Yes, I know what you mean about the angles, it's hard to say, isn't it? I certainly use a steeper angle on some parts of my face, such as my jaw line and the very rare occasion when I shave my chin (I have a goatee thingy). Well done for not stropping before the first shave, that's exactly why I asked.

Glide is very much a function of the water content in the lather. Perfectly normal to reverse the position of the razor. I hold mine differently to some, I use only three fingers, one finger either side of the scales. For an ATG pass (when I do one) I hold the razor VERY loosely with just two fingers so it will 'give' rather than 'dig in' if it meets resistance. I also add more water to the lather for the ATG pass to make a weaker mix. However, you may not be tackling an ATG pass for a few weeks, until you're comfortable with a WTG pass...