Inside this Issue:

• Evanescence:

Back for Blood

PAGE 4

• Negativity; A

Continuing Plague

PAGE 5

Online Poll:

What are some of

the stereotypes of

Bears?

PAGE 6

Jason Sokody;

From model to

body builder

PAGE 8

• Hearts & Iron

Comics

PAGE 10

Bear Therapy

PAGE 11

Out & About Pics

PAGE 13

DIRECTORY

PAGE 14

JULY

Volume 1, Issue 2

MMXII

The Fuzz By The Bear Society

Furry news.

For furry guys.

2 - The Fuzz

I have to say that last issue,

Chris’s column turned out

pretty well! Everyone kept

asking on Facebook when

the answers/advice would

be posted, and we just had

to keep telling everyone to

be patient! Another great

thing that we like, was the

social scene pictures.

Everyone responded pretty

well and was excited as well

to come out in a newsletter

like this.

For the long run, we’ve

made a couple more bear

friends, thanks to this

newsletter, we’ve gotten

requests on Facebook

about the Bear Society, and

I’ve also had people

wanting me to add them to

our mailing list.

This is all happening too

soon! It’s great though.

Without a doubt my friends,

I leave you to ANOTHER

great issue of The Fuzz,

redesigned, with more

pages, and with no other,

than one of my favorites on

the cover, Jason Sokody.

Thank you all for your

continuing support to the

newsletter, and The Bear

Society.

Cheers!

Alejandro Ortiz,

Editor In Chief

So already a couple of

days after the launch of

the newsletter, and

we’re already getting

really good reviews and

comments about it.

I would like to take this

opportunity to thank

everyone who

contributed to the

newsletter, and who

played an important

part in making this

happen. It’s not an easy

project, but it’s

something that we’re

really excited about!

Without a doubt, we’re

very thankful to have

the friends and family

that we have, and who

have shown

tremendous support

through it all. We

couldn’t do it without all

of you!

I have to definitely

recognize my partner,

not just as a part of my

life, but also as a

business partner. You’ve

shown me that

regardless of how tough

things can get, if I set

my mind to something, I

can achieve it, and I’m

glad you give me that

extra push to not throw

a bear tantrum and

quit.

With that being said,

our fellow bears, cubs,

otters, chasers, daddies,

and bulls; I welcome

you the 2nd edition of

our newsletter.

FROM THE EDITOR

So far so good…

I’ve had quite the

interesting couple of

weeks after the

publishing of the 1st

issue. It’s almost the end

of summer, and the

unfortunate part about

it, is that at my other

job, I’m running on an

exhausting summer

schedule. I don’t mind

the 3-day weekends,

but it’s those 10 hour

days that are extremely

long, and tedious.

I keep reminding myself

that it’s almost over, but

then I look at the wall

clock in my office and

it’s barely 2:00 PM. I

never thought that 6:30

PM could be so far

away! I have to take a

walk or even a stretch

every hour, or god

forbid I fall asleep one

of those times.

But all of that time

being there, makes me

think about things that I

could do for this

newsletter, and think of

people that I would like

to contribute as well.

If you would like to

contribute to this

newsletter, or know of

someone who would

like to give it a shot,

please let me know. We

could use a little help in

making this easier for all

of us.

The Fuzz - 3

THE FUZZ Volume 1 – Issue 2

July MMXII

Editor In Chief

Alejandro Ortiz

Managing Editor

Christian Gonzalez

Contributors

Anthony Gongora

Stefan Hall

Ivan Torres

Tracy Von Maluski

Creative Director

Sergio Nuñez

To advertise in The Fuzz: thebearsociety@gmail.com

Photo credits:

Go Figure Photo

Nicholas Piccillo

Vince Gallione Photography

The Bear Society is a social activity group for gay men and their friends in El Paso and surrounding

areas. Events include cookouts, pool parties, dinning out, Sunday brunches, poker/game night, live

DJ sets, movie nights…

Anything that can bring a group of bears and their friends together for a good time, and another

way to make long term friendships and memories. We will be including fitness, travel, as well as fund

raising and a baseball team pretty soon!

For a complete list of events, visit:

http://thebearsociety.weebly.com/events

About Our Organization…

4 - The Fuzz

vanescence is an

alternative rock band

from Little Rock, Arkansas

which was founded in

1995 by singer/songwriter

Amy Lee and Guitarist

Ben Moody.

Led by Lee’s operatic,

passionate vocals,

Evanescence has sold

close to 25 million

albums since its 2003

debut, “Fallen.” The

bands premiere single,

“Bring Me To Life,”

snagged the band a

Grammy for best hard

rock performance.

Other massive hits

followed, including “My

Immortal,” “Going

Under,” and “Call Me

When You’re Sober,”

establishing

Evanescence as

worldwide tour

headliners.

The band released a live

album entitled

“Anywhere But Home”

the following year and in

2006 they released their

second studio album

called “The Open Door”

which sold more than 5

million copies worldwide.

more than 5 million

copies worldwide.

Evanescence: Back For Blood! By Anthony Gongora

In 2007 with band

member changes, and

their record label, Wind-

Up Records, which was

going through

“uncertain times”,

caused a hiatus on the

release of their third

studio album.

Evanescence entered

the studio in 2010 to

record their self-entitled

album “Evanescence”

which was released in

October 11, 2011. The

break between “The

Open Door” and

“Evanescence”

provided the band with

much-deserved rest, but

also some clarity as to

how important what

they had created meant

to them.

Lee spent her time away

from the band with her

new husband and

learning how to lead a

“normal” adult life in her

adopted hometown of

New York City.

“Evanescence is my

life’s work. I’ve been

working on it since I was

a young teenager,” Lee

says. “By the time we

finished touring “The

Open Door”; I just

wanted to nest a little

bit... and build a life that

didn’t revolve around

my being in

Evanescence.”

But then the muse came

calling, and Lee and her

band mates felt an

urgent need to express

what was building inside

of them. “The reason our

music is epic and

dramatic is because the

biggest emotions that I

ever feel, the music is the

only way to get them

out of my heart,” Lee

says. “Words alone

aren’t enough. It heals

my heart to make

music.”

Making the return all the

sweeter are the fans. “I

can’t describe how

great it feels to have

their support. I love so

much meeting them

before and after the

show. If feels like they’re

growing with us,” says

Lee.

As of July 20, 2012

Evanescence has

scheduled to appear at

the Carnival of Madness

tour, with performances

by Pennsylvania hard-

rockers Halestorm, Cavo,

New Medicine, and

Chevelle. The tour kicks

off July 31 in Springfield,

IL, and finishes Sept. 5 in

Evansville, IN.

Stops along the way include

Boston, Baltimore, Chicago,

Detroit, Milwaukee and Boston,

as well as El Paso at the Don

Haskins Center on August 18.

It has been almost ten years

since Evanescence has been in

the Sun City and five years since

they performed in 2007 at the

Pan American Center. "We're

really looking forward to the

Carnival of Madness tour this

summer.

“We love Chevelle and haven't

hit the road together in years,

and I'm really stoked to finally be

playing some shows with

Halestorm. Naturally, I'm a fan of

strong women in music and Lzzy's

voice is spectacular”, says

Evanescence front woman Amy

Lee, referring to Lzzy Hale, who is

the lead singer of Halestorm.

The Carnival of Madness tour

promises a night of hard rock

performances that shall be

talked about months after the

tour has ended. Evanescence in

Nashville, TN recording

their third studio album

Lee performing in Antwerp, Belgium

E

The Fuzz - 5

oon enough, or from

time to time, we’ve all

had that negative

friend, lover, or family

member that just clings

on to being pessimistic

about EVERYTHING.

I know that in the past,

yes, unfortunately, I’ve

been this character that

sometimes people

don’t even want to be

around, and now I

understand why.

I was the negative one

for almost everything.

As much as I tried to

keep a clear and

positive mind for almost

anything that I would

do, it seemed to

backfire on me and I

would end up being

pissed off about it and

give up.

For some odd reason

also, I seemed to

surround myself with

people that were like

me. It wasn’t really on

purpose, just people

seemed to cling to me.

It’s true what they say

though, you are what

you hang with.

When I started having

problems with people,

even at work, and just

plain shitty luck for

everything, I decided

that I needed to make

a change in my life. I

needed to be

surrounded by positive

people who won’t drag

me down with them.

Negativity; A Continuing Plague by Alejandro Ortiz

“It was

easier to

be

negative

with the

rest of

them!”

A friend of mine on the

other hand, has made

quite the impact on me

when it comes to

feeling down about

things like this.

She’s been teaching

me ways on how she

doesn’t let anything

bring her down. Just

recently, I was telling

her how I had been

having bad luck and

dragging myself to get

up in the mornings, so

then she texts me back:

“When you get up, pep

talk yourself and know

that you are not going

to let anyone break you

down or break your

spirit! Remember we are

all surrounded by

negative things, but it’s

how YOU deal with it.

Dust yourself off and get

back up with a fighter’s

spirit”

Of course, I had to tell

her that it wasn’t easy,

since people would

come to me with their

drama, their negativity,

and being unresponsive

to my friendship as well,

so I ended up telling her

that it was easier to be

negative with the rest of

them!

To which she clearly

slapped me across the

face with her final

response: “That is

definitely easier, but

then it makes you one

of them… This is not the

easy road. If it were,

everyone would be

doing it and this would

be a perfect place –

don’t give in to that

ugliness”.

I’ve been doing better, I

have to say. It’s been

helping me quite a lot,

that I surround myself

now with great people

and good friends, and

that I receive good

feedback about stuff.

This newsletter is helping

me much, since it’s part

of who I am. A writer, a

designer, a

photographer, a

partner, a lover, a

friend. If you’re feeling

down like me

sometimes, and you just

don’t quite know how

to get rid of this

“plague”, trust me on

this; It too shall pass,

and everyone else that

had or has or IS

infecting you with their

negativity, won’t make

it.

I’ve promised myself

that I would not fall

victim to being one of

them anymore, and

believe me, it’s

incredibly hard. It’s hard

to not judge someone

when they look awful in

what they’re wearing,

but you just need to say

something. It’s hard to

say something nice

about a person you

dislike, or even look at.

6 - The Fuzz

Graham Bear, anyone?

Overall, whatever you

choose to make out of

it, will define you later

on in life.

If it helps, here are a

couple of things that

I’ve changed about

myself and my lifestyle:

1.- As much as

someone tells you that

they hate their life, or

how much drama they

have, in reality it’s THEIR

drama. The only thing

you can help with is

being there for them,

but not getting involved

too much to the point

where they drag you

along with them.

2.- I don’t judge people

on how they look,

because I don’t have

an amazing body to

show off, but the little

(Continued from Page 5)

that I do have, I want to

show off with pride, and

I encourage you to do

the same. We’re not

perfect. PERIOD.

3.- If people are mean

to me or to my partner

or friends, I step away.

There’s no need to add

insult, since this is only

going to grow into

something that needs

to end.

4.- People who don’t

appreciate your

friendship are primarily

the ones who you

shouldn’t even be trying

to be friends with.

Hence the word

TRYING.

5.- Don’t tell people

how miserable you are

or lie about it.

The problem with this, is

that now YOU are doing

what they’re doing to

you. It’s better if you try

to set some sort of

boundary in to what

you should and

shouldn’t tell people.

The more positive you

feel about yourself, the

better your life can be.

Last and not least,

probably the most

important one of them

all:

6.- If you are constantly

surrounded by people,

family, or friends that

CLEARLY show no

interest in your life,

perhaps your career, or

your friendship, don’t

even bother.

Here we go with our

monthly online poll.

We asked what are

some of the

“stereotypes” of bears,

and what some of you

thought about them.

Here are the results, with

some interesting

answers!

What do you usually

think of when you

think of a Bear in the

gay community?

85% - A butch &

masculine Man

15% - A big, fat, & hairy

man

What do you like about a

Bear? (You‟re obviously

curious, since you visited our

website;))

4% - Bulky Body

8% - Friendliness

19% - Hairy body

50% - Masculinity

19% - Muscles

About how many bear friends

do you think you have?

8% - None

23% - 1 or 2

38% - More than 5 less than 10

31% - More than 10

“A combination of

food lover, thickness,

and masculine aura”

- J.P.

“Just guys who are

or like hairy guys,

big or small”

- C.O.

“Older furry manly

guy with a beard”

- A.G.

“A sexy older man”

- A.R.

“Bears are hot hairy

guys who like other

hot hairy guys. Their

motto is „Don‟t pluck

it, fuck it!‟”

-Margaret Cho

Regardless of whether

you did something

wrong in the friendship,

or if you apologized

and they still won’t take

matters into their hands,

in the end, it will fall

back on them, and

they will be the ones

who will be asking for

your friendship.

I’ve been witness to it,

and I’m still not looking

forward to having a

conversation with them.

It’s a hard journey, but

in the end, who matters

most? YOU and YOUR

happiness.

GOOD & BEST OF LUCK!

The Fuzz - 7

8 - The Fuzz

Alright, well, there you go. You

obviously got interested in the

article, since the cover page,

right? Abso-fucking-lutely!

What do we really know about

this big bear? Well, we know that

he’s 32 years old, he’s from

Buffalo, New York, and we also

know that his body is amazing.

His last name is probably one that

we haven’t heard very

commonly. The nationality of

Sokody is often very difficult to

determine in cases which country

boundaries change over time,

making the original nationality a

mystery. The original ethnicity of

Sokody may be in dispute

depending on whether the

surname came about organically

and independently in different

locales; for example, in the case

of names that come from a craft,

which can crop up in multiple

places independently (such as

the last name "Brewster" which

refers to a female brewer).

I chose this big bear for our cover,

since he’s been one of my

favorite ones, since I got a

glimpse of him on my Tumblr.

fitness, editorial, and character.

From model to body builder; Jason Sokody By Alejandro Ortiz

Currently, he’s living in western New York, and

enjoys being the professional that he is. No

drugs, and no alcohol.

Good for you, Jason!

Jason is a pleasant dude to work with, and he

believes in taking direction very well. Although

he also warns us to watch our words with him.

As a long term model, he has always lived by his

credo of telling other models: “… beware, there

are few sick people out there that don’t care

about your well-being. Anyone can be taken

advantage of without even knowing it”.

Jason has been traveling so much, that he

hardly has time for a relationship. He’s been to

Hoboken, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Detroit,

Philadelphia, Toronto, and Tampa Bay to name

a few places.

He’s done a couple of TV appearances as well,

and in his most current one, he put together a

concert to raise money for donation to the Red

Cross in honor of his Haitian friend and his lost

family members.

For Yahoo! Sports, he’s done a commercial too,

in which he starts a fight with a total stranger. Of

course, it’s a set up, but who would want to get

in a fight with this big guy?!

His main concern and what

makes him sick to his stomach, is

that some people have

misrepresented him, stole his

pictures from his

ModelMayhem.com profile, and

posted them in ways that he

would never represent himself.

“Trust me, I’ve made mistakes

that I cannot get back and I had

no idea I was making them until

later in life. Please be careful”,

Jason comments on one of his

model portfolios.

The New Yorker can bench right

now 425lbs and says he can be a

real problem to those who do not

reciprocate respect.

Jason has also been profiled in

various publications, such as

Inside Out by Lauren Dane,

Assassin’s Honor by Monica Burns

Winter Kiss by Deborah Cooke, to

name a few.

As far as the model being a

member of the gays, or the

straights, he doesn’t tell.

The simple fact that a person like

him can be SO attractive, makes

him worthwhile being on the

cover of The Fuzz!

The Fuzz - 9

10 - The Fuzz

Hearts and Iron Comics

The Fuzz -11

“I just got out of a

relationship and I am now

finally getting used to being

single and fully on my own

with no bf/partner to answer

to or deal with. My question

revolves around meeting

guys. I go on dates and that

sort of thing for fun and to

meet new people... But

some of these guys want to

get married right away and I

know I am not ready to jump

into another relationship so

soon after ending one. How

do I convey this message to

guys that hit on me and

want to take me out without

dumping out all my

baggage? Or at least tell

them to calm down so we

can get to know each other

first? Thanks!”

-Gym Bear

Dear Gym Bear,

You have by far one of the

hardest tasks ahead of you.

Not only do you want to

play the dating card, but

you want a single life too.

Think about what your main

goal is with yourself first. If

finding a relationship is not

your priority then focus on

that, and make it very clear

to everyone around you.

The hardest task in life is

giving into temptation. A

word of advice though,

don't play the man whore

either. It's quite a turnoff for

the next partner to come

along and hearing you've

had your share of bed

hopping. That my friend, is

the biggest turn off ever.

Keep a low profile on your

relationships and maintain

your image to the fullest.

The most attractive men are

right around the corner, if

you portray the same image

of yourself.

”I keep getting grief

from friends about

going commando.

Especially during the

week. My question, is it

unprofessional to go

commando at work?”

-Feeling Free

Dear Feeling Free,

Going free and out of

control is like an

acquired taste. Either

you like it or you don't.

It's always fun to try

something new even if

you don't like it. At least

you know you gave it a

shot. Keep in mind

though, when it comes

to work, you don't want

to do anything which

can jeopardize your

work ethics. So if it's your

friends who give you

grief, ask them if they

are paying the bills?!

Ultimately, it's all about

your comfort level. If

you’re a comfortable

guy and with the

upmost confidence,

then go for it! I'm sure

sooner or later you'll find

out the feeling of

hanging free ;)

“I’m working in a place

that I used to love in the

beginning, but now it's

the opposite. I don't like

the hours I have, some

people don't like me,

and I feel like calling it

quits and moving

somewhere else, but

this is home. I have my

parents and my partner

here, and I know he

doesn't want to move

anywhere just yet. What

can I possibly do so I

can get back to being

myself again? Thanks!”

-Career Crisis

Dear Career Crisis,

Seems like you're in a

dilemma that I'm sure

we've all been in at one

time in our career. It's

always important to

target your priorities first.

We all know family

comes first above

anything, however; your

job whether you like it or

not, pays the bills at the

moment. Patience is

definitely going to be

your best friend in your

short and long term

goals. Focus on

absorbing as much

knowledge and

experience from your

current job, while you

target what's required

to get to your dream

job. It's always best to

apply as many of your

qualities to a new job,

which can be an asset

to a new employer, and

not just throw the towel

in on the current one.

Remember your goals

are to leave in good

terms with your superiors

as they may very well

be your bridge to the

next career move. As

for your partner, if he's

as loving and patient as

he should be, verbalize

your plans to him.

Regardless of where

you end up, your

partner will support you

no matter what you

decide as long as you

have a plan in action.

Hope my comments are

helpful and good luck

to ya!

Bear Therapy We all need it… From time to time, we’ve all needed to let things go, and get some advice to deal with it.

Who better to disburse this advice, than our wisdom seeker, Chris.

Got a burning question or need

advice on something?

Send your thoughts to Christian:

blueboyzz2001@yahoo.com

“How can you train

someone into being able

to get fisted?”

-Gambit83

Dear Gambit83,

Your question has to be

one of the most

challenging I have ever

had to answer, but not

impossible. For starters, you

need to communicate

that with your partner if

you haven't done so

already. Generally, when

someone is exposed to

something they are not

familiar with, it can be a

bit of a difficult time for

both sides. Try to make a

compromise with your

partner, so that it's a lot

easier for him to open up

in this sense, and for you

also. Sometimes even

exposing them to new

heights, might require

some sort of compromise

from us to change gears in

the direction we are

seeking. Being open

minded from both sides

always makes a huge

difference. Hope this helps

you Mr. Gambit83!

12 - The Fuzz

The Fuzz - 13

Out & About Photos by Anthony Gongora & Alejandro Ortiz

Robert, Tracy & Andres

@ 8½

Vianka & Christian @ Hyde

Hyde Patio Crowd

Alejandro, Christian, &

Anthony @ Hyde Patio

Bear Society Pride!

Sir Reginald @ Hyde

Alejandro Danilo @ 8½

Darlina & Christian @ 8½

Oscar & Paulo @

Underbear @ 8½

Full house for Underbear! Marcos & Frankie @

Underbear @ 8½

Claudia & Jesus @

Underbear @ 8½

Gabe & Stefan @ 8½

Corey, Ross, & Michael

@ 8½

Cisco & Sergio @ 8½

THE FUZZ

ANY

COMMENTS,

QUESTIONS OR

CONCERNS,

PLEASE

CONTACT US:

E-MAIL:

thebearsociety

@gmail.com

We’re on the Web!

See us at:

thebearsociety.weebly.com

“What do you like about

The Bear Society?”

“That it is a sight to meet

other bears and to be

able to see what other

bears are doing. Helps

keep up with activities that

are bear oriented”

- Bearpaws1969

14 - The Fuzz

ACCESSORIES & HOME

Gold Canyon Candles

Lorenzo Sias, Jr., Representative

Lorenzo.SiasJr@goldcanyon.us

www.mygc.com/wicktacular

K.L.A.Y. Impressions

Jewelry Molded & Customized

For You

Karla Montoya, Artist

Dealing in: Swarovski Crystal,

Sterling Silver,

Wire Work, & Natural Stones

BARS/CLUBS

8½ Bar

504 N. Stanton Street

El Paso, TX 79901

915.351.0262

eitenahaff.weebly.com

The Toolbox

506 N. Stanton Street

El Paso, TX 79901

915.351.1896

DESSERTS

Desserts By Iris

Iris Argueta, Cook/Baker

915.740.2501

dessertsbyiris.weebly.com

FLOWER SHOPS

Las Violetas

Vanessa Alanis, Owner

3617 Montana Ave, Suite B

El Paso, TX 79903

(915) 564-1040

SALONS/SPAS

Color Amp Salon

Angel Walker, Owner

3617 Montana Ave, Suite A

El Paso, TX 79903

(915) 564-0277

PHOTOGRAPHY &

GRAPHICS

Alejandro Ortiz Photography

& Graphic Design

Alejandro Ortiz,

Owner/Photographer

915.667.7813

alejandro.ortizjr@gmail.com

alejandroortiz-pgd.weebly.com

If you would like to get added to this directory, or get advertised, please contact us on our website or shoot us an email at:

thebearsociety@gmail.com

DIRECTORY We always encourage everyone to support local businesses and other local community groups.

Information Technology Solutions SERVICES WE OFFER

HAIR CUTS

WOMEN 20

MEN 15

KIDS 10

BASIC STYLING 15

UP DO 30

CHEMICAL SERVICES

SINGLE COLOR 55

DOUBLE COLOR 70

HIGHLIGHTS 75

CARAMELIZING 90

BASIC PERM 40

SPECIALTY PERM 60

MIZZANI RELAXER 50

HAIR EXTENSIONS 60

FEATHER HAIR EXTEN. 15

NAILS

BASIC ACRYLIC 25

SCULPTURE ACRYLIC 35

GLITTER/COLOR TIPS 30

PINK & WHITE 30

CUSTOM DESIGN SETS 45

IMAGINATION ART 15

RHINESTONES 5

GLITTER 10

BASIC MANICURE 15

FRENCH MANICURE 20

SPA MANICURE 25

PEDICURES 35

HAND TREATMENTS 25

SKIN CARE

BASIC PRETIKA FACIAL 25

UPGRADE FACIAL 35

EXTRACTION 15

WAXING

FACE 40

BROWS,UPPER LIP, CHIN 10

CHEEKS, HAIRLINE

BACK 50

LOWER BACK 25

ARMS – HALF 20

ARMS – FULL 40

HANDS & FEET 15

LEGS – FULL 65

LEGS – HALF 45

BIKINI 30

BRAZILIAN 65

BRAZILIAN TOUCH UP 50

HOURS OF OPERATION

MONDAY CLOSED

TUESDAY – SATURDAY

10 AM – 7 PM

SUNDAY

11 AM – 7 PM

*ALL PRICES SUBJECT

TO CHANGE

3617 MONTANA AVENUE

EL PASO, TEXAS 79903

915.564.0277