Yearly Archives: 2008

Blue Mass Boot Gazing

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The first Tuesday of May is when an event called the Blue Mass is held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Washington, DC. This mass gathers officers from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies along with their supporters, like me, to remember and pray for those who have died in the line of duty in the last year. It’s a classy event. The Archbishop of Washington says the mass with many concelebrants.

I attend the mass because deep down I have tremendous respect for law enforcement officers who take a lot of grief every day in their jobs, dealing with some of society’s worst. They truly care about the communities they serve and work long, hard hours, often without even a thank-you. Well, seriously, THANK YOU to all of the men and women who help all of us be safe where we live, work, and enjoy our freedoms.

I also have to admit, though, being a Bootman, I have a very special fondness for a man in a nice looking uniform and tall, well-shined, black boots. The uniform of the U.S. Secret Service wins hands-down, at least among those who lined up for the Blue Mass. Photo above shows them all decked out in their dress “Class A” uniforms and Dress Instep Dehner Boots with lug soles. My my my, what a nice sight to behold. It’s nice to talk with these officers, to say thank-you, and to learn more about their daily work. Most enjoy speaking with us civilians, because part of their training includes learning how to work with people. They are, after all, in a position to deal with a lot of people!

While waiting for the mass to begin, I snapped some photos and took some video of the procession of honor guards, police leadership, and clergy entering the church. Those photos and video are posted here (this is a link).

Next time you see a cop, instead of saying “uh-oh,” say “Thank You!”

Backup Leathers and Boots

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I tend to be rather absent-minded. I guess it goes with my lifestyle of doing a thousand things simultaneously.

Yesterday when I arrived at my local Metro station on my way home from work, I went to my partner’s car in the garage, retrieved my motorcycle helmet, and put my briefcase inside. Because it was so warm, I left my leathers which I had used that morning in the trunk.

La-la-la, I rode my Harley home on a warm sunny day, changed clothes, put on jeans and my bullhide Nocona boots, then fed the birds. I got soaked because I forgot to turn off the anti-deer motion-sensitive sprinkler. Changed clothes and boots again, this time wearing Justin snoot-toed cowboy boots. I then put the sprinkler on the front lawn to water our new sod, and tripped over the hose and got wet again. Changed clothes and boots, this time wearing Champion Attitude Firebird cowboy boots. I then went over to my aunt’s house to replace some burned out fluorescent tubes. One of the tubes shattered and when I got back home, I had to change clothes so that I wouldn’t hurt myself on residual glass shards. Changed this time to Dress Instep Dehner Boots, having had bad luck with cowboy boots that afternoon and having viewed so many pairs of those gorgeous boots at the Blue Mass yesterday! (I’ll blog on that tomorrow).

After cooking a great dinner for my partner and myself, I spent time processing some photos and video that I took at the Blue Mass. I enjoyed feeling the tight grip of my Dehners as I was oogling cop boots on my computer screen. Anyway, soon enough, bed time rolled around. It was only this morning when I realized that my favorite biker jacket and chaps, as well as my briefcase, were still in my partner’s trunk… at the Metro (since he leaves before I do.)

Fortunately, I have a lot of leather gear, so I just put on my Taylor’s Leatherwear Jacket and my red piped chaps (which I hadn’t put away since wearing them on Sunday), and off I rode… back to Metro. Now my partner’s truck has two sets of leathers in it. I must remember to retrieve all that gear from my partner’s trunk when he gets home later, else he may think I’m trying to turn his trunk into an accessory leather gear closet!

Quiet Boots

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While I really like to hear the sound of cowboy boots clunking as I walk along, there are times when boots that don’t make a lot of noise are a choice I make to wear.

Monday morning, my partner was staying home because he had a doctor’s appointment and other things to do. I got up at the usual 4am, leaving the house at 5:45 to get to work. In cases where our hours are significantly different and he needs to sleep in, we sleep in separate rooms so I won’t wake him when I rise.

I did my usual early morning stuff on the computer (I often answer email from my constituents early each day. Seems like my neighbors don’t think of sending email until after 9pm, after I’ve gone to bed). As I was dressing, I chose these Tony Lama Back-Cut Python Cowboy Boots to wear because they’re good looking, and quiet. Unlike most cowboy boots, these boots don’t make a sound when I walk in them. As I went to the kitchen to pack my lunch and get my stuff together to leave, I didn’t make any noise. My partner told me last night that he slept until 6:30, which is quite late, because he didn’t hear me walking around.

There are times when quiet boots are a good choice. I’m not quite sure why these boots are so quiet. Nonetheless, for this situation, they did (or didn’t do) what I wanted.

Happy Kidney Day

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May 3 is a day to remember as this was the day, years ago, when I donated a kidney to my “little” sister. Actually, she’s older than I am, but about half my size. She is a triplet, but her sisters don’t look a thing like her — they’re all fraternal.

She was the sister who always tormented me, drove me nuts, jumped out at me behind closed doors (and enjoyed my startled reaction.) She was the one who did something bad and arranged for Mom and Dad to blame me for whatever transgression. She was the one who chased my friends around on the front lawn to embarrass them. She would play that loud “Rock and Roll” music in the car while I would sit humming with my fingers in my ears.

She was also the one who got sick. So sick that we thought we were going to lose her. So sick that all of us lined up and got tested, and I was the lucky winner to be informed that we had the closest match when it came to the kidney she needed since hers had shut down. Truly, I believe I am the lucky one. It was weird that her triplet sisters were not as close a match as I was. Fa bene, sic volvere parcas.

She’s living well now, enjoying life, having fun. Best of all, she’s my best friend.

Be an organ donor. Sign up with your state motor vehicle office so “organ donor” appears on your driver’s license, but most of all, discuss your intent with those who will be asked at a time of crisis. It’s sad but true: even if you have signed a donor card and indicated your intent to donate organs upon death, your loved-ones who make decisions for you at a hospital will still need to give permission. Make sure they know your intent, so your organs can save as many lives as possible — and enable people to live longer, more productive, and happier lives with the beneficence of your gift.

Happy Kidney Day!

Economically Stimulated

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When I checked my bank account this morning, I found that I was “economically stimulated” with a direct deposit from the IRS. [And since I get a lot of visitors to this blog from outside the U.S., let me explain. Since the U.S. economy is so horrible due to the terrible mismanagement by the current U.S. President, he and our Congress decided to give every taxpayer in the country a “rebate” ranging from $300 to $600 per person. The idea is that we will spend the money and thus help to “stimulate” the economy by spending it. That money is being distributed this month.]

Sure, I’ll take the money. I was planning on saving all of it, but I decided to take two actions with it instead.

I’ve had my eye on a pair of Dan Post Vegas Cut boots in black cherry. I picked up a pair of these boots in brown in February while on a business trip to Nashville, and I have really liked them. They are very comfortable and make a great cowboy boot clunk sound while walking in them. In fact, yesterday when I was walking around my office building doing some fire escape planning with two building engineers, both heard the clunks, looked at my feet, and said simultaneously, “cool boots!”

Well, I decided to apply some of the “economic stimulus” that I just received into getting the boots I’ve had my eye on, and then I am donating the rest to a worthy charity.

Old Frye Boots

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I really should stop being so puzzled, but each month when I look at my website statistics on the Top 16 Most Viewed Boots (last month), I see that ten times as many people have searched for Vintage Frye Boots each month than any other type of boot. Just what is it about Fryes? The style, the colors, the design? I just can’t figure it out.

Sure, I had a LOT of Fryes when I was in high school and college. I wore them all the time. I still do, occasionally. Problem is that older feet aren’t made for Fryes [smile]. They get darned uncomfortable unless you install padded insoles. But I tell ‘ya, when I wear them, it is quite common that someone will say something about them, like…

* Are those Fryes? (I avoid the urge to respond with a wisecrack)
* Wow, cool boots! I remember when (followed by LONG story)
* Hey, man, got any pot? (I guess a lot of pot-heads wore Fryes. I dunno, I didn’t inhale [LOL!])
* Can I get a pair of Fryes like that?

It goes on and on. It’s too bad that the original Frye Shoe Company, maker of vintage Fryes, sold out and now is held by a conglomerate that has boots made in China with that brand name. Not the same boots by any measure.

I’ve had people send me email offering to buy my vintage Fryes for unbelievable (to me) amounts of money for old boots. But they still bring back a lot of fond memories, and I still enjoy wearing them, so I don’t plan to sell any.

On with the (vintage) Fryes!

Life is short: wear your boots (including your Fryes!)

Hangin’ Out at Home in Leather

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Leather doesn’t HAVE to be black; it doesn’t have to be worn (only) while riding a motorcycle. Leather is comfortable, practical, and just nice to wear.

I have mentioned before about reading stories from guys who are afraid to wear boots in public, for fear of what others may say. I am quite fortunate in that the community where I live has such a casual kind of tolerance that nobody, really nobody, cares what’s on your feet or your body. And I’m old enough to have grown beyond caring what other people may say about what I wear.

I go to a lot of public meetings. Hang out with cops, firefighters, and elected officials. Meet my neighbors at various community functions. They all know me, and know that I’m just a guy comfortable in his own skin, as well cowhide. LOL!

For example, yesterday after I got home from work, on came the brown leather jeans, tall brown Wesco harness boots, and a t-shirt. I got busy around the house with stuff, both inside and out. Neighbors drove by and waved. One stopped by to ask a question. They didn’t give a second glance to what I was wearing. Really, nobody cares!

Those who only wear leather once-a-year at events like Mid-Atlantic Leather or International Mr. Leather are missing the boat, in my opinion. Yeah, they may like how they look in leather and the persona they put on. But it’s all a fake. They quickly change into blue jeans and sneakers during transit and at home. Come on, guys! If you’ve got it, wear it. Why invest all that money in leather gear if it just hangs in your closet or remains folded in a trunk? Enjoy it!

Life is short: wear your leather, wear your boots! Have fun!

Sendra Booted

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I’m back to blogging about boots. Today I have on a pair of Sendra Texan Cowboy Boots, as shown. They have a very classic cowboy boot appearance, though the finish is dull. (Hmmm, I may have to break out the polish and see what I can do.) Their very narrow X-toe is interesting. What I don’t like about them is that the heel is low (about 1″) and the height is short (about 12″). They also have a rather narrow calf width. If they were taller, I probably couldn’t wear them.

I had heard about Sendra boots, but didn’t know much about them until I began participating in “Boots On Line” and learned from others. And it’s very interesting to me that my website statistics consistently show that lots of other people are visiting my page about these boots. These boots continue to rank high in the number of website viewers.

I was disappointed to find that some nitwit on Facebook stole one of the pictures of me in these boots from my website and posted it on someone else’s Facebook page. I don’t know why people feel that the need to do silly, stupid things like that. Yeah, technically it’s a copyright violation, but pursuing a legal challenge with something like this isn’t worth it. I sent the photo thief a message requesting that she remove her message and not steal photos from me again. People can be so dumb sometimes.

Oh well, I look forward to enjoying wearing these boots at work today. Life is short: wear your boots!

Casual and Mature Kind of Tolerance

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This is part of an essay that appeared in The Washington Post on Thursday, April 24, 2008. It is written by someone I know and have served with on a community group. The essay so clearly describes why I love living where I do, much better than I have done in previous blog posts.
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… There are so many ways of life here that the phrase [diversity] starts to lose its meaning. Friends and neighbors adapt to one another’s ways without judging. People look for the goodness in one another and respond to that. It adds up to a county scintillating with energy, a prosperous place where some of the world’s greatest scientific breakthroughs are routinely made, where the nation’s and the world’s leaders rest their heads at night, where cultures interact to produce a new thing — an integrated, high-energy, peaceful approach to living that makes better people of all of us.
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What is most meaningful to me is what I titled this post, “Casual and Mature Kind of Tolerance.” Seriously, most everyone who I deal with, and with whom my partner and I interact as neighbors and in community activities, look at who we are and what we can do, and are well beyond judging based on one’s sexual orientation. It’s refreshing to live openly in our community and contribute to the betterment for all, and not have to worry about being judged based on misguided perceptions that some narrow-minded people may have.

Important County Employees’ Housing

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It’s just a real shame that housing costs so much that even in today’s depressed market, those who really work hard to keep our community safe and educated can’t afford to live here. Recent stats have shown that more than 65% of the police officers, firefighters, and public school teachers live outside the county where they work.

I try hard to make a difference in the community where I have lived my whole life. I own some houses that I rent out. I work with a county agency which identifies employees in public service who would like to rent a home in the county, and whose incomes are below a certain threshold. There are some other things the agency does for me as a landlord, and in exchange, I rent my homes to these important employees so they can live here. I don’t make market rent, but I feel good about providing affordable housing to cops, firefighters, and teachers. There are some tax incentives to do this, which make up somewhat for the lower rental income.

Today, I rented a house to a motor officer. He’s a great guy. I’m sure he will take good care of the house and the neighbors will feel a bit safer, too. Great day — especially when he came to my house on his motor and in uniform to sign the lease. My own neighbors were all watching out their windows. Te he…