by Teeebone

The eighth ‘season’ of the Hump started out with a bang as we ushered in 2015. The New Year’s Eve party was always a big event, so we held “An Intimate Affair: A Sexy Dinner before the NYE Festivities.” This was a high protocol dinner before the party began, with such menu items as Sweet Kale Gourmet Salad, Mini Beef Wellington with Bacon, Cranberry Green Beans, Garlic Smashed Potatoes, and New York Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce, just to name a few! Dinner was served in the Annex from 6 to 9pm, with the space being converted into a dessert bar and play space afterward.

At 7pm, the Hump (in the Main Space) opened for the two-hour social and then at 9pm, it was ‘Party On!’ with the doors opening for the Whump (in the RAW Dungeon) and access granted to the Annex. At midnight there was a toast featuring sparkling apple cider to ring in the new year. All of this required extra staff to make happen, and the volunteer corps stepped up to carry the celebration off beautifully. The NYE party always takes a lot of work, but I have noticed that the membership genuinely appreciates the event and the effort that we put into it.

By the second half of January, I realized that my work schedule had gotten so full that I made the decision to step away from running OMG SX! (formerly the Luv Shack), the monthly sex-focused party I had put together four years earlier. I handed the keys over to my successor, and they made some changes and ran the party until the CSPC shut down in September of 2016.

On February 14th, Fifty Shades of Grey was released as a movie. And then suddenly, everyone in America wanted a good old-fashioned, over-the-knee, open-handed spanking! The kink-curious quotient shot skywards. This unprecedented growth in our community was exciting, but it also required a lot of tender loving care and gentle reminders to new members about etiquette and how to play within our community.

From spring into summer, there were some arguments between staff members over cell phone use and what constituted proper enforcement of the rules which required an extended period of negotiation to settle the disputes. I did my best to not let the conflicts sap my strength and instead focused my energy on running the Hump.

In July there was more discussion about the CSPC’s policy on suspensions. The Hump was always a suspension-friendly event, usually having 1-2 suspensions each night. The catalyst for reviving this ongoing debate was an incident involving a member who misrepresented themselves and attempted to do a suspension with unapproved gear. The scene was stopped and the member protested this, but we held firm. We have rules about suspensions and they need to be followed. So, from summer into fall clarifications were made, rules updated, and changes duly noted.

Our volunteers are always working to make our parties sexy, fun, and as safe as possible. Another staff duty from back in the day: Checking the parking lot and offering to escort attendees to their vehicles when leaving. Usually at 25-30 minute intervals, I would grab a flashlight and check the parking lot for weirdness. Only on rare occasions would something be weird. Escorting attendees to their vehicles (and sometimes to the nearby bus stop) helped add a layer of safety that attendees greatly appreciated. Did I mention that the “Buddy System” works? When you come to the Center, bring a buddy!

The year ended with a well deserved “Whew!” as the Hump watched the holiday season pass by without having to worry about the upcoming NYE party. I even managed to have that night off!

Until next time... :^)

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