Simplest Things

Ever notice how the simplest, most taken-for-granted things which you never think about, sometimes seem to bubble to the surface?  It happened again this morning as I began to shave.  I noticed that to achieve a really close shave that lasted all day long was not really so much a factor of how many blades were in the disposable razor I was using but instead more a factor of concentrating on the correct amount of pressure to apply to my face.  Too little, and you have to cover the same area two or three times, too much and well, I don't really like the color red mixed with my shaving creme.

I'm sure that my father and grandfather, both of whom were way smarter than I am knew this simple thing.  A single blade, whether single edged and sharpened on a leather strop, or double edged which fit into this neat little gadget that looked like bomb bay doors opening and closing seemed to give them a comfortable close shave.  Nowadays you aren't hip if you don't use the new quadruple edged disposal or at a bare minimum the triple edged variety, complete with teflon strip to soothe and prepare the stubble for its daily whacking.

Burma shave was a great innovation for grandad and dad but it wouldn't do for me growing up.  As I get older, and start to finally let the simplest things float to the surface, I begin to realize that Burma shave, Noxzema Shaving creme, the latest fad, Men-U shaving lotion, are no better than a simple bar of soap.  Me I prefer the antibacterial liquid soap that comes out of a pump bottle.  Again, the simple thing is that it isn't even that, it's the correct amount of pressure.

I received one of those new quadruple blade razors in the mail as a free sample.  I'll probably use it, but I most likely won't rush out to buy a bunch of blades for the handy handle (no doubt the quadruple edge blade replacements are even more ridiculously over-priced from the triple edged ones I now use).  Maybe, I'll go back to double edge, or even that old bomb-bay door gadget which uses a single edged blade on both sides of the fuselage,...cause I know the simple thing, just the right amount of pressure....

So, what simple thing have you been missing in life?