After the semi-traumatic experience Monday night, seeing so much blood released from my face, I took things a little slower and more cautiously last night after going for a run and showering.
Same prep, same cream, same hot water, same razor... lighter hand.
I took the "instructions" with a grain of salt (get it? grain? ok you will in a minute). The article I read on a forum said to go from top to bottom, two passes for two weeks to let your skin get used to the much sharper razor. I did exactly that against my better judgement, knowing that my beard grows in the opposite direction at the bottom of my neck. I went top to bottom and that area--which grows upwards-- was shaved against the grain. Ouch. that was where all the little spots of blood were on Monday night. Last night I went top to bottom until about 2/3 down my neck, at which point I stopped and went the other way. Perfect. Almost.

Sure there were a couple little teeny spots of blood on my neck still, but nothing that required any styptic gel or TP or anything like that. When I was done, the shave was a lot closer than it was on Monday night as well, but without the red burning itch that accompanied pressing too hard with the blade. I'm still not as close as I get using a Mach3 (which having three blades is like shaving three passes with a single blade) but it's just a little practice away.