Valentine’s Day is not usually a day I pay a great deal of attention to.
It’s not just that I’m an insensitive bastard who pays little attention to holidays, anniversaries, and other such things in general (though I am), nor that I resent the cynical manipulation of cultural stereotypes about romance and love for the purpose of profit (which I do), nor even that I’m perpetually broke these days (though I am). It’s just that, with all my partners being long-distance these days, Valentine’s Day is nothing if not…impractical.
dayo, not to be deterred by the wildly impractical, decided that she and I should spend Valentine’s Day together…
…in San Francisco, a town I haven’t been to in years.
Issues with delayed flights and bad weather in Atlanta aside, it was absolutely delightful. I got to spend some time with feorlen for the first time in way too long. I also met aiyume and even got a chance to chat briefly with altenra, who I likewise haven’t seen in years.
And I got to meet some of dayo‘s friends, who turned out to be thoroughly delightful (even though the cake is a lie!), go to a Necessary Response concert, visit Power Exchange (always good for that delightfully seedy atmosphere), and just generally have one hell of a good time.
And when I got home, another delightful surprise: figmentj was in Atlanta, and I got to spend some time with her, too.
On one of the mailing lists I belong to, someone proposed a challenge: Write the history of your romantic life, in exactly six words. It’s a fun challenge; reducing the complexities of a lifetime to a handful of words is an interesting exercise in minimalism. I chewed on it for a while, and finally came up with “Much love, only a few mistakes.”
I am profoundly cynical about Valentine’s Day, that mass-market testimony to romance-as-a-consumer-product, but I am not cynical about love. And as much as I whine and bitch about moving to Atlanta and being separated from all of my sweeties, I do feel blessed, and much loved.
I’ve been sick as the proverbial dog the last several days; Thursday and Friday I spent almost the entire day in bed miserable, Saturday I struggled out of bed long enough to play WoW for a little bit; that ended up being too taxing, and Sunday I spent the day in bed again.
joreth came up to visit Sunday night; she’s been feeling poorly too, so the two of us make quite a pair. She’ll be here through Wednesday, and this pleases me.
I do have to say that the double hacking in unison adds a degree of hilarity to a resistence scene that I wouldn’t have expected possible. You really can’t take yourself too seriously while protesting the badness you force me to do against my will when the protest is interrupted by a rattling cough – or when the threat of punishment for protesting is cut short by a rattling cough!
But I’m very happy to be here and to see you again – it’s been far too long.
I do have to say that the double hacking in unison adds a degree of hilarity to a resistence scene that I wouldn’t have expected possible. You really can’t take yourself too seriously while protesting the badness you force me to do against my will when the protest is interrupted by a rattling cough – or when the threat of punishment for protesting is cut short by a rattling cough!
But I’m very happy to be here and to see you again – it’s been far too long.
I went to Power Exchange when I was in SF once. That is exactly how I’d describe it.
I wasn’t so much a fan, although it was definitely a unique experience. Bonus points for the mini sex shop on the first floor, but used sheets.. eww.
That and I was expecting a bdsm club not a sex club – skewed expectations.
I like the atmosphere, though it’s not everyone’s cup o’ tea. Next time I’m out there, I think we’ll probably hit up Citadel instead.
I liked Citadel much better.
Can anyone within (or outside) this little sex club discussion let me know a few more details about these two places (Power Exchange and Citadel)? Including, but not limited to, dress code? I’m wondering if I could convince Master to go there when we visit San Fransisco.
Power Exchange isn’t really a conventional dungeon per se; it’s a sex club, with BDSM overtones. It’s three stories, and divided up into rooms–there’s a Cleopatra room, and jail cells, and a pirate room, and a mad scientist room, and so on. Each has a bed and various bits of equipment in it. There’s also a porn room, that’s just TV monitors showing porn.
It’s quite seedy and disreputable, which I kinda like. Lots of spectators.
Citadel is more of a conventional dungeon–it’s a play space for BDSM, not a sex club. It’s hands-down the nicest play space I’ve ever been in, the kind where you almost expect the owners to serve wine in expensive crystal goblets. If you’re looking ofor a dungeon, it’s a very nice place indeed.
I went to Power Exchange when I was in SF once. That is exactly how I’d describe it.
I wasn’t so much a fan, although it was definitely a unique experience. Bonus points for the mini sex shop on the first floor, but used sheets.. eww.
That and I was expecting a bdsm club not a sex club – skewed expectations.
I like the atmosphere, though it’s not everyone’s cup o’ tea. Next time I’m out there, I think we’ll probably hit up Citadel instead.
I liked Citadel much better.
I’m glad you had a good time! I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve read a real update from you 😛
Speaking on San Fransisco, any recommendations of places to go, to shop, to eat, etc…? My Master and I are going there over our spring break.
Thanks in advance.
You like corsets? Dark Garden is a must–they make some of the best custom-fitted corsets I’ve seen. 🙂
I’m glad you had a good time! I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve read a real update from you 😛
Speaking on San Fransisco, any recommendations of places to go, to shop, to eat, etc…? My Master and I are going there over our spring break.
Thanks in advance.
Can anyone within (or outside) this little sex club discussion let me know a few more details about these two places (Power Exchange and Citadel)? Including, but not limited to, dress code? I’m wondering if I could convince Master to go there when we visit San Fransisco.
Power Exchange isn’t really a conventional dungeon per se; it’s a sex club, with BDSM overtones. It’s three stories, and divided up into rooms–there’s a Cleopatra room, and jail cells, and a pirate room, and a mad scientist room, and so on. Each has a bed and various bits of equipment in it. There’s also a porn room, that’s just TV monitors showing porn.
It’s quite seedy and disreputable, which I kinda like. Lots of spectators.
Citadel is more of a conventional dungeon–it’s a play space for BDSM, not a sex club. It’s hands-down the nicest play space I’ve ever been in, the kind where you almost expect the owners to serve wine in expensive crystal goblets. If you’re looking ofor a dungeon, it’s a very nice place indeed.
You like corsets? Dark Garden is a must–they make some of the best custom-fitted corsets I’ve seen. 🙂