Photos are by the always-superb Scott Smith, who is currently training our brother Mike to be the new, up-and-coming documentarian star of our group's Tribal History. What our Tribe has needed for decades is a core group of essential elders/mentors who stick around and help the next generation along. I couldn't be more proud of Scott for taking his craft to the next level, and SHARING it. This behavior speaks really well for his character.
On Wednesday, April 16, 2014, the men of FMSD enjoyed one of the most interesting, vivid evenings we've ever had. At the end of the evening, I went around and asked each man "At which point during the evening were you bored out of your skull?" In every case, I got the amused response that I was looking for:
"NEVER!"
KILTS
The evening started out with everybody swarming around, exchanging hugs and love, and catching up with each other.
Once everybody calmed down enough to have a seat, we started out with announcements, and then I introduced our special guest Rob Scott, who I had met at the Hole a few days earlier. Rob makes his own kilts, and as a surprise, some of the men in FMSD wore OUR kilts to welcome him.
Rob fascinated us with his stories and craftsmanship, and his warmth.
He's a charmer!
He even modified a pair of shoes to be more Scottish-Traditional in style. He sews leather, if it's thin!
Rob and I started throwing kilt-themed jokes back and forth, but I got booed off of the stage when I pulled out the old, old stinkeroo:
"What's the difference between a gay man in a kilt, and a washing-machine?"
Hands on hips, swishing the kilt from side to side, and using a very effeminate voice: "Well, I'm SURE that I DON'T KNOW!"
Some our men tried on Rob's kilts, and did the Runway Walk, with the Turn, the Significant Pause and the Head Toss, while the rest of us cheered and encouraged them to "work that kilt, baby!"
We gathered on stage to get a Kilted Men Group Photo, and then somebody (I suspect Jon) yelled out "Do the
Braveheart Photo!"
So, we did.
Our photographer Scott deserves to be documented in a kilt as well!
At the end of the meeting, Rob was eager to become our newest member, and will be attending events going forward. With THAT kind of affectionate welcome, can you blame him?
Rob also sold a kilt (the blue denim one), to his very first customer Ron, who proudly wore it the rest of the evening. I think we can all agree that it looks like it was custom-made, just for him, to show off his manly attributes.
If YOU are interested in purchasing a custom-made kilt, please contact Rob the Kiltmaker at Rgscott41 @gmail.com
Then, I asked the men with the most experience in the group to come stand shoulder-to-shoulder with me on stage. They were there to act as witnesses as I presented Frank, our newest Whipmaster, with a whip that he had earned. I was acting in my capacity as Tribal Elder.
I'm drawing the curtain of discretion over the topic of HOW he had earned it, though I told him privately, afterward - I keep my criteria pretty secret. Why? Because I want to study each trainee with careful, considered observation, and to reward him when he has reached a level of excellence that tells me that he is ready to own a certain level of Mastery. If I just hand away the criteria publicly, then folks will feel like they will only have to check items off of a list, and get an automatic treat in return.
I never, ever try to CHANGE anybody - Instead, I hold a metaphorical mirror up to his gaze, to show him how wonderful he has always been. My goal is to have him OWN who he is, flaws and all, and to love the man that he has become. If he has earned some signifier of personal growth and upward transformation, then he will treasure his passage more if he knows that he has thoroughly earned it.
DISCUSSION
Given that it was one of the largest turnouts we've ever had for a Men's Discussion, the topic was one that attracted a lot of men to show up. Clearly, even eighteen hours of discussion wouldn't have been enough, so a team of men will be hosting more of these sessions on the topic of Relationships as time goes by.
Here are the books that were referenced in the discussion.
From Donnie: It was a Wonderful discussion night and one we should continue, I think many of us still wanted to get a word in but we ran out of time. Maybe our first week in May we can continue...
Then, we walked three blocks over to Redwing bar, for camaraderie, chicken wings, beer and applauding each other as we belted out tunes. This is an intensely FUN time, and this was the biggest turnout we've ever had for Karaoke Night.
We used to do this regularly, months ago, thanks to our dear brother Ian, whose sweet nature, vocal range (tenor to baritone) and perfect pitch have always kept the rest of us on-key by way of example.
Then, life got in the way. Things shifted around, and we all got distracted. Thanks to our brother Brett, we once again have something wonderful to look forward to, on the third Wednesday of each month.
Ian joined us this time around, and it was like the very best times have never left us at all. I kept looking around at the large number of happy, close and satisfied FetishMen (several in kilts) and felt as close to them as I ever have.
Many things have changed in our group since the last time we were all singing lustily on Karaoke Night, but this shows that they have all been changes for the better..
