So back in October I posted this short list of 10 random things I wanted to accomplish by years end. While by no means an exhaustive list, this was more a rough sketch for me (and a teaser for you) of things to look forward to. I jotted this list down in like the 5 minutes you wait while the coffee in my French press ferments. Interestingly enough this quick, top of my mind list, gathered quite a few comments.

Now on this, the closing day of the year, while I wait for my last batch of rope of 04 to come to a boil, I thought we should look back at the list and see how I did.

1) Relocate the shop to a new and larger space where we can also throw parties.
I have the lease for my new shop in my hands, just need to review it with one of my friends who is much wiser than I about this sort of thing. The new shop should allow me to triple if not quadruple my production capability while reducing the need for me to stand in the rain by 100%. Oh and the shop has not one but two industrial machine hoists capable of lifting some 6 tons over 3o ft in the air… oh the things I am going to do with that!
2) Model for a fetish shoot
Thanks to Dancer for making this happen, she is great like that. It is oddly liberating to cast your nude self out onto the world. With nothing to hide you find yourself with no reason to not speak your truth. Why hide what you believe, you have ceased to hide everything else.
3) Loose that last %^&king 10 pounds!
Actually, make that 20 and counting. I need to post about this because it has been really amazing to experience. When I posted this list I had just weighed in at 230 and thought that if I could hit 225 I’d be in great shape. This morning I weighed in at 210. Not bad for a guy that at this time last year was 255. Of course the down side is that ALL my clothes now look like they belong to my father. I have to part with my beloved green kilt because there is no way it will sit on my hips any longer.
4) Submit artwork for 2005 SEAF
Thanks to your feedback I submitted 3 images. The Mistress, Cedar Reflected, and My Favorite Bottom. I’ll let you know how that goes.
5) Perfect inverted rope suspension and perform it with Tambo
Ah, my dearest Tambo. I just love that girl to pieces. You saw the end results here.
6) Finish work on my hentai inspired fucking machine
This one is still in the design phase. Too many rope related projects on my plate right now. However my new neighbors at the shop space are blacksmiths and are very interested in doing some collaborative work.
7) Begin stocking five more retail stores with rope
To be honest, I was too busy selling rope to individuals to really persue this in earnest. This will be a huge goal for the compay in ’05. In fact we will need to add at least 10 stores to our list. This is one goal that you all can help me out with. If you know of a high end sex boutique in your town that might want to carry the best bondage rope on earth, please contact me. Now I am not talking about your chain, crap stores that carry cheap shit. No we are talking about places on par with Toys in Babeland, Mr. S, and Grand Opening.
8) Get another tattoo
Actually in light of my recent needle play expernice this one has morphed a bit. Rather than ink, I’m going to adorn my body next with a ritual scar. Seems like I have enough of them from my misadventures already, why not purposely add one? We have the design, the artist, and the physical location all set. Stay tuned for that.
9) Perfect my curry recipe
Sigh I will confess that these days my cooking has really taken a back burner to everything else. Dinner for me these days is a salad and steamed veggies.
10) Begin work on a samurai suit of armor
We have slowly begun progress on this one. I’m having lunch with my designer next week to review the final sketches and hammer out the cost details. This is going to be very cool.

So there you have it. Sure, there are lots of other things that I have done and am very proud of that are not on this list… as well as a few things that I am not so proud of. Keep in mind that this blog, while as open and honest as possible, is but a small time slice into a much larger and complex world. On several occasions I have sat here at my laptop after some interesting or moving event and wondered how in the hell am I going to do this thing justice? Or where to start, or if this is a story that I should even tell? I guess it is a bit like when your favorite novel becomes a major motion picture. There are so many details and nuances from the original that just cannot be translated to the screen.

Now if you will pardon me, I must pull this last batch of black out and get it into the dry racks, change, meet Tambo for lunch, deliver some rope, make sushi for Dancer and Sir’s party tonight, assemble my rigging gear and pop Kitten’s suspension cherry all before this year comes to an end.