Look! Blugger is letting me post!

Do you see how many days we have left until the rescue mission? It's getting close. C and Superman and I have been discussing the upcoming changes in the household dynamic. (Oops, sorry. I've been reading psychology journal articles so my head is full of stupid big words.) What I mean to say is that C's boyfriend, who shall hitherto (darn, did it again) be referred to as "N," will be moving in with us in two and a half weeks. I'm excited, mostly, and a little bit nervous about how much time and energy will be required of me.

I had a lovely phone conversation with N this afternoon. We discussed possible fears, questions, expectations, etc. I wanted to talk to him specifically without C being around so that he would feel safe to tell me about any reservations he has about moving here. I think we had a good discussion, and I think he was honest with me. He admits to being scared, but says he is ready to make this change in his life. He wants to get away from his mother, and is afraid she might make that difficult by calling him and putting a guilt trip on him. Hell, she's probably doing some of that already. He says she is allowing him to go, realizing that once he turns 18 she doesn't have a choice. But she doesn't want him to leave. This is going to be interesting.

I'm so busy! School has me stuck to the books. I'm supposed to be studying right now, of course. I spent most of the morning and half the afternoon in front of my computer finding journal articles for my sexual deviance class. We seem to be finished with the sexual behavior aspect, and from here on out it looks like we'll be studying deviance. This week's discussion topic asks what sexually deviant behavior we're interested in. Which sounds like a very personal and invasive question (which I don't mind asking you, but this is a different forum and you aren't obligated to respond), but he's referring to what we've surveyed in class so far. And he's talking about professional/educational curiosity when he asks about our interests. The professor has given a brief overview of deviant behavior that for the most part is not of the consenting adult type. The exception is BDSM, which is the topic I've picked. We've also been introduced to pedophilia, frotteurism, exhibitionism, sexual masochism, sexual sadism (e.g. Jeffery Dahmer according to the lesson), etc.

I've gotta tell you, I'm having a little trouble with the parameters of the deviance concept. (That's more big words, isn't it? Sorry.) Who defines deviance? The culture, of course, so it's often a broad distinction. I haven't figured out where the book draws the line, mostly because I haven't read all of the chapters I am supposed to have read by now. But giving Jeffery Dahmer as an example of sexual sadism, well, that puts it out pretty far.

Consensual BDSM is something I'm trying to get my head around. The bondage part doesn't bother me. If anything, it interests me in a more than educational way. I'm fine with a bit of rough play. I balk at the extreme domination, that which is associated with humiliating the sub. I can't see how that is a healthy expression of a consensual relationship, whether or not sex is involved. Earlier today I downloaded a dozen journal articles dealing with various aspects of the subject. We shall see what we shall see. And if anyone has resources they'd like to suggest, I'm open.

I discovered a website this week, directed there by a classmate who mentioned BDSM in his discussion post. It's about BDSM for Christians. Frankly, I find it disturbing. Not the BDSM, mind you. No, I have a problem with this guy's assertion that BDSM follows a Biblical mandate. I may be overstating his point, but he does justify BDSM from a Biblical perspective. Go see for yourself if you dare!

Did I mention the donut shop in my former post? The shop is wildly successful, beyond anything that anyone expected. They've run out of donuts a few times, with the owner and a crew of guys in the kitchen working their collective butts off making more and more and more. There is almost always a line of people waiting at the counter. I often go in between 6 and 6:30 a.m. and the stream of customers is steady. This morning, a beautiful (too hot) Indian Summer day, when I took Sproing for donuts at 10:00 the line at the counter snaked through the whole shop. C says it's been longer than that, too. And this is with three people filling orders. The place isn't that big. The boss lady has been hiring more help, and the new folks are getting the hang of things. C actually had the day off today. It's his first whole day off since they opened. He had an afternoon off earlier in the week. The shop is closed on Sundays, so that's an automatic day off for everyone. I'm so pleased with the success, especially for the boss lady. This is a dream for her.

And speaking of hot, damn! The first day of fall, Thursday afternoon I saw the temperature displayed on the sign in front of the school when I picked up Sproing. 95F! Yes, ninety-fucking-five degrees! That's 35C, for those who know that sort of thing. Ridiculous. But we're supposed to get some rain Sunday that will bring cooler temps for next week. According to Sproing, who just checked the weather, tomorrow's high should be 75F. I like that much better.

I started this post at 4:00 Saturday afternoon, and it's nearly midnight now. I've been busy, but not with the studying. Family phone calls, various household members needing this or that, etc. And I'm tired now. Think I'll take a couple of journal articles to bed with me, look for a few interesting points to talk about in my discussion post for the class, then go to sleep. If I remember any of it in the morning, I'll write up my stuff and submit it to the class website. In the meantime, Sproing is ready for me to tuck him in, so I'll go ahead and get this sucker on my blog. Maybe, perhaps, if all goes well and I manage my time well, I will be able to post again in a few days.