Community Matters: Registration and Monitor Training

After a bit of a wait due to some packed schedules - we have an online/Zoom training scheduled for Monday, November 14th, for Monitoring (6-7pm) and Registration (7-8pm) to get you started on the path towards volunteering for these roles. 

To sign up, please log into Volgistics (or create your account if you haven't already - using the new volunteer steps here to get started: https://thecspc.org/volunteering) and sign up for each class you plan to attend - a shortened link to the Zoom meeting is included in the shift information. Signing up in Volgistics for the classes will help us update accounts more quickly after each class as well as letting the team know you plan on attending (in case of any technical difficulties or similar, we can send a note to let you know what's going on).

If you have opted in for 'Schedule Reminder' communications, you will also receive the link via email 2 days before the training.

A couple notes on training:

• Monitor class attendees will have completed the first step on the path for monitoring. You'll work with monitorlead@thecspc.org to schedule shadow shifts for training with a monitor at events before you will be able to sign up for monitoring on your own.

• Registration class attendees should be ready for shifts right away (please allow up to 1 week for Volgistics to be updated after class)

Not yet a volunteer? It’s not too late to be included in this training! Just follow the steps here to complete your on-demand online volunteer orientation and complete your online volunteer application. 

Fucking Fabulous Fall Fundraiser--SHOW US YOUR....

SHOW US YOUR…. fabulous skills and fantastic stuff! Share your unique talents and terrific taste with your sex positive community by donating to the Fucking Fabulous Fall Fundraiser! 

We’re so excited to see all the cool items and services our members are donating to be auctioned online beginning the day after Thanksgiving! All proceeds from the auction will go to support the CSPC programming, and we all get to know and appreciate each other a little more in the process. 

Did you know that our own Emma Atkinson makes amazing beaded curtains? I didn’t, but I do now! Great cooks, crafters, or kinksters with a skill to share–fire play class, anyone? Coffee and a chat with a Domme? We all have so much to offer each other and our community. Share your hobbies, share your business, share your knowledge, share that leather kilt you only wore once that’s been taking up space in your closet.
DONATE TODAY and then join us online for the virtual auction from 9 a.m. on November 25 to noon on December 9. Give back to your community while shopping for your holiday gift giving–everybody wins!

Mmmmmm.... Sense and Sensuality

Do you want to explore allowing others into your personal space? Are you interested in sharing energy with another person? Have you ever wanted to experience emotional or physical intimacy without the pressure of romance or sex? Are you demisexual and a bond is needed before sexual activity is even possible? Do you enjoy the softer side of kink? Then this is the event that you’ve been looking for! 

Join us for the first Sense & Sensuality event at Gallery Erato - 309 1st Ave S. on December 11!

Intimacy provides the opportunity to bond with others and platonic touch-based intimacy is an underserved need for many people. The CSPC wants to facilitate a sexually non-escalatory environment for our community.  

The first part of Sense & Sensuality called “Lights On” will restrict any sexual intentions, including nudity, on both floors of Gallery Erato. Come meet new people, enjoy icebreaker intimacy games and engaging conversations. Join our cuddle workshop, the communal cuddle puddle, or negotiate one-on-one cuddles. 

At 9:00 p.m. the downstairs space of the Gallery will transition into “Lights Off”. In this environment, you can expand your intimacy to include light impact play, nudity, sensual and sexual intentions.

Mandatory “Circle” required for event admission, party from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m.

Circle Schedule - December 11th only

• Part 1 - Lights On: 7:30 - 8:00 p.m.

• Part 2 - Lights Off: 9:15 - 9:45 p.m.

The “Circle” is a one-time requirement for all attendees as we will be going over event rules and guidelines. Once you've completed this, at future events you may arrive any time while the doors remain open.

We’re so excited to share this new event! Buy your tickets here to join us for just $25! Not yet a member?Buy your New Member tickets here! New Member tickets include mandatory New Member Orientation immediately preceding the event, your first month’s membership fee, and party entry for $35. Orientation begins at 6:00 p.m. sharp (doors open at 5:30 p.m.--please be early! Parking can take some time in this area).

Share Your Holidays with the CSPC Community

The year-end holidays are upon us, and how better to spend them than with your CSPC community? Join us from 5-7 p.m. via Zoom on November 24 for our Virtual Orphan Thanksgiving for conversation, laughter, and connection. Free for all attendees, but be sure you BYOP (Bring Your Own Pie)!

Let’s make New Year’s Eve a party to remember! Join us in person at Gallery Erato for a sexy midwinter night’s dream at NYE: La Rêverie. We’ll have all the special touches to help make your fantasies a reality, complete with photographer, tarot readings to look into the future of 2023, prize basket raffle, and a non-alcoholic toast at midnight! Have a special scene in mind? Contact us at SpecialEvents@theCSPC.org and we’ll help you craft your own steamy winter wonderland. Get your tickets today!

Hump History Year Nine: A Farewell to Charms

by Teeebone

By 2016, the CSPC had already been looking for a new home, as the terms of our lease were set to expire in the Fall of 2017, though the property owner ultimately negotiated a settlement for the CSPC to “leave early” a year sooner. Thus, Year Nine of the Hump was only seven months and a week long, but it was the year I felt I had worked the hardest yet.

A lot of staff turnaround took place, you see. At the end of January, the last core member from the founding Hump Team left. It was getting difficult to keep the party fully staffed. There was a general sense of exhaustion not just with my crew, but others as well. Even The Grind had gone from a weekly to a monthly schedule by then.

And yet, we were able to continue… The biggest challenge for this year was educating new members on scene etiquette, boundaries, and consent. I am very grateful that “consent culture” has become a thing nowadays because it helps educate those who are new in the community about what is acceptable behavior at our parties. The weekly tasks of event maintenance continued on a stable though busy “business as usual” routine throughout the year,so much so that it came as a surprise that the CSPC was going to leave its home sooner rather than later!

On September 7, 2016, I showed up at the Center at 4pm to run the very last Hump. I walked around the space, took in my memories and then an hour later got on with helping the crew set up the party one last time. We had a record breaking attendance, the tally being at ninety-nine, although I think there were a hundred plus due to a few walk-ins here and there.

It was an excellent finale, and when the last song was played on the DJ set, the attendees said their goodbyes and made their way home. I then joined the strike crew to clean stuff up and put things away. After the strike crew left, I was alone in the building where I did my last lockdown. At the DJ station, I took one last look at the Main Space in its dimly lit “after-hours” ambiance. So many memories, so much fun! I slung my backpack over my shoulder and then went to the front door, opened it, and stepped outside. I checked the lock and then went to my car. It was done.

I went back to attend the last Grind at the Center’s Interbay location the next day and then again for the Very Last Party the day after that. But that was it. On September 9, 2016, the last party was held at the CSPC’s original location. Then on September 15, the CSPC officially left the building that had been its home since 1999.

The Hump had perked along for more than eight years and had become a regular feature at the CSPC. It introduced many new members to the community as a “starter” party and served well in its function. To all of the volunteers who worked so hard as members of the Hump Team, I thank all of you so very much! We could not have done it without you!

Until next time... :^)

Want to be part of the volunteer team that starts the Next Great Party? Become a volunteer today!

Ask a (Sex-Positive) REALTORⓇ

by Rebecca Bingham

Warmest wishes to those who celebrate holidays in November, with a special thank you to Veterans on Nov 11th! Which happens to also fall on Leather Reign weekend this year. (And most years, tbh, as LR falls on the 2nd weekend in November every year).

I had a question already, and I'm so delighted!

Question: Would you mind discussing a little about WHY someone might "need" a kinky Realtor, and what is code-switching?

I'll start with code-switching. I really like this definition: "Broadly, code-switching involves adjusting one’s style of speech, appearance, behavior, and expression in ways that will optimize the comfort of others in exchange for fair treatment, quality service, and employment opportunities" from Harvard Business Review (https://hbr.org/2019/11/the-costs-of-codeswitching). So, in housing terms, I might suggest you ask your contractor to put in extra insulation for your temperature-sensitive hobbies, which will also provide GREAT soundproofing. You get your needs met, and it hasn't been outed to a workperson that you are making a kinky dungeon to tie people up in :) 

Also, by being a kink-friendly, queer Realtor, I can help with complicated issues such as a poly family where everyone is taking title although no one is married to each other without batting an eye. I work with a kink-friendly real estate attorney who can draw up the paperwork to make the agreements legal and binding, and kink-aware, queer lenders who understand that sex work is real work and will help ensure all your income is accounted for when investing in real estate, which is super helpful for pro-dommes and other sex workers. We can handle deadnames professionally, name changes, pronouns, and all sorts of queer situations with discretion.

Thank you for the questions, and I look forward to more! Please message me on Fetlife, or on FB, and of course, I won't mention your name.

Next month, I will include a market update. It's still Oct at the time of this writing. And of course, if you or someone you know is looking to buy or sell a house, please connect with me via my website or on social media.

Consent Corner 2.19

by Emma Atkinson and Rachel Drake 

Hello sexy readers! We hope you’re enjoying the lovely crisp weather that means November.  It’s fall and the trees are showing us how to let go of what we no longer need.  

Are you thinking that it might be time to add some new fun to your life? We’re talking about good consensual fun, of course.  

Adding something new might mean letting something else go. Marie Kondo suggests letting things go while thanking them for what they have brought to you. That sounds about right.

You may want to let go of old beliefs that are no longer serving you well. Maybe you could replace beliefs that begin with “I can’t…” to “I can…” or “I choose not to…”.  Beliefs that start with “If only…” or “I should…” might also be ripe for review and consideration.

While you’re pondering letting things go, here’s an important fact. Did you know that those expiration dates on condoms are for real? The material they’re made of can degrade or rot over time. Small holes in that material can make them unfit for their intended purposes and cause considerable grief to all involved. Toss them out, please!  

Embarking on new consensual adventures can be both exciting and scary. It might mean considering what assumptions you bring to the experience. Clearing away what no longer serves you well makes space to work on creating a consent framework that’s as beautiful and supportive as possible.  

Homework: think about a recent experience when you became aware of an assumption that turned out to be unfounded. Gently let it go, and then share it with us at: info@thecspc.org.

“Be excellent to each other” - Bill and Ted

“Be sexcellent to each other” - Emma and Rachel 

Join Us at LaQueer!

LaQueer welcomes the CSPC’s queer community for safer kinky and sexy fun. In honor of the spooky season, this month we invite you to come in costume. Show us your boo-tiful selves! 

We welcome all kinds of play and sex that are allowed under the CSPC’s rules, and welcome people all across the various spectra of queer identity. We will have rope suspension points, kink equipment like spanking benches and racks, and space for everything from cuddles to needles.

In addition, we will be providing materials to help you flag your level of willingness to interact with others. This is to help everyone feel safer in large group social events, and to increase accessibility for members of our community who struggle with socialization.

This is the queer party you’ve been waiting for, back and better than ever. Let’s get weird!

WHEN: Saturday, October 29, 8 p.m. to midnight

WHERE: The Gallery Erato, located in Pioneer Square at 309 1st Ave S.

COST: $25 ($35 for New Member tickets that include orientation + the party)

WHO: This event is for queer folx and their friends! “Queer" here is used as an umbrella term for anyone who identifies as not-heterosexual or not-cisgender, including but not limited to people who identify as: gay, lesbian, bisexual, genderqueer, agender, bigender, transgender, third gender, trans, genderfluid, gaymo, bicurious, asexual, homosexual, homofabulous, homoflexible, heteroflexible, intersex, questioning, pansexual, MTF, FTM, butch, femme, fag, dyke.

If you identify with one of these groups, then this party is for you!

If you aren't queer and are not attending with a queer person, we invite you to join us at a different event.  We know our parties are less frequent than usual, but we ask that you respect our intention to create a queer space with this event.

Want to come? Get your tickets online here! Not yet a member? Purchase a New Member ticket here! New Member tickets include mandatory New Member Orientation, your first month’s membership fee, and entry to the party immediately following orientation.

Virtual Orphan Thanksgiving

Welcome to the return of our annual Orphan Thanksgiving party, Thursday, November 24 from 5-7 p.m.! It’s free, though we welcome your donations. Anyone 18+ can attend, members or not - we just want everyone to have the choice of fun company on the holiday in this age of Covid. Whip out that computer or phone, register online, then Zoom in to enjoy amazing conversation and titillating laughter, meet new friends, and greet faces you’ve missed. One thing we can guarantee - you always roll a Yahtzee playing with the animal crackers in this box! See you there!

If you feel like you need help, visit https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988.  If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Email Turtle or Teeebone at specialevents@thecspc.org with questions about our Virtual Orphan Thanksgiving.

Have more questions? Check out our FAQ! We are a 100% volunteer-run organization, so it helps us immensely if you check the FAQ before emailing us. Thank you!