Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Really into razors lately - and coupon code

I just bought my son's first razor. He's 13...wow.

You can see my previous review on why I like the razors I like.

My conversation went something like this:

Me: Do you need a razor? Are you shaving?

Son: (laying face down on his be now) Dad, you can leave.

Me: Well, do you want me to get you a razor?

Son: ...(long pause) Yes.

Me: OK, I will then.

Son: (no response)


Here's the set I got him. You can't beat the deal, for just today and tomorrow it's 50% off.
Pace 6 Plus Combo Set For Men

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Search for the best balance of men's razor performance vs. price

My shaving gear.
I remember getting my 8th grade school photos and seeing a slight mustache above my lip. I didn't like it and realized it was time for me to start shaving.

The very first shaver I used was some old Nerelco with three shave heads.

I didn't like it. Too many shaving burns on my face.

I may have tried a few others but eventually I arrived at the Mach 3 in about 1998. I fell in love with it.

In fact, I didn't use any other razor for about 15 years. But the dollar shave club video changed that. When I looked at the price difference, I thought why the heck not try these cheaper blades. Maybe they'll be just as good.

They weren't. And I didn't even try the Dollar Shave Club Blades. I found out that their blades are supplied by Dorco, which ended up being an even less expensive way to go.

So I ordered a sample pack of 5 blade razor blades to try out. They were OK. Seemed a little cheaper, but OK.

But now I was on a search for a better blade. I tried some of Gillette's Mach 5 blades and realized they really were better than Mach 3.

I also tried some of Shick Hydro 5 blades. Very nice.

Then, similar to the Dollar Shave Club, I heard about the relatively new blades from a German-based company called Harry's. So I ordered some of these to try out. Really nice handle...

I now had a whole selection to compare and realized one very important thing. This is no perfect razor blade at the perfect price.

The trouble is that each blade makes trade offs.

Note: I bought and tested all of these blades on my own, though some of of the links below are affiliate links.

Schick Hydro 5 Blades - Best but most expensive

The closest and smoothest shave ended up being provided by the Schick Hydro blades. They also have the best on-face feel of any of the blades. I'm not exactly sure how to describe it, but the blade moves across your face the best of any of the blades.

The downside of the Schick Hydro blades is that they are by far the most expensive. So if money is not an issue for you, go with the Hydro blades.

Harry's Blades - Awesome handle but blades cut me up

I really, really wanted to like Harry's Blades. The handle is amazing, as I mentioned above. It has a really premium feel. Whereas the rest of these handles feel cheap and have rubber on them, Harry's is metal with a great weight and feel. The blades are also a very good price.
The problem I had is that the blade cut my face up worse than any other blade I've ever used. Like worse than a cheap disposable blade. I'm not sure what the deal is, but they just didn't work for me. I even emailed customer service and they told me to try different angles. Just didn't work.
If you feel like you want to try them, Harry's currently has a free trial.

Mach 5 - Still a Great Blade

I still have a few trusty Mach 3 blades that I may use at some point, but Mach 5s are worth the slight price increase. The trouble is that the Mach 5s are not that much better than the winner of the group. Sorry, Gillette. It was a good run for 15 years but time to move on.

Dorco Pace 7 - The Winner

I know it's hilarious that this thing has 7 blades, but they
My favorite - Dorco Pace 7
work well. The greatest thing about these blades that put them over the top is that I rarely cut my face. These things leave less nicks than any other blades I've ever used. The shave is not quite as close the the Schick Hydro, but definitely adequate. Dorco also runs specials and I've gotten many blades far cheaper than any others. These two factors combined, price and less cuts, make the Dorco Pace 7 blades the winner.
The honeycomb bar feels very nice and the handle is pretty decent. These blades are definitely worth checking out and what I use every day now.

If you are interested in checking these out, Dorco also lets me give a coupon to my friends. Check it out.
My razor in its case


Saturday, February 28, 2015

Buying a Beginning Guitar for Your Child

There are a few things to think about when you're buying a guitar for your child. I've taught guitar for over 12 years and seen some children be much more successful than others at playing the guitar.

I like to make sure younger beginners have a smaller guitar. How old is your daughter or son?

You also have to consider whether you want an electric or acoustic guitar. I recommend to buy whatever you think will most motivate your son or daughter to play.

I'm sure there are many decent options out there, but the ones I have had success with in the past are Gibson Maestro guitars.

The acoustic comes in 41" and 38" and I would recommend the smaller black 38" acoustic guitar or the natural finish.


There is also an electric guitar in either white or black.

Of course, these are fairly inexpensive options. You will be able to buy a better guitar at higher prices. But that may better in the future.



It can be nice to get a fold-up music stand, too, so she or he has a space to put her music when she practices.



Once you have a guitar, the key is set-up guitar lessons so your son or daughter can learn a structured way to practice. Paying for the lessons will help both you and your child to keep a regular schedule. It is well worth the time and effort.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Roman eBooks - Loose Tooth eBook, Happiness eBook

I recently started posting funny ideas for getting a loose tooth out that my sons and I came up with a few years ago. You can see some of those posts here.
I also published an ebook about 101 Ways You Can Find Happiness. Those posts are available at the same site: romanebooks.com.
Enjoy!

Friday, November 9, 2012

Ways to Find Happiness

Ways to Find Happiness Picture It is hard not to be searching for ways to find happiness in our life. With as busy as our lives are, it is easy to overlook everything we do have to be happy for.

As a way to meditate on all of the things that make me happy, I wrote a book to outline the many ways I do find happiness in my every day life. You will find topics on :



  • A happy attitude
  • Happiness in the home
  • Generosity in your life
  • Celebrating life
  • Care for your body
  • Connecting with family, friends and community
  • Simplifying your life
  • Taking time to be happy
  • Being productive
  • Being physically active
  • Showing gratitude
  • Reflecting
  • Nurturing your spirit
  • Learning from spiritual masters
  • Connecting with nature
  • Soothing your soul with music
  • Healthy food, healthy mind and body
  • Learning for life
  • Your loved one
This book can be read straight through, or you can use just one of the suggestions each day or week to meditate on and help improve your happiness level. 

I do hope you find happiness in your life.

Read more on my main ebook site.


Ways to Find Happiness

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Light Brix

These light brix toys are one of the kids toys my wife thinks will be a popular Christmas gift in 2012.

They are made by Toys 'R Us but are also available on Amazon.

You can view a whole range of other information here.

Here are all the topics you can check out:


Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Amazon Leverages Core Competency in Silk Browser Design

One of the most fascinating aspects of Amazon's Kindle Fire release today was its Silk browserGoogle Chrome has sold itself on its speed and Amazon is promising to take things a step further by harnessing the power of its servers.

This is a beautiful example of a company leveraging a core competency to try and revolutionize an already crowded space: the ubiquitous web browser.

While Amazon could have drawn on the many diverse browser offerings available, it chose to build its own browser and differentiate itself on speed. This can only benefit all of us web-browsers, as faster is always better in the case of loading web pages.

Silk reminds me most closely of Opera's mobile and mini browsers, which sell their ability to "Save money on data charges." Amazon does not mention saving money as a benefit and doesn't seem to depend on compression for any speed savings.

Instead, Amazon outlines the way "machine-learning" will improve the ability of Silk to predict what will be needed when, increasing the load speed of web pages. This predictive web page handling is intriguing and is based on algorithms Amazon uses to suggest items you might like when shopping. How many times have you been amazed at the quality of Amazon's suggestions? I know I have.

In fact, if Amazon begins suggesting what web page I might like to visit next, I won't have to think at all when I browse the web. It will be smooth as Silk.