But I won’t be going there this year for the NYC Sex Blogger Calendar Party.

I’m 95% certain on this.

I say 95% because there is still a tiny portion of me that is hemming and hawing and thinking of just drastically shortening my trip and only staying in the city on Friday night. But then….$250 for a room for even just one night seems extravagant and silly right now. 5% of me still thinks that I’ll be missing out and be missed but I say this is all seriousness – I really won’t be. No, that’s not said out of self-pity or anything like that. Just realism. When I’m in a large group setting like the party, I tend to retreat into my shell like a turtle. My social anxieties come out and the wall-to-wall people makes me irritable and skittish. I’m not the social butterfly some might think that Lilly is. I don’t dominate the conversations, I wait on the edges until it’s okay to enter in. I defer to others. I’m kind of a model for the calendar this year, but not one of the big-name people. I’ve come to accept these things and I’m ok with not going. I kept inside all of the hurt feelings I experience last calendar party weekend, I only talked about the good stuff because…that’s what I do. I keep it inside. I put on a smile.

Also the thought of dropping money and frantically hunting for an outfit I don’t hate is not at all appealing to me. Next year, my choices will be broader and I’ll be in a better place financially, mentally, health-wise, and more. I and we have too much on our plates, and more wise/necessary places to put the money I’ve saved up, for me to justify going.

Another deciding factor against going is that a great number of the people I was looking forward to seeing in NY I will be seeing in April at MomentumCon in DC. Not everyone, true, but most. Hubman and Veronica graciously offered me their tour of NYC and I’m sure I can take them up on that at any time, party or not.

I’m sure that, while there might not be another calendar, there will always be some sort of NYC-based blogger event to go to in the coming year. And I already have a standing date with my bff to go and see his version of NY, next year sometime. I’d always asked him for recommendations on places to go, and now I’ll have him with me in person.

Maybe our mistakes are what make our fate. Without them, what would shape our lives? Perhaps if we never veered off course, we wouldn’t fall in love, or have babies, or be who we are. After all, seasons change. So do cities. People come into your life and people go. But it’s comforting to know the ones you love are always in your heart. And if you’re very lucky, a plane ride away.

~Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City (Season 4 finale)

Tags: NYC, trips

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The time is beginning to approach once more……

The annual NYC Sex Bloggers Calendar party is happening on October 1.

And despite being in the calendar, a part of me is really waffling on whether or not to go. You see, I’m a bit of an oxymoron. I don’t do well in big groups, but I also don’t do well alone. The sheer madhouseness of the party gives me the twitches a bit, and given the stellar guestlist this year it will be an even bigger draw for attendance.

But my trips to NYC aren’t just about the party itself. It’s equally about spending time with blogger friends I don’t see much, as well as trying to get in a little sightseeing, a little NYC Experience. I’ve seen some great little things here and there over my 4 past trips but there’s still a LOT I want to see and experience.

However…

I need a guide, a buddy. It makes me nervous to just go there with no mostly-firm plans to fill up my time. And I’m just not the type of person who likes to explore and sightsee by myself. I love sharing the moment and the “Wow look at that!” with another kindred spirit.

Places I’ve seen:

~Parts of Central Park, Chinatown, Little Italy, Astor Place, LES,  Financial District. Just parts, though.
~ Rockafeller Plaza and that area
~ GCT
~Washington Memorial Arch

Places on my list:

~A good italian dinner in the Bronx
~The Worlds Fair globe
~Coney Island
~Battery Park
~ The Cloisters
~ Buildings. Cool, old interesting architecture. Places with history, with a story.
~ Some sort of telescope view thingie that you can see into London? Is that still there?
~Museum of Sex (Thanks UrbanRogue for reminding me!)
~Pirate ship. Elizabeth of Sex in the Public Square shot her Calendar pics there last year and I read it was a restaurant or….something? Am I remembering incorrectly?

I guess my decision to go will be based on what plans I can make ahead of time, and who I can count on hanging out with. Any volunteer tour guides? As you can see I don’t need the “tourister” tour.

Tags: NYC, random thoughts

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Or somethin like that. Actually, quick tangent, I enjoy a good long back scratch moreso than a back massage. Anywho.

So I think you know by now that a pic of me and Coy Pink will be in the upcoming NYC Sex Bloggers Calendar. There’s a lot of really good reasons to support this calendar – the charity (Woodhull Freedom Foundation) is a great one; there’s a bunch of sexy models in it showing you (in some cases)  more than you’d get to see on their blogs; and I’d be very grateful ;) The  photos that are in the calendar will never be seen anywhere else. Ya know what else you’ll get to see only in the calendar? Me. One time only, a straight-on shot of my face, is appearing in the sex blogger world.

If you have a blog or other website, it’s a great advertising opportunity. $25 for a day means your text is visible (message up to 80 characters), staring at calendar owners, for a whole month. I know that I saw a good increase in traffic during the month of May where my purchased day from last year’s calendar resided. Many retailers will offer up coupon codes good for the month their day is in which further drives in business.

If you just want to support Woodhull and the models’ endeavors to raise money, you can say whatever you want in your spot! Wish someone happy birthday, proclaim your love, etc.

Do I need to sweeten the deal?

Of course I do.

If you purchase a day in the calendar you’ll get a pic of me – specifically, my tits with my gratitude in a personalized message written on them. Kinda sorta like this pic or this pic.

If you purchase more than one day OR one day + a calendar you’ll get private access to an audio clip of me jerking off ;)

To qualify, when you buy your day (through Paypal) just mention my name in the “message” section. Tell me what email address you paid it from and I’ll verify with Tess & Diva. You can click on any of these Paypal buttons to purchase, the payment will be going to the calendar email, not to me directly.

$25 – One day

$40  – One day + one calendar

1 Calendar only

Special – 5 days in the calendar for $100

Tags: calendar, good things, NYC

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A few readers inquired about purchasing a calendar. They’ve just opened up the pre-sale, most of which is focused on the buying of “days” in the calendar. You can advertise whatever you want, for yourself or someone else, or just say something nice about someone. Whatever you want! Calendars will be selling for $20, and a day sells for $25. During the pre-sale you can get a calendar and a day, shipping included, for $40.

From the Sex Blogger Calendar site:

As the dog days of summer descend humidly upon NYC, sticky thighs and rivulets of sweat snaking down spines become everyday occurrences, we’re about to turn up the temperature a few degrees.

We’re happy to announce you can now buy and personalize your days on the 2011 Sex Blogger Calendar, with a message up to 80 characters, as well as pre-order your calendars. Purchasing days and calendars helps Woodhull Freedom Foundation in their mission to affirm sexual freedom as a fundamental human right. And we’ve made it easy for you to do, just glance to the right side bar and pick the option your heart desires.

Need some ideas for what to say on your day? Here’s a couple.

- For $25, your company can include a URL and discount code which will be visible for an entire month. Want more visibility? $100 buys you five days, which you can strategically place throughout the year, highlighting your company’s anniversary and other significant days.

- For individuals, that same $25 allows you to feature a meaningful quote, celebrate your blogiversary, send a message to your favorite model or express your gratitude to Woodhull for their dedication to fighting for such an important cause.

When we receive your payment, we’ll email you to get your days and messages.

Calendars will sell for $20 after the pre-sale period is closed, so we’re giving our early supporters a special deal on the combination of pre-ordering and buying a day, for $40 you can get a calendar and one day to personalize and save $5.

And don’t forget that when the heat of summer is finally dwindling and NYC is crisp and cool and fall, in all it’s brilliant, blazing color, is upon us, we’re going to make it sizzling again; at least on October 1st when we reveal the calendar at our launch party, once again, at the fabulous Fontana’s! So buy your days, pre-order your calendars, and book your flights and hotels. We’re going to have an amazing weekend filled with fantastic people and exciting events and we want you to be part of it all!

Remember your purchases of days and calendars goes to support Woodhull.  Here’s some of the specific ways Woodhull strives to promote & protect sexual freedom:

• Woodhull educates the public on the importance and value of sexual freedom and counter the arguments of groups seeking to restrict sexual rights;
• Woodhull advocates for decriminalization and social acceptance of consensual sexual expression;
• Woodhull seeks to change antiquated, repressive and discriminatory sex laws and enforcement practices;
• Woodhull advocates for freedom of speech and artistic expression on sexual themes;
• Woodhull promotes the empowerment of people to take control of their bodies and their sexuality;
• Woodhull supports legal action to overturn court decisions adverse to sexual freedom and privacy rights, and we work to affirm and expand decisions, like Lawrence v. Texas, that support sexual freedom and privacy;
• Woodhull opposes abstinence-only sex “education” and endorse an age-appropriate, comprehensive approach to sex education; and

Woodhull seeks to protect and foster scientific research on sexuality.

Tags: blogger love, calendar, NYC

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I’ve been traveling a good bit lately. Washington State to see Coy Pink a month ago; NYC back in March; a couple of weekends doing computer work for a friend a few states away and dropping in on Debauched Diva. Of course, certainly not as much traveling as Mollena, who has become an expert on packing. I tried to follow the packing guide on the link she gave (here) thinking that surely if other women can pack for 7-10 days in a *carry-on* I should be able to as well.

Right?

I blame my mother.

No, seriously. Hear me out.

As a kid, our vacations were usually these epic cross-country trips. West, south, northeast, Canada, etc….all done in an RV. Now, granted, we were going to be gone for 2-3 weeks and all but still. She packed everything possible. We almost never had to track down a Kmart to buy a necessary item. Every scenario was accounted for.

I’ve inherited this gene. It also comes from my grandmother who was a bit of a packrat. Upon the death of my grandparents and the estate yard sale to clear out items no one wanted, it became clear the level of packrattiness. She wasn’t a hoarder, per se, more likely a hold-over from the Depression. We found unused items from the 70′s that were kept in case a last-minute gift was needed. I tend to be this way in some regards with my own stuff…it’s law that I won’t need it till I get rid of it. I’m getting better, though.

So when I pack for short trips I try to think of everything. Hot, cold, rain, dressy, casual, lots of walking, an extra outfit, etc. And yes, I’m a bit high-maintenance so my cosmetics take up some space too……face & eye brushes, shadow primer, foundation primer, concealer, foundation, light eyeshadow, dark eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, eyeliner sealer, lip balm, lip gloss, lip stain, blush, bronzer, moisturizer, eye makeup remover, fash wash. Hair spray, brush, dryer, curling iron, molding paste. Nail care kit. Shower stuff. Lotion. “just in case I start spotting” supplies. Razors. Powder. Any meds I might need “in case”, plus regular ones. Might as well continue……1 planned outfit, 1 spare outfit, something to sleep in, dressy shoes, a book, my netbook + charger, my phone + charger, my ipod, my camera + spare batteries and uh….well….in case I have a “need”, I do need a couple sex toys, yanno. That’s simple – Pure Wand and either the Wahl or a bullet. Simple, sure…..but heavy (remember, the Pure Wand is 1.5 lbs!).

That’s just for a short weekend overnight.

No, seriously.

Back for the last calendar party, when I was going to be in NYC from Thursday-Sunday, I did my best to trim down and use travel bottles. I still barely fit everything and my bag was heavy as fuck. Then, my travel bottles have started leaking, so I just bought new ones (GoToob, they look pretty awesome but since they’re silicone I’ll have to be sure not to put certain cosmetics). I look at that list above and I can’t truly see anything on it that’s not “necessary”. Ok, perhaps the sex toys. Meh, maybe not. With the new bottles, and a resolve to make myself a travel kit for my makeup (small amounts in tiny jars, they’re all loose powders anyways), I hope to find a way to trim down. Both on space and weight. And of course saving time from making lists, running around packing, and then procrastinating for weeks on fully UNpacking. I basically just need to buy duplicates of everything, that’ll solve the packing & unpacking hehehe

Tags: NYC, random thoughts, travels

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