On Thursday evening, I gave it a first try (shaving with a straight razor, that is), not knowing much more about it beyond what I've seen on the big screen in an occasional movie. I muddled through a complete shave and, except for the butcher job on my face, a survivable loss of unknown CCs of perfectly good blood and a red-splotched towel I might yet need to explain, I got a pretty close shave and became much friendlier with my Pinaud stick. Today, my older son, Bjorn (on the list as bpave777), came by to instruct. In exchange for a bottle of Truefitt & Hill shaving oil, I watched, made mental notes and kept quiet about the differences in his shave and mine. I didn't use oil; I didn't have my razor sharp enough; I didn't prepare the lather right; I didn't prepare my face well enough. Maybe there was something else, but isn't that enough for one shave?

Tomorrow morning, I'm saying to myself, I'll do it better. Practice, practice... . At least I'll have the basics down pat-- no telling about the result. I can see the attraction to doing this the old-fashioned way: it's a connection with our historical past, the beauty of basic objects that transcend utility and become art and design in and of themselves and, probably, a glob of narcissistic masochism. [This is the Polish forum, isn't it? Or am I in the wrong place?]

Oh... and I should probably have chosen a better razor. I usually go for better objects; why I didn't in this case is a mystery to me. On the other hand, I know that when you're new to something, chances are you can't do it any better just by using a better device... usually, that is: a new skier on day one is just about as bad on cheap slats of wood as on the finest, techiest, latest marvels of engineering. And yet, on the third hand, I've never been sorry that I ever bought the best of anything I could buy, but I have been sorry when I bought something short of that. Yeah, but on the fourth hand (don't they have multiple hands in India?), it's always nice to have something to look forward to. [I'm stopping the hand thing at this point-- you'll understand what I mean.]

Finally: I have Type O Positive blood; if I'm not heard from tomorrow, somebody please check and make sure the ER gave me the correct transfusion.

Bob