Swing Open Authentic

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  • Halloween

    Halloween

    “Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he will tell you the truth” ~ Oscar Wilde

    It’s that time of year again! Horrors and whores to be found at every event and gathering! Hopefully, you have somewhere to be.

    It has been a few years since I’ve made it to a good Halloween event. Whether it’s a simple private costume party at a bar or a full-on hotel takeover that ends in a massive orgy, I always love the Halloween events! Mostly because I get to wear a costume.

    Maybe it’s the theater degree in me still craving a bit of play, but just as I was excited to put on my simple, Amazon purchased toga costume a few weeks ago, I can’t wait to get a costume for the late October party.

    This year I should be getting to two parties. One I will not be there in time to worry about anyone having costumes on, or anything at all.

    🏨 The Sexy Halloween Hotel Party

    The first scary, sexy event will be the Halloween Hotel Party! With four floors of reserved rooms and a ballroom for the party itself, it’s sounding like a wild night.

    People are encouraged to wear their sexiest costumes but do need to keep it toned down mildly for the ballroom and any public areas. No pubic in the public! There are still several areas of the hotel open to outside guests, not to mention the hotel staff doesn’t need to see it all (though we see some of those staff members peeking!).

    The night is broken into two parts:

    • The Meet & Mingle: Earlier in the evening when everyone checks in, there will be a gathering in the ballroom. Everyone shows up in their costumes and sexy apparel. Costumes are not strictly required at these events, but why wouldn’t you?! Well, for those actually attending the costume party, that is.
    • The Hall Party: My girlfriend and her husband will be there, and they’ve got a room. For myself and possibly my wife, we will only make it in time for the hall party. The hall party is typically just as it sounds: the hallway is filled with kinky guests dressed in their naughtiest attire, lace lingerie, sexy rompers, and other sensual accessories.

    There will likely be drinks flowing. Many will leave their room doors open with music playing or custom lights they’ve brought to the party. When you enter the party floor or any level this group is staying on, don’t be surprised to hear moans of pleasure, laughter, and even a few people who probably drank a little too much.

    I’ve not been to a takeover with this particular group yet, though we are familiar with many of them. Honestly, most of them, really. There’s always an abundance of alcohol, and something always ends up having a bit of a negative impact on the community. Unfortunately, this brings the threat of losing privileges within the community; it can’t be easy to obtain hotels willing to allow our events in the first place. We all need to remember to respect the space, or it goes away.

    Ok, off my soap box!

    Honestly, I am excited to go. Due to some family obligations, we aren’t sure if my wife and I will go together just yet, or if I will be meeting my girlfriend and her husband solo. He and I get along great! I know it will be a fun night!

    🎃 Annual Halloween Costume Party

    This event will likely be much more tame when compared to the hotel takeover the week before. It’s your typical meet-and-greet party.

    Attendees are encouraged to wear costumes. Since it is Halloween, these outfits often leave very little to the imagination. I am supposed to go with a friend I have been spending some time with recently. Someone I maybe had a bit of a crush on in the past has come into my life. I’ve been having a lot of fun getting to know her.

    The bar is only a short trip for me. It is the same place I went last year when they had their “Back to School” theme. That was a fun night since I wore my high school football jersey, and it shockingly still fit after nearly 30 years!

    As always, there will be music, good conversation, cocktails, cock, and tail! It should be a fun night. There are likely to be afterparties or shared hotel rooms afterward. I typically stick with the people I arrived with unless plans shift for some reason.

    Both parties should be a great time.

    Make sure to subscribe now so you can hear exactly how it all went down!

    If you have questions about this or any content, please reach out!

  • Togather Again: Why Theme Nights are the Best LS Icebreakers

    Togather Again: Why Theme Nights are the Best LS Icebreakers

    “Life shrinks and expands in proportion to one’s courage.” – Anais Nin

    You are given the opportunity to dress up as bold as you’d like, and for this event, it was a toga party. Fun, extravagant costumes, creative drapes, and wild wigs. it is always an absolute blast!

    A good theme allows you to open up right from the beginning. When everyone is being wild and silly in their togas all at the same time, it completely takes the pressure off. You immediately have something to talk about, whether you are complimenting someone’s hair, how they wrapped their sheet, or their fun accessories. There is always so much to take in, and I certainly took my share!

    Toga! Toga!

    We love a good theme night. It always reminds me of some of the other fun ones we’ve been to, like cowboy nights, or the massive Halloween parties that are coming up right around the corner. I really hope we can make it out to one of the big Halloween bashes this year!

    Navigating New Dynamics and Metamours

    Though I went solo to this particular event, my girlfriend met me there with her husband. He is also a good friend of mine. In the poly world, we are each other’s metamour or “meta” for short.

    A meta is the partner of one of your partners; someone you may not be romantically involved with yourself, but with whom you share a mutual connection. Some people prefer to get to know their metas very well, while others prefer to steer completely clear of them. Personally, we get along great.

    This relationship is still somewhat new. Although her and I have been seeing each other for nearly two years now, we only made things official a few weeks ago. We were lying in bed together following a wild display of exhibitionism we performed for onlookers at a loft party… but I digress.

    To top off an already amazing night, my girlfriend actually won the prize for best women’s costume! She looked absolutely incredible in her toga, and seeing her get recognized by the crowd was a massive highlight. She even treated me to a little celebratory twerking right there, which was incredibly hot Tiktok did not like me posting the footage but you can find it on X!

    Best women’s costume winner!

    Shifting Perspectives on Meet n Greets

    This event was a meet n greet. In the past, I was never a big fan of them. If you recall way back in 2018, I covered the topic in our post We Suck at Meet n Greets.

    When wifey and I first got involved in the lifestyle, we didn’t have much interest in making deep, emotional bonds. We were strictly focused on exploring our sexual fantasies and fulfilling them together. Back then, if there was nowhere to play at the venue, it was usually a hard “no” from us.

    But things were completely different this time around. Since those early days, I’ve gotten to know a ton of people in this community, so walking into the room felt less like navigating an awkward bar and more like catching up with old friends. It was awesome to see all the different relationship dynamics sharing space under one roof, with everyone from traditional swingers to full-on polyamorous folks mingling together.

    The turnout wasn’t quite as packed as it sometimes gets, but that actually left plenty of room for things to get wonderfully chaotic. They hosted some party games to break the ice, including musical chairs and a wild scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt escalated quickly to the point where two guys ended up completely naked after their underwear was surrendered as part of the game!

    We Are the Community

    My girlfriend reminded me a while ago of something that really stuck with me: if we don’t actively show up to these types of events, they eventually go away. We can’t just wait around for the perfect play party; we are the community, and we have to support it to keep it alive.

    The warmth of that community vibe really hit home at the end of the night when I was saying goodbye to everyone. As I went around hugging and waving, I ran into an old friend. I gave her a hug and a quick peck, to which she playfully smirked and said, “We have licked each other’s privates, I should get more than a peck!”

    We ended up having a hot, unexpected makeout session right there. Afterward, I simply let her know my golden rule: just because I had prior consent in the past doesn’t mean I automatically assume future consent.

    She looked at me and replied, “You have permanent consent.”

    That interaction really made me stop and reflect on the drive home. Hearing that made me realize that she is actually the third woman this year alone who has offered me a standing “free use” green light. It’s an incredible compliment, a huge ego boost, and a testament to the trust you can build with amazing people in this lifestyle when you respect boundaries.

    My mindset has completely shifted since opening up to polyamory and pursuing more in-depth connections. Now, I would much rather find myself in a room full of open-minded, authentic people at a local dive bar than share a single fake smile with a vanilla crowd.

    What Do You Think?

    Now I want to hear from you guys! Do you love a good theme party, or do they feel like too much pressure? What are your favorite themes you’ve been to, or what’s the wildest experience you’ve had at an icebreaker event? Drop a comment below and share your stories!

    Me with the winner! I’m the winner here! 🥰

  • It’s About Time!

    It’s About Time!

    “If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people.”
    — Virginia Woolf

    Well here the fuck we are!

    Once hibernated, now fully migrated from WordPress to my very own site. Thank you so much for joining me here! Now that everything is set up, I fully intend to grow this little blog into a space that informs, entertains, and encourages.

    This is a place for the misfits, the curious, the kinky, and anyone with an open mind.

    What This Blog Is All About

    Here, you will read about the highlights, lessons, and raw moments of my authentic life. My writing centers around my marriage and Consensual Non-Monogamy (CNM), which, for anyone new here, just means a relationship style where partners agree to have romantic or sexual relationships with other people.

    We absolutely do not judge here. I welcome your questions and genuinely want to hear your opinions.

    If you are a returning reader, thank you for sticking with me. The long break in my writing was brought on by a lot of things honestly, things I should have just written about at the time. I fully intend to do that now.

    The Real Side of the Lifestyle

    This lifestyle is a difficult path. It is not all parties and joy every second. Many of us deal with:

    • Deep self-doubt
    • Body image issues
    • Abandonment triggers
    • Jealousy and past traumas

    While a lack of technical knowledge held me back from blogging for a bit, trying to write while so many things were going wrong in my personal life proved to be the real challenge. It has been a couple of years of trying to find my way again. Letting go of attachments can be a painful process, and trusting my instincts is something I’ve had to learn the hard way.

    Breaking the Silence

    The original intent of this blog was to share my experiences and provide a space where people could look for inspiration in their own relationships. But lately, I felt fake. What right did I have to speak on a topic that was, at times, causing so much heartbreak and sadness in my own life?

    Then it hit me: The whole point is the truth.

    Honesty is the ultimate through-line in my world. If you can’t be honest with me, you can’t be in my life. People want honesty. We want to be able to depend on someone when they give their word. People also want the real story, not the sugarcoated bullshit.

    The lifestyle is not always sex and parties; you can truly make it whatever you want it to be. But the deeper you go, the more you risk.

    There was a lot I felt I could not write about before. I worried people might cut me off due to something they read. I have also felt forced to keep silent about the mental and physical abuse I’ve dealt with. I have been quiet for far too long.

    What’s Coming Next (Yes, There Will Be Parties!)

    This blog will cover far more than just the fun side of things, but don’t worry! There are still plenty of parties, meet-and-greets, and beautiful people to talk about. That will absolutely continue.

    • This Weekend: We are hitting a Toga meet-and-greet! I am sure there will be some wild tales to come from that evening.
    • Coming Soon: I am launching a special recurring series called “Meeting Nina.” It details a rollercoaster of a relationship that may have completely destroyed what was left of my CNS (Central Nervous System) but hey, we are alive!

    Thank you so much for reading and going on this journey with me.

    💬 Let’s Connect!

    I want this blog to be a two-way street. Drop a comment below and let me know: If you’re in the lifestyle, what is the biggest “non-sugarcoated” lesson you’ve had to learn the hard way? If you’re just curious, what’s something you’ve always wanted to ask? Let’s talk!