[Quote Quest] The past, present and the future.

What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future.”

Agnes M. Pahro

What is Christmas?

Christmas for me has changed over the years for a variety of reasons, some natural life changes like moving house, new jobs and just getting older to things like losing a parent.

The quote above didn’t initially spark any imagination but as I began to look at other posts on the topic, I thought about each part and how they 3 of them applied to me at Christmas time.

“It is tenderness for the past“

I often look back to when I was a kid, the innocence of youth from that period and the happiness I felt at christmas.
Whether it was getting gifts I wanted, experiencing new things in life and having new feelings, there was something special about my younger years that I miss. Maybe it’s because I’m no longer a kid or in some case because the world is different from those years but I do yearn to have those time back even I won’t get them again.

“courage for the present“

As I’ve gotten older I’ve had more responsibilities that come with being an adult particularly for myself. Whether I was in a job, looking for a job or looking after my mum when my dad passed Christmas became a time when I needed courage in the present of whatever year it was.

In the last 3 years my particular job meant I worked over Christmas with the 25th being the only official day off, and while I didn’t work everyday I did work a lot, and not only was the need for courage there to get me through busy days (Restaurant I work in) but also that I’d be able to do it all again the next day. This also meant right through to New Years day and beyond until things got back to normal after the festive period where I could settle down and be less stressed.

“hope for the future.“

When losing my dad in 2010 I had to step up to look after my mum since I lived at home, and that Christmas was when I felt lost, things were different in the present and were going to be different for the future so while I didn’t think about “hope for the future” like the quote directly I did want the future to be better as I knew there would be many changes ahead.

Alongside the above there was some years that weren’t special, or where maybe good but not great and I often would sit at home during Christmas time when not with family, work..etc and think about the future, what the next year would bring for me.
I had a hope that not only would I be able to make it a more fun year with lots of new experiences, but that also some boring if necessary adult life stuff could be sorted out or at least looked into sorting out in order to make it less of a worry.

Conclusion

I think about the past, the tenderness for it as I miss the times when I was younger and Christmas meant something to me more than it does now.

I look for courage in the present to get me through Christmas particularly if I am working over the festive period or just have a lot of adult things to attend to that aren’t at home stuff.

Finally I dream of hope for the future. Hope that the new year brings more excitement for me, that any adult life stuff can be sorted so I don’t need to stress and for the new year to generally be a good as it can be.

Join in with Quote Quest here

A 2020 blogging, reviewing and personal retrospective

As we near the end of the year I thought I’d take a short look back at my blog and some of the semi-related things that happened with me from 2020 or at least the 2nd half of the year when these things started.

I started reviewing toys more frequently (Had done some odd reviews before) around June time when I did a guest review for the awesome LittleSwitchBitch the review being of a Tenga toy. That first review worked out well and things just continued from there in regards to more reviews from Tenga and Orion.de which seem to have been well received which I would have never imagined earlier on in the year, but to which I’m thankful for the opportunity and for how well they turned.
There is still a number of reviews to come likely coming out in 2021 at this point, so keep a look out for those and what I hoping will be the first review to go on my own blog.

From these reviews came the blog which came about because not only did I find writing reviews enjoyable, but also because I was seeing all these meme projects like QuoteQuest, SinfulSunday…etc and I wanted a way to not only write down thoughts, feelings and stuff into posts but also as a way to enable me to better participate in said memes.

When I started the blog I didn’t have a clue what I was doing or how it would turn out but I’ve tried to stick at it, and lots of you have read my posts and commented on them for which I’m so grateful. Knowing anyone reads my blog has been scary, but the more you read and comment on newer posts of mine the easier it has become to enjoy seeing people visit the blog and while I’m not quite posting as much as I’d like there’s plenty ideas/drafts for future posts, at least one of which I’m excited to see what people think once I get to finishing it.

So to end, all I can say is a HUGE thanks to LittleSwitchBitch, Tenga, Orion.de for being able to do toy reviews and realise how much I enjoy writing. Secondly a huge thanks all of you who visited my blog, read my posts and commented on them plus my reviews if you read those along with visiting the blog, it’s always appreciated.

Here’s to 2021 and I hope you all have a better year than 2020
Stay happy, healthy and safe with a little bit of sexy too hehe

We Fear Nothing
Xx

[Quote Quest] Hard work appreciated greatly

One kind word can warm three winter months.

Japanese Proverb

Never has a quote sparked happiness more than the above quote when I saw it as an upcoming prompt and immediately starting thinking of situations applicable to it.

I started my current job in hospitality just over 4 years ago and I will admit that I didn’t always find it easy going or fun at times (The nature of the job) but I always worked hard despite finding some days tougher than others.

Over the last year, year and half or so I started to find my feet a lot more in the job and this is when I started to feel a lot better about being where I am and what I’m doing.
At the same time I was continuing to work hard, do whatever was needed without bothering i.e. working days off, doing extra tasks, staying longer, covering shifts…etc

It was during this time that I began to get appreciation from my Assistant manager where she would generally be really nice to me, I assume because I always worked hard, never took days off and all other things mentioned above.
This appreciation made me happy not only because it’s nice to get compliments but also because I knew someone was noticing all my hard work, and that I felt like I was doing a good job more than when someone says”thanks” at the end of the night when I would be leaving which happened all the time.

The appreciation really was brought home one evening shift when I was asked by my AM what shifts I had off on X days of that week.
I assumed she was going to ask me to swap a shift, come in to cover or do just do an extra shift for whatever reason but I couldn’t have be far from the actual reason she was asking about my days off.

Having assumed the above, I was taken aback when she said to me that on either of my 2 days off, of which she was working, that I should bring my mum into the restaurant for a free meal because of how hard I was working or words to that effect.
I honestly never felt as happy as I did when hearing that and it made up for all the days I hated being in work, the hard busy shifts from 10am -930pm, the stress and even the times I’d be walking home after 11.30 at night in the worst mood ever knowing I had to go back in at 9/10am the next morning and do it all over again.

Ever since that day I’ve always loved when my AM was working when I was especially if I was in on an evening shift because I knew even if it was going to be hard she was always nice to work with which helped to remind me that I can still enjoy working no matter how busy we are, plus if needed she would come and help me out as my section is usually just one person so can be hard on a busy shift to get through lots checks in a timely manner on your own.

I can’t help but think back to all these times where I was appreciated and not smile or get very happy thinking about them. The fact it’s not just a “thanks” I’m getting and it’s more than that does warm up my heart and if you included the free meal offer it helps to know that I can do a good job and that working my ass off without fussing is noticed in the best way possible.

In addition to all of the above, a former chef who I worked with in my restaurant is dating her and he always was just as appreciative as she was, because I was always “No problem” no matter what he asked me to do and I think he also saw that I did things no matter what and worked as hard as possible.

My job (Pandemic aside) is a lot better than it ever has been and most of my stress is gone because of being appreciated alongside making me feel like I am a lot better at my job than I was before.

Come participate in or view Quote Quest here

Monday Musings #8 The reasoning behind sex toys I review

In the past I only ever reviewed the occasional sex toys and during this time I got toys without really having much reason for them, other than than I liked getting free toys, and I found pleasure in taking the time and effort to write my reviews.

As I’ve moved on to becoming a reviewer more regularly the way I review toys has changed. Most of the more recent reviews I’ve done HERE have been toys I was able to pick for review and when doing so I’ve tried to have a reason behind every choice and I try not to pick toys just to review and that’s it.

It may be that I had my eye on a certain type of toy for a while so that gives me a good reason to pick it and write a review, knowing it was a toy I wanted prior to doing reviews. Whether the toy is good or bad I know I can be honest with a review because of wanting rather than being sent it or picking it randomly.

I also may pick a toy or toys because they have certain features that appeal to me whether it’s a warming feature, or in the case of this Tenga toy it was because of the spinning function that was something I’d thought about in toys but had never experienced before.

Some toys might be similar to those I already own or toys I’ve owned in the past and it’s always nice to see how a different brand of toy stacks up. Some of these toys I own/owned might not have been great so trying a different brand may yield better results or it may just be a toy is cheaper and I’m curious to see how good or bad it is.

Finally there is the occasional toy I got that may be very simple and easy to review but the beauty of these is that I know 99.9% that I’ll like and I know the review will be positive.
I just like the fact with these toys I can share my thoughts on a toy that doesn’t vibrate, isn’t big or isn’t for the more experienced user but despite all of this I find it one of my favourites.

Concluding.

I try to have a reason for every toy I review and for the most part I want to use these toys once I’m done with a review.
Some reviews toys might be great but I just don’t like and some but just be flat-out bad for any number of reasons but I know at the end of the day I’m not just writing a review simply because I was sent a toy for free when I had no interest in it or very little to warrant a review normally.

Yes other toy reviewers might work differently and that’s fair enough but for me I like to know why I’m reviewing a toy, what’s the reason and in the end the writing will be fun.

[Quote Quest] Becoming undone but needing someone to undo my buttons for that to happen quicker.

The more buttons you undo,’ she said, the faster I become undone.

Michael Faudet

Initially when I read this quote I struggled to find a way to write about it, but I came back after thinking I wouldn’t write a post and re-read it to which I started to get ideas.

“the faster I become undone.”

To become undone for me is to get comfortable in various situations and be myself, the situations being particularly of a sexual nature where I’m very much not experienced with and therefore not overly comfortable in myself in these situations. Sure I’ve posted somewhat naked pics online, I write reviews of sex-toys and watch a lot of porn, but to do these things in real life with someone is something I’ve rarely done probably 3 times in total and only once where sex was involved.

My current situation as singleton sees me as buttoned up but ready to be unbuttoned, ready to explore more and to use the quote “Become undone”

“The more buttons you undo”

In order to become undone, I need someone to undo my buttons. Whether I’m exploring vanilla sex, kinks, fetishes or whatever each act I can refer to as the buttons ready to be unbuttoned and as each one goes I’m becoming more undone which means I’m getting more comfortable and I can be myself.

I had hoped to get more undone in 2020, I had vague ideas of what I want to do but we all know how this years has gone so it’s back to the drawing board until things change and I can maybe take 2020s ideas into 21 or beyond.

I’m not doing to sit here and dwell on things though because I know that I will be undone eventually and I can just enjoy dreaming of all the ways In which it may happen.

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Monday musings #7 – Sex Toys 101 part 2: What are my go to Butt toys

For part 2 of my Sex Toys 101 post I shall as the title suggest be looking at my go to anal toys. If you’ve not see part 1 you can find it HERE where I look at my go to penis/masturbation toys.

It’s no secret that I love butt toys, and while I don’t do it nearly as much as regular masturbation or as my love would suggest, I still like to own a number of butt toys for when the desire/craving does come up.

Lovehoney Booty Buddy Silicone Butt Plug

The Booty Buddy from Lovehoney was one of the first anal toys I owned and while it’s not a favourite I still have one because it’s small and easy to use, and for me I like to use it as a way to build up to my bigger toys as a sort of warm up.

I also think it’s a nice toy for beginners to anal as like I said it’s not too big making it easy to insert and explore anal play.

Colourful Joy – Bunny Tail Butt Plug

I’m a sucker for tailed butt plugs and the bright pink Colourful Joy – Bunny Tail Butt Plug is a lovely example of why I love them. It’s a smaller plug so it makes it super easy to just jump in and I really like the look of it when I’m wearing it which makes up for the fact that being a smaller toy means there is less pleasure from the actual plug.

Rebel rechargeable prostate stimulator

Whilst a general butt plug can be nice to use not all of them provide much pleasure, beyond being inside you which is why I like this toy from Rebel. It not too big so fits in easily, has a bulge which provided pleasure and then it had the added bonus of vibrations.

Vibrations on a butt plug take pleasure to a whole other level and those found on the Rebel are really nice when combined with the bulged part. Having the feeling of the toy in you is filling then the rumbling from the vibe against your insides as you maybe then masturbate is something I love.

Bondara – Glass Tail Butt Plug

Finally we have a Glass Tail Butt Plug from Bondara.
Not only does it have a fantastic looking tail, but the glass material makes for a nice and smooth pleasurable experience especially when it’s a bigger plug than say the bunny tail I mentioned above.
I’m not always one for big toys, but this isn’t too big and so you get a nice filling feeling with it in you and the smoothness from the glass plus the added benefit of having visual pleasure from the tail.

I don’t have pics of the toy on it’s own so here’s my favourite pic of when I wore it for the first time.

Reviews and blogging, how I keep organised.

Post blogging/reviews + Beginnings.

The idea for this post came about after a twitter conversation/DM I had regarding review toys, both outstanding and any future ones yet to be sent to me.

I won’t go into detail on the conversation I had, but basically it started off with being told I had X reviews left to complete, but I knew I had less because I try to be organised with these things and I could easily check and confirm.
In the end it turned out to be a simple miscalculation (These things can happen, I know they can with me) but the talk of being organised formed the basis for the idea to make this post.

During the earlier part of 2020 in the first lockdown here in the UK, I invested in a NAS (Network attached storage) which as a techy/computer enthusiast is something I wanted to do, and so I got a cheaper used model to test out. I put 2 hard drives into the NAS, connected it up to my home network where by I could store all my files on it and be able to access them from any device be it my desktop, laptop, smartphone or even a tablet.
If setup correctly I could even access said files outwith my home when i’m out and about.

As the year went on, I started to write sex toy reviews and even started this blog which meant I needed to be organised and be able to keep track of said reviews, images for reviews, post images and really any files related to my reviews/blogging.

Toy reviews

As toy reviews came first not only did I need to have the main written review for a toy but also associated images of the product, and from here I started of making a reviews folder within my NAS. With Tenga being the only brand of reviews at the start I created a Tenga folder within my toy reviews folder and then within that Tenga folder I created a reviews to do folder as pictured below.

When I a got a toy or even several I created a folder for each which went into the to do folder. Each review folder contained the written review and the photos of the toy I had taken, and once I had finished the review it was submitted to go live whereby I could move it out of the to do folder which mean it was done, rinse and repeat till there was nothing left in the to do folder meaning all reviews had been completed and were either live or had been sent to go live.

When I then got the chance to review non-Tenga toys from the retailer Orion.de I added a new folder, this time called, you guessed it Orion.
Although I was getting different brands of toy from Orion they would come in batches, so all my reviews from them would go into the one Orion folder, albeit they would have their own sub folder as shown below and again I created a to do folder.

My thinking with Orion reviews was that it was easy to know that if they sent me a toy or several then I would be able to easily know what toys where from them and then within that what ones I had reviewed, which I had left to do.

This folder structure I felt would make referencing reviews in the future a lot easier.
I want to talk about a toy and say Orion/Tenga/Whoever sent it, then I can know that.
If I happen to get well known branded toys in the future but not from the brand themselves then I can easily alter things, so for example in my Tenga folder I may have a folder called X-toy where I then add in the sender to the name.

Blogging

When it came to starting my blog I knew I’d want to be organised with it just like my toys, and from that I decided to create a blogging folder and just move my toy reviews folder into it.

Currently the blog folder is organised even it’s slightly untidy, but my general idea behind it is to store the images I use in my post, any images relating to my avi/logo/twitter header…etc and as a place to store any written files that are not done via wordpress like the QuoteQuest roundup I did which was sent off to someone else once I had written it.

I sometimes also like to create my own logos for my posts or in the case of my blog/twitter header and these get saved into their respective folder so should I want to access them or any images/posts for whatever reason in the future I can refer to the right folder. Even if I change up the look of my blog and then decide down the line to go back I can easily do so as I have things saved and backed up.

Conclusion

Having a NAS has been great in keeping me organised and able to access my files anywhere I want whether it’s writing blog posts on my laptop, writing toy reviews on desktop PC or just doing blog related stuff from my smartphone.

I am able to know things better for example I see what reviews I’ve done and which one are still to be written (Started or not) and what images I have to said toys. I can also find things that I need because their organised in relevant folders as well as being backed up the the cloud via Dropbox/Google.

If a review gets lost when sending it or maybe it gets corrupted I can access a working copy, if I want to reference a review maybe quote it or maybe I need to remember who sent me it then I can easily do so.
If I end up moving my blog to say wordpress.org and want to keep everything then most of not all my blog content will be there should I need it when setting up.

Whatever my needs are for storing files for blogging or reviews I know I have a organised system in place that makes it easy for me.