Interview

A while ago I was interviewed by Ozzie Maggs from Femdom magazine. At the time I was (still am), flattered that my opinion would be sought out. I was also under them impression that I was one of a number of people being interviewed to be mentioned in an article on Domination.

You can imagine my pleasure and surprise, then when the issue of Femdom came out, and I found the article was solely focused on myself. Ozzie herself was a very poised interviewer, willing to let me ramble a little while always gently steering the conversation in the right direction.

My thanks to both Ozzie and to Evangeline Eames, Femdom’s editor, for the interview and for considering me a worthwhile subject.

Personal Notes: Marine Kelley

On Thursday 28th October, Marine Kelley, with the help of close friends, friends and friends of friends, celebrated the fourth anniversary of her arrival in Second Life.

Marine is one of a small number of people still active in Second Life that I was fortunate enough to meet after I came back to the Grid at the end of 2006. At that time, I was privileged to meet her as she tested her Police Handcuffs at a “secret location”, as it were.

I wonder if, back then, she had any inkling as to what would result from those early experiments, because four years on, it is fair to say that no single individual has so dramatically altered the face of bondage role-play in Second Life the way that Marine has. Not only has she been responsible for the market-leading and highly innovative Real Restraints range of products – quite possibly the most well-known and popular brand within SL – she also created the Restrained Life (now Restrained Love) Viewer code that has brought added depth and richness to bondage role-play within SL and which has proven itself so incredibly useful, it has been employed in many different ways that are entirely unrelated to BDSM. She’s also been behind one of the original Banishment projects that so many in the BDSM community have partaken in, and was one of those responsible for establishing the BDSM greylist.

Marine herself, in that meeting so long ago, came across as friendly and fun-loving, if possibly a little bit shy – although the latter could have easily been a reflection of my own shyness at the time.  Over the years she has proven to be one of the kindest hearts and wisest minds within SL, ever generous and supportive of those around her, and someone who has never seen the need for angst or drama when going about managing her business in-world or when developing her products.

Over the years, I’ve been very fortunate to keep in contact with Marine – she attended my Partnering ceremony in January 2008, and celebrated with us come the anniversaries of that event; we’ve stayed in contact via IM, and I was honoured to be in attendance when she Partnered Ollalla Sugarbeet, whom I’ve also been privileged to have as a friend since those heady days in 2006. While I’ve never had the chance to scene directly with Marine, we do move in some of the same BDSM circles, where she is held in high regard as a skilled rper and in both the Domme and submissive roles – and it is fair to say I envy those who have had the opportunity to share such times with her. That she is still able to enter into the spirit of Second Life so openly and freely is again testament to Marine’s character and outlook on life. I sincerely hope that she’s still enjoying Second Life in another four years’ time.

Happy Rezday, Marine – and many thanks for everything you’ve given to Second Life and those of us who enjoy the D/s / BDSM lifestyle. This place really wouldn’t be the same without you.