Steak and a BJ Day

Hello all!

It's a busy season for Primrose Path right now because Valentine's Day is coming up soon!  We have all sorts of events going on, in case you haven't heard:

January 24 - Girls Night Out at RAM Restaurant & Brewery, Schaumburg, IL 4-7 PM
Come out to socialize and have dessert with Primrose Path and other vendors.  Do some shopping or make a wish list for your sweetheart.  Primrose Path items will be on display and available for purchase.

January 30 - Party Your Pants Off Pre-Valentine's Day Event at Tease Dance & Fitness in Naperville
A Ladies Only event where we'll learn a lap dance/striptease routine that will make your partner drool ... in a sexy way.  Primrose Path items will be on display and available for purchase.

February 14 - Flirting for Single People at Limestone Restaurant and Brewery in Plainfield, IL
Mix and mingle with other local singles, enjoy appetizers and get a swag bag while you learn some flirting tips.  There will be plenty of time to practice your ice-breaking skills on your new acquaintances!

Contact us at primrosepathtoys@yahoo.com if you would like more details about any of these events.

But, what is "Steak and a BJ Day"?  If you haven't heard, "Steak and a BJ Day" is the straight man's answer to Valentine's Day, where women are expected to buy their man a steak and pleasure him orally.  I believe it's supposed to occur March 14.  Dan Savage explains it here, and gives his take on why it should really be "BJ and a Steak Day." (He brings up a good point!)

A little tit for tat?  Men, is it necessary to be this equal?  Women, will you be participating in this holiday?

Tis the Season for Cabin Fever

The holidays have come and gone, and now it's back to work!  For those of us living north of the Mason/Dixon line, it's also the time to find activities to combat cabin fever.  The thermometer is hovering around (or below) zero; the snow is piling up; the notion of going out in something sexy and revealing shows an astounding lack of good sense.  What to do to entertain yourself the next couple of months?

The transition from one year to the next is always awash in Top Ten lists.  Here is the first ever Primrose Path Top Ten list:

Top Ten Activities You Can Do At Home to Beat the Winter Blahs

10. Grow your own Wheatgrass . . . for your cat

9. Crank call the IRS

8. Achieve the fastest time to escape a zipped suitcase

7. Develop the perfect iPod setlist for your mail carrier to listen to on their route

6. Mate a spider with a goat

5. Write a journal in igPay atinLay

4. Sew the days of the week into your underwear

3. Make your own human furniture

2. Play strip Solitaire at the computer (just make sure you crank up the heat first)

and, of course,

1. Shop online at www.primrosepathtoys.com!

There's no better pleasure than the pleasure you can give yourself... over and over and over again!

101 Sex Positions

There's a video from Jamye Waxman that was recommended to me, so I was searching her site and stumbled across this really neat 3D animated catalog of sex positions. The animation is really well done and the analysis of the sex positions is thorough. Check it out!

Now, I have to go back to searching for that other video...

Brain Dump!

I've been buried under mountains of work and completely neglecting both this blog and Twitter, but I ran across a laundry list of interesting, thoughtful and funny blogs and products worth publishing here.

I'm not going to comment much on these things because that would be an extremely long blog, and my brain is really drained, but please feel free to add your own two cents!

Thoughtful stuff first:

While I remember the March Madness over the Pope's statements regarding condoms increasing the problem of AIDS in Africa, Cory Silverberg's About.com blog is the first I've read about "research" that has been done involving circumcising adult Africans to find out if it reduced their risk of contracting HIV. As if that wasn't repugnant enough (hey, they volunteered, right?), the recommendations that came out of the studies led to a call to circumcise as many men as they could get their hands on. Is that *really* preferable to teaching people to use condoms and practice safe sex? Really?

Then, Cory Silverberg rocked my world a second time today with his coverage of a vibrator use survey. Numbers, beautiful numbers.

Finally, I find out (courtesy of Early To Bed's blog) that Mr. Silverberg wrote the Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability. This tidbit blows my mind because I had just had a conversation 24 hours prior that stumped me where someone asked me if I knew of any books, videos or other resources servicing the disabled community. I wasn't even actively looking for the solution to my problem, and it fell into my lap. Now, the book is speeding to me from Amazon.com. No more stumping me on that subject.

Eventually, I clicked away from the fabulous Cory Silverberg, and I stumbled upon a blog at Jezebel that addressed the other aspect of Primrose Path's business: lingerie. With regard to the lingerie that Primrose Path will eventually carry, the plan has always been to accommodate a larger cross-section of women than, for example, Victoria's Secret does. This is the Midwest, and the average woman is not a size 4, but she still wants to wear sexy lingerie that fits and makes her feel good. It seems even more critical to address the needs of Fatshionistas after reading Jezebel's summation of the downsizing of the plus-size industry.

Now, here's the funny stuff:

Just when I thought I'd seen it all and could no longer be surprised, this guy is selling chocolate hats for penises. And, apparently, it's not a joke. Make sure to read the FAQ section. The questions and answers discussing hat size had me laughing out loud. One of my friends suggested a yarmulke as a new addition; I'm thinking maybe one of those beanies with the spinner on top.

One last piece of mindless amusement (although premature ejaculation is not a laughing matter for couples who struggle with it): Jizz In My Pants.

Now, my brain dump is complete.

Catching Up

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Women and the Technology of Sex: Ada Lovelace Day

I initially read about Ada Lovelace Day about one week ago, so I didn't have a lot of time to research and throw something together. However, inspiration struck me yesterday. Thankfully, I'm not so old yet that the synapses just fizzle instead of firing, and I was able to retrace my footsteps from two months ago to single out a woman who is making a difference in technology one sex toy at a time.

Susan Colvin is the President and Founder of California Exotic Novelties, an industry leader in the adult novelty market. What struck me most about her story is that she used her business expertise combined with her perspective as a woman to make waves in the boys' pool. She introduced packaging and products that would appeal to women instead of men and revolutionized the adult novelty industry.

Have you heard of (or used) the Jack Rabbit, the vibrator made famous on Sex in the City? Colvin's predominantly-female team dreamed that up, and they continue coming up with ideas today to titillate a crowd that's easily jaded.

In fact, the impact that California Exotic Novelties has had on the industry is such that the company is being recognized for its pioneering role in an exhibit at the Erotic Heritage Museum (a non-profit cultural and educational project) in Las Vegas.

Three cheers for women excelling in technology, setting new standards within their respective industries and paving the way for other women to follow!

P.S. I completely and unabashedly grabbed the above photo from Colvin's alma mater's newsletter. All credit to them and none to me!

Brainy Woman Seeks Partner...

Is dating more difficult if you're smart (say, in the top 5% of the population, intellectually)?

Author Dr. Alex Benzer says yes - for lots of reasons. Blogger Melissa Noble says no - no worse than for anyone else. I'll let them argue it out, but...

This question puts me in mind of the one good piece of advice that my mother gave me when I was an adolescent who was struggling with social awkwardness:

Find someone who is skilled socially. Study that person. Emulate their behaviors.

Contrary to what some people say (particularly the first respondent to Dr. Benzer's article), it isn't about changing who you are (i.e. you don't have to play the dumb bohunk or airhead bimbette), but rather acquiring a new skill, one that takes study and practice. It's like learning a new language or a new game. Smart people like learning new things, right? Well, I do.

I feel I have to mention, though, that one of the things that isn't addressed in either article is the difference between dating and being "in a relationship." Developing better social skills may help you to make connections that lead to dates. However, transitioning from dating into a full-blown relationship is yet another skill to be mastered. Where's the book on How To Manage a Long-Term Relationship For Smarties? Subtitle: How To Set Aside Your Ego and Let Your Partner Be Smarter Than You Sometimes...