2022 DFR (Damn Fine Restraint)

Yep, I failed for sure. That being said if I were to add the money SPENT in January versus the Money I recouped from sales, I'm actually ahead of the game. So while technically I failed in not purchasing anything, I'm at a positive cash flow from my failure  Come to think of it there used to be a restraint that allowed for the method I have been doing but I can't remember what it was called back in the B&B days.........What's sad is the RARE 1901 razor that knocked me out was broken and returned for a refund...........

Dave showing reasoning skills honed during his stint in Law School.

I am putting out here now, so as not to get in trouble in February! I will be purchasing a tub of unscented soap from Austin AASHAVING. If it was in stock, I'd be buying it today. Instead, I am getting a really fresh puck (like coffee beans?!) when Austin has one. My goal is no purchases in February. In my convoluted thinking, I believe I will be okay as stated above!

And remember, there’s always March

I am putting out here now, so as not to get in trouble in February! I will be purchasing a tub of unscented soap from Austin AASHAVING. If it was in stock, I'd be buying it today. Instead, I am getting a really fresh puck (like coffee beans?!) when Austin has one. My goal is no purchases in February. In my convoluted thinking, I believe I will be okay as stated above!

And remember, there’s always March

Poor Eric, failing Feb BEFORE February

Ah, shucks. Yous guys kicking me out? Oh well, I will play along as well as I can. What if I prepay AASHAVING Austin?! Yeah, that's the ticket! What do you say?

I am putting out here now, so as not to get in trouble in February! I will be purchasing a tub of unscented soap from Austin AASHAVING. If it was in stock, I'd be buying it today. Instead, I am getting a really fresh puck (like coffee beans?!) when Austin has one. My goal is no purchases in February. In my convoluted thinking, I believe I will be okay as stated above!

And remember, there’s always March

And remember, there’s always March

Poor Eric, failing Feb BEFORE February 

Ah, shucks. Yous guys kicking me out? Oh well, I will play along as well as I can. What if I prepay AASHAVING Austin?! Yeah, that's the ticket! What do you say?

Teasing you Eric. You're within your rights to have an exception

Thanks, Dave, I took it as teasing! That's the way restraint is played, right?!

Since we're still in January, and I already failed my January sabbatical, I figured I'd pick up a brush while I was at it.

Eric and Dave have both posted about their Jayaruh brushes over the past few days. I finally gave in and went looking.

Of course, as is always the case, it ended in a purchase. lol. Below, is my new 25mm Synth adopted and enroute from Jayaruh. The one I got happens to be apart of his January sale so it was very very reasonably priced.

I had the chance to email back and forth with him today, too. Jim seems to be a really nice guy. He's done some really nice brushes, all posted on his site. Looking at the prices, he can't possibly do this for the money. I believe he just loves woodworking and shaving, and this is the natural intersection. Lol.

Anyway, I'm very excited for the arrival of this guy. I've already began to clear a spot for it. Happy Friday folks!

I'm still in the running - anybody else?  I'm tempted because I want to get the B&M Taiga in omnibus from top of the chain.  Its supposed to be stocked until end of February so I reckon I'll wait until February and buy it.  If it sells out before that then it wasn't meant to be.  Out of my hands.

I'm clean as a whistle so far.  For retrospective purposes, I've been keeping a "Temptation Log".  I personally found it worthwhile and somewhat humorous to look back on it - even now, with only very little water under the bridge.  So with three days left, and at the risk of jinxing myself ...

• 01-13  Vintage Excellent Puma 90 High Class Straight Razor.  I need another straight razor like a hole in the head, and this isn't even the best deal or the most pristine or rarest example.  I knew at the time this was a monumentally irrational urge, but it was real, and it was strong.  So far, the urge has abated.  Validly or otherwise, I look back on it as some sort of powerful illusion.  Perhaps some day I will understand it better.
  
• 01-14  FIRST LINE SHAVE Illustrious Oud.  Like many of us, I don't "need" another soap, let alone a set, but the labels on this are vibrant, and it was recommended by a friend whose tastes often match my own.  My feeling after two weeks:  It would be nice, but I can live without it for the foreseeable future, and very possibly long enough for it to go out of stock.  
  
• 01-15  Gothic Divide.  This is one of Stubble Daddy's beautiful handles.  As expected, it sold in about the time it takes to melt an ice cube in a blast furnace.  C'est la vie.
  
• 01-18  RayClem's heads-up that the Grooming Dept Mallard soaps were "soon" to hit the stockists.  As with Gothic Divide, these jars grew wings and flew off the shelves.  I had my eye on the Kulfi and Coconut Rum.  I've heard a report that some jars of some flavor(s) are still for sale, but it remains to see what, if anything, survives until 1 FEB.  I'm not holding my breath for Kulfi and Coconut Rum.
  
• 01-20  Macduffs_Soap_Co announces release of Winter Cabin on 01/27.  My initial reaction:  "You couldn't wait a few more days, could you?" Ah, but on 01/26  MacDuff reports that their USA shipments are being held for inspection by the FDA, so the US stockist release must be pushed back.  This is bad news for MacDuff, but it is music to my ears.  Autumn Cabin and Birch+Root rock the house for me, so I still want Winter Cabin, and I will pick up a jar in February if I can.
  

So that's it for now.  It will be interesting for me to revisit this in maybe 6 months or a year.  If some of the abated urges sneak back over onto the "buy" side of the ledger, that will be good information for me to take stock of, but it will not detract from the value this restraint has already had for me.  Other than that, there are times and places for everything, and the times that are right to do a restraint are different for each of us.  This just happened to be a right time for me. 

I'm still in the running - anybody else?  I'm tempted because I want to get the B&M Taiga in omnibus from top of the chain.  Its supposed to be stocked until end of February so I reckon I'll wait until February and buy it.  If it sells out before that then it wasn't meant to be.  Out of my hands.

I'm clean as a whistle so far.  For retrospective purposes, I've been keeping a "Temptation Log".  I personally found it worthwhile and somewhat humorous to look back on it - even now, with only very little water under the bridge.  So with three days left, and at the risk of jinxing myself ...

• 01-13  Vintage Excellent Puma 90 High Class Straight Razor.  I need another straight razor like a hole in the head, and this isn't even the best deal or the most pristine or rarest example.  I knew at the time this was a monumentally irrational urge, but it was real, and it was strong.  So far, the urge has abated.  Validly or otherwise, I look back on it as some sort of powerful illusion.  Perhaps some day I will understand it better.
  
• 01-14  FIRST LINE SHAVE Illustrious Oud.  Like many of us, I don't "need" another soap, let alone a set, but the labels on this are vibrant, and it was recommended by a friend whose tastes often match my own.  My feeling after two weeks:  It would be nice, but I can live without it for the foreseeable future, and very possibly long enough for it to go out of stock.  
  
• 01-15  Gothic Divide.  This is one of Stubble Daddy's beautiful handles.  As expected, it sold in about the time it takes to melt an ice cube in a blast furnace.  C'est la vie.
  
• 01-18  RayClem's heads-up that the Grooming Dept Mallard soaps were "soon" to hit the stockists.  As with Gothic Divide, these jars grew wings and flew off the shelves.  I had my eye on the Kulfi and Coconut Rum.  I've heard a report that some jars of some flavor(s) are still for sale, but it remains to see what, if anything, survives until 1 FEB.  I'm not holding my breath for Kulfi and Coconut Rum.
  
• 01-20  Macduffs_Soap_Co announces release of Winter Cabin on 01/27.  My initial reaction:  "You couldn't wait a few more days, could you?" Ah, but on 01/26  MacDuff reports that their USA shipments are being held for inspection by the FDA, so the US stockist release must be pushed back.  This is bad news for MacDuff, but it is music to my ears.  Autumn Cabin and Birch+Root rock the house for me, so I still want Winter Cabin, and I will pick up a jar in February if I can.
  

So that's it for now.  It will be interesting for me to revisit this in maybe 6 months or a year.  If some of the abated urges sneak back over onto the "buy" side of the ledger, that will be good information for me to take stock of, but it will not detract from the value this restraint has already had for me.  Other than that, there are times and places for everything, and the times that are right to do a restraint are different for each of us.  This just happened to be a right time for me. 

Great helpful thoughts Mike and thanks for sharing it with us.

I agree with Dave.
HighSpeed  that's a way to do it, a temptation log, nice thoughts Mike.

Great idea Mike! Entertaining read, too.

I'm also looking forward to trying the winter cabin. It's as if the fates knew you were still in a Sabatical and gave you a break.

I did *not* preorder a Blackland Era. I was fascinated by the novel "3D printing" manufacturing concept when I learned about it. Maintained an interest over the next few months. Enjoyed the ribbing of Shane for all of the delays and his good natured replies. My interest waned to a healthy (for my budget) sober realization that I have more than enough, and the Era will not offer anything different from what is in my stable.