Congrats! Don't worry to much about your first shave and the neck. A little secret. Most of us didn't do the whole face the first time. I rounded the chin and thought about it, contorted my face tried once, and then got out the mach 3 for the remaining neck. Work at it slowly and it will come. Also watch some videos of people straight shaving. It helps.

Onto lather. Best to continue trying until it works. Its one of the things I found has subtle things that are hard to cover in text. For my first puck it wouldn't lather well until I standing water on it to soften it.

Welcome to the wide world of manly shaving.