Midori / AIDS Lifecycle Color of the Month, thank you!

A huge, huge thank you to everyone who participated in this rope event. In addition to getting some great, one of a kind rope, you are also helping a great cause. For those of you who did not manage to place your orders in before we sold out, I am very sorry. Some colors sell faster than other, this color sold out in less than 14 minutes. These custom color runs are always very popular and there is no way we can meet all the demand. If you still want to make a difference, I would encourage you to go donate to Midori’s ALC fund via her ALC webpage. Also, for those of you attending the big Bang 4 The Buck party on the 30th, Midori will have a color of the month rope kit available for auction as well.

Answering a product question for a friend.

My pal Vera over at foryournymphomation.com tweeted me this question:
Actual customer email: "How many feet of rope can I fit inside Adult Toychest? Cause I gotta do a lot of tying." @twistedmonk, can you help?

As most rope fans will tell you, the stuff is heavy and finding a good rope bag is always a challenge. I've tried a number of transportation solutions in the past, from the giant duffel bag to the "kitty bag of doom" Lemme tell ya right now, nothing says "I'm a bad ass" like walking into a play space wheeling a bag of rope covered in brocade kittens!

For the Vegas trip, Vera hooked me up with one of her adult toy chest bags to see how it would fare against the "Monk Test" Now while I am still in the process of testing how well the bag will stand up to me, I can give some basic information about capacity.




In this shot I am packing
8MM "suspension kit" (400ft of thick, heavy 8MM rope)
120ft of 6MM rope
a small collection of 4MM/Silk and exotic rope
8 carbiners
1 small suspension ring w/ swivel
2 sets of shears
flash light
small first aid kit
2 canes
1 riding crop

I could have stuffed a bit more rope in the bag, or if I was working only in 6MM rope and not 8MM a probably a 600ft kit would fit easily.

Thus far the zippers held up as well as the shoulder strap from me lugging all over Vegas and the AVN showroom floor.

There ya go Vera, hope it helps.

The big O
Now this had to be from one of the more interesting moments of the AVN show for me. One the main stage, porn diva (no, he is a guy so would that make him a "divo'?) Evan Stone was leading a fake orgasm contest. Soon as I heard it was going to happen I all but shoved my long suffering cameraman into the fray to catch it. Why? Two reasons, first off anything Evan Stone does is comic gold, check out the hilarious bit he recorded for us on the CarnalNation.Com site. The other would be my own voyeuristic kink in watching other people react to the spectacle that is porn.

So while my cameraman filmed from the front row, we sat back and watched the crowd as they reacted to the girls as they writhed and moaned on stage. Interesting observation, with out fail, every man watching began to lean in as the girls got going. Some kind of subconscious response to her cries of pleasure or the desire to leap in and get some?

Also, make a point to watch the entire video as the last contestant, a guy, STEALS the show. While riotously funny, I don't think you can see the crowd's response, but the guys are all simultaneously cheering for him and visibly off put too.



Post Script: When asked what I liked most about the AVN show, it would have to be this aspect. I've worked on both sides of the camera, as a consumer of pornography as well as a producer and at shows like this done both the buying and selling, however this was my first opportunity to be allowed on the sidelines to observe and report. To ask questions and report on what I saw. Perhaps it is just me doing amateur sociologist but after you go to enough of these sorts of events, the shock of seeing public nudity and such looses its impact and then you start seeing the meta show, all the various ways people are interacting around this taboo subject. For some, I am sure this made for some painfully boring footage, who wants to look at my big melon when there are so many nice tits to be filmed ;) For those of you who did enjoy it, thanks for all the positive comments and feedback. Who knows, maybe I'll get to play "special correspondent" again sometime.

As Promised...


As promised, dear readers, a sneak peak at the next color of the month. As you may recall, this month's color is a benifit color with the profits going to support Midori and the AIDS/Lifecycle.


This is our ultra premium 4-strand, "Bavarian Blonde" hemp rope, now dyed a shocking, bright pink.

This color will go on sale Saturday, Jan 23 at noon (pst) The color of the month always sells out fast, but the Midori colors always sell even faster, hence me giving you all lots and lots a warning.

Bad News San Diego

I've been pretty quiet as of late regarding the upcoming GRUE in San Diego... so here goes. I was very much looking forward to going to this event, reconnecting with old friends and meeting many new ones. The GRUE in Harford, CT was probably the most fun I have had at a kink conference in years. Add to this some really fun play dates lined up and some fun new toys to try out, this upcoming weekend was all about Monk having fun and being around fun, cool rope people all weekend.... however.
Due to a family crisis, I will (sadly) be unable to join you nice folks this weekend. Truth be told, I've been hoping this matter would have cleared it self up and I could still make it down to the event, but no such luck. Monk needs to tend to the home front this weekend and not enjoy the sun and fun that will be the SD GRUE.

For those of you going, I'm really sorry to have to deliver bad news at such a late notice, but you are going to have a great time with out me. One of the impressive aspects of a GRUE is that it is not about who is being imported for the event, but rather who is there and what they share at the moment. As for the rest of you who have yet to experience one of Graydancer's "un-conferences" do yourself a favor and check them out, he throws a fantastic event.


Stay sexy San Diego, I'll catch ya next time. Promise.

Who needs to run away and join the circus when you got your own big top?!

I welcomed the rain with relish this morning as I made my way into the shop, thrilled at the prospect of getting my hands dirty again. Playing the roving reporter this last weekend with Tess and Diva was great fun, I'm very proud of the work we did for CarnalNation (be sure to check out the special coverage here and let them know you enjoyed watching the coverage!) and look forward to the next opportunity to work with them, however when it all said and done it all comes back to the rope.

Bundles and bundles of it, all made with love and pride, and shipped out to folks the world over.

It was not until I was just about home that it dawned on me that I spent 5 days on the Vegas strip and I never gambled once. Not even the nickle slots while waiting for a cab. Oh, don't get me wrong. I had a blast and there are a number of stories that I have to share, but is just a great feeling to come home to the arms of your loves, return to a job you love and to look forward to more adventures in your back yard.

Enough navel glazing for me, I've got rope to finish... what was that? Lunch at the taco truck? Oh it is good to be home :)

Video Blog: When Bad Things Happen to Good Tops, or Critical Hardware Fail!

when bad things happen to good tops, or critical hardware failure recap from Twisted Monk on Vimeo.

In this vblog I discuss a critical hardware failure that happened to me while testing out a new suspension frame at a public event in Vegas. While the bad news is that the hardware failed, spectacularly.

The good news is that nobody was hurt, save me getting clocked in the head. Since the failure, I've been in contact with the hardware maker and they have ceased production till the fault can be corrected and a new truss sent to me for retesting. (If Monk can't break it, then you know it will stand up to anything.)

Also this serves as a very important reminder to all tops, rope or otherwise, what we do is dangerous. Do not get complacent, do not go cheap and always be ready for a disaster.

Travel Day
I'm stashed away in the corner of an airport Starbucks, surfing porn on the free wifi and wondering why I opted to cattle car air while my hosts for this trip are flying first class. Oh I remember, I'm traveling with like 150 pounds of rope and suspension gear and I opted to save some cash. That is what I get for trying to be a team player... oh well. While they are boozing it up in first class, I'll be plotting ways to get even. Ways involving a stun gun perhaps. I'm pretty sure the folks at CarnalNation.Com will enjoy some footage of that.

In the meantime, my darling Mistress Matisse has posted another one of her podcasts. I love getting to play cohost to her and play off her very sharp sense of humor. Click over to her amazing blog for more.

Oh they are calling my group, time to elbow my way past this gal with a stroller and maybe trip the old guy ahead of me....

See you kids in Vegas.

Look at me, Ma! I'm a journalist and crap!
Just call me the Edward R Murrow of porn!

Ok, on second thought. Dont. What you can do is hop over to Carnal Nation or subscribe to their twiter feed as they will be posting the play by play updates from Tess, Diva and myself as we take Sin City by storm and cover the AVN awards.

"All this talk about Vegas and Carnal Nation, don't you have a bondage rope company to run?"

Funny you should mention that! While yes, it seems like much of my time in the last couple of weeks has been focused on prepping for this trip, promoting my upcoming class and figuring out just how I am going to keep Tess and Diva out of a Vegas holding cell, I also happen to have an awesome crew that keep things running (mostly) smooth when I am away. That is until they get too hopped up on tamales from the local taco truck. I can't go more into detail about that as we are still in litigation with that "rent a goat" dude, but I digress. Suffice to say, your order are being filled and fresh rope love leaves the Abbey every day in USPS boxes.

Anyways, long time readers will also know that January is when we release a very special color of the month. Once a year I make a limited edition color run using our ultra premium exotic, Bavarian 4 strand rope and then donate the profits to Midori and the AIDS/Lifecycle. This year will mark out 4th year and I have a very cool color up my sleeve!

Now this color ALWAYS sells out fast, like in minutes, so this year I want to give everyone the best possible chance at scoring some of this fantastic rope and helping out a great cause. This is why I am warning you NOW that I intend to post a photograph of the new color next week and then give you all at least 5 days notice before it is put on sale. I figure this is the best way I can be as fair as possible to the most folks possible.

So there you have it. Next week, keep an eye out for the new color of the month update. Till then, hop over to Carnal Nation for the up to date scoop on all the crazy shit going down in Sin City.

Resolutions

Standing alone on the porch, the wet night my only companion as I stood on the stoop and took in the start of another year. Behind me, the sounds of laughter from the party filtered out, only to be mixed with the sound of a siren, long in the distance. Like a cliche from some beat poet's manifesto I stood there in the night, clove cigarette in one hand, glass of straight bourbon in the other, assessing these first few moments of the new year. What would this year hold? What resolutions would I pledge myself to?

After a long, deep drag on the clove and an even longer drink, I could only think of one thing to say to this new year. "Fuck you, 2009. I beat you and came out the better man. I'm changing nothing, save one thing.... I'm gonna find more excuses to wear cuff links"

With that, I crushed out my smoke, finished my drink and returned to the party in search of the beautiful women who smile and greet me with open arms, the friends that laugh at my terrible jokes and never remind me that they have hear this particular tale before and above all else, return to what I do best. Change the world, one bedroom at a time.