Skip to content →

Jason Crane Posts

The "Futur" of shaving — day 1 with a safety razor

Published 21 January 2008 by Jason Crane

As I mentioned yesterday, I just purchased a Merkur “Futur” safety razor from ClassicShaving.com. Today was my first shave with my new razor. For the most part, it was wonderful.

I got a nice lather going with my cup and brush, and then picked up the Futur. Right from the start, you can tell this is an actual tool, not just a disposable piece of plastic. It’s solid metal, with just enough heft to make you feel like you’re doing something real, and very nice balance. It’s pretty, too.

As I started to draw the blade down my neck, I started to think I was doing it incorrectly — it felt like no blade was there at all. As it turned out, that’s what a sharp blade feels like. With the right angle and just enough pressure, the cut is so smooth that you can barely feel it, even when your ear tells you that stubble is being cut.

As a thirtysomething who grew up listening to big band music and who still collects Old Time Radio shows, this shaving experience was right up my alley. Not to mention that I’ve spent the week watching Frank Capra films on DVD each night while I’m here by myself in Albany with my family back in Rochester, so I already feel like I’m living in the 30s and 40s.

I made one mistake, which was to experiment with a different direction of cut on part of my neck. I think the combination of too much pressure and the wrong direction caused some irritation. Otherwise, the shave was great. With a little more practice, I hope to leave the days of plastic razors and ridiculously expensive cartridges behind forever.

2 Comments

JFK & Robert Frost

Published 20 January 2008 by Jason Crane

John F. Kennedy was inaugurated on this date in 1961. Robert Frost read a poem at the inauguration. He was planning to read a new piece called “Dedication,” but for one reason or another had trouble reading the printed poem. Instead, he recited “The Gift Outright” from memory. Here it is.

Frost

The Gift Outright

The land was ours before we were the land’s.
She was our land more than a hundred years
Before we were her people. She was ours
In Massachusetts, in Virginia,
But we were England’s, still colonials,
Possessing what we still were unpossessed by,
Possessed by what we now no more possessed.
Something we were withholding made us weak
Until we found out that it was ourselves
We were withholding from our land of living,
And forthwith found salvation in surrender.
Such as we were we gave ourselves outright
(The deed of gift was many deeds of war)
To the land vaguely realizing westward,
But still unstoried, artless, unenhanced,
Such as she was, such as she would become.

— Robert Frost

Leave a Comment

A new look at shaving

Published 20 January 2008 by Jason Crane

Several years ago, I tried shaving with a shaving mug and brush, plus some Burt’s Bees shaving soap. I used a Gillette Sensor razor, and just didn’t see that big a difference.

For Christmas, Jen bought me some Nutragena Men’s Triple Protect Face Lotion. I decided to take out the mug and brush again. This time, I bought some shaving soap from Herban Cowboy. Even with the modern-day razor, I’ve been enjoying the new feel and the more relaxed, mindful shaving experience.

Then I discovered A Guide To The Gourmet Shaving Experience at the Leisure Guy site. I took his advice and bought a safety razor from ClassicShaving.com. The model I bought — a Merkur “Futur” from Germany — arrived today. I’m going to take my first-ever whack at shaving with a safety razor in the morning. I’m excited, which is a crazy thing to say about shaving.

Merkur Futur

One Comment

Senator Franken

Published 17 January 2008 by Jason Crane

As you probably know, Al Franken is running for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota. Here are two reasons to support Al:

  1. He’s a good guy.
  2. The incumbent, Norm Coleman, is not.

Al just launched two TV ads:

If you’d like to throw some cash his way, as I did, visit his site.

Leave a Comment

Hotels in the family

Published 13 January 2008 by Jason Crane

As I may have mentioned, I work for UNITE HERE, the hotel workers union. I’ve worked for the union for several years, a fact which is not unknown to my extended family.

Today, I was visiting my grandmother in her nursing home. My mom was there, too. My grandmother had an old photo on the bed with her, and I asked her what it was. Turned out to be a photo of my grandmother with the staff of the — wait for it — hotel at which she worked.

That’s right. My own grandmother worked at the Wendell Hotel in Pittsfield, Mass. She was a switchboard operator for about five years in the late 40s and early 50s. And no one ever mentioned it to me. Oy!

Here’s a picture of my grandmother with the Wendell gang. She’s in the front row, fifth from the right. This photo was taken at a company picnic somewhere in the Berkshires. (Click for a larger version.)

Wendell Hotel

And here’s the Wendell in about 1912:

Wendell 2

I did some preliminary research on the hotel, and came up with these:

I also discovered this paper (PDF) by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, which has the following note:

March 1926: Pittsfield on the air for the first time in its history when AIEE [American Institute of Electrical Engineers] broadcasts the very first words, “We are broadcasting tonight From the Wendell Hotel, in Pittsfield Mass. at the AIEE’s annual banquet”.

The following is from the book Pathfinder to Greylock Mountain, the Berkshire Hills and Historic Bennington by William Hamilton Phillips, published in 1910:

Crossing the line into Pittsfield on the Berkshire trolley road the first objects of interest are Arrowhead, the house of Herman Mellville, the author, and once the site of an Indian village; the former summer residence of Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, whose ancestor, Jonathan Wendell, was an early settler of the town and from whom the Wendell Hotel in Pittsfield was named.

The Wendell is mentioned again in The Practical Hotel Steward by John Tellman, published in 1913.

If you’re interested in learning more about my union, you can visit UNITE HERE’s Web site.

One Comment

POEM: Fatherhood

Published 2 January 2008 by Jason Crane

Jen and the boys and I are in Saratoga Springs after a week in Lake Placid. While we were on vacation, I scribbled this poem about being a dad.

Fatherhood

Guardian of sleep
Protector of winter dreams
Chronicler of snow stories
Teller of bedtime tales
Snuggler on winter nights
Hugger with gentle arms
Gazer of wistful looks
Namer of newborn boys
Holder of tiny hands
Crosser of busy streets
Dreamer of far-off scenes
Kisser of sleeping limbs
Singer of simple songs
Soother of nighttime cries
Carrier of tired limbs
Father of children.

29 Dec 2007

One Comment

Xmas Cranes

Published 26 December 2007 by Jason Crane

Last year, I decided that I would stay in my pajamas on Christmas Day, no matter what. I went to my folks’ house in pajamas, ate dinner, etc.

This year, I stayed in my pajamas again, including during visits to my parents’ house and to the nursing home where my grandparents live. Here’s the evidence:

kingxmas.jpg
Jen and I at my parents’ house. I’m wearing the Superman jammies Jen got me, and a crown she got for the boys. I’m a boy, right?

xmascranes2.jpg
Me, Bernie, Jen and John at the nursing home

Leave a Comment

George Cables Healing Fund

Published 15 December 2007 by Jason Crane

From Lois Gilbert at JazzCorner.com:

George Cables Healing Fund

As many of you know, George Cables received a liver and kidney transplant in early October 2007. His recovery is going very well, but of course, bills are mounting. We have set up the “George Cables Healing Fund” to help offset some of George’s expenses. The money will go directly to George with no operational costs (except what PayPal takes out) or administrative costs. George will also get a copy of every donation made, and you have an opportunity to write a short note with your donation.

To donate, visit GeorgeCables.com and click on “Healing Fund.”

If you prefer sending a check, please make it payable to:
GEORGE CABLES
c/o JazzCorner.com
245 West 25th St. #2F
New York, NY 10001

You can learn more about George Cables and his relationship with Art Pepper on The Jazz Session #34: Laurie Pepper on Art Pepper

Leave a Comment

New episode of The Jazz Session

Published 15 December 2007 by Jason Crane

On the new episode of The Jazz Session, Jason Crane interviews Laurie Pepper, wife of the late alto saxophonist Art Pepper (1925-1982). Laurie has recently put out two sets of previously unreleased live recordings by Art Pepper — Unreleased Art, Vol. 1: The Complete Abashiri Concert — November 22, 1981 (Widow’s Taste, 2006) and Unreleased Art, Vol. 2: The Last Concert (Widow’s Taste, 2007). Both concerts show Pepper at the height of his emotional expression, and still very much in command of his instrument. In this interview, Laurie Pepper talks about the concerts and the process of releasing them, and also gives insight into the troubled and triumphant life of her husband.

LISTEN

Leave a Comment