What happens in Vegas....

Okay, so actually the headline should read, "What happens at 1763..."

Sunday was our big 25th anniversary dungeon party.  Final count on people attending was 30.  Number of hot men there?  30.  Number of good friends there?  30.    And hubby and I thank you all for being there.

We had our own list of dungeon rules and etiquette suggestions.  Some are just common sense, some were lifted from Jack Rinella's writings, some were suggested by others.  It's not a bad list:

*No cell phones or cameras in the dungeon areas

*Casual conversation is limited to the patio and kitchen areas only

*Show respect for a scene, keep a distance and don't touch.

*Show respect for others' gear.  Most of us will let you borrow, but be nice and ask politely.  Return it clean.

*If you wore cologne here you're likely to get thrown in the shower.

*Clean up after yourself. 

*Safe Sex is the house rule.

*Don't monopolize an area or piece of furniture.  One of the reasons many of us come for public dungeon play is the multiple pieces of equipment or furniture that we don't have in our own dungeons.  Think in terms of an hour and then move on.

*Be honest about what you will and won't do.  (No limits?  Let me get the machete....)

*If a scene is "not for you" commentary is unnecessary, just walk away

*Keep big distances for any whipping or flogging scenes and total silence in those areas.  We all want to go home with all our original body parts.

*"NO" doesn't mean "No, I don't like you", if someone turns you down it may simply mean that their dance card is full.

*"NO" is not a safe word.  In fact "NO!" can be a big turn-on!   Just for today RED means stop, YELLOW means slow down

*A collar means hands off.

*"I didn't ask for your advice."  Giving advice to another Top is totally uncalled for.

*What happens in Vegas.....  We have to all agree that the play that takes place here is private.  Many men have to depend upon our discretion for a variety of reasons.  I think there is no problem in talking generically about a scene that took place, but to identify in any way the participants of that scene is good grounds for not being asked back.

*Asking questions makes you look smart, no matter how stupid the question.  (Thanks Jack! especially for this one!)

What's missing from this list is the role of the Dungeon Master, only because we knew the people involved that day so well we knew there would be no need for one.  Still, as host, I kept probably too much focus on the scenes and people around me and not quite enough on those at hand.

After our "meet and greet" I was pretty stunned to have two great Men honor me with a capping ceremony and the awarding of the title of  "Master."  I was deeply honored and also, like never before, understand the responsibility that goes with it.  You know by now, if you've read ANY of this blog, I am not "old guard", nor am I "new guard" (whatever that is), but I do have respect, tremendous respect in fact, for those who have blazed trails for us, who have made it possible for us to overcome Puritanical hysterics in our society, and allowed us to explore our sexual freedom within responsible and consensual levels.  I also believe that no title can be self-bestowed.  That basically is the same as paying $2.99 to some on-line site to get your PhD in Divinity.  To have this happen in front of 30 close friends was pretty amazing.

I have had the joy of being a teacher of one kind or another for almost 30 years of my life.  I think those skills will be best served as Mentor and Master in the leather, rubber, bondage, and S/m communities.

Just before play began a monster dick-shaped cake with 25 clothespins on the balls holding 25 candles for me and hubby to blow out was delivered to the dungeon.  How cool was that!

The play at the party was fantastic.  Caged boys dangling from the ceiling, open season on hubby's buttocks, two pups in a cage (the first chance for My pup to ever play with another!), 3 hour chair bondage, 2 hours tied to the chain web, electro, flogging, parachuted balls in a tug of war, the human urinal, and just lots and lots and lots of fun.  Also we had great joy in sharing some pizza with a dozen of us going to the local joint following showers and significant gear load out.

And we talked seriously about making this a quarterly get-together.  It would be a closed membership (not unlike Inferno where new members are sponsored, make application, must have references, etc.) club, gathering for play parties every 3 months.  The idea intrigues me and I think there's a need for it here in Atlanta.  There are some wonderful social and educational clubs in town, there's the one-of-a-kind Eagle for libations and social gatherings, but regular play parties for the BDSM community in a space that's every kinkster's dream dungeon?  Definitely a place for that!

We took a chance on a couple of invitations, asking new guys to join us because of the sincere interest they'd shown.  One was Mr. Gung-Ho and turned out to be Mr. No-Show.  The other was pretty quiet and reluctant, but made the effort to join us.  His micro journey on Sunday from arrival, to saying goodbye at the pizza joint, to the mind-blowing things he's shared since then about how we've blown the door off of his life....  Well, it doesn't get much better than that!

And hey!  I may get to live up to that promise I made about being Teacher/Mentor/Master very soon.  Our new friend is dying for some rope bondage lessons!  HEY!  He wants to learn to tie people up.  Get your minds out of the gutter.  I'm not that kind of guy.  Okay.  Yes, I am.