Current Favorite Bottled Fountain Pen Inks

Three inks I find myself using almost daily:

• Lamy Blue-Black (iron-gall) for addressing envelopes, signing documents, prayer journal & book reading journal/quotes
  
• Lamy Blue for underlining, marginalia, jotting notes/to-do lists, sermon prep notes/ideas & book reading journal/quotes
  
• Sheaffer Skrip Black (Slovenia) for daily journal in Rhodia Webnotebook, addressing envelopes

Both the Lamy Blue-Black & Lamy Blue behave extremely well on even lesser-quality paper. The Blue-Black is very water-resistant and the Blue is very NOT water-water resistant. The Skrip Black is water resistant and works great on the smooth Rhodia Webnotebook journal paper flowing from a Montblanc 144 Classique with a custom-ground, fine, cursive italic nib.

Currentlly Reading

Current Fountain Pens & Inks in Rotation

Fountain Pens & Ink in Rotation

• Blue Lamy Safari (F) w/ Lamy Blue ink
• Charcoal Lamy Safar (EF) w/ Lamy Blue-Black ink (bottled/iron-gall)
• Matte Black Cross Century II (EF) w/ Sheaffer Skrip Black ink
• Matte Gray Cross Century Classic (EF) w/ Noodler's Lexington Gray ink
• Pilot 78G (B Stub Italic) w/ Private Reserve Dakota Red. I use this pen/ink combo to write letters to my lovely wife!
  

In addition, I've been thoroughly enjoying these journals & paper:

• Ampad Gold Fibre Planning Pad (graph on one side, lined on the other): Affordable, utilitarian, great for drafting sermon notes, outline thoughts, etc.
  
• Rhodia Webnotebook (large, lined, black cover): Takes fountain pen ink great. Using it for personal "daily" journal.
• Staples Eco-Friendly (bagasse) Composition Notebook: Using it for prayer journal. Very, very fountain pen ink-friendly.
  
• Moleskine Weekly Planner Journal (red, pocket): 2nd year in a row!
  
• Moleskine Cahiers (graph, pocket-size): Daily to-do lists, notes, etc.
  

Spiritually Significant Films

In his Nov. 11 blog post, "100 Spiritually Significant Films," Greg Wilbur aptly writes, "While one could argue about some of the particulars, this list of Spiritually Significant Films offers a guide for viewing and discussing a wide array of movies."

I have by no means viewed all of these films. Of those I have viewed, it's been so long since I watched some of them that I don't know if I'd recommend them or not. But, here are some of my favorites from the list:

• The Mission
• The Hiding Place
• Chariots of Fire (One of my all-time favorites!)
• To End All Wars (Highly recommended.)
• Shadowlands (Both: the one starring Anthony Hopkins & the other: C.S. Lewis: Through the Shadowlands starring Joss Ackland.)
  
• The Passion of the Christ

To this list I would add:

• Tom Brown's School Days
• The Kingdom of Heaven
• Amazing Grace
• Glory
  

Some Aftershave Favorites

For years I didn't mess with aftershave lotions. Vanity! But, I'm beginning to realize that we're to enjoy simple pleasures, within the loving boundaries God intended, provided we do not allow them to become obsessions that replace Him as Priority One. So, now I splash on some good smellin' stuff regularly. Here are a couple that you might enjoy yourself:

I cut this "barber-shop-smell" stuff 50/50 with witch hazel. Some swear by Thayer's or Dickson's but I buy the less expensive witch hazel brands from Dollar General here in the wee town of Owensville. I have to drive all the way to Princeton (12 miles) to get the Clubman from CVS or Walgreen's. But hey, if I time it just right, on the way I can stop by Kempf's Donut Bank for a coffee and glazed sour cream donut!
Now this here aftershave I had to drive a ways to the big city of Evansville (30 miles) because that's the closest Sally Beauty Supply. No big deal, though. I'm often in the big city making pastoral hospital visitations. (That's not to say that I don't ever stop at a Donut Bank while there, too!) In my opinion, the Master's Bay Rum aftershave has a clovey aroma, kind of Christmasy. However, my older daughter says it just smells nice and clean to her. Anyway, it's my favorite for right now and it's not expensive either. Plus, if you think you might have splashed on a bit too much of it, the fragrance dissipates rather quickly.

What I'm Reading

My Smoothest Double Edge Shave Thus Far

Well, in my quest to turn some every-day tasks into simple pleasures, I've been studying the art of the wet shave. To help educate myself, I've been spending some leisure time at the Badger & Blade forum.

To transition from twin blade disposables to old-fashioned double edge and single-edge safety razors, I started using the inexpensive Bic Sensitive single-edge disposables. I ordered some quality shave creams (Proraso and Musgo Real), picked up a puck of VDH shaving soap and pulled out from "storage" my old shaving mug (coffee mug) and boar hair shaving brush. I also bought some Aqua Velva Classic aftershave. Using a few pre-shave and post-shave techniques I learned on Badger & Blade, I experienced some of the closest and most enjoyable shaves in my shaving history.

I planned to order a Merkur Classic double edge razor in a few months. I still may but just last Saturday I stopped by an antique shop looking for a vintage Gillette double edge (DE) razor. $6.40 later, I walked out with a Gillette DE and three single edge (SE) razors--a 1912 Ever-Ready, Gem Micromatic, and a Gem with an ivory-colored handle!

Well, after three shaves with the Gillette, loaded with a Red Personna blade, I've experienced my closest DE shave to date. But, it took some tweaking. Here was my routine:

• Pre-Shave: Washed face with Grandpa's Wonder Pine Tar Soap; splashed with hot water; applied Proraso with brush after lathering in a bowl; held hot, wet wash cloth over lathered face for 30 seconds or so.
• Shave: First pass with the grain; rinsed with hot water; lathered; held hot, wet wash cloth over face again; second pass against the grain.
• Post-Shave: Rinsed with warm water; rinsed with cold water; patted dry; splashed with Swan Witch Hazel; let air while I cleaned up my shaving tools; applied Aqua Velva Classic aftershave.

This is the first time I've had virtually no razor burn on my neck!

Now, I'm looking forward to trying one of my single edge razors loaded with a Gem single edge blade!