Mastersweetie@aol.com
http://www.albanystocksandbonds.com
SENSUOUS SADIE: You are an avid sportsman and
fisherman, and visit Missisquoi bay in Vermont on a regular
basis. (which is about three hours north of Albany). Why
Swanton? What are you fishing for?
MASTERSWEETIE: "I fish for bass &
pike because I like the consistent action of casting as opposed
to trolling for trout & salmon. I travel to northern
Champlain because it combines the best fishing with the least
fishing pressure. I also like stream fishing but can’t stand
in a brook very long these days."
SS: You are in fact a well-known columnist in
the hunting and fishing genre. What attracts you about writing
for this audience? What are your specialties in terms of your
writing?
M: "I began writing in tabloids 1969 and
just expanded from there. I have done virtually no freelance. I
have a strong interest in firearms and 90% of my writing is
about the guns themselves or using them in the field, catering
to the ‘average shooter.'
SS: Lord Esox, Leader of the Vermont Society
of Kink here in Burlington, Vermont is also an avid fisherman.
He said in an interview with me that, "There are two
aspects of my life when I feel most alive - when I am standing
in a stream or in my canoe with a big fish on the end of my line
and the other is when someone has entrusted their submission to
me." I was surprised to find that he had made a connection
between fishing, spirituality, and BDSM. Have you made any of
those same connections?
No, save for enjoying the sports with friends.
It’s nice when BDSM’ers have other things in common."
SS: Have you had any concerns about your BDSM
notoriety and your reputation as a hunting and fishing writer
were in conflict? Do the hunters care that you might be a
masochist? Do the scene players care that you are hunting Bambi?
M: "My readers are not aware of my BDSM
associations, (and I’d rather keep it that way) and few, if
any BDSM’ers are put off by my hunting enough for it to affect
our BDSM associations. They often ask to try some venison! On
the other hand, having had many BDSM parties at my home and with
my shooting range right out the window or from the back deck, we
sometimes advertise that we may target shoot early in the day. I
have often dismissed ‘gun fears’ and taught a bit of gun
safety and use to many, including formerly ‘anti-gun’ folks.
By the way, I’m neither a ‘dominant’ nor a ‘masochist.'
SS: Do you also write in the BDSM genre? If
not, why not?
M: "No, because my narrow area of
preference and expertise is barely considered BDSM."
SS: You are a switch, with 70% bottom. Are you
saying that's 70% bottom as opposed to "submissive?"
Could you expand on this?
M: "‘Bottom’ and ‘submissive’ are
not well defined by me or most others. I’m not submissive, as
there is no masochism in me. I do not enjoy being flogged nor
spanked nor degraded in any way. Bottom is the only word that
can possibly cover my interest of being on the receiving end of
tight, but friendly, playful, and sensuous bondage games. ‘Switch’
merely refers to the fact that I also enjoy the binder’s roll
in the same game."
SS: Your interests include bondage,
sensual/sexual teasing a few other fetishes. What might these
fetishes be?
M: "That’s a tough question for me to
respond in print! I like ladies to be wearing silky nylons and
satiny outfits, and we’ll leave it at that."
SS: How would you describe your philosophical
approach to the lifestyle?
M: "‘The lifestyle!' First, spanking
and flogging. Since I derive no erotic pleasures in that
respect, but only to occasionally apply a flogger for someone
else’s pleasure, I speak only from what I interpret, rather
than what I feel. Philosophically, these activities are not
merely tolerated by the submissive, but eagerly and passionately
received, with such feelings as pleasure, love, lust in itself
or those same in giving of one’s self to the other, a pleasure
that can lead to an overwhelming happiness called ‘subspace.'
As I see it, not being a ‘real’ dominant
myself, the dom has the least reality in his activity. While
he/she might assume the character of the villain meting out
punishment in a medieval dungeon or assume a controlling nature,
he/she is actually there to enhance the sub’s pleasure as a
first priority and secondly to put him/her self in a the
personification of an assumed role. The dom is as much or more a
giver of pleasure than a taker.
SS: Do you currently have a partner? If not,
what are you looking for? If so, do you also play with other
people?
M: "My wife is not ‘into’ the scene.
She enjoys BDSM folks as friends but prefers not to play. Yes, I
enjoy playing with others and have permission to do so, but I
very seldom find ladies into the dominant side of sensuous
bondage, without having a primary interest of carrying it
farther, into flogging, etc. As a result I usually take a light
dom role for convenience."
SS: What are the parameters that you think
need to be present for Dom or subspace to move into a more
spiritual realm?
M: "I’m unqualified to respond. I am
interested in only the sexual/sensual aspects of friendly,
playful bondage."
SS: What was your first BDSM experience? Did
you recognize it for what it was at the time?
M: "It was a strange fascination as a
pre-teen, seeing magazine covers, and, no, I didn’t recognize
it."
SS: You have a dungeon in your basement. What
kinds of equipment do you sport there?
M: "Cross, spreader chair, spanking
bench, bondage table, hanging web, compression cage, post,
winch, vacuum bags, stretch wrap, swing, and various ceiling
hooks; all built by me and several are my own design."
SS: You are an avid play party host, or have
been in the past. Do you still host private parties?
M: "Just before I stepped down, we set a
record for us, hosting six well-attended parties, six weekends
in a row. Last year I had but one, a weekend event, including
camping on the property. We hope to have one late this summer,
but there is so much other stuff already planned that the ‘local
coordinator’ hasn’t recommended a date for us yet. We’re
always open to small gatherings."
SS: What were the circumstances where you
decided to found a new BDSM organization in Albany? Was ASB the
first one in the Albany area?
M: "I joined Boston Dungeon Society for
their chat room as I’m so far away, but visited them a few
times, spent a weekend with their ‘guru’ and he convinced me
to give it a try. I began to gather folks for a first meeting
and found that someone else had recently been posting around
also. Their intent was to develop a small circle of friends –
about six couples, then quit looking - - and they did. I had 47
people at my first ASB munch."
SS: When you stepped down from leadership, ASB
had 225 members. You must be very proud of this. What were the
most satisfying parts of your leadership?
M: "Of about 225 people, 220 of them
called me friend."
SS: What were some of the challenges you have
faced?
M: "Mostly from within. A couple of
members were intent on campaigning against me and ASB and not
restricting themselves to the truth when doing so. Fortunately,
we faced little challenge with outside legal issues."
SS: Do you believe in the "board"
approach to group politics where everyone has a vote, or in the
"one leader" approach? Why?
M: "It was usually a case of not being
able to please everyone all of the time and I spent a great deal
of my time defending myself against a couple of dissidents
intent on creating turmoil on various boards with various
personal agendas. I selected as diverse a council as I could
arrange, but personalities and time constraints prevented good
progress. (It is difficult to find folks with the inclination,
free time, and business sense to make up a good council.)
Whittled down to three of us, we decided to return to a monarchy
with ‘advisors’ for consultation on serious issues (which I
had been doing unofficially from the beginning anyway). I grew
tired of the hassle and advertised for a new leader. No one
wanted the job. I finally coerced a few to be a temporary
steering committee and stepped down to the level of advisor.
SS: What are some of the other projects and
organizations that you are involved with?
M: "I am fully disabled from my primary
job as Chief Engineer of a power Plant, and my wife has retired
early. We’re hunting rabbits with our beagles and hunting,
shooting and fishing whenever we can, and always welcoming
company from scene folks in any of our endeavors."
SS: Thank you for speaking with me!
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If you enjoyed this interview, read more
SCENEprofiles with BDSM personalities on Sadie's website at www.sensuoussadie.com
Sensuous Sadie is a BDSM columnist and edits SCENEsubmissions,
a free e-newsletter. She is the founder and leader (1999 - 2001)
of Rose & Thorn, Vermont's first BDSM group. Comments,
compliments and complaints, as well as requests for reprinting
can be addressed to her at SensuousSadie@aol.com
or visit her website at www.sensuoussadie.com.
Sadie believes the universe is abundant and that sharing
information freely is part of this abundance, so she allows
reprints of her writing in most venues.
Copyright 2002
