As you all know, things change and evolve. Some for the better, some not so much. One of the things that I hope is for the better is bringing in Annachie Enterprises, run by a good friend of mine, to not only manage my website for me but also to provide a store. It’s always been my dream to offer a “one stop shopping” solution for all my videos, regardless of whom I make them for, and Annachie will do just that.

Over the next couple weeks you should see the store go live, and I encourage you all to, at the very least, enjoy the new galleries for my videos that will be up, as well as some tasty video trailers as well.

Annachie has an ultimate goal: They want me to direct original content for them as well, so soon there will be exclusive films available right here as well. From there the possibilities are endless, including someunique bdsm sites that we are starting to develop.

So join me in welcoming Annachie Enterprises and make sure, when the store goes live, to pick up any of my videos that you may not already own to complete your collection.

And yes, this will also hopefully free me up to write more. Woooo, hooooo!!!!

TS

There’s a thing here in Southern California called “June Gloom”. It doesn’t refer to your mood, but rather the clouds that roll in during the month. Now I personally love June Gloom. It takes the heat off the day and reminds me of my childhood growing up in the forests. But most Californians complain about it for some reason, as if 355 days of sun in a year just isn’t enough… I hate those people.

I don’t know what that had to do with anything, but it seems to serve as a good title on my update of June as we wind into July. I finished the edit on “Sisters” and I’m very pleased. The ladies did great with both their performances, Madison suffered well, and it was fairly easy to cut. I’m now waiting on music, which is being composed. I’m told Gwenmedia will release it in August.

I’m now preparing for my next film, tentatively called “Captive”. This will be a very different film from my usual fair. I’m trying two things. First off, it’s a psychological piece. Ian Rath (at Fetish Nation) and I had always toyed with the idea of doing some sort of interrogation film and though this is different, it got me to thinking. Also, one of my favorite mainstream films along those lines is “Marathon Man”, in which Dustin Hoffman is tortured with the ill-fated words, “Is it safe?” over and over again. So when I thought of that, I thought what would it be like if a young lady stumbled into the wrong building and was mistaken for someone else. It’ll be interesting. I’m hoping I can keep the tension and interest high despite the different approach. We’ll see.

The second experiment is trying to do a film in one day. Typically I make my films in two or three days, and as you might guess, which makes my films more expensive. Now I don’t want to scrimp on projects that need that time (such as the upcoming Ivy Manor 6 shoot, which involves pony girls… weee!), but I should be able to make a film in a day if I try. So I guess we’ll see!

In other news… I shot Mz. Berlin’s directorial debut a few weeks ago. It stars herself and Princess Donna of Kink.com fame. We had a great time and the footage so far looks amazing. Make sure to get that video when it comes out. I’ll keep you posted.

On the “M” front… we’re having fun together, exploring various devious concepts of mine. The sensory deprivation stuff is getting serious now as we build next to an hour and a half. I’m starting to talk about a custom body mold so I can construct a full enclosure sarcophagus for her. Needless to say that will be a big step. I’ll need to get an EKG machine and a breath sensor to monitor her carefully since I won’t be able to see her. I’ve realized now that I need to forego rubber enclosure because it can get very hot, which is fun for short term but not fun for long term. Ideally she needs to be as comfortable as possible so we don’t have circulation issues and such. There’s a lot of safety that goes into this, folks, just so you don’t run off and stick your gf/bf into a bag and walk off!

I’m off to Burning Man this year. M invited me. At first I thought it would be just a fun experience, but I’m starting to get excited about it. I think “fun experience” is an understatement. The more I learn about it the more fascinated I am about it, and the more i want to participate. I’m trying not to get too worked up. My real goal is just to “be” when I go, not to run around crazy trying to do stuff. It’s a zen thing for me, but I’m very excited.

Finally, I’m really trying to write a new story for you all. Life has been crazy and I haven’t had much time to sit and concoct something good, but something has been brewing and I hope to find some time soon to jot it down. In the meantime, hang in there and keep commenting. At least it tells me you’re still out there.

TS

I’ve been meaning to put this up to accompany M’s comments below, but I just plain forgot. Here it is now. She did the full hour like this. The controlling computer is behind her.

I spent the night with Mr. Fitzgerald last night and am happy to report to all you sensory dep junkies that I spent a full hour in a spandex sleep sack and hood. A hitachi was strapped to me with a custom vibe harness that my Mad Scientist had made, and I was strapped securely with leather straps around my arms and legs. A ball gag from Sinvention, then a spandex hood with no openings and a posture collar completed my condition. Of course, white noise was piped into my noggin and my rules played at different levels during my time, spoken by TMS himself.

I’m always nervous when we conduct a sensory dep experiment, and last night was no exception. TMS put everything out on the bed and left it there while he ran out to complete an errand. I surveyed his implements of control a few times, passing through the bedroom in the hotel room. (We were out of town, running an errand.) I usually try to bargain for less time, but didn’t this time. I was actually looking forward to some time at Mr. Fitzgerald’s mercy. We’ve been so busy with work and life and planning work and life lately that we haven’t gotten to tinker with, well, me.

When TMS got back from his errand, he called me into the bedroom and had me strip down, then lay on the bed. They he began applying one device after another. Hitachi, straps, body bag, ear plugs, ear muffs, ball gag, hood, collar. All of the wires were hooked up to his laptop and he said that my time was beginning. He ran his hand over my bound body and the sound kicked in. White noise sounds like the ocean. Listening to it at even a low level blocks out a lot of what you can hear. At a medium level, and combined with spoken words, I couldn’t hear anything. I think that TMS has tested this by snapping near my ear, but I’m not sure. I can’t ever see him! =) The earmuffs that go over the ear buds cut out even more sound and put me deeper into my own little world. They keep any compression from hurting my ears, which is especially nice with latex.

I couldn’t really see through the spandex hood. I think it has a built in blindfold. Combined with the white noise and the light compression of the spandex, and the bondage it felt like I was in a cocoon. I felt a little anxious as I tested my bondage, but it was an easy panic to fight because of the white noise lulling me into a state of calm. The posture collar and gag were harder to relax into. It sort of mentally separated my head from my body. I was segmented, and very aware of that.

My rules kicked in almost immediately, along with a question that required a response. TMS played it a few times manually until I got the idea, then he set it on random with the others. I didn’t know this until afterwards, of course. I just knew that the question kept repeating, so I tried to answer it. I’m sure I sounded ridiculous, but perhaps that was the point.  My rules played at random intervals. The vibrator kicked on and off randomly. Sometimes for a few moments, sometimes for a while. It was rather frustrating. When the white noise would play and the vibe was off, it was very peaceful and relaxing and blissful. When a rule would play, it would be, basically, my minds’ only focal point. The same with the vibrator. It was a lot of fun, and I really liked the element of unpredictability.

The whole experience resulted in a very dreamy, submissive and slightly sweaty me. I’m really proud that I did the whole hour. We’ve done 1/2 an hour in heavy rubber and shorter stints as well. The compression of the latex sends me into a bit of a panic. The spandex breathes a bit more, so maybe that’s why it’s seems more sustainable, in my head. I do adore latex hoods, though.

Well, that was my adventure. I hope that y’all have some questions. Also, I think that Mr. Fitzgerald got a photo or two of me being “tormented”. I’m sure we can talk him into posting them

xo

M.

I’ve been having some good conversations of late about both my experiments in sensory deprivation and what the actual concept of sensory dep is. Clearly, I’m not truly trying to achieve sensory deprivation. As you might imagine from the name, the practice is actually a total removal of sensory input. This means no sight, no sound, no touch. This is difficult to achieve, and real practitioners employ some unique, and decidedly kinky-centric tools to do so.

I’ve mentioned the movie “Altered States” before. In it, the lead character is attempting to get in touch with the origins of man through the experience of removing all senses. It had something to do with accessing primal man when modern inputs are removed… or something like that.  In the film they utilize special tanks that contain a particular mixture of saline solution to create a neutral buoyancy to anyone floating in it. Thus enclosed, with no light inside, and no sound allowed to enter, the participant floats. It’s pretty cool, ultimately, but not exactly as hot as I personally would go for.

In my experiments, I’m less interested in removing input as controlling it. Yes, by definition for me, I remove a number of the senses via hoods, ear plugs, latex body suits and the like. But in my world I take it a bit further. I like to, first of all, remove all ability to move. This is solely a BDSM concept, not one that a true sense dep practitioner employs. But for us, that’s a big part of the experience. Second, I do like to remove sight and sound, but I like to feed sound back into the “victim” via ear plugs. First off, white noise is an excellent cancellation device, removing external sound input but replacing it by a sort of ambiance that occupies the mind and fills the head. In some experiments with “M” I like to also feed in random, whispered instructions, for example her rules, that blend in with the white noise. And, as we all know, I like to randomize some electrical inputs as well as vibrator action. Some say this defeats the purpose of trying for sensory deprivation, but again it is more about controlling the input rather than just removing them. One of “M”’s greatest fears/loves is that she is controlled by a computer, randomly shock or vibrated, or fed instructions, without human input. That’s pretty erotic, in my mind.

Finally, I’m often asked what I get out of it. In a word: Control. I love the idea of controlling someone to such a level that they are dependent on me. And in this case, I hand off that control to something else, the computer. Once “M” is strapped down and all systems are on, I sit back, often in another room, watching her on my little camera feed, or sometimes in the same room, enjoying her reactions to the inputs or her subtle attempts to struggle. But even more than that, I love the idea of a submissive partner willingly giving me this ability. That is true control, when your partner is happy to experiment with you, to try new things and share in your own fantasies. So even though it may seem boring to watch a person so immobilized that little motion is visible, it is the overall concept that keeps it very entertaining to me.

One note on safety: I do not suggest or support anyone who tries this willy nilly. Sensory deprivation or long term bondage is fun but very taxing, both mentally and physically, on the submissive. Remember that when your partner is locked away, hooded and gagged, unable to move, even the slightest input will seem intense. Take the proper precautions, like testing the electrical settings BEFORE your partner is hooded to ensure the levels are manageable. No worries; once everything is in place even a light shock will seem intense. And NEVER, NEVER, NEVER leave your partner unattended. I am always in the room or watching close by. I never leave “M” alone truly, though I may make her thing I have. I think, deep down, she knows I’m there somewhere. That’s very important. Play hard, but play safe! Then you can do it again next week!

TS

Sorry for the slow update. I really needed to rest after my “Sisters” shoot. I still feel like it was this week, but now realize it was almost two weeks ago we started shooting it.

The shoot went great. It was a pleasure working with everybody. Mz. Berlin and Madison Young were fun and energetic (two requirements on my sets), and worked very well together. I laughed when Madison wondered when she was going to get tied up. All the early scenes had very little bondage in them for her. It reminded me of Jewell Marceau in the early days of the Ivy Manor series. We had shot a whole day of the first Ivy Manor and she asked me, with some frustration, “When are you going to tie me up?!” As we all know, she got her wish soon enough!

Madison had some tough BDSM/D/s scenes, all of which she handled like a professional. Berlin had to deliver a ton of dialogue but did so like a champ. Both of them, only after a couple rehearsals, seemed to grasp the dialogue, which is better than most mainstream actors. I’m proud of them both, and hope to work with them again soon.

One of the longest shoots I’ve ever had, (only “Undercover”, at four days, was longer), it went fairly well. I’m in editorial now, so we’ll see how it all falls together.

In other news…

M and I drove up north last weekend for her birthday. I had a great time seeing the California coastline through her eyes.

She hadn’t really had a chance to see much of it ever, and driving through Big Sur is like seeing the beach on steroids. We enjoyed both the sunny version, with huge crashing waves on the rocks, and the moody, cloudy version on the way back. I had a wonderful time. She’s such a pleasure to hang out with. Based on her blog entry, I think she had fun, too. I managed to torment her a bit, with electrical on the way up and some good old D/s throughout. It was great having her wear her seamless collar a lot, and I loved the contrast of her elegantly dressed with her new septum ring. I think that stuff us hot.

We also went to Hearst Castle. I love this picture of M looking out over the big pool. Security was on her like fleas on a dog though, as she just briefly and quite accidentally, touched the column beside her. I guess they really are sensitive about anybody touching the place! It wasn’t as bad as some guy later on, leaning against a 3000 year old urn!

I’ve got a shoot this weekend then I’m deep in editorial for a couple weeks. More later.

TS

Another note from M responding to some questions (FYI, she calls me, among other things, The Mad Scientist, or TMS for short):

What was it like to spend almost 5 hours alone in a locked cage?

Awesome. Quieting. Safe.

I loved it. 

I spent 4 hours, 37 minutes and 46 seconds locked in a cage, in a room, by myself in a locked house. TMS plays football on Saturdays and it starts far too early for me to tag along. We thought it might be fun for me to stay locked up while he was gone, and the cage seemed perfect. He was worried about leaving me locked by myself, but I thought that was what made it awesome. Once we’d had our initial discussion he went into overdrive making his system for remote viewing work. Ultimately, he was fed images on his cell phone that refreshed every few seconds. Not exactly real time, but only a blink before it. I was very excited all week to be locked up for a morning. I seem to always be moving and going and talking and thinking and I forget to just BE. I’ve spent extended time in cages before, and have always enjoyed it. I’ve never spent time alone with this amount of isolation, or with the knowledge that I could be watched, which I found incredibly hot. A sleepy and naked me was led to the cage early Saturday morning and I was locked inside. A key to the lock was placed barely out of reach above the cage. If I had taken the key off, I’m not sure that I could have gotten it back on once I’d locked myself in. My cell phone was placed outside of the cage along with a bottle of water and a few other entertaining items. I loved the solitude that morning and TMS enjoyed knowing exactly where I was and what I was doing.  I think that those few hours were wonderfully centering for me, and gave me the opportunity to think about my submission, our relationship, my life in general. I’ve found that the time I spend in some form of extended bondage (even my collar at night) is far more contemplative than other times. 

Forces of evil (or is it good?) seem to have conspired against me this weekend. First off, it decided to be ridiculously hot this weekend, and then my air conditioner went south on me. I know I’m a sadist, but even I didn’t want to put “M” in rubber and watch her squirm for an hour, no matter how disappointed I was. So, we’ll all have to wait for the hour encasement experience.  Being cruel, I instead took “M” to a street faire and made her look at vegetables. I don’t know if it was torture for her, but it was a little bit for me. “M” looked at kittens and I had to talk her out of adopting 20 of them. I think she’s too young to become a cat woman, though maybe when she moves to France it will fit her better. (Now if she wants to be Catwoman, including the suit, I can get behind that!) I’m gearing up for some new videos over the next couple months, as well as finishing up a story or two. I’ll keep you posted here. Later. TS

I asked “M” to comment on a few of the questions we’ve been getting about our relationship and her experiences. Here’s part one of that comment. This is taken from her Live Journal Blog. Make sure to check it out when you have a chance, HERE. 

Last weekend I stayed over at Mr. Fitzgerald’s house. While staying over at your dominant partners’ house usually doesn’t garner lots of attention, this particular visit did (as well as the one before) because he posted pictures on his website and his own LJ, which resulted in lots of notes to both of us. Everyone seems to want to know all about our relationship. While some things are private with our relationship, we’ve both agreed that it’s OK to blog about the D/s mechanics of our relationship. (And, after the deluge of emails he received regarding my experience with him, sensory dep and our D/s relationship, I’ve been given a writing assignment. Ha!) 

“Write a blog”, he said. “Or else.”

So here I am. Spilling my guts on the internet. I’ve decided to do it in a Q and A format, just to keep myself organized, if not you. I’ll answer a few basic questions and write about our past few documented (and undocumented) experiences. Read at your own risk. 

What’s the deal?

We’re in a D/s relationship. That is, a structured relationship that follows specific protocols and procedures.A D/s relationship is built upon a foundation of basic rules, at least in my experience. TMS is a bit more elaborate than “basic”, and I have a two page print out of my rules taped to my wall, next to my desk. Every morning, before 9:45, unless I’m out of town or indisposed in a pre-discussed fashion, I call and check in with him to let him know that I’m awake and have read my rules. A few times I’ve gotten in late from work and been allowed to sleep in, but it’s one of the tasks that I’m better at.

I’m periodically quizzed on my rules, but TMS seems far more concerned with the application and enforcement of said rules than with the actual recitation, which I appreciate. Personally, I think he does that on purpose so I’m not used to saying them aloud for another person and he has the chance to correct me. (!?!?) I follow my rules fairly well, although I am not always posture perfect. I struggle with that, especially while sitting at my desk. At least once a day, I’ll be sitting here and the printed list will catch my eye and remind me to sit up straight. Which isn’t to say that it isn’t awesome and fun and that we don’t laugh and act silly, sometimes. But our basic D/s protocol never goes away. It’s always there, which I love. Consistency is my favorite thing. Really. The other component of our relationship is a romantic one. We go on dates and send really dorky text messages and make fun of people at The Beverly Center and attend dinner parties. The basic structure outlined in the rules doesn’t change, although its’ usually modified in some way to suit the occasion.

So, that’s the foundation of our relationship, in a literal sense. 

What did you think when you were in The Chair?

When I first saw The Chair I didn’t fully understand how it worked. TMS likes to take my glasses away so I can’t see, and I’m blind as a bat. You can’t see it super clearly in the photo, but I’m wearing heavy leather mittens that are forcing my hands into little fists. These were applied first. Then he locked me into the chair. It took some maneuvering, as the chair is a bit big for me. Once my feet were in I had to hunch over a bit to get my hands into the cuffs. I was sort of balancing on my ass cheek/upper thighs and then counter balancing with pressure on the tops of my feet. Stress position, indeed! 

After I was all locked in, TMS abruptly got up walked to the door, made a show of turning off the light and quickly closed the door. Obviously, I saw him move towards the door, but had no idea that he was heading out. I wasn’t surprised, but after a few moments of darkness and balancing on cold metal I started to panic a bit. Then I thought of something that he tells me quite often. “I’ll always be watching you”, he says. “Even when I’m not there.” I looked up, and looked around the room for a camera but couldn’t see clearly enough to even make out if I was anchored to anything, or if there was a visible camera. As I was looking around, the door burst open and light flooded the room. He came directly over and told me that he had been watching me on camera.I was sure he was going to let me out and I breathed a sigh of relief and rested my head on his chest, relieving some of the pressure in my legs, back and feet. 

But a strap was brought out and introduced to my inner thighs. Many times. My inner thighs have nightmares about impact implements. This is a prime example of “why”. 

Then he did something really mean.

He pushed me backwards. Not over, but against the metal the other way. He made me sit up straight. 

Begging and whining ensued. Real begging and whining. 

He was relentless.

It was horrible.

“Do it for me.” 

(When he says that, it really gets to me.)

I stopped whining and began begging in earnest. 

After a few moments he looked at me thoughtfully, and then let me rest my head on his chest again.The chair got a lot more comfortable at that moment, almost bearable. I was certain that my ordeal was over, that he was going to unlock me. I started to feel relieved. I looked up at him. He looked down at me thoughtfully. Then he stepped away, putting me back into the horrible balancing state. To get the keys out of his pocket? Ha! Nope.

To get a hood out of the cabinet. 

I was then laced into a leather hood. After the knot was secured, he stepped away again.I heard the switch click off and the door shut. I never panicked the second time. I was able to focus and let go and just be in that unforgiving chair. I always have to regulate my breathing in hoods or I get panicky and I focused on that. Breathe in, breathe out. I focused on my personal mantra and endured.Time flew by pretty quickly once I worked out a breathing pattern. Then he was back, and the hood was off and I was unlocked. I’m still not sure how long he was gone, but I’d assume that it was under 15 minutes. 

Final report- I loved it.

It seemed easier to sink into the chair with the hood on. Hoods freak me out a bit if I’m looking at them, but I like to be in them. I don’t like interacting with people wearing them (usually. rubberbound has been the exception to this.), but I simply love them. 

As a sidenote, my favorite hood so far, besides multiple latex hoods, which are different, has been the Isolation Hood from Sinvention. Sinvention also makes the collar that I sleep in, a padded 2.5″ black leather collar that I attach to a chain that is locked onto my headboard.

Is he as mean/crafty/intense as his stories/films? Is he into x, y or z like in his stories?

An emphatic “Yes” and “Mostly” respectively.

The sensory dep/long term bondage/modification/control aspects are all present in our current relationship framework. The only discernable difference between the written version and the real life version is sustainability. The written (or filmed) version is usually more severe and the situation doesn’t lend itself to sustainability. So, we’re going for sensory dep, but not three weeks’ worth. Our current goal is 12 hours. (I do my first full hour this weekend. I’m rather nervous about this “experiment”. )

Well, there you have it. Answers to three questions that we both have gotten a lot of mail/blog comments over. Which I’ve been flattered by, by the way. His response has been overwhelming and I’m honored and amazed by the curiosity. I’ve never gotten so many kind and inquiring notes regarding my love life, but I (and he) ask for it by blogging in public forums. And, in all honesty (and you knew this if you’re a Faithful Reader), I don’t mind sharing. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to have these experiences and to have a groovy dude in my life. 

I must get to bed. 

As Always

TFFMB

and sometimes M  

As you loyal readers know, my latest pursuit is the advancement of my own brand of sensory deprivation, using the lovely “M” as my victim…, er, I mean subject. It’s not really sensory deprivation as much as sensory control. The idea is to remove as much input as possible, including sight, sound and touch, with the exception of the material holding and binding the subject. True sensory dep would involve floating the subject in a form of saline solution to maintain neutral bouyancy, then removing sight and sound via darkness and a sealed environment. If you’ve seen the movie “Altered States”, this is a great flick to show you what real sensory deprivation is. 

But heck, that’s no fun for this kinky guy! So I wanted an experience of sensory control. In the final image in my head, the subject would be encased completely in rubber, then sealed in a box that removed all ability for motion, right down to the fingers. The addition of shock curcuits and a vibrator are part of the control factor. I love the idea of a computer program running a sequence of both tormenting and pleasure giving devices on the subject’s body, activated at random and with no warning to the subject. 

Finally, rather than simply inserting ear plugs, I feed white noise into the ear to fully block out any sound input. The addition of some sort of padding outside the ear helps ensure complete silence. Mixed in with this white noise are the subjects submissive rules, activated randomly, and some requiring a response. The goal here would be utilizing voice recognition software to “test” the subject on rules. If she fails, an additional shock unit would activate to punish the error. 

All that being said, I’m continually improving the design while also slowly training “M” to endure not only longer periods of time but also an increased immobility. 

The current stage involves an advancement of the surface. Rather than the board I had used previously (See Sensory Deprivation 2.0), I’ve first added mounting points, as pictured here: 

I’m always one for overkill, and being that these are 2500 pound steel strap rings I don’t think little “M”, at 109 pounds, will be able to break them. But you never know!

Next, I mounted 4 inch foam to the surface, cutting out access to the rings here. This would be more comfortable than the wood and help increase a sense of floating. So, I thought I’d give it a test run, both to make sure that the straps I cut were a good length and everything worked with the new arrangement, but also because “M” was over and how can I resist being naughty?!

Here’s a picture of what she was doing while I was setting up the gear. There’s nothing like a naked, chained, hooded, squirming body that I had to step over as I worked to motivate me:

You can’t see here (the light was bad or I would have taken more), but she’s wearing her steel shackles and I wrapped a chain around her waist, then locked both her ankles and wrists to it. She could only squirm around. She also had a ball gag under that hood, just to keep her somewhat quiet. See the belt next to the door, beside her? That’s mine. I had to use it on her a few times when she got too unruly.

Here’s the board in its new configuration. I don’t have to set it on the cage anymore, which is good, and it is on stands now, giving me more access:

And finally, “M” in position. The laptop controls all the electronics and sound (gotta love the Mac!). You can see how firm the straps are. They are also rated at 2500 pounds, and the latches are equally strong, so she isn’t going anywhere when she’s in. But the quick release function is helpful… just in case (i’m crazy, but not crazy!!!)

(Secret: You can see the cage behind her, under the computer. She slept in that part of the night and late into the morning the next day. I watched her on my smart phone via an infrared camera. Cool, huh?)

Here you can see her little toes. Eventually I’ll get my custom latex body bag (with arm sleeves) from Caught in the Act, which we’re both very excited about! Can’t wait! Hurry, Max!!!

Until then this was a good test. We’ll run her for a full hour in this on Sunday, so look for pictures early next week, and hopefully some video!

And do me a favor… add a comment! I know there are lots of people who read this blog (I have magic web tracking software), but nobody ever comments! I’m sure you have something to say, or at the least, just sound off! Let me know you’re out there, and let “M” know you enjoy seeing her tormented…

Thanks.

TS