Mercnbeth
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Unfortunately, the Folsom Fringe and Folsom Street Fair are behind us this year. As much as you think it can't possibly live up to expectations and/or prior experiences somehow it always does. The Odyssey Group once again organized a wonderful event. The Folsom Fringe '2007 - License to Thrill' had great presentations with knowledgeable presenters on a large range of topics. As card carrying members of the Master Skip and Slave Rick fan club; they once again were a highlight providing wonderful insight drawing from the experiences within their relationship.
This year had a new twist. We brought along a third to share the experience. It was her first time to any "lifestyle" event. What a first experience huh? She is a friend and came to the events without a label; only wanted to experience first hand some of the things beth and I have been telling her about for the past few years. She had quite an experience! There is no possible way to describe what the Fringe play parties are like. No amount of discussion and chat can prepare you for your first 'visual'. If you've been in the ballroom of any major hotel, this was at the Doubletree - in the Hilton family of hotels, imagine it full of various bondage furniture and fixtures. Then imagine that size room full of people using all those pieces of furniture and fixtures! It was difficult to find a empty space to play. Walking into the ballroom we were greeted by scene that if it occurred in any other environment may have had some calling the police. A Master was beating his slave. He used everything from his fists to a singletail, blood was flowing from her back, screams and cries could be heard from the other end of the large ballroom. While in another areas couples were engaged in 'tickle' play, mixed gender nude wrestling, wax, piercing, and needles. If you can think it - it was there to be seen. Do you think there was judgment occurring? Of course there was, there was judgment in our little group. What there wasn't was condemnation. It was a BLAST! The entire weekend went by too fast. It was capped by a performance of 'Kelly' of the hit song "Shoe" fame as the closing act at the Street Fair: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3289023334507400346&q=Folsom+Street+Fair+2007&total=41&start=0&num=50&so=0&type=search&plindex=0 I can't encourage everyone enough to get out from behind the computer screen and experience one of these events, or anything similar. You come back appreciating that age, height, weight, sex, hair color, intelligence, sexual preference, handicap, and any other reasoning used to be alone is a rationalized excuse. Bodies and body parts of all shapes and sizes, 'plain' or adorned and modified to the extreme could be seen everywhere you turned your head. No one group, type, or preference wasn't represented. Nobody pointed and stared. The range of people and activities was incredible. The common denominator was enjoying themselves and the people around them. What also was happening all around was FUN! There was a lot of laughter and renewal of friendships. I almost killed my friend 'Ivan' who refuses to ever get involved with, what he calls "internet wankers" by relating him some of the tales that transpire as "experience" on this site. He loved hearing some of what passes as "problems" and issues. When I related the story of how one "sub" posted that she would call her Dom Master and she would only be his slave only AFTER he married her. When I said; "Nice that she gave permission huh?" he needed a hit of his asthma medicine before he could breath regularly. At the risk of being responsible for his death I didn't relate some of the more recent BDSM Bible Versions being represented. The Street Fair was, if possible, even more crowded than usual. Getting a room at a hotel 1/2 block from the 7th Street gate worked out great. The convenience of having a place to re-charge, and in beth's case a place for costume change, more than offset the crappy service and accommodations. We had to bribe a maid to bring us an extra towel. But the party went well into the night and once it started it the venue didn't matter. On a sad note, a man who we came to know and see every year at the Folsom Street Fair wasn't there. He was a older man who walked with an old fashion 'sandwich board' sign declaring 83 years of being gay. We met him when the sign said 79 years of being gay. He was affiliated with one of the many community groups represented and having booths at the fair, inclusive BTW of the SF Police who recruit at the Street Fair. Anyway...When we passed by and he wasn't there we were sad to find out he had passed away since last year's Fair. We have pictures of us dating back to that first meeting and will be forwarding them to the group's site, where they are considering crating a memorial page. If anyone else has any let me know and I'll give you the site to forward them. It was sad, but at the same time it was good to have had the opportunity to meet and talk to him in the first place. We LOVED meeting quite a few people for the first time in person who we've shared thread comments. That was fantastic! I won't "out" them by posting their names. So many thoughts of the weekend are running through my head; so many other stories to tell. If there is an interest in this tread and a question generates another memory we'll be happy to relate it. You should all experience the liberation of having no need to act or dress "straight" or "vanilla"; no need to 'act' at all. Collars, cuffs, leashes, clips, diapers, footed PJ's, and pacifier or totally nude; pierced nipples, penises, asses and just about every other body part reddened or wearing the marks from other weekend experiences were displayed with pride. The only comments exchanged were on the lines of "NICE outfit!", or "NICE cane marks". A woman, who happily announced that she was celebrating her 60th birthday was proud to have her much younger Master display the brand he gave her on the top of her thigh. I was so proud of beth! she paraded around the street fair in an amazing costume, complete with silver thigh high boots that were the envy of all. As 'Kelly' said; "Those shoes ROCK!" Walking around with two wonderful and beautiful woman at the end of leashes was a great experience but much harder than you would think in a crowd as large as Folsom. Literally hundreds of photos of us were taken and if anyone reading this happened to take any - please forward them to us. We'd love to add them to our collection. Haven't yet gone through our pictures and the video we took, but when I do I'll post a couple on our profile. After four days of sharing experiences and fun I'm finding it difficult to get into back into the flow of the CM Boards. Please take the disjointed and rambling of this post as a function and symptom example of "Top-drop". I hope I conveyed some of the great time we enjoyed. Its not possible to convey it all. As I said to someone who IM'ed me this morning; it can't be described - only experienced.
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