Shows and Performances in January!
Jan. 16: Starving Artists on Parade (Seattle)
Come out on a Monday night and see me rig... there will be a dead girl and a body bag. Nuf' said?
http://www.facebook.com/events/251894758201926/

Jan. 21: Art of Restraint (SF)
Bringing my own twist to the combination of art and sm.
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/213254

Jan. 28: Steampunk Exhibition Ball (Seattle)
I'm returning to MC this event as well as perform.
http://www.steampunkexhibitionball.com/

Feb. 4: La Petite Mort's Dark Cabaret (Seattle)
Blood, boobs and bondage. What more do you need?
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/218326


Think suspension bondage is boring to watch? Think again..

Live Performance "Tryst @ Little Red Studio 05/2010" from Twisted Monk on Vimeo.

Twisted Monk at Art of Restraint 3/27 from Twisted Monk on Vimeo.

Performance Video, "The Ripper"
Performed at Dr. Rocket's Medicine Show, Seattle 3/24

Somebody finally caught the "infamous" Ripper act on film! Unfortunately they caught the performance where I was just recovering from a 3 week cold and my *favorite* straight razor broke. Oh well, that is the magic of live theater!

Seattle Burlesque Presents:La Petite Mort & Twisted Monk Perform "The Ripper" from Omar Taboada on Vimeo.

It goes with out saying, but I will anyways, this is a *performance* and not intended to be an instructional, how-to video. Suspension bondage is dangerous and potentially lethal. Seek proper, in person instruction before attempting. Also, putting rope around someone's neck is a no-no! The rope I am using is a specially made "break away" prop rope. Play safe kids.

Something worth the wait.

The first video from our newly re-launched youtube.com channel "TwistedMonkStudios". (we will be re-adding the how to clips as bandwith allows, but the racier performance stuff will remain on Vimeo.com) A hardware review of the portable bondage frame, The Tetruss 2. As you may recall, we had a near miss with an early version of the product last year while in Vegas. Since then, the manufacture has redesigned the product, addressed the flaws and sent me this for review.

Here is what is most important. I AM NOT AN ENGINEER. Nope, I'm just another guy who does bondage and wants a safe, reliable piece of hardware. This review is not a paid endorsement, rather I took the approach and asked myself "what would I like to know before making a purchase?". So I took a page from the various tech blogs and did had the manufacture send me a unit, same one that would be shipped to you. We fired up the camera and tore into the unit to see what we could find.




So there you have it, almost 13 months later. It is my firmest desire that you, the consumer, get as much information as possible so you can make the best choices.

My final take? With some modification AND understanding the limits of the product I have chosen to add this truss to my arsenal of hardware.

Remember, suspension bondage is dangerous and potentially life threatening. No hardware is 100% fool proof. Always check your gear, use only the best quality equipment and GET PROPER TRAINING before attempting.

SEAF Performance, PT2
Once again I want to say thank you to the amazing Ms. Shanghai Pearl. She took a serious beating in this show, between the harness, her costume and me carting her about, yet still she made it all look so beautiful.

SEAF 2011 Performance Pt2 from Twisted Monk on Vimeo.

Better late than never
Hello again, gentle readers, I have not forgotten you. Rather, I've been up to my ass making rope and trying to spend as much time as I can muster on stage. Last year you will recall that I was asked to take part in the Seattle Erotic Art Festival as a "Bondage Consultant" and ended up as part of the stage show. Now I can make like this was a huge and terrible thing, but really I loved every minute of it. Getting to share a stage with some of the city's finest cabaret talent was a serious honor.

After many months I've finally gotten my video guy to pull down some clips from the show. He has been a tad distracted with his day job as of late (if you like your kinect, you should say thank you now) and here we are with the first of 3 segments from the show featuring me, the AMAZING Ms. Shanghai Pearl and of course, lots of rope.

Enjoy

SEAF 2011 Performance. PT1 from Twisted Monk on Vimeo.

The Mexican Beer Story

I got a ton of requests last week after my last video post to explain why getting Mexican beer made me laugh like a psychotic loon. In this video I do my best to retell the story, of course this was after having a few said beers. Please exuse the video/audio quality as I was attempting an experiment. Shooting a clip at the cafe where I and my charming lunch companion were spending a long afternoon being. Well being naughty, I'll leave it at that.

Monk's Video Blog: The Mexican Beer Story from Twisted Monk on Vimeo.

Fun lil video post!
I've often said that anytime a bottom gives their top a gift, particularly a toy of some kind, it is implied that this is a request to have said object used on them in the near future. In this clip I open up a small care package and discuss just what all the items *might* be used for.

Untitled from Twisted Monk on Vimeo.

Performance Video: Tryst @ LRS 5/10

Live Performance "Tryst @ Little Red Studio 05/2010" from Twisted Monk on Vimeo.

In case you missed the last Tryst night at The Little Red Studio, here is what you missed.

For extra credit, can you name the video game that my costume was an homage to?

"My Life As A Unicorn"
From Sexworker Literati in NYC, December 2009.

Hanky Codes, a field guide

Footage from IMsl 2010, the folks at Carnal Nation tell me that my official "coverage" videos will go live as soon as I can come up with a good name for my regular feature on their site. I guess "Roving Trouble Maker" is not going to cut it. :)



Question is, can you spot me in this sea of hanky clad asses?

Oh so very not safe for work!
But worth the wait, that is for sure. Hello again, loyal blog readers, Monk here with another bit of fleshy goodness for all you perverts out there. Last week it was my distinct pleasure to be invited by Madison Young to perform at The Art of Restraint.

Now here is where things get... interesting... until the evening of the performance I'd never even been inside Madison's gallery, Femina Potents, I know what you are thinking. A hard point is a hard point, right? Thing is, when I got there I was informed that there was no real "hard point" to work off of. Rather a huge pole in the center of the room with mounts at the top. Next issue, my model, Calico Lane, yeah I'd worked with her once... and by work I mean we spent an afternoon rolling around with rope and laughing. Ever the pro, when I informed Calico of the challenges facing our performance, that we had yet to rehearse or even really plan, she gave me a smile and said those words that make rope tops shiver and sweat in terror at the same time, "I trust you, it you will make it look awesome"

Twisted Monk at Art of Restraint 3/27 from Twisted Monk on Vimeo.

While my ego would like to take credit for pulling off a nice performance, I think it was Calico who stole the show. Just before I pulled her into the air, I whispered in her ear "if you feel the harness start to slip at all, just wrap your legs around the pole" The rest was just... well the rest was just perfect.

Rope tops, an experiment for you to try

Ok rope tops, I have a challenge for you. Go grab your favorite rope bottom, a hunk of your favorite rope, and practice doing a basic chest harness like the one I demo here.

Got it? What was it like" Ask your bottom how she felt about the experience.

Now try this, take a caribeiner (or short hunk of rope) and loop one end though the back belt loop of your bottom and the other through the front of yours. You should now be tethered about 4-6 inches from your partner.

Tie the harness again.

What changed? While the most obvious observation will be that tethered like this you have less room to move and navigate around the bottom. This may seem frustrating, however ask the bottom what changed for her (or him) I think you will be surpized.

Rope is all about connection, the strands of hemp are an extension of your want for the other, wrapping them, protecting, taking them on a trip with you.

New Video Rant!

I recorded this late last night, but held onto it till today, just to make sure that in the cold light of day I wasn't being too harsh to those who insist on buying fetish gear at the mall.

Monk's Video Rant, 2/18/10 The SM toy that needs to be banned from Twisted Monk on Vimeo.

New Video Rant: Amateur Porn, some ground rules please?

Monk's Video Rant 02/04/10: Homemade Porn Blunders from Twisted Monk on Vimeo.

This will probably net me some hate mail, but after years of enjoying amateur porn I think it is high time we establish a few "ground rules"

Lets end this year with a rant!

Ok, well less of a rant and more of another one of my childhood tales that expose yet more aspects of why I am so very, very strange these days. Sure, I could go on and on about 2009 and how glad I am that it is over, etc, but fuck it. Lets end this with a laugh and a strong drink.

Cheers!

Monk's Rant 12/31/09 The Idiot Mittens from Twisted Monk on Vimeo.

Another rant on a cold Sunday night.

Monk's Rant 11/21 "Crunchy vs Creamy" from Twisted Monk on Vimeo.

So my first day in NYC has been... eventful. Forgot how alive this city is, practically vibrating with life and people at all hours of the day and night. My hosts have been showing me a fantastic time, got to meet some sex worker heroes tonight and generally be blow away by the smart, sexy and just plain amazing folks who make up the sex positive scene here.

However since I've been up now for oh... like 20 hours straight I need to crash... so no sorrid details, yet.

Instead how about footage from last week's Columbia City Cabaret performance? We had only 6 minutes and a mostly vanilla audience to show off the speed and sex appeal of rope.

Enjoy!

TwistedMonk, Live Performance @ Columbia City Cabaret from Twisted Monk on Vimeo.

Ok, so you guys liked the video rant. Not sure if it was the embarrassing tale of my odd youth that did it or the flailing hand gestures that made it work for you. Either way I'm glad ya enjoyed it.
Now this morning as I race about getting all my last minute NYC stuff done I feel like I am tracking a zillion details at once. What gear to bring, what clothes to pack, what class material do I need to bring, what needs to still be finished and oh I need to do something about the state of my torn to shreds hands today too.

Enough about that, this morning I caught a tweet regarding the re-introduction of the dreaded Eggnog Latte. I have a very strong opnion about this whole "eggnog thing" In fact I think it is a conspiracy, far worse than anything ever hatched out of Area 51.

The Great Eggnog Conspiracy Theory from Twisted Monk on Vimeo.

Oh and yes, that is a clove cigarette in my hand. I have been known to enjoy one on cold fall days while listening to Type O Negative and drinking coffee in the rain.

Interesting thing, writing a blog for almost 6 years... it takes on a life of its own. Like some kind of like a garden, it grows as you feed it and most days you love the harvest it provides, other days it feels like that monster from Little Shop of Horrors, going "FEED ME!"

Now I've said time and time again that I am no a "writer", nope and if you read enough of this blog then you will agree. I mispell, run-along and fragment the hell out of the English language in ways that would make most editors want to stab me repeatedly in the eye with a red pen. Nope, I'm an entertainer. My job here is to tell you a tale, in whatever medium I have at my disposal. Over the years as the various blogging fads have come and gone out of fashion I've enjoyed trying my hand at several. Who remembers when voicemail blogging was going to be the "next big thing"?

Yeah, not many of ya, thought so.

Since my new laptoplet has his handy little built in camera on it I thought perhaps what might be fun to try would be an un-edited, un scripted, and un rehearsed rant. Just me, the camera and a topic. I'd hit record and not stop till I ran out of steam, no retakes no do overs. I know this idea makes my video production guy want to scream, if he cant run me through at least 2 post production filters and re-renders then he won't take the job, but I digress.

So here you go: Me, a camera, a topic and a glass of whiskey.... you were warned.

Monk's Rant. 10/26/09 The goat and the crash helmet from Twisted Monk on Vimeo.

"Getting Started Vol 1& 2" DVD now for sale.

I've held off selling our DVD for sometime, opting instead to offer it free with our kits and on-line via youtube and our site. My logic behind this decision was that I do not make my living teaching rope, that is best left for the experts like Max and Midori. Rather, it was my goal to give you enough information about the rope to demystify the process, get you exited and hopefully get you to seek out further instruction.

By all reports we have done that and more.

However, I get dozens of requests a week for just the DVD. Existing customers who have plenty of rope but what the volume 2 videos, folks who want to share the info with a friend but are not about to give up thier well worn copy. So, after many requests and much thought I am offering the DVD for sale. It, along with saftey shears, are still included at no extra cost with select kits, but now you can get just the DVD should you need an extra copy.

"Getting Started with your TwistedMonk Rope, Vol 1&2" DVD $20