Mid-Atlantic Leather Report

[bjarvis]

Really, I spent less time at this year's MAL than at any other in the past several years. This was largely because of scheduling conflicts through the weekend but no small part is also my growing dislike of many of the supporting events and the bar scene in general. I don't smoke or drink so the cigar & smoking events, the bar hopping & such are of little interest. The drag show beauty contest Mr. MAL competition also doesn't hold my interest: if I were director, I'd toss most of the would-be contestants in the first round, then have the survivors slug it out for an hour rather than drag it into a four hour long event.

However, by the large crowds attending each event, my personal preferences are clearly in a very tiny minority. So why do I attend? Largely, there's a number of people who come to DC who I'd like to visit with but wouldn't get the chance otherwise. I'm content to hang out in the lounge of the host hotel, chatting with various people over the course of an afternoon or evening.

Anyway, my weekend started with a private party & light buffet at the home of Jon & Donn in Arlington, VA. They have a very nice large house and a fascinating circle of friends. Odds are I'll know enough people to not be a complete stranger while still having a large pool of interesting people I haven't met yet. This year, Jon & Donn arranged for a photographer --Ken W.-- to take photos in the sitting area of their basement space. Click here for a look, although this link will vanish in a month or so.

Saturday was spent away from MAL entirely, helping Cal & Eric dismantle their xmas trees & decorations. We helped put up & decorate six last December so there was a particularly pleasing symmetry in tearing them down. A very nice chinese dinner and leisurely soak in the hot tub didn't hurt in the slightest either.

Sunday afternoon, we were back at the Washington Plaza to schmooze with friends at MAL, as well as do a little shopping at the vendor market. Click here for my photos.^* Shopping was light for me as I have almost all of the leather gear I want (although my harness needs a rivet repair and I'm looking for a pair of gloves), although Kent bought a pair of leather pants from CJ's Leather of Denver, CO. We also bought a small present for a friend which I cannot disclose here as he may be reading.

I was hoping to find a window of time to meet up with apparentparadox, ruggedbear and qnetter, among others, but time & scheduling didn't allow this time around. Fortunately, there's ample opportunities for our paths to cross in the near future.


^*The photos turned out not as well as I'd have preferred, largely because I'm still trying to figure out the correct settings on the new camera Kent gave me for xmas. So many settings! And the nuclear powered electromagnetic pulse which passes for an electronic flash really needs to be tamed a little... close-ups not only blind & possibly sterilize the subjects, but they're hopelessly over-exposed in the photo. Practice, practice...

Comments

drag show beauty contest

[brunorepublic.livejournal.com]

The beauty pageants at bear runs are the same: needlessly long, but they attract the huge crowds. However, I've noticed that not that many in the crowd are really paying attention. It seems that everyone is either there to cheer their friends on, or to talk with the people who are there to cheer on their friends. :)

Re: drag show beauty contest

[moofedct.livejournal.com]

As usual, we serve little purpose.

Re: drag show beauty contest

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've noticed the same thing at bear events. My suspicion is that people aren't really paying attention because there's so little to hold their attention for very long... MCs are usually a little lame, the entr'acte entertainment isn't and even the would-be sash queens themselves aren't particularly interesting. A few may be nice to look at, but even a person as shallow as I can be gets a little tired of that in the 4th hour.

Perhaps I'm just becoming exponentially more bitter as my birthday approaches. :-)

Re: drag show beauty contest

[rsc.livejournal.com]

I still remember the time (probably 1993) when I was visiting Nelson (remember him?) in Portland, and we went out for an evening with Brent Capps (remember him?) to a leather bar that was holding the Mr. Portland Leather contest (I won't swear that I have those words in the correct order). Now, leather isn't really my thing, but I figured what the hell, I was with friends, it would be fun.

The contest was pretty lame -- there were only two contestants (one of whom had more or less been brought in off the street so they could actually have a contest, or so I was told), but somehow they managed to drag it out through several stages. At one point Brent turned to me and said, "If you think this is boring and stupid... that's because it is."