Sir Andy Liu
Mid-Atlantic LeatherSIR 2008

12.30.09 – Happy New Year!! Yes, by the time you have this Column in your hands or on your screen (http://www.baltimoregaylife.com/columns/leather/flogger_tales/index.shtml) it will be 2010!! Time flies and “Flogger Tales” is now in its third calendar year!! Thank you for your continued readership and support!! And before I run out of exclamation points, let's dive right into this Column!!

We’re all creatures of habit, and when things change, we don’t like it. Or at least we’re uncomfortable at best and try to go with the flow. As I like to say, be a buoy in the water and go where the currents take you. As much as we would all like life to remain static, it doesn’t. Situations change, relationships evolve, and people grow. And quite honestly, if life didn’t change around us, how boring would that be!?! So try to grow and evolve with your situation, try not to fight the inevitable tide. You might be pleasantly surprised at the results, or you’ll just have to grin and bear it. But either way, you’ll come out a better person. I promise. 

So in the interest of full disclosure and as a personal update, I am your new Sales Editor here at Baltimore Gay Life (www.baltimoregaylife.com)!! So if you’re looking to advertise in this wonderful paper, send me an email at sales@baltimoregaylife.com and I will customize for you an ad special that you just can’t refuse! Floggings are included if need be. Just saying…

And in relation to my new post, I am looking for a Volunteer to help here, with “Flogger Tales,” Baltimore Gay Life, and GLCCB (www.glccb.org). Duties would include administrative tasks, the occasional (ok, not so occasional) coffee run, and anything else I would deem necessary. While I cannot offer any monetary compensation (note, volunteer), glowing Letters of Reference from me and the Executive Director of GLCCB would be given (pending quality of work, natch), and for the Leather-intrigued, you would be right in the thick of things.

Speaking of Baltimore Gay Life, we’re now into over 30 years of publication!! In all its iterations and all the changes it has gone through, we are proud and honored to still be here, to continue to be here, to serve you.

My travels since I last saw you have not been a lot, with Christmas and 2 feet of snow kind of curtailing my adventures outside of the house. Friday the 18^th saw the Birthday Bash of Ada Buffett over at the Phoenix (1 W. Biddle St, Baltimore, MD 21201 – 410.837.3906). It was a fun time with lots of people, food, and of course, drink! There was a show, and Ada in her finest. Next time you see Ada at the Phoenix wish her a Happy Birthday and tip her well!!

The next day saw the big storm and really the rest of the week was spent relaxing and shoveling and cooking and shoveling and more shoveling… Until Christmas Eve which involved over 9 hours of driving to and from New York City to see my Bio Family. Christmas Day was a nice relaxed time spent with the Leather Family opening up gifts and having a Traditional Dinner out.

Saturday the 26^th saw a Fundraiser at the Playhouse & Studios with Mid-Atlantic Community Bootblack 2009 – Brandon Riley and many of his fans and supporters. It was an awesome night of fun, with plenty of baked goods afterwards. In the meantime, Field Reporter Margeaux was at Club XS (www.clubxsyork.com) in York, PA for their Holiday on the Rocks Fundraiser benefitting Silent Witness Peacekeepers Alliance (SWPA - www.silentwitnesspa.org). From their website, “Silent Witness Peacekeepers Alliance (SWPA) is an organization of gay and straight allies dedicated to providing a non-confrontational buffer between those who condemn others based on their sexual orientation or identity and those they condemn. We provide visual protection from "street preachers" and protesters at events such as Pridefests, the showing of films such as Jim in Bold and For the Bible Tells Me So, or staging of plays such as The Laramie Project, using our bodies and rainbow umbrellas as shields. In times of need, we intervene to prevent confrontations between protesters and event participants, often acting as escorts for those who would like to attend such events. Where there are those who publicly promote hate, we will be there to help provide a loving, supportive front opposing them. We are not counter-protesters. Instead, we provide a visual representation of support for those in our society who may feel marginalized, while simultaneously protecting everyone's rights of free speech and religion…”

SWPA does really good work, so I recommend you all check them out and support them in any way that you can. But back to the show, with Shawnna Alexander emceeing and a show stopping performance by Margeaux herself, along with all the performers that night, good money was raised and fun was had by all! Margeaux says, “it was a rockin’ good time and it’s an event not to be missed!!”

So, into the New Year we all go!! Please look at the Calendar of Upcoming Events, and I hope to see all of you soon, in Leather, out and about, and having an awesome time. With all of that, be kind to yourselves, each other, and practice random acts of kindness!! 

Correction – My fast fingers last time misspelled Jason’s name – it is Jason Sentz, Maryland Leatherboy 2006. Sorry squirt!!

Calendar of Upcoming Events

Every Sunday – WOOF! Philly / LAID – (www.laidsaturdays.com or www.woofphilly.com) – 1416 Chancellor St – Philadelphia, PA – 5PM to 2AM - $5.00

01/09/10 – C.O.M.M.A.N.D., M.C. (www.commandmc.org) Holiday Party – Baltimore, MD – 7PM to ? – email president@commandmc.org for details and an invite

01/09/10 – Holiday Recovery Social (www.libertybears.net) by the Liberty Bears of Philadelphia (www.libertybears.net) – Bike Stop (www.thebikestop.com) – Philadelphia, PA – 7PM to 10PM

01/15/10 – 01/18/10 – Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather 2010 (MAL – www.leatherweekend.com) – Washington, DC – check website to Register and for times and venues

01/30/10 – BHT (Brother Help Thyself) Grant Reception and Show – the Hippo (www.clubhippo.com) – Baltimore, MD – Times TBA

01/30/10 – The ShipMates Club of Baltimore (www.shipmatesclub.com) Bar Night – DC Eagle (www.dceagle.com) – Washington, DC – 9PM to ?

02/12/10 – 02/13/10 – BLADeaf / GLAD-E Run (www.bladeaf.com) including Mr. & Ms. Baltimore Deaf Leather / Leatherboy / Bear / Cub Contests – Baltimore, MD – check website for times and venues

02/13/10 – Scarlett’s Bake Sale – DC Eagle (www.dceagle.com) – Washington, DC – Time and Details TBA

02/20/10 – The ShipMates Club of Baltimore (www.shipmatesclub.com) Bar Night – Baltimore Eagle (www.thebaltimoreeagle.com) – Baltimore, MD – 9PM to ?

03/19/10 – 03/21/10 – C.L.A.P (Chesapeake Leather Awareness Pride) – Mid-Atlantic LeatherSIR / Leatherboy / Leather Woman / Community Bootblack 2010 Contests + Black & Blue Ball + Kinky Karnival – go to www.hookerandboys.com for details

04/15/10 – 04/18/10 – International Ms. Leather 2010 (IMsL – www.imsl.org) – San Francisco, CA – Go to www.imsl.org for details, volunteering, times and venue

04/22/10 – 04/25/10 – Cleveland Leather Awareness Pride (CLAW – www.clawinfo.org) – Cleveland, OH – check website for Registration info, Volunteer Shifts, time and venues

05/28/10 – 05/31/10 – International Mr. Leather 2010 – (IML – www.imrl.com) – Chicago, IL – check website for details, time and venues