Thread: Back from Oz or Iowa or whatever, just glad to be back

But I did leave you, Uncle Lynn -- that’s just the trouble. And I tried to get back for days and days. No, but it wasn’t a dream -- it was a place. And you Jimmy – and you Sham – and you Bart were there. But you couldn’t have been, could you? No, Aunt Em -- this was a real, truly live place. And I remember that some of it wasn't very nice.... But just the same, all I kept saying to everybody was, I want to hone. And they sent me home. Home! And these are my hones – and you’re all here! And I’m not going to leave here ever, ever again!
And – Oh, Auntie Em – there’s no place like SRP!

Well, after a long absence, I’m kind of back. I figured, since membership appears to have doubled in my absence, and since my first introduction was lost in the great data crash, I’d go ahead and re-introduce myself. My name is Ron. I'm 48. I grew up on a dairy farm in Minnesota. I still have a lot of farmer in me. I went to college in Massachusetts and was all set to go to medical school when life decided to steer me in a different direction. I still haven't figured out what I should be doing with my life and still have little sense of being a responsible adult. I go by Utopian here partially because I have a penchant for the writing of Henry David Thoreau (my avatar, by the way). I tried to read Walden in high school but couldn’t appreciate it. While in college I decided to give him another try so I tucked the book in my jacket, hopped on my motorcycle, and rode to Walden Pond. I found a good tree near the shore to lean against and sat down to start reading. Since I didn’t finish it before sunset, I just lay down and slept under that tree. When the sun came back up, I resumed reading till I finished it. I definitely appreciated reading it that time. Anyway, I tend toward the practical side of things and Thoreau epitomized that.

Regarding razors, I experimented with a DE razor 5 or 6 years ago and found that it worked better than the Mach 3 I had been using. I figured if the older technology was actually better, then I should go back further and try out a straight. (If that hadn’t worked, I was going to sharpen up a piece of flint.) I found that I really liked the straight razor even though I had no idea how sharp one could be since, for the first 4 years or so, I had about 10 razors and only 2 hones, a Swaty and a Carborundum. I am likely to be one of the few members of SRP to have the distinction of having set razor bevels with a Swaty! My razors certainly got sharper after finding SRP and learning about the vast variety of hones available AND the better techniques for using them. Despite playing with lots of hones and razors, I have continued to this day to maintain my original rotation of 7 razors kept in my gym locker with nothing but barber hones.

I really like working on old razors. While I appreciate the new and custom razors, the old beaters that offer the possibility of restoration hold much more appeal for me, especially because I can afford them! I consider my razors to be utilitarian instruments and haven’t bothered to restore, or even clean up, my personal razors. I really enjoy taking a razor that appears to be a lost cause and making it serviceable, if not pretty. I hope to have time to do some restoration work this summer. I would love to take a pilgrimage to Lynn’s place some time this summer to learn more about buffing. Of course, my main fascination with straight razors has been with honing. I was diagnosed as autistic when I was a kid and didn’t start talking till I was nearly 6. I don’t consider myself to be autistic, but I definitely find the rhythmic honing motions to be extremely relaxing. Before the mess of the last few months I found honing to be a great way to wind down at the end of the day.

I was one of the people who offered the free honing last year but I had no idea it was going to become such a debacle. I certainly didn’t do it for marketing purposes. In fact, I deliberately did not offer any razors or services in the classifieds after making the free honing announcement. I did occasionally charge for additional razors beyond the free honing but I only began to do so after repeated requests for me to hone multiple (up to 12!) razors for one person. I did it strictly for two reasons: to gain more experience with a variety of razors and to help out new members. I found that it really helped me. I never meant for it to cause any problems.

I disappeared from SRP last fall for two reasons.

First, I found out that I’m going to be unemployed as of April 1. I was informed last fall that the building in which my lab is housed was going to be demolished in the summer of 2010. I was told to make plans for relocating the lab but shortly thereafter was told that the equipment would be removed but the lab, and my and my wife’s positions, would be eliminated on April 1st. I’ve been too busy for SRP since then, as we’re trying to complete research for a final paper, searching for new jobs, and prepping our 140 year old house for sale since any new job will have to be out of state. We don’t want to move but don’t have a choice. We both have interviews in North Carolina next week.

The second reason is only relevant because it relates to the timing of my return, which I had planned on being after I got a new job. My sister in law moved in with us last fall and basically converted our house into her rent-free warehouse where she spent most of her time scowling, complaining, and breaking things (like doors). She put our house into such disarray physically and mentally that she really made me appreciate all the long hours I’ve had to put in at work. Anyway, she got mad at me for expecting her to act like an adult and she just moved out!

She left behind a lot of her stuff and feels that we should continue to store it for a couple more months. As I was re-arranging some of the piles she left behind, I found a padded envelope with my name on it. It also had Gugi’s name on it—and his razor inside of it.

She had volunteered to take it to the post office for me in August.

In going into my razor email account for the first time in months I found extremely polite inquiries from Gugi and from Paco. It turns out that he didn’t get his razor back either.

So that means I have to dig out (almost literally) my hones and get some razors in the mail! I haven’t touched a hone in a long time!
Gugi, I’m going to just lightly touch up yours again and get it sent it out.
Paco, I mailed your razor months ago, so I have no idea what happened to it. I will contact you about replacement options.
I sincerely apologize to you both, for the long delay and for the complete lack of communication. I will PM you both some time tomorrow.

I’m going to be too busy to do much on SRP for the next month. My work days are in the range of 15 to 18 hours for the near future. Eventually I really look forward to getting caught up reading through old posts. Other than PM’ing Gugi and Paco, I probably won’t be able to participate in any PM’s until May. I’m sorry but I just won’t have time. I’d just like to say that I have truly missed this place. I have thoroughly enjoyed participating in and learning from SRP and I look forward to doing it again.

Auntie Em -- there’s no place I’d rather hone!

RON!

From a fellow Iowan, welcome back! It's good to see a post from you again, I was worried we'd lost you for good!

Hope all goes smoothly with the preparations to move, and writing that last paper. I know perr-reviewed article work is a grueling, time-blood-sweat-tears involved process.

Cheers!

Welcome back!!! I am betting that there is no hard feelings from gugi or paco.

Originally Posted by BKratchmer

RON!

From a fellow Iowan, welcome back! It's good to see a post from you again, I was worried we'd lost you for good!

Hope all goes smoothly with the preparations to move, and writing that last paper. I know perr-reviewed article work is a grueling, time-blood-sweat-tears involved process.

Cheers!

The biggest problem with a peer reviewed paper is that reviewers almost always want to make suggestions for additional experiments, which will be difficult after the lab is literally demolished. We are frantically doing extremely labor intensive experiments lately and are sure to discover more experiments that need to, but cannot, be done. It's frustrating.

I look forward to having time to play with razors. Hell, I look forward to having time to shower regularly!

Very happy to see that you are still with us Ron, If you are thinking of visiting Lynn in or after May he will be moving to Missouri in the very near future.

Welcome back!!

Welcome back! Hope the move and the interviews go well, and you get everything sorted out..!

All the best to you and yours,

Stu

Hi Ron,

Welcome back (even if just briefly for the moment).

Good luck with the work and wrapping things up. My in-laws are academics and have had to follow the work along with their kids - so I can appreciate some of the challenges you may be facing.

Always liked reading your posts - and your avatar looks so wise too (must be the sideburns...)!

All the best,
Michael.

Originally Posted by JMS

Welcome back!!! I am betting that there is no hard feelings from gugi or paco.

Ron; No hard feelings at all just glad to here the problem wasn't sickness or worse. will give you more info in reply to PM when received.
Glad to see your "almost back", wish it could be " BACK".

My dear Ron:

Life writes its script any way it wants. But then we keep on turning the pages. And so it should be.

In my estimation, anyone who travels to Walden Pond with Thoreau in his pocket shall receive the best life can offer.

Welcome back.

Regards,
Obie

Welcome back, Ron. I wish you the best of luck in your job
and getting your home back in order.

Regards,

- Scott