Thursday, September 30, 2010

Heroes of the North

Polymorphe has teamed up with Movie Seals Productions to create the costumes for this online superhero series called "Heroes of the North". I'm looking forward to seeing future installments! The boys (and girls) look good in latex. About time someone did latex on superhuman bodies! :)

Origin of The Canadian:











I see some new costume ideas here! ;p
Once again, I re-state: "Quebec is the one (best) thing that makes Canada distinctly Canadian!" :D

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Back and sick

I will be writing a Folsom Report shortly...as soon as I got back from San Francisco I got slammed with a doozy of a flu. I felt like dying yesterday but the sweats, aches and fever are only intermittent today. Not really much in the mood to do anything right now, so that will have to wait for a few more days...

Monday, September 27, 2010

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Vacu-art

Here is another nice vac bed video...it's amazing how well black and white photography/videography brings out the reflections and shadowing on black latex so much better than colour.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Folsomic

I'm off to San Francisco on Friday for Folsom Street Fair weekend. It's a short three-day trip; I'm looking forward to seeing friends from all over the continent there, although realistically the chance of running into most of them is slim. You never know! There are lots of Vancouver guys going but I am staying with a friend from San Francisco and another from Portland in a hotel room downtown. I am hoping to run into a few new people from the San Fran area that I've chatted with online for a long time and would love to finally meet...? ;)

My Mr. WCR 2010 title vest should be here by Friday. I arranged with Stephane from Polymorphe to get it before the Folsom weekend so I can do some promotion for WCR and Rubbout as a 'relevant representative'. Hopefully it will get here in time.

There is a Rubbout planning meeting tonight and I hope to get a few hours of Mitch's time to discuss the MIR contest and my options. I am planning to enlist the help of a few 'theatrical' friends over the next few weeks to brainstorm some great stage presentation ideas.

The legs are still on the slow road to recovery. The right one is almost fully healed over but I've still been feeling a bit tired. This has been a tough slog; on top of being plied with antibiotics to fight a nasty infection, I've also not been my normal active self the past four weeks, and that's driving me insane too. I was hoping to be 100% healed by Folsom, but I think I'm going to have to settle for 95%.  Once I'm back from San Francisco I will also  get my bike repaired and roadworthy again, get the accident investigation crap done and out of the way and finally move on. I think next week will be my first attempt at running again.

My Invincible neck-entry catsuit exploded down the front yesterday. This was something I was eventually anticipating as the seam was looking more and more worn down everytime I put it on. It ripped practically straight down the middle of the chest right from the neck seam to a couple of inches above the cockring so I'm hoping James and Zann at Hypershine can do some of their magic and throw a zipper on the front of it, otherwise I'm going to have it converted into leggings with suspenders, maybe?

I am getting this new baby from my evil nemesis Patrick, who figures the larger of the sizes he bought (fuck hole Large) is too big for him! LOL

I am also thinking up some great ideas for some new suits from E7 and Polymorphe. I need to really start planning for the MIR competition now! I am thinking a couple of pervy ideas...I envision the suit from E7 being the ultimate fisting suit, one that is shoulder zip with fuckhole and codpiece (but long sleeve, not sleeveless like in the picture).  Maybe with 'PIG' on the back?
I am hoping to get a Polymorphe suit in transparent black similar to the one Billy Berlin wore in Slick Dogs.
So, there will most likely be a visit to Mr. S while in San Francisco.  I have a list of 'nice-to-haves' (including a couple of new hoods) that I will definitely look out for while there.  The only official event I have a ticket for is Magnitude on Saturday night.  We have a planned birthday rubber get-together for a good friend on Saturday evening as well, and of course lots of partying to do on Friday and Sunday too! Despite feeling a bit out-of-sorts and disorganized, I'm looking forward to checking out my first Folsom!

Monday, September 20, 2010

Friday, September 17, 2010

Chicago Rubbermen get rubberized

Chicago...Prepare to be RUBBERIZED!

Greetings Chicago Rubbermen:

Don't forget --

Saturday, Sept 18, 2010
Chicago Rubbermen Meeting & Club Night
Location: Touche

Touche is located at 6412 N. Clark Street. (For those of you coming from out of town, you'll find parking a bit easier up that way.)

Organizational meeting will start at 10:30 p.m. Topics will include Mr. International Rubber (MIR) sponsorship, volunteers, and gear sale. The club night, or beer-fueled gropefest as some like to call it, begins at 11 p.m.! Join us in congratulating one of Chicago Rubbermen's very own Johnny Switch for winning Mr Midwest Rubber 2010!

Also, the Chicago Hellfire Club annual retreat ended earlier this week and some pigs from around the country are still in Chicago, so stop by and meet some kinky out of towners into rubber!

Finally, be sure to visit the club website to view photos from recent Chicago Rubbermen events!

See you Saturday. Spread the word - bring a friend or two or more!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

It's A Guy Thing

New guy thing we don't get: Morphsuits
by Piper Weiss, Shine Staff, on Wed Sep 15, 2010 9:27am PDT

To be filed along with Pimp Halloween costumes and Ultimate Fighting, Morphsuits are the latest trend to tap a nerve with the penis-carriers of the world. For the rest of us, it's baffling.

Already a phenomenon in the UK, guys are wearing these full body suits to sporting events in the colors of their favorite teams. It hit the Philly area after a character in the show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" adopted the green suit as a look. Now it's an emblem of pride for Philly Eagles and Canadian hockey fans alike. But it doesn't stop there.

The head-to-toe body suits are being worn to parties, local events and trips to the supermarket. Proof is on the Morphsuits Facebook page, where users around the world post photos in their get-ups.

We don't get it. It seems high-maintenance. There's no pockets (although the company is selling attachable fanny packs for your suit). You can see out of them, but probably through a haze of neon. Although the website makes abundantly clear that you can drink with the suits on,  through the micro-holes over your completely covered face, going to the bathroom is far from easy. You have to take the whole thing off. Also dressing in one big neon legging is hardly a flattering look if you're not built like The Situation. And if you're looking to get laid, it helps to show your face. And not frighten small children.

Nonetheless, it's a guy thing. Here are a few female hypotheses of why: It's a no-brainer when it comes to getting dressed. No deliberating over matching ties with shirts and pants. Also it's comfortable. And there has to be something to the simultaneous anonymity and attention it provides. You can be the life of the party and make a total fool of yourself, and no one has to know it's even you. And if you find yourself in a situation where everyone's in a Morphsuit, you can up the ante, with a "premium" suit that comes in designs like the American Flag." As disturbingly futuristic as it may seem, it's a lot simpler than the complicated outfits we women create daily. Oh and for the well-endowed, it's a good showcase for the package.

So maybe there's something to it? Help us out, guys.

A morphsuited guy posted his office-casual look on Facebook
A morphsuited guy posted his office-casual look on Facebook. Photo by: http://www.facebook.com/Morphsuits

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Starting Out

I received this message in my Inbox a week or so ago, and it brought back SO many memories of my first steps into fetish, latex and bondage oh so many years ago. I wrote back a lengthy response to the person who sent this to me, I hope it answers some of his questions. I thought I would post it here for those that might get some information out of it. Those of us that have been around for awhile have an obligation to inform and educate our newbie brothers and sisters!

Hi *!

Thanks for the msg...you have so many questions!

First of all I would start with something small and work to bigger things, much like anything else sexually.  Do a bunch of research online about purchasing, dressing and wearing rubber gear.  I would start with a small purchase, something like a pair of shorts or a top to see if you like the feeling of wearing rubber gear for periods of time, and maybe most importantly whether you have allergies to latex!

I guess I should start with a distinction between rubber and latex.  Latex is the natural material extracted from rubber trees, treated and run into sheets that are purchased by latex tailors to either cut and piece together much like standard material is sewn into clothing except that instead of using thread to sew pieces together, latex tailors use a special glue.  The other option is to buy molded latex items which have no seams and are created by dipping molds into liquid latex.  I suggest staying with seamed/tailored items as they can be custom fit, customizable and if they rip can be fixed.  Molded items once broken are typically not repairable.  As much as a seamless look is hot, it is more risky.

Rubber is made from petrochemicals.  Much like tires on a car, these items are made by running chemicals through base chemicals derived from petroleum.  Rubbers like neoprene are made this way (wetsuit material).  In many cases these are more durable but a lot thicker than latex and are tailored much the same way as standard clothes with seams and thread although there are some that use glue or new technologies to fuse seams together, etc.

The term 'rubber' is used interchangeably to describe both latex and rubber items, although there is a distinction.  I try to make the distinction when talking about clothing. 

Latex is what you are looking for.  The sheets used to make latex clothing can range in thickness from 0.2mm (thin and stretchy, not very strong) to over 1mm (very thick, not very stretchy, but very strong).

What thickness you choose depends largely on what your using your latex clothing for.  If you're using it for social occasions and not stressing the latex out very much you may opt for thinner latex as it is stretchier and will hug the body a lot more.  It feels and looks a lot more encapsulating than the thicker stuff.  But if you are looking for something more durable for play sessions you may want something thicker.  Most standard gauge clothing ranges from .4-.5mm, play gear more likely around .55-.65mm or thicker.

Many masks, gloves, socks, etc are molded because it is difficult to create these items in a seamed fashion.  Typically they will be thicker latex than standard to give them durability.  You can also buy masks and hoods in thinner seamed styles with zippers and/or laces to tighten and secure them on the head, etc.

You have to keep in mind that latex is a natural material therefore will degrade over time.  It doesn't like direct sunlight, heat or oil-based lubricants or fluids.  This means no oil-based lubes, and even the oil from your skin will break down latex over time.  This is why cleaning the latex after wearing it is so important.  Most people use mild soaps to clean the latex and rinse it, store it in dark cool places to extend the life of the latex.  You will find that eventually your favorite gear will distintegrate, but you can get 10+ years of wear out of gear you look after.  You will notice that the suppleness of the latex will change over time as the material ages.  Black is standard color for latex because it hides imperfections in the material and stains better; lighter latex colors and transparent colors will likely discolor over time as the latex degrades due to use and oxidation.

Inflatable latex gear is made much the same way, except double layers of seamed and glued latex allow for inflation of the bladder created by the two layers of latex. 

Latex gear costs a lot of money so be prepared to shell out a lot of cash if you like what you're getting into and want to grow your arsenal of gear and clothing. The variety of gear and clothing you can buy online or get custom made is practically limited only by your imagination.

I like putting skintight latex clothing on with silicone- or water-based lubes as you can just slip into what you are putting on.  For looser items, you can use talcum powder.  I use billiards powder, something neutral without any scents or additives.

The easiest way to take latex off is in the shower.  After a night out you can run water under your suit or gear and it will practically slough off your body.  If you don't have access to a shower, get someone to help you take stuff off carefully so not to rip anything.  Sharp fingernails, rings, etc will rip latex easily if you grab it from the wrong direction.

Also keep in mind that if you wear latex in public, you're going to get a lot of people wanting to touch it on you.  Make sure to clean dirty spots and places people touch with oily/dirty hands after wear.  People also love to grab a piece of latex and snap it....try to avoid this as much as possible and inform people that that sort of behavior can rip or tear a very expensive item of clothing!  The thinner the latex, the more the risk, of course.

Like I said, you might want to start purchasing with something small but if you get an opportunity to try something more full-body encapsulating like a catsuit, sleepsack, etc try it out and see if the tight restricting feeling is for you or not.  Most people into skintight clothing like spandex really enjoy getting into latex because it is similar but a different feeling, plus the fact latex is impermeable means that you quickly either like the wet clammy feeling of sitting in your own sweat and juices or you don't!  You might also want to try hoods, masks, gasmasks to see if you like the feeling of something restricting covering your face/head.

As for meeting people, well this might be the area I can't really help you with.  Some people are comfortable meeting and chatting with people online, some prefer to play in rubber alone at home or with their partner, others like to go out in latex, show off, and meet people in that fashion, either at fetish events, bars, or parties.  Whatever your comfort level with yourself, going out in latex takes comfort to a new level.  You have to be very comfortable with your body and your sexuality to pull off wearing latex in public.  You don't have to be a god, but you have to be comfortable in your own skin to wear another one over it, so to speak, that shows off EVERYTHING.  Latex is very sexy, very arousing and grabs a lot of attention, but you have to keep in mind that it isn't for everyone, not everyone's going to understand the how and why of why you might be wearing it in public, so you have to be ready to answer a lot of questions, accept a lot of compliments and be ready to face some criticism too.

The Internet has changed the face of fetish both for the good and the bad.  There are dozens of personal and social sites now dedicated to lovers of all types of fetish gear.  There are even fetish groups on Facebook now, but my faves for latex for the gay boys are Recon, Rubberzone, and Gearfetish.  For the pansexual crowd I've found one of the best is Fetlife, although I know there are many many others dedicated to the female latex goddess/straight male crowd.  Some are pay sites, others are free, some are more focused on photography and video, others are just focused on profiles.  This is a good medium to meet like-minded individuals from all over the world and find people with very similar gear/fetish turn-ons.

It might take you some time to get comfortable wearing latex in general.  Taking it out in public is another step, meeting others into it in person is another step, playing with others into rubber and bondage is yet another.  It is quite an evolutionary journey and if you put a bit of planning and forethought into your adventures you'll find it to be very exciting, mind-expanding and educational.

It is very daunting to go to a fetish event on your own; I've done it before and it is very nerve-wracking if you don't know anyone, but the fetish crowd in general is very welcoming, friendly and open-minded.  Don't be discouraged if you have the misfortune to meet some losers; as with every crowd there are always a few lurking around.  There are lots of great people in the fetish community and many will be more than willing to help you out with questions or suggestions for you.

As for trust in a fetish/bondage environment, yes there is definitely an element of knowing the people you're playing with.  It is like any relationship, you only divulge and participate in as much as you're comfortable with.  If you find yourself in a playful social environment or setting up a play session with someone you have an acquaintancy with, don't feel you need to do things you're not comfortable with.  You have every right to refuse to do something you're not comfortable with.  Everything with fetish takes exposure, familiarity, practice and comfort to get good at so don't rush yourself or expect things to work out like your fantasies the first time.  It has taken me many many years to get to the level of comfort I am at now in what I wear, what I do, and who I do it with.  It has taken me years to build the network of friends I have in the fetish community as well.

Start chatting with people online, if you have an opportunity to visit a fetish store do that, and ask a lot of questions, don't feel ashamed or guilty.  You will only learn if you ask questions; people can't read minds as much as we might want them to. If you have an opportunity to try on latex before you buy it, even better.  If your only option is to buy online, find a vendor that is helpful in their communications with you (will answer all of your crazy questions) and seems very concerned about finding the perfect sizing of items for you.  You will be amazed what you will learn and you will be amazed at how helpful people who have been in the fetish community for some time actually are.  The key is communication, communication, communication!

Best of luck to you!  Enjoy the journey.  It's a very special one; you may feel sort of lonely right now, but once you get to know people who are pervy like you, you will quickly realize that there are a lot of us out there!

Reid

On Sat, Sep 4, 2010 at 8:38 AM, ****** wrote:
Hi,

I'm sending you this message because I need some help and i think you might be able to give me some advice. I feel that your fetish/bondage interests are very similar to mine, but the problem is that I am a total newbie and I have no idea where to start.

First though, let me introduce myself. I am male in his early 20s, bisexual and I've known for a long time that I have a fetish for rubber and an interest in bondage. Things like latex catsuits and vacuum beds certainly turn me on. I also have an interest in inflatables (inflatable suits, inflatable hoods and especially inflatable sleepsacks).

I have always been fairly embarassed by my fetish, because it's not something a lot of people have. Recently though I found some people in my area who are about my age and have similar interests, and I've finally been able to talk about it.

I have to admit that I have never, ever tried anything rubbery. I have no gear at all, and I don't even know anyone who has gear. These few people I mentioned before have the same interests, but haven't done anything with it either. I suppose these people also want to pursue their fetish interests but are stuck with the same questions as I am.

So, I'm in need for a bit of advice on how you handle all this. I am interested in playing alone, but I'd also like to meet these people and play with them. Do you have anything to recommend for total beginners as far as gear goes? I've been looking at STR (I like their surfsuits and catsuits). What should I certainly know about rubber gear before I start? As far as bondage goes, what gear is needed for some light bondage? How does one tie up people properly? Heck, what exactly is the difference between rubber and latex? How do you handle people with similar interests? How do you approach them with the idea of wanting to play around? How do you know you can trust people enough for bondage?

My mind is pretty much filled with questions and doubts, but those are the questions that pop up in my head right now. I think these questions will only be truly answered when I actually get to try all this stuff.

I hope my message isn't bothering you too much. It's just that I'd love to get my feet wet and I am rather unsure where to start. There are so many possibilities, and I am feeling quite overwhelmed to be honest.

Thanks a lot in advance for your help.

*

Monday, September 13, 2010

Friday, September 10, 2010

West Coast Rubber 2010 Review

What can I say about the amazing weekend I had in Los Angeles?  It was a fantastic experience and very exciting for me.  Not only did I get feted as the new Mr. West Coast Rubber, but I had a wonderful opportunity to catch up with a bunch of old friends, make lots of new acquaintances, and see some areas of the Los Angeles area I had never been to before.

I actually arrived in L.A. on Wednesday.  I stayed with my friend Rubberchris and his partner during my visit.  We went to Mickey's Bar in West Hollywood that night, which is apparently one of the best nights to go there.  The bar was packed by midnight; we had a lot of fun man watching, meeting some of Chris' friends and watching the interesting bondage demos going on on the outside stage in between go-go dancer sessions. 

Thursday and Friday during the day I had to work, so that took up a lot of time and energy especially since both mornings I was getting calls from Toronto at 6am.  Thursday evening we had a nice dinner at home, then Chris and I went to Syren to get fitted for outfits we were wearing at the Rubber Fashion Show on Friday evening, then returned back home and relaxed and played around in rubber a bit.

Friday afternoon, Rubberbuck (Mr. WCR 2008) who was also staying at the apartment arrived.  Once Chris got home from work we got ready and headed to the Army and Navy Surplus store for some quick gear and boot shopping, then got ready to head to Syren/Stockroom for the Rubber Meet and Greet and Fashion Show.  The hospitality room at Stockroom was geared up with lights, music, some artist displays and open bar for the group of 40 or so that collected to watch the rubber and gear fashion show hosted by Syren and the unveiling of the new Mr. West Coast Rubber for 2010.

The fashion show was a huge success.  It was organized by Eddie Hibbs, Syren's manager, past and present emcee for Mr. International Rubber weekend, a formidable personality on the fetish scene and a great representative of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

Syren's latex fashions were highlighted by ten models presenting Syren/Stockroom's wrestlers, ladies' fashions, straightjackets, pony play and harness gear, aprons and dildo harnesses, and military outfits.  It was a very playful performance and everyone gave kudos to Eddie for his creative assembly of gear and clothing and the models for making the scenes sexy and fun.

After the modelling and fashion display was complete, it was time to unveil the new Mr. West Coast Rubber.  I had been sitting backstage throughout the fashion show and thankfully had lots of time to put on my Syren military shirt, cap, jodhpurs and 20-hole boots, and anxiously awaited getting onstage for the unveiling.  I was escorted out on stage by the eight male models, all in military latex, stumbling up the stairs onstage under the covers of a bondage sleepsack.  L8xdad of WCR announced me as the new titleholder, the shroud was taken off.  Lots of pictures, schmoozing and conversations followed. 

Afterwards, we swapped our Syren military gear for our 'going out' latex and headed to the L.A. Eagle for some drinks.  The bar was packed due to a Cub Scout party, however we ran into people we knew, there were a few rubber guys around, and one of our friends ended up blindfolded, gagged and bound to the Spiderweb in the bar.  We didn't stay too long due to the wall-to-wall packed conditions in the bar and the fact not too many of the rubbermen showed up after the fashion show, so we headed home for the night.

Saturday morning came around early.  Rubberbuck, Rubberchris and myself headed up to West Hollywood again to meet Loren (L8xdad) and Alex (L8xboy) for brunch.  The main point of our discussion was the future of the West Coast Rubber weekend.  As with many other gay fetish parties around the continent, WCR has been seeing numbers progressively decline over the past few years.  We discussed options for the future of the event.  It was thought that one of the best things to do might be to move the party back out to Palm Springs where it had originally been held, possibly rearranging the weighting of the Winter Warmup party in February to hold the Mr. WCR contest then and holding some smaller event on the Labour Day long weekend in Los Angeles. 

Some of the main concerns are the sheer logistics of securing venues to hold events in Los Angeles currently and the amount of time spent driving around the city to all of these events for those attendees who either buy the weekend packages or want to attend as many events as they can.  Weekend package purchases were down again this year, but a-la-carte purchases of single event tickets are going up.  This might be expected with a setup which we currently see in Los Angeles, where many men most likely decide to only attend a few events because of the effort involved trying to attend all the events scheduled and attended by weekend package-holders.  The desire is to be able to hold all the events in one resort, or at least have most of the events held in Palm Springs within walking distance of each other.  The Californians complained that it is too cold in Palm Springs in February; I tried to reassure them that most Northerners would still find the climate in Palm Springs agreeable enough to make the trip in February as part of their winter vacation plans.

The other main topic was scheduling.  Any other options thrown on the table for dates of the event either ran too close to other events which would possibly impact attendance at both, or ran into peak seasons or too hot of weather in either Palm Springs or L.A.  It was decided that the Winter Warmup weekend in late February would still probably be the best time to run the expanded Mr. WCR event in Palm Springs. 

This may mean that I might either be Mr. WCR titleholder for either six months or eighteen months or so, depending on what the final decision might be on logistics and scheduling.

We encouraged Loren and Alex to give up some parts of the organization of the event to other people.  I volunteered to assist with sponsorship and marketing, while Rubberbuck volunteered to do more of the overall event management, allowing Loren and Alex who have worked so diligently over the past five years to grow the WCR weekend to what it is today, to enjoy themselves more stress-free at future events.

After what was deemed a successful brainstorming brunch, Rubberchris and I headed to Rough Trade to do some shopping then headed back to Rubberchris' place with our wares.  We decided to forego the slime pit at the Eagle to have a nap and rest up for the play party in the evening. 

Rubberchris, his partner and I left their place to head up the 405 to North Hollywood.  The play party was held in the same location as last year, a great warehouse space where several L.A. fetish clubs hold their fetish, bondage and sex parties.  We got caught in horrible traffic en route and what should've taken about 45 minutes ended up taking 90.  We were exhausted but raring to go once we got there and ended up having a fantastic evening in the play spaces and common party area.  There was great music, horny bondage and sex demos, and lots of action going on in the theme rooms in the play area.  The time flew by (as expected) and I ended up in several great scenes with some sexy guys.  We hung around until 3am when the party ended to help the crew clean up the mess, tear down the equipment that wasn't permanent for the club, and pack it all away.  we got back into L.A. around 5am and gladly went to bed, satiated and exhausted.

Sunday was the pool party we were all looking forward to, as well as the Rubber Dinner.  We headed up to Altadena for a great party at a private home and grounds owned by friends of the organizers that is regularly rented out to fetish and sex groups.  Around 30 men showed up for what was a fun party and BBQ.  The weather couldn't have been more perfect - it was around 30C, the pool was great and the lounging areas were heavily used for socializing.  The grotto and private areas were initially used for play early on, but around 4pm the action moved into the pool and poolside, where some hot sex was being had by some hot guys!  The party officially ended at 5pm but we hung around until around 6:30 getting ready for dinner so that we didn't have to head back to Culver City and then turn around to head back to Silverlake.  We continued to have some sexy play right up until the end! 

My new custom 1920s-style bathing suit in white and transluscent blue was a huge hit at the party....something I have to thank James and Zann at Hypershine for putting together so creatively!  It got lots of compliments and I gladly gave out contact info for Hypershine to some of the guys that thought the suit was amazing.  Hypershine is a new Vancouver-based latex clothing company run by James and Zann, a couple of cute, creative, energetic Industrial Design students that are keen on making the Vancouver fetish scene even more glamorous.  I definitely intend to do some new creative outfits with them again in the future.

I donned my Libidex military catsuit (appropriate?) for the Formal Rubber Dinner held at a Mexican restaurant in Silverlake.  About a dozen of us ended up attending.  The conversation was light, the company fun, and the food great.  I got to say a few words as the new titleholder (something Loren apologized for not letting me do on Friday at the unveiling ;)), and talked about how I see the future of fetish events heading and how I intend to compete at the Mr. International Rubber contest in Chicago in November as representative for the West Coast.  After dinner, we decided to head home and relax.  Rubberbuck was heading home in the morning and we hadn't had too much of a chance to visit so we sat around until 2:30 in the morning solving all the problems of the world.

Rubberbuck left for the airport on Monday morning.  Rubberchris and I were originally going to laze by the pool in the afternoon followed by meeting the rest of the rubbercrew at Bullet Bar in North Hollywood, but we were already burned out by all the travelling around the city and the horror of the 405, so we opted to head to Faultline in West Hollywood, which is much closer to home where another Labour Day beer bust was going on. We dressed up in harnesses and latex and met some of our other friend there later in the afternoon.  We chatted up a hot German guy and four of us headed over to his place for a crazy night of piggy sex and play.  we got back to Culver City around 1am and crashed shortly afterwards. 

I didn't get out of bed until 10:30 on Tuesday morning.  Rubberchris and I were supposed to be at the Tom of Finland Foundation in Silverlake at 11 for a tour.  we got there a bit late but were treated amazingly by the foundation curator Durk Dehner and the other employees of the Foundation.

We had originally thought that the tour would be quick, but we ended up staying for almost four hours as we pored over decades of erotic gay male art that the Foundation has vowed to preserve, catalog and share with the world.  We also got a great lunch out of the visit!  The reason that we originally got the invitation was because Durk approached me on Friday evening after the fashion show and title unveiling and asked us to visit the Foundation.  He was amazing enough to offer me a limited edition first printing of a new line of rubbermen drawings Tom had originally drawn in the 1980s for different fetish events in Europe that were being transposed onto one print that is eventually going to be put on T-shirt designs by 665.  I fortunately get the first copy of the print and a certificate of authenticity by the ToFF.  What a great honour!  We had a fantastic visit at the Foundation and learned a lot about Tom's life, career as well as the career of many other gay male fetish artists, both past and present.  Rubberchris is an artist himself and found the tour particularly interesting, as he already knew quite a bit about Tom of Finland's life and career. 

Afterwards, we stopped at the HQ for Oxballs.  The owner is a good friend of Rubberchris and he showed us around the design and manufacturing center.  We met the staff and saw how they build the molds for their gear and set in the silicone to create their designs.  Business for Oxballs has been growing by leaps and bounds, and they now do lots of business selling silicone-based sex gear for men around the world.  Steven the owner was generous enough to give us some free swag from the shipping area.  Unfortunately we couldn't stay too long as the guys were busy and we had to head back to Culver City so I could pack and catch my flight back to Vancouver. 

I am now flying back to Vancouver among screaming babies and my music cranked up, preparing to return back to normalcy tomorrow morning.  Isn't the wind-down from these party weekends always a shocker/bummer?  Is is akin to falling into depression, from being immersed in sexual testosterone-driven overstimulation back to hum-drum daily life?  Sad, very sad.  I'm already looking forward to another party-fueled weekend in San Francisco for Folsom Street Fair in three short weeks.

...

I'm glad to say that on all fronts of my life, I'm a very fortunate, lucky man.  I'm not sure what I deserve to end up with such good karma in my life, I figure it's because I get these huge abrupt tragedies to deal with intermittently throughout my life to compensate for all the good that happens.  I try to be a good, honorable respectable guy among all the adversity.

My knees are healing nicely now that I'm finally on some effective oral antibiotics and anti-inflammatories, and I feel so lucky that I didn't get hurt worse.  I was sad that I couldn't attend the Seattle play party last weekend, but this weekend in Los Angeles more than made up for the things I missed.  On top of all that, even though there was a new format for the Mr. WCR weekend and no contest for Mr. West Coast Rubber this year and the titleholder was selected by nomination and committee selection, I ended up with three generous gift certificates from Polymorphe, E7, and Rubberdawg that will end up going towards some new gear to utilize at the Mr. International Rubber competition. 

I want to thank everyone so much for making my WCR weekend so amazing and memorable.  I look forward to my year as Mr. West Coast Rubber, representing the West Coast at MIR, assisting with the organization of the next West Coast Rubber weekend in addition to my duties planning and organizing Rubbout 20 next April.  I want to do as much as I possibly can to make these events bigger, better and sexier than ever before, while planning for a MIR performance that will blow everyone away.  I have the cards stacked against me in that situation, since I am potentially the fourth Canadian in a row to win the MIR title.  I am going into this situation unconcerned about the politics and more concerned about doing something novel and unique that everyone will remember and ultimately have no choice but to award me the title of Mr. International Rubber 2011! :) 

Now it's time for rest to make up for the sleep deficit incurred this weekend.  Funny how that always happens, eh?  I'm going a bit stir crazy not being able to run or cycle while I heal, but I'm finding this time is good to catch up with friends, foster a new relationship and get some gruntwork done around the apartment.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Leatherati Coverage

Loren posted a great overview of the WCR weekend on the Leatherati site, along with some of the official photos, two of which I have attached here as well, the first is the group of guys modelling for the Syren/Stockroom Gear Show, and the second is a photo of myself and Chris.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Brand X Latex

It's interesting how I haven't heard so much about liquid latex as a few years ago; it seems that after the supply problems that occurred a few years ago everyone went onto something else.  It is still something fascinating I'd like to try.  This YouTube video is actually a very great instructional video, accentuated by the drool collecting on my lap over the model.  Enjoy!

Thunder Thighs

Sent to me by a friend....man, I miss seeing those sprinter thighs up close!

Mr. West Coast Rubber

I just got home from Los Angeles.  I need a few days to recuperate and get a report on the antics of the weekend together...actually, it's more for the reason I didn't get any pics and I have to wait for some of the L.A. crew to send them to me so I can add them to my report! LOL

I'm excited to say that I'm the new Mr. West Coast Rubber 2010.  It was a great weekend and I'm looking forward to my next year as titleholder, representing the golden coast! :)
The following pics are from my friend John in L.A.
 

Monday, September 6, 2010

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Artist Profile - Andreas Fux

Photo Exhibition: Andreas Fux

Photographer Andreas Fux is showing some of his photos at the Gallery m-cubus, Pohlstrasse 75 in 10785 Berlin. The exhibition starts on the 24th of September at 7 pm. Amongst others, you will see some photos from the 'Kerberos Und Chimaira' series shown below.

Andreas' website is at http://www.andreas-fux.de/.