DBRT 007: Surprise, a deadline!

Things just got a little more exciting! I have a deadline. It seems that the folks organizing Rubber Ball USA 2025 would like TheDuchy to have a setup in the VIP dungeon. I’ve really enjoyed my time at Rubber Ball in previous years, but I’ve never helped to facilitate public play with attendees.

Rope is not the fastest BDSM activity. While it can move quickly depending on your particular goals for a scene, tying with someone brand new is often more successful if you can have a conversation with them about their goals, concerns, and physical limitations before diving in. And applying the rope can take a while if it is decorative in nature or requires a lot of tail pulls.

It would be more efficient if both Master and I could provide rope bondage services in the VIP dungeon. And people would be able to choose between the two of us (we both offer very different experiences given our different levels of strength and experience. Master can be very physically assertive with the rope while maintaining a relaxed and non-intense emotional environment. It’s a lovely combination). I, on the other hand, am much less physically assertive, and I’m a good head shorter than Him, so people may find me less intimidating.

But this does mean that I need to brush up on my skills and fast! I need to practice tying other people, and get more confident with being in people’s personal space. So, I need to get my ass in gear! At the time of writing this, I have 92 days until the Rubber Ball. That works out to about 13 weeks or a little more than three months. So, that means I have three months to make myself into a relatively competent and confident rope top. And given that I haven’t actually achieved that goal in the past three-ish years that I’ve wanted to, I need to approach this time period differently.

I need a SMART goal! First I need to identify a goal that equates to “competent and confident rope top”, and then I need to identify some objectives that will help me achieve that goal. If you aren’t familiar, SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound.

Specific: I need to be able to comfortably tie any of the ties on our “menu” for the event without referencing notes or instructions. And I need to be able to do so in any orientation and order.

Measurable: I can create a randomized list of the ties, tie each of them on a model or myself, take pictures and review their accuracy and consistency which will then be graded on an A-F scale. My goal will be to get an A on every tie.

Achievable: The list I have for the event contains about 13 ties, several of which build on basic concepts I already know. Six of them would be basically entirely new patterns for me to learn. I think that’s a reasonable number to learn in three months.

Realistic: Achieving this goal will require consistent practice, which I have not always been great about in the past. I’m hoping this blog and my new deadline will help me stay consistent. I think my odds are better when there is external pressure from an impending event to motivate me.

Time-bound: Yes! My deadline is July 19, 2025.

Objectives:

Practice one new tie or pattern each week for the next six weeks

Meet with my current rope bottom friend as much as her schedule allows (not super specific yet, but hopefully I can get a more regular practice schedule after our first time tying to together)

Ask to tie and practice with other rope bottoms I know (this one is nerve-wracking, but very necessary if I’m going to be tying lots of people at Rubber Ball!)

Self tie on myself once a week to practice patterns on my own time and in different orientations

Make a checklist or sticker chart to hold myself accountable (it worked when my Mom was potty training me, and it still works now)

Repeat ties and combinations (not super specific, again)

I’ll refine this as I go I’m sure.

This writing is part of a series called “Diary of a Baby Rope Top” by Kajira Blue, the rest of which can be found at TheDuchy.com/blogs.

DBRT 007: Surprise, a deadline!

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