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This week, I had the opportunity to sit down with DJ Reed of Maximus.
DJ runs Maximus with his partner Joe Smith. MAXIMUS organizes quarterly socials and periodic smokers for Real Men and butch boys — not the nelly or faint of heart — who know, crave and indulge in the macho appeal and libido-stoking lure of cigar-smoking, pipe-smoking, and the he-man camaraderie and male bonding they stir up.
Where there's smoke, there's fire — and you'll find both at MAXIMUS gatherings.
Our fresh new embroidered bear resort towel is precisely the thing for moments when softness and relaxation are all that matter. This stylish towel is subtle enough for your local watering hole, yet butch enough for Lazy Bear!
Thanks to bonded cotton with an increased surface area, Zero Twist yarn has a higher absorbency than standard terry loop. Available in tan or blue.
Relax, he’s friendly, unless your step on the Impatients. When life gets crazy - an unending list of chores - work projects, volunteering, stuff around the house – I head off into nature.
My escape has always been go hug a tree. But sometimes getting away isn’t so easy. Load up the truck, corral the dogs, prod Husbear off the couch – you get the point. So, I brought nature to me. I started gardening. It started off easy enough - a houseplant here, a few herbs over the sink – and soon I’m rototilling the back forty. Well, we live in SF, so it’s more like the back 15x12 – but I digress.
Gardening is simple, if you remember a few basics –
· “I’m thirsty!” – Well, I heard you can over water, but I’ve yet to see it. The trick is to insure that your plants aren’t in standing water. When you are potting a plant, line the bottom with pebbles to insure there is plenty of drainage.
· “No critters!!” – Even the most diligent green thumb battles bugs. Fight nature with nature – Marigolds give off a smell that aphids don’t like, so plant them around your rose bushes. Garlic does, too!
· “One man’s garbage” – is another man’s compost. There are many good resources on how to compost, check them out.
After a few months, your trash transforms to nutrient rich supplement for your garden.
· “Worms poop, and that’s a good thing” – Worm poop (castings) provide wonderful nutrition for your plants; drop a few in your compost heap. In their travels, they also help aerate the soil.
· Little Ole Ladies and a Bear - There IS a garden club in your area. In it there are little old ladies and lanky old men--and an occasional gardening stud--who, if you are nice and bring a covered dish to their meeting--will clue you into EVERYTHING you will ever need to know about growing things in your microclimate. And if your dish is tasty, they just might supply you with bulbs and cuttings from their imposing yards and all the tips you need to eventually out-green them.
And remember – If your furry butt has been inside all winter, wear sunscreen. April sun can be harsh. If you’re like me you’ll lose track of time, as you daydream about becoming the next Martha Stewart – albeit a much larger, furry version.
by Buzzed Beef
First, I must make a confession: I've got great--no, make that INCREDIBLE legs. I know it. This isn't arrogance or vanity. It's just a fact. We all possess many gifts and my legs are two of mine. I've been told by both personal trainers and casual observers. While working my legs, a massage therapist asked me if I had trained legs that day because my calves "were solid slabs of steel." Upon seeing my flexed calves, a fitness trainer once commented that they are "two prize-winning Easter hams." As it but mere days after this year's Easter holiday, it is only appropriate that I discuss my current leg workout.
As with my chest and back, my leg workout is comprised of four exercises that are preceded by warm-ups and followed by cardio and abdominal work.
The first exercise is simple leg lunges using only my body weight. Two courses, each one up and down the length of the gym floor. Sounds easy, huh? It isn't. It requires a great deal of balance and I can truly feel the work on my leg and gluteus muscles once I am done. I follow this exercise with two sets of leg curls, reps to failure. Next, I perform two set of sumo squats holding a dumbbell between my legs. As I am no longer working with a trainer, I feel safer doing this variety of squats as opposed to traditional squats in a cage. My last exercise is another body-weight only exercise: Calf-Raises. I perform two sets of 20 reps each, allowing for maximum stretch at the bottom and maximum flex at the top.
As I live in San Francisco and walk several miles and climb numerous hills on any given day, I am satisfied with the results this current leg workout is giving me.
Next week, I'll discuss my arm workout.
Until next time,
Hugs (and licks if you want 'em)
Huh? Is it me, or is this rude?
No-Diet Zone
I can't tell you how many times I have come up with great comebacks to unsolicited advice. Unfortunately, my natural wit kicks in several hours later as I am tossing and turning over the rude remark. "I shoulda said . . ."
Here's a few you might want to remember:
Keep it light and don't be mean (it's not becoming). The goal here is for you to walk away with a smirk and the offender to be completely confused.
Remember - when engaging in a battle of the wits, it is best to be prepared.
We are off to Dallas for a few days to attend Texas Bear Round UP - Cirque Des Ours. In the meantime, check out the bear calendar for some great bear upcoming events . . .
“There may not be a Heaven, but there is a San Francisco”
Ashleigh Brilliant (English Author and Cartoonist, b.1933)
Where does one begin when considering San Francisco?
Whether it’s cruising South of Market, leading the way for gay marriage (ok, MA got it passed, but we tried it first), or sampling one of the many culinary delights that await you – San Francisco can make any bear feel right at home.
And if you need a little help, talk to Kevin Thomas of the Hotel Mark Twain – known for their special bear rate. And no, although he is single, Kevin is not one of the amenities!!
"Ask for the BEAR RATE to any front desk hosts and they will receive a discount on their room, a gay pocket guide upon check-in and sometimes other little special promos bear companies give me. . ."
Greetings Bears!
After much wailing and gnashing of teeth over the results of my body fat test which I moaned about in last week's blog, I've decided to get back on schedule and continue with the second in my series of articles on my new workout regimen. (Damn, that was one long compound sentence. I hope I did it right.)
Today, I want to address my BACK workout with you. MMMMM, Who doesn't love a big, strong, thick back? You know the kind---thick, flared-out lats--big, meaty hunks of sinew that you can grab a hold of while you and your man proceed, ever so aggressively, to rock the headboard like two sailors on leave...excuse me, I need some water.
AHEM, sorry....My point is that a well-developed is good for you in so many ways. It improves your posture, strengthens your core, and (as anyone who lifts weights can attest to) it helps diminish the size of your waistline.
To help me develop that glorious V-shape that is so prized by weightlifters, I am currently following a 5-exercise back routine: Straight-Leg Deadlifts, Reverse Close-Grip Pulldowns, Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns, Upright Rows, and Dumbbell Shrugs. I realize that Rows and Shrugs may fall under the parlance of shoulder work, but I include them in my back workout, well, because I like how everything feels when I am done. And my arm workout (soon to be chronicled) includes a fair amount of shoulder work, so this helps me balance that muscle group over two workouts.
As with my Chest workout previously discussed, I perform two sets of ten reps for each exercise with a weight that allows the 10th rep to be a struggle. And as with chest, I'll then increase the weight to allow for 6 reps only, then build up to 10 reps again, and so forth. I'll skip all the tedious minutiae of my form and instruction on how to perform each exercise as I am not a certified trainer and there are plenty of resources out there for that sort of thing.
Of course, my back workout also includes warm-up sets before and abdominal exercises following. Beginning this week, I have decided to push my 40 minutes of cardio work to the end of my workout.
Next week, I am looking forward to detailing my LEG workout. On the surface, it appears simple and easy, but it is a Powerhouse of a workout.
Until next time,
Hugs (and licks if you want 'em)
PS.....CHEST UPDATE: I am up to 220 lbs on my flat bench-press, and 200 lbs on both the decline and incline bench presses. I've also decided to incorporate some Pec-Deck Flyes into my chest workout for some additional toning and as a nice exclamation point to the end of my workout.
Either SF is a small town, or I have extremely odd bear radar.
A friend returned from a meeting at City Hall and said, “I saw this hot bear looking guy covered with tattoos . . .”
I responded, “That was Scott.”
“Huh? How could you know that?“
OK, there are plenty of bears in SF - so, it wasn’t that. Surely, there are plenty of bears with tattoos in SF - nope, it wasn’t that. Tattooed bear working at City Hall – We’ve got a winner. That was enough info to narrow the field. That and a good guess.
My friend now thinks I know every bear in SF. "Do you know the bearista at Starbucks in Glenn Park?"
"Of course, that’s Brian."
OK, so maybe I do know a few bears . . .
Great looking, great fitting, bear-friendly leather is here. Sizes up to 7X.
Here is what you told us -
I discovered bears in college from the various websites from the then-shiny new internet (not really new I know, but newly available) -- and would peruse the websites guiltily over the beautiful bear magazine scans that would proliferate everywhere back then. This behavior and borderline obsession came with it a great deal of emotional turmoil, confusion, and soul searching which culminated in 1998, after three hours of crying in the dark in my dormitory room, I got up and looked in the mirror, wiped the tears out of my eyes, took a deep breath, and finally, out loud to myself said "I'm gay."
I've always been a hairy man. As far back as high school, I can remember being more hairy than most. I'd get stares from the other guys in my gym class like I was some sort of freak. At the time, I was a little embarrassed. It wasn't until about 5 years ago (I'm now 46 years old) that I knew there was a name for men like me. I have to say now that I'm proud for being a Bear!
I was still married (to a woman) and wondered how a larger / hairy man fit in the gay world. I found gay.com and looked around. I started my screen name as "rookiebear" LOL. My friends now tell me to change that to “EXPERIENCEDbear.” But I'm happy with that name still. That’s where I found that there were people who liked all types. After divorce and coming out, I quickly found the bear community to be accepting - but - also at times still very divided.
For most of us, it is either raining or snowing - but, I just wanted to remind you that spring is around the corner. Oh, please - tell me it’s around the corner.
Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, causes sufferers to experience depressive symptoms in the winter. If you are like me, the cold weather and gloomy days have taken their toll on our psyches.
I know bears hibernate, but it's time to wake up. During hibernation the bear cuddles up in a cave or in a hollowed out tree, safe from the dangers of winter (or in front of the TV with TIVO in hand). In order to survive this long period of inactivity the bear must build up its body weight by accumulating fat (Yea, like that's a concern - thanks to Thanksgiving and all those holiday parties). In the months before hibernation bears can gain up to forty pounds of fat per week (Who knew pizza and chocolate were fattening?).
While in hibernation the bear uses the stored energy it accumulated as fat to survive. So a bear can lose from fifteen to forty percent of its body weight during the winter just by sleeping! (OK, that's just not fair - I sleep - but the pounds do exactly seem to melting away).
It's been a long, cold winter. But before you know it - warm weather will return and maybe even a little sunshine with it. Flowers will bloom and the grass will grow. I promise.
With the return of spring, there is the return of possibility. Maybe, this is the year you plant the vegetable garden, or nurture grandma’s prize rose bush. Want to feel better? Go out and grow something.
It may still be wet outside, but it's not too early to exercise that green thumb – dust off those old gardening books, go online, or visit your local library – you can start planning, today!
I know some of you think you can't grow anything, that plants and people do not mix, and that any plant entrusted to you has been given a death sentence. Many people feel this way. There is help!
by Buzzed Beef
I was going to talk about my Back routine today, but I am suspending that to discuss some up-setting news that I received over the weekend. Today's article is purely a reaction to that news; however, it is germane to my fitness goals.
Now, I weigh myself on a regular schedule; so when I weighed myself on Saturday, the 247 lbs that showed on the scale wasn't a horrifying shock. My weight isn't what upset me, but keep that number in mind for the next paragraph.....it's important.
I have needed and wanted to get a body fat calculation for some time. The opportunity presented itself on Saturday. I thought, "what the hell?" I've never been one to turn down free goodies. Mind you, up until that moment, I had been having a tremendous Saturday morning. The day quickly went south after the test was administered. It was a quick and painless test. It used a electronic device with digital readout. I held the device out in front of me, arms fully extended, almost like a steering wheel. It sent a low-level (completely unfelt by me) electric current through my body. It calculated my body fat percentage based on how long it took the current to travel from my left hand to my right hand to complete the circuit....blah blah blah...there's more to it, but I know you are just burning, yearning for me to get to the numbers.....
29.3 % YES, the average of three tests produced an average calculation of 29.3 % body fat. Now, here's where I want you to remember my weight of 247 from earlier. I'll save you the time calculating. That means that 72 lbs of my body weight is FAT....ugly, disgusting, unhealthy fat. I was mortified....still am. I'm absolutely shocked that I can have that much fat on my frame and still look so good. That last one there was some levity. Sometimes you gotta tell yourself things to sleep at night.
The consequences of this are quite and crystal clear. I must make some serious modifications to my diet and exercise routines. ARGH!!!! Once again, upheaval… change... just when I think I find something that will work for me, I have to take a different path. It's always something.
I've agreed to undergo monthly body fat calculations to track my progress. I'll keep you posted of the result and (hopefully) declining percentages.
Until next time,
Hugs (if you can get your arms around my repulsive 29.3 % body fat laden physique) and licks (if you want 'em).
I wish . . .
A picture of Kathy Griffin & me at IBR Maul discussing items from The Complete Bear.
Picture courtesy of Rusty Spot.
Recently, we had a chance to sit down with Joe Manetti – some of you may know him as Joe Falconi from his “acting days.”
But there is a lot going on with this dynamo – Joe uses whatever attention he receives to focus on encouraging the community to enjoy safer sex responsibly. He works with a variety of organizations that support LGBTQ people, and is a HIV Testing Counselor and Outreach Worker for the County Public Health Department.
Most recently, he was a contributing writer to GORGEOUS magazine. His first published article was on HIV POZ leaders in the community.
from Rough Night™
Fun Fact - Gay and lesbian travelers go on cruises three times per year, compared to once every three years for mainstream cruisers.
COMMUNITY MARKETING, INC., "11TH ANNUAL LGBT TOURISM PROFILE,"
Greetings Bears! Well, it never rains but it pours. Please excuse my absence for the last few weeks as I fell victim to a horrible cold and cough. I managed to make it to work everyday, but did precious little else except sleep. My workouts suffered tremendously as a result, and by suffered I mean: They didn't happen. I had no energy...any extended amount of effort beyond walking sent me into fits of coughing. And let's face it boys, you can look at my pics and clearly see that I am truly a delicate lotus blossom.Sadly, after three years Got Fur? is gone. Apparently, Tom was offended. Was it the furry chests? Was it the image of two hunks making out? Was it the sweaty leather guys?
We will never know. No notice, not warning, just gone. So half naked co-eds routinely spamming our inboxes is ok. Dating services and hookup sites bannered across every page? Again, ok! Building a community of 3,200+ bears over 3 years to share resources, calendar listings, fund raisers and bear runs – somehow that’s offensive to MySpace.
Apparently, this is a pretty common occurrence over at MySpace. We heard from Aloha Bears and Bearracuda both had similar experiences in the last 30 days. Emails inquiring about the deletion are met with automated responses suggesting we must have committed some form of TOS violation and that deleted accounts cannot be discussed, nor can they be recovered. Gotta love customer service, eh?
We will continue to provide you all you need to know on the bear community – bear runs, bear calendar and bear resources. We will continue to blog about bear life on A Bear’s Den and here on Bear Bones. We’ll miss Got Fur?, but here at The Complete Bear we will always ensure that you have the latest from the bear community.
WOOF!
