Hanging out at BMEFest 2011

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Rob

We’re starting to get pictures from BMEFest 2011 sent into the galleries, and this first one comes from Tobias and it features his very first suspension. Cere from ROP facilitated the suspension, but he wasn’t alone in helping Tobias get off the ground. With the support of everyone around, especially that of the photographer, Miss McShady, Tobias managed to get in the air and had an incredible experience. This photo below sums up not only his suspension, but also the general vibe of the weekend. Good friends enjoying the company of others, and having a lot of fun.

Oh, and in case you’ve never been to a BME event before, this close-up should give you an idea of just what kind of fun was had.

Yes, that is a double ended dildo.

Keep an eye out for more photos from the party!

BMEFest 2011 – All you need to know!

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Rob

So the weekend is fast approaching and you’re probably thinking to yourself, “self, what am I going to need to bring to BMEFest 2011?” Well think no more as this post should hopefully answer all your questions!

First thing’s first. The party is from Saturday afternoon until Monday morning. Now seeing as how it’s taking place in Virginia, just North East of Richmond, it’s going to be HOT. That means you’ll need to bring:

SUNSCREEN
TOWELS
SWIMSUITS

We’ll probably be spending most of the weekend either in the pool or on a slip’n’slide, so make sure you come prepared. To help people cool off, we’ll have a Sno-Cone machine handy!

Now, because there is a lot of space available for camping, we’re expecting quite a few people to pitch some tents. Obviously if you’re camping you’ll need to bring your own toiletries. The plan is to get an outdoor shower set up, so you can keep yourself clean.

We all have to eat, and Rachel is going to be picking up the basics, burgers (beef, veg, and chicken), eggs and bacon (real and fake), salads (greens, pasta, and potato) and some veggies (corn on the cob, etc). Drinks will also be there, but again, it’ll be limited to soda and water. For the bonfire we’ll have smores! If you’re 21+ you’re welcome to bring your own alcohol, but no sharing with the minors! Now this probably won’t be enough to feed everyone, so if you have suggestions on food that we should pick up, let us know now! You’re also more than welcome to bring extra food along to share. For the vegans, we’ll have separate grills, but we also need some suggestions on vegan friendly BBQ foods.

For those of you who are attached to electricity for some odd reason, power will be available for those camping. There is also very limited internet available, but it has a daily cap on bandwidth, so only use it for emergencies. Besides, we’re all going to be there, so there’s no need to check IAM for messages.

Weather wise, Virginia is hot and humid. It’s also a little unpredictable. Rachel was telling me earlier in the week that one afternoon it was 95 and humid one minute, then pouring rain the next. So again, be prepared for anything!

The actual address will be sent out later in the week to all those who have RSVP’d on the event page. If you’ve had a problem signing up, it will also be posted on the event page on Friday. For those trying to sign up but are having problems, newer browsers aren’t liking the old IAM code, however, Internet Explorer and Safari do seem to be working.

I’ll be keeping this post near the top of ModBlog for the rest of the week, so feel free to use the comment section as a way to post questions or suggestions, and don’t forget to use the event forum as well. There are a few people offering rides and others in need of rides for the weekend.

Don’t wait! Sign up for BMEFest 2011 right now!!

Come hang with us!

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Rob

4 days to go before BMEFest 2011! I think everyone knows by now how much I’m looking forward to the bouncy castles, obstacle course and slip’n’slide (3 lanes!), yet there is so much more going on. The party begins on Saturday, but if you show up Friday night, that’s alright as well. There is a LOT of room for tents, while there are hotels a short distance away, sleeping in a tent will probably save you some money. Of course there will be a big bonfire, and no I won’t be jumping into this time. I singed enough of my beard off last time for me to even think about doing it again.

Now, one of the many awesome things happening over the weekend is we have Cere from ROP facilitating both suspensions and pulls. Along with Cere, some of the other practitioners include ChrisB, TrickyDick, and Brian, as well as many others who work alongside these guys. Now if you’re thinking about suspending, feel free to get in touch with Cere ahead of time. He will be bringing extra supplies to facilitate pulls and suspensions for those who don’t get in touch with him, but letting him know ahead of time lets him estimate a bit better. Now supplies do cost these guys, so they’ll be asking for a minimum donation of $150 for suspensions, and 60 for pulls. One of the main tenants of the suspension community is that they’re there to facilitate, not make money. So any donation given covers the cost of the supplies, and anything in excess goes towards purchasing new equipment.

With that all said, here’s a shot taken by Jen on New Year’s Day at the last BME BBQ. Suspending is IAM:Velo, who is the guy with the massive burning monk scar.

For more information regarding BMEFest, head on over to the sign up page and let us know you’re coming. And if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the event forum.

Countdown to BMEFest 2011

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Rob

It’s almost upon us! This Saturday marks the beginning of the return of BMEFest. From Saturday afternoon until Monday evening, BMEHQ is going to be transformed into BMEPARTYHQ. I got word last night that one of the slip’n’slides is 3 lanes wide, and that the bouncy castles and inflatable obstacle courses are getting prepped. The pool is opened and ready for swimming and the campsite area has been cleared out. For those not camping, there are hotels a short drive away near King’s Dominion in Virginia.

Of course, what’s a BMEFest without suspensions. Thanks to Cere that’s going to be happening as well!

There’s so much more planned, so clear up your weekend plans and sign up now! For those looking to car pool, the event forum has a few people offering rides (myself included), so get in touch with them.

Now if you can only make it down for one day, then make Sunday that day, as it’ll be the day that most of the events take place.

The world needs more bouncy castles

Posted on June 23, 2011 by Rob

Seriously. Life would be so much better if every day we could spend 15 minutes bouncing around in one. Ball pits are an acceptable alternative, but there’s something to be said for bouncing around like an idiot in a castle. If you support the bouncy castle initiative, then you should be attending BMEFest 2011. Oh sure, there’s a pool, some goats, baby ducks, slip’n’slides, bonfires, bbq, suspensions, campsites and more, but what matters most is the bouncy castles. Alright, so spending a weekend in Virginia with some awesome people is probably a better reason to come down. So get yourself over to the event page, sign up (if you have a problem signing up, try a different browser), and I’ll be seeing you next weekend (July 2nd-4th)!

BME logo scar by MaRTWy.

Those lazy hazy crazy days of summer

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Rob

Think about it. It’s the weekend of July 2nd. A day after Canada and 2 days before the 4th of July. You’re sitting next to the pool with a drink in your hand and friends all around you. To your right, a couple of people are suspending from a tree. Behind them, a pack of tattooed and pierced adults are acting like the biggest kids ever as they bounce around inside a bouncy castle. Over by the house a couple of goats are trying to steal some of the burger buns while a big bearded guy is cooking on the BBQ.

Sounds good right? Well to make it happen all you have to do is turn up for BMEFest 2011!! Just outside of Richmond, VA, BME-HQ is opening up its doors to everyone for the whole weekend! July 2nd-4th will be filled with craziness the likes we haven’t seen since the last BMEFest a few years ago. It’s the perfect time to catch up with old friends and make some new ones. Here’s just a couple of the highlights of the weekend:

Lots of room for tents
Swimming pool
Bonfire (That I will NOT be jumping in this time)
Food will be provided, but only the basics like burgers, veggies, and chicken. If you want something else, feel free to bring it. Oh, and if you’re over 21, bring the booze (just don’t drive afterwards)
Suspensions/Pullings – Cere from ROP will be facilitating suspensions, along with other practitioners who will be in attendance.
And last but not least… BOUNCY CASTLES!!! SLIP’N’SLIDES!!! AND MORE!!!

The rest of the details can be found on the event page. BMEtv will also be filming that weekend, so if you’re up for sitting down with the crew, just let us know through the event forum.

So don’t wait, go to the event page and sign up today! (Note: People have been reporting problems signing up with newer versions of browsers. Safari and IE are both known to work if you encounter any problems.)

Team BME tattoo by Nill from Rangel Tattoo in Salvador, Brazil. Sent in by Mportnoi

Summer BMEFest 2011!

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Rob

Got plans for July 2nd-4th? Nope? Well you do now! It’s BMEFest and it’s back with a vengeance. The boss lady is opening her doors and inviting everyone to come on down for the weekend. Here are some of the highlights:

Lots of room for tents
Swimming pool
Bonfire (That I will NOT be jumping in this time)
Food will be provided, but only the basics like burgers, veggies, and chicken. If you want something else, feel free to bring it. Oh, and if you’re over 21, bring the booze (just don’t drive afterwards)
Suspensions/Pullings – The space is there, just need some practitioners to sign on and bring equipment.
And last but not least… BOUNCY CASTLES!!! SLIP’N’SLIDES!!! AND MORE!!!

BMEtv will also be set up interviewing people, so if you’re interested, just let Rachel know in the event forum.

This is a chance to get to see some friends you may not have seen in a while, as well as a chance to make new ones. If there’s one thing that’s consistent with every BME event, is that after a few minutes, everyone is like family. Well, the kind of family that you party your face off for a weekend with.

What are you waiting for, sign up for the event right here. (NOTE: Newer versions of browsers tend to have problems with the signup page. People have found Safari and IE to work when their browser doesn’t.)

Oh, and those BME Logo tattoos? They belong to IAM: Klages.

BMEFest is Back!!!

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Rob

You read that right! This summer marks the return of the infamous BMEFest, and you’re all invited! The event page has all the little details, but here are some of the highlights:

Lots of room for tents
Swimming pool
Bonfire (That I will NOT be jumping in this time)
Food will be provided, but only the basics like burgers, veggies, and chicken. If you want something else, feel free to bring it. Oh, and if you’re over 21, bring the booze (just don’t drive afterwards)
Suspensions/Pullings – The space is there, just need some practitioners to sign on and bring equipment.
And last but not least… BOUNCY CASTLES!!! SLIP’N’SLIDES!!! AND MORE!!!

BMEtv will also be set up interviewing people, so if you’re interested, just let Rachel know in the event forum.

BMEFest is going to be a big family reunion, a time to get caught up with some old friends, and a place to make new ones. The party starts on Saturday July 2nd, and goes until Monday night.

And because this is a family reunion, here’s a tattoo celebrating family by Sagie from Walk the Line Tattoo Parlour in Sweden.

So what are you waiting for? Head on over to the event page and RSVP today!

Moving Forward

Posted on January 7, 2011 by Rob

One of the highlights of the BME NYE festivities was the suspensions that occurred on new year’s day. We saw Britt’s suicide suspension earlier in the week, so today we’re going to take a look at a suspension that may or may not have caused a group of people to get something in their eyes all at the same time.

In what was her very first suspension ever Janet, TrickyDick’s better half, went up in a lotus suspension. What started as a simple suspension quickly turned into something emotionally powerful that everyone present felt lucky to be there.

I e-mailed Janet earlier this week and asked her to describe the experience from her point of view. After the break, you can read what she had to say, as well as check out a few more photos from the suspension.

The suspension started out like any other, with Cere, Richard and ChrisB facilitating the hooks and the rigging. Once in position and everything cleared, Janet was slowly lifted off the ground. From that moment on, everyone watching became very still. At first she was in pain, and we could all feel it. Richard dropped to his knee (as you can see in the above photo), and spoke with his bride-to-be. I didn’t catch much of the exchange, as it was a private moment between the two of them, but he was able to get her to bring her arms up into her lap, which helped relax her.

With the initial uncertainty out of the way, Janet became much more relaxed, but was still a little hesitant about the experience. That all changed the moment one of her dogs came to her side. The smile that crossed her face at that moment will be with me forever. We all knew at that moment that not only was she alright, but she was in a fantastic place. I’m pretty sure it was around this time that quite a few people suddenly had dirt fly into their eyes, as a good number of them suddenly started to get tears forming.

The only place to go from there was up, and as she was slowly raised high in the air, all of us on the ground could feel the joy emanating from Janet. When asked later on about her experience, here’s what she had to say:

“I honestly thought my first suspension would double as my last. Now that I’ve been up and come back down, I have no idea why I thought that way for so long.

Lotuses are so beautiful and if I was going to suspend only once, I was going to make it count, even though the hooks were probably what I feared most. I had really had no interest in suspending until I saw pictures of a Lotus, and I told my fiancé, Richard, that I was going to do that one day, and mentally committed myself to try it… eventually. On NYE, after we left Rachel’s, I brought it up again in the car on our way to the hotel – that maybe I wanted to hang the next day – but I was so nervous about it that I debated back and forth until really the moment that I took my first set of hooks. I really wanted to start the year of with a bang, moving forward, and I had so many wonderful people around me who were super supportive and encouraging. The experience was amazing. The hooks were cake, especially compared to how I had imagined them, and once I was off the ground, I felt better than I ever have. And after hanging in the lotus for awhile, I decided I was done with the natural, self-containment of the lotus and that I wanted to cut my legs down and hang suicide. It didn’t go super smoothly and then it started to rain, but it felt great to allow my legs some freedom, even if it was just on my way back down to the ground.

So, a huge thanks to Richard, Cere, Chris B. for putting me up! to Rachel for hosting the event! and to all the BMEers who were there and shared the experience! because it was really the Best. Thing. Ever.”

As someone who was on the ground, I can safely speak for everyone there when I say thank you to Janet for allowing not only us to be present, but also for being willing to share your experience with the ModBlog readers.

The photos were all taken by Jen, and you can check out many more of them in the BME BBQ and events gallery.

“Happy New Year Mom!”

Posted on January 5, 2011 by Rob

After the craziness that was the BME NYE bonfire, the next morning was a little more subdued, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t have fun. You’ll be able to see photos of the festivities in the BME BBQ and events gallery as they’re submitted, but for today, lets look at the first suspension of the new year, Britt’s suicide suspension, where she got a call from her mom while up in the air.

Keep on reading to see more of Britt’s suspension, as well as some of the other NYE revelers.

Before anyone could suspend the tree needed to be trimmed, so who better than Mandic to grab some rusted tools to tear down the branches.

Once the tree was trimmed, it was time to get Britt in the air. The suspension was put together by Cere, ChrisB, and TrickyDick, who you can see below pulling Britt up into the air.

Finally here are a couple more shots of Britt up in the air. You can see Velo, Rome, Cere, McShady, and some guy with a beard looking on.

These are just the tip of the iceberg for pictures from the event. Keep an eye out for an emotionally powerful lotus suspension, as well as more videos from the rest of the day.