Yearly Archives: 2023

Suits and Boots 2023 Update

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I have written posts on this blog about wearing boots with suits. Over the years, I have received questions from men who had concerns that “a man does not wear boots with a suit!” Poppycock.

I have provided gentle counsel along the lines of “wear what suits you best.” Generally along the lines of “wear what you like; to heck with the opinion of some style queens or your mother. Be your own man!”

During my working career, I wore suits for important and high-level meetings with the Big Cheese and his direct reports. However, I admit, I never quite felt comfortable in a suit. To me, a suit felt confining and hot. I felt ill-at-ease, and that would show on my face.

After I retired at the end of 2019, I donated the suits I had to charity, and thought…
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Canada Rockies

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I enjoyed one of the best visits to Canada I’ve ever had. Now that I am back home, caught up on the laundry, restocked my fridge, and took care of other things I had to do, I thought I would show you where I was and what I did.

I have visited every province and territory in Canada during my working career. My husband and I enjoyed celebrating a long-delayed honeymoon in Toronto in 2019.

I returned after the pandemic restrictions were lifted last year to the Canadian Maritimes.

This year, I ventured to the west and spent most of my time in the province of Alberta. What a stunning and scenic place!

My trip began with a return to …
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Which Boots to Bring on a Trip to Canada?

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I have the great fortune to be planning a two-week trip to Western Canada in July. The tour will begin in Vancouver, then a train will take me to Jasper. There I will transfer to a small group that will go on a photo tour in the Canadian Rockies, and includes Lake Louise and Banff. The tour will end in Calgary where I have tickets to attend and watch two days of the Calgary Stampede — described as “the greatest outdoor show on Earth.”

I have a “boot dilemma” on what boots to wear while viewing this event that perhaps my readers can help me with.

Three pairs from my cowboy boot collection are staring me in the face. Each pair is screaming, “wear us! wear us!”

Here are my conditions of wear, and three choices:
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Great Alternative to Unavailable Chippewa Harness Boots

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For many years on this blog and on my website, I have been very enthusiastic about the quality, durability, and function of Chippewa Harness Boots. Boots of this style are classic and ageless. Bikers have been wearing harness boots for decades.

Unfortunately, Chippewa brand harness boots were discontinued a few years ago, and it seems as if the company (Justin Brands, the owner of the Chippewa label) will not bring them back. Such a pity and a loss…

There are literally dozens of makers of harness boots out there, and I have tried and worn many of them over the years.

What I liked most about Chippewa harness boots included…
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Catching Up

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I know I have not written on this blog in quite some time. Since I last wrote on March 17 (almost two months ago!), I have completed two trips, and have four more trips planned this year (Los Angeles, Canadian Rockies, Arizona’s biker highways, and winter holidays in Puerto Rico.)

I spent three weeks in Puerto Rico in April. One week for fun, one week for “work,” and another week attending and speaking at a conference. The “fun” part of this journey was not as much fun because someone I had invited to join me was unable to come. I felt let down, but made the best of it.

I visited my friends, swam in the Caribbean Sea with my husband’s spirit at our favorite secluded beach, and tolerated daily interruptions for virtual meetings that seemed to interrupt my free time right in the middle of each day.

While I am retired, I consider my participation on academic and professional groups that I lead and on which I am heavily engaged as “work.” Constant meetings, tons of email, writing papers, and preparing presentations were soul-sucking.

I returned home during the last week of April with a medical …
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I Used to Call Them Dorky

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Okay, if you haven’t notice by now, I have become quite the dress shoe guy. On reading this blog over the years, I would comment that dress shoes were “dorky.”

Well, I have grown up.

Some dress shoes actually look quite nice. Especially with a suit, or jeans, or leather. I wear shoes with all of that.

Why the change?
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Volunteer Work and Travel

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Now that I am retired and have completed renovations to my home to make it comfortable and safe, I have more time to do things I enjoy. I also have re-emerged from my deep well of grief over the loss of my husband. I still think of him fondly every day.

But I have a life to live and while I am still upright, I intend to do so.

2023 sees me being active with serving my community and soon will see me on airplanes, Harleys, trains, and roadways.

When I am at home (that is, not traveling), I keep busy by…
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Seasoned Leatherman

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I really don’t want to let this blog die. I just have trouble coming up with new content or things to write about.

Over the last several months, I have received messages via email from guys who respectfully say things like:

I have been following you through your blog for a long time. I have learned a lot about leather, boots, and gay culture.

… followed by more compliments on the information I have shared and my general perspective of being a regular guy who likes to wear leather and boots and just happens to be gay.

In fact today I received another respectful email addressing me as “Sir” and suggesting he would enjoy hearing stories from a “seasoned leatherman.”

I was honored to read that, to tell you the truth.

At first I was going to summarily reject the compliments with sort of an “aw shucks” shrug. However, on further thought…
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Hibernation: Not

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This blog has been rather silent only for the reason that I continue to have ongoing writer’s block for what goes on this site. But I am not in hibernation, despite it being winter where I live in Maryland, USA.

Since I returned from my winter escape to Puerto Rico, I have been …
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