Bi-Monthly Open Board Meetings

The NELA Board of Directors holds open board meetings every other month throughout the year. All NELA associates are welcome to attend these board meetings - they are an excellent way to meet the Directors, and to find out how to get more actively involved in NELA.

Board meetings run from 6:45 - 8:45 PM, and are held in the George Johnson room on the second floor of the Boston Living Center (29 Stanhope St, Boston). Please RSVP to chair@NELAonline.org so that we have an accurate head count for snacks. For more information and directions to the Boston Living Center, please visit www.livingcenter.org.

Please note: NELA board meetings are working meetings, so associates who are not members of working committees should plan to observe - rather than participate in - the meeting. If you have a particular topic you would like to introduce to the Board, please be sure to contact NELA's Chair, at chair@NELAonline.org, to request that your topic be included on the meeting's agenda.

Kaleidoscope Munch

Kaleidoscope: The munch for People of Color and their allies.

What is Kaleidoscope? A pansexual, alternative social munch group for people of color started by volunteers of The New England Leather Alliance.

Who can attend? Anyone over the age of 18 can attend. No, you don't have to be a person of color to attend although the munch is directed specifically to people of color. We welcome everyone allied with People of Color.

Click here to learn more!

Email: kaleidoscope@NELAonline.org
Phone: 617-876-NELA (6352)
When: The 1st Thursday of every month, 6:30-9:30
Where: Au Bon Pain @ Copley (Note new location)

General Service Skills - Things our Grandmothers forgot to pass down!

with Lexi Meiss

Our grandmothers and great grandmothers had a lot of skills we, as submissives and slaves, could really make wonderful use of. The problem? For many of us, these skills never made it to us. Come and join Lexi Meiss while she gives you many skills you can go out and use immediately. We'll cover topics such as how to fold a fitted sheet and what's in a service pack, to sexy ones like how to properly prepare your Dominant's cigar or pipe and be an enticing ashtray, or, how to impress your Dominant's friends by being perfectly on point, which is just downright hot!

Lexi Meiss has been active in the leather community since her return in the fall of 2004. Because of her participation with TES, Philadelphia SIIOR, MAsT Philadelphia, MAsT Central NJ, and MAsT Metro, and BESS, and having done service for a number of experienced Dominants, she has developed a unique and broad understanding of M/s and D/s styles. Currently, she the submissive of Daddy David in New York.

She regularly gives back to the community by participating on the Calendar Committee at TES. Lexi has volunteered for Leather Pride Night in NYC and done fund raising at various events by donating tips for massage service to NCSF, as well as donating her service to The Playhouse in Baltimore, MD fund raising events.

She has taught and lead panel discussions at TES, TES-Fest, BESS, Apex Albany, MAsT Central NJ retreat, Art of Slavery, and Floating World. She also participated in leading a weekend long "slave track" at the Northeast Master/slave Conference in Washington, DC in 2007. At this conference, she also contributed to the leadership of the Inter-faith Worship Service. With her background as an educator and performer as parts of her profession, she is very accustomed to sharing information and working with both large groups and individual instruction.

This class is free to NELA Associates, $10 for others. RSVP by emailing CT-program @ nelaonline.org or Wildfleurs @wildfleurs.com When you RSVP, please let us know if you are a NELA Associate, and/or if you are bringing any friends. You may also sign up to be an associate (for $20 contribution) on the spot and gain free admission to the class! You can also join NELA Online, and bring a copy of the confirmation email to the class.

You must be 18 years of age or older to attend any NELA sponsored event.

Annual Associates meeting

Come find out what NELA has been doing all year long. Enjoy getting to know the board and have some fun. There might even be a few surprises.

Please RSVP (chair @ NELAonline.org) by 12-7-08 so we can get an accurate head count for food (pizza and ice cream anyone) and supplies.

We'll socialize, eat, do a recap of the year and see how much mischief we can get up to. Yep, you read that right. We'll be playing "Pig of the Run" and there's sure to be loads of good clean fun. Let the games begin!

Violet Wand Demo

with Estelle

Zap... Zap... can you hear it... what's that sound??

To all that know me, when out and about, if I hear the sound of the Wand, it's like the Pavlov's dog response, and I follow that sound. So follow me ... I will be presenting a demonstration of the of the violet wand. This includes Safety issues when playing with a partner.

We will have hands on demos for participants to be able to experience what the wand feels like... From very mild to intense.

Unscheduled Maintenance: Keeping Your SM Relationship Purring

With Laura Antoniou, There will be a book signing afterwards

Unscheduled Maintenance is a not quite tongue in cheek description of some of the behaviors which mark a healthy and lasting relationship. Kim Attica and Laura Antoniou will discuss how a nurturing atmosphere will continually keep all participants in an SM relationship feel nourished and cherished, ready to handle slight upsets and occasional sudden crises with humor, caring, and an eye on what makes the relationship special and worthy.

While some of the content here may be thought of as "little things mean a lot," the presenters will show how so many of the so-called "little things" are as vital to the happy functioning of a relationship as oil changes are to maintaining your car. Paying attention to details is one of the hallmarks of a great top and a great bottom - so how much more important are these details when they involve making us feel good about who we are and what we're doing? Bring your experiences with what makes your relationship tick, or what made it break down, and we'll see how to share the good, the bad and the sadly mistaken.

Laura Antoniou has been writing erotica for over 20 years, when her day job permits her the time. She lives in Queens with her wife Karen, and happily serves as boy to Kim Attica

Laura is best known these days for her "Marketplace" series of novels, but back in the beginning, when pickings for good and readable porn was slim, Laura created the groundbreaking "Leatherwomen" anthologies, and edited several others. Some of the work she created for those anthologies are reprinted in The Catalyst and Other Tales. Laura's work has been published in the United States, Germany, Japan, and Korea, to international acclaim. Her short stories and non-fiction essays also appear in other anthologies, a full listing of which can be found at Books.

If you like her writing, you'll love her presentations! "She is always a cool presenter, funny, but very informative," says Lolita Wolf from Lolita's Predictions & Predilections.

Kim Attica is the co-founder of Iron Rose, a fee-free BDSM community resource website featuring interactive online communities, archives and a store. Kim is a sadist top with multiple complex relationships including a primary partner of over 20 years (Ketzer), a complex boy (Laura), and more.

Basic Knot Tying

with Scott

Nautical Knots for packing, binding, hoisting, winding, lifestyles and more, for the serious beginner. This class will give you hands on instruction on basic knots for every day use.

Scott is Co-Chair of the New England Leather Alliance, Co-Founder of the Bay State Marauders and Mr. Boston Leather 2004

"we don't advocate bondage, we just prescribe it"

SM 101: Everything you ever wanted to know about SM

with David Fortini

Everything you ever wanted to know about bondage, domination, kink, the lifestyle, fetish, etc... but were afraid to ask. A general introduction to most topics you'll need to know to get around "in scene" and in "the scene", including etiquette, safety, finding a partner, choosing a toy, negotiation, etc.

This class is for beginners only. We ask that the more experienced members of our community not attend.

The Dragon-tail: The most versatile tool in your toy bag!

with Princess Kali

With a just a simple piece of rolled leather, you can elicit sensations ranging from stingy like a single-tail or thuddy like a paddle. Not much energy is needed to really make an impact with this unassuming toy, but with a fierce flick of the wrist there's no denying the power of the dragon-tail! Learn various techniques, positions for your sub/bottom, and glamorous actions to impress your friends and dungeon-mates.

Princess Kali is a foot-fetishist and lifestyle dominatrix with extensive experience in humiliation, corporal punishment, female supremacy and TPE play. Hailing from sunny California but now based in Boston, this young and vivacious blond hair, blue-eyed Domina is best known for the unique way she combines her sweet-natured appearance and natural charm with her insatiable appetite for cruelty and unbridled sadism. Transitioning into the BDSM community was a natural step for this dominant Diva, who has actively been cutting boys (and often girls) down to size her entire life.

Princess Kali has been lecturing on a variety of BDSM topics throughout the country since 2003 in the US and internationally. Presenting at such educational institutions as Harvard, RISD, and Brown University as well has Lifestyle venues such Black Rose, Fetish Flea Fair, Leather Retreat and Kink in the Caribbean has garnered Princess Kali respect in both the vanilla and kink worlds.

Binding the Jewels - Cock and Ball Bondage

with Mistress Suzanne Sxysadist

The male genitalia lends itself beautifully to many types of bondage and it is a wonderful way to remind him that YOU are totally in charge. In this class we will explore some basic safety info and then do a hands on demo of some of my favorite cock and ball bondage ties. It is suitable for all skill levels.

Please bring a subject to work on and some fairly thin rope, cord or twine. If you do not have rope I will bring extra to give to you. Also, if any unattached males show up I will be seeking volunteers from the audience to demonstrate on.

BIO: Suzanne SxySadist is a NY area lifestyle switch, professional dominant, kink friendly Life Coach and BDSM Educator with over a decade of experience in the public scene. She is passionate about her personal thirst for knowledge and growth in the lifestyle and has a wide variety of interests. Some of her scene specialties and passions include bondage in its many forms; percussion / impact play especially single tails and canes, breath play, needles, knives and sensual sadism in all its glory. Some of her other fields of expertise include sexual healing and energy work, conscious breathing techniques, Taoist erotic massage for men and women and she is a Body Electric trained Sacred Intimate. Her favorite scenes are always ones that include a spiritual connection and deep sense of shared erotic energy between partners. More info on her can be found on her web site at www.SxySadist.com

Adaptable Bondage

with Mistress Suzanne Sxysadist

Not all bondage bottoms resemble the teensy little Asian gals for which many of the popular shibari ties were designed. Many bottoms have past injuries or inflexibility issues that the bondage top needs to take into account when planning the scene. I believe that it is up to the top to do their best to design a bondage that will work for the unique body they will be tying without shaming or otherwise injuring the bottom further in any way.

In this class/demo I will try to demonstrate some of the ways that I have learned to adapt bondages over the years to accommodate people of different abilities and sizes. I intend to cover different ways of tying wrists that do not meet behind the back, as well as a few variations on chest ties, and arm binders for people with flexibility issues. Time permitting I will also try to get to floor work bondages such as hog ties and crab leg positions. Volunteers of all shapes, sizes and abilities will be sought from the audience and treated with care and respect.

BIO: Suzanne SxySadist is a NY area lifestyle switch, professional dominant, kink friendly Life Coach and BDSM Educator with over a decade of experience in the public scene. She is passionate about her personal thirst for knowledge and growth in the lifestyle and has a wide variety of interests. Some of her scene specialties and passions include bondage in its many forms; percussion / impact play especially single tails and canes, breath play, needles, knives and sensual sadism in all its glory. Some of her other fields of expertise include sexual healing and energy work, conscious breathing techniques, Taoist erotic massage for men and women and she is a Body Electric trained Sacred Intimate. Her favorite scenes are always ones that include a spiritual connection and deep sense of shared erotic energy between partners. More info on her can be found on her web site at www.SxySadist.com

Tickling & BDSM

with P.E.T.E.

Tickling & BDSM is an interactive class that will cover the areas of Erotic Teasing, Tickling in the BDSM Scene and Tickle Torture. Participants will be engaged in hands, or better yet, fingertips-on work and play with ticklee volunteers. The four elements of tickle torture will be discussed and demonstrated along with use of various and sundry tickle tools and implements of sensual doom (and standard BDSM toys), specific tickle techniques and tickle community resources, support and information. Participants are urged to bring their favorite BDSM toys or specific tickle tools that they are used to using or curious about with regard to tickling and that they wish to try out in our Laboratory of Laughter. Participants will be asked, but not required, to be volunteer ticklers and ticklees. This class is appropriate for newbies and veterans to BDSM and/or tickling alike.

Tickling & Bondage & Torture too

with P.E.T.E. and Lord Percival

An interactive class that will cover the areas of Tickling utilizing bondage and immobilization in the BDSM Scene and bringing the Tickle Torture to a new level.

This is an advanced tickle class that will require participation from attendees as ticklers and ticklees...advanced bondage concepts will be introduced with the assistance of Lord Percival. While this is geared toward the more advanced ticklers/ticklees, bondage aspects will range from novice to "pro". All are welcome, regardless of whether or not you attended Tickling 101, as it's definitely an experience to even watch!!

P.E.T.E. (Pedular Enthusiast Ticklee Extraordinaire) has been a long-time tickling enthusiast, a proud (and skilled) foot fetishist and a member of bdsm and tickling communities, on-line for 10 years and off-line for 7 years. P.E.T.E is a member of the popular on-line community, Tickling Media Forum, and has participated in tickle gatherings given by members of the forum. P.E.T.E. co-presented "Beyond Feathers: Tickling 102", a highly successful tickle demo class at the NELA 2008 Winter Fetish Fleamarket along with SaintTQ. He co-facilitated three tickle play events for Tickle New England!, a yahoo group/community that he created to help organize and provide information and support for the New England tickle community (he regularly and politely turns away applicants from all over the world outside of New England who find the TNE! mixture of social support and playful connection very attractive). P.E.T.E. has introduced tickling to many newbies, novices and interested parties, sometimes, joyfully, finding himself tied and tickled at the odd and sundry bdsm event. P.E.T.E. is never far from his day-bag, complete with a few lengths of sturdy rope and a pair of fuzzy, nylon wrist/ankle cuffs just in case someone needs a good tickle session. One of the most willing and highly ticklish Lees (ticklees) you will ever find, P.E.T.E. is also a highly-skilled and devious Ler (tickler), relentless in his application of mind-games and tickle play, adept at finding new tickle spots on people that didn't think they had any, inventing new ways of tickling others (and himself) with the most unexpected every day, household items. He does most of his shopping for tickle implements at his local drug store.

P.E.T.E. is also highly interested in exploring the healthy (physically, emotionally and spiritually) and therapeutic side benefits of tickling and laughter and is currently working to incorporate it into his work as a sound healer, shamanic practitioner and body-worker.

P.E.T.E. embraces tickling as a fun, sensual and erotic practice that holds great and dynamic benefits for those who practice it with openness, honesty and consensual integrity. Tickling is a practice that just about anyone can be involved in with just about anyone else. He has experienced the deep bonding that tickling brings to couples, friends and communities and seeks to share it with more and more willing and playful people in the New England area and beyond.

P.E.T.E. can be reached at footplay210@yahoo or ticklene@yahoo.com.

Daddy/boy relationships

with Daddy Eric

In this workshop Daddy Eric, US Daddy 2007, will address the dynamics of Daddy/boy relationships. We will compare them to other D/s parings and address such questions as "Can a boy 'grow up'?", "Can boys be Daddies?" and other questions from the group. There will be opportunities for participants to reflect on their personal leather journeys and have their questions answered in a safe and coaching environment.

Eric B. Siglin, US Daddy 2007, is an active member of the Tampa, Florida community and has been since he moved there in December 1996 from Cincinnati, Ohio. Eric had the honor of serving the Florida Leather and Fetish community as Mr. Florida Olympus 2006 while competing for the Mr. Olympus Leather title in Chicago in February 2006 and as Mr. Florida Leather Bear 2004 where he represented the state as a contestant at International Bear Rendezvous X in San Francisco in February 2004.

Flogging/Scourging

with Mel

Multi-tailed whips, whether one calls them floggers, scourges, or fun for the family hold a particular place of interest, awe, titillation and reverence for folk through the ages. Whether these implements are used in the dungeon as part of a party atmosphere or in ritual space as part of initiatory practice or sex magick, they are some of many tools used to move toward or achieve altered states of consciousness. However, have you ever been unfortunately distracted by one's dominant, top, or facilitator repeatedly striking your neck or kidneys and unable to get back into the spirit of the scene/ritual? I know I have!

This workshop will primarily be a demonstration of flogging and scourging techniques, with some discussion of their use in ritual/trance space. Topics will include:

• how to hold and wield a multi-tail whip
• where on the body it is most/least desirable to let the whip fall
• preparation of the whip, the space, the wielder of the whip, and those who will feel the whip
• suggestions for after care, emotional and physical.

Mel began hir involvement in drum circle, BDSM, and pagan communities fairly simultaneously about a decade ago, and has been performing music on various instruments for more than 25 years. Mel has presented workshops on safety and technique for floggers and singletails privately and for groups/events such as MOB, NELA, and Ohio Leather Fest; s/he has also taught strings and percussion for more than 15 years. S/he is very passionate about whips and is dedicated to promoting their safe use by practitioners, but s/he also just likes the pretty marks.

Temporary Piercing Workshop 102 (intermediate level)

with Ray Aims

This workshop assumes that participants have an introductory level knowledge of and experience with temporary piercing. Though we'll quickly cover materials, procurement, methods, safety etc. our main focus will sensation play, artistic explorations, multiple needle work, more advanced piercing locations, tension play, piercing for longer periods of time. We will start with piercing fruit and move on to piercing people. Each person who wants to experience piercing and/or being pierced will have the opportunity to do so. Partners, play partners and singles all welcome.

XRay Aims is a Boston, MA USA based artist/designer/producer/ performer who has been piercing in public and private since 2003. The fight between beauty and pain is what drawsX Ray to temporary piercing. Aims learned temporary piercing from Fetish Diva Midori and consultations with Aimee Ross/The Bearded Lady and is always practicing and learning. XRay's work can be seen at http://www.truthserum.org/xrayaims

Bondage 101

with Lord Percival

Bondage 101: This course is for those who are interested in beginning to explore the delights of adding erotic rope bondage to their skill set. It will look at tools, safety, mindset and basic applications. Its goal is to give you enough information to start exploring with your partner(s) safely, and with pleasure.

Lord Percival has been working with rope (and other fun things) for over 35 years, and has been teaching for over 20. His main delight is Japanese inspired rope.

Free to NELA associates, 15$ for non-associates (but you can join NELA for $20 and get in free, pay at the class or join NELA online and bring your printout)

Please RSVP by emailing RSVP@NELAonline.org . When you RSVP, please let us know if you are a NELA Associate, and/or if you are bringing any friends.

You must be 18 years of age or older to attend any NELA sponsored event.

Whips 101

with Domino and dee

Single tails hold a special place in the hearts and minds of many in the BDSM world. The unmistakable CRACK of a whip turns heads in any dungeon and many will admit to an almost primal reaction to the sound.

If whips fascinate you and you'd like to learn more Whips 101 is the place for you.

Did you know that the crack of a whip is the sound of the popper exceeding the speed of sound? Did you know that a whip's physics are based on the principle of the conservation of energy along a continuously decreasing taper?

Whips 101 takes a look at the history of whips, different types of whips, and how to use a whip safely in a scene.

We'll show you what too look for in a high quality whip, how to buy your first whip and care for it so that it will last a lifetime. We'll show you how to make poppers and replace them and how to clean them on whips where they are not replaceable.

In Whips 101 you'll learn the basics and we'll show you how to keep yourself and your bottom safe when playing.

We'll be easy to find, just listen for the crack.

Domino and dee are the hosts of "The Bullwhip Lounge", an annual two day whip open house at the Boston Fetish Fair Fleamarket and have presented Whips courses at Black Rose, Whips in the Woods, Leather Reign and Floating World.

Free to NELA associates, 15$ for non-associates (but you can join NELA for $20 and get in free, pay at the class or join NELA online and bring your printout)

Please RSVP by emailing RSVP@NELAonline.org . When you RSVP, please let us know if you are a NELA Associate, and/or if you are bringing any friends.

You must be 18 years of age or older to attend any NELA sponsored event.