June 30, 2024 – Love ya babies.
- Brush: Zenith Boar
- Razor: Great Grampa’s German Jawn
- Blade: Dorco ST-300
- Lather: Phoenix & Beau – Spitfire
- Post Shave: Myrsol – Agua Balsamica
Good morning wetshaving cadre! Welp, here we are. We made it. I promised myself I would do better than last year. And I did, I left a ton of points out there but I had a ton of fun and got to be creative and get weird with it. So why not one more bit of fun, whats say we do a public shave and keep it on theme for today. I’ll finish out the games the way I intended to open it, on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, in the state of Philadelphia, and in the United States of America, where yes judges, I am a resident/citizen.
Last year I got my first recognition on the pod by responding to u/J33pGuy13 and his insistence that ROTY candidates needed to “Step it up!”. I couldnt help but respond with some snark. In my school age years I was never one to get in trouble for my initial disturbances but the ensuing outbursts to those in authority. I was once arrested and got myself shackles instead of cuffs because I ignored the officers instructions and went back in my car for a cigarette. So as one to not take the suggestion from authority lightly I spite shaved on a step stool for a few subsequent shaves. This year I stepped it up metaphorically by putting a bit more effort into my write ups/challenges/photos by taking advantage of the license many other shavers out there give in being accepted and even respected for doing kooky shit.
Well, I’ll keep the bit going one more time and shave at one of the most visited sights in my home city by international visitors, the Rocky steps. At any time of day or night you can find people emulating our hometown fictional figurehead by running up the steps and raising their arms in exaltation. Rocky seems to have been a perfect representation of our hard-nosed underdog city and resonates the world over. This morning is no different, someone getting their tourist shot with the statue, someone finishing their workout, and another filming a family member doing their best impersonation of Mr. Balboa. Today I join them not in the run, but spirit, as I shave victorious at the top of these steps for going thirty rounds with all you other sickos.
Here’s the gallery.
In front of me is Benjamin Franklin Parkway which is adorned with flags from around the world and behind me the Philadelphia Museum of Art which displays artwork from great masters around the globe. On my face today an international setup representing the UK with lather, Germany with razor, Spain with aftershave, Italy with brush, Korea with blade, and why not a little bit of water for the lather from the island of Fiji.
It was a beautiful and peaceful shave to cap of the month. Like many things going on in a major city no one paid me much mind except for a few strange looks and a remark by some tourists. Big thanks goes out to u/crossan1983, not just for his great SOTD shots throughout the game, but for sending me a generous sample of soup from around the world. Ultimately, I decided on the Phoenix and Beau, a great rugged leathery scent and soap that deserved better than the nervous lather I provided it. I could go on and on but ill try to keep it tighter than I already have. I’m at work and have got a big day ahead of me and not sure if I’ll have time to get back to this and provide a better write up. Thanks so much to everyone involved here.
One more time, a quick note of recognition to u/airbudruler, who not only provided the theoretical groundwork to self-emancipate myself from the shaving oppression and play my own game, but also helped drag me a little deeper into this world and have a ton of fun. Cheers to everyone. And for now and always…
Enjoy the shave between the blades!