So I guess I'm going to give this a try.
Someone bought me an inexpensive Micro Touch Razor for Christmas.  It's not the best, but reviewers say it's less aggressive than most and should be good for someone new to the sport of DE shaving.  

It comes with a pack or two of Dorco blades.  I've read enough to know I should try a few different blades, so I'm going to order a sample pack from West Coast Shaving.  The two bottom end packs both include
•Feather New Hi-Stainless Platinum (10 blades) •Crystal or "Israeli" (10 blades) •Derby Extra (5 blades) •Red Israeli Personna (5 blades)
One pack has •Astra Superior Platinum (5 blades)
The other has •Merkur Super Platinum (10 blades)
Which one of those should I pick?

Next, I need a brush suitable for a beginner.  I don't want to invest high dollars as I'm not convinced I'm going to like this whole business.  Are the sub $25 synthetics worth buying or will be sorry?
Omega S
Omega Hi

Last: I guess I'll ask about soap too...
I've got a pack of Col. Conk pucks.  Is this good enough to start, or should I pick up something better?

Thanks!

I've been using synthetic brushes exclusively for almost 2 years. For me they are easier to get a good lather from, and you don't have to soak them prior to shaving. Also they don't need to be broken in. I've heard good things about the synthetic Hi brush, but I haven't used it. I had Whipped Dog make me a synthetic brush for around $30. It's been great.

Blades come down to personal preference. They are relatively inexpensive, so try a bunch of them. I like Gillette Silver Blue the best.

I get the 100 pack of Astra blades from Maggards. Lasts me about a year and a half for $14.00.
I use Col conk bay rum soap.
Col Conk bay rum aftershave
Boar brush but I don't remember the brand but like everything else got it from maggards

I'd get a sampler pack of some sort eventually, but you can get comfortable with the blades you have already.

I use a $12 Tweezerman 100% badger brush.  To be fair, I've only tried an older synthetic one.  The big $100+ badger brushes weren't worth it to me, since I generally make lather in the palm of my hand, not some bedpan sized thing. 

ETA of those two sample packs I'd say go with the Merkur one.  Its a higher end blade, even if I don't personally like them.

Also, its not like you have to use every component all at once.  You can take that DE razor, with the blades it came with and try it with canned goo that you already have. 

For what its worth, I impulse bought one of those microtech's since it was the first retail, (Walgreens?) DE I had ever seen.  I like it with derbys.

Good point, and good plan.   I'll put the blades on order and work with my canned goop for now
Thanks everyone!

Make sure you try face lathering. I used a little bowl for lathering for a few months. Then I watched some youtube videos that recommended face lathering. For me it really is easier and faster.

Try a Blade  is the place to go to get several types of blades to figure out what you like best.
I like the Polsilver, Gillette (Nacet, Platinium, Black), and Voskhod. I hate Feather.

I bought my Shavemac brush used for about 1/3 the price of new.

I want to try the Conk, my current fav is Ogallala Bay Rum & sweet orange

other great soaps are anything from Stirling & Mitchells Wool Fat

I only use antique Gillette razors made about 70 years ago but good blades are Russian Gillettes, Israeli personna. Polsilver and Gillette Silver Blue are other favorites but more expensive. Feathers are too finicky sharp for regular use, what might be a tiny cut with a regular blade you may find you just performed a self vasectomy with a Feather.

For a starter brush check out the Escali brushes on amazon prices from $9.00 to $90.00+.
I bought one a few years ago to test out and I'm still using it.
I found and use this: HerbaFlow Insulated Extra Large Stainless Steel Shaving Bowl Linky It is slightly larger than the ceramic bowl that came with the Van Der Hagen set, I went with stainless steel since I'm worried about dropping it on the tile floor.

For the longest time I used to form my lather directly on the soap puck in the bowl, and went through pucks fairly quickly.
Started lathering in a separate bowl (the one above) and the pucks are lasting much longer.
The bowl also has let me experiment with some of the "super lather" recipes out there. My current standard is loaded brush of either Mitchel's Wool fat
or one of Mama Bears Glycerin shave soaps and a large pea sized dab of Poraso (C.O. Bigelow).

Not trying to rain on your parade but if your going into the DE game already doubting you're going to like it then you've probably already lost the battle. Shaving with a DE or straight blade is a slow learned art and worth every second invested into it. Most go into it with an excitement of learning to shave like their grandfathers did and purchasing a piece of history with a vintage razor that still gives a great shave after almost 100 years of service. If your already dreading learning to shave with a DE then you might want to stick to the disposable cartridges. Nothing wrong with that.

I love the Viking DE razor. I use the 3 piece "Godfather". It is heavy enough and yet longer handle for better grip comfort.

My personal blade is the Israeli Blue (Israeli Personna Blue wrapper). But this is something that I came to after trying about 20 different blades. I liked the sight "West Coast Shaving" site. They have trial packages for different skin types.

For a brush, I have not used any synthetic brushes yet, but I have heard that Satin Tip makes a good synthetic brush, but I personally use the Viking Blade shaving brush.

they are an excellent company with great customer service. I had my brush knot pop out of the handle and they sent me another one free of charge.

Don't feel like you have to buy all kinds of exotic stuff, it's just shaving. You can absolutely turn it into some kind of ritual, but only if you want.

Omega brushes are great, I like them better than badger. Very soft, lather great, and priced inexpensively.

I don't use a cup to mix lather in, because I don't have time for that every morning. The two methods I use are Cremo shave cream rubbed straight into my facial hair with no brush, or a Kells Original soap stick rubbed onto my wet face, then worked into a lather with a damp brush. If it's a special occasion I may break out the soap pucks, but that's rare.

As for blades, you simply have to try a couple until you find what you like. You'll know when you have the right one. Obviously, choose high quality ones to try at first, but you may find that your face prefers cheap blades or ones that aren't as popular among shave snobs.

Walmart sells cremo shave cream and its awesome for face lathering and smooth and awesome for shaving. It is important to understand its like water activated. So rub on face then wet your hand and rub over it it will start to foam up as you rub. Its amazing.