 I am an East Coast expatriate hiding out in the Midwest... I am an urban gal living in the suburbs and occasionally hiding in the country I am a yoga practitioner, fitness enthusiast, believer in the mind-body-spirit connection... I am a mid-life "revert" to the Roman Catholic faith in which I was raised and which has become an enormous source of support, encouragement, inspiration, and joy in my life... I am a mom, sister, daughter, and wife... I am an explorer; adventurous and curious about the world and people around me... I am educated in the formal sense but I gain insight through everyday living... I created this blog at a time of great fear and apprehension in my life. I chose to sustain it because of the discoveries about myself and the world around me that it has revealed. What you can expect to find here: the documentation of a love-hate relationship with the greater Philadelphia area
reminiscing about the good-ole-days (the 80's!)
complaints about my various ailments and injuries, both real and imagined
pictures and stories of gardening, decorating, shopping, sewing
my love of irony
links to kooky news stories
way too much scatological musing for sane people
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Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Republican pervs and more....
Oh man...
I am grinning ear to ear after finally finding out (even though, personally I don't think its the public's business) about the allegations that Illinois Republican Senate candidate Jack Ryan tried to coerce his then-wife, actress Jerri Ryan (yeah, from Star Trek, etc.) to "play" at BDSM and swinger clubs around the globe.
I find this amusing for a number of reasons:
a.) I KNEW IT! (i.e. - I just had a hunch)
b.) I love ultra conservative a-holes getting "busted" (think: Rush Limbaugh, Jim Bakker, etc, etc.)
c.) His ex-wife, the TV star, went to college with me and gave me a rough time largely due to my unconventional (although, at the time, quite hip and trendy) "punk" attire. Pretty typical that she, Miss America runner-up and archetypal midwestern sorority gal, would "become physically ill" (her words) at a BDSM "sex club", surrounded by whips, cages, and all of the characters that flock to such an environs. What was he thinking?!?!?
d.) I think its especially funny in light of my recent spanking fantasies with a certain Congressman ;)
Now, granted, I find the lack of privacy in this country increasingly disturbing. But, on the other hand, such a scandal could have surfaced easily due to the fact that he was indiscreet enough to take a well-known person (his then-wife) to a public (or at least semi-public) "sex club".
I have been to "play spaces" - both private clubs and semi-public events in nightclubs. I have some experience with the wilder side of life from my past. I would know what to expect and I would consider going to such a club only after discussing all possible scenarios with my partner, and working out the logistics. And, even though I am somewhat aware of what is "out there", there are still plenty of things that freak ME out, that aren't a turn-on, that I won't seek out for participation, etc.
A total novice most certainly would be scared, freaked out, whatever you want to call it, if a public event were his/her introduction to the BDSM world or swing lifestyle.
Thus, Jack is not only indiscreet, he's a "wannabe" Dom/swinger. A novice himself. And in that realm at least one person in the couple should have some idea what the heck they are doing - physically and emotionally - as it is not something to be toyed with on a whim. And its also something that doesn't work well when one person in the couple is coerced into participating.
Even though I don't care for her, I do feel badly for Ms. Ryan in that she didn't do anything wrong except marry a lunkhead and have a kid with him. So now she has to shield her child and family from this very embarrasing stuff, that is, of course, all over the news. That is really unfortunate.
This is the second divorce paper-based scandal in local politics this year. If privacy cannot be guranteed by the courts, then I hope these examples make litigants think twice before getting into vicious battles, instead of trying to work things out amicably, or better yet, avoid dubious practices in the first place.
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