Kiss Notes

BiG LARU Carnal Carnival @ Rutgers U: October 27 2010

fellicce — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 04:01:54 +0000

I get to bring kissing to college… ok, that’s nothing new – but my class as part of Rutgers LGBTA Carnal Carnival is !

Filed under: Find a kiss notes workshop Tagged: event, workshop

The Floating World: August 21 2010

fellicce — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 15:48:16 +0000

I’m teaching at The Floating World: August 21/22 2010.

In 17th Century Japan, a new idea was born. The idea that pleasure was not only for the wealthy and powerful, and not just for men. It was about sex as a form of expression, as art. It was about freedom.

They called it “The Floating World” and developed it into a cultural lifestyle.

We created this event to echo that feeling of acceptance and freedom, and to honor the dedication to education, skill and respect that they started. Our mission is to promote education and build connections between different aspects of our community.

We invite you to explore who you are, and who you can be – with workshops and classes by the top educators in the country.

Discuss your passions and politics, learn how safety can be exotic, how you can do more than you ever dreamed without risking everything in the process.

Filed under: Find a kiss notes workshop Tagged: workshop

Steampunk World’s Faire: May 16 2010

fellicce — Sun, 16 May 2010 16:08:47 +0000

I’m teaching Kiss-Notes at The Steampunk World’s Faire May14 – 16!

Filed under: Find a kiss notes workshop Tagged: workshop

Sugar in Baltimore – April 11 2010

fellicce — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:22:56 +0000

It’s official! I’m teaching my kissing class at the fabulous Baltimore shoppe ‘Sugar’. It’s all about the history, science, culture of kissing, what makes or breaks a kiss, and some good practical tips as well.

I’m pleased as punch !

April 11 – 6pm – 20$

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/104515

Filed under: Find a kiss notes workshop Tagged: workshop

Anne Hunter, a requited crush

fellicce — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 22:59:41 +0000

When at university I developed a major unrequited crush on a man who became a good friend, got married to someone else with whom I became friends, had kids etc. 7 years later I won a bet he’d had with me, for which the prize was dinner. He did it properly with flowers, champagne etc. We had a romantic walk on a beach, went for a skinny dip, and ended up cuddling naked on a beach towel before having the most awesome romantic kiss of my entire life. Boy did the earth move and the stars melt.

It changed my life. It ‘requited’ the biggest unrequited crush I’d had. All those romantic moments in movies suddenly came true. It opened a belief in reincarnation or something because I felt like I knew him completely from lifetimes ago, on a deep spirit/energy level. It challenged all my
preconceived notions of connection and love and intimacy; we didn’t have sex but it felt like a major affair, it was so deep and intimate. It was the start of my journey into polyamory, because it just WAS, and it just didn’t fit standard monogamous theory at all.

We were both Christian. We didn’t want to break up his marriage. We stopped seeing each other for a few years. But we couldn’t stem the passion that was opened up by that kiss. 5 years later both marriages broke up and we got together. 16.5 years later again, we’re still going strong. ; )

Filed under: Kiss-Stories Tagged: interview, romance

Thiel, a year of kissing people, Australia

fellicce — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:51:23 +0000

While surfing LiveJournal, I came across the project “a year of kissing people“. This is part of a multi year project, each year dedicated to a different social and literary project. For example in 2005 he composed two lines of iambic pentameter every day in order to form a poem about the year. It was called “2005: a year’s work in iambic pentameter.” Naturally, I was fascinated, and reached out to learn more. Here’s the interview!

me: Each year you’ve dedicated to a different project (following people, giving people flowers… ) what it’s like to do something every day with such intention?

Thiel: Relaxing, oddly enough. I was an anxious adolescent, constantly wondering if I’d achieved enough each day. I think these something-a-day projects respond to that anxiety – if nothing else, I’ve given a flower to someone, or followed someone, or kissed someone. It allows me to sleep peacefully at night, and not constantly seek after new projects or “opportunities.” Having said that, there are days during any year when I can think of nothing worse than to add another action to a project. On those days I try to find a kind of minimum way of achieving the daily task I’ve set myself.

me: It is so interesting, I would get anxious if I had to do something everyday that depended upon someone else. Can you give an example of the minimum way of achieving the daily task, and how that staves the potential anxiety?

Thiel: By “minimum” I mean calling one of my close friends and kissing them on the lips. It satisfies the requirements of the project, but doesn’t take me anywhere new. When I have the energy I much prefer meeting strangers who agree to kiss me, not only because I make new friends, but because I’m exposed to a fresh version of kissing, and a different set of possibilities and concerns. Actually this is a very important part of the project, for me – this broadening of my social horizons.

me: Why you have dedicated a year of your life to kissing people – and writing about it?

Thiel: I am kissing people because I like kissing, mainly, and also because I believe that there should be more kissing done in the world. It’s a statement in favour of intimacy, generally, and against the kind of puritanism that makes people arbitrarily block their own passions. By telling stories of these kisses on my blog, I hope to encourage people not only to kiss each other more, but to expect the possibility of a stranger asking to kiss them. I want my readers to ready themselves with a “yes.”

me: That’s great – I have these YES buttons, been giving them out for years (a different project) - the idea is that we all need some more serendipty and beauty in this world, and that being a “yes” to the universe opens up the larger possibilities.

Thiel: Definitely! Those buttons sound great.

me: How do you go about choosing a theme?

Thiel: I choose themes that are as different as possible to the theme of the preceding year, which is why I followed up flowers (flamboyancy) with the saints (interiority), which in turn led to following people (the opposite of thinking). I also like to set themes that seem improbable, even impossible. I want people to ask “how…”

me: This is a very interactive project – requiring another person to participate – how does it compare to giving flowers to people – another person to person exchange, but there one person is giving, the other receiving. I think kissing is more where both people are giving and receiving at the same time… Is this shift noticeable in your execution of the theme?

Thiel: It is, yes, and you’re exactly right. This year I need to negotiate quite carefully to create 365 mutually-consenting events. Kissing is not something you can impose on people. Both participants need to act. I need to be patient, this year, and choose my targets carefully. But it’s this interaction between me and others that sustains the project, and keeps people reading the blog.

me: Is it hard to find someone everyday to kiss?

Thiel: Yes. People have a thousand reasons to say no to a kiss, and might only kiss you if you ask in the right way, or if their mood is good, or if they don’t have some other appointment. It’s hard when it’s raining, and it’s hard when I feel sad.

me: What do you do when you get a “no” to a kiss? do you still try to find someone every day, or is the NO enough, a non kiss kiss?

Thiel: I can’t sleep until I’ve kissed someone, and so far I’ve managed to find a new person every day. I find myself persevering, even after several rejections, and even at a cost to my mental health.

me: What do you do when it’s hard to complete your project – when you are sad, or it is raining etc?

Thiel: I go a bit crazy, to tell you the truth. I start visualising failure. My heart-rate speeds up. I start asking badly, and asking the wrong people. On these occasions I’m actually waiting for someone to have pity on me. I’m not seductive at all.

me: Can you share a kiss experience that you haven’t written about on your blog?

Thiel: Early in my relationship with my partner Julien, I was looking up at him from the floor of my college bedroom. For some reason I said “give me a kiss that describes eternity,” and he gave me a very short kiss. That’s when I first believed in true love.

me: You say you believe in true love, what does that mean to you? also – do you beleive in Love at First Sight? (for example, viewing someone across a crowded room, and falling immedietly in love)

Thiel: To me true love is love that feels like a fact. Deserts are dry, and I love Julien. It’s love that won’t suffer from contradictions, or reverse itself under pressure from a change of mood. The reason I believe in this kind of love is that I experience it with my partner. I don’t know if everyone can expect this, or not. As for love at first sight – perhaps someone else believes.

me: What does Julien think about your project? In the States, kissing someone who is not your partner, even in a friendly way, that can ruffle some relationship feathers…

Thiel: Oh that’s true in Australia, as well. But every situation is different. Julien’s view of things is influenced by his Frenchness and by his gayness, among other things. He likes it when I’m doing a project that doesn’t make him tired, and this project is bringing a lot of positive energy into the house. I’m meeting a lot of new people, some of whom are meeting Julien. But even if they don’t, he’s really enjoying my stories. He’s a remarkable man, really – an advocate and model of non-jealousy.

me: I know it’s early on in your project, but can you share anything that you have learned thus far about being a yes , or receiving a no, managing anxieties?

Thiel: I’m becoming more patient. I’m learning the difference between a plan and a reality. And the kisses themselves are making me a happier person. So far, it’s been a very enjoyable year.

Visit Thiel’s blog here!

Filed under: Kiss-Stories Tagged: art, interview, romance

Jen Upchurch, LIPS = LOVE

fellicce — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:38:19 +0000

Last week I caught up with Jen Upchurch. She has an ongoing art project called Lips=Love.

me: what is LIPS=LOVE? How did it start?

Jen: LIPS = LOVE has been an ongoing project of mine for the past 10 years. Through out these years I have paint, drawn, built, photographed people’s lips and through this journey connecting lips/kissing with love. I have always felt that kissing is a magical beautiful spark that expresses so much love and passion and creativity with people. Either just a regular kiss on the cheek to a passionate deep throat kiss these are all different ways of people expressing beautiful love to each other. This project is helping my vision continuously grow and challenge me to go the next step in providing art and love together to a multi-diverse people!

me: how are the lips made?

Jen: The lips are made out of recycled wood, chicken wire, nails, newspaper, and papermache mix.

me: these lips are larger than life! did you ever bring them on the subway/walking down the street … what happens to them in an environment where there’s no art context?

Jen: I have walked down the street many times with them and just get the oddest looks but of course it is New York. So what do you expect to happen everyone just looks and than moves on…really nothing surprises New Yorkers on the street but hey just yesterday I wore a giant kitty head piece and got nothing either until I went to a bar.

me: what’s the sweetest thing that happened with your lips?

Jen: Every moment that has happen to the lips is magical. I love seeing couples have an opportunity to kiss, to just friends, to everything…

The sweetest thing to me is seeing the little children kiss and watching them enjoy kissing their mommy or daddy. And feeling like my piece is helping the younger generation understand the sweet moments of kissing.

me: is there anything else you’d like to share (about kissing)?

Jen: “Kissing is like fresh candy popping in your mouth for the first time!”

(pictures by Norman Blake)

Filed under: Kiss-Stories Tagged: art

Jay P, Arkansas

fellicce — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:14:08 +0000

When I was in H.S. I dated a girl named Tonya. She was my 1st real girlfriend & was my LAST monogamous non-”friends with privileges” relationship I had before meeting my soul-mate, wife, & life partner.

Her kisses were not too dissimilar from Laura’s in that they both had great lips, smelled good, & had my heart. Every kiss was warm & soft & resembled to me a delicate dance between two friends who’s souls would communicate as best they knew how.

After 5 months & a painful breakup I tentatively started dating again. The next girl I found myself in a kissing situation with POUNCED me, grabbed my head & was not unlike being probed by a leather glove. I gently started to protest with no result & gradually started using more & more forceful measures to extract her finally having to push her off before her ovum depositor could lay a brood in my chest!

She was the last girl I would kiss (that I remember) until I met Laura 5 years later.

I first kissed Laura in my convenience store. We had just met by chance shortly before and she had come to visit me. She was wearing her overalls & her tie dye shirt & it was the warmest, softest, most soulful embrace I’ve ever kmown since the womb.

I KNEW she was the one. : )

Filed under: Kiss-Stories

Kissing @ the Olympics

fellicce — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:52:48 +0000

Snowboarder and Bronze medalist Scotty Lago was caught letting an over zealous fan kiss his medal in a bar.

In case y’all have forgotten, Camera Phones are everywhere!

Filed under: Kissing in Pop Culture, Kissing in the news

Kissing in front of the White House

fellicce — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 02:41:57 +0000

For Valentine’s day The Performance Corporation orchestrated a kiss-in with 100 performers outside The White House. They first created this performance piece in 2008 at the Dublin Theatre Festival.

Filed under: Kissing in Pop Culture Tagged: art