Monthly Archives: March 2011

Stompers Boots!

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I arrived in San Fransisco yesterday about mid-day. My friend, current Owner of Stompers Boots, Mike McNamee, came to pick me up and take me into the city for a pleasant afternoon visit. We enjoyed lunch with his new business partner, Ken, and talked a lot about the business of boot retailing in today’s internet world.

Following lunch, Mike and I hung out in the city, and went to visit a store that makes custom motorcycle leathers. I saw a lot of very interesting possibilities here. Mike did too!

I truly enjoyed seeing my ol’ pal, hanging out, talking boots, and catching up on each other’s lives. Mike is a wonderful man. I am honored to have him as a friend, and to have him take so much time to visit with lil’ ol’ me … just some boot guy from the East Coast.

Life is short: wear boots!

Headed West

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Alas, the City By The Bay is indicated on my airline ticket, and my boots are carrying me to a place in which I have spent many, many years learning and refining my professional craft, and making a number of friends while I was at it.

Yeah, “back in the day,” I spent five years doing some tremendously creative work with some exceptionally smart people in an office based in this town (though I served seven counties surrounding the area). Most of the people I worked with 20 years ago have moved on, retired, or changed jobs, except for a few who I will see while I’m out here. The work that we, as a team, inspired is continuing. Part of what brings me back is measuring that work and how it has been ingrained in the culture since we started it 20 years ago.

Sure, while I’m there, I will take some time to visit personal friends. My buddy Mike will pick me up from the airport today, and we’ll hang out for the afternoon and catch up. Monday morning, I am having breakfast with one of the world’s most eminent and talented professionals in my field. Then I’ll do some field work, and at the end of the day, will relax over dinner with several of my friends from BOL, including Larry, his husband Bill, and several others. I look forward to seeing them again.

My travels for the remainder of the week have me on the move significantly up and down the California Coast, so I’ll be busy. Lots of meetings, giving a speech, doing an all-day training, some more site visits, and other stuff will confirm that my work is what brought me there.

I very much look forward to a highly productive week, filled with work and friends and fondly remembering past activities and making new memories, too.

Life is short: love what you do. I think it was Confucius who said, “choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Oh, so right.

Why Do Bikers Wear Engineer Boots?

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Another google search: “Why do bikers wear engineer boots?

Well, perhaps because engineer boots were worn by James Dean and others back in the 50s movies and they made the style popular among the mainstream.

Perhaps because they are affordable.

Perhaps because they just look tough, rugged, and sturdy.

Perhaps because they’re comfortable.

I dunno. Why do bikers wear engineer boots? Because they’re smart. Wearing boots when operating a motorcycle is the second smartest thing a biker can do. The smartest is wearing a helmet. After that, boots are incredibly important to protect the rider’s legs, ankles, and feet when operating a motorcycle.

Life is short: wear boots!

What Should I Do With My New Cowboy Boots

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Ah, Google, you never cease to bring me amusement when you reveal what questions people enter into your search engine.

What should I do with my new cowboy boots?

Of course, the simple answer is: wear them.

Perhaps this person is wondering how to break them in? Answer: wear them.

Perhaps he wants to know how to keep them in good shape? Answer: keep them clean, polish them if they are all leather, and avoid damaging them by getting them (soaking) wet or scuffed by knocking them against concrete steps or other obstructions.

Perhaps she wants to know if she should wear them every day? Answer: no, have at least one other pair of boots, and let your new boots get some air between wearings so the sweat that naturally builds up and absorbs into the lining of boots (and the foot pads) evaporate. Some people refer to this as “rotating boots.” I do not mean turning them around and around (I actually was asked that once), but I mean giving them a chance to “breathe” between wearings.

Perhaps he is wondering where to wear them? Answer: everywhere. To work with dress clothes, and casually with jeans. Just wear them.

If he is a boot fetishist, he doesn’t need advice from me and I’ll keep that stuff out of this G-rated blog (giggle.)

So what should someone do with new cowboy boots? Answer: WEAR THEM!

Life is short: wear boots!

Choosing Motorcycle Boots

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This is an article that I wrote and appeared in a mainstream motorcycle magazine last year, and is based on my Guide to Motorcycle Boots on my website. I am repeating it here because for many of us in the Northern Hemisphere, motorcycle riding season is just about upon us!

Since I have ridden motorcycles for more than 30 years, and have tried and have worn many pairs of motorcycle boots, people have asked me from time to time about how to choose “the best” pair. Over time, I have learned a thing or two about boots. I thought I would share what I have learned, from the experience and knowledge of some fellow riders and friends in the business of boot sales.

Today’s biker is looking for classic styling, high performance and unmatched quality–from his or her boots and  bikes. So what should you look for when buying motorcycle boots? There are a lot of boots that look good, are great to ride in and are versatile enough for everyday use. So take your time selecting the right pair.

When you have the task of looking for the best motorcycle boot, it can be overwhelming at times. There is no such thing as the “best” motorcycle boot because the type of boot that is suited to a person depends on his needs and preferences. Below, I will list some basic boot features which will help you make the best choice for your needs.

When choosing motorcycle boots, you have to ask yourself, “what is the main purpose of the boot?” Will the boots be used strictly for riding or do you need ones that are multi-functional — which can be used for riding, working, and walking? In order to get the best boot for your needs, first determine what purpose your boots will serve.

Styles of Motorcycle Boots
All motorcycle boots are not the same. There are several styles of motorcycle boots you can choose from. The most common of these styles include racing or motorcross boots, “shorty” or tactical boots, tall “biker” boots, and police motorcycle patrol boots. There are cowboy boots made for motorcycling, but they are rare.

Tac Boots

“Shorty boots” are called that simply because they are 10″ (25cm) or shorter. Actually, most “shorty” boots are 6″ (15cm) to 8″ (20cm) tall. These boots are also called tactical boots, because some police officers or wildland firefighters wear them. These boots are perfect for motorcycling and everyday wear. In fact, in my opinion, my Chippewa Firefighter boots (pictured) are absolutely the most comfortable boot I have worn while motorcycling.

Tall biker boots

Tall biker boots are usually 14″ (35cm) to 20″ (51cm) tall. They come in either harness style or engineer style. Harness boots have a strap that wraps around the foot across the back of the heel and attached with a ring at each side, and usually have a square toe. Engineer boots have a single strap with a buckle across the instep, and usually have a rounded toe. Both styles of motorcycle boots are equally as common, and it is a matter of personal preference as to which style to choose. Some bikers like to wear taller boots because of the added protection the boots provide to the legs, especially if the configuration of the motorcycle being ridden puts hot exhaust pipes close to the legs. The most well-known brands of this style of boot include Chippewa and Wesco.

Motor patrol boots

Motorcycle police patrol boots are a specialty style of motorcycle boots. The boots are usually 17″ (43cm) to 18″ (46cm) tall, but may vary if made custom. These boots are almost always black. They may have laces at the instep (a “bal-laced” style) or no laces (dress instep). The boots usually have a Vibram® sole, with a rubber or lug tread design. The most well-known brands of this style of boot include Dehner, Chippewa, and Wesco.

Boot Shaft

Upper (boot shaft) design

Select motorcycle boots that at least cover your ankles. This has two advantages (1) your ankle is protected (2) and your foot becomes stronger and thus better able to handle anything the bike wants to do (eg. tip over, slide away from you and onto your foot, or burn your legs or feet.)

It helps if the shaft section has shell protection, such as a leather lining. Without a doubt, boots with such protection are the safest. It also adds much to the durability of the boot. A leather-lined boot will last longer, stand up on its own, and will be more comfortable for all-day wear. A leather lining “breathes” and if fitted correctly, will allow ventilation so the boots do not become uncomfortably hot.

Shaft Height

Bikers must be able to operate all of the controls of the motorcycle safely. Safe operation requires the ability to bend the knees and move them quickly. Bikers who prefer tall boots should consider a shaft height that comes below the back of the knee. If the boot shaft is higher than that, then the ability to move the knee quickly is reduced significantly. Further, boots that come above the knee may cause sores to develop from the boot grazing or cutting the back of the knee. It is for these reasons why “crotch-high” boots are not a practical choice for wear by a serious motorcyclist.

Calf circumference

This is sometimes called calf width, and is an important consideration. The circumference is the distance around the outside of the leg. Boots should be wide enough to accommodate the leg, and also wide enough for jeans or leather to fit inside the boots if desired. Stock motorcycle boots that are 12″ (31cm) or lower in height usually have a circumference that accommodates most legs. When boots are taller than that, then you may find standard boot shaft circumference may not fit your legs. Wrap a tape measure around your legs around the widest part of your calf muscle (and if you want to wear leather or breeches inside the boots, put them on before measuring). The best place to measure your calf is about 6″ (15cm) lower than the back of the knee. Most tall stock motorcycle boots have a 16.5″ (42cm) circumference. If your calf circumference requirement is wider than that, then order custom boots.

Boot Foot

Lower (vamp) design

Three important considerations: (1) A good fit prevents heel from lifting and makes for a more comfortable ride. (2) Does the motorcycle boot have a shifter pad? The boot is going to be used a lot in this area, so such a pad helps with wear. A shifter pad protects the toe and arch from fatigue and damage due to gear shifting. Some motorcycles, particularly those in the touring class, have a heel-toe shift, so a shifter pad is not required. (3) Shape of the toe. It should function smoothly with the rider as well as the bike.

Boot Sole

The main purpose of a motorcycle boot sole is grip, on and off the bike. Motorcycle boots should include a heel under the sole so you can rest it easily on the foot peg. On the road the motorcycle boot should give you great grip in mud, water, sand and oil.

A good motorcycle boot sole will be oil resistant and will provide good traction due to its high surface contact area. Roads, particularly asphalt, collect oil which becomes slick as ice when the least bit wet from rain. Do not buy motorcycle boots without oil-resistant soles. Oil will eat away at ordinary soles.

The uppers are going to last much longer than the soles, so make sure the soles are stitched on, not glued, so they will be able to be replaced when the time comes.

The best sole for a motorcycle boot is a Vibram® lug sole. There are several varieties of Vibram soles available. The “big lug” sole is a Vibram® 100 — and the best of this variety of big lug soles is the Vibram® 100R. The “R” designation is for a sole that resists heat, such as from motorcycle pipes. This sole also does not mark or mar floors, such as vinyl, linoleum, tile, or hardwood.

Alternative Vibram® soles for motorcycle boots include the 430, which has small lugs on the interior of the sole design and a smooth rubber perimeter. These soles are used almost exclusively on motorcycle police patrol boots. The Vibram® 700 sole is of a waffle design — which is good for wear in snow and ice, since snow will not accumulate between the lugs nor will the sole harden in very cold weather and turn the boots into ice skates. This sole provides moderate traction.

In my opinion, a poor motorcycle boot sole choice is nitrile, which is a soft rubber. These soles have a low melting temperature, and are known to leave black melt marks on hot motorcycle pipes, and may also mar floors. The traction is minimal and the soft nature of soles made of this material causes them to become damaged and unusable much more quickly than a Vibram® sole.

Boot Construction

Most motorcycle boots are made of leather with reinforcements on all the essential places. The leather can be supplemented with newer kinds of materials like Gortex® (which increases the breathability).

Another thing to look for is Goodyear welted construction. This greatly adds to your motorcycle boot durability. Make sure the motorcycle boots are stitched, not glued, meaning that the soles are completely replaceable when you do finally wear them down, and let’s face it: motorcycle riders are tough on their boots.

Make sure the motorcycle boots you buy have quality non-tarnishable hardware. You want your motorcycle boot hardware to look as polished and shiny as your bike. Look for brass or nickel hardware on buckles and harness rings.

Ventilation

Ventilation is another factor you should consider when buying motorcycle boots. Your boots should be waterproof yet should allow your feet to breathe. This can be achieved with special exterior surfaces as well as interior linings. Contrary to what you may think, leather-lined boots are not warmer than unlined boots. Leather is used for motorcycle boots because it breathes. Even leather-lined boots breathe well. Boots made with Gortex® or Cambrelle® linings are designed to keep feet warm and dry in cold, wet weather, but are not necessarily a good thing to have on your feet when riding in hot weather. That’s why most bikers who ride in all seasons have several pairs of motorcycle boots, to fit the season and how s/he will use them (just to ride, or ride, wear to work, and walk in).

Water Resistance

It is great to have water-resistant motorcycle boots! While it’s no fun getting caught in the rain, it can happen. I highly recommend finding good water resistant motorcycle gear but especially boots. Leather motorcycle boots can be quite water resistant if treated appropriately with a good conditioner and water repellent made for that purpose. You can find these products in any well-stocked shoe store or luggage repair shop.

What boots NOT to wear when operating a motorcycle

While cowboy boots are a popular style, most cowboy boots have smooth leather soles. These soles slip easily even on dry pavement, not to mention wet pavement. It’s very easy for a rider to lose control of his/her bike when stopped at a light or when parking if wearing boots with leather soles.

Also, avoid boots that have long laces or other parts that dangle and can get caught in moving motorcycle parts, gear shifter, or brake pedal.

Finally, boots that are cheap are cheap for a reason:  the construction can be such that the boots cannot withstand the heavy demands of motorcycling, and wear out quickly, the sole comes off or crumbles, or the leather discolors quickly.  The old adage, “you get what you pay for” certainly applies.  Invest in quality and pay a bit more, and you will have boots that can stand the gaff and remain comfortable for years to come.

And please, don’t think for a minute that high-top sneakers can substitute for providing the protection of a quality motorcycle boot.  They can’t.  Repeat after me:  “sneakers are for gyms; boots are for bikes.”  Period.

Summary

Wearing boots while operating a motorcycle shows a good application of intelligence by the rider:  s/he is indicating an awareness of the possibility of injury to the lower leg, ankle, and foot by exposure to the high heat of motorcycle pipes or the possibility of being involved in a crash.  Boots provide protection and comfort.  Plus, you want to be a cool biker dude, right?  Cool dudes wear boots, not sneakers.

If you have any questions, drop me a message.

Life is short: wear boots when riding a motorcycle!

Tactically Booted

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When I went to Puerto Rico, all the men who I worked with were dressed in lightweight BDUs and tactical boots.  While my Chippewa Firefighter Boots were comfortable and suitable for the terrain, they were not quite the right boot for field work.

Upon return home, I looked at the combat/tactical boots in my boot closet.  The boots that I have are “old-school” military jump boots.  I wore them a lot when I went skydiving back in the day. But honestly, those boots are hell on the feet. They are hard to wear, especially all day long in hot sun.

These days, modern tactical boots are made of a combination of materials:  leather uppers with nylon shafts, and waffle soles.  (My partner will like that part… waffle soles don’t get mud caked in them to dry out and be left in clods all over the house.  Oooops….)

I have several pairs of BDUs, or utility pants. Lots of pockets and made of a cotton/poly blend that dries quickly if it gets wet.  The material also washes easily.

So I took the hint from my colleagues in Puerto Rico. I did my homework, and selected a pair of Belleville Air Force Tactical Boots. They are standard military spec, 8″ high, and in sage green. (I didn’t want the desert tan version; I am not in the Army and I am not going on field assignment in the desert.) What I particularly like about these boots (besides their comfort) is that once you lace them up, you do not have to lace them again. Each boot has a zipper on the side which makes it easy to pull them on and take them off.

I found them for sale from an on-line military boot supplier that happened to be having a sale the day I landed on their website. I snagged ’em, and soon enough the Man-In-Brown brought them to my doorstep. A few days later, I checked the supplier’s website, and found these same boots were priced US$20 more than what I paid for them, so I truly think it was a short-term sale that I was fortunate to find.

Now I am “tactically booted” for my next field assignment… whenever and wherever it may be.  I anticipate (eventually) a trip to the far outer reaches of the United States Domain, waaaaaaaaaaay out in the Pacific.  These boots will travel well and be comfortable for all-day use on rough terrain.

I have already worn them while taking my loooooong morning walks. They are very comfortable. Almost feel like sneakers (if I knew what sneakers felt like; I have not worn sneakers since gym class in junior high school.)

Life is short:  choose the right boots for the right application!

Marriage Is Postponed

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I was deeply saddened, but to be honest, not surprised, that the bill in my home state of Maryland that would afford my partner and me, and all same-sex loving couples in my state, the ability to marry, was referred back to Committee on Friday, March 11, by our state’s House of Quivering Delegates. That action (or inaction) effectively killed it for the year.

There were many articles about this decision that appeared in various media outlets and political blogs. I also read many messages about it from some Delegates who represent areas of the county where my partner and I have our home.

The only good news, if there is good news, is that the bill was referred back to Committee, so it can come up again in the House next year and not have to be re-introduced and go through our State Senate again. Just because it passed in our Senate this year doesn’t mean that it will next year. Elected leaders change minds sometimes.

After reading through the wailing and the political stuff, what became apparent is that the reason why the bill didn’t pass our House of Delegates was last-minute pressure put on Delegates who serve a county south of us, whose population is predominantly African American, many of whom belong to organized megachurches. While this bill was never a religious matter — in fact it’s title and content called it, “Religious Freedom and Protection” because it clearly stated that a religious institution did not have to conduct same-sex marriages if it didn’t want to — nonetheless, the members of what the media describes as “Black Megachurches” became active on the matter when our State Senate passed the bill. The church members took that action as a “wake-up call” and began calling and visiting their Delegates, telling them to oppose the bill.

This puzzled me, but after looking into it, and with the help of a good friend who is much more knowledgable on these issues than I am, I learned what happened and why it happened. My friend wrote me an explanative piece which I would like to feature, below, as a guest blog post. Read on.

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I had very high hopes for a positive outcome and it saddens me that once again our rights have been denied in the name of Christianity. I have to remember that the fight for civil rights is an ongoing struggle. Thanks for thinking of me as you wrestle with this matter. As one who grew up in the black church and with family members who have been very active and have led churches, I think I can shed some light. There are several points that come to mind.

By and large, black churches are represented by evangelical denominations that focus on a literal and conservative interpretation of the Bible and believe the words written there were not influenced by those societies and are timeless.

Historically, Baptist and Methodist denominations have been most influential in establishing black churches throughout the country from the era of slavery through Jim Crow. Maryland, Virginia, and other southern states with large slave populations were fertile grounds to these denominations. In my experience, these dominations believe in a literal Biblical interpretation. Each will point to the clobber passages, the verses about Sodom and Gamorrah, and Paul’s writing in the New Testament to say that homosexuality is a sin. Combine that with the evangelical position that to be a true Christian you must denounce sin and ask God to change your sinful nature, you have a recipe that doesn’t allow room for the consideration that homosexuality is another variant of human sexuality, and no more or less sinful than heterosexuality. Once you are baptized, by full immersion, you are a “new creature” who is expected to reject your sinful past and embraces everything holy.

When I was growing up in the 60s and 70s, it used to be common practice for churches to require young women who became pregnant out of wedlock, to come to the front of the church to apologize to the congregation for ther sin. In fact, about 10 years ago a cousin my age did just that at the church her father pastored in Tennessee. It was only after she did so that she was considered to be fully repentant of that sin. I’m sure my uncle took that memory to his grave feeling that he could rest easily. So, it’s not that homosexuality is a greater sin than any other, it’s just that, like pregnancy out of wedlock, it’s readily observable, easily identified, and in the mind of the devoute, the result of willful behavior.

I give that example to show the conservative nature of many black churches in rigid belief systems that tend to make no allowance for any position that does not fit squarely into what a literal interpretation of the Bible affords. It’s not just their belief that we as gays are sinners, but that we’re unrepentant sinners that forces them to fight so diligently against our rights. They truly believe that if we just stop the sinning, there will be no need for special rights and considerations.

This rigid belief system makes them very easy prey to the exploitations of organizations like NOM, Focus on the Family, and others like them. Because, at the end of the day, this only became an issue for the black churches to become involved in at 11th hour. This is not a platform that black churches routinely focus upon. Employment, education, and adequate health care in the black community are the issues of greatest interest and need. The megachurches no doubt were willing to enter the fray given their view of the role of civil government. According to the website of Metropolitan Baptist Church, a black megachurch in that area, “We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society (1); and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed (2); except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ (3) who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the Prince of the kings of the earth (4).” I’m sure the anti-gay organizations played upon this to elicit their support.

What LGBT organizations have to learn is that marriage equality will never be seen by these types of black churches as a civil rights issue until they can demonstrate that black LGBT families suffer disproportionately when these rights are not preserved.

Marriage says to my employer that my spouse is covered by my health benefits with no questions asked. Even a progressive employer might provide benefits for my partner, but as you know, they’re taxed. That represents less money for basic necessities for your family. Couple that with the fact that black households typically earn less than white households, you begin to demonstrate the unfairness that not having marriage equality produces.

I took a look at the website of your state’s LGBT-serving organization and my suspicions were confirmed. They suffer from a lack of diversity that make them appear to be an organization interested only in the rights of middle and upper middle class white gays and lesbians — a population that’s very foreign to the black church community. So, at first glance, gay marriage is not a issue of concern for the black community.

The role of the black megachurches in Maryland can be seen as comparable to the Jerry Falwell Christian Right of the Reagan era. The Maryland Delegates were no fools in not ignoring their voices. Megachurches have million dollar budgets and the loyal financial support of thousands of congregants. The black church teaches the principle of tithing. So, devout members regardless of income, willingly offer 10 percent of earnings each Sunday morning. The message to a Delegate is that he can either listen to this voice, or be replaced in the next election by someone who will. Harry Jackson has said as much in a recent statement.

So, where does this leave us? Will the black church move to a more inclusive stance? It’s doubtful as long as it holds steadfastly to its evangelical stance. I wrote to you earlier this year that I have become an Episcopalian. In addition to being a gay affirming and welcoming denomination, for the most part, the church’s history of facing and working through its race, LGBT, and gender issues is very appealing to me. There will be hope for black churches when they go the same exercise and realize that welcoming those who only look, think, and behave like you isn’t what you’ve been called upon to do. Many seem to have forgotten that those Jesus associated with were those on the fringes of society…tax collectors, lepers, non-Jews, and women. And those he had the harshest lessons for were the religious.

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[BHD back again]: I should point out that it is not “all” Black churches or clergy in my state who oppose same-sex marriage. Several brave clergy members representing those churches stood up to be counted and made impassioned pleas on behalf of those of us who are gay. However, there were not enough of them, and the majority (closed-minded) opinion won the day.

I appreciate my friend’s knowledge and insights which help me to understand what needs to be done next year. The battle ain’t over by a long shot, and some day, I will stand in a civil proceeding in my state and look my partner in the eye, and say, “I Do.”

Life is short: let us marry.

Is It Spring Yet?

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A buddy of mine who rides a Harley and lives in a state much farther north than where I live in the U.S. sends me email regularly asking, “is it Spring yet?” … then regales me with some humorous remarks about how he is enduring cabin fever. He is a regular reader of this blog, too.

Man, I’m sorry the weather remains cold and unsuitable for regular riding up there where you live. It’s been cold and wet these last days of astronomical winter in Maryland, too. However, it is warming up. I have been able to get out for at least a short ride on sunny, “warmish” weekend days. Soon enough, I’ll be riding every day.

For now, I will enjoy just getting out for a little bit, getting some fresh air, and the chance to break in some new boots.

New boots you ask? Well, it’s like this: barter and negotiation resulted in a new pair of really cool brown Chippewa harness boots with a full-quill ostrich foot and rubber tread soles delivered to me at half-price. These are the best combo “biker/cowboy” boots I have had (lately, anyway LOL!)

So I geared up in brown — brown Wranglers, my old and trusty brown Hein Geriche motorcycle jacket — and off I went. It was a “tad” chilly, so I’ll be looking for some brown chaps to match… sometime. But for now, “it’ll do.”

Life is short: take advantage of every opportunity to enjoy it — in BOOTS!

Weirdness

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I tell ‘ya, loyal blog readers, I am feeling pretty damn weird.  Let me explain.

For more than 20 years, I worked for an organization that had me traveling a lot. Mostly what I did was conduct training, give speeches, and attend thousands of meetings all over the United States and its territories. Occasionally, my work involved travel to other countries, too. Not often, but enough to make things interesting. When big disasters happened, I engaged my “cross-training” and joined responders to do … whatever … on-scene and in the trenches, getting the job done side-by-side with very hard-working people with big hearts and caring service delivery.

I left that job at the end of 2004 for several reasons, and I will not belabor the rationale here. I went on to take care of an uncle through the winter of his life until his peaceful passing. After that, I accepted a “place-holder” job which was interesting, but removed from my passion (that is, my specific field of expertise.)

I was laid off from that job in June, 2010, and I think it was for a reason (besides the funding that supported it running out.) My sweet aunt needed a lot more attention, and I had the time to care for her through her life’s winter, until her peaceful passing in January, 2011.

Meanwhile, I accepted a position in late November and I am pleased as punch to be back in my direct field, working with colleagues with whom I once worked before, and doing many things that I enjoy (again).

The thing is, this job does not have any “cross-trained response role.” That means that when a big disaster happens, like the events of March 11, I did not run to the rescue… or run with colleagues to help. Sure, it was busy in the office and I was involved with media work, but it’s not the same. Honestly, I kinda miss it.

Well, I do and I don’t. The long hours and sleepless nights in crowded and noisy conditions become harder to bear the older one gets.

I did get an offer from a major player in disaster relief to go work with them for several weeks, but my current employer couldn’t give me paid time off and I couldn’t afford the financial hit to take time off without pay. So I’m still home, watching the news and emailing colleagues and tracking what’s going on via social networks. But it’s not the same. It just feels really, really, I mean really, weird.

Life is short: manage conundrums!

Posted in Job

Can I Come See Your Boot Collection?

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From time to time, I receive messages complimenting the size, quality, and variety of boots in my collection. I appreciate that. Follow-up email has asked if a visit to see my boot collection could occur.

My response is, “sorry, don’t take it personally, but no.”

I do not have visitors other than family into my home, and family visits are few and far between. My partner is a very private man and detests (word selected for a reason) having people over. I will not have visitors when he is not at home. While he trusts me, having “Bootmen” come to my home is suggestive of interest in something beyond my boots. Sorry, ain’t gonna happen. It’s best to avoid anything like that.

Plus, while most of my boots are in my Boot Closet, there are others in my bedroom closets and a few other places here and there in my home. I’m not going to have someone parade through my house and look in my closets. While I have nothing to hide, a bedroom is a private space, and I don’t bring anyone other than my partner into our bedroom.

‘Nuf said. Thanks for the compliments and your interest. You can see all of my boots on my website.

Life is short: define your limits, and live within the established “house rules.”