2023-07-23 I Bequeath thee!
- Brush: Yaqi Metal Timberwolf
- Razor: Muhle R41
- Lather: Barrister and Mann - Hallows
- Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Hallows
- Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. - Varen
Relevant Post-Shave and Fragrance:
Varen, like Hallows, highlights oakmoss and vetiver.
Literally just this past Friday, I went to my local supermarché and was
bewildered when I heard from the store's speakers: Jingle Bell Rock.
Why were they literally playing Christmas music in July? No idea. Was it
someone trying to convince themselves that it's not as
ungodly hot outside
as it is? Maybe, but I can only imagine that that would make it seem hotter
once they inevitably had to step into the blazing death called "outside".
Christmas in July's Eve:
The benefactor who generously provided me today's lather, aftershave, and razor
is u/loudmusicboy. I had long been curious about this scent, perhaps largely
because of the multitude of variations in its artwork that I'd seen pop up from
time to time.
#FOF
I'm a fan. With strong oakmoss, it doesn't seem too far off from Varen. It's
undeniably darker and "cold"er, which is unsurprising considering that Varen
is still a fougère, and is brightened by floral notes. I could do without the
cocoa of Hallows, and labdanum is on my "find out what this smell is" list.
Nonetheless, both are strongly grassy (which, in the case of Varen, I feel a
fougère should be). All that said, I don't know what a swamp smells like or
even how likely it is for there to be swamps in Boston, nor what "perversely
elegant" means.
But that wasn't the main highlight of the PIF. No, the PIF in question was
mainly the razor. Well, this one and the MMOC that a PIFd on. u/loudmusicboy
wanted to provide the experience of this aggressive razor to someone
unfamiliar, and that he did. Holy hell, this is aggressive. Far more so than
the MMOC, I feel. Quite simply, the Muhle R41 is a rough ride. I feel like the
blade hovers in razor, loose and wild and ready to slice my skin off. It's
like a shavette at 90 degrees.
Now that it served here in the Games, I'm likely to pass it on forward to a
new owner.
Challenge Accepted:
While I can't say that I've caught every post, I can say that I've been paying
extra attention to the participants mentioned below:
u/loudmusicboy, who has not only a seemingly relevant username, but also
some impressively hairy shoulders and a remarkable debonair and
distinguished-looking dog.
u/2SaintsDude and u/partyman97_3, one of whom now has u/loudmusicboy's MMOC
(no idea which one, but they both got an MMOC), and both of whom are first-time
Games participants.
u/Marquis90, though he doesn't know this, inspired me to search for and
discover a non-alcoholic pastis (it's Ricard Pacific, it's wildly expensive to
get in my neck of the woods, but it's deliciously close to the "real" thing).
u/OnionMiasma, in addition to exhibiting what I can only describe as a
fanatical dedication to LG shenanigans, has been notably engaging among Games
participants, which I think is the most commendable thing in the Games.
u/djundjila—who was the victor of my first Games and at that time
conspicuously kept a running tally of his own score, which I suspect was
motivated by non-existent transparency in scoring at the time—has provided a
way not only to make the Games possible, but has worked to ensure an
unprecedented degree of participants' confidence in scoring.
All of the djudges, especially the one djudging this. But also the anonymous
1 or 2 who graciously helped me with my small scoring concerns.
#photocontest
Photo: Light sources, because why not throw a bunch of loose LEDs in the
skull's mouth?