Does doing physical BDSM make you better able to handle non-erotic pain?
The answer: yes, sometimes. I believe if you've experienced pain in a controlled setting, you may not be as panicked by it as non-SM people. Thus, you're better able to stay calm and breathe through it. I polled some masochistic friends and they generally agreed, with two exceptions: toothaches and urinary tract infections. For those types of pain, forget about processing it--pass the fucking Vicodin, now.
What does "Gorean" mean?
"Gor" is a fictional planet, the setting of 25 pulp science-fiction novels with male-dominant/female- submissive themes. Goreans are space-traveling barbarians who carry swords, wear brass jockstraps, and capture Earth women to take to Gor as slaves. The books are pretty cheesy; author John Norman lards up the sexy bits with a lot of droning philosophy about why it's really better and more natural for women to be submissive.
Nevertheless, the "Gor" books have spawned a subculture of people who call themselves Goreans and who say they pattern their relationships after the male-dominant concepts put forth in the novels. There are lots of Gorean websites and chat rooms--but I've not actually met anyone who seriously practices "the Gorean lifestyle."
So, you're a professional dominant. Are there pro submissives?
Yes, there are some. But there's a greater risk in dealing with dominant clients, because they may be well-meaning but dangerously unskilled, or they may prove unwilling to respect limits and safewords once the scene has started. Pro subs will frequently work in places like L.A. or New York, where a number of women will work together in a pro-dom "house." A coworker can then supervise the pro-sub scenes. There are pro subs who work alone, but it's uncommon.
What's the best thing a submissive has ever done for you?
First prize goes to J. In response to a predawn emergency phone call, J. stalked, wrestled with, subdued, and removed a rather large, vicious, and only slightly wounded bird that my cats had dragged, flapping and pecking like one of Hitchcock's finest, into my bedroom. I still have scars on my psyche from this experience--I believe J.'s are mainly on her hands and forearms.
