Recap: MBS Sunday Brunch for June 6

Our topic this week was reactions to the use of spanking words during otherwise vanilla conversations. Here are your thoughts.

Poppy: I had to talk a lot at work about a process with a name that was shortened to CP. I would go from very businesslike and relaxed to a blathering idiot if I thought about what I was saying.

I can say someone will "get a spanking" at work – from a boss, not from me – if they have done something bad, but only with very close friends. Other than that, if even a suggestion of spanking comes up, I look like a terrible prude because I purse my lips and won't say a word. It is because I think I may die of shyness, but no one knows that.

Six of the Best: When I hear certain words that I associate from the past, such as England, the number six, knickers, or garter-belt and stockings, my erotics flash back to me.

Hermione: It happens far too often at work. Someone will say "carrot and stick," "crack the whip," "whip them into shape," "so spank me," or "what can we do [with uncooperative clients] - spank them?" and I will have the same reactions you mentioned. I struggle not to react, all the while wondering if the speaker has guessed. In fact, I suspect I may work with a spanko or two, because of the frequency of spanking references, but I'll never know for sure.

I make a point of never speaking spanking-related words for fear of giving myself away. The only exception is talking with Ron, and I have a post coming up this week that addresses that topic.

Mija: Whenever I hear someone say "brand spanking new" or something like that in a vanilla context, my first thought is "not a spanko."

It may just be the company I keep, but I've never heard anyone in the scene use the word casually and I know I can't. It just has too much power.

Spanked by Wife: I am lucky enough to be with a Lady who won't hesitate to roast my bottom when necessary and sometimes when I request it (because it's something that I need). Just a few days ago, she fulfilled a request and delivered one of her best spankings ever.

I decided to send her flowers the next day as a token of my gratitude. I didn't want to hold back when it came time to tell the florist what I wanted to say on the card. I just held my breath and requested, "Thanks for disciplining me last night. Spanking me the way you did shows how much you care for me." It was somewhat embarrassing and difficult for me, but I wanted the card to convey my thoughts.

What was interesting was the florist's reaction. She expressed thoughts that indicated that she approved and told me she was going to show this one to her husband!

Dan Navarro: I'm considered a normal, middle-class husband and father. Of course, I keep my spanking fetish a secret from people I love, but when there comes an opportunity to talk about spanking, I have no reticence about jumping into the conversation.

One example is a recent conversation with vanilla friends about our favorite TV shows. I offered that one of my all-time favorites is "Weeds" on Showtime. My friends seem interested to know what I could possibly like about a series that shows a suburban mother dealing pot. I matter-of-factly replied that I'm not into the pot thing, I just enjoyed that magnificent scene where the lead actress, Mary Louise Parker, gets a solid, over-the-knee spanking from Demian Bichir, her on-screen lover.

My friends' comments told me that some of them had actually viewed that scene, but they quickly changed the subject and went on with other matters. I don't hide the fact that I am a spanko when a opportunity legitimately presents itself.

R Humphries: I have posted extensively about those wonderful moments that I call the Vanilla Nuggets. These are when totally vanilla conversations turn to the subject of corporal punishment or spanking. This was not uncommon in the UK, back in the day, especially around the time when CP was being controversially abolished.

There are two moments that I still savor. The first occurred in a London pub. A colleague was bemoaning the errancy of one of his offspring and kvetching over the fact that the school was no longer allowed to give him six of the best. Our Girl Friday quite unexpectedly piped in that “we used to get swished by the prefects at school.” Unfortunately, this line of conversation was interrupted by a barmaid taking last orders and by the time she was finished the subject matter had changed. I spent the next month using all kinds of stealth tactics to extract more information out of Girl Friday, but sadly, I had no luck.

The second classic moment occurred when I was dining with an old friend and her mother. We were reminiscing about the wayward ways of the eldest son of the piece when the mother chimed in, “but it was always Debbie who needed to be spanked.” This caused me to almost choke on a rather fine Shiraz! Debbie just giggled and pointed out that she had turned out OK and again the subject moved on.

In many ways these magical Vanilla Nuggets delivered in normal day-to-day conversation are of more inspiration to me as a writer than more conventional spanking observations made by real-life spankos and spankettes. The moral of the story is to keep your ears pricked at all times. Those nuggets are out there.

Ronnie: At the office, if I hear anyone mention any words related to TTWD, it stops me dead in my tracks. I wonder whether they are taking about me, and what they have found out.

When I'm out and about, it actually amuses me to hear those words. It gives me a lovely warm feeling. :)

Thomas: Having been 100% "out" for some time now, I have little pause for using these words in vanilla conversation, and my friends/family/coworkers know that I'm probably throwing them in for very non-vanilla reasons. As such, it's never REALLY a vanilla conversation as long as I'm around. One particularly conservative and prudish manager of mine, who also happens to be an ardent fan of John Wayne, gets that look on his face when I mention the Duke's spanking scenes. I'm sure that he'd much rather forget that those existed. :P

Hal: I can feel myself blush every time I hear any reference to TTWD in vanilla company. I cannot join in the conversation, the words just get stuck in my throat! Heck though, I still am a little embarrassed saying it in front of spanko friends! Maybe I was just born a prude, and that's a difficult thing for a spanko! LOL

Make Mine Red: I've always found it very difficult to join in on those conversations. But they do catch my ear and I just smile and listen... and think about them later.

Elysia: Years and years ago, while having lunch with some work colleagues, the conversation turned to spanking. It seemed that my friends were very happy to talk about their spankings from childhood. I had very few to share, but listened intently. Everyday for about a week we talked about spanking at lunch. I remember it like a wonderful vacation. I'm not sure if they were vanilla, because the conversation sometimes wandered to adult situations. I'm sure that I blushed a few times, because Henry and I had "dabbled" in the erotic spanking. I was too shy to share that though. Probably couldn't go there today either, and I might turn a darker shade of pink – in my face that is!

Thank you to everyone who contributed to our brunch! Randy and I will be away for the next two weekends. During that time, our community brunch will be in the capable hands of Hermione. I hope you will join her and share your insights.