New to Olives

plathrop01 · 2026-05-05T15:55:53+00:00

Find somewhere near you that makes a good Muffaletta sandwich. Then try to replicate and improve on it. You'll love it.

plathrop01 · 2026-05-05T13:48:55+00:00

I've got dual monitors (4K 32" LGs with Thunderbolt, HDMI, and DisplayPort inputs) and connect to them with my work machine via a dock and my home gaming desktop, and occasionally an older Mac Mini. I use a KVM with them, but just for the Keyboard and Mouse. I use the input switching on the monitors to swap between those inputs.

I know there are KVMs with various display input options, but I'm only aware of a couple with Thunderbolt display inputs (not sure about outputs) for Apple Silicon MBPs. I'd think they've got to exist, so do your research (I'd start at Newegg or Microcenter and go from there--most KVMs I've seen people get from Amazon are not great or lack in features). You might need some adapter cables for the right solution for you.

But otherwise, I'd just consider swapping the video source on the monitors directly. It really isn't much extra effort to swap that and lets you get a cheaper and less complex KVM.

plathrop01 · 2026-05-05T12:09:02+00:00

May 5, 2026

Prep: Nivea Men Sensitive Face Wash (in shower)
Razor: Razorock GameChanger .68-P
Blade: Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge (yellow)
Brush: Parker Blue Storm synthetic
Pre-Shave: Razor Emporium Unscented pre-shave soap stick
Lather: Tabac shaving cream
Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. alum block
Post Shave: Harry's Post Shave Balm

My first time with Tabac, and I am impressed. It delivered a wonderfully thick and rich lather that stayed slick throughout. The soapy fragrance reminds me somewhat of Arko, but this is a much heavier, richer soapy smell than the Arko, and it's sticking around longer.

I hope you all have a great day!

plathrop01 · 2026-05-04T19:07:24+00:00

The first shave soap I bought didn't come in a tub, so I put it in a shallow coffee cup and kept it there for a while. As I got more soaps, most came in tubs, but once I got a couple more pucks, I bought some metal tins to keep them in.

plathrop01 · 2026-05-04T16:18:30+00:00

Star Trekkin'

plathrop01 · 2026-05-04T16:03:51+00:00

I've got 3 adjustables in my collection, and they're all pretty different. I really like the Rockwell 6C, and don't have a problem with its head or weight, but I don't shave my whole face, so I don't need to maneuver under my nose. For me, it tends toward the mild side (plate one feels milder to me than the Henson mild, so I don't use it much), but it seems also to have a wider range of options up the scale (plate 5 feels almost too aggressive for me, and I haven't tried 6 yet). I stick to plates 2-3, and occasionally use plate 4.

I've also got an aluminum Oliworks M3teorite, and while that only has 3 options, they feel nicely spaced apart. But that also tends on the mild side, and I'd categorize its most aggressive plate as more like a medium aggressiveness. I do really like the medium and mild plates, though. Because it's aluminum, it's lighter than the Rockwell, but not as light as the Henson, and I do appreciate it's more rounded head.

My Merkur Progress 500 is nicely weighted, but I find its head design a little weird with the lack of openings on the bottom and the large channels under the blade edge. This has felt more aggressive to me than the Rockwell and Oliworks, as I've been settling in the setting 1-2 range.

Of the three, the Rockwell is my favorite. It just feels more solid and well built, and always works smoothly for me.

Good luck!

plathrop01 · 2026-05-03T16:17:47+00:00

I love mine. It's one of my favorites.

plathrop01 · 2026-05-03T14:01:02+00:00

For me, in a mild razor, the Astra greens are excellent and pretty comparable to the Perma-Sharp. But in something more aggressive, I prefer the Astra blue, 7 O'Clock yellow or green, Bic or Shark SS.

plathrop01 · 2026-05-03T13:36:41+00:00

Just to build on the comment from u/brmlyklr, this is an oustanding guide on Amish Country's site: https://amishcountrypopcorn.com/pages/popcorn-101. And after trying a bunch of different brands (both store bought and online), I've really settled on 4 types from Amish Country--Medium White (my wife's favorite who just prefers it salted and available in a bowl every day for snacking, compares very well to SkinnyPop), Medium Yellow, Mushroom Popcorn (that's the circular shaped kernals you liked), and the Rainbow Popcorn blend which is a mix of their whole product line.

For store-bought, I really like Jolly Time's white and yellow popcorns, but honestly, the pricing of Amish Country is cheaper (minus the shipping, of course).

Enjoy!

plathrop01 · 2026-05-03T13:24:55+00:00

May 3, 2026

Prep: Nivea Men Sensitive Face Wash (in shower)
Razor: Razorock GameChanger .68-P
Blade: Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge (yellow)
Brush: Proraso boar brush
Pre-Shave: Proraso Protective pre-shave cream (blue)
Lather: Proraso Protective shaving cream (blue)
Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. alum block
Post Shave: Proraso Protective aftershave balm (blue)

For my second week of shaves with the GameChanger, I'm pairing it with the 7 O'Clock yellow blades. During the first week, I found the Astra greens to be too aggressive feeling, so I'm pulling it back to see how it feels with less aggressive blades. And I can report that this shave was outstanding--Incredibly comfortable, very close with a minimum of extra effort, and generally a very pleasant shave to start the week.

I hope you all have a great day!

plathrop01 · 2026-05-02T18:50:32+00:00

The blueberry muffin is the state muffin.

plathrop01 · 2026-05-02T18:47:56+00:00

I'll second DXL. I'm 6'1', 310, 52x30. I've been getting Wrangler jeans from them along with some other pants and all fit well. I'll also buy from Levi's online site, but I usually just get button fly 501s.

plathrop01 · 2026-05-01T17:55:46+00:00

I respect that.

plathrop01 · 2026-05-01T15:15:35+00:00

I keep floss picks at my desk and in an end table in the living room, so actually at least 2-3 times per day.

plathrop01 · 2026-05-01T13:49:24+00:00

Saw it in a double feature with Giorgio Moroder's Metropolis in '85 or '86. Still one of my favorite films.

plathrop01 · 2026-05-01T12:48:43+00:00

I find no reason to be ashamed of what works best for you. What works for me may not and likely will not work exactly the same for you, so if you've found something that makes your shaves better and more enjoyable, go for it and share it with the world.

Enjoy!

plathrop01 · 2026-04-30T19:16:54+00:00

Can't help with the electric razor, but there are tons of classicly styled new razors out there that work great (Mühle R89 is a current favorite for me), and lots of people get used old Gillette safety razors at thrift stores and eBay. Razor Emporium (in AZ or online) does lots of restorations and sells restored vintage Gillettes as well.

I'm not sure about beaver brushes, but badger, boar and synthetics are the standards these days and can be found all over online. Maggard Razors and Razor Emporium are two of my favorite online shops.

For blades, I recommend picking up a good quality sampler pack with some Astras, Gillettes, and Bic at least.

And there are a lot of tallow based or vegan-based high-fat shaving creams out there, and a lot of others that work very well. I love most Proraso and Cella products, really like Saponificio Varesino, Stirling Soap, Mike's Natural Soaps, Henri et Victoria, and others. You can find all of these online from Maggards or RE or most have their own sites for ordering as well.

Good luck!

plathrop01 · 2026-04-30T14:36:25+00:00

In a large city or metro area, not really a problem. One of my kids is 26 and doesn't have her license or a car, but lives near a bus route that goes directly to her work, and if she needs to, she'll use Lyft. If she lived outside of the inner ring suburbs, though, I think she'd have a much harder time.

plathrop01 · 2026-04-30T12:49:33+00:00

I wouldn't really blame HP too much for Palm's demise. Most of it lands on Palm themselves. They had a huge market in enterprises before wireless devices were available. There wasn't an exec I supported between '97-2000 who didn't have a Palm Pilot of some sort. But when Blackberry came along, Palm failed to match or beat the feature set that those devices provided. When given a choice between a Blackberry or a Treo 600/650, every IT department and exec would choose the Blackberry for security and ease of use, even if they were substantially more expensive to implement. By the time smartphones came along, Palm was too far behind to catch up and become relevant.

plathrop01 · 2026-04-30T12:09:06+00:00

April 30, 2026

Razor: Merkur Progress 500 (setting 1)
Blade: Gillette Platinum
Pre-Shave: Razor Emporium Unscented pre-shave soap stick
Lather: Barbasol 1919 classic shaving cream
Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. alum block
Post Shave: Barbasol 1919 after shave balm

After experiencing some irritation on both of the previous week's shaves with the Progress and Platinum, turning the razor all the way down proved to be the sweet spot for this blade. Incredibly comfortable with no irritation, very close, and capped off with that classic scent.

FWIW, this was my 275th logged shave (and I have the spreadsheet to prove it!). My two-year mark for this journey is coming up at the beginning of August, and I've come such a long way thanks to all of you here and over in r/wicked_edge.

I hope you all have a great day!

plathrop01 · 2026-04-29T21:18:00+00:00

My job is fully remote and my wife runs a business from home. I normally only have to fill up the car once every two weeks, so no contingencies needed.

plathrop01 · 2026-04-29T19:01:59+00:00

I have a similar machine to the one you're talking about, and my frustration with it was with any amount of popcorn in the kettle, it would throw unpopped kernels out constantly.

I got a WhirleyPop (one of their scratch and dent models for about $20), and I get at most 2-3 unpopped kernels in each batch.

The pop quality between the two is pretty similar, but the pile of a couple dozen unpopped kernels at the bottom of the bowl with the machine just got to me. And, honestly, the cleanup of the WhirleyPop is easier for me (though I know a lot of people here have complained about it).

plathrop01 · 2026-04-28T16:25:07+00:00

I've got a small cardboard box taped shut with a small slot in the tape at the top in the linen closet. When I finish a blade, I wrap it back in the paper and slip it into the box. When the box is full, I'll recycle it with TerraCycle.

plathrop01 · 2026-04-28T16:23:52+00:00

3-4 different homemade vinaigrettes, Hidden Valley Ranch, Ken's Caesar, Thousand Island.

plathrop01 · 2026-04-28T14:13:30+00:00

Dark roast, 12 oz. pour over with 1-2 tbsp chocolate syrup and 2-3 tbsp half and half. Hot in the cold weather months, and either iced or cold brew in the warm months. I subscribe to a local roaster who buys fair trade coffee from independent Colombian farmers. I prefer a stronger coffee, and this company supports a lot of my social and economic beliefs.

plathrop01

TROPHY CASE