Today’s brief distraction featured a still from this shoot but here is our behind the scenes video. It was fun to do and we will be doing a lot more shoots this year.

Welcome to 2021! We all know what a dumpster fire 2020 was, but we aren’t out of the woods yet and can only hope that 2021 is better with the roll out of the COVID vaccine, the return of the economy world wide, to get us back to some sense of normalcy.

I’m looking at 2021 and hoping it’s way better. 2020 drained me physically and mentally. I had ups and downs through out the year and feel I need a medal for getting through the year that was. At the end of the year (I say that like it was months ago, but it was like a week ago). I did something I haven’t done in the 12 years of UNB. I took 5 days off and cut back on a lot for a week. I needed a break from doing 3 posts a day and a podcast a week. We all need to take a breath and relax at times. I bet many of you didn’t notice.

So what are my goals for myself, UNB, & UNB Store for 2021

• Get healthier in 2021 – Note I said get healthier, not working out and get abs. I do want to loose some weight but I am not after the biggest pecs, arms, or abs. This will be eating better (the hardest part), exercising some (well starting), and work on my mental health as well.
• Improve Mental Health – I’m not a total wackado but I know there are some things I need to work on, my anxiety. Which is a total bitch and you can go from feeling great to a total panic attack. As I have gotten older I know when a panic attack is coming and can manage them. One of the first ones I had was in college in a Transit station. And this was 30 years ago, but I remember it like yesterday. Luckily lately I haven’t suffered from depression as much as in the past. If you do suffer I get it and I wish I could hug you.
• Do more art – over the holidays I rediscovered my creative side and have begun doing art of men in swimwear and underwear. I am refining my style and I like my 2D format, I think it’s something different and fun. I do plan on creating more art and selling some of it.
• Long-Form Content – I really want to do some awesome long-form content on UNB. My main problem right now is inspiration. I’m in a writers lock sorta burn out phase. I have cycled through these over the course of the last 12 years. I know it will go away and I will knock out content that you guys will like.
• New voices on UNB – I want to build a staff again and have more guys to share what they love. I always feel no one wants to hear my opinion because I have shared it so many times. I want to have guys who like different things and share that love with you guys. Either on the blog or the podcast.
• Improve Sound on Podcasts – I like things to work and be the best they can be, I’m sort of a perfectionist but know things can go wrong and you have to roll with it. I want to improve my sound quality. This is an ongoing issue. As soon as I solve one problem another pops up. We have a lot of issues smaller shows don’t have. Usually, we have 6 people on a call so that can drain bandwidth. This also makes editing more difficult because when people talk over each other I can’t take certain things out. I have looked at solutions for podcasting remotely and they never meet our needs. They are for 2-3 people and not a group show.
• Get industry insiders and real guys on the Podcast – I also want to get more industry people on the show to give their point of view. I think you get great info, like Terresa from Wood Underwear when she was on the gift-giving show. This leads me to get more real guys on the show either the main show or brief tales. I know you guys love hearing from real guys and their journies. It makes us feel we aren’t alone out there in our journey. Plus I really love talking to regular guys who think “oh my story is not interesting,” but little do they know there will be someone out there who feels like no one gets their love of underwear and find out through the podcast someone feels and has experienced the same as them. We have had some heart touching emails from guys about the podcast and what it means to them to hear similar stories.
• Do more photoshoots and video – one thing I have really missed over the last few years is our original photoshoots. These ended in 2018 with our last swimwear guide. Now that the UNB Store is part of the UNB Family, we will have a lot more shoots coming up with some of the favorite models from the past and some new faces! I’m working on teaming up with several different photogs to do monthly shoots. At my last job I got to learn video production so I want to use those skills for new video content. I want to blow our old BTS videos out of the water.
• Grow the store with new brands – I have a list of brands I want in the store. The issue is getting the money and growing smartly. I want to do this for my main job and it’s important not to rush into things. I want more swimwear, underwear, and singlets. I think it will happen, I did well over the pandemic and have to be patient as it grows

Well, I said I wanted long form content! This is the short list, (I know it’s a lot, but there is a lot more I want to do and some of it until its set I don’t want to jinx it.) I look forward to 2021 and hope it’s a vast improvement to 2020.

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Happy New Year, now that 2020 is in the rear view mirror it’s time to think about life, hopefully after the pandemic. Let’s celebrate the new year and move forward and try to mak it an amazing year. This is a behind the scenes pic of the 2013 Holiday Guide Shoot.

We can all agree that 2020 was a dumpster fire of all dumpster fires. It was one of the worst years ever, but we managed to get through it. I started off the year with my very first hospital admission ever, 2000 miles from home with no insurance. If that wasn’t an omen I don’t know what is. And it went downhill from there.

However, I do have somethings to be thankful for in 2020. Believe it or not! While it sucked there were some good things that I’m happy about.

• The podcast gang – This year saw us really cement the podcast and do some great shows. It has to do with the guys on the show as much as the topics. Each guy brings something different to the table. Our group tests have been amazing and have kept me sane in 2002. I love every guy on the show.
• The podcast itself – I never thought the podcast would really resonate with people. I thought it will be a bunch of guys talking undies. However, we have received some of the most amazing feedback from you guys. It’s not just us talking undies but opening up and sharing who we are and showing that guys aren’t alone!
• Andy aka ScruffyGay and Erik aka Undies Geek – these two have been amazing. I love these two guys so much Not only have they been there since we started up the podcast again but they are such amazing friends that we grew a lot closer during the pandemic.We have big things planned so watch out.
• Stevie aka Undies Cub – Where do I begin with this boy? He’s become a fast friend over the last year and one person I consider a confidant. If you think the convos we have on Barely Brief are soul baring just think of what we do when it’s just us. Stevie is one of the few people who gets me and sees me for me. That is good and bad lol, but he’s honest and someone I can depend on
• The UNB Store – I never wanted to do a store. People had been after me for years to do one. But the stars aligned in 2019 and I stated it. It’s a lot of ups and downs over the last year but without it, I would have been in bankruptcy. The longer I have the store the more I want to do it full time. It’s not easy and it’s a lot of work, but you have to stick with it, it’s a marathon and not a sprint. I remind myself when it’s a bad week or month.
• Men and Underwear Store – The owner of this store, we have a special bond. We both started blogs then stores. Over the last year we have been each others biggest supports and cheerleaders. We check in a few times a week and encourage each other through the good and bad of owning a store. It’s great to have someone to talk to about business and vent some. We will keep teaming up on 2021 and do some great things.
• Art – At the end of the year I rediscovered my creative side. I started to do artwork featuring men in undies and nudes. This moved to wedding art as well. I am developing my own style and the creativity it has brought me has surprised even me. Thanks to Danny Warhole for encouraging me to go for it and have fun. Also, thanks to Emmitt who designed the Speedo Movement swim brief for encouraging me too.
• New friends, I made in 2020 – Since the pandemic, I have tried to make more friends in undies and put myself out there more. I’m always the ‘behind the scenes” kind of guy. The blog was never about me directly and I kept it more journalistic. I decided to change that with the podcast and blog. Over the last year I have met people like Danny & Joe, Patrick & Anthony, UnderwearBear27, UndieDude24, 2Beefy2Thicc, ScruffyunderwearJock, Chithonger (we were friends but I couldn’t leave him out), and the list goes on and on. Love you all.

Let’s hope we get that vaccine and can go back to somewhat normal in 2021.

I’m going to say it 2020 sucks. We worked with Sean Savoy back in February and did an amazing shoot with him. This past November we sent him a ton of gear from JOR to do some photo shoot and COVID has slowed that process down. But in the mean time here is a pic of him in the JOR gear at the gym. Go follow Sean.