Life After IML - September 2004

Doing a photoshoot for Stonewall, August 2004 Photo credit: Scott Nunn

I'm still looking for a new job - let's get that out of the way first. I filled my spare time in August with more voluntary work for Stonewall, a trip to the London Fetish Fair, Spanner Trust meetings, a night at SM Gays, and speed-walking Joe Gallagher (IML '96) on a quick shopping trip around London. I've also agreed to emcee Palm Springs Leather Pride (Nov 11 - 14) and Mr Chicago Leather (Jan 28 - 30 2005).

But what has my successor been up to? You know, Jason Hendrix from Washington DC - IML 2004 - my upgrade? Has he followed my advice and done a bad job to make you all nostalgic for me? Or has he tried to fulfil all his obligations while keeping his job (clever man) and without a partner to support him? On a warm night in September he stayed over in London on his way to Berlin. I filled our glasses with vodka and diet coke and made Jason answer the following questions:

You're a quarter of the way through your year. How have the first three months been?
I've done ten events. I've had a few weekends off ....

That's not allowed!
[Laughs] I took the last two weeks of July and the first two weeks of August off because I needed to. I've filled my schedule every weekend between now and the middle of December.

Why didn't you take my advice and book off one weekend a month?
I took your advice: I didn't quit my job! I think that was the first thing you said when you put the sash on. You whispered: "Don't quit your job!" and then put the sash on me.

That's probably been the hardest thing for me, juggling working full time and the schedule that I've been putting myself through. As you know, when you're IML you get to choose what you want to do somewhat. You can go to events every weekend or every other weekend. It's whatever you want to do with your year and I want to do as many events as possible.

But it's hard to do that and then be home three or four days during the week trying to get all your things done like laundry, paying bills, cleaning the house ... And being single and having to do all that - it's hard. My refridgerator stays empty now because I'm not home long enough to buy groceries!

For the people who haven't visited your online travel calendar where have you been?
I started out in Washington DC Gay Pride, from there I went to New York city for Folsom East, then San Francisco for their gay pride. I did a fundraiser in Baltimore, a LeatherSIR/ boy contest in Washington DC and then went to Omaha for International Ms Leather 2004. In August I flew to the Chicago Eagle and Indianapolis for a Great Lakes Leather Alliance weekend. And now I'm in London for the night on my way to Berlin for the first ever Folsom Europe.




Photo credit: Dave Harris

What's been your favourite event so far?
I grew up in the small suburbs in the US so I love the big cities. I love going to New York and San Francisco. But last weekend in Indianapolis was a blast. It's only the third year they've had the event. They've never had an IML come there before and I was a bootblack judge. To be there and do something like that was great.

Is there anywhere you'd like to go that you haven't been invited to yet?
Oh yes! I'd love to do more travel in Europe and Canada. I'd love to do an event here in London, that would be wonderful. I'd love to be invited to do something in Amsterdam just because when people in the US think of leather a lot of times they think of Amsterdam. I would love to go to Australia - one of my judges was from Australia. And I've only been invited to one event in Canada but I'd love to go to Toronto.

So you're single ...
Yes, and thanks for reminding me.

Are you looking to meet anyone this year?
No. I'm not looking to date. I couldn't give anybody time to date. But sex is great, I'd love to have sex! I've been to Chicago, I've been to Omaha, I've been to Indianapolis and NO SEX.

That sounds more like it.
And part of it is that at the end of the night you're so tired. You've been judging all day or meeting people or whatever and it comes to 3 o'clock in the morning when the event's over and I just want to go to bed.

And the whole dating thing too, I've met some really great guys that live in DC and I've basically told them I'm not available until June 2005.

If we could get someone to stay at an event until after you've shaken all the hands you have to shake, who would you like that to be?
It depends on what my mood is. I have a range of types but I do like pigs! Big, beefy, muscular, covered with body hair, don't wear deodorant, big bushy beards, and big nasty minds! I like guys where you just click - you don't even talk - you just have sex! To do something like that in the heat of the moment is very hot.

But if I had the TIME to be with someone then I'd like a great bondage scene, flogging, I love, love, love role playing! Being either the Dominant or the submissive - that is such a huge turn on for me. And incorporating things into the role playing, maybe bondage or spanking or discipline or tit torture or whatever into all that is incredible.




Photo credit: Dave Harris

What was your first SM experience?
That was in Provincetown in 1993. I was at a guesthouse. There was a doctor from London staying there and he was my height: 5'8", hairy, little belly, smoked cigars, beard, and I was like: "WOW!". I was a cute boy, clean shaven, and I thought: "I'm going to flirt with him", and I did. He took me back to his room and he tied me to the bed and he did all kinds of things to me that I'd never had done before. He smoked a cigar, he maybe even burned me a couple of times, made me eat the ash from the cigar ... I wish I'd written down what happened because that was the defining moment for me. After experiencing that, there was no going back to what sex was before. I always kick myself that I didn't get his name or his phone number!

Do you have any messages that you're trying to spread this year?
Definitely in the United States up until the election it's all about getting people to vote and making the right choice this time. As a community making sure that we have the right person in the White House who will be looking out for us. Outside of that, as I mentioned in my speech at IML, mentoring is such a big deal for me, along with HIV/ STD prevention and safer sex.

Thank you. Would you like another vodka?
No thanks. You make them strong here and without any ice!

You can see which events Jason is attending on the IML travel calendar.

Best wishes,

John Pendal
International Mr Leather 2003