Austin 8th Anniversary Week: Manic Monday

It was  a really busy Monday!

The events started with a 1 SLT discussion about loyalty with Ratzu Darkstone at the discussion area.

Both Linda and I managed to attend, and it was a good topic, with many people chiming in.

Then we had to hurry on over to the Speakeasy for WW (worldwide Pedalo) and Liss (lissomeprey)  as they presented a demo on shibari.

Although Linda had to leave early due to RL, I managed to stay most of the demo, and enjoyed it quite a bit.

I've attended a couple of WW and Liss' other shibari events, and it's always nice to see them demonstrate some of the finer points of this Japanese erotic rope art.

I also managed to sneak into the Chateau demonstration organized by Crux Maximus later that night.

Last year, I had been able to see the entire demo, where visitors moved from room to room in the Chateau and viewed various scenes enacted by an Austin master and a girl.

Unfortunately, I could only drop in for a few minutes this time as it was still too early in the evening for me to stay too long inworld.

Later that night I managed to drop in for a few moments at Aisley's (AisleyRansom) discussion "Taking kink from SL to RL: Show and Tell".

I should point out that the Chateau was open to the public for a few days, and I took the opportunity to visit the place. Pics on the next post!

Brangelina gone, Mooooloooo next?

With the breakup of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie shaking the entertainment world, rumors are now swirling that hollywood's other power couple, rapper Big Mo and former GLOW wrestler Linda "The Bonsai" Burnstein, are on the skids as well.

TMZ writes that the couple, who have been affectionately dubbed "Mooolooo" by their legions of fans, have started sleeping in separate rooms after news surfaced of Burnstein's addiction to tequila and moonshine, in addition to sordid affairs with various sailors, firemen, and at least one foot doctor.

Devastated by his girl's rumored goal to 'wooohooo' with every single Village People, TMZ reports that Big Mo has locked himself in his room and has been binge-watching Disney's "Dumbo" and "Horton Hears a Who!" since last Tuesday, refusing to come out for food or wash his smelly socks and underwear.

Is this the end of our intrepid duo? Were the doubters right when they said rapping and wrestling don't mix well together?

Stay tuned!

Austin 8th Anniversary Week: Angel Hunt

I officially started the Austin Angel Hunt game this morning, although both Sage Avedon and Frost had both taken their turns on some locations last night.

The notice I sent out was as follows:

The Angel Hunt game will be held over the course of the week.

The game will help expand your knowledge of the Story of O (the novel!) and the Austin sim, and the girls with the fastest times at the end of Anniversary Week will receive some great prizes.

To join the game simply send me an IM/NC to schedule a face to face, or IM me when I am inworld.

Attached is a detailed explanation of the game rules. 

The attachment contained instructions on the game:

1. Hidden in one of 6 locations in Austin is an Angel Statue with a sword.

2. You will start at the Cafe, and I will tell you the general location of the statue (for example, "the cinema")

3. You will need to run or walk to that area. TP is NOT allowed!

4. When you find the statue, click it.

5. The statue will randomly select 3 questions to ask you from the Story of O, and you have 2 minutes to answer each question.  You are free to google the answers if you can. Answers are all one word.

6. If you correctly answer 2 out of the 3 questions, run or walk as fast as possible back to the Cafe.

7. When you reach the Cafe, the timer will be stopped and your time noted. 

You can try as many times as you want. The goal here is for you to learn more about the novel and the sim. You are racing against yourself, NOT against the other girls!

Note that there is only ONE statue which moves around the sim, so lucky girls might get the same question more than once. The questions in the Angel statue are the same ones used by the Austin Eggs, so feel free to practice on the eggs ;-)

Good luck and enjoy!

Duke and Ivy Collaring Ceremony

I've only known Duke (Dukexxl) for about 5 months, but in that time I've grown to respect his dedication to the sim and his abilities as a Dom. On the other hand, I have known his girl Ivy (Ivy1) almost since I was first at Austin, as she was the organizer of the auction in which I bought Linda back in October of 2014.

I was unfortunately not able to attend their collaring ceremony because it was held during the weekend (September 10), but Linda did manage to go, and she and GIS laila (lelie Baxton) took some pictures of the event, and I use them below with great thanks.

I wish both Duke and Ivy the very best in their new journey together xxx

(I post the celebration below with permission from the celebrants, but have changed the names of some of the other attendees for privacy reasons)

Duke: Welcome to my collaring of the O girl ivy.

Duke: We shall begin.. relax and be comfortable enjoying  the lovely setting provided by Austin and our esteemed Ratzu

Duke: I do want to say at the outset my admiration for Ratzu and all he has done to make Austin the special place that is...Thank you Ratzu.

Ratzu Darkstone: smiles a your welcome

Ratzu, WW, Alvise, Linda, Rafe, Jen

Duke: I appreciate our Austin Family and our friends joining us in this ceremony.

Duke: It will be simply a Master collaring his girl as a symbol of his ownership and their bond to one another.

Duke waiting for Ivy

Duke: A Master should guide, direct, nurture and care for his girl. His girl should serve him with all her body, mind, heart and soul.

Duke: Today that bond will be completed with the public collaring of my girl ivy before you.

Duke: I appreciate you joining us for this occasion.

Duke: Orchid would you please bring the girl ivy to me.

Duke: Watches as they approach and smiles

Orchid leading Ivy to Duke

Duke: thank you orchid.. you know how special you are to me

Duke: ivy, please kneel

Orchid smiles very happy for them both

ivy rose: smiles up at Master , before lowering to my knees

Duke waiting for Ivy to kneel

Duke: You have begged for my collar, you have already submitted to me in that other world and have worn my collar there

Duke: Today you shall also wear my collar for all to see in this world as well.

Duke: looks at his girl with the corners of his lips raised in a smile.. He sees her beauty, her spirit, her warmth, and her caring.  His smile broadens.

Duke: We met here at Austin soon after my return several months ago.  We became better acquainted a few months after

Duke: In ivy I saw a lively filly, yearning for a bit, needing a Master to not dampen her spirit, but rather to channel it..

Duke: I am a Master in both worlds and ivy is a submissive in both. She is even more than that.

Looking on: AK, Billy, Sage, and Nik

Duke: I demand total control and she craves it.  She is more than a sub, she is a slave and today she will be known as my slave.

Duke: My collaring of her will complete the full ownership which I desire and which she needs within the inner core of her being.

ivy rose: looks up chewing frantically on my lower lip

Duke: I glance among our friends and my gaze returns to my girl.  With pride I look deeply into her eyes.

Duke: ivy, we have both come down long and winding paths with twists, turns and potholes.

Duke: We have arrived at the  same destination, at the same moment in our journeys.

Duke: It was by more than chance. I believe it was meant to be.

Duke: I will now ask you ivy, do you wish to submit to me totally with your whole being, to be my property, to be used as I see fit, and to yield your full will to my guidance, direction, nurturing and care?

Ivy kneeling before Duke

ivy rose: yes Master , i do ... smiles

ivy rose: as i move raising my arms above my head lowering , my chin to my chest

Duke: And how might you do that my girl?

ivy rose: I am your devoted slave , Master

ivy rose: I do not exists but to serve you Master

ivy rose: I will serve you how ever you wish Master

ivy rose: i am yours forever Master

ivy rose: I will grow to cherish you Master

ivy rose: My mind, heart body and sole are your's Master

Duke: I listen, my eyes intent on hers, in our own world....  I reach to my belt and take the collar.

RA: wipes away a tear of happiness for the "lively filly", my long term O Girl friend

Duke: I brush the hair from her shoulders and place the collar on her neck.

Duke: With the key I lock it...the sound of the click heard throughout this serene island.

Placing collar around Ivy's neck

Duke: I smile.

Orchid: CHEERRSS!!

DG claps vigorously.... Bravo !

RA: ***** APPPPPPPLLLLAAAUUUSSSSEEEEEEE***********

MV: Hurrrayyyy

AR:   (*^?^)?   Å???Å????   ?(^?^*)

SA applauds happily

CS: CLAPS LOUDLY

AR:   (*^?^)?   Å???Å????   ?(^?^*)

ivy rose: your touch on my shoulder makes me tremble , hearing the click makes my heart sing i look up at you with a bright smile ... my  words soft  thank you Master

MV applauds

RL: applauds

WA: Huzzah!

Orchid: *:-.,_,.-:*'``'*yaaaaaaaay*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*

NJ claps for the couple

Linda Burnstein-King: smiles

laila claps her hands smiling brightly

AA applauds with a big smile

JU smiles and blows warm kisses

RA: chuckles at Orchid

Duke: Today you are owned by me your Master... do you wish to respond?

CL claps softly
WW: *:-.,_,.-:*'´ `*.   BRAVO   !¸.*´`'*:-.,_,.-:*

Rod and Curi

ivy rose: lowers my hands to my lap liftingmy head , yes Master  ,

Duke: looks at her with fondness and listens

ivy rose: Master I want you to know
that I have waited a very long time for you.
I have been waiting patiently to give these
gifts locked away inside me.

ivy rose: Now you are here, so much a part of me.
You are here in front of me
as I kneel in respect to you
while you place your collar on me.

ivy rose: At times it is unbelievable to me,
Still a dream that we have found each other.

Ivy saying her vows

ivy rose: But yet... hear your voice, a voice my soul has always longed to hear and instantly recognized.
I feel your touch, a touch my body has always ached
to feel and instantly reacted to.
I see your handsome face, a face my eyes have always searched

ivy rose: for and immediately affirmed.
I taste your kiss, a kiss my lips have always hungered to taste
and instantly felt the fire and passion.
I smell your hunger, a hunger whose scent I know all too well.
I have waited for you and now I am yours body, soul, mind and heart.

ivy rose: Take me.

Take my hunger for dominance and nourish me.
Take my thirst for control and quench me.
Take my body for your pleasure.
Take my soul to new and uncharted heights.
Take my mind to teach and guide.
Take my heart to heal and love.
Take us on this journey, this new journey we have begun
Which will make us both whole, both become one.

JU: smiles and wipes a tear as I read ivy's words

ivy rose: Master please understand that even though my wait in finding you is over,
I will continue to wait for you as we go down this path of buried desires.
For you have promised to love me, heal me, nurture me, teach me,
guide me, protect me and never turn away from me.

ivy rose: I will always be here for you, Master, still waiting patiently,
With a devotion unknown to you before
With a commitment that is unceasing
With a loyalty that is constant to you
With a trust that is uncommon to you
With a love that is so rare, a love that is yours forever,
Through out all time.

RA: wipes eyes surreptitiously

ivy rose: It is said that good things come to those who wait.
Master, you are a living testimony to this.

ivy rose: whipes the haopy tear from my  cheek , looking up at you smiling

Duke: I look at her with pride as I hear her words and my heart is filled.

Duke: Holding back a dampness in my eyes I lift the girl and take her into my arms.

ivy rose: leans and hug myself tightly to you my pounding heart beating wildly against your chest

Duke: Holding her tightly I feel our bodies pressed together, our minds engaged with one another and our hearts beating in rythym.

Duke: I let her fall again to her knees.. I look at her and proclaim.

Duke: Facing our Austin family and friends, I say in a bold voice....

ivy rose: turns and smiles at everyone

Duke: As of this day, September 10, 2016, you are mine ivy.  My property, part of my being and my slave.  Let our bond grow and our future bring us even closer as a Master and his slave.

Austin 8th Anniversary Week: Opening Ceremonies

Around 25 people attended the opening ceremony of Austin's 8th Anniversary celebrations.

People first congregated at the Cafe, then meandered in a  laggy parade to the Ceremonial Arch, where we could plop ourselves on the seats and sigh in relief.

Fireworks near the cafe in midnight setting

I skipped the parade and TPed directly to the arch area, only to find myself being skewered by Belle and Dakota, with Belle recounting the night she chased me around the sim on her horse and Kota telling how I bluffed my way past the voice check in chipmunk mode. Ah friends, sometimes you just want to string them up and flog them.

Fireworks near cafe in mid-day setting

I have to admit though that I enjoyed the ceremony, as people told some of the funny stuff that has happened to them at Austin, and some gave thanks to people they met in the sim.

My contribution to the slew of memories was our time last year at the 7th anniversary:

MK : we all had a blast last anniversary week...the 7th of the sim. i was free in florida, and linda was also free. we had so much fun with y'all...she was laughing so hard her cheeks hurt and she snorted a lot. thank you very much for making my baby happy. you're a great bunch of people. #

MK: a great bunch

Ratzu even told us how he once made a mistake and deleted a floating dance floor, causing 30 people to plunge to the ground, then blaming Linden Labs for the catastrophe.

They had a dance after, but I could not stay.

Attendees to the opening ceremony included (alphabetical):

Associate Aga Cisse
O-girl Belle (Darlingbelle)
Dom-O Billy Avedon
O-girl Dakota Ashford
O-girl Dani
O-girl Dee Wolfe
Master Duke
Rejoining Eagle
Rejoining egoes Alter
Jojo (Jolienne Resident)
GIS Lente
Habitue Kurt
Magnus Stovall
O-girl Marion Fadlan
Dom-O MK
GIS Naughty Glimmer
Tyro Nik Jharis
Nina
O-girl Orchid
Master Ratzu Darkstone
O-girl Sage Avedon
Samajas
Rejoining Shiloh
O-girl Sweetness Whitesong
Master Wildsoul Seerose
Master WW
Applicant Woland Ashford

Austin 8th Anniversary Week: Belice Benoir Art Exhibit Opening

Linda and I attended the Belice Benoir Art Exhibit Opening at Austin on Friday, which was part of the Austin 8th Anniversary celebrations.

It was very heavily attended, with people crowding into the small castle room to hear the opening remarks.

Everyone was in their formal best. I wore one of the tuxes I had just gotten a couple months back, and Linda was absolutely radiant in her orange gown.

After some short speeches in the crowded meeting area, people were allowed to wander around the castle.

The artwork was scattered all over the castle, and it was actually kinda fun going around and finding some amazing work hidden beneath the castle grounds, right next to some sleeping dragon.

I even got a great big hug from my boo next to the treasure hoard of that fiery beast, and I'm not exactly sure why. Perhaps the sight of all those gold coins excited her, and I should call her Thorin Oakenshield ;-)

I bought two pieces then and there, one of which ("bound") I really really liked.

Afterwards, there was a dance at the castle top, though Linda had to leave fairly soon to RL.

More pics from the opening:

Woland and Dakota's Collaring Ceremony

When Linda and I first met Dakota (dakota0therbee) in December 2014, we knew she was something very special. She was kinda shy, but I could immediately tell this was a girl who was extremely intelligent.

Fast forward one year later to November of 2015, and I found myself engaged in deep conversations with her in email about her life, D/s, BDSM, in addition to the other usual mundane topics.

My initial observations about her being seriously smart were confirmed, and we got to know one another quite well, which culminated in her formally becoming my Ward a few weeks later.

It was through our conversations that I later learned about Woland (hulijing), and about their very long friendship with one another, a friendship that had gotten deeper over time and had slowly blossomed into something more.

I'll be honest and say that I've always considered Kota collared to Woland even before their ceremony. They are just two people who fit well together, a couple so in tune with one another that their lives intertwined in the most natural of ways.

And so it was with little surprise that I greeted the news of the impending collar of Kota in front of her Austin friends and Austin family.

The venue for their celebration on September 9 was Austin's Ceremonial Arch, and when I dropped in briefly at the beginning of the event, I was amazed at the beauty of the place. While I was still there, more than 32 people crowded in and admired the splashes of red that adorned the trees surrounding the area.

Unfortunately, I could not stay beyond the first few minutes of the ceremony due to RL considerations, but Linda stayed for the entire event and told me how moving it was.

The collaring as always began with Ratzu Darkstone introducing the couple and saying a few words about the importance of the collar.

Then Woland came up and explained to the happy crowd the core philosophy that guides their journey together.

Today is the most important day in our lives. Although it is conventional to call this a ‘collaring ceremony’ I think of it as a collaring rite. This is a sacrament between two souls, your soul, Kota, bound to mine, my pleasure, my joy and my muse. My soul caring for you and nurturing you.

We began in role-play years ago, and our relationship blossomed…then crashed into the rocks of my limitations. We have both grown, and I have learned to accept you as you are, every facet, and you have learned to accept me, every wart. You fulfill my needs in every way, as I do yours. But we have only begun. The tree is young…and growing, tended by love.

My background is in the study of rituals and religions, particularly those of early China, and I have studied the ancient Classic of Changes from China, the Yi Jing, since I was a boy. I have taught Kota my ‘Dao’, my path, and we now walk that path together. That is part of our ritual, and our discipline, and we faithfully pursue it every day.

I feel that in that Dao there is an important lesson that applies to D/s, as it does to the world as a whole. You are familiar, no doubt, with the concept of Yin and Yang. They are pictured as equal and balanced forces taking turns in prevailing over events as the four seasons change, the Yang of summer giving way to the Yin of winter.

But I have found two secrets hidden within the ancient texts and in the world around us…imperfection and prevalence. There is no perfect thing. Every crystal has a flaw, every snowflake an imperfection that makes it unique. Every person, even the most powerful and resourceful…is broken in some small way. And that produces a need, a place in their lives for that one person who perfectly fits that imperfection, who fills it in and matches up as the two parts of a broken seal that come together to produce a whole.

(photo by O-girl Aisha Sohl)

At this point he looked towards Kota, the other part of his broken seal..now made whole.

Prevalence, for me, explains both the core of D/s and the core of human society. Because Yin and Yang are not in perfect balance. If they were balanced the world would come to a grinding halt, a slow entropy turning all into a cold darkness that is neither Yin nor Yang, but ‘Hun Dun’….the primordial chaos. Instead there is a spin to reality.

The Yang predominates ever so slightly, it pushes events forward as if turning over an engine, allowing it to reignite to produce heat and motion. You can see that prevalence reflected in the calendar. Even numbers are Yin, Yang numbers are odd. Some months end on a Yin day and some on a Yang…but the first day of each month is invariably Yang. It is a symbolic reflection of the way the world is put together; that slight prevalence of the Yang over the Yin.

Those outside D/s do not understand us. What we do fills a craving, yes. It seems to those outside to be a flaw, and perhaps it is our flaw, the imperfection in our crystals, but it is also our joy and the key to our growth. It is just not a vanilla flaw. And it perfectly displays that principle of the prevalence of the Yang. I am not speaking of gender here. Although Yang is traditionally male and Yin female I am speaking of a Dominant Yang and submissive Yin, and those take no account of gender.

I have rambled on enough, and hopefully given you, our dear friends who share this wonderful day with us, an insight into some of the philosophy that Kota and I explore in our ritual life.

I wish I could share in words how I feel about this woman. She is my wife, my lover, and most important of all she is mine. I am her Master, and today I will ask her to take my permanent collar. We come together today to bring the two halves of our seal together. We are already two sides of a coin as people. Now we shall be newly minted, a Master and his beloved submissive.

(photo by O-girl Aisha Sohl)

Then it was Dakota's turn to speak, and she rose and spoke:

I am not a submissive....probably not what anyone would expect to hear at a collaring ceremony, but I'm not in the way that I hear some girls refer to it...like it's their core nature.

What I am is a woman who likes to see people happy and to do things for people I care about.  I have learned that a part of me has a desire to give submission, not to everyone, but to those who sincerely offer their Dominance in return.

It took a long time before and almost a year at Austin to accept this fact.  It took me a long time to see I didn't have to fit any mold or ideal of what a submissive should be.  It was ok to be just as I am.

It was also ok that my gift of submission was in a long box for some, a round box for another and in an average sized box for most. What I found is that the box shape and size was completely correlated to how much trust I had in the Dominant.  Not just trust with my physical safety, but my emotional and mental safety as well.  Trust that they were present and there because they wanted to be there.

(photo by O-girl Aisha Sohl)

Over this past ten months, through my connection to someone I've known for a good portion of my SL ....I found that I had the capacity within to pull together a jumbo box of my submission.

One ready with all my worries and fears and laughter and joy and reverence and insecurity and hunger and OCD tendencies and stubbornness and fire and sillyness and omg-she's-a-nerd all wrapped up inside.

I found the right Dominant... one who wanted to take it with a smile and say, thank you...this is just what I was ready for.

I'm not sure I could put into words how that feels.

To trust someone with that big box and know that they can use it. 

That this Dominant, this Master, will use me and all the service I have to offer.  That anytime a little worry slips from that box it will be ok, because HE is capable of handling that and not wishing I'd given him something else.

To know that I am perfect in my imperfect service and always will be.  It makes me want to be BRAVE.

It makes me want to say "Yes!  Yes, Master" even when I'm afraid.  It makes me want to never hide anything from him.  I know that I don't always get my way, but I never ever have to hide my desires.  I am safe.

What I get in return is a Master who is trustworthy, wise, creative, true to himself, consistent, intelligent, funny, caring, persistent *smiles*, did I say wise?, smoldering hot and reliable to say the least.  He has nothing to prove.  He is my teacher, my guide, my husband, my porn and...my Master.

I wanted to say this for anyone starting on this path.  Those who are close to me know that getting to even this point was not easy.  (Small moment of silent gratitude for those that had to deal with my freak outs...grins).

It took time to get to this level of trusting and it's still not finished... it can go even deeper.  I started off years ago giving my Master an average sized box of my submission and trust and as time went on...each time things went ok...I'd give a bigger one the next time.

For some, it's gut, they know right away.  But for me, time was my friend.

I've kept this huge box on a shelf for what feels like eternity and I am driven to tears writing this because I can't fucking wait for the time each night when I get to watch this Master unwrap it.

Thank You so much for Your Dominance, I'm ready Master.

At this point, the crowd was asked to stand for the exchange of vows.

Woland: I offer you my collar.
Woland Removes the training collar
Woland: In accepting this collar, you acknowledge that you trust me. Do you trust me?
Dakota: Yes, Master, I trust you with all mind
Woland: I commit to care for you and protect you.
Woland: In accepting this collar, you acknowledge that you submit to me. Do you submit to me?
Dakota: Yes, Master, I submit to you with all my soul
Woland: I accept your submission and commit myself to love you.
Woland: In accepting this collar, you acknowledge that you belong to me. Do you belong to me?
Dakota: Yes, Master, I belong to you with all my heart
Woland: You belong to me, and I am your Master. You alone are truly mine from this day. So mote it be.
Dakota smiles
Woland: Draws her to her feet and takes out the collar

Woland: Looking down with love, protection and commitment....puts the collar on

It was done.

(photo by O-girl Aisha Sohl)

Congratulations to Woland and Dakota from both of us. It was a very nice ceremony, but now comes the more important part of your journey. As always, we offer you our support and our friendship, and we know you two will be so happy together!!! Love you guys xxx

Attendees at the event while I was still there included (in alphabetical order):

Aisha Sohl
Aqua Fearne
Bangrod
Bri
Cata Charisma
Crux Maximus
CuriousHeart Lourdes
Dakota
Dani
Duke
Jen Umaga
Io
ivy Rose
laila
Linda Burnstein-King
Lucius Silverweb
Marcus
Misty
Nik Jharis
Orchid
Rafe Allardyce
Ratzu Darkstone
RB Quan
rosilina
Sage Avedon
Sage D
SamDelainey
sefa Perl
Stormie Heron
WillTitus
Woland
WW