Tie Me to the Ends of Love, Pt. 1 (Rope Springs Eternal)
Nov 25th, 2025 by Viviane

Photo of Mac K. & Besu by Jack Montgomery
Last week I attended the TES Bondage SIG, for a presentation by Barbara Nitke’s go-to rope rigger, Mac K. He suspended Besu in a beautiful asymmetrical suspension and gave this talk. This is the first part, but more to come. - Viv
Thank you all for having me again, and especially to Lolita for her raw determination in getting a date together. I can well imagine that she often gets her partners to stretch and do the sorts of things they might not otherwise, and about which, afterward, they’re grateful.
I’d like to open tonight with a quote from the blog of someone who appreciates many of the same things I do about art, culture, daring, polemic and especially Japanese aesthetics. His name is Tatsuya Ishida, and he’s the author of Sinfest. Here you go:
“Whenever I peel an orange, I save the stem end for last. There’s something about pulling out the spine that is very satisfying. Texture-wise, visually, the little plucky squirty sensation, it’s a fun little operation to cap the peeling process. That’s sort of my modus operandi when it comes to food. I try to leave the best for last. When I have a chicken pot pie, for example, I eat all the carrots and peas first, and leave a stash of chicken for the big finish. When I have a sandwich I work my way around the crust to the middle. I have this shit down to a science. Sometimes, though, it’s not so smooth. Things can get complicated. Like, when I’m eating a pancake breakfast with hash browns, bacon, and eggs, I can’t decide what my favorite thing is. I panic a little in my heart because I don’t know how it’s going to end. But that’s what life is all about. Thrills, man. Thrills. I start out all confident that I’ll end with a bite of bacon but then, the sweet syrupy pancakes start to win me over. Then the hash browns, that unassuming dark horse, make a comeback. And then the eggs are like, “Hey, we’re the pure unblemished souls of chickens! Recognize!” At that point, all bets are off. It’s anybody’s game. I might go with bacon. I might not. Nothing’s set in stone. Anything can happen. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, ‘Tat, you crazy fool! You HAVE to have the last bite planned out AT ALL TIMES!’ But I like to live on the edge, Jack. I take chances. I flirt with danger. That’s how I roll.”
(more. . . )