Awesome Road Trip

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North America experienced a total solar eclipse on Monday 8 April, 2024.

I was considering flying somewhere to see full totality, but on advice from pros I trust, I decided not to pay for an airline ticket, hotel rooms, and so forth in case cloud cover made it a bust.

However, a close friend is such an eclipse enthusiast, we decided to wait until the Friday before to review weather information. We spoke that morning and decided it looked potentially good enough to take a road trip toward Ohio or Indiana.

My buddy picked me up on Sunday morning, and we…
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Asked for Dates

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Hmmm… I did not think that I would be asked for a date again by anyone. There are many more handsome younger men available.

I do not go out socially (much), and do not go to bars, restaurants, or other locations where singles mingle.

I still have trouble considering myself “single.” Even after three years since my husband’s death, I still feel married. As closely as we were bonded, it really wasn’t “until death did we part.” I really do not like to check boxes on forms that says “widowed.”

However, I was pleasantly and humorously surprised when not one but two people recently approached me, at first to compliment my suit (never thought a suit would do that!), then strike up a conversation that led…
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The Power Suit

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It is interesting to me that since I changed my website and this blog to re-introduce myself as a gay man into boots, leather, dress shoes and suits that I have receive more email in the last two weeks than I have received in a long time. I appreciate the complimentary feedback.

With permission of someone who asked me a question, I am answering it here.

“I see you’re into men’s business suits. You look great. I am a young guy, just graduated from college, and started a new job where the boss asked me to wear a ‘power suit’ when I meet company leaders visiting next week. I didn’t want to tell him that I don’t really know what a ‘power suit’ is. Will you show me yours?

Sure thing!

According to what I see on search engine results, consistent with my own thinking, a “power suit” is…
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Blog Update

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Since I changed my “Booted Harleydude” website on March 1, 2024, to “Rick’s website (aka “BHD”) A Gay Guy Into Boots, Leather, Shoes, and Suits” along with its header image and home page images too, I thought it was appropriate to change the image header and statement of this blog to:

BHD’s Musings: the life and times of Rick aka “BHD”
An average former biker, gay leatherman, bootman, shoe & suitman, ‘burbs living guy”

… so the transition will be complete.

As I said on this blog when I made the decision to …
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Growing A Hobby Into Professional Results

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When my husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July 2020, he knew his life would be shorter than we anticipated. Actually, he thought he would die much sooner than I did. Unfortunately, he was right — six months after diagnosis, surgery, and failed chemo treatments, he died.

Knowing I should have a hobby to concentrate on and enjoy, for my last birthday (I do not have birthdays any more) in August 2020, he bought me one of the best digital SLR cameras available on the market. He knew I had creative talent, but I was so focused on my career which was highly technical and scientific, I did not use the creative side of my brain (much.)

In my new life after my husband died, I took a year to grieve. The year of 2021 was a fog. But when I look back at what I did that year, I was …
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Boots and Suits, 2024 Update

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I realized I posted in 2023 about wearing boots with suits. This choice of clothing is a preferred choice often for me.

Some style queens you find on the internet write reviews that are not accepting that some of us prefer to wear boots with suits and good-looking dress cowboy boots can make a man stand out from the crowd of dress shoe wearing suited men.

Don’t misunderstand, I like dress shoes too, and wear them with my suits as well.

But… being a Bootman from way back, I enjoy…
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Decisions, Changes

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My Booted Harleydude website has been around since 2005. The screen name was selected because:

a) I own and wear a lot of boots. This website was created primarily to catalog my extensive collection of cowboy, dress, motorcycle, and work boots.

b) I was (note past tense) a biker and owned and rode a Harley. I am also an old-school gay Leatherman, so I cataloged my motorcycle gear and fetish leather gear. Over time, I built quite the collection.

Well, come March 2024, I have made a hard decision to sell my Harley, hang up my helmet, and stop riding motorcycles. Long ago, I decided not to attend any Gay Leather events. I don’t have the interest, stamina, or desire to attend those types of events.

Why?
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Where I Have Been

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This blogger has taken a break. A much-needed break from a busy 2023.

During 2023, I logged over 1,000 hours of volunteering in service to my community.

I racked up 15,000 air miles on travels within the U.S. and Canada.

And yeah, I am retired and lovin’ the freedom to do what I want to do, and when and where I live to enjoy a full life.

So where have I been this winter?
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Leather Weather

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This time of year, I am enjoying cooler weather with cool and comfortably dry, non-humid days and evenings.

Being an “old-school” leather guy from way back, I am enjoying wearing my boots and leathers again.

For more than 40 years now, I have had a regular wardrobe of good quality leather garments. I like the appearance, comfort, durability, style, and (when it is cold), warmth. Also, leather is much easier to maintain by keeping it clean and conditioned at home. (Further, by wearing leather more often, then I have much less laundry to do!)

I do not go out much, but when I do, such as grocery shopping, one may see me …
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Musings of Autumn

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I have not written very much for this blog, but it does not mean that I am laying on a hammock, sipping lemonade, and watching the leaves fall.

A few months ago, I added an email subscription widget. I am notified when a new subscriber is added to the list. However, some of the new subscribers may be “bots” that signed up for my email list. I am strongly thinking of removing …
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