Trepidation. And some cheese.

Gosh. Didn't think I would be back here again, starting *another* journal on yet another subject. Well it just goes to show. What? Show what? Uh... I don't really know. It's just a colloquial term, dammit.

Anyhow, welcome to this one. Call me Echo; I prefer it. I also always really, really hate the first entry to any blog; it's awkward, unsettled, filled with either pretensions or panic. So, in it's place... a list of Stuff About Me:

• I like champagne, lipstick, steampunkery and elegance.
• Occasionally found referring to self in the third person.
• I like really filthy sex, hitting (or being hit) with big sticks and needle play piercings. This blog will mainly be about that side of me. If it makes you squeamish, please move along... (or if you are from some other part of my life, message me for alternative bloggage).
• I am a literature student full time, semi pro photographer part time and one of the management for Club Crimson, a London based play club.
• "Beloved" is my all time favourite word, closely followed by "dregs", "smut" and "decadence".
• I was almost called Appolonia. My Mother thought that was too silly. Instead she and Father originally gave me 12 names. 12. I have no idea how that could possibly be considered any better.
• Interested in holy things. Obsessed with words.
• Published poet, writer, artist and photographer, meditation leader, English folklore and medieval herbalism teacher, general bohemian.
• Half lives in one of the best independent bookshops in central London. It is like genuinely stepping onto the set of Blackbooks, but with more academia and tea and less smoking indoors.
• Born & bred in London town, yet my parents have managed to retain a veneer of their "rah" country upbringings (blended with a healthy dash of hippy bohemia as a result of art MA's). I thus spent much of my childhood camping, riding, playing on a farm or dabbling in my herb plot at our city allotment. This has resulted in me being able to: tie some rather good knots; set fire to pretty much everything; poison pretty much anyone. Useful things.
• I like cheese and wine. I am eating some now. You probably should too; it makes everything happy and shiny.

So, why the new blog? Well, as a friend pointed out to me the other day, I do lead a rather awesome life. I am very, very lucky, privileged, hedonistic and in love. With lots of fantastic scenes and long philosophical pondering conversations on the nature of sexuality. And it would really be rather nice to keep a record of such things.

I'm planning on this being mainly focused on real life experiences, my thoughts on gender and sexuality and other pertinent things. I will be updating at least once a week (please, deity/chaos theory/spaghetti monster, let my life stay interesting enough, with just the right amount of free time to let me be able to do this. Thank you).

And so... On to 2010. It will be an excellent year, I'm sure.