“In The Woods”was an excellent, relaxing and enjoyable experience.  Make certain that you write it on the calendar for next year as one of your must attend Kink events for 2009.  The staff was very helpful and friendly, and connected to everyone in a personal way.  They worked very hard to make certain that all of us were happy and comfortable.

The Workshops were the highest caliber possible and I admire and respect each and every one of the Presenters.

Jay Wiseman is articulate, very bright and thorough with an incredibly dry sense of humor.  When the mosquitoes began attacking at dusk, he commented that we should all be protecting ourselves from nonconsensual blood play by six legged Tops!

Little One and I attended a “Play Piercing Workshop” by Brandon, of Boss Bondage in Oregon.  He is extremely ethical, knowledgeable and precise in imparting blood safety protocols for this unique type of Workshop which involved true piercing procedures and the insertion of small gauge barbells into the skin of one’s partner.  When I asked him what the difference was between the temporary piercing, such as what we were doing, and a permanent one, he said that he wouldn’t teach that to us because the procedures are more complex and that an infection would more than likely occur.

 Now it was our turn to practice what he preached.  I placed and clamped the piercing forceps on Little One’s perky, raspberry sized nipple to center the piercing and readied the needle with a three fingered grasp so that I could push the needle through.  However, the needle seemed to become thicker and more slippery in my hand as I began to push its sharp point through that sweet piece of flesh.  I got it half way through and became worried because I had to push harder to pierce the second half of her nipple.  I don’t mind hurting Lil’ One to get her high, after all I do hit her with whips, but I was worried about damaging her.  With a little bit of blood running down her breast, I fumblingly twisted on the second ball end of the barbell and got it to thread properly on the fourth try and after this experience I do not think I will change my profession to become a Body Piercer.

 I was happy with the end result however I would be hesitant to do it again.  After we admired her new nipple piercing, Lil’ One was so high that she begged me to continue piercing her with hypodermic needles, so we went back to our tent where we began to complete what became a very personal and deliciously intimate Scene.

We didn’t have time to attend Lee Harrington’s or Maria Shadoes Workshops but were able to talk with and spend a little time with each one of them.

 Lee’s workshops are very personal and not about the “how to’s” of executing Scene techniques.  They are more concerned with the deeper inner workings of a person’s authentic self discovered through BDSM.

Maria is beautiful and has a tremendous depth and range of knowledge regarding BDSM, life and bondage; also she connects with others in a personal and direct way.  In one play party Scene, she actually did a self bondage that was an inverted suspension which took my breath away.  All I could say was, “HOT!!!”

I saw Kelly demonstrate a beautiful “Fire and Fire Cupping Scene” which inspired me to want to learn the techniques and how to do it as well.

I wasn’t able to attend Robin Freeman’s Workshop on Needle Play however I did see the results on Icy.  Until then, I had not even begun to imagine the wild, decorative possibilities which could be created with needles.  Robin really thinks OUTSIDE the box and that is exactly why we attend events like ITW. We had a great time and plan to go next year too.

Now that ITW has come and gone, it is the time to prepare for Floating World and we leave for New Jersey and New York in just over two weeks.