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a quick memory of IMsL 2007
Apr. 12th, 2007 04:50 pmInternational Ms. Leather returned to San Francisco in 2007. My club, the Santa Clara County Leather Association (www.SCCLeather.org; damn it's no good not having my usual LJ client to hand)had a 'welcome home' ad in their program book (which kroche did with a little help from me).
The program book... kinda sucked, at least on the important bits, the class schedule. The schedule itself was not well designed and even less well printed... and there was no pocket program! - but, worst of all, classes were listed alphabetically. By presenter, not name. Verra silly. It's interesting to watch another group go through growing pains!
And there were plenty of those, most noticeably at registration early on. However, I give major kudos to all the volunteers who did not run around stressed out of their minds! It makes all the difference in the world. :-) They rocked.
Back to the important and good stuff. Kingwyatt and I stayed in the host hotel Fri. and Sat. nights, which was a pleasure. The room was adequate, and it was lovely not to spend two hours a day driving. A little fridge kept food cool and to hand.
Wyatt and I also went to Leatheredge's Zen Sadism class, which turned out to be about playing with what is to hand; cigars, boots, gloves. I enjoyed the class. Got to smoke a cigar for a bit of ash play. The weather was damp and chilly as we stood outside Hospitality to do the smoking portion... Edge made a couple of comments (gender/trans related) which some folks took a bit of exception to. For whatever reason, I didn't. I know he did chat with at least one person afterwards, which I thought was good. Anyhow, can't go wrong with the subject matter.
(Note on his website; I went eager for promised links and found a pdf book, not so good for resources. I'll print it out to read... someday...)
Over the couple of days, we visited vendors, got our boots done by a few of the bootblack contestants (Boy Moe especially rocked; we never made it to the local favorite, her line was too long). IMsL contestant Joanna was the only one of that group to say Hello (her fantasy in the contest was so hot!). We bid on auction items, chatted with friends (mostly in passing), all that good stuff. The schedule and layout of the hotel was good.
Friday night was opening ceremonies. We (SCCLA) did color guard, with The Marine as our sergeant; she did a great job, appearing quite patient to untrained eyes :-) . Our ACLC (Alameda County Leather Corps) brethren made us slightly nervous by being late, but things came together well. I hear we looked hot! I haven't seen any pics yet though. First time for carrying the US flag for me, that was kinda cool. Amusing how stuff I think I'm too cool to consider cool is nonetheless cool. lol
After ceremonies, I had a Dungeon Monitor shift. Appears plenty of on-site volunteers manifested; though the DM kits, cleaning supplies, etc, generally did not. And I didn't get an equipment tour and the like, which left me feeling a bit stupid a couple of times, but I did the best I could. Anyhow, the shift went smoothly enough. I visited the men's only dungeon a couple time, but no one ever played, so back to the pansexual dungeon for me.
Saturday we slept really late. In the afternoon I went to Slave Pug's workshop on doing what you fear, which I got a few good tidbits out of, which is cool. It ended with a little self-piercing ritual, which I really liked, as I like using ritual and spirituality in my SM; or is it SM in my ritual...
The contest itself flowed well. Again, the staff did a wonderful job. It was great having the bootblacks in the opening number, it really made them 'party of' the contest, rather than an add on. Go Evilmommy! -- interestingly, the majority of the IMsL contestants were femme, and all the bootblacks were butches. Social change of some sort.
Saturday evening, we worked shifts at Bootdog's bootblack party, helped by ACLC and SCCLA. Wyatt worked most of the party! I spent the first chunk of time with a cigar on the patio. Bootdog had a great layout, with bootblack around the space. Of course, a winner's toast was imposed on the party and then never showed up... but hey, all were partying by then. :-) I like working as a bar tender (of simple 'and' drinks); it's a good way to be social.
Sunday we slept late again, eventually checked out.. meanwhile running into PiercingWit yet again, and somehow finding ourselves volunteering to come back at 10pm to take down the Erector set of the bondage room. The afternoon was half a bust; it was Easter, and we hadn't realized that meant the Castro would be packed (nor did we know a theater with 14 movies could hold nothing the two of us both wanted to see). In the end, we did find a really good place for a relaxed dinner.
Back early at the take down: it was a bunch of lighting rigging, Midori's big spiderweb, plus some extra hanging straps. I got up on a ladder to take the straps down, and work on the webbing from the top once it was loosened enough on the bottom by others. It was a crew of about six in the end, unbolting, bracing, taking the big stands down.
Got home really late. Were cranky by the time we got there, but got over there. It was actually rather cool to realize 'hey I'm cranky 'cause it's late, let it go, finish the weekend happily'. That counts for something.
Hats off to all who did so much work in creating this event for the leather community. I hope ya'll learned a lot of lessons. :-) I think you earned a lot of belief, and should have more volunteers next year!
The program book... kinda sucked, at least on the important bits, the class schedule. The schedule itself was not well designed and even less well printed... and there was no pocket program! - but, worst of all, classes were listed alphabetically. By presenter, not name. Verra silly. It's interesting to watch another group go through growing pains!
And there were plenty of those, most noticeably at registration early on. However, I give major kudos to all the volunteers who did not run around stressed out of their minds! It makes all the difference in the world. :-) They rocked.
Back to the important and good stuff. Kingwyatt and I stayed in the host hotel Fri. and Sat. nights, which was a pleasure. The room was adequate, and it was lovely not to spend two hours a day driving. A little fridge kept food cool and to hand.
Wyatt and I also went to Leatheredge's Zen Sadism class, which turned out to be about playing with what is to hand; cigars, boots, gloves. I enjoyed the class. Got to smoke a cigar for a bit of ash play. The weather was damp and chilly as we stood outside Hospitality to do the smoking portion... Edge made a couple of comments (gender/trans related) which some folks took a bit of exception to. For whatever reason, I didn't. I know he did chat with at least one person afterwards, which I thought was good. Anyhow, can't go wrong with the subject matter.
(Note on his website; I went eager for promised links and found a pdf book, not so good for resources. I'll print it out to read... someday...)
Over the couple of days, we visited vendors, got our boots done by a few of the bootblack contestants (Boy Moe especially rocked; we never made it to the local favorite, her line was too long). IMsL contestant Joanna was the only one of that group to say Hello (her fantasy in the contest was so hot!). We bid on auction items, chatted with friends (mostly in passing), all that good stuff. The schedule and layout of the hotel was good.
Friday night was opening ceremonies. We (SCCLA) did color guard, with The Marine as our sergeant; she did a great job, appearing quite patient to untrained eyes :-) . Our ACLC (Alameda County Leather Corps) brethren made us slightly nervous by being late, but things came together well. I hear we looked hot! I haven't seen any pics yet though. First time for carrying the US flag for me, that was kinda cool. Amusing how stuff I think I'm too cool to consider cool is nonetheless cool. lol
After ceremonies, I had a Dungeon Monitor shift. Appears plenty of on-site volunteers manifested; though the DM kits, cleaning supplies, etc, generally did not. And I didn't get an equipment tour and the like, which left me feeling a bit stupid a couple of times, but I did the best I could. Anyhow, the shift went smoothly enough. I visited the men's only dungeon a couple time, but no one ever played, so back to the pansexual dungeon for me.
Saturday we slept really late. In the afternoon I went to Slave Pug's workshop on doing what you fear, which I got a few good tidbits out of, which is cool. It ended with a little self-piercing ritual, which I really liked, as I like using ritual and spirituality in my SM; or is it SM in my ritual...
The contest itself flowed well. Again, the staff did a wonderful job. It was great having the bootblacks in the opening number, it really made them 'party of' the contest, rather than an add on. Go Evilmommy! -- interestingly, the majority of the IMsL contestants were femme, and all the bootblacks were butches. Social change of some sort.
Saturday evening, we worked shifts at Bootdog's bootblack party, helped by ACLC and SCCLA. Wyatt worked most of the party! I spent the first chunk of time with a cigar on the patio. Bootdog had a great layout, with bootblack around the space. Of course, a winner's toast was imposed on the party and then never showed up... but hey, all were partying by then. :-) I like working as a bar tender (of simple 'and' drinks); it's a good way to be social.
Sunday we slept late again, eventually checked out.. meanwhile running into PiercingWit yet again, and somehow finding ourselves volunteering to come back at 10pm to take down the Erector set of the bondage room. The afternoon was half a bust; it was Easter, and we hadn't realized that meant the Castro would be packed (nor did we know a theater with 14 movies could hold nothing the two of us both wanted to see). In the end, we did find a really good place for a relaxed dinner.
Back early at the take down: it was a bunch of lighting rigging, Midori's big spiderweb, plus some extra hanging straps. I got up on a ladder to take the straps down, and work on the webbing from the top once it was loosened enough on the bottom by others. It was a crew of about six in the end, unbolting, bracing, taking the big stands down.
Got home really late. Were cranky by the time we got there, but got over there. It was actually rather cool to realize 'hey I'm cranky 'cause it's late, let it go, finish the weekend happily'. That counts for something.
Hats off to all who did so much work in creating this event for the leather community. I hope ya'll learned a lot of lessons. :-) I think you earned a lot of belief, and should have more volunteers next year!
