Wellness Series: Physical

It's not a very far leap to see that one of the most fundamental elements of an overall sense of well-being is being physically fit. When we feel good physically it carries over into almost every other aspect of our lives. Have you ever noticed how obnoxiously perky those people are that go to the gym at 5 in the morning? Yeah, that's because they feel good, so they let it show.

What is it?
As I sat doing my cardio at the gym yesterday, I took a moment to consider what physical fitness is. I've decided that in large amounts it's not what you see at the gym. Sure, there are plenty of people there that are in awesome shape. Mostly the women, interestingly. The men kinda scare me, though.

I saw lots of men whose necks were bigger than their heads. Then there were the ones whose arms were bigger than their heads and whose legs were bigger than tree trunks. Oddly, on these specimens, a large handful also had an awesome pot-belly to go with it. Now this is just my opinion, but even if I can lift a house, I won't really feel in shape if I can't see my toes.

Which brings another couple points. I don't think a person has to be trim to be physically fit. For some of us, it's just highly unlikely we're ever going to have a v-shaped body without spending 8 hours a day with a personal trainer. But we can all get to the point where we aren't winded getting up out of a chair and crossing the room. I think fit means being able to enjoy a walk or hike or bike ride without feeling like your next step may be your last.

When I was at my physical peak, I could hike up mountains in a day, ride 10 mile roads with steep uphill grades, and was generally "sasquatch" as my friends called me. But, I still wasn't trim. I had my fair share of padding distributed around my body, but I felt good. Incidentally, I did drop nearly 60 pounds to get there.

So, you don't have to have a 28 inch waist or wear a size 0 to be fit. Another point being at the gym pointed out to me is that you don't have to have huge muscles to be fit. If you want them, great. But from my own experience talking to ladies, they prefer a man who has a balanced body mass as opposed to a power lifter. Just something to think about.

I can't afford the gym!
Now, I'm not saying that everybody has to GO to the gym at 5 in the morning to get their daily exercise. Remember the guy in the above picture? That's right - Rocky Balboa. A real American hero if ever there was one. Now, I know he's a fictional character, but bare with me on this one while we take a moment to step into his life.

Rocky Balboa vs Ivan Drago: ready, FIGHT! Rocky IV stands out most to me in this example because Drago has steroids, fancy electrical training machines, a team of trainers, etc, etc, etc. You know what Rocky has? A log cabin, some rocks, and an axe. And, to make a long story short, using nothing but his rudimentary training regime (and a whole lot of heart) he beats down Ivan Drago and continues to be the Rocky we all know and love. What's the point of this, you may ask?

It's simply this: You don't need a gym or fancy machinery to become physically fit. You just need some heart, determination, and maybe a Rocky poster for your garage wall. (I'm kidding about that one. Mostly.) Odds are you have enough stuff kicking around the house to get a good workout. Have you ever felt the weight of a 5 gallon bucket filled to the top with water? Start looking around. Odds are there are quite a few things kicking around that would be great for strength training. Heck, instead of watching the TV, move it back and forth between rooms a few times. I guarantee you that'll get your blood flowing. (You may raise the blood pressure of your significant other substantially, though.)

Drop and give me 100!
You don't even need buckets of water or other heavy objects to get a good workout. You could, for example, drop and give me 100! Yes, 100 pushups. Can't do it? (I can't, either.) Then you best get started! Visit hundredpushups.com to begin an awesome thrice-weekly workout regime. I guarantee you it'll increase your strength and give you a surprisingly good cardio workout.

Burpees: The Other Lean Meat
Heard of Mike Rowe? Well, he was asked once how he stays in shape while on the road eating junk food and fast food at every turn. If you know who Mike is, you've probably noticed that the guy is in pretty good shape. How does he do it? BURPEES! I've tried these, and I can tell you they give you quite a good workout. You will not be disappointed. Odds are you can't even finish a full set of 10,9,8...1. It's tough stuff. And it works every major muscle group. You'll know you got a good workout.

Hopefully this will give you some ideas. I'll probably revisit and add things to the Physical grouping of the Wellness Series, but this should be enough to get you thinking and get you started, if you need it. I know I do.

First scents!

Well, I just completed making my first scented soap and pre/post shave oil. I'm pretty pleased with the results! The scents are awesome and just what I was looking for. One was lavender/peppermint/rosemary and the other lime/peppermint. I did one bar of each, using the unscented soap from classicshaving.com. I'm pleased with how well their soap melts down and allows the oil to mix. Couldn't be happier. I'll have to fuss a little with the oil ratios in the future to get it "just right" but for now they're great and I'm thoroughly excited to try shaving with the new soaps.

My next trick will be a bit more... tricky... as it requires 100 proof vodka. I have no clue where to get that. I intend to make my own cologne! That'll be a bit trickier, but should be a lot of fun.

Once I've tried that I intend to actually make my own soaps out of the bare ingredients, then scent them to my specifications. If all goes well, I'll have my own from-the-ground-up soap and cologne! Should be fun.

The oils are a bit expensive to start up with, but when you're only adding, say, 7 drops to a bar of soap, 1oz of each should last quite a while.

Be the first to get in on the pre-order list! haha Just kidding.

Nancy Boy Cooling After-Shave Gel

Here's the linkie: http://www.nancyboy.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_15&products_id=4

This stuff is fan-freaking-tastic! They threw in a sample bottle of the stuff when I got my shaving cream from them. Today, after I finished my shave I initially put some Ogallala Bay Rum & Sandalwood on. But, I didn't like the rather tight feeling it left my face with. So, I opted to get something a bit more moisturizing.

I remembered being pretty happy with the results of the first time I tried it a few days ago, so said "what the heck!" and threw some on over the Bay Rum. I'm totally happy with the results. The scent is just absolutely phenomenal. I won't say too much about it because I'll start gushing. Suffice it to say that I *really* like it. And my face feels cool without a hint of tightness. The scent did push out the smell of the Sandalwood, but it was worth it for how it feels. Granted, upon leaving the house I'd probably still opt for the Bay Rum since it lasts a good bit longer than the Nancy Boy stuff.

Regardless, they are both just bang-up products. I wring my hands with eager anticipation until the next time I get to use either. I just wish Nancy Boy would produce a cologne with their signature scent. If I could get this aftershave to last the day, it would be soooo awesome. Blennheim Bouquet got nothing on it! ;)

WOW! 1917 Gillette Aristocrat

So, Kara and I went to Planted Earth so she could buy a couple flowers. What I didn't know was that PE is an antiques store. What I *also* didn't know is that hidden in a display case was a 1917 Gillette Aristocrat razor. I had a feeling when I was hunting around that there was something nice, somewhere.

The razor was in its original case. The case wasn't much to look at, but it's original. The razor was extremely tarnished, as well. (The 1917 Aristocrats are triple-plated silver.) I mean bad. I thought it was pitted, too. Still, I couldn't help but take it home with me. I know that Aristocrats are highly coveted in the classic shaving realm. So, it was worth the risk to see what kind of shape it was really in.

Which... was... AWESOME! I gave it a good bath to get rid of the tarnish and can NOT believe the condition of this razor. It's 93 years old, but looks like it's been used for a year, maybe. Apart from micro scratches that are pretty much a fact of life with silver that is used to constantly slide over something (like stubbly skin) it's just in great shape. No bends, nicks, etc. Apart from the slightly used (but not worn) finish, it's phenomenal. I just can't get over how nice it is.

Some poking around on the forums confirms that this is an extremely rare find. I've already gotten a letter of interest from a collector, but I really don't know what it's worth yet. They are hard enough to find pictures of, so I don't imagine that asking for at least $100 is even remotely unheard of. Time will tell. Of course I'll have to shave with it at least once. ;)

Oh my lather...

So, in the classic shaving world there's this thing called "superlather" that's basically what it sounds like. More lather than you can normally drum up with just a cream. It's done using both shaving soap *and* shaving cream. The soap is applied to the brush first, normally higher up on the bristles and closer to the knot, then you put your normal cream allotment into the mug and make lather as normal.

I tried this yesterday with a Palmolive shave stick soap and my new Nancy Boy Signature scent shaving cream. The results? Wow! I'm amazed at how much good lather I got going that route. It was phenomenal. Slick, protective... just a great shave. I have to also say that I'm thrilled with how much I like the Nancy Boy cream. I'm actually going to try my hand at making a couple cakes of shaving soap that are similar to the Nancy Boy formulation for their cream. (In terms of scent.) I've got a couple unscented cakes enroute from Classic Shaving and purchased the proper essential oils separately. I'm so excited to try it. If Palmolive/Nancy Boy yielded such great results, it only stands to reason that a soap scented similarly to Nancy Boy will be even better.

Obviously, I'll let you know how it goes. ;)

BTW, the Palmolive shave sticks are great. They have a... well, more soapy smell than the more expensive creams, but it's a nice, pleasant scent. They lather quite well, and generally do a good job. These are my first shave sticks, and I quite like them. One of the perks is that they seem like they'll last a while - which is great. They're also pretty cheap if you can find a good way to get them in bulk or shipped cheaply. If you're in Europe you can find them for around $1, which is phenomenal. Unfortunately, you do pay for the privilege of having them here. The cheapest I found them was on superlather.com at 2 for $7. Not bad. But they charge more for shipping/handling there than the actual costs of the sticks which kinda sucks. Props to ma/pop businesses though, so I tip my hat to them. If you can find them cheaper elsewhere, let me know.

P.S. - Grr. I found that you can get 3 sticks shipped from the UK for just over $16 which is certainly a better deal per-stick. Buying these in bulk from the UK would definitely drive the costs down. Maybe a bulk buy? Anyone?

Oh my leather...

I want one of these something fierce. I wonder how long I'd have to haul around a normal messenger bag before i could justify it? Probably way too long...

In search of well-being.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about ways to improve my life lately. And, I don't just mean... well, I don't know what I don't mean. What I do mean is thinking a lot about things that could stand some improvement. Things I could focus on. Things that would help me become more of who I'd like to be.

I've always had aspirations. And I know I go through my cycles where I will make a flash-in-the-pan effort to improve something or try something differently. I thought it would be good to sit down and break down the major areas (that I see) that can always be improved upon.

They are: mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, environmental, financial. One could almost combine mental and emotional, but I think it's one thing to keep a sharp mind and another to be happy. I think that these are major components in achieving an overall sense of well-being. And I think that they're something that most people (myself especially) can improve on. I don't mean that strictly as a "I need to do this" thing, either. I mean it is within most people's means to improve in those areas, regardless of their current station in life.

Time-permitting, I'd like to hit on each of those ideals over the coming days. I'm mostly doing this to allow a little introspection into my own life. Hopefully as I discover ways to improve my own well-being, you'll find something that will bolster yours, as well. Won't you join me on my journey?

Couple o' recipes...

Kara and I really like these, and since I'm tired of having printed pages kicking around, I figured I'd just put the links up here to refer to later. I *suppose* I could just create recipe cards for them, but please... I AM a bachelor, after all.

Pizza Pasta Salad - Surprisingly good! A great alternative to the "normal" salad. Works great as a main course. We've had this a few times.

Heath Bar Cake - OMGWTFLOLBBQ So good.

Molten Chocolate Cakes - Also delicious. Can you tell we like desserts?

Ogallala Bay Rum Sampler

Got my sampler yesterday. I was super excited! Didn't quite play out the way I planned, though. As you know from my previous post, I love the Bay Rum & Sandalwood. I was quite stoked to get 2 more ounces in their sampler of my fav. But what about the others?

Well, it's like this. It turns out that Bay Rum is predominantly two scents: clove and cinnamon. Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of either of those spices. For me, clove is just too powerful. It's hard to smell anything beyond that. Which is probably why cinnamon is added. If anything can get around the smell of clove, it's putting in a little cinnamon as well. It makes for a very unique scent, but it's one that I'm not really a fan of. One of these days I'll go ahead and try a full splash of the Bay Rum on my face, but odds are that it'll end up sitting at the back of the bottle "pile" until I find a new home for them.

The other scent they offer is Bay Rum, Lime, and Peppercorn. This one is pretty nice. It's not the killer for me that the Sandalwood is, but it's still pretty good. A much lighter scent. The lime gives it a nice, light top end, while the peppercorn is subdued enough to not be overpowering. Interestingly I just don't notice the clove/cinnamon in either the lime/peppercorn or sandalwood variants. The lime & peppercorn may definitely be one you consider trying out if the clove/cinnamon doesn't sound like it'll be your thing, either. But, who knows? I may decide the pure Bay Rum is pretty nice after all. I was a tad bit torn on the sandalwood at first, and now it'll have a permanent home in my cabinet. So, I may change my tune about the Bay Rum at some point.

The good folks at Ogallala also threw in a sample bar of their Bay Rum Body Soap & Shampoo bar as well as a 2oz bottle of their Bay Rum air freshener. They are definitely catered towards customer service and getting/keeping new customers. I'm heartily happy with them as a company. If you haven't checked them out already, go do so now.

Scents rule!

I've simply fallen in love with Ogallala Bay Rum & Sandalwood Aftershave. It's part of what I look forward to when I wake up in the morning. It's got a classic, well blended fragrance. The best part is that it last for a good amount of time but isn't overpowering. I've ordered their sampler, which includes 5 samples of all their fragrances, plus a couple variances. I'm looking forward to receiving it and will post my thoughts here.

I think you can find a 2 oz sample bottle of any of their scents at their website for about $2. It's certainly worth picking one up, if you're interested. It definitely will appeal to some, and others won't be satisfied unless their wearing the latest named-after-the-latest-celebrity cologne. I hear the new M. Tyson aftershave comes with a free ear. Excellent!

Nostalgia!

I enjoyed this article about nostalgia. I think the author keeps a good, level ground when discussing it and its virtues. Here is an excerpt I liked:

"… Each generation should take what was best from the generation before it and add it as a brick in the foundation of the culture, discarding the dross and ever stacking together the lessons we’ve learned, the things that have really worked best. This way the culture becomes stronger and stronger over time."

Shave o' the day.

Good shaving, today. Switched from the Astra to a Gillette 7 o'clock. (Thanks to the sampler pack ordered from BullGoose Shaving.) Did 3 passes. No nicks and only the tiniest bit of razor burn. I even got my neck really close with no (current) discernible irritation. And for me that's fantastic. I'm not sure where the Gillette's fall in terms of aggressiveness, but it'll be interesting to see how they play out for the next coming week. I may switch to the ultra-aggressive Feathers next week, but we'll see.

Is the end near?

I haven't felt this unsure of if I was going to have a job in a month for a long time. It's very unsettling. It's scary to think of what it would mean. Fortunately, there are php jobs out there in the area, but I bet it's fairly competitive. I just don't know how I'd make end meet. I've painted myself into a lovely corner and don't know how to get out. I just hope the job holds up.

FIRST SHAVE!

Well, I just completed my first shave the "old fashioned" way. It was... interesting! There's definitely a lot more that goes into it than just slapping on Gillette Foamy and grabbing your Mach 5. Here's the details:

Equipment:
Edwin Jagger DE86 razor
Astra Superior Platinum blade
Edwin Jagger Black Badger brush
TOBS Avocado Shave Cream
Thayers Witch Hazel w/Aloe
Burt's Bees Aftershave
Ogallala Bay Rum & Sandalwood Aftershave

I will say that I'm proud of myself! haha Sort of... I didn't nick myself once, which is probably pretty good for a first-timer. I can feel a couple hot spots indicating that I did cut a bit too close a couple times. My neck is still pretty bristly - but no more than using a Mach 5 or similar.

I used *way* too much shave cream. Built up a ton of lather - far more than I needed. Still, better too much than too little. Still, I'll have to throttle back and be more careful next time I'm getting it on the brush. Perhaps I should go to measuring it (almond size dab) until I'm more familiar with how much goes how far.

Following the shave, I used a cold, wet towel to "close the pores" then applied the witch hazel. After letting it dry for a few moments, I slathered myself nicely with the Burt's Bees, followed by a splash of the Ogallala Bay Rum. I would have to agree that it's more invigorating than my standard shave, and I suppose I do feel slightly pampered. But, I'm not one of the "OH MY GOSH" converts yet. Still, the results were as good as any that I got with the standard stuff, and in the long run it'll be cheaper, so count me in. Hopefully as time goes by it'll get better and I'll enjoy it more as I get more comfortable with the procedure. Still... Success!

New Toiletries

Paid a visit to Good Earth today and procured some more voodoo items to help with my razor burn and general face discomfort. Snagged a bottle of Thayers Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel w/ Aloe Vera and some Burt's Bees Aftershave.

I'm thrilled about the Burt's Bees. I didn't know they made such a thing. Traditionally, I love the Burt's Bees products. They are starting to churn out so many items, though, that I worry about their quality. I hope they aren't "selling out."

I can see my house from here!

So, I got two free Tempurpedic Symphony pillows with the purchase of the mattress. Does anybody actually use these things? The material is great, but they're what, a foot thick?! Using one feels like I'm propping my head up on a couch. They're great for watching TV, but I have yet to use one for sleep for more than about 5 minutes. I seriously wonder how anybody could sleep on one of these through the night. I suppose if you like your chin touching your chest or your ear touching your shoulder, etc. I'm quite sure that if you tried to sleep on your stomach on one, you'd spend the entire next day staring at your own butt. Eesh.

Bamboo Luxury

The new Tempurpedic demanded new sheets. I didn't really have to think long about what I wanted for it. In fact, maybe I bought the new bed just so I could justify new sheets. Nah. ;) I picked up some 300TC bamboo sheets at a kiosk in the mall. Went there because I knew they were cheap. ($69 for Queen.) Unfortunately they only had baby blue and white... and I don't do white sheets.

They are, in a word, divine! I've had some 700TC cotton sheets on the bed for the past few months, and the bamboo sheets are just so much softer and nice. They definitely lend themselves nicely to the "Cloud" experience. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for some superbly soft sheets. The big question is "how well will they hold up over time?" Only time will tell.

bullgooseshaving.net

Just wanted to throw out a pitch for bullgooseshaving.net. The owner, Phil, has some of the best customer service I've experienced. Not only did he personally respond to my order, his shipping was super fast and he even threw in a sample of Ogalla Bay Rum Aftershave. (Worth checking out, BTW.) Really fantastic customer service. You don't see that a lot these days.

Tempurpedic Tempur-Cloud

Well, after tiring of suffering through back pain with my old, wanna be memory foam mattress, I broke down (broke is the key word here, folks) and got a Tempurpedic bed. The bed of my dreams. How do I like it?

Well, let's just say that I hope it gets better before the 30 day trial period is up. The first few nights have been rather torturous. I am hoping it's just my body adapting to more proper support. The Tempur-Cloud differs from the Classic Tempurpedic mattresses in that it has a lighter weight memory foam for the top layer, thus making it softer, but supposedly having the same support.

I've slept on the Classic in the past and loved it. I'm hoping the new Cloud isn't TOO soft because I'd not like to go through the process of returning it. Better that than being uncomfortable, though.

Domestication pt. 1

Whilst searching for a way to make shaving more popular, I discovered this.

Well, more appropriately I discovered a forum that linked to that stating that since switching to double-edged safety razors, they had had much better skin with less irritation. I figured it was worth a shot.

Unfortunately, startup costs are a little high! Fortunately, the big costs are a one-time thing. Here's the layout...

Edwin Jagger DE Safety Razor
Taylor Old Bond Street Avocado Shaving Cream
Razor Sampler
Edwin Jagger Black Badger Brush

My hopes are high. I will post results when I have tried out the new system.