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change..an update...and a box of apples
Today I am heading to Edmonton for the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, and to embark on a bit of a "ritual" to represent a shedding and new growth for this point in my life. I will go more into detail after the weekend, but I am very much embracing this time away for numerous reasons and what it all represents.

And it's fitting that it all takes place during a celebration of the harvest and a time of thanks.

I am feeling good...and strong..and grounded :)

I continue to heal in my own terms as does G...and we have both been "checking in" with each other from time to time...simply because, we still love and care of each other deeply.

Something happened recently that was very "telling" about what I cherish most about my time with G. My mother used to tell me that, contrary to popular belief, the MOST important thing in a relationship is not honesty..it's kindness. I always used to mull that over in my head repeatedly. The past two weeks I've had unpleasant email exchanges with various "suitors" who don't seem to understand that I'm NOT in a place where I can even consider dating or give my time to begin a new relationship..and being called "inconsiderate" or one who "can't commit"...I then got a call from G. He had just been to Kensington Market, and he remembered how much I love the honey-crisp apples. With my schedule being as hectic as it is, he was afraid that I might "miss" the short season. So, he bought me a whole box and brought them by. He just wanted to make sure I had my honey-crisp apples this year :)

That's the kindness that I cherish, and embrace.

Thank you everyone. See you after the weekend.

So how am I doin?
Just wanted to give everyone a quick check-in about where I'm at with "everything".

In short, I'm doing OK.

I really have appreciated everyone who has made contact with me and provided their support...even if it's just a simple "been thinkin' about ya" comment. It means a lot.

The grieving process is a bitch, isn't it?? G called me the other day...we've actually been chatting a lot...and at one point he says, "this sucks doesn't it??" LOL. It really does. But, I believe both of us are definitely moving forward. Doesn't mean we don't have our moments. The other day I sank deep into a pit of sadness...simply because I miss the sharing that G and I did together. Coming home and propping up the laptop to play an interesting podcast....or bringing home a book that was left on the plane that I thought he might enjoy...or him laying out a sampling of food that he was going to be using for an upcoming event and asking what I thought....those are all the stuff that I truly miss. And we both know that...because we ended this amicably, we will be able to do THAT stuff again once the "weird" feelings subside. In the meantime, just gotta go through the bullseye in the sadness dept.

Lots of change coming up in the next couple of months as well. Some of which kind of "symbolize" the growth for me. More on this later.

Oh...and...THANK YOU

A fun diversion
I came across this video of the Fire Show at this year's Church St. Fetish Fair. For those of you that weren't there, Mistress Victoria and I were part of the show, doing a kind of "fire stiptease" with each other and her force feeding me her torch. Great fun!

Anyhow, this video is pretty fun and you can see bits and pieces of some really cool performers.

Oh, and yeah...you see my ass being lit of fire too LOL

Change
I haven't posted in a while, but wanted to bring everyone up to date.

As I had mentioned previously, my partner and I have separated. And today is my actual move out.

We are being very grown up and caring to each other in this process, but..it's still very difficult. And today I have a LOT of sadness.

There has been wonderful support with this transition...and some not-so-wonderful. Unfortunately there have been a few here and there that have seen our breakup as "opportunity". A few others have claimed to know more about my relationship with G than they actually did....and some have been supportive so that they can claim "credit" for having been supportive.

All that being said, I want to convey how much G and I both appreciate those of you who have checked in with us and have genuinely cared. It makes a big difference to us.

In the next month or so, I most likely will not be posting on here much. I need this time to be sad...to grieve this loss...and hibernate. It's not a bad thing, it's what I need to do.

Right now, I just want to be with my tears. Please be ok with that.

A more down day
Changes like this are very painful. Yesterday was really tough, as is to be expected. I don't have resentment, no malice. There isn't/wasn't anything "broken" here. Just very present to some things I'm going to miss.

Thank you for all the "checking in" you guys have done. We both appreciate it very much.

Birthday wishes
A very happy and joyous birthday to

divalano today!

I hope you have a fantastic celebration in store for this one!

(if not I can lend you the tuba)

Life and finances
Spent most of yesterday cleaning up the aftermath of a really awesome party, and G had to take care of some financial issues. We chose to do our yearly Cuban beans and rice cookout...and make it a BYOB affair...as it was really the only thing we could afford. G was able to get things from his work either free or extremely discounted...and we bought everything at the Farmers Market in mass bulk..being able to feed a large number of people and only spending 60 bucks on the food items..yeah, we done good with this one. I had some down time to reflect on something that really hit me like a ton of bricks. See, I can honestly say that in the last 10 years, this is the most broke I've ever been. It's just the financial reality right now. The economies have affected everybody, I've taken mass paycuts at the airline and my websites, and well....life just costs!

But even though I may have very little money, I have never felt so "rich" in terms of life experience. I had to just stop and take a good look at the way my life looks right now. Watching all the people in my life interacting with one another on Saturday, I had to beam at how blessed I am for what I have, and what I get to do. I have an incredible partner, live in a fantastic city in a beautiful country, have amazing subs and a leather family that fulfills me greatly. And these don't come from having money. I was able to really see how lucky I am this weekend.

Ok. Time to go to work. Thanks for listening :)

In case you haven't heard..hehehehehe....
Yes, the loud tubas that you've heard blaring are 'cause it's my birthday today!

I say this every year, as people think it's odd that this is actually my favorite holiday. But all silliness aside, I think birthdays are awesome. And I wish more people would embrace theirs. They are wonderful events. It's the one day out of the year when you get to be acknowledged and joined up by those you love and care about, and celebrate your life...and that you're here. You get to take a moment and be present to all the experiences you've had leading up to this day, and that you're embarking on another year on your path. Whether you have a big shin-dig party planned or just taking the day to lay low...its the day YOU get carte blanche to do something that really brings you joy.

Life is not easy as most know. So on your birthday, I say take the time to celebrate that at least you get to participate in it :)

That's all for now. I have more tuba blaring to do....

Love my life
I have to say...for being "on call" all week in La Guardia.. .I've had the best week. Like, it really has been terrific. Did a 2-day trip in the beginning with a 24 hour layover in southern California. The weather was gorgeous and the crew very enjoyable. Plus, it was 24 hours! Lately crewmembers are lucky if they get 8 hours behind the door. This was like a paid vacation. Finally got back to NY at midnight, and was way down on the list to be called the next day. In fact, I was the bottom of the list. . .

. . .an hour later I found myself on the 1am train out of Grand Central to go visit my leather big brother in Connecticut. Figured it looked safe for call-out and wound up staying the whole weekend. I always love visiting my big bro. We're kindred spirits on many levels..particularly mischevious ones...and his house is quiet and relaxing. He and I pretty much spent the whole weekend lounging outside on his comfy sectional, napping, basking in the sun, and amusing ourselves with funny SNL sketches. I felt like it was the perfect weekend off the grid. I love you bro!

Then yesterday there was still no call for me at work, so I made my way to Brooklyn to meet up with my friend Salvo and catch a live night of The Moth storytelling. If you have never heard of this or heard any of the story podcasts, I highly recommend it. To be in a high energy club listening to 10 different funny live stories and enjoying a Guinness with a friend...FANTASTIC.

Today is my last day on call before I head back home to Toronto. And also the last day that I'm 40 :) Yeah did I mention that it's my birthday tomorrow??

Not to worry...I'll be broadcasting it soon enough!!

successful pup nite
I feel hungover even though I didn't drink last night. But what a great night! These monthly pup gatherings at the Black Eagle are now finally taking shape with great participation and energy. Had an excellent turnout of pups and handlers last night with the pit set up outside this time....complete with a festive Pride crowd. I handles both Argo and Balzac, which of course was like managing preschoolers. Wouldn't have it any other way though.

One heckler unfortuneately caused a problem. At one point Argo strayed a ways and knocked over the garbage can, as dogs are wont to do. *rolls eyes* The patrons and the staff both found it to be quite amusing. I brought the naughty pup back to the pit and scolded him appropriately. Then some bonehead came up to me as said I needed to clean up after my dog. I laughed and agreed. He then became an asshole about it...complete with the smell of alcohol on his breath, saying "no I'm serious!!! Go clean that up!!!".

There's always one turd in the punchbowl at these things.

So management talks to him telling him to relax, it'a all good and fun. The guy comes back and apologizes. Ok...we're good. But then, he doesn't let it go and goes back to the managers and decides to be an asshole again. And then is incredibly shocked when he's kicked out. Sigh. Could have made this so simple and had a good time.

But, all in all a great canine success.

Ask Lady Joan interview, and Pup Nite
Hey everybody!

Been real busy with Pride week here in Toronto, but wanted to post a couple of cool things happening tonight.

First off, at 7pm EDT I will be interviewed by Lady Joan, of AskLadyJoan.com. The show will be broadcast LIVE, and during the second half we'll be taking questions from listeners via phone and from the chat room on her site. Lady Joan describes herself as "a sensitive caring..sadistic bitch." I think this will be great fun. Check her website for more details:

http://www.askladyjoan.com

Later tonight Argo and I will be hosting Pup Nite at the Black Eagle. All pups and handlers are welcome, and it looks like we're going to be moshing outside on the patio this time with the nice weather. The fun gets unleashed around 10 pm or so. Hope to see you all there!

My dream last night...and yes I'm going to hell
Ok now proceed with caution, 'cause this is bad..I mean, really BAD.

I had a nightmare last night that played out as follows:

I was sitting alone, late at night, in a living room of some kind. I hear a loud thud, and in walks two intruders, both wearing ski masks. They are both holding knives, obviously with the intent to attack me.

I attempt to scream.

Now...we all know how when you try to scream in a nightmare, it comes out as just some muffled atonal bellow, right?

Well that's what happened. I pointed at the two of them, and let out this frightenend "MMMMMMAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" with a shocked look on my face. Couldn't make out a word to save my life.

Then the one intruder lowers his knife, takes off his ski mask, and looks at the other. He shakes his head and tells the other, "nah man, we can't. He's handicapped."

Then the other guy comes over, and hugs me.

Then I woke up.

I'm so ashamed that I was laughing uncontrollably the rest of the night.

Obendience training
Ahhhhh I love really good impromptu play.

Pup Nite at the Black Eagle..I'm hosting. Argo can't join me so I make myself available to handle any stray pups. Turns out we've got two. Digger and Balzac. Ok, this is fun!

Then a rubber clad man and his bf come in. The boyfriend has a collar and leash, some rubber gear, some tags. He's come for "dog training" he says. Ok. He looks the part. He's even got a rubber bone with a strap hanging around his neck. Could be interesting.

Then alas. . .hesitation ensues. He's merely a "looker"...doesn't want to get in the pit with the other two. Wants to just dress the part. But then becomes a smartass about it ...tries to egg me on saying he wants to be TRAINED HARD.

Or shown what that really means. *Evil Grin*

The two pups continue in the mosh...and this third pup-wannabe becomes annoying. "When are your dogs gonna get naked?? When are they gonna sniff each others balls?? Hehehehehehehe"

I glare back.

His response, "What??? Hehehehehe. Maybe you just don't know how to train a bad dog like me!"

I sneer and walk over. "Oh really?" And I whip off my belt.

I look at the quiet bf...he shrugs as if to say, "have at it".

Then the smart-ass pup wanna be starts to look scared. And shakes his head.

But I nod.

"You HAVE been a bad dog."

I take the rubber bone and strap it into his mouth. People start to cheer. The bf standing by is turned on.

"Bend over dog"

He looks back at me. And whimpers with a scared look in his eye.

"NOW!!"

He does so. And I start smacking his ass with the strap.

"Fffffthnk yy Ffir!!!!" I smack him more. 7 or 8 strokes. Each getting louder.

"Not gonna stop till you get on your knees and bark like you're supposed to, pup!"

*whimper*

2 more smacks. He can actually take it good. Or maybe he's just trying to save face. Then a third. Some moans. A nod. Another nod. Four and five. And then a final loud THHWAPP!!!

He's down facing me with his scared eyes and his paws up. His mouth gagged with the rubber bone and drool oozing out the sides.

"You gonna behave like a good dog from now on??" He responds with a YIP.

I look at the bf and say his obedience training is done for today. The bf is glowing.

"Dude that was fucking AWESOME!!"

Ahhhhhh. Sigh.

My work is done here. Now back to my two pups in the pit. GREAT night :)

New Podcast: Graydancer
On this episode of Dart's Domain I interview fellow bondage rigger and rope enthusiast, Graydancer....also well known for his own podcast show, The Ropecast.

Gray and I had a fantastic discussion about all things bondage related. . .touched on some history, some traditions (some of which I find to be outright silly) and the direction that we see the "rope community" going. He's a great guy and dear friend, and it was really awesome having him on the show.

I hope you enjoy!

The Dart's Domain podcast is now available (and subscribable) on the ITunes store!

The direct link is here: Dart's Domain on ITunes

You can also subscribe directly here.

Shocked/Proud
Wow.

I am incredibly and deeply honoured and humbled.

Yep. You guys got me GOOD.

Film at 11

Reflections on a fashion label
Recently, I had the president of a prominent fashion label travelling in first class on one of my flights. Let's just say that the company might have been Ralph Lauren. The gentleman was very loud and very friendly. . .immediately engaging to all of us on the crew. Not at all rude or nasty. But what ensued in the course of the conversation was very interesting.

I had made a comment that back in the 80's Ralph Lauren had designed one of TWA's uniforms, and that it had remained a classic for a good decade. It was a look that many other airlines had been envious of for years...including us. I'm not exactly sure where in Eastern Europe our uniform was designed...

Anyhow, at that point the gentleman stated that the Ralph Lauren company hadn't designed any "staff" uniform in the years since. He said that they got a lot of requests from various hotels, but that it was of no interest to the company. Then he said something that took me back a bit:

"The brand that I run, and the people that buy it. . .they don't want to walk into a hotel or workplace and see people like you wearing what they're wearing."

Again, the man was never rude or condescending. Just stated things matter-of-factly.

But it had me thinking a LOT. Made me wonder just how many corporate cultures like this one have it within their philosophy to basically "uphold" a societal "division". Yes, obviously high-end brands like Ralph Lauren feed into a person's feeling of "privelege"....but it's almost like this guy was saying that their company aims to promote it.

Thoughts?

And I might add, I LIKE Ralph Lauren a LOT. But honestly, the stuff looks a little uglier to me now than it did before.

New Podcast: Sir Olivier Pratt and pup Sparky, International LeatherSIR and Leatherboy 2007
In the latest podcast I sit down with two of my dearest friends, Sir Olivier Pratt and his boy, pup Sparky. We cover all kinds of leather topics, including the evolution of their relationship and family as a result of their titles, and debunking some of the leather "myths". A great deal of my growth as a leatherman is attributed to these two, and it is an honour having them on the show. . not to mention my life :)

I hope you enjoy!

The Dart's Domain podcast is now available (and subscribable) on the ITunes store!

The direct link is here: Dart's Domain on ITunes

You can also subscribe directly here.

Tribal Fire - 3
Saturday morning of TF came fast it would seem. . considering it was 2am when we went to bed. Problem being, I still had class to teach the following morning. The Intro to Pup Play class. Cub presented me with my morning coffee, and half-awake I believe I replied something on the lines of, "oh God. . .I have to handle Argo. . .in an hour from now". As I have referenced in previous entries, Argo is a big dog. A real handful. As I stated in the class. . .being a pup and handler duo does not necessarily imply that he's a sub and I'm the dom. Anyone who has seen my playing with Argo will attest that he wears the pants in the relationship. It's a real workout...for ME. Plus, there was going to be some great pups in the class including the PAWS*ks group from Wichita. I had watched these guys (and girl) playing at the party the night before and their energy was awesome. I knew this was going to escalate into a high energy participatory experience for all the attendees. So I pounded down two more cups of french roast and topped it off with a ginseng shooter. I'll make appropriate apologies to my insulin later.

The pup class was a LOT of fun! I forget how much I light up when Paul dons the pup hood and immediately gets into Doberman space. Argo and I connect in a manner that Paul and I do not. We can't explain it. . .it just works and it's a hell of a lot of fun for both of us. And everyone took to Argo immediately. So much so that. . .well, within a matter of minutes there were 4 or 5 additional pups all scurrying about on the floor. Canine bedlam. . .but in a joyful way! It was awesome to watch. There was one pup from Kansas named Justice who was particularly fun to interact with. . along with a mutt named Gizmo and a Grayhound named Shawn. We did about 15 minutes of play. . .then brought everyone back to their seats and gave Argo the chance to speak as his biped self. All in all a great gathering. Not to mention NorthBound Leather attained some new fans.

Saturday was also special in that it was the birthday of

blackazazel's boy, pup Sparky. Pup has been experimenting in developing new and interesting variations of cheesecake. . .and word was out on the street that he had concocted a key lime version for moi. *Drool* We made arrangements to rendezvous later in the evening for the men's play party. . .and I had some special birthday attention in store for pup :) Unfortunately Olivier had to work that evening and wasn't able to attend...but I was excited that the Canadian Contingency was at least going to get to meet Sparky and John.

Later in the afternoon we hung out with my friends Richie, Chad, and Randy. . .some old friends that I hadn't seen in a number of years. It was wonderful to reconnect with them and see how well they were doing. I then got the bright idea to use Chad that night for a suspension demo I was asked to do for the Gala. I wasn't going to get much of a chance to rehearse with him ahead of time. . .but he is the kind of person who can be very flexible with any kind of play. Our time of hanging out and making arrangements with the suspension frame took up what little time in the early evening we had. . .and on top of that Argo was still wasn't feeling the best. . .so I had to opt out of participating the pup mosh after dinner. Was a little disappointed as I wanted to socialize Argo more with the Kansas pups and see how they'd interact, but I DID get the chance to watch Mistress V be a handler to

cosmic_coyote as a pup, and THAT was quite amusing! Cub is a bulldog named Trouble. . .very aptly named from what I understand. At one point when I was going back and forth setting up the suspension frame and peeking in on the mosh, Trouble took one look at me and pounced over with excitement. Of course, I was in a hurry so I couldn't stay to interact; and as I walked away I could hear Trouble whimpering. FUCK they're so manipulative those bulldogs!! Just pull on my heartstrings a wee bit more. I think Trouble was trained by Disney.

Then came the Gala. The contest that normally happens at Tribal Fire had to be cancelled at the last minute this year. However, the organizers still wanted to fill the evening with the various singing acts they had planned, as well as some kink performances. This included our suspension scene, and Victoria doing fire play. I had heard her describe this little "act" with the torches numerous times. . . but FUCK it was damn fun to watch! Not sure what I enjoyed more. . .watching her eat the flame and do bits of fire play on her breasts. . .or listen to the moans of enjoyment emanating from the peanut gallery. I'd say she was a definite hit. Of course, I had to be a smartass at the end of the act and make the catcall, "well what do you expect? It's COLD in Canada!".

Around 11pm Sparky and John showed up for the play party. And in his hands was the most majestic round of cheesecake I had ever laid eyes on. Fresh key limes, homemade graham cracker crust. . .to me it was an orgasm in and of itself. Ah, but I must be strong and resist. No poking my finger in and grabbing a taste. There was play to be had in the party. . .this was simply going to be part of our "aftercare". Yep. . .sugar and dairy. . .perfect end to extensive bondage play.

I had a little something special planned for the Sparky. I had watched how Olivier had played with him and the degree of percussion he was able to take and enjoy. And on deck was the aid of my cub as well as Master Nitemare. . .a man who I can best describe as being equally sexy and scary at the same time. He's particularly skilled in various forms of percussion and flogging, and had some very tantalizing things in mind once we began. I utilized the frame that was in the room for the demo earlier that evening, and trussed the pup up in a king of "vertically hanging spread-eagle". Comfortable and sustainable, and completely helpless-making. Dee-lightful. We then each took turns dishing out all kinds of evil games of play and torture. John held pup from behind and pretty much assumed the role of the bratty older brother. Had Sparky shouted out, "Ouch quit it! Ouch quit it! Ouch quit it!" I wouldn't have been surprised. One particularly fun game we played was "round the clock", which consisted of clothespins being placed in a clock pattern on Sparky's stomach, then Nitemare using the Dragon's tail whip to fling them off one by one. Favorite quote from Sparky that night, "oooooooh that was somewhere between a HIT and a GRAZE!" I think the boy becomes even more southern when he plays. And yes, we're gay men . .much as we had resisted there was the occasional Steel Magnolias quote. Seriously though folks I AM trying to quit. . .

We concluded the evening around 2 or 3 in the morning. Again. And of course we couldn't go to bed right away because we knew there was cheesecake waiting in the fridge for us. We all bolted for my room all set to indulge, and total buzzkill. Sigh. No spoons or forks. Hmmmm. What to use what to use. . . .the clothespins? My safety scissors? I think we even considered using the end of cub's riding crop at one point. Ah the hell with it. . we each dug in a finger and indulged. I will say, it was a piece of heaven. Definitely one of the more enjoyable things I've licked off my fingers......OOOOH yeah I want there!

A happy bunch with a very happy birthday to pup. Great night...and amazing cheesecake. THANK YOU SPARKY!!

Tribal Fire - 2
So much to process around this event...lots of things coming back to me as I read other journal entries about it. Friday morning

cosmic_coyote woke me up with coffee protocol. Yes, I actually made it part of the cub's duties to me. There's just something about having a big hunky leather bear presenting you with hot java on his knees first thing in the morning. Everyone should try it. My first class was in a couple of hours, and the previous day's adventure coupled with the fact that I only had two hours of sleep the night prior made me in need of urgent caffeine infusion. Next time I'll just chew on the raw beans.

The first class I taught for the weekend was The Dance of Rope Bondage. The purpose of the presentation was to show people that bondage does not have to be all caught up in complicated, ornate ropework that resembles erotic macrame in order to be an effective scene. One can simply master one basic knot. . such as the one you tie your shoes with. . and then focus on how they apply it, paying attention to things like power, rhythm, cadence. I find a lot of kinksters shy away from rope bondage because they don't have the time or patience to learn "all those fancy knots", and the class was developed to present a different approach to the play. There was a good turnout, and although I was still a bit fatigued I perked up very quickly when I demonstrated an actual scene with

noble_knave. Side note: when the bottom tells you they have ballet training. . .that's a major plus! Flexibility is always a bonus. . .

After class I joined up with cub, Argo and Mistress V for a quick lunch, and then it was time for cub's "Kinky Starts" class in the afternoon. This was my first time watching him teach, and I went in with a certain amount of pride :) It was a small gathering, and unfortunately the dry erase board/flip pad that cub had asked for never materialized, so he was left a bit thrown and needing to improvise. But the momentum did pick up, and the participants became more engaged toward the end. I thought he had done an excellent job under the circumstances.

The remainder of the afternoon found the four of us socializing and cruising the vendor mart. Argo wasn't feeling well having just recovered from a bad flu, so he napped. And yes, the swine comments were made extensively so, we already went there :) At one point there was a number of us just hanging out in the lobby, and one of the organizers, Mason, came to join us. Now, how do I describe Mason? Well. . .hmmm. . .he's all kinds of HOT. He's what you would call a "big ol' lug" . . truck driver persona. . .got a bit of redneck in him. . and just chock full of raw sexual energy. His wife Michelle was referred to as Mistress V's Oklahoman sister. . .and his slave girl was also present. Every time I see Mason he always envelops me in his big arms, lifts me up, and with those smiling eyes says, "buddy, when are WE gonna get some playtime together??". *birds singing* Even typing that now I die a little happy death. . .

One of the things Mason loves is gut punching. I've seen him in action and it's quite enticing to watch. He can really dish out a powerful blow. So when he pointed at cub and said, "I bet he's a fun one", I saw a perfect opportunity for him to try out his skills on someone built like a tank. Obediently, cub took his position on his knees, Mason clenched his fists, and began the windup. Now, at this point, I will admit that while my intentions as a Sir were all positive for everyone involved, and the spectators were all very excited, I did have a brief flash of "I wonder if this was such good idea" and "I hope this ends well". Deep breath Dart, deep breath cub, deep breath Mason. . . .and . . .BOOM!! Aaaaaarrrgh!!! Cub flew back a few inches. . .in time. He took it like a champ. But as he recounts later, there was just a little bit of religion present during those few seconds after Mason's thump. Fuck it was hot. And then of course, the running game for the days afterward was to tap on cub's chest asking if he could still feel the bruising. Apparently it hurt the most when he laughed.

Dinner ensued, consisting of Italian buffet, and then it was time for the casino event. We had all received a bag of play poker chips, and the room was set up with various kink-styled games such as black jack, bingo, and BDSM wheel of fortune. Argo, cub and myself opted to try our hands at Texas Hold-em. I had never played it before, so there was a major learning curve on my part and basically faking it as I went along. And I will say outright, I sucked. I mean it was outright sad. At one point I did a high bet because I had a joker that had accidentally slipped into the deck. I thought that meant it was some sort of wild card. Yeah I know, I'm pretty. When I proudly displayed my hand I was met with a great deal of laughter. Damn I was so proud of that hand too. Aw fuck it. I told everyone I was gonna go play wheel of fortune instead. Pretty spinning wheel . . colors and numbers. . .something simple for me to follow. And then the hell did my cub and my pup become big old card sharks anyway?? I must have been absent that day. . .

There were about two hours to kill before the play party was going to take place, so Michelle offered to take a group of us to see the OKC memorial. I had seen it when it first opened, but I very much wanted to see it at night and share it with the rest of the Canadian invasion. If you have never seen it, it's quite a powerful monument. Especially when you see it lit up at night. This particular night was very misty, so there was a kind of opalescence in the air which made it all the more amazing to look at. I would say there was not a dry eye present by the time we left. And it was a very special moment to share with my friends.

And then came the play party :) Here's where

tonyinabag came into the picture. See, I had some very interesting tidbits of information. I knew for a fact that Mistress V loved playing with types like Tony. . .and that Tony had a particular interest in Mistress V. What did that make me? A leather yenta of course! Like a kinky Dolly Levi, I planted the appropriate seeds in the minds of those two and let them do the rest. Later, I witnessed Tony on the cross receiving the stings of Mistress V's singletail. Ah, my work is done here. But wait. . .there's still some knots that have to be tied! I still have hormonal energy with no outlet. Plus I'm high on Skittles. I turn around, and there's

noble_knave standing with nothing to do. Now that's a crime in my opinion. So I grabbed his hair and hogtied the hell out of him. Just a lil' somethin the cleanse the palate. And then the cub comes in to co-top......oooh now that's a fun combo...and proclaims that this tied-up boy is now his new Chew Toy. More on this in future entries.

2am...all of us content...time for bed. And I can't believe this was only friday....

Tribal Fire - 1
Back from an amazing weekend in Oklahoma City for their NLA-OKC's annual Tribal Fire event. This was my fourth time attending/presenting, and it remains one of my all time favorite runs. This year, I decided to increase the "Canadian presence" by bringing along my cub Dan (

cosmic_coyote), Mistress Victoria Windsor, and pup Argo. Kinda like an "Alpha Flight", leather style. I went in with no expectations. . and came out with major elation. It was an endorphin-rich weekend to say the least. Lucky if I got 4 hours of sleep each night. I'm breaking down each day's events and experiences into separate LJ entries. . .there's still a lot I'm processing and recalling so it's more for my benefit.

We departed Toronto Thursday afternoon with the plan of connecting through Dallas. I had briefed the gang extensively that because we were travelling on my passes, everything was stand-by and the possibility of getting stuck somewhere was always a possibility. Getting to DFW was no problem as the flight was wide open. . .but the DFW-OKC corridor is always very busy, and that's where things got sketchy. Sure enough, when we got to the gate, the standby list was already full. And then out of nowhere, I see Scott, a co-worker of mine out of the NY base, and his partner. . .and they happen to be trying to get to OKC as well to visit family. They inform us that the next two flights are also oversold and we're basically screwed. The solution? Drive! An hour later all six of us are on the road in a rented minivan making our way north to the Sooner state, just like I had done 2 weeks earlier from Houston's Spring Iniquity event with Sir O and Sparky. It's about 3 hours by car. . .certainly not what we had planned, but a definite start to the adventure. And it just so happened that this particular co-worker of mine is also kinky. . .I believe there are truly no coincidences sometimes. . .when the gang asked him how he knew I was into BDSM, his response was, "oh. . lol. . I've been on the receiving end of Dart's spankings myself!". The drive went by effortlessly as we entertained ourselves with tasteless jokes and funny anecdotes. . .and of course, making a pit stop at Braum's Ice Cream. This is one of Oklahoma's staples. Since 1975 they have been producing dairy products locally and have done so without any antibiotics, hormones or other additives to the milk. And the ice cream is incredible. We felt this was a perfect introduction to Oklahoma for the Canadian contingency.

About 90 minutes later we arrived in OKC and checked into the event hotel. There were some snafus finding our names in the registration. . .but fortunately some of the organizers were still up and around and were able to iron out the details. In hindsight I think it was simply a matter of the hotel clerk not knowing the proper entries. . . LOL. . .alas, no foul. We made it and that's what mattered. By the time we all settled into our rooms in was close to 1 am. Time for bed yet?? HELL NO!! Mistress V had a bottle of champagne prepped! She's one who understands that God is in the details. But before the weekend's toast could commence, I asked the cub to get on his knees as Argo and Victoria stood by. Dan has been in service to me as his Sir now for a little over 3 years in addition to his Master in Sudbury. It was time for me to finally present him with his first earned leather from ME. With a few words of gratitude and acknowledgment, I presented the cub with a pair of metal plated leather wrist bands. On one was engraved with "cub" and the other, "in service to Sir Dart". These were for him to wear in addition to his Master's collar any time he was serving me at an event, or simply wanted to acknowledge his service to me. They were a perfect fit. . .and a very long time coming. It was a perfect segue-way for the champagne toast. So, with a clink of our plastic cups, we wished in a very fun-filled weekend. And as you'll read in the next entries, it's precisely what each of us got :)