purchased this Hot Apple Cider set from Stirling @Joe Hackett a couple of weeks ago and have been using it non-stop since. I saw this set last year and because of all the craziness in the world and with the prophetic arrival of Danger Baby and the cataclysmic events that come with it (pandemic, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc, etc, etc.) I was unable to purchase one. But this year when I saw that Hot Apple Cider was on the market, I purchased not just the soap and aftershave, but a shampoo bar and body soap of the same scent. I think the only thing I am missing is maybe an EdT and a liquid body soap. There is still time, right? Anyway, I have been shaving with it since it arrived at my house. Stirling shave soap is great...seriously nothing to complain about. It's a soap that we all have and love. But seriously, this scent is off the charts delicious! During my shaves I go full on submerse myself in Hot Apple Cider. It starts with my shower...
Okay, no need to turn the channel. I promise not to be gross about the situation. But seriously, I step into my shower and I lather my hair with the shampoo bar and lather the rest of my body in the Stirling soap. That warm scent that makes me think of fall and the holidays, envelopes me. And as a side note, this soap is made from tallow. If you haven't tried a tallow based bath soap...oh man you are missing something! It just feels so good. It moisturizes and rinses super clean. Go get you some!
But when the shower is done, the shave begins. And I don't want to waste any little bit at that scent, so in @Blade-meister form, I go full on mammoth painting with any and all extra suds. The scent on the soap is relatively strong and I probably don't really need to add anything extra. But before I leave the house, the last thing I do is a liberal dousing of Hot Apple Cider aftershave. It's a baptism of sorts. A death to the old, boring, and tired smells of the year...and a rebirth into the heavenly choirs of a holiday beverage! IT'S THAT GOOD!!! Masks or no masks, people are going to smell me coming a mile away...Your Welcome!
I have come accustomed to using some CBL Aftershave Tonic in the unscented variety before I put on any kind of scented aftershave. The CBL Aftershave Toni is in my opinion hands down the best aftershave product out there. Man does this stuff feel good on my face. And as long as Chris @CBLindsay keeps making the stuff...I'll keep buying.
This morning I realized I had been shaving with the same blades in various razors for longer than I could remember. So it was time to change one of them out. Sifting through the bathroom drawers at 5:00 in the morning yielded a pack of Bic Chrome Platinum DE Blades. I can't remember if I have ever tried these before, but I decided to give them a go. I was expecting the worse, but ended up with a pretty nice experience. After one shave, I won't be going out to buy a 100 pack...but all in all I was surprised. Smoother than I expected and plenty sharp. I'll keep using it and see where this goes.
Three passes, all in the regular directions, and ended up with something better than a Damn Fine Shave.
The Danger Zone -
It's been a crazy one. The world can stop spinning like a Merry-Go-Round whenever it wants to.
On October 15th, the wife and I had to put our 13 year old dachshund, Chauncey, down. He was having a couple of issues and then hurt his neck. He was in a lot of pain. At first our instinct was to do whatever we could to rehab him. But as a few days went by (and a couple trips to the emergency vet) we realized that this just wasn't right. If Chauncey was six or seven years old, this would have been a different story. But he was 13. And so the wife and I said farewell to a family member that had brought us so much joy. He is missed today, and we will always remember him. There will never be another Chauncey. I am just happy that he was able to meet our little girl Amelie before he left us. They were really good friends. And while she won't remember him, I am certain that he left an impression on her and he loved my little girl.
On October 16th, Danger baby turned one year old! Where has this time gone. I will say that I hate the time and place we are in, because I feel like the world didn't allow me to enjoy my daughter the way I should have. Maybe it's the world's fault, maybe it's mine...either way...I need to go forward and savor every moment I have with my daughter Amelie. We quietly celebrated Danger Baby's birthday with just the family that day. This weekend we are celebrating in full force my daughter's birthday. We are having kids over and friends that I haven't seen since prior to 2020 it will be a great day! And to commemorate the occasion, the wife ordered a Bouncy House! A Monster Truck Bouncy House at that!
It looks like our fence, with was severely damaged by Hurricane Ida, will finally be replaced this week. This will make the wife really happy. Especially for the birthday party.
A lot has been going on...but I am gaining some perspective in life. Maybe not entirely, but a lot has happened and a lot has been learned.
Hey Cadre! Do me a favor...and tonight when you get home from work or whatever it is that you are doing, take time to hug someone you love, or if they are not near you, call them, text them, write an email or letter. Because when it is all said and done...nothing else in this world matters except those you love and the ones who love you back.
Go forth and conquer Cadre!
Blade: Bic Chrome Platinum (2nd Shave)
Soap/Cream: Stirling Soap Company - Hot Apple Cider
Brush: TSC - SV Brush
The Penultimate Aftershave: CBL Unscented Aftershave Tonic
The Ultimate Aftershave: Stirling Soap Company - Hot Apple Cider
Wow! It's been a while since I have posted an actually Shave of the Day. That doesn't mean that I haven't shaved in all that time. But I looked back and the last time I posted an SOTD was in March. Holy Cow a lot has happened since then.
The Shave -
I purchased this Hot Apple Cider set from Stirling @Joe Hackett a couple of weeks ago and have been using it non-stop since. I saw this set last year and because of all the craziness in the world and with the prophetic arrival of Danger Baby and the cataclysmic events that come with it (pandemic, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc, etc, etc.) I was unable to purchase one. But this year when I saw that Hot Apple Cider was on the market, I purchased not just the soap and aftershave, but a shampoo bar and body soap of the same scent. I think the only thing I am missing is maybe an EdT and a liquid body soap. There is still time, right? Anyway, I have been shaving with it since it arrived at my house. Stirling shave soap is great...seriously nothing to complain about. It's a soap that we all have and love. But seriously, this scent is off the charts delicious! During my shaves I go full on submerse myself in Hot Apple Cider. It starts with my shower...
Okay, no need to turn the channel. I promise not to be gross about the situation. But seriously, I step into my shower and I lather my hair with the shampoo bar and lather the rest of my body in the Stirling soap. That warm scent that makes me think of fall and the holidays, envelopes me. And as a side note, this soap is made from tallow. If you haven't tried a tallow based bath soap...oh man you are missing something! It just feels so good. It moisturizes and rinses super clean. Go get you some!
But when the shower is done, the shave begins. And I don't want to waste any little bit at that scent, so in @Blade-meister form, I go full on mammoth painting with any and all extra suds. The scent on the soap is relatively strong and I probably don't really need to add anything extra. But before I leave the house, the last thing I do is a liberal dousing of Hot Apple Cider aftershave. It's a baptism of sorts. A death to the old, boring, and tired smells of the year...and a rebirth into the heavenly choirs of a holiday beverage! IT'S THAT GOOD!!! Masks or no masks, people are going to smell me coming a mile away...Your Welcome!
I have come accustomed to using some CBL Aftershave Tonic in the unscented variety before I put on any kind of scented aftershave. The CBL Aftershave Toni is in my opinion hands down the best aftershave product out there. Man does this stuff feel good on my face. And as long as Chris @CBLindsay keeps making the stuff...I'll keep buying.
This morning I realized I had been shaving with the same blades in various razors for longer than I could remember. So it was time to change one of them out. Sifting through the bathroom drawers at 5:00 in the morning yielded a pack of Bic Chrome Platinum DE Blades. I can't remember if I have ever tried these before, but I decided to give them a go. I was expecting the worse, but ended up with a pretty nice experience. After one shave, I won't be going out to buy a 100 pack...but all in all I was surprised. Smoother than I expected and plenty sharp. I'll keep using it and see where this goes.
Three passes, all in the regular directions, and ended up with something better than a Damn Fine Shave.
The Danger Zone -
It's been a crazy one. The world can stop spinning like a Merry-Go-Round whenever it wants to.
On October 15th, the wife and I had to put our 13 year old dachshund, Chauncey, down. He was having a couple of issues and then hurt his neck. He was in a lot of pain. At first our instinct was to do whatever we could to rehab him. But as a few days went by (and a couple trips to the emergency vet) we realized that this just wasn't right. If Chauncey was six or seven years old, this would have been a different story. But he was 13. And so the wife and I said farewell to a family member that had brought us so much joy. He is missed today, and we will always remember him. There will never be another Chauncey. I am just happy that he was able to meet our little girl Amelie before he left us. They were really good friends. And while she won't remember him, I am certain that he left an impression on her and he loved my little girl.
On October 16th, Danger baby turned one year old! Where has this time gone. I will say that I hate the time and place we are in, because I feel like the world didn't allow me to enjoy my daughter the way I should have. Maybe it's the world's fault, maybe it's mine...either way...I need to go forward and savor every moment I have with my daughter Amelie. We quietly celebrated Danger Baby's birthday with just the family that day. This weekend we are celebrating in full force my daughter's birthday. We are having kids over and friends that I haven't seen since prior to 2020 it will be a great day! And to commemorate the occasion, the wife ordered a Bouncy House! A Monster Truck Bouncy House at that!
It looks like our fence, with was severely damaged by Hurricane Ida, will finally be replaced this week. This will make the wife really happy. Especially for the birthday party.
A lot has been going on...but I am gaining some perspective in life. Maybe not entirely, but a lot has happened and a lot has been learned.
Hey Cadre! Do me a favor...and tonight when you get home from work or whatever it is that you are doing, take time to hug someone you love, or if they are not near you, call them, text them, write an email or letter. Because when it is all said and done...nothing else in this world matters except those you love and the ones who love you back.
Go forth and conquer Cadre!
What a rollercoaster of emotions!
First - that shave soap, AS, shampoo, soap combo sounds friggin‘ awesome!
Second - condolences for Chauncey - with all that your family has been through - I’m sorry you had to suffer a loss of a family member.
And most importantly, Danger Baby is beautiful- savor every moment with her. The years go by so quickly!
First - that shave soap, AS, shampoo, soap combo sounds friggin‘ awesome!
Second - condolences for Chauncey - with all that your family has been through - I’m sorry you had to suffer a loss of a family member.
And most importantly, Danger Baby is beautiful- savor every moment with her. The years go by so quickly!
Last edited:
woodpusher
TSC’s International Man of Meh
There's so much ketchup ("catch up" .. get it? 
.... Try the veal, I'm here all week!) going on in that post, Don, that I think I need a hot dog!
.... Try the veal, I'm here all week!) going on in that post, Don, that I think I need a hot dog!
SteveChuckFrank
Close Enough*
Glad to see you get back to the journal Don. I’ve missed the Danger Updates! You’ve got me curious about this tallow bath soap now…
I’m so sorry about Chauncey. It’s a tough decision to make but I think you did the right thing. So glad he was able to meet Danger Baby, and like you said, she probably won’t remember him but I’m sure he did make quite the impression on her.
MONSTER TRUCK BOUNCE HOUSE FOR THE WIN!!!!!!
I’m so sorry about Chauncey. It’s a tough decision to make but I think you did the right thing. So glad he was able to meet Danger Baby, and like you said, she probably won’t remember him but I’m sure he did make quite the impression on her.
MONSTER TRUCK BOUNCE HOUSE FOR THE WIN!!!!!!
wristwatchb
Shave Member
An awesome post, Don. So much going on with the after effects of Ida (thankful everyone in your family is safe) and the loss of beloved Chauncey.Razor: Mekur Progress
Blade: Bic Chrome Platinum (2nd Shave)
Soap/Cream: Stirling Soap Company - Hot Apple Cider
Brush: TSC - SV Brush
The Penultimate Aftershave: CBL Unscented Aftershave Tonic
The Ultimate Aftershave: Stirling Soap Company - Hot Apple Cider
Wow! It's been a while since I have posted an actually Shave of the Day. That doesn't mean that I haven't shaved in all that time. But I looked back and the last time I posted an SOTD was in March. Holy Cow a lot has happened since then.
The Shave -
I purchased this Hot Apple Cider set from Stirling @Joe Hackett a couple of weeks ago and have been using it non-stop since. I saw this set last year and because of all the craziness in the world and with the prophetic arrival of Danger Baby and the cataclysmic events that come with it (pandemic, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc, etc, etc.) I was unable to purchase one. But this year when I saw that Hot Apple Cider was on the market, I purchased not just the soap and aftershave, but a shampoo bar and body soap of the same scent. I think the only thing I am missing is maybe an EdT and a liquid body soap. There is still time, right? Anyway, I have been shaving with it since it arrived at my house. Stirling shave soap is great...seriously nothing to complain about. It's a soap that we all have and love. But seriously, this scent is off the charts delicious! During my shaves I go full on submerse myself in Hot Apple Cider. It starts with my shower...
Okay, no need to turn the channel. I promise not to be gross about the situation. But seriously, I step into my shower and I lather my hair with the shampoo bar and lather the rest of my body in the Stirling soap. That warm scent that makes me think of fall and the holidays, envelopes me. And as a side note, this soap is made from tallow. If you haven't tried a tallow based bath soap...oh man you are missing something! It just feels so good. It moisturizes and rinses super clean. Go get you some!
But when the shower is done, the shave begins. And I don't want to waste any little bit at that scent, so in @Blade-meister form, I go full on mammoth painting with any and all extra suds. The scent on the soap is relatively strong and I probably don't really need to add anything extra. But before I leave the house, the last thing I do is a liberal dousing of Hot Apple Cider aftershave. It's a baptism of sorts. A death to the old, boring, and tired smells of the year...and a rebirth into the heavenly choirs of a holiday beverage! IT'S THAT GOOD!!! Masks or no masks, people are going to smell me coming a mile away...Your Welcome!
I have come accustomed to using some CBL Aftershave Tonic in the unscented variety before I put on any kind of scented aftershave. The CBL Aftershave Toni is in my opinion hands down the best aftershave product out there. Man does this stuff feel good on my face. And as long as Chris @CBLindsay keeps making the stuff...I'll keep buying.
This morning I realized I had been shaving with the same blades in various razors for longer than I could remember. So it was time to change one of them out. Sifting through the bathroom drawers at 5:00 in the morning yielded a pack of Bic Chrome Platinum DE Blades. I can't remember if I have ever tried these before, but I decided to give them a go. I was expecting the worse, but ended up with a pretty nice experience. After one shave, I won't be going out to buy a 100 pack...but all in all I was surprised. Smoother than I expected and plenty sharp. I'll keep using it and see where this goes.
Three passes, all in the regular directions, and ended up with something better than a Damn Fine Shave.
The Danger Zone -
It's been a crazy one. The world can stop spinning like a Merry-Go-Round whenever it wants to.
On October 15th, the wife and I had to put our 13 year old dachshund, Chauncey, down. He was having a couple of issues and then hurt his neck. He was in a lot of pain. At first our instinct was to do whatever we could to rehab him. But as a few days went by (and a couple trips to the emergency vet) we realized that this just wasn't right. If Chauncey was six or seven years old, this would have been a different story. But he was 13. And so the wife and I said farewell to a family member that had brought us so much joy. He is missed today, and we will always remember him. There will never be another Chauncey. I am just happy that he was able to meet our little girl Amelie before he left us. They were really good friends. And while she won't remember him, I am certain that he left an impression on her and he loved my little girl.
On October 16th, Danger baby turned one year old! Where has this time gone. I will say that I hate the time and place we are in, because I feel like the world didn't allow me to enjoy my daughter the way I should have. Maybe it's the world's fault, maybe it's mine...either way...I need to go forward and savor every moment I have with my daughter Amelie. We quietly celebrated Danger Baby's birthday with just the family that day. This weekend we are celebrating in full force my daughter's birthday. We are having kids over and friends that I haven't seen since prior to 2020 it will be a great day! And to commemorate the occasion, the wife ordered a Bouncy House! A Monster Truck Bouncy House at that!
It looks like our fence, with was severely damaged by Hurricane Ida, will finally be replaced this week. This will make the wife really happy. Especially for the birthday party.
A lot has been going on...but I am gaining some perspective in life. Maybe not entirely, but a lot has happened and a lot has been learned.
Hey Cadre! Do me a favor...and tonight when you get home from work or whatever it is that you are doing, take time to hug someone you love, or if they are not near you, call them, text them, write an email or letter. Because when it is all said and done...nothing else in this world matters except those you love and the ones who love you back.
Go forth and conquer Cadre!
Wow, Amelie is precious. You are blessed indeed.
Keep the engaging photos coming from the time when you were serving our Country. Thanks for your service.
Well, I gotta go and hug some people.
Yes the Hot Apple Cider is awesome! I highly recommend it. Thanks for the kind words on all accounts. But yeah...I am savoring every minute with her. She is just amazing. If I could be a stay at home dad...I would do it in heartbeat!
Veal? I love veal! And Hot Dogs...you can add ketchup to it, but I also want mustard, onions, and relish!There's so much ketchup ("catch up" .. get it?
Thanks for such kind words. I'll try to be a little more present in my journals and a little less sad and angry as that seems to be my default lately. And yeah...Monster Truck Bounce House! I might even sneak in for a bounce or two myself!
I did the same...so no worries. Thanks Eric for reading!
I appreciate you reading. Our house fared well in Ida compared to so many. I little roof damage, need a new fence, some patio damage. Nothing that a little insurance can't handle.An awesome post, Don. So much going on with the after effects of Ida (thankful everyone in your family is safe) and the loss of beloved Chauncey.
Wow, Amelie is precious. You are blessed indeed.
Keep the engaging photos coming from the time when you were serving our Country. Thanks for your service.
Well, I gotta go and hug some people.
I have many more pics from my time in Afghanistan. I had a unique perspective while there as my job wasn't a typical one. And yes, Amelie is precious and I am blessed!
Sorry for the long post. Yeah, she is getting big! We had her one year checkup last week and the baby is really long! In fact, as a one year old, she is the average size of a two year old!
It's sad to hear about your Corgi. But they are excellent family members while here. My advice is to love on him as much as you can, because that time comes all too abruptly.
Thank you all for reading and leaving awesome comments! I hope your day is filled with awesomeness!
wombadom
TSC Yoda
Glad you're trying to get a handle on your health. Thank you for your service. I wish we had more people like you.As I said...
Welcome to the Danger Zone!
Many of you know me, and others do not. Let me briefly introduce myself. My name is Don. Many of you may know me as dangerousdon. I am veteran of the United States Marine Corps and the Army National Guard. I know...it's an interesting story. During my service, I was deployed to Afghanistan in 2004 - 2005 for about a year (a little more actually). I have had many other very interesting jobs in my life. I was an Intelligence Analyst with the Louisiana State Police where my area of expertise was supporting investigations concerning Human Trafficking and Crimes against Children. Additionally, I was on a Child Abduction Task Force where I supported Federal and Local Agencies. I assisted agencies like the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the US Marshals Service. It was a very rewarding part of my life. Currently, I am an Investigator for the Louisiana Board of Ethics...yes, I have heard all the jokes! I am married...we don't have children yet...or at least none that I know of.... I have two dogs...a chocolate dapple dachshund named Chauncey (fans of the Detroit Pistons will be happy to know that yes, my Dog was named after Chauncey Billups, Point Guard for the Pistons during the famous 2002-2008 period) and a wonderful lab something mix (I call her a black dog) named Allie...or as I affectionately call her...Allie Monster.
I am primarily a Safety Razor user with my daily shaver being a 1969 Gillette 109 Super Adjustable. I just like the way it shaves. I have other razors...I just gravitate to this one. I tried my hand at a Straight Razor, but I changed jobs and didn't have as much time in the morning as I used to. Reading all the journals...I am thinking of giving it a try again. I have an ever changing preference of soaps...I rarely shave with the same soap consecutive days. I just like variety. I try to match my after shaves in scent notes to the soaps I use...but sometimes I go crazy and pick opposites.
So what is that nonsense about nutrition conspiracies? Yeah, since January I have been on a journey. The past few years I have become what I thought was just generally unhealthy. A lot of bad markers that most of us consider to just be a part of getting older...I couldn't be more wrong. I was 330 pounds at 6'3". I carried it better than most, but had this real large mid section. There were other factors too...high blood pressure, high levels of bad cholesterol, low levels of good cholesterol, insulin resistance, allergies, acid re-flux, plantar fasciitis, tired all the time with absolutely no energy. Every name in the medical book was being thrown at me with each additional visit to the doctor. I was being diagnosed with everything except Type II Diabetes (thank God), but I wasn't very far from it. I knew in the back of my head that if that day ever came when I was Diabetic...that would likely be the end of me. In October of 2017 I went to the doctor with a, not painful, but an interesting sensation. On the right side of my torso where the bottom of my rib cage is, I had this itching sensation. Little did I know (I was never good in Biology) that is the location of my liver. After a couple of blood tests and some imaging...I was diagnosed with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. I was crushed. That was when I decided that I needed to do something. But what? I have tried to loose weight before and tried just about everything under the sun. And guess what...none of them really worked. I went to get my eyes checked one day and the Optometrist and I got on the topic of Diabetes (there is a connection with eyes, so it's not as weird as it seems) and next thing you know, she recommended the Ketogenic Diet. She told me that her and her husband were on it. He has dementia that she is trying to limit the effects of...but she told me of a bunch of other benefits. I decided to research it myself. Reading various medical reviews and scientific studies. I decided that I would give it a try. I started in January...and I haven't looked back. Since then, I have lost 52 pounds, my cholesterol levels are all either normal or just outside the normal levels. My insulin levels and HBA1c have drastically improved. And my Fatty Liver is almost cured. There are a bunch of other things about me that are improved also...but that will come later. Where does the conspiracy stuff come in? Well, there are many things that are counter intuitive about this way of life, so from time to time I might share a nutrition or scientific study with you all. If that part of my Journal does not appeal to you...feel free to skip over it.
Anyway...sorry for the REALLY long post but I want to set the stage. To recap, my journal will be about shaving first, but I will add in things about my health experiences, exercise, my day to day life, and the crazy things that even I might not believe about medicine and nutrition.
I encourage you all to follow along, comment, ask questions, and even disagree if that is your position. You guys are great and I look forward to sharing my shaves and my life to you all!
Beware! You are now entering the DANGER ZONE!
Thanks for the great post.
Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk
Fightingillini22
Master TSC Shave Member
Great to see you pop in the Journals Don!
Our son was born in May 2020, and I have a constant ebb and flow of emotions around raising him during these wild times. There were a ton of things that I feel like he missed out on during the first 18 months of his life, things I feel like I didn't get to experience with him, and I worry about his future more than I think I would of pre-Covid. That said, there were also things that resulted from Covid that changed my work schedule and as a result, I was able to experience things I never would have since I would have gotten maybe 30 minutes per day during the work week with him before bed.
As with most things in life, there are always going to be pluses and minuses. It's always easy for me to dwell more on the minuses, but working to recognize the pluses has helped my mental wellbeing immensely the past 20 or so months.
On a much lighter note, love the Hot Apple Cider set, went through a tub of it years ago and it's just perfect for this time of year. Bic CPs were one of the first blades I ever used way back in 2013 and I had tossed them as "bad blades" due to bad results. I retried them a few years ago and realized I actually enjoyed them quite a bit and they obviously had suffered from my lack of experience at the time. It caused me to revisit many blades I had previously binned as "bad" in the earlier days to see if they truly were not good performers for me or if it was just my technique that needed better honing back then!
Our son was born in May 2020, and I have a constant ebb and flow of emotions around raising him during these wild times. There were a ton of things that I feel like he missed out on during the first 18 months of his life, things I feel like I didn't get to experience with him, and I worry about his future more than I think I would of pre-Covid. That said, there were also things that resulted from Covid that changed my work schedule and as a result, I was able to experience things I never would have since I would have gotten maybe 30 minutes per day during the work week with him before bed.
As with most things in life, there are always going to be pluses and minuses. It's always easy for me to dwell more on the minuses, but working to recognize the pluses has helped my mental wellbeing immensely the past 20 or so months.
On a much lighter note, love the Hot Apple Cider set, went through a tub of it years ago and it's just perfect for this time of year. Bic CPs were one of the first blades I ever used way back in 2013 and I had tossed them as "bad blades" due to bad results. I retried them a few years ago and realized I actually enjoyed them quite a bit and they obviously had suffered from my lack of experience at the time. It caused me to revisit many blades I had previously binned as "bad" in the earlier days to see if they truly were not good performers for me or if it was just my technique that needed better honing back then!
Oh man you went way back! Yeah, I still struggle with the ebb and flow of my weight. I'm heavier right now than I want to be, but I am no where near where I was. My health is so much better too. Some of my practices and notions in life concerning health, fitness, and nutrition have changed a little since that first post. I still "tinker" with my ideas, but I am settled mostly on a whole food, lower carb, higher protein style of eating. I focus on eliminated really bad fats in my diet such as vegetable oil, canola oil, and especially soybean oil. You won't find those things anywhere near my kitchen. Instead I am big on olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, good quality butter from grass fed cows (I should probably buy stock in Kerrygold), and good quality ghee. While not as prevalent, I like to cook with tallow and lard as well.
I appreciate your thanks for my service.
If there were more people like me, then the rest of the world should freak out!
