Lmst

秘剣 / Hidden Weapons

*fanbox comment (open to the public):
https://eico.fanbox.cc/posts/9770595

#イラスト #オリジナル #創作 #ファンタジー #戦士 #剣 #爪 #仮面
#illustration #original #originalart #art #fantasy #warrior #sword #claw #mask

https://lit.link/eico
https://skeb.jp/@eico0 : In principle, only original works.

*Do not use my work without permission.

https://www.wacoca.com/games/1128251/ クレゲで味噌汁🤣🤣 #shorts #クレーンゲーム #ufoキャッチャー攻略 #クレーンゲーム攻略 #claw machine japan #日本夾娃娃 #おたちゅう #clawmachine ##GAMING #Game #GameNews #games #GamingNews #ゲーミング #ゲーム #ゲーム攻略 #ゲーム最新情報

https://www.wacoca.com/games/1127971/ 1PLAY ¥50🤣 #shorts #クレーンゲーム #ufoキャッチャー攻略 #クレーンゲーム攻略 #claw machine japan #日本夾娃娃 #おたちゅう #clawmachine ##GAMING #Game #GameNews #games #GamingNews #ゲーミング #ゲーム #ゲーム攻略 #ゲーム最新情報

https://www.wacoca.com/games/1127860/ クレーンゲーム🤣 #shorts #クレーンゲーム #ufoキャッチャー攻略 #クレーンゲーム攻略 #claw machine japan #日本夾娃娃 #おたちゅう #clawmachine ##GAMING #Game #GameNews #games #GamingNews #ゲーミング #ゲーム #ゲーム攻略 #ゲーム最新情報

SIR’s CLAW 25 Travelogue: 16 April 2025

The journey to CLAW 25 begins by stumbling around the house at 3:30AM & making the first cuppa the day…The Pup & I are boarded; Vegas, here we come for a three-hour layover. Coffee is finally kicking in.

SMF 》LAS

There used to be a time when traveling by air was a chore, something akin to getting a teeth cleaning or sitting through a gender reveal party. A day of balled fists, jaw clenched, and B-grade, expensive food, travel was never an adventure & I’d wonder how those handsome businessmen with their phones and suitcases could do it all the time. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate the journey; even the preparation. Packing is now a ritual, a rite to begin something new, an escape from the day-to-day be it a weekend with my Daddy or a week-long excursion in Cleveland.

The ride to the first airport was smooth. Check-in & passing through the checkpoint were smooth as well. Grabbing coffee & chow for my Pup were smooth. There’s something to be said about scheduling & planning things in advance. Once we got to our first gate, I excused myself to don my Leather (vest, boots, belt, wristbands), feeling once more myself. I confidently marched my way through the airport even though it was 5:30AM.

SIR’s view enroute to Las Vegas; HE enjoys the window seat…Ingressing Las Vegas

Inbound for Vegas

LAS 》CLE

With a nearly three-hour layover, I decided to break out the laptop & do some work for BLUFSF. Namely setting posts up summarizing the April edition & announcing next month’s. Easy work but a great distraction from the airport hustle & bustle. Post were drafted, edited & scheduled to go live while we’re in the air.

Met a couple of fellow Leatherfolx to form a little Leather Contingent before boarding the flight. It’s nice to run into fellows. Next stop: Cleveland, OH.

CLEVELAND

We’re no longer in Kansas, Toto.

Last year, Cleveland had a friendlier vibe. This time around, things appear to have soured as we experienced no less than four unfriendly Lyft drivers. Each apparently having their own respective bad days.

The hotel is 20 minutes away from the conference center which is also 20 minutes way from the Leather Stallion. Every location is an island so folx will be forced to shuttle, rideshare, or rent a car. We’ve spent perhaps $125 on rideshares alone and CLAW hasn’t officially started. Ultimately, we decided we’d rent a car seeing as how the I-X is next to the airport.

Dinner was an exercise in acceptance and resignation. “The Bistro,” as it’s billed, is located in our hotel and provides casual American cuisine. It’s basic, it’ll do. At least it would’ve done had it been decent. The Pup and I spent $45 for lukewarm sandwiches (burger/chicken) and mediocre fries. The sandwiches were supposed to come with lettuce and tomato; however, that was just a little too crazy. So, what we got were bare proteins on greasy brioche buns. Not even a smattering of the promised garlic aioli. The Pup cleaned his plate while I left a hefty portion for Mr. Manners.

Now comes the part that might make folx uncomfortable but I experienced a couple of things that capped off a pretty disappointing day.

First, the Dickoff Party at the Leather Stallion. The ride from the hotel was too long, long enough to kill any energy left from the day. Upon arrival, it was clear the Pup and I were two cherries in an apple pie. Addtionally, I had no lighter for cigars and the Stallion didn’t carry matches or any ability to make fire at-will so we stood around. After a bit, I leaned over and whispered to the Pup, “I’m not feeling this.” He agreed and we left in the fourth Lyft of the day. At this point, it was around 8PM PST and we’d been up for nearly 15 hours. Rather than shoulder the weight of being one of the very few POCs in the party, it was time to call it and return to base. Surely, this would be capstone for a day of disappointment, right?

As it’s said, “But wait, there’s more!”

Growing up Indigenous, it’s nothing new to experience racism, veiled or overt. From being followed in off-reservation music stores by staff to hearing emphatic, “These fucking Indians should go back to the rez and stay there!”, being Other and set apart are par for the course. It’s as usual as breathing or watching the sunset; I’ve learned to recognize racism when it occurs.

So, my Pup and I were browsing a meager, overpriced “market” at the hotel at ~1:30 a.m. (Folx who know me know I’m almost always hungry, ready to encounter a surprise turkey dinner with all the fixins at any moment.) when the hotel worker walked in, looked at us, and asked, “What are YOU doing here?” No salutation, no professional friendly demeanor, just a question infused with hard intent.

You see, my Pup is Latinx, I’m Indigenous so we’re are completely POC and we know division when we sense it. This was division, as if we’d wandered out from the backwoods across the way looking for free food. True, we weren’t dressed for a white tie fish fry, it being one-fucking-thirty in the morning, but we’re were dressed. We’d seen non-POC buy from the market with no issues and that was only few minutes before we “invaded” the place.

We answered the man’s question, “We’re browsing…for food.”

“Oh…well, you can order food from the Denny’s down the street.”

Us: “…but we’re here now and hungry.”

“Here, I’ll give you a paper so you can order.”

Us: “…okay…”

We took the paper and returned to the room. Me giving a resounding, “What the fuck was that about?”, as the elevator doors closed. The Pup was silent and I had entered Hangry SIR territory.

Getting to the room, the discordant day finally hit me: The 3:30AM wake time, the air travel, the unfriendly Lyfters, the horrible dinner, and the Stallion party. This encounter topped the dirt cake and I’d had it.

The Pup looked on as I unloaded my frustration before I declared, “Fuck this. He can’t treat us like that. I’m going back down to say something because this has been one of the worst days so far.”

We headed back downstairs and approached the front desk. He stood there with a false courteous smile, “How can I help you?”

Me: “Are we allowed to shop here? Because you made it seem like we were not allowed to be in the market. I just need some clarification.”

He appeared taken aback yet unfazed responding with, “Oh, I’m sorry you got that impression because I didn’t mean that.”

Ahh, yes, the celebrity apology. Always a hit.

The Pup asked, “Is this place open 24/7?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, we’re going to buy something then.”

“Okay, sure.”

The selection was meager, an overprocessed food selection. I grabbed a ginger ale, chips, and beef jerky. The Pup paid in cash which sent the hotel guy into a huff. He owed us $0.02 in change and we watched him in an even huffier huff find two pennies. Sliding them over the counter, the Pup accepted them. He thanked us, I didn’t responded and we padded back to the room so I could devour the snackage.

To the privileged reader, there may appear to have to been nothing wrong with the exchange. However, for anyone who has experienced a lifetime of discrimination, the reality is quite different. That’s the benefit of privilege, you get smoother rides and aren’t hassled by hotel workers just for standing in a market. You can visit places without experiencing sideeye or outright disdain because you simply look different.

I experienced this growing up, I get it even now. I’ve felt it while I’ve been in Leather. It’s human nature to discriminate. So, how do handle this? Well, I enact a few lines of code from SirWolf.exe:

Walk with intent & quiet confidence: I know where I’ve been and I know where I’m going. Stay out of my fucking way. I won’t hurt you but I will sternly tell you to step off.
Treat the environment like a Leather bar: I’m here to take up my own fucking space. If you want to get my attention, get it. I don’t cruise, I don’t flirt, I here to learn, smoke, play, and maybe fuck but that doesn’t mean I want to do any of these things with you.
I’m comfortable being alone: While the Pup is doing his Puply duties, I’m on my own and I’m okay with that. At events like CLAW, I’ve learned how to be alone and not feel lonely. I don’t need company, sometimes I don’t want it. It depends on the moment I’m in. In this life, I’ve adapted to being a part from and am comfortable solo.
I welcome the brave ones: There are few folx who approach me even though the “Fuck Off” vibes are high. These folx I tend to welcome in conversation; interestingly, these folx often have actual things to talk about that are mostly worthwhile. I also commend the young man who is brave or foolhardy enough to approach SIR even after I’ve made it clear I’m not biting. A good boy might be rewarded. Maybe.

#CLAW #CLAW25 #CLAWChronicles #Cleveland #IAmSirAaronWolf #LeatherCommunity #LeatherEvents #LeatherPhotography #Leatherman #LGBTQ_ #MyJourney #Photography #SirAaronWolf #SirWolf #SirSStatus #TravelingLeatherman #Travels