Halfway Between

I did a boudoir shoot.

For me. because I wanted to.

I'm not at any kind of goal weight. In fact I'm right about in the middle of my low and high weights over recent years.

But I feel sexy and I want to enjoy that. I want to appreciate my body for what it is, right now. Do I succeed? Sometimes. I can't stand some of the photos - dimples and rolls and funny shapes. Others I look at and think "DAMN, go girl!" So overall I'm happy.

Nothing else is really new, I'm just sharing because I am mostly keeping these to myself (and my boyfriend and girlfriend)

Not perfect, still here, still kicking.

But Doth Suffer a Sea Change

Blogger has somehow glitched on my naughty pics from last post. I'm mad about this, so you get another semi-naughty pic. Hi.

I'm still dating the couple I met last July and I'm very happy with where we're at. They've become good friends and not just fuckbuddies.

My weird little theater gang is still in touch in our largely awkward introverted way. Ophelia recently broke her year of silence to apologize for how she behaved when things went wrong between us. I told her I appreciated her words and wished her well.

My doctor did eliminate my lifting restrictions, and I have a real proper hospital job again. It's not perfect, it's extremely physically demanding, and it's stressful, but it's where I want to be. I still struggle with some pain issues, but it's manageable.

My weight hasn't changed much this year. It's objectively higher than healthy, and I'm struggling with getting back to healthy, but I know I'll get there.

My bachelor's course work has been on hold while I get used to hospital work again, but I'm working on getting my academic gears unstuck.

Life is... good.

It's been a while

Blogger is being stupid and won't let me resize photos for some reason, so I apologize for the giant ass that's about to attack your screen (this post is slightly NSFW)



I'm doing that craft fair Halloween weekend and I have almost nothing made. And the current forecast HIGH for the day is 55* F (13* C)... It's outdoors, mostly after sunset. I may die of hypothermia. But I'll be there with a friend so we can die of hypothermia together in an arty way.



I'm still dating the couple I started talking to in July and it's really nice. They live in a smaller college town nearby, but it's still a 45 minute drive, which suits my introverted nature entirely too well. We talk a lot but we haven't had a proper date but a handful of times. It keeps things from getting too overwhelming. I'm happy with where we're at.



I used our date to the Rocky Horror Picture Show (my first) as an excuse to buy my first corset, and leave the house in that and fishnets and... not much else. I enjoy the corset very much. I feel amazing in it, and it has so much adjustability that it won't be wasted when my weight fluctuates back down.

I'm on track with my bachelor's program. My physical therapist said I don't need her anymore, and I have an appointment with my doc on the 24th to see about getting lifting restrictions (which I've already blown out of the water - the PT suggested I look into proper weight training because I love it so much) eliminated.

Things are busy-good. I'm good-tired. I'm always tired, but I suppose that will never change.

Shifting Sand

I'm stretching myself in strange, uncomfortable but satisfying ways.

I have an associate's degree in nursing, the minimum required to obtain my license as a Registered Nurse. On July 1 I started a web-based BSN program. Not because I really want to, but it is necessary for career mobility. I hope it will be a good thing.

July also marked my return to physical therapy and a full dedication to regaining my strength. I am not pain-free, but pain is mild and manageable, and after just over a month I have seen enormous improvement in my physical ability.

That same month I introduced myself to a couple and very unexpectedly really hit it off.

The sad thing with Anthony and Ophelia is that we handled the sex thing pretty well, it was a night where I discovered a fundamental difference in how we define and value consent because of what she allowed someone else to do in their home... that was after the physical part ended, and that was the beginning of the end. I'm sad, but it doesn't hurt anymore. Anthony isn't really in touch and I didn't expect him to be, and gone are the days when I'll put more of myself into a friendship than someone else is willing. We play Words With Friends on occasion.

Regardless, I want to come away from that hurt smarter and stronger, and I believe I have. And I'm exploring what I want in new ways.

I have not seen anyone else from Drama Club since Anthony moved. I hate that they are all flaky introverts and our friendship is pretty much digital now... but will hopefully get to see most of them at a planned art night the weekend after the eclipse. A darling whom I shall call Cricket is hosting. Cricket was involved in several theater shenanigans and has always been lovely, but a little more peripheral to my serious friendships that have been mentioned here.

Cricket is young, a kind and lovely soul, an art major. We are going to do an art sales booth together at a downtown Halloween festival after-party in October - her paintings, my clay things.

I pick up my mom from Up North then head to Tornado Alley this weekend to see the total solar eclipse on Monday with Bro & Mrs. Bro at their place, then make the return journey during the week. I'm not sure exactly how good or bad this family visit might be... Sis in law targeted me during one of her apparently monthly disconnects with reality, shortly after Ophelia lost her crackers at me for the last time, and I have a small tolerance for baloney right now. We shall see.

I'm here

I'm busy, I'm tired. Lots of wheels are in motion to hopefully make life better.

Things are already a lot better since Ophelia lost her shit and blocked me (I changed my view of her FB posts without telling her which means I don't trust her so we can't be friends. And why would I trust someone who goes from "we're fine" to "get out of my life" over a FB setting? So...). My perspective of her has shifted since I've seen the ugly behavior she thinks is okay even when she's not in the middle of a mental health crisis, and her behavior the last day we talked was a breaking point for me too. Live and learn.

More on other life soonish.

I'm so lost and tired. I had my a laparascopic cholecystectomy last week, meaning they cut my gallbladder away and pulled it out through an incision in my belly button. Recovery has been harder than I expected.

Everything is so ugly and tangled in my head right now. Ophelia said she'd talk to me about her experiences with local care but she keeps forgetting, and I told her I don't feel ok continuing to ask. She says she'll talk to me tonight.

Anthony is moving in a week an a half.

The rest of the group... They don't make plans, they rarely join plans, they are introverted and flaky. I feel like things are Ending for all of us and it is the worst feeling.

I feel so, so alone and lonely. I can't even keep friends.

I went to Pride this weekend, despite the sore and puffy belly, and met some ladies from a (state) local women's group I stumbled across a few months ago. I think there are some really nice people; I'm going to try to make myself go to the monthly group outing in a few weeks.

In the meantime... I'm glad to have Percocet. I definitely need it for pain but I've also been too gorked to feel much of anything. I'm tired of feeling.

Kinky

So that you know where I'm coming from, as I don't care to discuss everything that fed into the last post, here is where I stand.

There is a difference between giving someone your power and having your power taken away. One is kink, the other is rape. If you find it sexy to give up your power, even if it's something I wouldn't like (and some things I definitely do like), more power to you. Power play is about trust, not force.
If you take someone's power by force, you have committed a crime. If you think it's sexy to create or consume fantasies (role play, porn, etc) about taking someone's power, you are saying rape is sexy. You're saying the act of force is what makes the experience enjoyable. I believe that is harmful even if it's carried out by consenting adults. That crosses a line for me and I do not apologize for not being ok with rape fantasy. If you are simulating raping a child, you are fantasizing about a situation where the person is literally incapable of providing consent. That crosses another line altogether. While I might cringe at the idea of rape fantasy, enjoying and defending child rape fantasy is something I don't need in my life.

For the most part I don't care so long as it's not being physically or verbally carried on in front of me. I don't screen people for their sexual preferences before I decide if we can be friends.

But some things are definitely justification for severing ties. Telling me that being sex positive means never evaluating if a sexual practice (even if done by choice) is harmful to the people who engage in it or to society as a whole... and not being allowed to speak up if I believe it is harmful... that is an irreconcilable difference for any kind of relationship with me.