==++==++==++==++==
Dealing a New Hand?
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So it seems that there is another challenger willing to risk it all, and yet he does not seem to be any ordinary challenger. No, indeed he seems to have in depth knowledge of these things called lotions, and the secrets they keep locked deep in their polysyllabic ingredients.

Could it be that he is more prepared for this challenge than the three of us were when we began? Or could it be that he has already been tainted by the lotion kind? Hrm, we shall see...oh yes...we shall see...

I believe it is time for me to begin my journey to smoother and healthier hands. I believe that we must search for a better, pure source of lotion unlike the Jergen's products. I believe your withdrawal unscented stevo was due to such a poor product. Someone, enlighten us men as to a better product, lest I journey to the far reaches of the ever evasive "girly" stores to hunt and win the token of my hands long overdue affection. Shall I dare say....Sabia? or perhaps...Aveda....I will fear no feminine thing...

Day 9 :: Is this...dare I say it...Withdrawal that I am feeling???
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So, I have found myself over the past couple of days feeling what I think can only be described as withdrawal symptoms...

I have been thinking a lot about the events of the past week, and how they seem to quite possibly have changed my life. The way that I look at my hands, and the things of this world. A desire to return to the daily action that was required during this challenge that was placed before us men by the women. Yes, I believe that I might just be addicted...addicted...to the blog. Yes, folks, you heard it here that because of the lotion challenge I have found great delight in writing entertaining tales of my random exploits on views on life in general through the eyes of a lotion challenge.

This is more of an FYI than a statement of a continuation... Okay, and it was also, maybe just a little, a shameless attempt to make the girls think that they won. Mwahahahaha!!!

Day 7 :: The Final Countdown

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Da nah nah nah, da da dun dun dun dah, da nah nah nah, da da dun dun dun dun dah, dan nuh dah, dan nuh dun dun dun dan dah...

Everybody sing along!!!

"It's the final countdown! Da nah nah nah, da da dun dun dun dah, da nah nah nah, da da dun dun dun dun dah, dan nuh dah, dan nuh dun dun dun dan dah......The final countdown!"

皆さん、

今日はロシャンチャレンジを終わりますよ。

Minasan,

Kyou wa roshan charenji o owarimasu yo.

(Everyone, Today the lotion challenge ends!)

The final application has occurred, and I must say that I believe the girls have not succeeded in their goal of seeing the guys recognize that our skin is dry and in dire need of moisture from said lotion. I have not found myself having a desire to put lotion on at any time other then the times that I am required to to maintain the challenge rules. I also have not seen an increase, nor decrease in the softness of my hands or a change in dryness.

The lotion seems to have a placebo effect on people that feel like they must have it. Though, I will admit that there are some people with extremely dry skin, or medical conditions that do require the use of lotion to remedy. With the exception of these cases, however, I believe that the lotion deal is primarily a mental issue. This is not to say that the women that swear by lotion are mental cases, I don't really feel like starting a war here, but I must admit that I do not see any point in the sheer amounts of lotion application that often occurs.

To the ladies, I don't mind you using the lotion since it adds to the typically nice smell that ladies have, and if you believe that it is keeping your skin softer, healthier, and younger looking then go for it. I'm gonna just put it on when my skin is exceptionally dry like during the winter, times of extreme dehydration, or after dipping my hands in lye.

My suggestion is that now the girls must go for one week without putting lotion on to see if there is a difference. It was also suggested that to have a more scientific observation we should have been applying lotion to only one hand to be able to tell the true difference if any.

Day 6 :: The lotion...sometimes is makes the keyboard stick...
(Anyone that can place this variant of the movie quote will impress me)

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I am beginning to find it increasingly difficult to come up with witty titles for my posts, but there is only one more day to go. This post is actually for yesterday's application, but is being posted today because otherwise I believe that my post would have probably looked something like this from my head resting on the keyboard...

asdfjkl;jkl;jkl;jkl;jkl;jkl;jkl;jkl;jkl;asdfffffffffffff asdfkjiiiiiiiiiiiiiiert56y54446...

Today, Sunday, I had a couple of people ask me if I had noticed a change in the softness of my hands, and they felt my hands to check the softness. The overall opinion is that my hands to not feel exceptionally soft considering that I have been using lotion once everyday for the past 5 days.

One thing that stuck out to me today as I was going to lunch at Fuddruckers was the man that I saw as I was walking in. I recognized immediately that this man had just put lotion on, because he was rubbing his hands in the manner that I have become used to over the past few days. It was the palms together, move to the left thumb, rotate back to the palms and then over the left fingers, rotate back to the palms, then over the back of the right hand and onto the fingers, back to the palms and over the right thumb, being sure to also include the backs of both hands to achieve an even rub over both hands. Once the initial rub is complete then checking around the fingertips and cuticles to make sure that any excess is rubbed in, and repeating the above steps if necessary. The question that I asked myself was, "Self, is that man applying hand lotion of his own volition or was he forced into this by his wife that was walking with him?" I must conclude, however, that he was doing this of his own volition as she was NOT performing the typical rub in technique for hand lotion.

I now wish to give a shout out to DuBose for his continuing commitment to this challenge and going out of his way to post his international lotion experience while half a world away from us. Props brotha...props.

Singapore weather seems to be the same as Austin weather, well at least the inside of the airport. I am really not sure if I made an application on the right day since I only saw the sun go down about 5 hrs. ago from when I left Austin a 9AM on Saturday. It is 2:25AM here an I believe it is about a 13 - 14 hr difference from Austin. At this point I think my conclusion will be the same as in a couple days from now but I will continue the experiment. I will post again when I have access to the internet again. Later Friends and Supporters.

Day 5 :: The Saga Continues...

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This evening after a couple of great games of Blazer Tag, me and Shaun were driving back to the apartment. As we were pulling into the parking lot I said, "Man, I really needed some water, and some lotion."

All you girls that just got done doing your little Snoopy-like dance of joy can sit down again. You have not won. I am well known for my blatant misuse of segues, and this would be a wonderful example of this. My thought process as I said this to Shaun was as follows. "Man, I am really sweaty after those games of Blazer Tag. I could really use some water. Oh yeah, I have to remember to put lotion on again, and post the results." And thusly flowed the previous statement that made you all think that you had conquered the men. We do not go down quite so easily my friends.

I do, however, sadly have some news that will make you women do another Snoopy-like dance for joy. I was speaking with a friend of mine that was asking me how the lotion challenge was progressing, and during the course of the conversation HE said, "I myself love my hand lotion but I think the kind you are using is a bit greasy... I am a ponds person..." This obviously shocked and amazed me, and in my dumbfounded state found myself saying what any man should say to another man in such a time as this. "I don't know if I should slap you or just be really freaked out." Apparently, ladies, there are some guys out there that not only use hand lotion on a regular basis, but also actually enjoy using said lotion and have a favorite brand.

On a final note for tonight. I must also admit that I did apply lotion twice tonight. Sit down ladies...don't start dancing just yet. Let's just say that if there were to be a movie made about this entire lotion challenge that the scene from tonight would be something like this...

>> (Enter Stevo with bottle of lotion in hand preparing to follow through again on his part of the challenge, and to then post the results.)
>> (Alarms begin to sound and a voice comes over the loudspeaker) Alert, Alert. System overload. System overload. "Fasten all seatbelts, seal all entrances and exits, close all shops in the mall, cancel the three ring circus, secure all animals in the zoo!"
>> (Stevo immediately proceeds to the sink to wash the lotion off, and attempt a second application of a more moderate amount of lotion.)

Needless to say I accidentally put WAY too stinking much lotion on my hands on the firs attempt, but was able to come a lot closer to the appropriate amount on the second go-round. However, I must again to refer to previous posts about the lotion itself making one feel like they need to put lotion on as I am currently having a feeling like that, and I know that I put on enough lotion earlier. I do not like this "gateway drug" effect that this lotion is having on me. I cannot quite see someone getting addicted to lotion after just one try, but I do absolutely believe that it is possible. I feel, in some ways, that these girls are trying to get us hooked on lotion for some reason which I do not understand either. However, I have seen a possible casualty in this whole challenge. Ryan appears to have gone AWOL, and now I find myself almost alone and surrounded by insitent women that chant, "You want soft skin, so rub it in..." or something like that. DuBose will be out of pocket for a lot of the remainder of the challenge, but I do trust that he will stay the course and remain with me. But the question we all have is...(Sing that little Carmen Sandiego tune here) "Where in the world is Ryan with some alone?"

じゃ、待った明日(See you tomorrow!)

Day 4 :: Say what!?
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My apologies for the delayed post about day four which is now actually occurring on the morning of "Day 5 :: The Saga Continues..."

I must agree with my comrade Extremely Dry DuBose that it is difficult for me to remember that I need to put lotion on as my hands are not growing mouths with which to scream, "Hey, it's a little parched down here buddy!" I found myself almost forgetting to apply the lotion for Day 4, but I did succeed in doing such.

Now I turn my attention to the title of today's post, and refer you to the picture of the back of the lotion bottle. So, I was a little bored and so I was taking a gander at the back of the lotion bottle, and began to think about our posts regarding the sudden feeling of dryness after putting the lotion on. It then occurred to me that we have no stinking idea what the heck we are putting on our hands. I mean, other than a chemist or organic chemist, who really knows what ceteareth-20, cetyl-pg, cyclopentasiloxane (say that one five times fast), or hydroxyethyl palmitamide* is? Apparently cetyl-pg is acceptable for audiences younger than 13, but parental guidance (PG) is suggested. As I was looking at hydroxyethyl palmitamide* I was thinking to myself, "Self, what do you supposed that little '*' means?" After a short bit of searching on the bottle I was able to find that people can patent strange names, or perhaps it is the specific chemical compound. All I know is that if you use some hydroxyethyl palmitamide* somebody else is gonna be gettin' some dough because of U.S. Patent No. 4,778,823.


Now that I have finished my rant, please allow me to briefly update you on the status of my hands and the lotion. I ain't feelin' no difference on ma hands...

Well, It is day 4 of this glorious adventure and I have to say that I really have to try hard to remember to put the lotion on. I still do not have an internal voice that alerts me of the dryness that my hands are experiencing. I have applied the lotion and have packed it in my bag. Oh yes my friends, the lotion is taking the trip with me to Indonesia. I will somehow inform y'all of the power of the lotion in L.A. , Tokyo, Singapore, Bali, Papua, Etc. What timing for such an experiment. We are going around the world to see if the need is truly warranted. Well folks, it is about time for me to get to bed, as i drink a cup of coffee, so that I am well rested for my adventure. Please pray for me and all of our other friends that are now splitting up to go to different places in the world to minister, seek vision, encourage current teams, etc.

Later,

DuBose

It is very late or very early as some may see it. I have applied the third days worth of lotion. I am still holding to my theory, as the others are seeing as well, that lotion causes the need for lotion. Maybe someone should create a lotion that would only need to be used in situations where your natural revitalizing oils and ointments aren't working fast enough so you apply a supplement. Right now, lotion is being used as an absolute substitue by those impatient to wait on the natural to occur. My hands have ceased to produce these naturals since Tuesday night which has caused a slightly uncomfortable ache in my hands. Lotion is still not impressive!!