workshop review

A number of months back I asked a workshop attendee and regular to write me a little something about her experience in the class. Life had us both busy for the last while, putting to the back burner this task. Then the other day, this arrives to my in box...

Well over a year ago now I first met Jennifer. In a circle of timid
introductions she blazed the way to a way to a more forward and welcoming
atmosphere by unapologetically introducing herself with a string of labels
that she also casually and helpfully defined. Her confidence was rattling
I'd say almost intimidating. But at the same time, I was intrigued.

A few months later I drummed up enough courage to attend one of her oft
recommended classes Bottoming Skills 101. I didn't know what to
expect but my imagination went wild. A mere sapling in the world of kink,
I had heard a lot but had experienced very little. What would the people in
the class be like? Would they know volumes more than I did? Would they be
way more extreme than I was? Would they actually have bottoming
experience to draw upon or like me would they be simply starting to
explore *that* side of themselves.

Upon entering the class room (actually, a dance studio), I saw a small group
of people of all ages some men and some women. The group was small enough
to be in a discussion circle an intimate sphere in the middle of the wide
open dance floor. Jennifer was relaxing and drinking a slurpee, engaging in
chit chat with my class mates. At the hour of class start, she flawlessly
transitioned into class mode with a well placed contact question. Before
long, stories were being swapped. Opinions were being shared. Bottoming
skills were being discussed and honed. I quickly realized most of my
preconceptions were just that. Bottoming wasn't something predefined it
was individual and unique for every person.

As the class wore on, discussion became more and more free and easy.
Jennifer, without fail, bridged silences in the discussion, bringing up new
points and new ideas in the process. Her ideas and information seemed
endless. I wondered how on earth we would ever fit it all into one
evening's class.

And then it was finished.

I was so happy at the end of that class I felt like I took a lot of
information away, but more importantly, I felt like I had finally started to
accept one of the many hidden facets of myself. I was still nervous, but I
had just taken a small tentative step into the rich and diverse world of
Vancouvers sex-positive community. But I liked what I'd seen, and more
importantly, I felt confident that I was not left alone to deal with foreign
and mysterious topics like bottoming. As long as Vancouver has wonderful
resources like Jennifer's Libido Events, I had a resource I could turn to.

I attended Take Charge: Being Dominant in The Bedroom two nights later.
In fact, after such a wonderful bottoming class I wouldn't have missed it
for the world. It was settled. I was hooked.

Now, every time I see Jennifer I am more and more impressed. Her ease and
comfort in the sex-positive landscape is commendable and enviable
something I can only hope at this point to one day achieve. I no longer
find her at all intimidating but I do still find her intriguing. I'm
pretty sure that has something to do with her deep, rich and smoldering
eyes...

by Red