Going back to my almost completely silent HP Compaq desktop Core 2 Duo in an homage to all things old that still work well enough to use safely in today’s ultra chic digital age.

Removing all special visual effect settings leaves this low end processor with 8 GB of memory smoking and easy to use–just how I like it.

I’ve been using my 50 year old Trac II handle with faux Trac II fitting blades that I purchased on eBay, or was it Amazon? No matter.

This is an example of what it’s like to keep something around you don’t or can’t use anymore because it needs a part (Trac II razor blade cartridge) that were at one point in time (a long time ago) hard to come by.

The Trac II handle and razor blade cartridge that slid in to the razor handle head nice and neatly, was eclipsed by another Gillette razor with either three or four blades. Was it the Atra? I can’t remember and in keeping with my mostly not doing any research while I write style, my point is something was rendered obsolete by some smart ass who gimmicked their way to making a small fortune by charging a premium to shave with a razor with an infinite number of blades.

The disgust-inducing shaving system

The Trac II double bladed cartridge was, and in my humble opinion, still is the sweet spot when it comes to non-electric, read manual, shaving systems.

Shaving systems are what shaving cream and a non-electric, manual razor are called these days.

And, I do have to say the faux Trac II blades work just as well as the ones I used 50 years ago.

The Trac II was revolutionary, at least for me, for the time it shaved off shaving yourself. See what I did there?

It was doing just fine until the Atra or whatever it was called came out.

I never did own an electric razor. I just either used disposable razors or whatever “free” razor was available via the Internet for buying something completely unrelated to the razor.

Anyway, I’m ecstatic I held on to the ancient artifact of the seventies that is the Trac II razor handle.

I remember the old single blade razors that used to maul my face. I was always happy for my blood clotting really fast whenever I tore up my face with those single blade mercenaries.

The Trac II came along for me at just the right time. And I knew one day after unwillingly leaving it in the recesses of old medicine cabinets of Christmas past, there’d come a time when I could use it again.

Selective hoarding: The key to personal satisfaction

This is not to say we should hold on to stuff and become hoarders without purpose.

Old computers some day will not run the modern Internet.

Sure, it’s neat to say you use something almost 20 years old that runs Windows 10.

But, that same machine won’t run Windows 11 without your jumping through some hacking hoops (said no one ever).

I suppose the moral of the story is to be selective in whatever it is you hold on to.

Quality never goes out of style.