Jun 1, 2022.

My friend, Joel (the mad wielder) and I were talking about ongoing community conflict, division and hatred that have been growing over the past years. Each year it seems to get worse.

Neither Joel nor I are sideline spectators.

So we conceived the idea of creating a group that would take a deep dive and study these issues. We are curious. Are there probable solutions?

We reached out to other colleagues and community members whom we thought may have a similar interest.

Together, we have founded the Lifestyle Development group.

The Lifestyle Development Group (LDG) is not a community group. It is a private think tank organization.

As formal as it may sound, a think tank is simply a group of people designated to find innovative solutions to problems.

Watch for our work releases. They should be interesting. (Click Here)

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Even out here in the Texas countryside there are kinky folks. 

Therefore some friends and I decided to start SKILLS. This is group with a different twist.

It is a collective of the various kink styles in our rural community. Lots of fun and friendships! Very different from the larger communities.

Our mission is to have fun.

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Well what can I say but it was two and half years of surgeries and convalescing. I wasn’t out of the lifestyle but out of the communities. Special thanks to those who watched over and cared for me during this time. Love you.

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The news of  Leather Corp chapters created interest in other areas of Texas. Master Tolly opened discussions about a Leather Corp chapter in Fort Worth.

Master Thunder and I had hoped leather folks from Fort Worth would be interested and come to Dallas but the drive was prohibitive.

So the Forth Worth Leather Corps was born.

A part of the mandate for Leather Corp Chapters is community service. At the time Vi Johnson and I had been in discussion about opening a Texas Annex for the Carter/Johnson Leather Library.

Master Tolly and slave robin was a perfect match for this project. We agreed and the Carter/Johnson Leather Library – Texas Annex began serveing communities from Kansas to San Antonio Texas. 

This was my last official leadership task for the Leather Corps. However, I still stay involved from afar. I consider this chapter my home chapter.

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2013 brought changes in my life. Due to family isses I had to move to the Austin Texas area. I loved Dallas but my father was in failing health so I need to be close by for him.

The good new, community members asked if we would consider opening a Leather Corp chapter in Austin. After talking it over with Master Thunder, we agreed to open a new chapter but same format. No politics, just socilize and develop Leather activities. I became the Chapter President of this Chapter.  Austin is a very polictical community and we managed to survive for a few years but fell prey to political manuvering.

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In 2009 I was lamenting to Master Thunder that I felt that I had done a lot for the BDSM world but had lost touch with my Leather roots. True, I was in and out of Leather events and know as a Leatherman but I felt adrift.

Together Master Thunder and I conceived of a vintage Leather club that would just learn and live in Leather. Some of us were Het Leathermen and not always welcome in the gay Leather organizations. So … why not have a club that didn’t pay care about sexual orientation of kink. You simply identified as Leather.  Everyone was welcome.

The DFW Leather Corps was founded a social club and attracted a nice mix of leather folk. We socialized, did fundraisers to support other events and causes, taught Leather courses to members, and created Leather runs to private places where we could be kinky together.

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Based on the success of the Austin Mentors programs experiment, I founed the Austin Mentors program. I didn’t know then but this would be an 18 year journey for me.

It started as a free program. (I beleive it is still free today.) It grew from a one year program into a full educational organization serving different cites across the natipn.

This yearlong program balanced the concepts of personal mastery, lifestyle relationship building, and BDSM play skills.

It includes a 3 month Boot Camp, and 9 months of one on one training from the best teachers in the community it serves.

The program expanded from meeting the needs of the dominants to submissves programs as well.

It was a big underetaking and involves lots of local leaders and teachers.

Cities hosted the program under our initial leadership. See the graphics below for a look at the different cites.

Today the flagship programs still exist under capable leadership. You will find these programs in Austin and Dallas.

I stepped down from leadership roles in December 2017. I realized that a series of upcoming health issues would make me ineffective in the coming two to three years.

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Working with Trainer Carolyn, I co-founded SAADE. SAADE is an eduational group in Austin Texas. Rather than voting in board member we tried a tribal form of goverment.

Leaders were chosen for their skills and knowlege. I became the first Chief Council of SAADE and with a group of very talented leaders and teachers as the Council we crafted the first pure educational group in Austin.

To circumvent politcal drama we had no munches and no play parties. Everyone was welcome from all the groups to a neurtal monthy class focusing on safe play techniques.

Today SAADE has grown into a full featured group with munches, play parties and more. Great group. Great fun.

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This idea was born at a dinner party with several club leaders from different cities in Texas. The discussion was the need for practical organizational and leadership training. We decided to experiment with this idea. The COT was formed to deliver leadership classes but fell by the wayside as communities became more political and competitive.

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I began a monthly project making toys and opened it up to a few friends. Before long it expanded into a community  wide project. From collars to Dungeon equipment. We made it all.  GWNN benefited from this as many of their first inventory of play equipment was created by the Toymakers.

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In the summer of 1999 I began an experimental project.

I wanted to see if community members would commit to a long term, structured, training program. I created a 6 month very rigorous program called the Austin Mentors program.

This program had 6 months of group classes, weekly homework assignments, due on specific days, and took a deep dive into developing and living a personalized lifestyle. It was purposely light on play styles and heavy on the concepts of dominance and self-mastery.

Partcipants loved it and were hungry for more.

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I began my Leather Journey in 1980. However at the time I was married with children and involved in a very demanding career. I was fortunate to have been adopted by gay Leathermen but was not always present during the first few years due to work travel.

My growth was slow but over the years of keeping my “mouth shut” participating, watching and reading I came to love and understand myself and my community.

I am a Leatherman. My sexual orientation is straight and my favorite relationship model  is Master/slave.

Many gay men contributed to my growth so I am a strong LGBTQ+ ally.

Early influencers were Tony DeBlase and Jack Rinella. I read everything I could get my hands on by Joseph Bean, Race Bannon, Guy Baldwin, and Larry Townsend.  My personal trainer was Sir Stan and John Stove (both deceased). My role models are Officer Wes, Master Steve Sampson, Master Z, and Master Skip Casey.

Mix in my American Indian life experience and heritage and you have Master Walker.

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