Twas Friday night after a long drive from Santa Barbara to Tucson. I left early, but that dumped me in LA right through morning rush hour. My GPS told me that added an hour to my travel time.
Finally I arrived and after some search, finally found the hotel. I was able to get some rest but then there was the wine and cigar social where I was to meet Reba, the lady who had volunteered to be my demo Bottom at the spanking presentation on Sunday. We had talked a great deal, primarily on FetLife, about limits, expectations, interests, mutual and otherwise, but as I have said here, there is a profound difference between textual discussions, no matter how detailed, and meeting face to face. Thankfully, meeting her was as delightful as the weekend that followed. She is a clear communicator, a willing assistant, an intelligent woman concerned with her own and loved ones safety, and a very responsive player. She was a great help to me and I am thankful for her presence.
There was a party that night which I respectfully declined to attend. Ten hours on the road tended to detract from my intelligent play.
Saturday was filled with excellent demonstrations and demos which I eagerly attended. The first was “Biting and Other Animalistic Energy Exchanges and Play” presented by Big Red, an educated and beautiful woman who really knew how to present herself. While I would have wished for a bit more specifics on teeth work, the emphasis was on the Energy Exchange. There was an early partnering for some energy experimentation and as I am unpartnered I was lucky enough to catch the eye of a woman named Krystal who responded rather astoundingly well to my attempts to control her energy. Walking, whispering, that deep growl, that connection where one willingly gives authority to another, lovely magic. Big Red looked at us after the exercise and said, “Well, we have one married couple.” We also talked about the necessity to lovingly disconnect after the connection so it did not feel so abrupt. This is a concept also echoed by Reid Mihalko, an important one. One reason I demand aftercare.
The next workshop I attended was “The Gentleman Dominant” presented by Master Archer. I will politely say this was the least informative, but only because I so strongly accepted his premise. Any reader of this blog knows my strong belief that the best relationship is one where each member is highly valued by the other(s), no matter what level of objectification or humiliation may be explored. Master Archer is a strong proponent of what may be called our Grandfather’s manors, opening doors, holding chairs, taking arms. The kind of behavior displayed on such series as Bramwell and Downton Abby. While each relationship is built and structured by the people within, I strongly believe that without that core of mutual respect and admiration, they will not last long.
Lunch and into the afternoon with “Dynamic Singletails” with WhipMaster Bob Clark and BootPig. As I created and taught the Threshold Singletail workshop with my friend Bullwhip Jackson, later assisted by Master Bell, the singletail whip is a great treat for me. Master Clark’s emphasis through the hour and a half was control, and the ability to move. Control, the ability to play with a gentle, directed stroke, picking your target, and choosing your strength. Then working on loosening your own body, so that you can not only move around a willing subject, but adjust to their movement. It is the dance. I think it is that dance that creates the ability to bond and control the energy traveling through the whip to and from each partner.
The last workshop I attended was “Debility, Disorientation and Dread: Interrogation ‘Play’ for the Brave” with Master Konraad and slave Jazz. Without doubt this was the most intriguing, captivating and frightening presentation I attended. We were not discussing a lovely scene as a Teacher questioning a truant student, a young girl questioned at the inquisition or a Nazi questioning a French Resistance Fighter. This was the overwhelmingly serious stuff. Six hour intensity including severe and unrelenting beatings, specific behavior aimed at disorientation and mental breakdown for the purpose of deep, intentional and permanent personality changes in the subject, followed by several days of restructuring aimed exclusively at the creation of a more dedicated slave.
Thankfully the beginning discussion from slave Jazz expressed clearly her desire, request for and willing participation in this behavior by her Master. It was captivating and frightening at the same time. It deserves a lot of thinking.
The day ended with dinner and a party at Desert Dominion. Reba was generous enough to volunteer to be my play partner and we had taken the time to go through what toys I brought so she could give me a general, “Oh, that looks interesting, yes, I like that one, but that one, no way in Hell” kind of response. She accepted most of the spanking toys I was bringing to the Demo and added some others including the ever-to-be-enjoyed Hitachi, with attachments, Woo-Hoo.
But I have already gone on to much, so the party is for tomorrow.
The Eroticist
Hello this is Rhia from Fetlife. I just wish they had conventions like that here. The biting class sounds particularly entertaining and something I am very much into. You mentioned that play is like a dance and I have to agree. I was with one man who with a look could turn me from sassy loud and independent to willing and happy that he owned me. We never had to talk much he led me like in a waltz. So I do understand how wonderful that can be.
Thank you for your comments and reading. We will talk more about the Los Angeles scene and what is available to you, but unless I get requests for it here, I will have that conversation on FetLife.
The Eroticist