My Shibaricon stats: This year marked my 7th Shibaricon, and my 2nd time as a presenter. It's the first time I've ever been without my husband, the first time I went "officially" with my other partner, and the first time I stayed at the even hotel. I got the darkest and biggest bruise I've ever had, met and/or really talked to more people I've wanted to meet than ever, and had at least as good a time as at any previous event I can remember.
The weekend was, as usual, too jam-packed with awesome to make into any sort of condensed blog post, but I just wanted to list some things that were super great.
- The Ropenspace was everything people have been saying it is. I love that a day of empowering people to share with and learn from the whole event community is what set the tone for the rest of the weekend. I attended really good classes and felt people making the space their own.
- I haven't submitted any class proposals in forever, since I travel so much for work and I'm never sure what I can commit to more than a month or so in advance. So I'm really grateful to Diana for asking me to fill in at the last minute. It felt special to be sharing the "Presenter" title with such excellent presenters, and I totally used it to my advantage to meet and/or connect more with some people I'd always wanted to talk with (Hedwig, Lee, Murphy Blue, and Topologist, I'm looking at you guys).
- I injured myself in a class. I'm OK, and I learned some great things: I'm clear, concise, and largely stoic when under duress; the event has a fantastic medical team (Robert was utterly professional, helpful, clear, and calming); I'm really good at processing pain when it's needed most; I have a wonderful partner/Sir who has his priorities straight and knows just what to say and do when I need it most; I can truly practice what I preach in terms of personal responsibility and risk-awareness in kink; people in this community are wonderful about checking in with you when they know you might need it.
- WykdDave is a real teacher, not just a presenter. As I mentioned over on the FetLife Shibaricon group, he teaches not just a skill, but a method for practicing, which is how all of us really learn to do things. He de-mystified tying, while allowing us to keep the magic and fun we find in rope.
- I'm a puppy! And I love my bone.
- I got one of...no, THE best beating ever from Rough, using the coolest impact tool ever for a rope slut like me: a BIG-ASS piece of rope. It was just a single piece of rope, about 4" diameter and 2' long, and it felt like being attacked by a street gang. I hope the good people at Rope Extremes start selling it. It is BADASS and I have the bruises to prove it.
- Balloon Bondage is hilariously serious. Having my very first balloons + sharps + choking + rubber insertables popped in my vagina scene at Shibaricon in front of the class was such a great way to end the weekend.
- I had a beautiful moment of feeling all the proud "These Are My People" feelings as I watched $1500 raised for a member of our community who is suffering from a stroke and the ensuing medical expense nightmare, and then watched dozens of people who couldn't afford to contribute money donate some very expensive rope so those who chipped in could have something to show for it.
- Finally, my Feminist Pervert roundtable surpassed even my greatest expectations. I am so thankful that so many people came and shared and helped to create a safe space to talk earnestly and truly about something so important to me and many other people. We came up with some Best Practices that I'll be sharing down the line, and I feel a wonderful sense of support and co-empowerment with all the people in that room.
And now I'm off to pack for an epic journey to a faraway place. I'll be blogging from upstate NY for the rest of the summer!
