Another night at Sin City. Previous to it. I was faced with a choice of two women to hang with. Not a regular state of my existence. So, I made the fatal error of choosing the friend over a possible friend with benefits. One, a girl who likes to dance with me. But was seeing a guy at the time, who was a friend, when we were dancing up a storm. So, that time it was all just platonic fun which I do well. But, at the time it had this edge to it. One that, when we traded phone numbers all that time ago I felt something extra. Well, that Michelle was in town for a short while. (And she's a tattoo artist to boot... I could have gotten a starter Tattoo as well. )

But, I was working for most of her visit. I had one evening that we might have met up on. But, I'd made time already with another Michelle ( my friend who I last took to Sin City - Fetish night - who was sort of com ca, com ca about the last time we went. )

This time however, immediately out on the dance floor some guy in a rubber skirt asked her to cane him. And, Jesus Christ...!!!! Michelle was of to the races. She disappeared with this guy, into the dungeon for what seemed like half the night. And came back with wild tales of whipping a bunch of eager guys who then kissed the soles of her shoes after the experience. While, she collected a crowd of various voyeurs that evening - looking on and applauding. She's quite cute, in that hot for teacher way. - Imagine a 90's Meg Ryan type too when you think of her. ( we dated 8 years back... ) so I could understand why she was the night's little rubber fetish star girl

The regular dungeon masters there tend to be a sorry lot. ( Honestly, I don't get the attraction to being spanked / whipped or spanking or whipping with someone I don't find attractive. - I guess it's the act that makes the moment people who are into that. The idea of meeting a woman I find attractive and spanking her in that arena. I get that... but that never happens. More due to the fact that I'm too shy at a place like Sin City to help make that happen. )

It's was odd and even a bit disconcerting to me to watch my friend turn into a one night, star domatrix. She really, really enjoyed the experience. Texting her Girl friends, and a friend on Second Life about the whippings. And, she felt compelled to relate it all to me. In minute detail, back in the other dance room. Describing it as one of the hottest moments of her life. Which was funny because when we dated, all those years ago, she was so very super submissive. And, now she's with this really nice Jock guy who's very much the pant wearer in the relationship. As I've been trying to get her to come to thease Sin City nights on and off for about a year. With him often veto - ing her solo participation.

With that, she just kept disappearing off with guys into the dungeon room. And the Vibrator guy ( this guy who wears a Vibrating suit and saddles up to cuddle with girls... ) became one of her new friends. And other really young guys were regularly buying her drinks, flirting and trying to get her number.

But, was she returning the favour?

Of course not... ( women... they never do... I have to complain before female friends ever bother to introduce me to anyone. ) I introduced her both nights to all the people, male and female, that I even remotely knew at the club , In hopes to help her relax. YES......Not wing manning me in return, in the slightest.

I started to get really envious. I even felt jealous. Which is a trait I really loath in myself when it happens. Especially when it's over a person I consider a friend. Because it's such an ugly, bitter, dead end. Which can ruin things. Or, make things sort of un-discussable, with women friends ( because it's awkward and weird to feel thease feelings about a friend. - And can get in the way of a friendship. ) So, when she once again disappeared with the last young, buff, whipping boy of the evening. Who wouldn't leave her alone. I made my leave of the place....

Wishing I'd phoned the other Michelle....

I came back as I realized she needed help to get out of Zombie town, where the club is. To an area where there's regular taxi service. I think she realized my own personal disdain for my side of the night. As she kind of kept apologizing. But, it was only my feelings and not her fault. I just get so envious some times as to how easy sex ( or sexy moments ) just happen with the opposite sex. Because it really makes my glaring lack of ability, in making anything happen like that. So bitterly obvious on my side of the moon, where I always find myself alone.

Some days just rock....


A nice easy 10am start... a good experienced road crew. And as it's double time Sunday. All the senior cats and touring monsters ( Greame... taking a break from The Cure Tour and Dave off Theory of Dead-man ) from the local were out in force. After a few weeks out of the big house, which is closed for repair. Or off tour for the summer. So, it was all the dedicated ones. The good old guys, and girls who still love to set up shows and were chomping for a bit of the action.

Seriously... my job is a bit of an addiction. And it's all nice to know I'm not alone. That others, even older than me get a rush still. It makes me feel pretty good about the idea growing old and getting a rush out of it still.

Plus, we all have this sort of simpatico. Like an old Baseball team, back out on the dusty diamond again. It's something that an old style seniority list helps foster. Yeah, we bitch about the order and the gig from time to time. But, we we all, for the most part still like, ...no.... LOVE our jobs. And we have to get along. So, after so many years... we know who we instantly work well with. ( I could care less about the idea of High-school reunions.... I hid in the Darkroom at school or in the Drama Room. Out of mostly fear and ridicule for being different. It just took one or two threats.. and a few Locker imprisonments... when everyone knew I was the sacrificial target that year but never stood up to them. I divorced myself of high-school friends before the last year was out. So, wouldn't know any of my old classmates if I walked into them on the street. But, my union brothers and sisters.. hell yeah!!! Reunions all round..... every show!!!! )

After such a great set up I went down to the Cecil to drop in on a few friends who get me... The bartender, his G.F. and one of the ( I thought....the waitresses ) Only to find him and his G.F. not there. And more shockingly... the waitress I'd been chatting to at another bar turned out to be the days feature.

I have to admit a certain fascination about strippers. It's that grass is always greener situation. Women who are comfortable with their bodies enough to be naked in a open setting. Well, I admire that a great deal. Because, really I love looking at a woman's body. Especially when they're very sleak. I mean really why look at Ferraris or own one when you can look or be with a beautiful woman.

and I think there's envy there too.... I envy the power they have over me.. women I lust or love. That's the other side of being hurt. That amazement and envy over the ability of her curves to guide my thoughts and dreams. - Of course it's always better to dream - reality takes it's toll on what seems so perfect from afar. It's like looking at the wonder of white gloves... knowing full well that they cover dirty hands.

But, I digress... I was chatting with this stripper in between her dancing. And it was super fun as she's just a fully admitted narcissistic personality. And as we watched other dancers while we chatted. It was so buoying. Almost like sex but nothing near it. Something just a little better for that day. One of the dancers previous had a bit of a fan club... who put down a 20 dollar bill for the pleasure of her naked attention. So, when my friend went back to dance I had to answer their anti. And plunked down my own 20 dollar bill.

She licked her pretty little, just perfect breast and slinkily laid down onto it. Sticking it to her chest in perfect time to the music. This prompted wolfs and whistles and more cash in hand from my competitors. Which left her with triple the money of her earlier, pretty compatriot.

But, I had to leave as I have to go back and tear down the show....

....And then I got offered the 1 FS on Spamalot....The Tour gig as a replacement guy ( as always... ) for later on this month.... It's all like being the brides maid but never the bride....

I love working with British crews....


Years ago way back in 88, when I was fresh out of college. I was working for a sad little lighting rental company ( Which will remain unnamed ) And we were hired to empty our shop of every piece of aluminum trussing available and send it down to B.C. Place Stadium. As the huge monster WHO tour needed more... for a huge black backdrop to hide the seating backstage.

Keener that I was, I went down there with with the 5 tonne, volunteering to see if they needed help unloading. Hoping to see a bit of the big rock show, and maybe get some real work. But, at the loading bay of the venue I was told, rather rudely and in no uncertain terms that I was a scab. And not to help unload the truck by the shows union crew. ( Ironically I now work with alot of the local guys who gave me that attitude back then. ) Which as a young kid, I guess that kind reception, must have noticeably upset me.

Beside where they were all laying out the box truss. The Who's Stage crew chief was prepping band gear. And as I stood there stupidly wondering how to disappear into space. He sort of comforted me, and told me in his odd English brogue. Not to listen to those old local farts, who were nobodies anyway. But, I got such a cold shoulder from them that I took myself out of there. And went to see my my GF instead of hanging out. I couldn't for the life of me remember his name from all those years ago... but I remember the tool case he was using as his traveling guitar shop, that he let me push closer to his tech world

Since that moment... I've been backstage with members of the Who twice. ( once on a T.V. shoot and once with a band I was working with that opened for them...) But, I never saw that Stage guy again until today. Him and his tool box case are still being pushed around the world for other bands and... well, that's it, above.

And he's still a total road pirate...Not that he remembers me. But , I got to help unload his current bands gear. And while we were loading in to the venue. A bunch of his old road friends came over from The Centre, where The Holy Grail is playing. And they just stopped the setup dead when they all got caught up. And our head carp was staring bullets at us ( like he does when ever we are at a stand still...) while we waited for them to give us further instructions.

And all I could do was shrug....

I've never been in America on the fourth as an adult....I was thinking of going down south for it. But, the chance of work when it's slow that weekend has arisen. Of course, the bulk of the work is on the weekend. ( Mark Knophler, a rave and Kid Rock Show ) So I have a feeling that my last weekend for summer happened on our holiday.

It was weird not working on Canada Day / weekend. Thats usually a big show weekend for me. So, I convinced a friend ( who was an old GF ) M., to come to Sin City with me and dance the Saturday night away with some pervy people. She's always said she wanted to come, and even bought some rather expensive rubber gear to play along. She's wanted to go previously, but her BF is not interested. And each time I've asked before, to go solo with me he vetoes her night. But, he was out on a guy weekend, mountain biking. So she came along.

I've noticed at thease events that, if you go with a woman who's all perved up. The "strict clothing" door guy doesn't even give me, a guy, the once over. Where as if I'm a single guy, on my own. I have to really dress up in the accepted attire, to cross the threshold . - In fact, everything is better outside the club. People smile more. - "Aw, look at the cute hetro-pervy couple, honey..." Drunken crowds of guys whistle. Taxi drivers chat with us.

Venturing to Sin City on my own. I automatically feel like I was when I was some geeky, teen, punker kid in suburbia. Laughed at, suspiciously oppressed by jocks, and avoided by Taxi drivers. It's times like this that I really feel for the guys in the gay community here. And I understand why they collect as a mini society in the west end. That omnipresent hetero-jock oppression in the western world against any guy dressing glam, or any costume that might border on hinting or questioning a persons sexuality. Meanwhile, the jocks all gather at the sports bar, on the Canada Day weekend. To watch pay per view, UFC fighting championships where beefy guys wrestle, punch and grope each other bare chested.

The only bad thing about bringing a new person to Sin City is having to possibly entertain them. Which gets in the way of me entertaining myself. Even in all the rubber dress and corset. M, was really kind of uptight or not into it. Nervous about being there without her guy. Always worried that she might run into a student from her college. Or somebody she knew out in the real world. ( Which is why I always suggested that she dress up as the hot SM teacher... you know, laugh and have fun with her chosen profession. Look the normals in the eye with what they weird out over. ) I thought we were friends long enough that she'd relax and loosen up. But, she danced like she was at a high school sock hop. So, we spent most of the time talking about kinky relationships. ( Or, rather my lack of one. ) And we tried to figure out who in the crowd was the most kinky. Who was the most Dom or Sub Guy or Girl. Or who like us was just being a kinky tourist.

( Why do most of the women I know see BDSM in such strict relationships? M, was going on about a friend who was into being a REAL sub. but couldn't find a 100 % Dom guy. - The kind who is dominant all the time and provides 24/7 ( materially and otherwise ) for the woman's gift of submission. Personally, I think this is impossible in this day and age. Back in the 1950's when one man's job provided for a family. Sure. But, now with the expectations of equality, and the fact that it takes two or more incomes to buy a place and have a relationship. Now, it only works as bedroom fantasy. Plus, most normal guys don't want to always be the Dom. I know I don't. Sex, when I get it.... is so much better 50 / 50 between two confident people who can express and play with fantasy. Which is why I like to go to Sin City when I can. Maybe I can get more confident about my own fantasies or more confident about approaching kinky women.)

I guess she was expecting it would be more wild, or more of an event. But, like anything you make it what it is....

I mean it's really just an adult Halloween party. A quick Bi - weekly thrill for the Artsy heterosexual community that likes wearing leather, PVC or fun costumes. The best parts for me is, I get to voyeur for the evening. And the women seem far more open to compliments about their kinky attire. ( Compliment the shoes... thats the best place to start. ) I guess, it's because I'm a like person. Enjoying the feel of leather and rubber as well. because I'm playing along.

So, I got her back on her way home, and went back to the club, for the last hour of dancing....

I've been bouncing around from gig to gig. A bunch of Islamic and Indian pop shows at the Agro-dome. A Franco force tour promoting Quebec's 300'th birthday. Complete with a geodesic dome that took a whole evening to set up and rig.

The best gig was a world habitat and information display I got to rig and light for the Amir Kahn society. The group was promoting their new University that they'd produced and funded in Kazakhstan. And other ventures in third world Asia. I used to think it odd that we get alot of religious groups asking for the locals services when they want to put on shows or do events. But, I think it has alot to do with the fact that we set them up on the civic community centres. And the groups understand us as well, being a union that we are a non profit society of workers. We're on their plane, so to speak.

It's just fun to help build multi-media displays that don't promote the newest " Must have Gadget" or some corporate bullshit diatribe. Constructing information kiosks that show real things happening for amputee adults who need to learn new skills, in some far off war torn country, to help feed their children. Or the building of displays that show a old village that the people who have been apart of this organization, have rebuilt with their money and time.

When it's setting up a huge video wall for somebody like Sun micro system. Who have more money than god. I want to be the lazy union guy. But, gigs like this I put my heart into it and so does the others. Because our employers really give, in reality. And we are on the easy receiving end of their largest