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Monday, April 24, 2006 | The Celibates

ALONG with National Pork Producer's Month, International Tap Dancing Day and Lawn Mower Awareness Week, there is Masturbation Month, the month of May. It's coming soon.

Yes, it's really true, there is such a thing. While nobody bats an eye at Concrete Appreciation Night, Masturbation Month never fails to get a laugh and, as it turns out, quite a few orgasms. There are different events around the US, including a few in the Bay area, New York, Seattle, Florida and other normal places. What are these like? Well, let your ideas run wild. (In fact, however festive, nearly all are traditionally fundraisers for charity.)

This year must be the 10th anniversary of the event, which was created by the Good Vibrations sex toy stores in Berkeley and San Fran. I have always tried to cook up something for Masturbation Month at Planet Waves, and it's truly what you could call a house tradition here. It's difficult to find good PR for this subject; few places welcome real discussion.

Though the Sun is in Taurus for most of this time (an appropriate sign for the subject at hand), I was told by Goodvibes a few years back that no astrological planning went into the choice of May. But synchronicity counts, and The May is a great Celtic celebration of many centuries age.

While I have often invited our writers to contribute on the subject ("How to Dance" by Giovanna Coppola is a memorable one), and while I have done my share of essaying at various times, I have never taken the subject to Planet Waves readers.

Given the interesting discussion prompted by Sunday's blog on fear between the genders (I have lots of great mail to post), this seemed like the perfect moment to invite you to participate in a community discussion. I've been considering different themes, but something I read in an email today sparked the idea to begin the discussion with the experiences and thoughts of those whose only form of sex, for some phase of time, has been masturbation.

This can be through one's own choice, or due to other circumstances. Write us something, and let it be a an opportunity to speak both to your sexual expression and your relationship to yourself. What have you felt, and how have you grown? Are you satisfied? Why have you chosen the path you have, or has it chosen you? How do your inner male and inner female relate to one another? Are you able to talk to others about being your own lover?

These kinds of things. Give all the detail you like. Try to stick to your feelings and experiences rather than going intellectual.

Entries can be long or short, but let the writing be fresh and immediate.

I'll propose other ideas between blogs, as the week goes on. But this email will be the reference point for relevant information about the project, such as:

Entries will be reviewed by an editor or two including myself, but please do your best to type neatly in an email that holds formatting (called HTML mail; typing style should look as much like this blog as you can make it). Time frame is as soon as possible. Your thoughts need be no longer than this blog entry, or can even be much shorter. We can post them under a pseudonym, or anonymously, or yes even with your actual real name. Just be clear about how you want that to work. And please tell us something about yourself in your letter.

Submitting an entry equals expressed consent to publish and archive that writing on Planet Waves, though we presume you retain any copyright that might apply. No contact information will be published. To reply, please use this email address:

    solo@planetwaves.net

To read "How To Dance," Giovanna's piece from one Masturbation Month special a few years ago, here is the link.

    http://www.planetwaves.net/giovan.html

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