Reflections on 2022
It has been a wild and challenging few years for all of us. As the year comes to a close I am reflecting and feeling grateful that I have remained healthy and thriving. Some milestones and gratitudes that are on my mind today:
My business Sub Rosa not only survived the pandemic, we were able to increase our profits by over 70%. We’ve invested most of this back into the business and building community.
I have done hundreds of session & coaching hours in 2022. I am grateful to my clients for being so creative and kinky and depraved. I love my clients.
I was Performances & Tastings Lead at Kinkfest 2022, we brought the FemDom to the con and gave many folks their first public play experience. I am Tastings Lead again in 2023, better get your tickets STAT because the conference sells out and it is worth it (I also plan to host a FemDom Social at KF this year).
I traveled to Alaska and stood on a boat in a fjord before a massive otherworldy blue glacier and watched parts of it calve off, while seals rolled on bobbing white icebergs. Big cracking sounds like shotguns echoed across the icy water and I felt so small and tiny and sometimes I need to feel this way.
I tried canyoneering for the first time with some dear friends and repelled off waterfalls into shimmering green rocky riverbeds in Washington.
I river beached a lot and learned to breathe better and deeper.
I donated thousands of dollars to mutual aid, direct to individuals, and to community organizations that do direct aid for food insecurity (See: Equitable Giving Circle). (Other ideas for where to donate HERE).
Natasha Strange and I presented 41 classes/workshops/events at Sub Rosa, mostly in-person, some taught by us and others that platformed educators both national and local. We brought back our monthly FemDom Bootcamp, which sells out every month and has really become one of our favorite events.
(Note: Natasha has just launched a new online course that is eight weeks of empowerment, camaraderie, and BDSM education, learn more HERE.)Maeve McBride and I hosted monthly 50 Shades of STFU femdom parties and brought back tastings to the event, more incredible performers, and donated some profit to various local and national organizations.
But the finale to my year was a game changer…
In November, I attended Alexandra Snow’s Wicked Retreat in Tulum, Mexico. My beloved business partner Natasha convinced me to go (for some silly reason I needed convincing). The event was a 7-day retreat in Tulum, outside of Cancun, one of the truly most beauitful places I’ve been. We had four gorgeous villas with swimming pools; 35+ dommes and SWers convened with some subbies attending us; the villa I was in had a literal cenote on it (what is a cenote?).
This event was a huge energy shift for me. I had been courting burnout and this trip refreshed me and inspired me in so many disparate ways. I was able to roundtable/skillshare and connect with some of the most powerful dommes, badass SWers, and boss dungeon owners you’ll find. I was able to rest and just let the trip lead me for once. I was able to do three photoshoots. Daddy AnLi and I competed in a depraved poolside Whipped Competition (think Chopped but kinky) and we won first place. I ziplined through the jungle at night, swam in underground caves, and adventured in some of the coolest environs I’ve seen. I was surrounded by inspiring people in my industry while sunning myself by bodies of water and that was exactly what I needed.
We are a collection of kickass entrepreneurs, business owners, survivors, activists, and community weavers. See some of the photos from our trip below. I am so grateful for this industry and the people in it. Happy New Year! I am looking forward to spanking you in 2023.
