Glitter lotion

I lot of you gals ask where to get the glitter lotion. I personally think this is a good one. I love LUSH.

Smells good too!

http://usa.lush.com/cgi-bin/lushdb/00268

That damn apple ...part two

( This article begins in our August newsletter and is continued here)

Some of you might remember my thoughts from the article Will That Damn Apple Haunt Us Forever?. I experienced a similar situation recently. I debated whether or not to include this story in the newsletter, not wanting to offend those involved or come off the wrong way, but I said eh, screw it, and went for it anyway. There is a company, who I shall not name because to be honest they have been very good to us in the past, and I genuinely believe they are good people. This company basically helps students find instructors of all kinds, from guitar to salsa. They provide profiles for the instructors and when a prospective student chooses to contact an instructor, the company sends the instructor all the info about that student and then charges that instructor for the lead, usually between 4-7 bucks. Anyway, I have been using these guys for a couple of years. They started small and have been very upfront with their clients in their process of running the site and learning from their mistakes. Everything they did had such a personal touch. I had even had drinks with them here in NY.

However, last week I received this email from them.

Hello Kimberly,
I am writing you today to let you know about changes here at *****.com.
First, I wanted to thank you for your membership. You are respected and appreciated. You have been with us for a long time and we are sad to inform you of these necessary changes. Recently, our company signed distribution partnerships with ABC Family, Active.com Family, and Disney. In the course of these agreements, we have been asked to more properly align ourselves with a family-friendly atmosphere. Unfortunately, as of Monday, we will no longer be supporting lead generation for exotic and pole dance classes. In a perfect world, we would be able to list all types of services, but in reality, we will not be able to.
I truly believe that the services you provide are of great benefit to women and their confidence, and applaud you for running a wonderful business.
On behalf of the entire **** team, we want to personally thank you for your patronage since you've been a member, and we sincerely hope your business continues to flourish.

I wrote back, very angry...

First, let me say that I realize my thoughts, being one of thousands your company has touched, are trivial. But the subject matter is not trivial to me. It has spearheaded my company and my passion, so I absolutely feel the need to simply share my thoughts. I also want to say that I admire you all for creating a business and going through the trials and tribulations so openly with your clients and for always making your clients feel special and valued. However, that being said, I am outraged.
My disappointment in this news is indescribable, especially since I have been using your site for years, through changes in site, and even name. Time and time again, I have been either pushed away, kicked out, or shunned for what we teach. For some reason our classes that teach women how to feel comfortable with their bodies and their curves, to look in the mirror and not feel fat or not beautiful enough are not OK. But other classes are. Ballet, which leads almost every girl it touches to battle with her body image and turn to anorexia...that is wholesome? Who decides what is good and what is not? ABC family? A company that still reeks of parochial Christian bigotry from its previous owners?
Granted, these classes may not be appropriate for an 8 year old girl, but does that mean they are bad, or vulgar? I mean, I get it, I do. I know we walk a fine line. But it just grates my nerves that once again we take a step back. Once again, we are classified as smut instead of empowerment.
I wholeheartedly believe that until our society opens itself up to the possibility that frank and open discussion with our families about sexuality and body acceptance (ie there is nothing wrong with touching and appreciating our bodies) can be beneficial to our families, then we will continue to live in a world where the fear and shame that surrounds this subject perpetuates eating disorders, sexual disorders, and sexual assault on said families. And it is, better yet was, people like you who stood up for people like us that helped to make this an accepted and positive form of movement and expression. And I'm saddened and deeply hurt to see

...CONTINUED FROM THE NEWSLETTER...

that you have changed your views.

From the article on your site about strip tease classes by J*** ***: Across the country, instructors listed with **** have seen their class sizes grow over the last year; all those contacted share philosophies of positive reinforcement, openness to all body types, and policies against teaching stripping to enter the sex industry.
http://www.stripxpertease.com/2007/01/will-that-damn-apple-haunt-us-forever.html

So then they wrote back....

Hi Kimberly,

I understand where you are coming from and I appreciate you as a person and as client. You’ve been with us for a long time and I appreciate your openness and feedback. We are not classifying any particular instructor or type of dance as smut, it’s simply that there are more and more kids and their parents on the site. We ARE getting more and more 8 year old girls on the site. The parents are not looking for themselves – they are looking for their children, and thus, we cater to what the market is demanding. If mom wants to take exotic dance lessons, I think they should. I’ve actually encouraged **** to take some as well as I thought she’d like them.

While on a political and social level I agree with you, our business decisions are not made on social or political factors. At the end of the day, my job is to ensure the continued, long-term success of the enterprise, and the decisions are made from a capitalistic ideology. If the demand was such that we could have our entire site filled with just exotic dance teachers – and that format made us more money – then we would boot all the families off. But that’s not the case. So again, I wouldn’t take it personally. It has nothing to do with our personal, political, or societal views. It’s where we need to go in order to grow the business. If there’s anything I can personally help with, just let me know. I would be happy and honored to help any way I can. You are a rock star in my book and I will do what I can to support you.

Best,
*****

So what does this all mean? Well first, his letter made me feel like an asshole. They really have been nothing but nice to me, but dammit I just couldn't not speak my mind. So I wrote back once more.

Hey *****,

I am sorry for my hasty and very bitter response. While I understand you simply made a decision to further your business, and your decision to discontinue the leads wasn't based on your personal convictions, it deeply affects mine. As I mentioned, I get it. You gotta do what you gotta do. It's just something I battle with on a daily basis, and I have to shout out how I feel. Even if it falls on deaf ears or doesn't change the situation. I hope you understand. I really do wish you all the best of luck, And I although I loathe the company you have taken up with, I realize their pockets are deep. I hope that they can propel you to the success you all deserve for all of your hard work. Really. Either way it was nice working with you....best of luck.

Best wishes,

Kimberly

I needed to be nice, ya know? Part of me feels defeated, yet part of me doesn't. This just fuels the fire. This makes me realize I will have many more of these tiny battles. Many more situations just like this one. But each time I will learn something, each time will strengthen my convictions and each time will bring me closer to the last time. So the good fight goes on...And if I am being shunned by Pat Robertson's old company and people who are over the top excited about The secret life of the American teenager, then big deal. Women who want to make a change for the better, who want to freely explore their bodies and their sexuality in a positive and fulfilling way will find me with or with out ****.com.

Reunion.com ....a follow up

So, remember when Reunion.com sent out that damn email to evvveryone in my address book. http://www.stripxpertease.com/2008/05/reunion-dot-com-omg.html Well, apparently I wasn't the only one!

http://www.walletpop.com/2008/07/12/reunion-com-lawsuit-may-be-on-the-horizon/

I hope they have to go out of business and file for bankruptcy...bastards..

80 yr old stripper ...Tempest storm...still stripping!

Wow, and I thought I was old when I retired in my late twenties. Gotta give her credit!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25640691/

A fucking A...part one

I was booking flights the other day, and was reminded of the last adventure I had on a plane. Remember when American Airlines was cancelling hundreds of flights for like five days straight and all of those people were stranded. Well, I was one of them. I wrote to all of my friends to update them on the status of my flights and also because I was bored to tears...here are those emails with a little added commentary...in italics.

So this all started after a weekend at NASCAR on April 9th, Wednesday when I woke up in Austin after 2 hours of sleep, hung over as hell and needing to get up to catch my flight. Yeah right. (You see, I originally booked a flight departing at 5 pm, but 3 wks before I left AA moved my flight up to noon, which means I needed to get up at like 8:30. Problem was, I knew we would see the sun come up Tues night, so this was just all around already bad.) So from bed I call American to see if I can get on a later flight. Hold time was unusually long, but I was so out of it I really didn't notice. I finally get through after 38 minutes and after hearing the same message about using your reward miles to book tickets about 500 times (This is because I used miles to book this ticket so I had to call the miles number to get on a later flight.)

Now keep in mind, I had been camping out for four days and had only got back to Austin a mere 24 hrs ago. And during that entire 24 hrs. I had been back in A-town, I was running around with Saralynn getting ready for and then having the Free Spirit grand opening party. So I finally get through and tell the lady I am calling in reference to flight number 456. She says," ...oh , well I well have to transfer you." Splendid. Then I repeat myself to the new lady and she says yes, that flight has indeed been cancelled.

Wait? ....Cancelled?

I am just trying to fly out later. Why was it cancelled?

She says, "Do you not watch the news?"

I wanted to say something with several expletives, but instead I just say no, I haven't had the chance.

She explains that the FAA has been cancelling all of these flights. She puts me on a flight the next day, Thurs April 10th, and in my still somewhat drunken haze I take it and go back to sleep.

When I wake, many hours later at 11 am, I check out the news.

FUCK. This is bad. They are cancelling flights left and right. For shits and grins I look at my newly booked fight on the internet that is set to depart the next day, Thurs. at noon with a layover in like bum fuck Nebraska then on to LGA. Guess what? Nebraska to LGA, cancelled. SHIT! Last thing I want is to be stranded in Nebraska!

So I get on the horn to AA. I am on hold for, get this, 109 minutes before I get tired and hang up. It is now around 2 pm, so we say screw this lets meet up with my cousin and go get some drinks and tex mex at Trudy's.

At 6 pm, after many margaritas and chips, the calling begins again. It's me, Saralynn and my cousin. I have 2-3 minute calls that keep getting disconnected by American (the message just says please try later) for over an hour. This is verrrry bad. Around seven I actually get through to be put on hold. This time it is for 65 minutes before my phone drops the call. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! It is now 8 pm, and I still don't have a flight home.

Thats me and Saralynn and my cousin on the couch..waiting on hold.

I try calling back and again the lines are so jammed AA wont even let the call connect.

I then send out this email...
AA has been cancelling flights since Tues afternoon. I am still in Texas.

1st flight 5:30 wed cancelled

rescheduled flight wed 12:30 cancelled

2nd rescheduled flight 12:30 THURS cancelled (found out on internet) and I do NOT have another flight scheduled because I cant get through to AA

http://ww2.wkyt.com/global/story.asp?s=8144633 or
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/10/business/NA-FIN-US-American-Airlines-Cancellations.php
should have been home already..cant even get through to even be put on hold at all AA phone numbers for past 2 hours. When I got through earlier, hold was hours. ..used up 300 minutes today alone. They say this could go on through SATURDAY. How do you spell fucked?
A fucking A

I say to Saralynn, screw this, let's go downtown. I jump in the shower and at 9 start the process again. Again, call won't even connect. We head down town and bar hop while I have the earpiece in on hold, this time I'm in the 1.5 hr range when my battery dies. F'in awesome. I change batteries and try again. It is now 2:23 am. I get to the hold system and a lady answers after 8 minutes.

(thats me in a club on the phone)

"Thank you for calling American this is Lynn speaking."

"OH MY GOD!!!!!!!"

She laughs..I'm sure she has been hearing that all day. I am on the street corner in front of Pangea and she gets me on a new flight departing in 9 hrs. Sweet. We head home for sleep. I arrive at Austin Bergstrom Airport for my 11AM flight and all is golden. The lines for people trying to get on new flights are ridiculous....I over hear cursing and crying. People have lost luggage and there are several people who are having major problem because now AA isn't taking any pets.

As I wait, I check the board to see how many flight are getting cancelled. It is like every other flight...and lo and behold, mine has been delayed. Of course. OK, screw this, I say, I'm getting a massage. The little booth is right across form my gate so if there are any changes I can easily see them. So I mosey over to the massage booth and right as I do, the lady in the chair goes into cardiac arrest. Yeah, I'm serious. Man, there must be something the air. I quietly sit back down in front of the gate and watch the EMT team do their work.

My flight finally boards and I see they have put me in first class. F'in sweet! I mean the flight is only 45 minutes but this was my first time in first class. A girl can get used to this.

I arrive at Dallas in the early after noon and settle in for my FOUR hour layover.

...too be continued..

Follow up to Male Exotic Dancing...

So, I was recently asked...
Do you have any tips for guys on how they can take their clothes off and look great? Most guys will probably not want to do a striptease or will feel a little awkward. Any ideas on how they can strip down for their lover and still feel hot?

Here was my response...
I personally think men should leave this stuff alone. It just comes off cheesy. http://www.stripxpertease.com/2007/01/doing-striptease-if-you-are-guyaka-male.html For me it is sexier to ask her to do it. For instance he stands and says I want to strip for you but I'm gonna need your help. Will you please unbutton my shirt? ( buttons are better, more work for the prize!) Perhaps half way through he can kiss her with both hands on her face, very much in control. We woman like that right? A take charge kinda guy. That confidence you spoke of. He can ask her to go slower as well. Then he can ask her to take of his pants by unbuttoning, unzipping, whatever. Again, the please is important. Makes her have some sense of being needed, but yet not totally in control. Shoes should be already off...those things are just plain awkward. I also don't think he should ask her to use her teeth at any point. If she does, great, just don't ask. He should look into her eyes the whole time, sport a naughty hint of a smile, and remain standing. Again this gives him a position of control and confidence. When she has taken off everything, he can then do the same thing to her, by saying now its your turn and slowly undressing her, still gazing in her eyes. The let the hot sex begin!! This whole scene would totally work for me!

Vanessa Hollingshead

In follow up to my blog about dressing rooms at Victoria's Secret

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=49757

...funny stuff.