I know the blogging has been off schedule… sorry loyal readers for such haphazarditiness. (I love to make up words that are not real words, but native speakers of English can figure them out.)
Since December, the Spouse has had an average of two doctor’s visits each week. He is not well. Not seriously sick, but not well. Ongoing visits to specialists, dentist, and related errands to the pharmacy, etc., occupy a …
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All last week, I was on the West Coast of the U.S., in cold, dreary, damp and icy weather. I was working very long hours, and due to the time difference, was waking at 2:30am local time, and not getting back to my hotel room until about 8:30pm each night. I was “running the show,” meaning that I was leading, facilitating, and speaking at meetings all day, every day.
While my flights to and from this over-green, over-yuppified and increasingly expensive city were uneventful, they were indeed quite packed. So it was no wonder that…
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I was contacted recently by a fellow biker who moved to Maryland from Hawaii. Riding in Maryland is significantly different from Hawaii — the least of which is Hawaii’s tropical weather.
Back here in the Mid-Atlantic, I would not say that summertime riding is “tropical.” More like “seasonal” with intense heat and humidity from mid-May through the end of September. Likewise, in the shoulder riding season (mid-March to mid-May and October through mid-November), riders usually experience pleasant temperatures and lower humidity.
But between mid-November through mid-March in Maryland, we experience riding weather that…
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I had an intense week of business travel in a city on the West Coast of the United States all last week, Sunday through Saturday. I facilitated, led, and managed 10 meetings held back-to-back-to-back and a few concurrently. Cat herding is my specialty.
My return flights, including a connection, were uneventful and on-time. Amazing these days.
Today, my boots and I…
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I dislike having to take a break from writing this blog, but for the next seven days I will be on the left coast of the United States where…
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You heard it here before, and I am repeating these words of advice — if you like new boots that are made in Mexico, including some Lucchese, Justin, Old Gringo, Laredo, Tony Lama, Nocona, and hand-made styles from old-world bootmakers in Leon — order those boots now.
Why? Because soon…
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My boss was concerned that I had been working long hours, including over the last weekend and holiday. So when he looked at the weather forecast for Wednesday January 25 and saw that it was going to be an exceptional day, he suggested that I …
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I received an email asking me questions about leather bar attendance and attire:
what would be the best leather outfit to wear in a leather bar as a first timer? And what should I expect to happen once I make an appearance at an all-men leather bar? What goes from there?
I thought I had blogged about these questions before, but in searching this blog, I discovered that I have not.
Let me remedy that right away. I will write from the perspective of a gay man in the United States. I have not visited leather-oriented establishments in Europe.
But now Leather Up and get ready…
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Since I live with the world’s #1 recluse, I seldom interact socially. However, yesterday, several buddies saw to it that I would mount my Harley and go for a ride, even if the weather was less than cooperative.
In the morning, I got dressed in a pair of jeans and my favorite Chippewa firefighter boots and took several LOLITS grocery shopping. I assessed the conditions, and thought, “it isn’t going to dry up. My planned motorcycle ride for today won’t go.” Darn it… I was feeling as gloomy as the weather and needed a ride to clear my head.
But two cops, two firefighters, and three bikers had other ideas…
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For those outside the Washington DC area, it is hard to know just how much the divisiveness of U.S. politics has become such a lightning rod for anger (on both sides of politics) that it is in the ether of the local atmosphere where I live. There is no way to avoid hearing about it.
People in grocery stores or shops are abuzz. Neighbors have visitors from out of town who have come to DC to join demonstrations and marches. In fact, even in my own family, two siblings who live in distant states arrived yesterday, and they plan to participate in an enormous anti-buffoon protest scheduled today. It was all the talk at the family dinner last night, and I left it early because I had enough. Basta!
Where does that leave me — one who has gone into a self-imposed news blackout, or a “mental-health avoidance void?”
Well ==> the alternative. A couple bikers (JB, my bike cop pal, and another guy from my riding club), will “bikenap” me and take me…
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