Happy Leap Day

A quick note and update for my regular blog visitors.

First: Happy Leap Day! Read on to understand why I am celebrating today.

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Should I Wear Boots on a Motorcycle

These questions persist, and bring visitors to this blog and to the motorcycle boot section of my website.

Here goes, courtesy of google again:

"Should I Wear Boots on a Motorcycle?"

Answer?

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Do Gay Men Want To Be Masculine?

Here is another take on this age-old conundrum about gay men and masculinity:

Someone from New Jersey searched "do gay men want to be masculine?" See the search here:

Let me point out one quick fallacy of logic in that question -- it assumes that all gay men are not masculine, but perhaps some or all of them want to be.

What is masculinity in this context?

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No Python for You!

Someone from France sent an email message to me the other day complimenting me on my website, and then explained that he saw a pair of python (snake) cowboy boots in a store one time, and fell in love with them. He was unhappy about the price -- over €300 -- so he wanted to know if I could recommend a source of the boots that was less expensive.

My answer?

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Detective Work Finds Treatment for my Partner

Last Friday, I had to bring my partner to the hospital because his condition had gotten to be so bad, he needed treatment -- at least to get him to be able to sleep, which he had not been able to do. During that day-long hospitalization, he was anesthetized and given many more tests, including an MRI, CT, and a spinal tap. They took more blood than I thought he had.

Tuesday evening, his primary care physician called and said that he wanted to see my partner -- at home! Imagine: a house call in 2012.

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Lucchese Classic Handmade Boots

I have admired and have worn Lucchese boots for decades. They are comfortable and very well-made.

Let me share a little bit about what I have learned about Lucchese boots from my own experience, and share some happiness with a new pair of Lucchese Classic handmade boots.

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How to Wear Boots Untied

While I prefer boots that pull on or zip closed, I have some boots in my collection that have laces, and require tying. Boots with laces have a very rugged, masculine appearance -- provided they are worn correctly (that is, laced up and tied.)

But there goes Google again, directing a visitor to my website. The visitor entered the question, "how to wear boots untied for men."

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Weird Winter

I am not complaining... we have had such an unusually warm winter, it's been "riding season" all year long. Yesterday, it reached 57°F (14°C)... again, quite unusual for mid-February in the DC area. Just imagine, two years ago we were under mountains of snow!

After catching up on some much-needed rest yesterday, I put on my retro biker chaps, an old leather jacket, Chippewa ostrich motorcycle boots, and motored over to Mary's home.

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Back Home

I am happy to say that as of 7:30am this morning, I brought my partner back home. He was poked and prodded and interviewed and examined by 14 doctors -- yep, 14 of them -- all day yesterday. Another MRI and a spinal tap and other invasive, painful tests. Fortunately, he was under anesthesia for the worst of it.

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Beyond Pain...

My poor partner... his frightful medical situation is worse -- so bad that I had to carry him, literally, to see his doctor yesterday. The doc wants him admitted to the hospital. No explanation for the intense, body-wide pain.

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Sialkot Must Be a Crazy Place

Name: [Pakistani Peddler]
Location: Sialkot, Pakistan

Dear Sir/Madam,

We would like to introduce you to our company. We are one great company with very good reputation in Pakistan and in the international market. This is due to our excellent quality products and economical rates. Our main object is to provide excellent quality products at reasonable prices every time when we deal our customers.

We are presently manufacturing all kinds of leather Jackets, Motorbike suits, Cordura jackets, Trousers, Gloves, Saddle bags and Vests. The Company has highly qualified staff at its back having vast experience in the manufacturing process and is maintaining quality tools to the International standards and specifications. Our main objectives are customer confidence, satisfaction, and to provide....
[cutoff as the message hit my max 1000 character limit]

Oh my goodness, this barrage from desperate Pakistani leather vendors continues.

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Frosted

I rarely talk about politics on this blog. I feel that there is no topic that causes more controversy than politics ... well, perhaps organized religion. Anyway, I am absolutely frosted by a two-faced lying jerk who convinced me to support his 2010 election for a first term in our State's House of Delegates from the district in which my partner and I live.

Yesterday, a vote came up in a joint committee of our House of Delegates on marriage equality. How did this guy vote?

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For My Valentine

Enjoy "our song" with us.

We heard JMM sing this tune (see video below) for us just a couple months after we met, and soon after the song was introduced. We were at Wolf Trap Farm Park, a national park music venue in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC, where he performed in June, 1993.

There we were, right in front, and he sang with such a soulful, melodic voice. My partner and I held each other, danced (a little bit) and vowed that whenever we marry, legally, this song will be played.

Share our joy today, our love, with a spirit of thanksgiving for the man who makes me whole.


Life is short: show those you love how you love them. Happy Valentines Day!

My Valentine Makes Our Kitchen Hot!

Valentine's Day hype and hoopla aside, I still get mushy about this day and the relationship with my man, my hunky Valentine.

Each day of the year I find at least one way to show my partner how much I love him. Not only sharing words, but through deeds which demonstrate my love for the man who is my best half, best friend, and who means the world to me. From the day we met almost 19 years ago until this very moment, I love him deeply.

What am I doing on Valentine's Day for my man?

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Yucky Weather Rules Out Cowboy Boots

Yesterday, Saturday, the weather was particularly "yucky" -- cold rain, with a little bit of heavy, wet snow. Not a real good day for a wedding, dress clothes, and leather-soled cowboy boots, so I made a last-minute boot change....

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Family Wedding Without Reception

For the past two days, I have had the pleasure of visiting with family who have come to town to attend a niece's wedding. Because my partner is not feeling well, we did not have anyone stay with us as a houseguest. (My twin brother wasn't able to come, either. Bummer.)

The wedding is today. I will (reluctantly) put on a pair of dress pants, shirt & tie, dress cowboy boots, and a sport coat, then drive to my sister's home for a pre-wedding brunch. This sister is the bride's aunt and Godmother. Then I will drive to the church, 15 miles away, to be there for the wedding ceremony.

When the wedding is over, I will politely make my exit and come home.

Why?

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Boots and Normative Masculinity

I wrote a post on February 6 titled, "Normative Masculinity" which provided my comments about an academic research study about Western male "hegemonic" masculinity. I invited comments or questions.

I received two interesting email messages about that post, both of which asked, "do guys wear boots to appear more masculine, especially gay guys?"

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My Hero Saves Lives

I am honored to know a man who is my hero, and call him not only my best friend, but my brother. My twin brother. My alter-ego in life, in heart, and in action.

Throughout our lives, both my brother and I have had a special place in our hearts to help those in need, who were picked on, bullied, and treated terribly because of some difference they had. We each acted in our own ways of trying to save and protect people who were unable to defend themselves, and today, my brother is doing it, saving lives, and bringing peace. Literally. I am so proud of him. (This photo is so characteristic of my brother -- leading through a dark tunnel into the broad sunlight of day.)

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Normative Masculinity

I found a very interesting academic research article titled, "Searching for the Gay Masculinity" (Full text here) which says, in part:

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Game, Shmame

Today is the day when the Super Bowl, the championship of American Football, is played. This game is hyped up so much. So many promotions from all sorts of retailers who are trying to capitalize on making money from game-related activities -- including grocery stores, big box retailers that sell hi-def televisions, furniture stores, and many more. Phooey. I don't buy into the hype and commercialization related to one football game. Really.

What will I be doing instead of shopping, attending parties, or watching the game?

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Distracting Attention From Colorful Cowboy Boots

Fridays are known where I work as "casual Friday." Most guys wear jeans, polo shirts, and sneakers. I take advantage of the unwritten rule that it is okay to wear jeans to work on Fridays, but along with the jeans, I decided to wear my Lucchese Classic "blue jeans" cowboy boots to work. I work in a professional office. Most other men wear drab, dull, dress shoes on most days, and sneakers on Fridays. Not me--always booted.

These boots, though, are noticeable because of their predominant blue color, with white inlays and black overlays. Not that I would care if anyone said anything, but I conducted an experiment.

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Advocating for My Partner: Patience, Trial and Error

My partner has had an onslaught of various medical problems that began last November, and persist today.  However, things are getting a little bit better. He is not fully recovered, nor may he ever be. But we are taking it one day at a time.

I shan't bore you with all the details. But I do want to share some lessons that we learned that may help you, or someone you care about, in the future.

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Be Seen!

My partner is so very thoughtful. He followed me on my Harley one night, and said, "man, I couldn't see you that well."

He fixed it -- as he always does, the solver of problems. He bought me a new light bar for the back of my Harley. Gave it to me for Christmas. I just had it installed.

Now I can be seen!

I sure enjoyed taking the long way home yesterday from the place where I had the lights installed. The weather was unusually warm (65F, 18C) for January 31! Woo-hoo, I'm riding to work today, February 1! Who woulda thunk?

Life is short: Ride Safe!