Nothing defines a man more than his sense of style.  Here are a few tips on how to be a gracious dinner guest.

When accepting an invitation to dinner, don't expand the invite.  They were plannig a dinner for six, and you've just made it nine.  Not cool.  And remember, decline invitations rather than ignoring them. 

Offer to bring something.  I like to call shortly before the event to ask if the need anything.  Sometimes it's ice or a last minute ingrediant - but it is one less thing for your host to worry about.

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A story about a loving couple raising a child in a loving environment? No, that's not something we want the children exposed to.  Quick - Hide the Children! 

September 29–October 6, 2007

At TCB, we believe in living fully. Our definition of living fully includes the freedom of choice.  We advocate making informed healthy choices, but realize ultimately you must decide what's best for your mind, body and spirit. When it comes to feeding your brain, we feel the same way.

Not every movie, TV show or book is to our liking, but we appreciate that others may find value in choices that do not appeal to us. And we appreciate that we have the option not view or read things that are not to our liking. The key word being the “option” or freedom to choose.

This week is the American Library Association's Banned Books Week

Celebrating the Freedom to Read. . .

The list of most frequently challenged books includes "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou, for racism, homosexuality, sexual content, offensive language and unsuited to age group and "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck, for racism, offensive language and violence. Number 7 on the list - Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling.

The freedom to read is a sacred privilege many of us take for granted. I urge you to visit the American Library Association's website and ensure this right continues.

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Woofy baseball caps - The ultimate casual accessory.

Embroidered baseball caps featuring slogans and designs for the bear and his cub.

No matter the season, these stylish ball-caps compliment any outfit at any time.

Grrr!

Bear Baseball Caps

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 09:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

by Buzzed Beef

Greetings Bears!

I've come to the end of another successful week of early morning workouts.  As difficult as it has been some mornings to haul my big hairy butt out of bed and get to the gym, the energetic and positive feeling I get after my training sessions has made the effort completely worthwhile.  

There's a psychological benefit to it as well.  The stereotypical image that people have of a weightlifter or bodybuilder is typically the man who gets up very early in the mornings and works out before starting his day.  Now, I would hardly consider myself a bodybuilder, but it is exciting to consider myself a part of that early morning fraternity.  As the weeks and months of my fitness journey have progressed, I've learned to be a bit more dynamic about how I do things and a bit more willing to accept and embrace change.

That having been said, I've recently come to a difficult decision that will greatly affect my fitness quests.  I'm giving up the boxing lessons.  When I joined the boxing gym, I purchased a 3-month membership just to try it out and see how it would fit into my workout regimen.  It has been a great deal of fun and excitement.  I've learned a few new things and goodness knows, I have filled a tub full of my sweat during each lesson.  However, the financial and time commitment required to keep up the lessons no longer fit into my 'life budget'.  The boxing gym is a long train ride from where my life in SF is centered.  So, when my boxing membership ends at the beginning of this month, I am not going to renew it.  I have decided, instead, to put the time and money I have been investing in the boxing lessons to better use at my weightlifting gym.  By diverting the money back, I'll be able to purchase at least more training sessions a month.  And the time savings will allow me to focus more time on cardio and calisthenics during my workouts.  I've found the positive side of this decision and I am happy and content with it.

My training sessions during this past week included legs on Monday where I once again increased my squat weight.  Wednesday gave me a great chest workout where I completed a super-set for my bench presses, followed by three slow sets of flat flyes focusing on form and flexing my pecs during the exercise.  Friday saw a powerful triceps and biceps workout.  Unfortunately my schedule did not allow for a back and shoulder workout this past week, but they will be made up this coming week.  Today, once again, focused on cardio and abdominals.

As I was sitting on the stationary bike, just starting my pre-abdominal cardio workout, I heard someone calling my name.  I followed the sound of the voice until I saw my former roommate (who also happens to be a personal trainer) on a treadmill, approximately 15 feet away.  Ironically, during the year we shared an apartment, I hardly ever went to the gym or followed a healthy diet.  He was making a gesture with both hands that I didn't at first recognize and he was saying something that was hard to hear over the sound of the music.  I finally realized he was making a gesture to indicate my body and he was asking me if I had been losing weight.  I replied that yes I had lost nearly 30 pounds.  He gave me two thumbs up and said that I looked great and he could really tell that I had made some great changes to my body since the time we were roommates.  I thanked him and proceeded with my workout with great zeal.  I am always amazed at how a small compliment, a small kindness can make such a difference in how one approaches things.

It is fitting that I had just last night finished reading a novel whose main theme was about how actions and kindnesses never stop with the one person you give them to.  But that they grow and reverberate over great distances and even time to affect people you may never know or never meet.  So, in the spirit of that novel and in the spirit of the kindness afforded me by my former roommate, let me pay it forward to you:  Whoever is reading this--whoever and wherever you are, you look great and you are doing an incredible job.  Keep up the good work.

Until next time,

Hugs (and licks if you want 'em)

PS  Here's a pic of me in my boxing gloves...what do you think?

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Watch Kevin Smith on David Letterman Tuesday, September 25th at 11:30 ET/PT. Kevin and Malcolm Ingram will appear on the cover of the Holiday issue of A Bear's Life.

They will be promoting the DVD release of Small Town Gay Bar.

Small Town Gay Bar was produced by Kevin Smith and directed by Malcolm Ingram. The documentary explores gay life in the heart of the Bible Belt and in the face of sometimes violently horrific homophobia. It also celebrates the rural sanctuary and second families offered to those gays and lesbians living under that oppressiveness.

Kevin Smith was Silent Bob in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001). His other films include Clerks (1994), Chasing Amy (1997), and Dogma (1999).

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 09:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                     September 24, 2007

The Bears of San Francisco and The Complete Bear launch Bears for Tots

San Francisco, Calif. (September 25, 2007) – Bears of San Francisco and The Complete Bear have officially kicked off a bear drive aimed at the local bear and LGBT community. Teddy Bears collected will be donated to the SFFD Toys for Tots program benefiting needy children in the Bay Area this holiday season.

“To kick of this effort, we are pleased to have 20 bears donated by the artist, Frisch.  His generosity and support of the community has consistently proven him to be a leader in the SF bear community,” said Rich Tramontozzi, President of BOSF.   The official kick off party of the drive, as well as Frisch’s send off to Palm Springs will be held on October 11^th at 7 pm at The Lone Star Saloon.  “Bring a bear, have a beer and come toast one of the true great bears of San Francisco,” urged Mike Doherty of The Complete Bear.

Frisch has been drawing cartoons which have published in the community since 1986. Frisch is a cofounder of the "BEAR EXPO", "International Bear Rendezvous and "The Bears of San Francisco". FRISCH Bears and logos have been imprinted on over 25,000 T-Shirts, hats and more in the past 20 years. FRISCH Drawings have raised over $51,000 for charity in the past 20 years.

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 BOSF goes to the Zoo

Husbear and I got up early Sunday and headed over to the zoo. Yes, the zoo.

The Bears of San Francisco had arranged a behind the scenes tour of the new exhibit Grizzly Gulch. The Hearst Grizzly Gulch is a $3.7 million habitat at the San Francisco Zoo, which houses grizzly sisters - Kachina and Kiona, whose species adorns the California state flag. In honor of our visit, the sisters dined on a Rainbow Popsicle - tres gay. Actually, the rainbow popsicle was a lovely fish mixture complete with fish parts. Yum!

The group also toured the rest of the bear exhibit, which included an up-close meeting with a 400 lb. polar bear named Lulu. The bear's handler was quick to note that despite being all cute and fuzzy, Lulu would not think twice about turning one of our "bears" into an appetizer. Lulu seemed content to dine on carrots and peanut butter.

So what did we learn on our field trip? Here are some helpful tips:

Never try to corner a bear for any reason. You may be blocking their view of a cute cub.

Don't Feed the Bears - Never attempt to feed a wild bear without their Huzbear's approval.

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 09:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

OK, every once in awhile we venture out of bear land.  But not too far, nor too often - we promise. 

I must confess. I have been a "B movie" fan all of my life. I grew up with the Blob and Godzilla. One of my favorites has always been “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman,” which combines my love of B movies with my love of strong female characters. Think Joan Crawford on steroids.

Isn't that Britney at the VMA Awards?

The basic plot - I will save you the pain of viewing the 1958 cult classic – is woman done wrong by cheating husband and town floozy, woman abducted by aliens, woman returns as a pissed off 50 foot tall Mistress of Destruction wearing a skimpy bikini - which is pretty much the outfit I have selected for my comeback revenge tour.

“My man done me wrong and now I am gonna stomp his sorry ass and anyone who gets in my way”

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 04:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

There is nothing like waking up next to the cub in the great outdoors.  Here are a few tips to make your camping experience beary nice . . .

  
1.    Refrigerated dough — you know the stuff.  It comes in several varieties and they all taste good when cooked on a stick over a campfire.  The biscuit dough goes nicely with your Dinty Moore stew and you can't beat the Cinnamon Rolls dough in the morning with your coffee.  Chocolate Chip Cookie dough falls off the stick.
     
     
2.    Reserve your site online — http://www.reserveamerica.com allows you to reserve the good sites up to seven months in advance.  Many state parks are site specific so if you camp regularly at a park, take a drive with the campground map before you leave so you get the best sites next time.
     
     
3.    Get a big tent — It is worth a lot to not be crawling around on the floor trying to put on your shoes.  Be able to stand up.  Don’t forget to put a tarp under your tent to prevent stick and stones from hurting your tent.
     
     
4.    Bring a chair or two — Put one in your tent or right outside for those shoes.  Don’t get the wimpy chairs that fold up and collapse on you.  Director’s chair often support more weight and are more comfortable.
     
     
5.    Indoor-Outdoor carpet — Go get a remnant or a big piece and cut it to size.  Useful places to put it include right outside your tent to keep some of the dirt out of your tent and inside the tent.  I know one bear couple who have an oriental rug for inside their tent.  At the very least use a door mat and bring a broom to sweep out before you pack up.
     
     
6.    Get a decent air mattress (or two) — They make some pretty good air mattresses these days.  You can get a double high or stack two on top of each other to make it easier to get out of bed.  Aerobed makes a pretty nice mattress but will only use their special pump.  It is nice to have an alternate way to pump it up if the pump fails (speaking from experience)
     
     
7.    Top off the air mattress before you go to sleep - The mattress will stretch after it is first filled and the extra air will make you more comfortable.
 
8.    Space Blankets — If it is going to get cold, one of these under your mattress will help keep you warmer.  A blanket under you as well as over you will also keep you toasty.
 
9.    Bring a real pillow — Those camping pillows aren’t man enough!
 
10.   Really-refrigerated dough!

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 03:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here's what the customers at The Complete Bear are saying:

• My den mate's birthday was yesterday and I recently shopped at the Bear Store for those essentials for our den. I truly appreciate the calendar, the notes and John loved his gifts. Thank you very much. We will decorate the house with future gifts.
• The folks at the Complete Bear are personable, personalized, and proficient, al in all a very enjoyable shopping experience!!!
• 1 happy camper!!
• BEST customer service I have received in a VERY long time. What a treat and a delight. I have already shared this many friends and will most definitely do business with them again.
• Great Merchandise, best customer service I have received in quite some time, I will definitely do more business with them again. My purchases arrived quickly, in tact and with a very pleasant Thank You card for my business. This is a company that knows the true meaning of GREAT customer service.
• I like the fact that you do carry to the larger Bear. We are all not 200 lbs and buffed.
  

Shop The Complete Bear

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 03:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Greetings Bears!  It is a beautiful Sunday afternoon here in San Francisco and I am happy to report another positive week under my belt.  I got in a great week of workouts, I earned a raise at my job, and (believe it or not) I was offered a modeling job!!  But that wasn't the highlight of my week.  What I am happiest about--what I am most proud of is my ARMS.  I've always had thick arms, but for the first time in my life, this week, I noticed the first definable difference in the muscles of my arms.  I can now actually start to see a separation between the biceps and triceps.  I was so happy, I grabbed my trainer and gave him a big hug.

This week, I made one significant change to my workout schedule.  I changed my training times with my trainer to 6:00 AM, yes AM.  Time wise, this is not a difficulty; I am up at 5:00 every morning anyway.  My biggest hurdle, actually a fear, was the fact that I would have to shower at the gym before going to work.  I simply would not have enough time to go home and shower and make it to work on time.  So, I bit the proverbial bullet and stripped bare and soaped up.  Once I showered the first time, I was actually very fine with it.  All truths be told, it was fun.  I must tell you that I have never showered at the gym in my entire life, but I reassured myself that I don't have anything that any other guy in the gym doesn't have (well, actually, I do have a pretty hot and sexy tan line, but that is beside the point).  My point is there is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about.  Besides, it was necessary.  Sweat and gym stink may be fine and dandy in some arenas, but my job ain't one of them.  I found that I really enjoyed putting in my workout in the morning.  It gave me a positive sense of accomplishment to carry me through the day.  It jazzed me and energized me for what lay ahead.

Sundays are an entirely different story.  It is the one and only day of the week when I do not have to be up and at 'em.  I sleep in and rise slowly.  I make a pot of coffee and ease into my day.  I typically use Sundays as an errand day: laundry, groceries, etc.  I have reincorporated the gym into my Sunday schedule.  Today I did half an hour of cardio followed by my abdominal workout.

I'm home now, and as I write to you, I have a pot of chicken slowly boiling on the stove.  I thought this would be a great time to tell you about what I do to feed this 254 pound mass of muscle, fat, and fur.  I follow a fairly restricted diet, but a satisfying and flavorful one.  My main protein source is chicken, but I do eat a small amount of lean red meat during the week as well.  I eat three servings of fruit a day (typically oranges, pears, and bananas).  I eat three servings of vegetables a day (most often broccoli and green beans).  I eat 3 sweet potatoes a day.  My trainer assures me the carbs offered by the sweet potato are good carbs and help my body to continue burning fat.  He must be right, because it is working.  I eat 5 or 6 small meals a day, depending on my schedule and I never go more than 3 hours between meals.  Some people refer to this as "grazing."  It helps keep my blood sugar levels constant.  I do keep a couple of containers of high-quality protein powder around and if I know I am going to have a particularly busy or hectic day, I'll blend up a few protein shakes in the morning and take them with me for the day.  As an important part of my diet, I make certain that I do not eat anything during the last 3 hours before my bedtime.  Do I slip up sometimes?  You bet I do.  But I don't beat myself up about it.  I accept it for what happened and I get back on my diet as soon as I can.  I allow myself one 'cheat' day a week--and believe me:  I cheat!!!  I indulge my love for Chinese food or Indian food.  I enjoy my favorite ice cream:  chocolate peanut butter.   It makes the diet easier to follow the rest of the week.  It satisfies my urges and rewards me for a job well done.  It keeps me sane, which I believe is ESSENTIAL to fitness.

Until next time,

Hugs (and licks if you want 'em)

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 09:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

2008 Bear Calendar

Looking for something to do in 2008? Maybe it's poolside at Lazy Bear, summer in Cologne or a quick dash off to Spain. Any way you plan it, there shouldn't be any shortage of warm, furry men to welcome you!

To list your upcoming Bear event, please contact us at: Bear Calendar

______________________________________________________________

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 04:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Prostate Cancer

More than 230,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed this year.

• One out of every six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer.
• More than 30,000 men will die from prostate cancer this year.
• The Prostate Cancer Education Council is raising awareness and education on prostate cancer and getting men screened early for the disease.

Prostate Cancer Awareness Week 2007
September 16 - 22, 2007.

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 05:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

First and foremost – every man should own one. Too much money? Consider that if you wear it three times, it’s less that what you’d spend on rentals. And like all things classic, pick the right one and it will never go out of style.

A few basic rules:

And to answer that age old question – the cummerbund folds face up. They were traditionally meant to hold theatre tickets.

Rugged Style

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 02:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

by Buzzed Beef

Greetings Bears!!  I have so much to talk about that I am not quite sure where to start.  Perhaps I'll start with last Friday.  You see, last Friday was my 35th birthday.  Some would say a 'milestone birthday'.  I didn't really celebrate it.  A few very wonderful people in my life remembered and wished me regards for the day.  I was ok with my birthday just sliding through, somewhat under the radar.   I didn't want one single day to overshadow the progress I have made these last few months.  I will never turn 35 ever again , and for this singular moment I was happier and more content than I have ever been in my life.  That sounds hokey and cliche, but it was how I felt.  I felt confident and self-assured, not cocky or arrogant, just placid.  I felt like I am finally finding out where I belong.

The positivity I took away from the Hairrison Street Fair last Sunday did not sustain me as far into the week as I had hoped it would.  My trainer was ill and not able to keep appointments and my workouts suffered.  By Thursday, I was feeling sluggish and lethargic.  Friday came around and everything turned around.  I had a great day at work.  I had a great boxing session.  And I had an incredible chest and back workout with my trainer.  My tanning salon even gave me a free upgrade to a better bed for my birthday.

Saturday morning I attended the Beginning Boxing Class again.  It has been a couple months since I started the boxing lessons and I wanted to get a refresher course on proper hand wrapping and a good stance, hand position, and arm and foot movement and placement when throwing punches.  I met with my trainer that afternoon and we worked my legs with a powerful Squat session.  Three sets of warm-ups.  Leg, chest, and neck stretches in between.  Then I did 95 pounds for 8 squats followed by 135 lbs for 8 squats.  More hamstring stretches...185 pounds for 6 reps...then a BIG Jump...225 for 2 reps...and then finally the Growth squat to end the session with an exclamation point....235 pounds for 1 rep.

Today I was a little grumpy when I got to the gym and was not in the mood to lift weights.  I opted to get in a great Abdominal workout instead.  I took it at a nice, slow pace and completed roman chair crunches, leg lifts, v-lifts, standing side crunches, and twists.  I followed my abdominal workout with 20 minutes of cardio.  The gym had a good energy today.  There was a very sparse crowd, but everyone was friendly and talkative.  Oh, and to my gym buddy Bill:  Yes, you ARE Hot!

I want to wish everyone out there a "Happy Birthday", whenever it is.  I may not be able to celebrate it with you, but I am honored that you were able to celebrate mine with me.  We are all on our way to building (and being) a better bear.

Until next time,

Hugs (and licks if you want 'em)

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 01:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Do you swallow?    

Shouldn't that fur be in cold storage? 

I ordered you the diet plate.    

Honey, how do you spell depilatory? 

I forget, do we believe in monogamy?       

Happy Birthday!, I got you a free wax job at the spa, and signed you up with Jenny. 

I've always thought Goldilocks got a bad rap.      

This only comes in S/M/L.    

Are you gonna eat that?        

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One of our brothers, Mark Bingham, was tragically taken from us Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, during the terrorist attack on our nation. He was one of the 38 passengers on hijacked United Airlines flight 93 that crashed outside of Pittsburgh. Mark was 31 years old.

Mark was a UC Berkeley rugger and a member of the San Francisco Fog RFC. He was killed in the United 93 plane crash on September 11th, 2001 when he and others led the passengers fighting back against the terrorists who had taken over the plane.

Our hearts go out to all those who lost family and friends on that fateful day.

SF Fog's tribute to a fellow player 

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 04:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Let these woofy baseball caps express your inner bear.

 Choose from Woof!, Grrr!, Got Fur?Bear Paw, Cammo and many more . ..

Bear Caps

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 01:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When I was kid, I had a GI Joe.  One of Joe’s distinguishing features (beyond his plastic six pack) was a very noticeable scar adoring his left cheek.  It just doesn’t get any manlier than that.  Perhaps it was from man to man combat, or wrestling lions, or fighting off the crowds at Barney’s After Christmas Sale. 

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 02:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

So when we were sniffin’ around for a new name for the newsletter, when we were drawn to the old colloquialism - “Chewin’ the Fat.” There are a few theories about the origin of Chew the Fat:

• Perhaps it’s a derivative of “Chewin’ the Rag” – In the late 1800’s, soldiers would chew a piece of cloth (“the rag”) when they ran out of tobacco. Naturally, they’d be bitchin’ about the absence of tobacco at the same time (ragging?”).
• Elizabethan lore that farmers kept a haunch of smoked pork hanging by their kitchen hearths. On rainy or snowy winter days when no fieldwork could be done, the family and visitors would sit around the hearth talking, and slice off slivers of pork to "chew the fat."
• In the far North, it is suggested that the term has to do with the preparation of caribou hide. Native women used to chew the scraped and smoked hides to increase the flexibility of the garments made there from. Since it would take hours to soften an entire hide, this became a social pastime involving several women in their "spare" moments.

Another guess is that this expression was originally a nautical one: Sailors working their jaws on the tough salt pork rationed out when supplies ran low constantly grumbled about their poor fare while literally chewing the fat."

Seems there are two themes that continue to emerge: chatting and bitchin'. Hey - wait, that’s us!!

We are here to listen to you and talk about what matters to you. We love to hear from you and what is on your mind. Talk to us, we don’t bite…

Bear newsletter

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 03:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Meet other Bear Professionals. Discussion with like-minded individuals about anything from coming out to politics to careers! Our mission is to provide a social, career and business development channel for the bear professional community. Networking events, speakers, workshops, summertime fun, and a newsletter serving the gay bear professional community. Our members represent a diverse array of industries and professional experiences. The group has five purposes: 1. to provide opportunities for members of the bear community to meet in a supportive, professional atmosphere to exchange ideas and information; 2. to further the professional development of bear professionals; 3. to provide like-minded individuals the opportunity to chat about anything from coming out to politics to careers!; 4. to empower members of the bear community by improving access to the business resources, networking opportunities and sponsoring education programs; 5. and to promote diversity in the workplace. Check out The Bear Directory!

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 03:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I am kind of embarrassed to ask this, but here goes …

I am a big guy and sometimes I develop boils. I’m wondering if there is anything I can do to stop them or at the very least help clear them up.

We turned to Pattie Thomas, Ph.D., the author of Taking Up Space for advice. And while she is not a doctor, she offered the following –

My brother (who is a BHM) gets boils quite a bit – he has been advised several courses of actions to help reduce them:

1. Wash every time with anti-bacterial soap – kind of harsh, but boils are essentially caused by bacteria so the less you have on you, the less likely you’ll develop boils.

2. The bacteria that causes boils apparently love blood sugar (which is why people with diabetes often get boils), though you don’t need to have diabetes to have a level of blood sugar that appeals to them. He has found that he gets more if he has been drinking high sugar drinks of late. So when he has an outbreak, he cuts down on sweet drinks including pop and juices. So drink more water and less juice/pop. Diet drinks might also contribute because there is some indication that even though you aren’t consuming sugar when you drink diet drinks you are still stimulated blood sugar. So water or unsweetened teas would probably be your safest choice.

3. Never reuse a towel even if you have hung it up and dried it out thoroughly. My little cheapskate, anti-laundry-doing heart hates this one, but my brother swears that when he takes shortcuts on this one, it costs him.

4. Also, change clothes if you’ve sweat at all. Again, even if you’ve dried out a bit after doing so, it is best to get out of the clothes as soon as you can even if you don’t shower in between.

5. Treat them with anti-biotic cream as soon as they come up even if they look like a pimple. Drawing salve can be used on more severe ones, but such salves usually leave scars and are very tough on the skin, so try to catch them early and treat them well.

6. If you can’t get rid of one or have a severe outbreak, go to a doctor and get oral antibiotics. Again, you don’t want to overdo the drugs, but you also might continue to get severe breakouts if you don’t kill off the bacteria in your system. I also believe that my brother was given some sort of pill that reduced his blood sugar (he is NOT diabetic, BTW, but his blood sugar does run a little on the high side).

7. Finally, remember that if you get boils often, you probably are prone to them. Some people get them no matter how “good” they are. My father, who was not diabetic, nor was all that fat, got them constantly and the doctor told my brother that he inherited that tendency from my dad. So having them is not an indictment of your hygiene habits, it is an indication of your genetic make-up.

Cheers,

Pattie

The information on this site is designed for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding your condition.

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 04:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Put a woofy twist on the classic wine stopper.  These popular grizzly bear wine bottle stoppers make great gifts. 

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

by Buzzed Beef

Greetings Bears!!   I thought I would spend a little time talking about Hairrison this week.  For those of you who were not able to attend, you missed an incredible party.  The street fair on Sunday was AMAZING!!!  The weather was perfect, the men were hot, and the music was premium.  It was, by far and away, the best Hairrison Street Fair I have seen.

It was the crowd, and the diversity of the crowd that really moved me.  Of course, anytime there is a street fair in San Francisco, there is going to be a wide sampling of people and body types.  But there was something about the crowd this year that really caught my attention.  I was there as an attendee and partygoer, yes, but I also took some time to observe the flow of people.  There were, of course, lots of bears, but there was also a large number of (please pardon the labels) twinks, jocks, muscleboys, and musclemen.  It was heartening and uplifting to see bears and jocks mingling like they were old friends.  Some people will dismiss this as gay men just enjoying any chance to be drinking shirtless in the streets.  I'm going to take the more positive spin on it.  There has always been a gulf between the bears and the non-bears, but that gulf seemed narrower on Sunday.  I felt a sense of community that I hadn't felt in a long time and it was a refreshing experience.  It was a sea of flesh, both furry and smooth, and everyone seemed to be moving together with the music.

As I step into this week following the labor day holiday and get back to my workouts, I am going to keep the memories of Sunday fresh in my mind.  Everyone I saw was beautiful.....short, tall, thick, and thin.  Continuing on my journey to fitness, I am going to keep in mind that along with the body, must come the mind.  I am going to focus on fitness as a whole, not just building my body, but training my mind as well.....concentrating on developing a more positive outlook about all kinds of people, not just the bears.  I want every day to be that Sunday.

I am happy to report that I am going into this week of workouts with two new accomplishments.  I reached a new max on my squats (225) and a new max on my bench (215).  The labor day holiday did interfere a bit with my schedule, but I have modified it to get maximum benefit this week.  I am working with my trainer every night this week and I will still be able to get two boxing workouts in by the end of the week.

Until next time,

Hugs (and licks if you want 'em)

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The sun was shining, the beer was flowing and shirts were coming off.  A furfect combo for a Bear Street Festival.

Hairrison Street Fair and Bear Week

 2007 had it all - house music from Energy 92.7, Two Steppin', and rock and roll courtesy of the Bobble Heads.

 Some were big, some were small, there was plenty of fur and even the Ruggers came out.

 More pics of Hairrison Street Festival

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 09:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by SFBrawnyBear at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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