Experimenting with Synthetics

We recently procured some glow in the dark polypropylene rope from Harbor Freight.  We wanted to actually see what tying with something other than jute would be like.  It was definitely...an experience.

Two weeks ago, we headed to Perv and a Half Studios and experimented with the synthetic ropes.  I know that we were planning on bringing it to DO:Fusion so we can do black light rigging.  We learned a couple of really valuable lessons that day:

Synthetic rope burns super...fucking fast.  Daddy is one who typically likes to rig really quickly, but he had to slow his pace waaaaaaaaaay down to prevent burning his hands and myself.  I was really relieved to have clothes on (for once)

Synthetics have quite a bit of stretch.  Under the same tensions, the same ties done in jute would have been extremely snug and secure.  I could feel the synthetic loosening on me and there was a bit of bounce when I was in the air.  It was a totally new sensation. Me no likey.

It's not like we didn't already know these lessons, but we had never actually experienced them before since M0co has never tied with anything BUT jute.  I guess it has been a while since I owned shoes with laces...

Here are some photos taken by our friend, LePetitChaton.

Overall, it felt as if I had cheated on a loyal, loving partner with his younger, flashier sibling.  

Impact of Memphis, Here We Come!

I haven't updated in a while...life's been kind of strange recently.  In vanilla world, I have a full time day job now.  That stops me from being able to write in my dirty little blog because sites with adult content are prohibited.  I do love working, though.  Feels nice to not be a scrub.

Daddy has been busily making jute rope; it's become quite popular with riggers in the states.  We're selling something like 3-7 sets of rope a week :)  The extra income is very welcome.  It's actually gotten to the point where I asked Daddy to quit his actual job and make rope full time.  He's really considering it and will probably make a decision by next weekend.  He says it requires a lot of trust in his partner (meaning me) in order for him to do something like this.  I take that as a good sign :)

This Easter weekend, Daddy and I will be in Memphis to do our first out of state performance.  I'm not sure why it makes me so nervous to know it's a performance: it's something I've done a million times at play parties in the area.  Just the idea that people will have certain expectations makes me...I don't know...giddy. Nervous.  Excited.  Did I mention nervous?  I've been speaking with Clover about it and she gave me tons of awesome advice.  Still nervous, though.

If anyone of my readers (all 16 of you?) are in the Memphis area, please come by!  There's to be a high protocol dinner beforehand and a funtimes play party afterwards.  We'll also be vending some of our rope...because...we have to pay for this trip somehow :D

A Little Known Skill Called 'Bottoming'

I've been spending the last few weeks trying to get excited about education in the kink world.  Right before Dark Odyssey: Winter Fire, I spent a solid hour thumbing through the presenters and seeing what classes were being offered.  After DO:WF, I spent a few minutes trying to see if Shibaricon had their class list up.

Instead of excitement for new learning and furthering myself in kink, I got a serious case of the crankies.

Most skill based classes (i.e. Basics of Needle Play, Electrical Play, Intermediate Bondage etc) only ever talk about the skill from the Top side.  How to handle a needle, how to zap someone properly, a cool new tie.  Requirements for anything above beginner classes always have requirements...of the Top.  There's almost no mention of the bottom, as if they aren't even a part of the equation.

News flash: I am not replaceable and I am a huge part of the equation.  Maybe even the biggest part of the equation.

The kink world has spent so much time putting emphasis on Top skills that it often forgets that bottoming is a skill.  It's a skill that can be taught in class and gained through experiment.  It's a skill that, sadly, no one really teaches.  Most classes are geared towards Tops and when bottoms attend, they just kind of push them wherever they manage to fit.  In fact, with the growing rope community in this area, I notice we actually have more bottoms and switches than Tops, yet not enough education to balance that.

How am I (and others) supposed to evolve with our Tops if no one teaches us?  Are we supposed to just trial and error it and hope that as the Top grows we will, too?  And what about those bottoms who don't have a single Top, or not Top at all?  Are they just supposed to take it and hope that the Top's skill will take care of the rest?

It don't work that way.

Last year, at Shibaricon, there was a class advertised as "Advanced Transition Suspensions"  It was the first of its kind being taught at Shibaricon and, granted, there were going to be a lot of bumps.  Smartly, the educators of the class created a list of requirements for attending this class in an attempt to weed out those who weren't ready for such a complicated topic.  The problem is that each of these requirements were for the Top only.  In the end, I'm told that several bottoms had to drop out because they weren't ready for what was coming.

Now, I don't blame Shibaricon at all: it was their first time doing something of this caliber and there were going to be tons of snafus and hiccups.  It's a learning experience, right?

A lot of folks don't realize that there's a specialized set of skills needed for dynamic rope suspension bottoming: pain-processing, conditioning, stretching and, of course, communication.  and a lot of these skills carry over into other forms of bottoming.  It took me forever to piece together some semblance of what skills I needed besides communication and 'looking pretty' in rope.

I think from this point, I'm going to start blogging and recording my evolution as a bottom as to keep a record on skills I've picked up or learned that others may find helpful.  I don't want to complain without at least giving a resolution.

I also have been contacting others about the idea of teaching bottoming classes.  I'm really excited to hear their responses.

One month piercing check in

It's been a few days over a month since I decided it would be a good idea to upgrade my vagina with tons of piercings (check out my piercing review here),  The healing went extraordinarily well, especially since I didn't have any pesky problems like going to work.  I just pretty much lounged at home all week in some yoga pants and very unsexy underwear (or maybe slightly sexy underwear, depending on what mood you're currently in).

I would say the worst part of the healing was accidentally pulling healing skin and scabs back inside of yourself.  Definitely the worst on day 3.

BUT OH MAN. These things were totally worth it.  My orgasms are more intense.  Sex is incredibly hot.  and having someone go down on you and gently suck on those labia piercings? I'm getting turned on just thinking about it.

Chastity never looked hotter.  Also, pretty amped I was able to shave half-way decently around all those obstacles.

I'm a Brave Little Toaster- A Review on My Genital Piercings

The last time I was pierced I was in the second grade: I was getting my ears done.  It was not by choice: my mom thought I would look really cute with earrings and my aunts (all 15 of them) kept buying me earrings and getting upset with me for not having holes in order to wear them.  I barely remember that experience except for the feelings of nerves and excitement bubbling away in my stomach.

That’s exactly how I felt this morning when I woke up: all nerves and excitement.

For the past year or so, I’ve been toying with the idea of getting a triangle piercing (What is a triangle?).   After doing a lot of research and getting scared because almost every experience I read about said it was incredibly painful and one girl who told me she had to get it done TWICE and it still migrated, I decided to give it a shot.  It seemed like the majority of people who had theirs done fell in love with it regardless of the initial pain of the needle.

As a last minute addition, I also decided I wanted to get my labia pierced.  Daddy and I really love the look of them and my room-mate got hers done so I plied her with a million questions about the pain level and healing (“Yes, they really fucking hurt.  Good luck.”)  I originally wanted to do 3 on each side of the outer labia, 6 total, but chickened out and decided 1 on each side, 2 total, would be more than enough.  I also toyed with the idea of doing the triangle first and labia after, but the idea of having that much healing time (and no sex) was extra unappealing.  Might as well get it done all at once!

For my piercings, I went to the only man I trust: Moose B.Almighty at Time Bomb Tattoo.  Moose has a ridiculous amount of experience with genital piercings and is super professional in his work.  He checked my anatomy a few months prior to make sure I was a candidate.  After a quick inspection and a tiny anatomy lesson to all my friends who happened to be there as well, Moose declared that my anatomy would work just fine with a triangle.

The worst part is the waiting and measuring- my overactive imagination went crazy.  I imagined me crying, kicking and screaming and demanding no more.  I imagined leaving with uneven piercings or injuries.  I was worried that I would be so scared I would pee on the table and Moose.  Moose, being the awesome perfectionist he is, spent the majority of time talking to me about what was about to happen while he prepped me for piercings: he applied tons of various cleaners with q-tips, measured and marked me with one of those pens used for surgeries.  He showed me with a mirror to see if I was happy with the placement and proceeded to pierce.

We did the triangle first since it requires the most concentration and having other rings in the way would make it so much tougher.  Moose used a clamp to ensure everything was in the right place and pierced me with a 14 gauge needle.  The needle itself wasn't bad at all; the pain came from using a stretcher tool to bring the hole up to a 12 gauge for the ring.  The pain wasn't unbearable, just surprising, intense for a few seconds and a bit disconcerting to feel something stretching underneath your skin.  The triangle was quick, less than 2 minutes total to do.  Moose used a curved barbell and carefully tucked the ends of the ring into my labia folds to prevent them from getting snagged on anything.  The labia were done in the same manner, using 12-gauge needles and 10-gauge jewelry.  The jewelry used was a ring with a capture bead.

So now I’m all shiny and the labia rings clink lightly when they rub against one another.  Everything feels pretty solid at the moment.  I am walking a little strangely at the moment, but I think that’s just a mental thing.  No bleeding, no funny business, no one got peed on! Success!

The piercings feel amazing and I wish I could have sex at the moment, but Daddy says I can’t for sanitary reasons.  Daddy also said that everything only feels erotic at the moment, but once I start healing, it’ll be another story.  I’ll be sure to update.

Moose said the piercings went really smoothly, textbook even.  Of course it would, I’m a good robot- I’m technically sound :D

Here’s a picture of the piercings (photo editing done by Hamsandwich).  I have to spread the lips a bit so you can see the triangle- it’s pretty hidden normally.

30 Days of Kink, take 2, Day 17.

Day 17: What misconception about kinky people would you most like to clear up?


Oh man…the misconceptions….THE MISCONCEPTIONS! Where do I even begin? Here is a list of misconceptions, feel free to add to this in the comments. I’ll probably keep adding to this as I see fit.

• People who engage in BDSM have psychological problems. This is so wrong on so many levels. A lot of Narwhals believe that those who identify as Master/Dominants/Tops are abusive and look for those who are weaker in order to take advantage of them and that those who identify as slaves/submissives/bottoms have a long history of abuse and tend to be push-overs. While these do exist, they majority of people you’ll meet that engage in BDSM are absolutely normal. In some ways, they are even healthier psychologically: they are able to express their sexuality and needs. Most people cannot claim that. Another myth that tends to go hand in hand with this is that those in BDSM tend to abuse drugs and alcohol. I can honestly say that at any BDSM event I’ve attended, I have never seen someone over-indulge in alcohol to the point of being drunk. Drugs are pretty much frowned upon and are strictly prohibited at events. I strongly believe that if you need drugs or alcohol in order to play or engage in BDSM, you shouldn’t be doing it at all.

• All Males are Masters, all females are slaves. Ah, if you were to believe everything you see in movies, internet, and books, all BDSM relationships are hetero normative and the male is always the dominant and the female is always the submissive. This could NOT be further from the truth. The BDSM community has a healthy mix of non-hetero normative groups and couples. A few months ago, one of my favorite tumblrs featured a lesbian couple who were engaged in a power exchange relationship. I thought it was fantastically hot. Also, the internet and books would have you believe that all females in situations like this will default to being the slave. SO MUCH BS. A fair amount of those who identify as women connect more to being a Top or Dom(me). and lets not forget about switches :) They are super prevalent in the community as well.

 • BDSM is all about hurting someone. When ‘BDSM’ is mentioned, most images conjured by the mind are dark, dank dungeons, beating someone until they cry, and sex. BDSM is so much more than that; it can be a power exchange, it can be a lifestyle, and it can be completely non-sexual. My friend, EroticWetAtomic, can attest to this; she has a power exchange relationship with her fiance, but there is very little play, meaning she doesn’t get whipped or beaten by him. BDSM, to me, isn’t about pain or suffering, it’s more about the power exchange that occurs. I personally do not love being beaten - I mean, I like a good whipping every now and then and I find bruises to be sexy, but I am not typically one to enjoy being paddled or spanked. I also tend to Top in a way that is more stressful than painful. There’s also a spiritual aspect to kink (aka woo). I don’t know much about woo, but I know it’s there and very real for some kinksters.

How DNA Taught me to be a Better Person (Robot?)

I remember being in 6^th grade and learning about DNA for the first time; I was watching Jurassic Park.  Dinosaurs were made of DNA.  I’m made of DNA.  If I take DNA from a mosquito, stick it in a frog egg, I can make dinosaurs! ...What the hell is DNA?

Fast forward through middle school and high school and I finally learn what DNA is from general Biology courses. DNA is a genetic blueprint. DNA eventually makes RNA which makes proteins.  Watson and Crick.  Central Dogma.  DNA to RNA to protein.  DNA to RNA to protein.  This is how it is.  This is always how it is; it goes in this direction and only this direction.  It’s predictable and understandable.  Still unsure of how to make dinosaurs from mosquitos and frogs’ eggs, but I’m sure college will tell me.

Imagine the confusion of me going to college and learning that it’s not that simple.  That RNA can make DNA.  Or that RNA can make RNA.  After all those years of things being a certain way, it’s suddenly not that way anymore.  Oh, and it’s pretty much impossible to make dinosaurs from mosquitos and frogs (which I guess is a bonus for me because I’m absolutely terrified of frogs.)

At this point, I realized I have two options: I can both ignore this fact and continue to only believe in The Central Dogma (DNA to RNA to protein) and be stuck in this outdated way of thinking or I can learn the rest of the story.  Knowing I wouldn’t get very far as a Scientist without being open-minded, I read the research articles, took the classes, and replicated the experiments.

Maybe for the first year or so, I would still pause in the middle of whatever I was doing and think, “Hey man, this can’t be right…the Central Dogma says…oh…riiiiight….”  I’d draw the Central Dogma out and then doodle frowny faces around it because I felt like I had been lied to.  I threw away my Jurassic Park VHS away in a fit of anger (Okay, so I threw that away with the advent of DVDs, but you catch my drift….).  I eventually learned and figured it out with practice and patience.  Plus, I learned a lot of awesome things (“I use miRNA to silence mRNAs.  It’s like RNA blackmail,” and “HIV uses reverse transcriptase to FUCK SHIT UP,” are among the awesome things I can now claim I know.)

Nowadays, when I talk about DNA, I don’t automatically go, “Ah, DNA to RNA to protein!” I mean, that’s still in the back of my head, but I know that isn’t the whole story.  I know that proteins can modify proteins.  I know that there are viruses that are only RNA.  Epigenetics alters gene expression without ever changing the blue-print.  I know the flow of genetic information isn’t a straight line; there are millions of lines, many of which I may never learn about, see, or experience.  And that’s okay.

But why just stop at DNA?

I realized that a lot of things I thought I knew or understood were only a part of the whole story.  My definitions of things, while not necessarily inaccurate, may not be someone else’s definition.  There are millions of ways to do one thing, not just the one “right" way.  There may be things I won’t ever learn, see, or experience.  And that’s okay, as long as I keep an open mind and a willingness to learn.

Still no dinosaur, yet, though.