elainemiller

Today seems to be a day for remembering, and celebrating.

First the remembering:

Here’s a pic of my dad Jim Miller, taken in 2001 or so.  He died in 2002, of kidney failure caused by diabetes. I was holding his hand as he went.

I still miss him every single day. He was a loving, simple, patient man, and throughout my life he taught me everything I know about kindness, and nothing that I know about cruelty. My Dad’s acceptance and love was always a constant to me — an emotional surety as strong as my understanding of the ground I stand on.

Happy Father’s Day, Dad. Wish I could tell you that in person.

Funny that I grew up to be a Daddy, too — albeit a wildly different kind.

So, to the two lovely brats who (as of last week) are each in possession of half of my green hanky — thanks for saying yes. You’ve made me a very happy pervert. And I’ll try to be the very best Daddy I can be.

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

Mayhem! in Xtra West

Oh, my, we did it!

Participants, look for an email coming soon, with a link to a survey so you can help us improve, and a bunch of info about how you can stay in touch.

We have many people to follow up with, and thank, and are all still reeling around with stunned and goofy grins. I have never done anything as intense in my whole entire crazy kinky life, as Mayhem!

Again in 2011, we’re thinking!

The pic is Xtra West’s Mayhem issue cover (thanks, Xtra West, for being our media sponsor!). Click to make it BIG!

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

I’m running down my to-do lists (Hint. Think: longer than my arm) for the upcoming Mayhem leatherwomen’s conference, and was struck by my own rather extreme mixture of exhilaration and trepidation as the event draws ever closer.

It’s kinda crazy to think about. We’ve put together a full-scale conference in just a hair under four months. We’re sold out. At over 200 participants, we’ll easily be the biggest leatherwomen’s event ever in Western Canada, and possibly in all of Canada. We’re sold out, did I mention? We have people coming from all over, and some crazy-ass plans for fun stuff over the weekend, and… wow, we’re a handful of leatherdykes and we’re actually doing this, so yay us, and yay all the lovely people who are coming from ALL OVER, who I can’t WAIT to see and meet and run around a party with.

So that’s the excitement.

And on the fear side, I can list the very same list.

I’m in mortal fear of having forgotten something Very Important. I’ve never done something of this scale and duration before, although I comfort myself that it can’t be more overwhelming than that party where I had 60 dykes in my tiny little house back in the early 2000’s. I mean, the venues are So Much Bigger. Right?

On the humourous side, I have lost one of my to-do lists, somewhere on my desk.
One of the items on my current to-do list: find that to-do list.

Speaking of which, I need to start checking things off again. What’s next?

- Elaine

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

Holy cripes, it’s here! It’s happening! Jeepers!

http://canadianmayhem.com

Look at all our lists! Look at everyone who’s pitching in to help! Woo! This is gonna be the biggest kinky women’s event in Western Canada EVER. Ain’t that neat?

- Elaine

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

Local folks (Vancouver) can pay in cash, in person. This is the last
in-person payment opportunity before registration closes April 30th!
Register fast — we’re juuuuuust about sold out!

Register yourself online first,
http://canadianmayhem.com/register
and then drop on by with your payment!

Currently, the sliding scale registration fee starts at $150, which gets
you this:
http://canadianmayhem.com/news/math
http://canadianmayhem.com/sections/whattodo

where??
Turks Coffee
1276 Commercial Drive (Commercial near Charles)

when???
Saturday, April 25th
10:30am — 12:30

who???
Elaine will be doing a Mayhem-sit-in, drinking tea, chatting with YOU,
and taking your registration fee! Look for the fat friendly futch with
the red streak in her black hair.

details???
- We’ll give you a receipt for cash or money orders, but not for cheques
(your cleared cheque is your receipt. Takes a few days).
- No credit card transactions in person in the coffee shop — you gotta
do those online.
- Just have questions? That’s cool too. Elaine will answer everything
she can.

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

)))))))) GOT A MAYHEM QUESTION? (((((((((

I’m just one of the organizers, and I ain’t in charge of everything (oh, not by a long shot), so please please use the contact form on the Mayhem site so your question can get to the right person right away!

Depending on what you’re asking about, the person your message comes to might even be me!

http://canadianmayhem.com/contact/

=============================

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

Happy Birthday Kona! And Elaine! And Catherine! And Arli!

And you are invited to the

4th Annual Sexy Sweaty Kinky Sauna Party for Women!

Friday, April 17th @ 7:30 - 11:30 p.m.

COME PLAY WITH US!

It’s time to gather your towel and sandals and come bust a sweat with us as we celebrate growing older. Come naked, nude, wrapped in a towel, wearing your swimsuit, jean shorts and Tshirt, or rubber bondage gear! (eg. We don’t care what you wear.) If the last few years are any measure, expect there to be plenty of hot times, and lots of hawt women of all shapes, all sizes, all colours and sexual orientations.

THE SPACE

We’ve rented over 2000 square feet of privacy for us all to sweat, play, shower, fuck, talk, and laugh. The space contains a video area (who’s got great dyke porn?), 25 lockers, two large dry saunas (hot and hotter), two large shower rooms (ever eat melon in a shower?), and 6 semi-private areas with cots.

Do it clean and sweaty, or make it mild to wild - there’s lots of room and anything goes! This ain’t no ladies spa though. It’s grotty and rugged and perfect! Flip flops, sandals, combat boots or other footwear encouraged. Don’t forget your towel (and maybe some old sheets if you think you’ll need ‘em for back-up)!

Elaine’s bringing those damn flyswatters again, so be afraid.
THE DETAILS & SMALL PRINT
This is a semi-private event (we retain the right to refuse guests).

We’re covering our costs for the space rental, free beverages and free snacks by selling tickets — $20 per person

when:: Friday, April 17th @ 7:30 - 11:30 p.m.

where:: Hastings Steam & Sauna - 766 East Hastings, Vancouver, BC

tickets:: Tickets will be sold at the door.

gift request:: your presence and nothing more! No, wait. Elaine wants you to sing to her. And Kona wouldn’t pass up some nice new red panties.

*Bring your own towel and sandals

Direct link to the image if you can’t see it properly:
http://elainemiller.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/sauna-party-vancouver-09.jpg

And on Facebook too…

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

Pay in person, Sat Apr 4, at Turks Coffee, late morning

We’re doing it again! Many Vancouver folks have asked if they could pay in cash, in person.

Register yourself online first,
http://canadianmayhem.com/register
and then drop on by with your payment!

(Currently, the sliding scale registration fee starts at $110, which gets you this.)

where??
Turks Coffee
1276 Commercial Drive (Commercial near Charles)

when???
Saturday, April 4th
10:30am — 12:30

who???
Elaine will be doing a Mayhem-sit-in, drinking tea, chatting with YOU, and taking your registration fee! Look for the fat friendly futch with the red streak in her black hair.

details???
- We’ll give you a receipt for cash or money orders, but not for cheques (your cleared cheque is your receipt. Takes a few days).
- No credit card transactions in person in the coffee shop — you gotta do those online.
- Just have questions? That’s cool too. Elaine will answer everything she can.

- vendors and advertisers are welcome to drop in and do business, too!

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

I’d like to talk to someone kinky, kink-interested, or kink-friendly, who signs at a reasonable enough level to do some ammount of  interpreting — I know there’s a diff. between “interpreter” and “signer”, but I’m interested in folks in the nebulous in-between area as well. <smile> Anyone got any connections? All the hearing ASL signers I know are already busy!

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

LEATHERWOMEN’S CONFERENCE EVENT MATH:

200 past, present & future women
11 workshops
3 playparties
1 dance afterparty
1 meet ‘n’ greet
1 reception
1 tastings
1 energy pull
5 - 7 community caucuses
1 silent auction
2 days of vendors
1 eventy thing to do with beer (TBA)
and
1 set of tired but exhilarated organizers
————————
= $80 (canadian dollars)

(but not for much longer! early bird deadline is March 22nd, and then the price goes up!)

ps: We’re now over the half-full point! Don’t miss out!

http://canadianmayhem.com/register/

Mayhem’s website:
http://canadianmayhem.com/

Mayhem’s facebook page:
http://www.new.facebook.com/event.php?eid=50155047255&ref=ts

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

My cats rock. They’re outgoing, opinionated, and chatty. They point their whiskers at me in a remarkably benevolent fashion. My day to day life resounds with the sound of cats purring . They have soft furry bellies. Mmm. Happiness and cats.

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

This year, Queerotica will be on Thursday, August 6th. I’m just sayin’.

More later, eh?

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

… and registration is under way at full steam!

Yay! We’re going to have such a great conference! All those dykes and queer women and transwomen and bi-women and womeny-women (and transguys too) all in one space. What a yummy crowd it’s going to be!

Register for Mayhem!

- Eeeeeeeeeeeee

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

Jeepers! We’re actually doing it! Aughh! You’d better all come and keep us company.
- Elaine

Mayhem!
The Weekend Event for Leatherwomen

May 8 – 10, 2009
Vancouver, Canada

http://canadianmayhem.com/

Queer women’s BDSM and sexuality. All weekend long.

We’re completely pleased to be bringing you a conference-style weekend, with play parties, education, entertainment, and a line-up of brilliant presenters. We would like to invite all past, present and future women who enjoy woman-to-woman BDSM to our unique weekend of kink, play, and fun.

Whether you’re just beginning to explore kink, or consider yourself a seasoned veteran, Mayhem! is the place to play hard, play soft, learn, or just hang out and socialize with some very damn cool women.

History

Mayhem!will be the first women’s kink conference in Western Canada since 1993 — and the first one ever in East Vancouver, the area many local lesbians call home.

The Mayhem! weekend is organized by Bride of Pride. Our goal has always been to put on the exact kind of party that we all dream of attending, and of course that includes inviting everyone along.

http://canadianmayhem.com/

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

STORY LAB for QUEERS

a writing workshop with Anna Camilleri

March 7 & 10, 2009 | Vancouver, BC

Story Lab is a two-session (day-long + one evening) writing workshop intensive that focuses on narrative and scene-based action, and how to weave them to build autobiographically-based/inspired or fiction stories with momentum, pulse, and clarity of voice.
Participants will work with elements including tension, conflict, dialogue, point of view, compressed and stretched time— particular attention will be paid to setting and details, characterization, and structure. The emphasis is on directed writing practices in a supportive group setting, constructive feedback, and focused discussion.
Story Lab is for queer writers who wish to develop in their craft. Arrive with an open mind and leave with a stack of new writing.

The Details:
$100 (non-refundable) fee includes materials
Saturday March 7 from 11am-5pm and Tuesday March 10 from 6:30-9pm.
Limited to 15 participants.
Registration and pre-payment at Little Sister’s 1238 Davie Street # 604-669-1753
Location: Alliance for Arts and Culture | Suite 100 - 938 Howe Street
Please direct inquiries to Anna Camilleri at reddressproductions@gmail.com

Registration and Inquiries:
Email: reddressproductions@gmail.com | Web: annacamilleri.com

Anna Camilleri is the Toronto-based critically acclaimed author of I Am a Red Dress, editor of Red Light: Superheroes, Saints and Sluts, co-editor of Brazen Femme, and co-author of Boys Like Her. Her writing has been described as “potent, fresh, and imbued with powerful imagery” (Quill and Quire starred review), and “brave and necessary” (Books in Canada). Anna has performed widely over the last fifteen years in Canada and the US, and she leads workshops on various aspects of cultural production. Her book works have been selected for inclusion in the University of Toronto’s Fisher Rare Books Library Queer Canadian Literature Collection, and upcoming engagements include a guest lecture on femme identities at Queen’s University, and a feature reading at the Queer Literary Kinships Conference in Ghent, Belgium. www.annacamilleri.com

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

A moment ago, I took a break from worky stuff to write a card to someone. In order to read the address of the person I was sending it to, I had my email open. So there I sat, in front of my 22 inch wide screen LCD monitor, with is connected to my fast, silent desktop PC.

A friend called me on my cellular telephone (which is a camera, an MP3 player, a phone, a phone book, and a tiny video arcade all rolled into one), and we talked briefly. My hands were full of my writing implement and card. Suddenly I broke it the conversation off, saying “I gotta go. I think the cat’s about to jump on the ink well.”

I saved the ink, stopped the cat’s headlong rush, and was struck by the absurdity of the set of opposites that make up my life. This one tickles quite a bit; I am surrounded by state-of-the-art gadgetry, and yet I choose to write a note with a dip-it-in-the-ink-well quill pen.

How many years of communication technology d’you think are encompassed by that particular dichotomy?

Elaine plays calligraphically

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

I hear a rumour that certain big social network blogging company is having flotation difficulties. Should it sink, O fellow bloggers, I offer a lifeboat for your wordliness.

For $5 a month (or $50 per year), I can host your domain for you, in a yourdomainname.com kind of way. That’ll include Wordpress software, and you’ll be able to continue to blog to your heart’s content.

(Domain name registration not included, but it can cost you anything from $2 - $20 bucks a year)

Contact me at elaine-at-elainemiller-dot-com to chat about it.

Here’s where I blog from:  http://elainemiller.com/blog

I like self-hosting because I have lots of control over what/how/who, and what everything looks like. I also have it set up to propagate to other various sites, like, um, Livejournal — but if Livejournal were to go under, the original blog will still be intact.

Here’s my work site:   http://techdonkey.com (Don’t mind the gallery/portfolio — I’m swapping it over to a different system, and it’s wonky for the next couple of days while I tinker.)

Backing Up Your Current Blog

Livejournal (um, just for instance) can export posts to an XML file, which can then be imported into Wordpress.  http://www.livejournal.com/export.bml

Some third party sites that offer more full-on Livejournal backup solutions are as follows (if you can’t get on because they’re so busy right now, try at a different time of day.):

http://fawx.com/software/ljarchive/

http://www.ljbook.com/frontpage.php

Lots of other blog formats out there. Must be a reason I’m picking on Livejournal. Hmm.

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

Ex-mas, this year, is about being snowed in, which is kinda cool. Throw another log on the fire, honey!

Back in the online world on Boxing Day or so…

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.

Well, the baking, it’s after 5pm today, actually.

I’m spending the evening doing baking of… shortbread, chocolate chip cookies, oatcakes (traditional), buttertarts, candy of some sort, and maybe brownies.

Friends with 4X4s or shoeshoes, please feel free to drop in and say hullo and help mix dough or place hot things on cooling racks… and eat goodies.

Now I’m off to shovel the sidewalk. Only disadvantage to living on a corner… twice as much sidewalk!

Originally published at ElaineMiller.com. Please leave any comments there.