I spent most of February with my sweetheart in New York so I had a lot of comfy-cozy, dependably good sex this month. Here are some highlights…
Sex toys
• Fun Factory sent me their Stronic G pulsator this month and, as I noted in my review, it’s quite unique and wonderful. My partner did a good job of fucking me with it, and on one occasion, I even fucked them with it! Aww, romantic.
• One of my Valentine’s Day gifts from my very sweet partner was a Carter dildo from New York Toy Collective. I’ve wanted this bendable realistic dildo for a looong time, especially because it comes in a pink and blue colorway that makes me deliriously happy. While I haven’t gotten to try it for pegging yet, I’ve enjoyed getting fucked with it (and walking around with it strapped on!).
• I got zapped a whole bunch with the Neon Wand and Power Tripper combo this month, which – if you don’t know – allows the user to conduct electricity through their body so they can zap a partner with just their touch. It’s really a sadomasochist’s wet dream, and has become a fixture on our regular rotation of pain-play items (along with candles for wax play, the weird scratchy thing, and various impact implements).
Fantasy fodder
• Many of my most recurrent fantasies are just convoluted setups for receiving exceptionally good cunnilingus… This month I often found my mind drifting to the idea of an American Idol-esque oral sex competition where I am a discerning judge.
• I enjoyed live-tweeting a new Crash Pad Series scene where a very pregnant Dylan Ryan has raucously queer sex with her real-life partner. Most notably, I loved how good Dylan is at advocating for her own pleasure and comfort. #SexGoals!
• Watching Sex Education on Netflix has made me reflect on how exciting it can be to embark on your first (fumbling, imperfect) sexual adventures… As a result, I’ve been fantasizing a lot about surreptitious “first times” in hushed bedrooms or school supply closets!
Sexcetera
• I recently guested on Trends Like These again to discuss a number of complex issues with my friend Brent, like the cultural legacy of South Park, the ethics of reading your partner’s texts, and the ubiquity of domestic violence. Always a pleasure to get to have such smart conversations with such a smart person!
• In other podcast news: we had amazing guests like Kevin Allison and Dick Wound on Question Box this month, and on the Dildorks we talked about play parties, collars, and photography. My newsletter touched on well-worn kinky relationships, the ways in which hearts and clits are similar, the worst Valentine’s Day of my life, and how damn good it can feel to unfollow people you dislike.
• Sextistics: in February I had in-person sex 20 times and phone sex a scant 5 times, for a total of 25 sessions in 29 days. Pretty great 😎
Fashion & beauty
• After years of occasionally combing eBay for the infamous American Apparel figure skater dress in my size and in colors I didn’t already have, I finally scored one in bright red for a reasonable price and wore it on Valentine’s Day, along with a pink cardigan and pink heart necklace. I am nothing if not festive.
• I bought some new glasses for the first time in ~3 years and I love them all. In the past few months I’ve cut my hair short, gotten new glasses, and amped up my skincare, and I feel like a new woman!
• A couple months ago, I bought a pink and purple hand-dyed vintage nightgown at a vintage shop in Kensington Market, thinking I might later wear it on an anniversary date – but then I ended up wearing something else instead. I was glad, then, to be able to bust out the gown for a fancy-dress house party my partner and I got invited to when I was in New York. I paired it with black tights and my sky-blue Manolos and felt like a stunner all night.
Media
• I’ve been reading all the Oliver Sacks books I can get my hands on lately. If you don’t know, Sacks was a neurologist who documented unusual medical cases in beautifully written anthologies of case histories. I think my favorite ones I’ve read so far are The Mind’s Eye and Seeing Voices (on optical problems and deafness, respectively).
• I finally got around to watching Parasite, and like seemingly most people who’ve seen it, I adored it. What a striking portrait of class and privilege, told in a way that is somehow both hilarious and harrowing.
• Like many others in my field, I’ve been watching and loving Sex Education on Netflix. It’s a charming and sweet show about a sex-nerdy high-schooler and his diverse array of horny friends and classmates. I’m sad I’ve run out of episodes to watch!
Little things
Heart-shaped donuts. Queer bars. Being paid to write erotica. Hilariously bad customs photos. Helping a friend execute a romantic plan for her partner. Perfectly-phrased sentences. Sitting in the front row at improv shows with my love. Reading about psychology in the bath. Getting complimented on our matching outfits. Omakase sushi. Doing shrooms for the first time (!!) with a close pal watching over me. The Producers and Roger Bart. Listening to Andy Shauf on the bus. Lounging around in Matt’s plush floor-length bathrobe. Late-night meals at L’Express. Hypnotizing Bex. Receiving the compliment “That’s a great question!”