September 2024

By Chris Chi

Sharing stories about us

Hello beautiful people,

With a delay of one week, I have finally managed to share this newsletter. with you. Getting back to work and settling down on the routines after the summer holiday have definitely been my main focuses. “Step by step”, “One thing after another”, “Take as much time as you need”… these are my mantras now. 

Routine, the key word of daily life. For me, it’s going to the gym, joining the dance class, badminton on Sunday, walking my dog, teaching 4 days a week, then household work. Occasionally, I’d meet a friend or two. It seems banal, but it’s ok. I am feeling fine with being able to cope with my daily life, waiting for nice moments to arrive and make new memories. I wonder how others’ routine is like and how they feel about it.

When I am less occupied by taleofmen, it somehow gives me a clearer vision of the whole project, the entirety of it, its growth and development, and its impact. Perhaps now it’s time to think about its future. Let’s find it out in the future.

FIST DECK

Paolo in Vrouwenpolder
Darklands, one of the biggest fetish gay festivals in Europe, takes place in Antwerp every February. This year, I was the cameraman of Axel Abysse to shoot his fisting orgy at the Fist Deck. I don’t consider myself as a kinky guy, but it’s an unique experience. We gathered in front of the back entrance to the Fist Deck. Someone asked me if I am into fisting. I shook my head, then he said with a sense of admiration, “You are lucky then, because most of the talented fisters and fistees are here. It will be a blast.” And indeed, they were amazing.
 
More photos for patrons

TRIP TO ASIA

I finally developed the black and white films that I shot on trip to Asia this April. I didn’t do it immediately because of two reasons: One, developing black and white films is manual work that can take hours and days to finish all the films. Two, there’s no urgency. I figured it’s fine to let the memory settle in first so that when I look at these photos again in the future, it’ll be a good walk down the memory lane. 
As an Asian, I do sometimes miss the life in Asia and its culture. When I was there, everything seemed just easier, including socializing. Of course, I am aware that I am privileged compared to a lot of people there. I am also equally aware of the drawbacks of living in Asian countries.  What I want to say is that I miss the easiness of making friends, not having to abide to social norms and scrutiny that I might experience in Europe. 
The other day, my psychologist asked me about my future plans. I told him that I wanted to give myself some time to see if my life in Brussels would get back on track. In a way, I want to find some reason to stay in this city. Last chance, I told myself, to be or not to be. If there is no reason for me stay anymore, I will move. Where? I am not sure yet, but I have been thinking about Thailand. 

(Zaizai, after photoshoot. He is definitely one of my favorite boys I met in Bangkok. )

(A street food vendor, at the beach close to Malacca. We had fried seafood and fried rice with a lot of wok-hei)

(John at the apartment of Seb in Bangkok. My last photoshoot there. He just arrived from America the day before.)

(Kek Lok Si Temple complex in Penang)

(The boys I met, at the Pulse in Bangkok)

(Malacca, the Dutch Square, also called Red Square)

(My of my favorite activities to do in Asia, having breakfast)

(Damian Dragon, a famous porn star. When we were getting coffee on the street, fans stopped him and asked for photos.)


Ioannis in Berlin

In 2019, my life changed dramatically when I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an autoimmune disease. This condition led to months of hospitalization, numerous treatments, and ultimately, a series of surgeries, including the removal of my large intestine. 

When I first saw the scars on my body, I felt an overwhelming sense of loss. I thought my body would never be the same and contemplated hiding them with tattoos. However, as time passed and I began to reclaim my life, I came to see those scars differently. They became symbols of my survival and resilience. Instead of hiding them, I embraced them as a testament to my journey and my second chance at life. 

The disease also brought about fears regarding my personal and sexual life. I worried that potential partners might not accept or appreciate me because of my scars. To my surprise, the reality was quite different. The only person who harbored these insecurities was me. My partners embraced me fully, and rather than diminishing my experiences, my journey allowed me to explore my sexuality in new and profound ways. I let go of my insecurities and fears, finding that my body and my scars were integral parts of my identity, deserving of acceptance and celebration. 

This experience has taught me that health is the most precious thing we have, and it has reshaped my outlook on life. I’ve learned to live authentically and with confidence, appreciating every moment and every lesson along the way. My scars, once symbols of struggle, now represent my strength and the incredible journey I’ve undertaken. I am grateful for this newfound perspective, which has profoundly transformed my life.

FEATURED ARTIST: Ryan Rudez

Photos by Rude.Polaroids

SEE MORE PHOTOS HERE


Tale of Men EVENTS

I organized the first naked social event at my apartment last Saturday. After cleaning the apartment, setting up the table, preparing the drinks and the snacks, I suddenly remembered that it’s been a long time since the last time that I had a group of people coming over. It gave me a good feeling. There were 9 of us. We chatted and drank cava. We played the sexy question card game that I prepared. Time flew fast. It was fun, maybe too much fun in the end 🙂  The party lasted from 3:30 to 10:00, a success I would say. In the end, everyone was content. Looking forward to the next one!

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