Browsing: lifestyle

I ended my last blog with a question: What are some reasons that couples take a break from swinging? Over dinner with the Wonderfuls, we learned their answer – they were not stepping toward monogamy again. Instead, they had stepped in the opposite direction toward polyamory.

BDSM is a great, big, wide world. It can be scary, intimidating, cruel (and not in a fun way), cold and defiant. It takes a great deal of patience, self-discipline and strength to pursue this lifestyle. You should definitely be comfortable with who you are as a person, and where you fit before you delve too deeply into it. The base line in all of your relationships should be always be trust.

I have seen a few people in my years of being Poly who say or infer that they have a constant need to be told they aren’t being replaced. This tends to be a recurring problem with some newbies or people interested in exploring what the non-monogamous life is all about.

There are a lot of gray areas in life, but I’ve tended to live mine in a black-or-white, all-or-nothing sort of way. Standing in the middle requires a lot of stamina and patience. The first I can manage if something is worth the effort, but the second? Um, yeah… Pardon me as I try to shake off a sudden vision of friends and family laughing so hard that they’re gasping for breath.

WANTED: Male partner in crime with a sharp mind, sound body and tarnished soul for sexual exploration and debauchery. You must be strong willed, enjoy the rush of intensity and expect both from your partner. I’m seeking a man strong enough to take me, but secure enough to be taken. Dependability will be rewarded with the trust needed to push boundaries. I’m a challenge. Are you up for it?

There are times in the Lifestyle when we are certain of things. Our choices and decisions are solid and we know what we need and want in any given moment. But, we also run into moments where we are uncertain. Times when we don’t know what to do and we depend on our partners to help us figure things out. But there are some things we can only count on ourselves for. One of them is knowing what we want and need in our relationships and if we are settling in the process.

We’ve all heard the coined phrase seen in many swinger profiles, many of us have encountered it and even some have experienced first hand the concept of taking one for the team in the swinging community. But, what exactly does this mean?