Sledge's birthday is 2024's Memorial Day. Leading up to his birthday, each year, I re-listen to his audio journals & re-read his personal analytical work that he so fearlessly sent my way back in 2018. Sledge was 28 at the time, and I was 45. We'd met due to his willingness to step into the Samson Society meeting I facilitated at Lakeside Pres. At the time, lust was a sizable part of his life, and he'd found himself convicted therein whilst hearing a mutual friend of ours share his testimony (prior to referring his audience to Samson Society).
Some veteran Jackson Mississippi Samson guys' musings, recommended resources, and Samson Society news / updates (all written by 100% Grade A - Human Intelligence)
Weekly meetings available to you are as follows:
Tuesday at 6:30 PM, Truitt Baptist Church - Pearl. Call Matt Flint at (601) 260-8518 or email him at matthewflint.makes@gmail.com.
Wednesday at 6:00 PM, First Baptist Church Jackson - Summit Counseling Suite - 431 North State St. Jackson. Call Don Waller at 601-946-1290 or email him at don@wallerbros.com.
Monday at 6:30 PM , Vertical Church - 521 Gluckstadt Road Madison, MS 39110. Mr. Roane Hunter, facilitator, LifeWorks Counseling.
Wednesday at 7:00 PM, Crossgates Baptist Church. Brandon Reach out to Matthew Lehman at (601)-214-4077 for further info.
Sunday night at 6:00 PM, Grace Crossing Baptist Church - 598 Yandell Rd. Canton. Call Joe McCalman at 601-201-5608 or email him at cookandnoonie@gmail.com.
Saturday, May 25, 2024
Intimacy With Men Lives On Via Memory & Technology
Monday, May 6, 2024
Rob's (Adolescent) Self-Pleasure Hidey Hole
You've heard the trope. "I'm taking / claiming sanctuary / asylum here within the church house".
During the previous US President's administration, a number of illegal immigrants took this approach (as a last resort to being deported).
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Thursday, May 2, 2024
Utilizing Unresolved Familial Baggage To Perpetuate / Justify A Rudderless Life / Existence (With Much Rubble By The Wayside). Recognizing How Easy It Is To Establish An Identity For Identity's Sake.
Growing up Southern Baptist, I recall vividly (as a teen) one particular pastor chiding us parishioners (First Baptist Church Jackson) from the pulpit with, "Do you know that you know that you know?"
Friday, April 12, 2024
Either Remove Yourself From The "Handful" Or HOLD ON 'Till Opportunity Presents Itself To
This thought-provoking illustration could easily be a reference piece of an imaginative Hollywood screenwriter. Perhaps he / she's dreaming up yet another misunderstood villain (antihero?) for us his purported audience to love / hate.
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
A Hard Funeral(s) To Sit Through
Out of respect for my father, I attended a funeral (unrelated to family) today. This wasn't the first time I'd done this. When I was in high school, I attended a funeral with him. I remember it clearly, for the deceased had killed himself via suicide, leaving behind a boy who was only one or two years older than I (the boy went to my high school and the divorced dad had attended church with us).
That was my first hard funeral due to the tragedy tied to the cause of death.
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Simply Feeling Circumstantially Unsafe As A Boy Can Have A Long-Term Impact
I run twice weekly. Once during the workweek and once during the weekend. Each run is 5K broken in half by a one-mile brisk walk. I run slowly sans a fitness tracker, and I only glance at my watch once in order to see the time. I do not keep tabs on pacing, heartrate or any of that other nonsense. I simply run away from home before coming back, the exact same route twice weekly.
I love to hate to run.
Last week, I ran one weekday evening, and upon my return home, it had become dark out. As I made my way into our 'hood, I could see a Chevrolet HHR parked just inside the property of one of the three surrounding churches - Episcopal, Assembly of God, Presbyterian (circumnavigating our neighborhood).
Despite the fact that the intensely smoking (it was on fire) retro-styled automobile had emergency off-ramped at the Episcopal church, it was just as vacantly quiet as their religious competitors' property (at the time).
If I'm remembering correctly, it was around 8:30-8:45 PM when I first noticed the smoldering vehicle and its distressed occupants (mulling about).
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Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Wield Your Positive Influence Here Within Samson Society
One of the most substantial outcomes relative to teenage Rob wielding his (positive) influence happened during an (snow day) ice storm. The year was likely somewhere around early 1988. The Christmas prior, I'd been gifted a Yamaha keyboard (though I actually didn't play keyboard with any semblance of true ability).
My best friend, Greg, on the other hand, did play keyboard with envious skill, and he'd just purchased his own Yamaha synthesizer (from Service Merchandise, no doubt) in response to having "test driven" my own.
Since I was always looking to spend time with Greg, and knowing that we both enjoyed our mutual friend, Todd's companionship (who just happened to own a Casio keyboard), our keyboard trio, Infinity, serendipitously came together.
And man, oh man, did we three enjoy our time together, composing and practicing, practicing, practicing before finally performing (school talent shows, etc.). And it all took root with the three of us sitting cross-legged on my small bedroom's cut-pile carpeted floor, laughing and carrying-on, as only us three nerdy Mississippi teens could do during a mid-January late '80s snow day.
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Jesus January - Mid Month Update
Back in December, we had an all-together lunch with some friends whose daughter and son are longstanding friends (former schoolmates) of our children. Christmas was around the corner, therefore everyone was in the holiday spirit, anticipating the annual celebration with all its traditions and (inevitable) headaches. This couple had surprisingly (to us) been visiting our church, and as such, once we realized this, saw fit to make a concerted effort to recognize this exciting move via breaking bread together.
Wednesday, December 27, 2023
Discovery / Narrative, Arousal = Architecture Of Sexuality VS. Longings / Triggers, Fetishes = Mobile Homes Of Lust
"I don't know much about art, but I know what I like." [This is horseshit.]
Architecture, by definition, wouldn't exist were it not for critics. Critics use their fine-tuned, scholarly adjudication skillset and from there, communicate to the masses what and why a building qualifies as architecture. And they do this as an outpouring of their zeal for standout, outstandingly designed buildings. Buildings which seemingly capture volumetric space in a masterful way (architect = master builder).
A worthwhile architectural critic, by definition, is exceedingly knowledgeable of their subject. It's this knowledge that allows their critique to carry so much weight.
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Guys who find themselves within Samson Society typically fall into the category of sexuality aficionados. I would argue many of these men entered into crisis (pre-Samson Society) of some sort due to their individual passion for sex colliding with their (in very simplified terms) longstanding / life-long isolated state (inability to find helpful knowledge / understanding therein).
Religion undoubtedly can play a role in this cataclysm (the majority of Samson guys are Christians). As such, I would argue that this then knowledge / understanding vacuum will occur alongside the false accusation that "No one else within the church is experiencing nor is as interested in sexuality as you are...FrEaK". [This too is horseshit.]
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Porn, phone sex, hook-up & circle jerk roulette sites all provide pitifully unreliable information regarding sex, yet it's devoured by these men. Why? Ease of private accessibility. Too, (if they choose to take this step) transactional sexual relations (strip clubs, massage parlors, prostitution) further their woefully biased / distorted thinking. Why? Ease of private accessibility.
And all of this internalization of such their favorite topic eventually manifests ruts within their minds. Call them fetishes or triggers. They're deep valleys within their grey matter equating to salacious comfort food of the ultra-processed Wal-Mart impulse-buy caliber.
Hence, it's cheap, deadly fare. Would you choose to dine out of a trash heap for each and every meal? It's important to remember that although this is the least healthy means to find caloric sustenance, it's still sustenance.
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There has to be a healthy way for men - who're like us - to gain needed knowledge regarding sexuality in line with their individual discovery / narrative leading towards arousal.
Now, what am I referring to when I say, "men like us"? Go back to what I wrote earlier within this post.
I'm referring to men who're passionate about sex and therefore deliberately ruminate on it. Within the same vein as guys who're similarly passionate about other topics of interest such as cars, hunting, video games and so forth.
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Tuesday, December 12, 2023
Hold The Line For The Man Who Can't Hold It Himself (It Takes Two To Tango).
A sizeable amount of my time each December goes to gifting clients with cookies and calendars out of appreciation for their patronage. And I hand deliver many of these whilst road-tripping my way through various regions of the state of Mississippi. It's an exhausting affair - both physically & emotionally, but an expected wrapping up of the year as a business owner (that was started by my parents, well in advance of me becoming affiliated with their company).
Saturday, December 2, 2023
Once More, A Boiled Toad
Being same-sex attracted has always been my sexual norm. I've never known anything different. When I began dating my future wife (mid-'90s), I was far more attracted to her holistically than likely other potential suitors might have been. And this springboarded off of our childhood friendship which became far more important than either of us realized 'till we began dating. Angie was tender. Her touch was soft and consistent. Plus, she was loyal to a fault. I could go on, but my point here is I had the benefit of being able to easily look beyond the sole opportunity to lay with her (intercourse), as her husband, in regard to potentially marrying.
Another norm for me is the Deep South culture. A big portion of which basks in college football competition / rivalries. This one too is experienced by Rob in ways that don't necessarily fit the typical Mississippi redneck.
It's important to know that Mississippi is all I know relative to a home. As such, it's a hotbed of football-loving and has been for as long as I've known it. My dad, Robert, Sr., grew up immersed in this Southeastern Conference culture. As such, it's as definitive as the very blood type that circulates through his veins.
I joined the marching band (clarinet / drum major) in middle school out of curiosity (& as an escape route from PE class) more than anything else. As such, Friday nights during each of my subsequent fall semesters were mostly spent back on the private academy's grounds - at each and every football game.
From there, I segued into my college's marching band where again, I spent every fall weekend (along with three bowl games!) supporting the team, but this time, I was wearing a maroon & white band uniform. At the conclusion of 1994, my tenure as a Maroon Band member bittersweetly came to a close.
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Saturday, November 25, 2023
Healthily Spotlighting The Intense Pleasure Of Youthful Masturbation
Friends of ours have an adolescent (homeschooled) son who's freaking them out via his interest in (compulsiveness regarding?) women's shoes.
How did this come about?
They've unintentionally barged in on him wearing mom's stylish dress shoes (buck naked) whilst lying down on his bed, and they've taken note of his Internet search history (images of stylish women's shoes).
This boy is the only biological child of this couple. He does have an older half-sister, but she's college-age and therefore out of the house throughout most of the day.
Their son isn't effeminate, but he has had a lot of trouble (sitting still / becoming distracted) excelling within a traditional (school) learning environment. Hence, he's spent A LOT of his time under his mother's wing, at home, while his peers were being educated within a classroom setting.