Tidbit - 2018 SouthEast Bootblack
Tidbit began exploring the lifestyle in 1997. He started out as a kinkster and play slut, but has since found his home in Leather, with a firm respect for the morals, ethics, and integrity, and camaraderie that this path has brought to his life.
Formerly active in Gnosis and a former board member of TALON, tidbit pledged the Tarheel Leather Club in 2011. He has previously held the offices of President and Vice-President, and currently serves the club as the Scribe and an in-house bootblack. He is also active in MAsT Winston-Salem, a leader of the Twin City Kinksters, and Regional Representative for the Southeast region of MAsT-International. Tidbit was also honored to serve the state as the 2012 NC Bootblack. While constantly on the prowl for more to learn, he also strives to make himself available to teach anyone that's willing to listen.
Tidbit has taught classes on cigars, cigar service, sounding, and both the technical and erotic aspects of bootblacking. He is proudly owned by Mr. Wolf for the last 15 years, and together they reside in Winston-Salem, NC with their 8 adorable fur kids.
Calendar of Events
June
23rd – Tarheel Leather Club Bar Night, Greensboro, NC
July
6th-8th – Tarheel Leather Club Stars and Stripes Run, Greensboro, NC
August
4th – Cigar Social, Garner, NC (details still in the works)
10th-12th – Southeast Black and Blue, Atlanta, GA
September
7th-9th – SC Pride in Leather, Columbia, SC
15th – Greensboro Pride, Greensboro, NC
29th – Triangle Pride, Durham, NC
October
13th – Pride Winston Salem, Winston-Salem NC
19th-21st – Columbia Leather Order Phoenix Rising Run, Dewey Rose, GA
June 2018 Column
The only thing that I can say right now is wow! This has been an amazing experience so far. SELF was phenomenal. I reunited with old friends and made tons of new ones! I am so thankful for the advice, words of encouragement, feedback, and support that I received, both before the contest and in the days since. It has been truly invaluable.
This was a definite learning experience. Through all the conversations that I had, I learned things that I never knew about people I have known for years. I learned new things about myself (mainly that I’m not as afraid of the microphone as I thought I was). I learned that I can stand up and just do me.
Thank you to all those who donated to my auction baskets, all those who bid on them, and all those who bought raffle tickets.
Thanks to our judges, Tyesha Nicole Best, OB Hamm, Jazz, Archer, and Tris. Thanks to my technical judges, Raymond, Callie, and Marcie Friday. You made me look within myself and answer the hard questions.
Thank you to Lady Catherine Gross, the SELF board, all the volunteers and the staff. Your hard work is what makes this event home year after year. Thank you to the sponsors, for without you, SELF would not be possible.
Thanks to the audience for your votes, your cheers, and your feedback. Hearing that my message touched so many people was truly humbling.
Thank you to our den crew Flossie and Boy Dave. You had a heck of task wrangling us all, and we still managed to go on stage without toilet paper on our boots. You gave advice, criticism, and support and it is all greatly appreciated.
Thanks to my handler Boy Andy and my coffee slut Rhapsody. I would not have left with my sanity intact without you two.
Last but certainly not least, thank you to Master Wolf. You tolerated endless repetitions of speeches, intros and fantasy practice in the living room. You did it all with unwavering support and encouragement. And when my resolve started to falter, you simply gave me orders.
My goal is to visit every state in the Southeast this year. North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia are already on the schedule. If you are open to having me visit, present, or bootblack, please let me know!
I am extremely excited about this year. I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to be in this title family.
Oct 2018 Column
Wow, what a journey the last few months have been! I have reunited with some old friends, made some new ones, and taken steps that I won’t ever forget. So far, I am on track to visit all of the states in the Southeast, seeing three in the last three months. Have no fear, I'm headed for all of them!
We ushered in July with the Tarheel Leather Club's Stars and Stripes run, where the entire title family joined together to host a cocktail party, complete with togas. Ok, so our sister, Iamar, SE Person of Leather joined us via Skype, but that counts! The rest of the month saw me visiting Red Lions Bar night and MAsT-Greensboro.
I stretched my wings a bit in August and taught a class on erotic bootblacking at the Little Leather Scout Expo, hosted by my title brother Quazi (your SE Boy). Seeing so many people so eager to learn new things always makes my heart smile. Not to mention the hands on practice at the end of the class! Then there was Southeast Black and Blue in Atlanta, where I had the honor to bootblack for them all weekend. Those folks put together a fantastic weekend. I also attended Charlotte Pride with Master Blue (SE Master), Quazi (SE Boy) and Sir Bradford (Mr SELF). We were honored to be part of the color guard leading the parade. Once we reached the finish, we hustled the 9 blocks back to the beginning to join everyone on the Woodshed float and did it again! There may have been some shenanigans with a fire truck. There were lots of flags, lots of love and lots of fun.
I headed to South Carolina in September to bootblack for the SC Pride in Leather event in Columbia. What a great event, and congrats to Boy Brian! I got to hang with Quazi, Sir Bradford, Master Blue and slave sheri AGAIN. I had an unplanned weekend off thanks to Hurricane Florence when Greensboro Pride got postponed, but it’s off to the races again.
Next month, I get the wonderful opportunity to care for the squares on the Leather Quilt (and hang with Master Blue and slave Sheri), I'll help the Tarheel Leather Club lead the Pride Winston Salem parade, and head down to Georgia again for Columbia Leather Order’s run.
This journey has been incredible. Our title family has been there for each other every step of the way, creating cocktails, sharing travel plans, planning events together, organizing carpools, splitting hotel rooms, reminding of deadlines. These people are amazing and I could not have asked for a better group to share this year with.
Stay tuned, there’s more to come!
January 2019 Column
Here we are in January, a little over halfway through our title year. Part of me is stoked about the places I’ve been, the people I’ve met, and the experiences that I have been a part of. The other part of me is a little sad that there’s only 6 more months. I’m having too much fun!
The last few months have been a little quiet for me. October saw me travelling to Columbia Leather Order’s run. We opted to tent camp again, as we did last year. Love me some camping! CLO put on a great run, as usual and I can’t wait until next year. In November, I was honored to be a historian at the Leather History Preservation Weekend. I shared my story, did a little bootblacking, had a few fan-boy moments with some folks that I greatly admire. Definitely a weekend to remember.
The remainder of the year brought some much needed downtime. There was a sudden employment change, for which I'm grateful I had a contingency plan and was able to recover fairly quickly. Then came Thanksgiving, which I spent with my families, both bio and chosen. Lots of travelling that day.
Christmas was spent travelling as well, sharing the day with the many people that I love. Four days later was a momentous birthday for me, one that I’m still coming to terms with. When you add all that together, throw in a new puppy, and a sprinkle of sinus infections, it doesn’t really seem as quiet as I thought it was.
In the next few months, I’m looking forward to a trip for the Atlanta Mentor Coalition and the Mx Virginia Contest, and organizing a series of bootblack classes here at home. Hope to see you on the road. Happy new year, everyone.
March 2019 Column
Whoa, it’s March already?! The last couple of months have flown by! I’ve been super busy tearing up the highways lately. Tonight, I am just arriving back home after spending an amazing weekend in Richmond for the inaugural Mx Virginia Leather Contest. I got to hug some friends that I hadn’t seen in too long, which is always one of my favorite parts of these trips. The contestants were all great, the venue was fantastic, and Richmond was beautiful. Bootblacking action was happening!
The stands stayed full, and everyone on the bootblack team stayed busy. And there were shenanigans with Mr SELF 2018 Sir Bradford! Many, many thanks to the Hampton Roads Red Dragons for the lodging, the hospitality, the camaraderie, and the extraction teams. Y’all are amazing.
Earlier last month, I was honored to be a part of a titleholder panel for Atlanta Mentors. Traveling with SELF Boy 2018 boy quazi and SELF Boy 2012 boy Andy was a hoot. The three of us sat on the panel with Dale, 2012/2013 SE Community Bootblack, and Pup Kase, 2018 International Puppy. The group had some great questions and the discussion was lively!
Travels continue with a fierceness until June. The schedule includes Atlanta for Leather Leadership Conference, South Carolina for a day-long bootblack workshop, Georgia again for the Coastal Empire Sentinels run, Florida for Beyond Leather, and much more. More new friends coming soon, and I’m looking forward to some quality time with the rest of my title family. See you all on the road!
June 2019 Column
I cannot believe it’s almost over. In about a week, my title year will come to an end. It really is bittersweet. While it will afford me more time with my family, my relationships, and my local community, I am going to miss this. I know that I’ll continue to see my title family, I will continue to travel, and there are several projects happening, but this year has been the time of my life.
I couldn’t have done this without all of you. Everyone I’ve encountered over the last year has been extremely supportive, encouraging, and helpful. And my title family?! Those folks simply amaze me. Every single one of them has represented the Southeast with integrity and grace. There have been many shenanigans, but there is not a better group of people that I could have chosen to serve with. We are family for life.
To everyone I have encountered……. yes, everyone. Those of you that invited me to events, came to my classes and workshops, donated to fundraisers, gave me a couch to crash on, or simply shook my hand at an event, you were a tremendous support and added so much to my year. The SELF board, staff, and volunteers are a force to be reckoned with. Thank you for everything.
This year has been truly humbling. I am going to look back on this with the fondest memories and am leaving with bonds that can never be broken. I thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Southeast Bootblack 2018 and hope that I’ve done you proud.