Where to Begin?

For me the beginning started when I started asking myself, How can I "One Up" my stage performance from last year?  I wouldn't say mine was the best performance of the night, as my First Runner-up wife, Jodi gave the most amazing performance I'd ever seen.  It was so sexy, I'm kinda wishing I had it on video.

So a while back I'm sitting down with Carah, and we're talking about how to do just as well, if not better than the Lion Tamer performance, and keep in mind the same group of people expected to attend just happened to see Jodi perform last year, setting a pretty high bar.

Then the idea just kind of happened, Carah came up with a theme that really sang to me, and I immediately started to insert bits of dialog, and mixing in some pop themes in the process; I've been re-writing it for three months now, and I'm looking for a cast.  I wish I could tell you more, but you'll just have to be at the show.

Alright, so now it's official, I'm confident I've got entertainment covered. What's next?

There's just so much...

A. Write a new resume
B. Find sponsors
C. Portraits
D. Work on my body
E. More leather (so far my favorite to-do)
F. More books/reading/studing (not easy to find time for when you're a finance student)
G. Plan the travel expected of holding the title, not just for me, but for my team to support me at International
H. Choreograph the skit to music
I. Get costumes as needed
J. Practice questions for the panel
K. Get involved, lend my name, lend my sweat, continue being more active than I've already been.

I've already began beefing up my leather, and I've been reading as often as I can manage, I'm teaching workshops again, hosting TNG events, and just all around prepping for a whirlwind kind of year.

I've Been Thinking About This for Awhile

Last year I had the great pleasure of competing for a leather title at the first Mr. Rocky Mountain Olympus Leather competition.  The first contestant to enter the competition also happened to be a favorite within the Salt Lake Community, and there were few who expected he could be beaten.

I believe that's why I thought I would toss my hat in the ring, as it were. Expectations were not in my favor and I could always fall back on it as an excuse.  So here I am, new to this city I've adopted, and my goal was to entertain as many people as I could with what ever wit I could pull out of my boots, which just happened to be the only leather I owned.  Soon after UtahRox and I were Joined by Shane and we had a three man race.

I'll admit not only did I have no idea what I was undertaking, but I would have been absolutely lost without the guidance of my friends and roommates Jay & Carah, who did everything in their power to support me with choreography, music, history, costumes, make-up, and the dreaded auction basket.  Then I was able to assemble a great cast of helpers for the skit, in Megan, Ari, Tawny and Josh; who were fantastic, by the way.  I may not have ended up with the title at the end of the night, but everyone remembers that skit. My team was completed with  Cassie who was so much help backstage.

So I'm feeling pretty good, and with this team on my side, I'm starting to think I've actually got a chance to make a run at this title.  Here's where my education on title competitions gave me a nice kick in the teeth.  I didn't have a clue what to do, how to act or dress. Every title competition I had seen was for entertainment and I never thought about what these men were going through in the backround.  Needless to say I made mistakes, but still managed a 1st runner up medal, and the intense desire to try again and learn from the feedback given to me by the judges at the end of the night.  Mistress Cyan St. James, Goddess Genesis, and Dave Rhodes made up 3/5ths of the judges panel and they were very direct about what I did wrong, and were also very encouraging.

So here I am, nine months later, and it's time to prepare for my best effort at taking home the title this year, and moving on to the International title.

This blog is here so you can follow my progress, and maybe get some insight into what's involved with a serious title run.