Wednesday, April 12, 2023

Hooking Up With A Beautiful Stranger In A Kilt By Moon Princess Serenity -- Special Guest Blogger

Warning for readers and visitors to this site: Please be advised the following guest article contains some NSFW content including moderately sexually-descriptive content and some slightly censored course language. If you're not in the right headspace for such content, consider skipping this particular post. Continue at your own discretion.

An introduction from your favorite blogger.

Greetings and Salutations, Y'all!

A couple of months ago, I wrote a short follow up about one of the most viewed and favored articles I published here at South Fried Common Sense & Stuff where I told the surreal personal story of my first and only anime con hookup with a female cosplayer:
How I Got An Anime-Con Quickie (Or, How Kilts Can Apparently Be Chick Magnets) -- A Tale Of My Existence (03-10-2018).

Since it was published in March of 2018, less than two months after the actual encounter, the story has remained in the top ten most viewed posts on this site for one reason, or another.

I also mentioned how the young woman in the story reached out to me in comments after later finding the story and us becoming internet friends in the last few years.

Recently, my friend wanted to publish her own account of the events in the article, in order to give the perspective of her own feelings and emotions leading up to our personal encounter that day. I asked if my readers wanted to read her account and the responses have been unanimous in their answer.

So without further ado from me, allow me to introduce y'all to my favorite Sailor Moon Cosplayer friend: Moon Princess Serenity. Obviously not her real name, but I've been asked to keep her actual identity anonymous in favor of her screen name. The rest of the following article are her words. Please show her your love in the comments section following her account.



Hooking Up With A Beautiful Stranger In A Kilt

Written by Moon Princess Serenity
 

Hello everyone, just call me Moon Princess Serenity, or Serenity for short.


For some background info, both my online and cosplay personas are heavily inspired by the Japanese manga and anime teenage heroine series, Sailor Moon. I was just 10 years old and living with my parents in Eastern Tennessee when I first saw the first two season of the English dub of the anime on American television sometime in spring 1997 and instantly fell in love with the series.

Even though the newer dubs of the series are a bit more faithful and less "Americanized" with their Japanese names, and more respectful to other characters like Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune's actual relationship, I'll always hold a soft spot for the original DIC Entertainment dub and Usagi will always be Serena in my personal canon.

I would go on to watch the rest of the series in my teenage and college years. Later I became a professional cosplayer at age 22 and even won a few contests over the years portraying Sailor Moon in her various forms. Sailor Moon helped me come out of my shell as an awkward nerd and inspired confidence in me. I'm honored to continue portraying my favorite heroine, though these days I like portraying a more mature and older version of her.

You know I could go on-and-on-and-on about what Sailor Moon as a series means to me, and to millions across the world (especially for girls in the LGBTQ+ community) but I know that you didn't come here for a (currently) 35 year old anime cosplayer going on-and-on-and-on about a cartoon series.

About sometime late last year I had a conversation with Carl about the article he posted here on this blog five years ago. You people know the one I mean. The one about our one and only personal meeting at an anime con in North Carolina.

In the last couple years, Carl and I've grown to become internet friends since we both live so far apart. Its ironic that we've come to learn more about each other through conversations online in messenger chats than we did that one awesome afternoon in January 2018.

Because of that and how well his article telling his point of view did with this blog's readership; I asked him to let me tell all of you my side of that story. Not because I found anything he wrote to be untrue. Carl wrote what was in his heart about how the whole experience was from his perspective. I truly respect what he wrote and how he wrote it. Even now reading his article makes me smile, even though I'm now well spoken for.

Oh and, for the record, my current hubby does know and also read the original article. I don't keep secrets from him. Oh yeah, and he also owns a kilt too.  

I wanted to write about my side of that particular experience just to explain why I decided that day to take our favorite kilt-wearer up to my hotel room. Since Carl already knows my side, he said it would be okay for me to do so once he polled his readers to see if they wanted to hear it. If you're reading this now, that means you got your wish.

So, I guess I should begin my story with my breakup the month before the anime con with my then ex-boyfriend of four years, who I'll just call Cheating Shithead. I think the name says enough so I don't need to go into details there. The less said about Cheating Shithead, the better. 

I found out that CS cheated on me with a coworker of mine on Christmas Day 2017! Yeah, that was a real f*cked up holiday season for me. So going into 2018 my year wasn't starting out very well. A messy break-up. STD and HIV/AIDS testing which (Thank God!) didn't find anything. Lots of crying and then lots of anger.

I took one of my old college friends and fellow cosplayer (let's call her Kim) up on her offer to let me stay with her for a bit. She and another friend, Jess (also a pseudonym) were planning on attending a few local cons in the Carolinas that month, and asked if I would come along and join them.

I said hell yeah to the idea of a girl's trip and hanging out. I really needed the distraction and the adventure. Both of them were sympathetic to what I was going through. Both of my friends also had their share of bad relationships, though Jess is bisexual and had issues with both men and women screwing her over (literally and figuratively).

Kim whom I love to death, but will admit is a bit of a carousel rider, suggested that (and I quote): should find some d*ck at the next anime con. She told me plenty of stories about times she had hookups on the road. I joked with her at the time that maybe I would.

Okay, few things about my past when it comes to sex.

The first one night stand I did was at age 16 back in my junior year of high school. It was also when I lost my virginity. I never saw being a virgin as some holy thing I needed to cherish; and, to be honest, the person I lost it to was someone also 16 and a virgin at the time. He was a friend of a friend, and I don't think either of us actually came. 

In college, I had a couple of one-night-stands and casual hookups. Only two with boys and one with a lesbian classmate with a strap on (sorry if that's TMI for your audience, Carl, LOL!). The last one was experimentation and I let her know that up front. I learned a couple things from my bi-curious experience: that I'm totally straight, and (to quote Jennifer Tilly in the awesome movie "Bride of Chucky") plastic is a poor substitute for a nice hunk of wood.

After college my one-night-stand days I thought were pretty much over. I wanted something more stable. I was in one relationship for about a year, but it didn't work out because we were going in opposite directions in life. Then at 26 I met Cheating Shithead and moved in with him a year later. Big f***ing mistake on my part!

What I'm trying to say is that I don't have a high body count and I'm not some "con slut" or anything. In truth, I didn't go to Ichibancon that January with any specific plan to hookup with anyone, despite Kim's encouragement. I'd just turned 30 years old at the time and still pissed off with men (well, at least with one unfaithful asshole anyhow). All I wanted to do was cosplay as my favorite Sailor Scout and immerse myself in the role. Cosplaying is a great form of escapism. Its one of the best ways I know to forget my problems, at least for a short time.

Also another reason I didn't plan on looking for easy d*ck at a con was the age gap. A large majority of the people attending were young people in their teens and early 20s and I don't go for jailbait. The guys in attendance who were closer to my age, or older, were either all married, of just weird neckbeard types that seriously don't do anything for me.

The con was a good one, but there were some real creeps there. At least twice while I was there the three days of the convention, I was groped while moving in a large crowd. Being a female cosplayer its one of those things you come to expect I hate to say. Luckily both times it was just my ass and not my boobs. I don't like being fondled without say so, but my ass isn't something I'm going to throw hands over. Now touch my breasts without my say so and I start punching! 

It was actually just after one of those groping experiences on the first day of the con that I saw our mutual blogger friend and his beautiful red and green kilt standing by some poster art and looking through the merchandise. My heart actually skipped a beat.

The first thing I noticed, other than the kilt, was that he wasn't too young. He was tall and big, but not fat exactly. I mean to say he wasn't one of the 90 pound teenagers around us, but he also wasn't the Comic Store Guy from "The Simpson" type either. Clean shaven and bald with only that thin "porn-star" type mustache Kim always joked about on some guys. Even the thin hairs on his bare legs under the kilt didn't make him look like he was a Wookie. He just seemed big and very friendly-looking.

I pointed him out right away to Kim and Jess, both of them started in on the kilt right away. Jess looked at me and said I should ask him what's underneath. Pretty sure my face went red underneath my makeup. After a moment I just nodded and asked them to come with me. I didn't want to approach him alone. He was putting away a camera when we approached. He turned toward us and smiled slightly. I saw his eyes give us that quick dart up-and-down that guys do when they check out women.

"Oh hello, nice costumes," he said to us as a way of introduction. He had a deep voice, but spoke so quietly that I almost couldn't hear him over the noise around us.

"Thanks," I responded. "Nice kilt, its beautiful."

"Oh, um, thank you," he responded with that smile and that Carolina accent that I actually found pretty hot. He then gave a brief explanation about the tartan. I really couldn't hear much of it because of the crowd noise and his voice being so quiet, so I just nodded and looked at Kim and Jess.

Then I asked him the question, with my heart pounding in my chest. I could see the question surprised him a little, and even saw him kinda blush. Then he quickly recovered and leaned over close so I could hear his response and that corny-flirty line about how "good girls don't ask, and bad girls can find out." It made me laugh and that also made Kim and Jess laugh with me even though they didn't hear what he said.

He then complemented us on our cosplay again, and told me that he was also a fan of Sailor Moon and the original English language dub from way back when. After a little more small-talk, we left and when we were far enough away, Jess asked what he whispered to me. When I told them, both of them laughed at that. I looked back at him and noticed he was looking our way and then turned to look back at the posters.

I've always found guys who wear kilts in public to be pretty hot. I don't mean like at Renn Fests either. I mean like to the mall, or just going out and doing regular everyday things in normal public places. It shows someone pretty comfortable with themselves and don't give a damn what others think of them. I like that kind of attitude. That's the attraction for me.

Kim gave me a knowing smile and said, "You won't get a better chance, girl." She then handed me the hotel room key card and told me where she kept some condoms in her bag. Jess also added that we should stay in contact. Text when we get there and when we were done, just to let them know I was safe.

I think it was then that I made up my mind to see where this would go. I'm not going to lie, more than a month without sex was starting to get to me. I really needed some d*ck and this guy all but asked for it with that flirty line. So I walked back over to him and told him I'd be interested in finding out. He looked a bit uncertain and then just smiled slightly and nodded. I took his arm and then led him through the crowd to the elevator. We were alone in there and I looked up at him. He was tall, at least 6 feet to my 5'6".

Even though I haven't had a casual hookup in years, I could tell a few things about this guy right away. The most important being that I never felt like I was in any danger around him. He never once gave off any dangerous energy. If anything he seemed just as curious as I was how far this would go.

When we got to the room, the first thing I did was offer him a soda. He took it and drank a bit while looking out the window at the rain. The curtains were open and the view from five stories was pretty nice. There were no lights on in the room (I didn't cut any on except in the bathroom with the door open) but there was enough light outside to see. The room was cast in rain shadows.

I went through Kim's bag and found the condoms. For his part, our mutual friend just kept looking out the window and seemed to be making an effort not to gawk at me. I was thankful for that since (I won't lie) I was beginning to get a bit anxious now. I took off my wig and ran a hand through my short hair.

When he did turn to look at me, he gave me a smile and then asked me if it was okay to keep the lights off. I agreed, and he started to undress, t-shirt first, and then his boots. I stripped out of my boots and gloves.

Before I showed him anything else, I said, "Okay big guy, your turn. Let's see whats under the plaid." He gave me a smile and undid his kilt so I could learn the truth about the question I'd asked earlier. I would say, but Carl asked me to keep this part a secret. Sorry everyone.

After he showed me his, Carl helped me with the rest of my costume pulling up my uniform shirt from the back slowly and kissing my bare shoulder near my neck. Its one of my turn-on spots.
I won't lie, that really made me ready to jump his bones!

I pulled down my costume's skirt and ditched the underwear. I wasn't wearing a bra. Despite being naked, I didn't feel uncomfortable around him. We put our clothes onto Kim's bed closest to the door and we sat on the bed closest to the open window. I wasn't worried about gawkers this high up. It was raining anyhow.

I handed him the condom and told him my rules. No kissing except on the neck and everywhere else because I told him I didn't want to get my makeup too messed up. The truth was I wasn't ready to kiss another guy and wanted this to just be a quick, unattached hookup. I also told him there were certain sex acts I would not do (well, at least not the first time around). I won't go into details but you can guess what those might be.

He nodded and then surprised me by asking me about safewords. Clearly he had some sexperience even if he seemed to be letting me take the lead here. I was glad he wasn't turning into some annoying chad-type now that the deal was pretty much sealed.
Knowing what can happen in these situations, consent is very important. Again he made me feel relaxed and safe, which I was very grateful for.

I went about showing him my gratitude a minute later.

Over the years I've found that I prefer some degree of emotional connection to my sex partners
as I've matured and explored myself sexually. Having casual sex is different for me than sex with a romantic partner. It's still really fun, but I definitely prefer it when there's a deep emotional connection as well.

Here I admit that I wasn't really looking for anything but a quick f*ck. I know that sounds cold, but again that was just my mindset at the time.
I just expected casual sex that explored only sensation and not romantic sex that explored love as an emotion.

My biggest fear at the time was that the sex would be bad because it was pretty much rebound sex. Or that he'd be really selfish in bed and that it would be all over before I was satisfied. That's the one thing about one night stands and casual hookups, its always a gamble.

I wasn't looking to make a serious intimate connection, or anything. But I also didn't just want to lay there and let someone hump me for a few minutes like they were just filling out a quota either. I just wanted to be satisfied by the experience and then move on, if that makes any sense? I was pretty messed up at the time and my emotions were all over the place.

I was told to try and keep this part of the story at least PG-13, and I was going to do that anyhow (and believe me I'm grateful that Carl did the same in his original post). I'm not going to give details about what we did, what positions, or anything too intimate. So here's what I can tell you about the experience.

He treated me like I was precious and cared for
. Like we'd already been dating awhile instead of being complete strangers. He was quiet (well, for the most part, LOL!) and took his time getting to know what I liked. In terms of skill in bed, he was already way ahead of the certain Cheating Shithead. Maybe not porn star great, but so much better than what I'd had for a long time till then. I was shaking with ecstasy before we were both finished.

Afterward, we just laid together catching our breaths. I turned over and texted Kim to let her know I didn't get murdered, or anything. While I did this, Carl put his arm around my waist and spooned up against me kissing my shoulder and neck; just being
a total sweetheart the whole time.

I just wanted to lay there and enjoy the moment. I totally wanted to fall asleep with him holding me like that, even for just a small nap. If I have any regrets about that time we spent together, it was that we didn't. Kim and Jess were both waiting for me in the lobby.

After about five minutes of just cuddling and more small talk, I got up reluctantly and put my costume back on. He kissed my neck from behind again while I sat on the edge of the bed putting my boots back on. I almost wanted to shove him back on the bed and ride him again (again sorry if that's TMI). I didn't, but looking back I wish I had because there was going to be a six month dry spell before I'd first make love with the wonderful man I would end up marrying just three years later.

He went to the bathroom to get rid of the condom and clean off a little, still naked. His kilt was still on the other bed. I took a moment to run my bare hand over it and uh, I picked it up and held it to my face sniffing it. Yeah, I know that sounds a bit perverted, but I really like kilts! When he came back out, I went to the bathroom to touch up my makeup (which did get smudged a little in spite of everything but not badly). The door was still open and watched him dressing out of the corner of the mirror, putting that sexy kilt back on. He was already putting his boots on when I finished. He helped me adjust my costume, being really sweet.

We went back to the elevator and talked a little more. He was looking out at the convention people in the lobby, his mind seemed far away. When he looked at me he asked in his soft voice if I did this kind of thing often. I honestly told him no, but that I just found kilts to be sexy. Not a lie, but I could understand why he would ask. I wondered what he thought of me in spite of everything.

I also told him (again honestly) that I had a good time. He told me the same with that same smile he had the whole time. I was pretty sure he was being honest with me. The moment here was awkward and I'm not one for long goodbyes, so when the elevator came to the lobby, I ran my gloved hand over his hip and gave him a quick thank you before the door opened and I made my exit.

I found Kim and Jess near where I left them. Both of them were grinning ear to ear when they saw me. I put on a smile when they asked me about it. I didn't give them lots of details, but I told them enough to earn plenty of good teasing for the rest of the convention.

I saw him again twice before the end of the day. Once in line to get an autograph, and the other in the lobby before he left. That second time, I know he saw me and I gave him a wave and smile. He did the same and that was the last time I saw him and his kilt in person.

That night, when the first day of the con ended, I took a shower then went to bed on the same sheets I'd screwed my mysterious kilted partner on. They still smelled like him and me. I fell asleep thinking about it and feeling weird about the whole thing. Like I said before, it was my first one-night-stand in about eight years. The sex had been sweet and good, but I didn't even get his name; or really tell him my own.

The entire sexperience had been very bittersweet for me. Its hard to put into words. While my body felt better after the sex, my heart was still mending from my past with Cheating Bastard.
The one good thing about the hookup was that, whenever I thought about sex after that day, it was with my mysterious kilted partner and not with the asshole formerly known as my boyfriend.

This is also why I never had another one-night-stand (or in this case, a quickie hookup) again before meeting my wonderful hubby in July the same year. We didn't hook up right away and took our time. Like me, he'd come off a bad breakup too, and we were taking our time a little bit. We would be married two years later in the fall of 2020. 

Now fastforward to November of 2018 when I was looking though the internet looking at Google searches for cosplayer ideas to update my costume when I found this blog and the photos taken at the convention. When I saw the author's biography picture I was shocked to see my beautiful kilted stranger. Then I looked through this blog more and found the article he wrote.

At first I was shocked and started to get a little mad, until I read the whole article and what Carl wrote about the experience. I enjoyed how he presented the whole thing from a guy's point of view. I found myself laughing a little at how he presented me in his account. I was also a bit self-conscious about it too. Thankfully he didn't post any photos of me (I know he took at least one of me and my friends which we posed for) and he was vague on the details (again something I'm grateful for).

Most important to me though was what he wrote about how he felt, and how it kind of mirrored my own feelings. That more than anything was what prompted me to contract him through the comments. I gave a few personal details only he and I knew to prove it was me. Later he responded and I sent him a private messenger account for us to talk on.

Since that time the two of us have become friends and talked off and on over the last five years.
I've come to know Carl for the good man that he is over these last few year. I have no regrets with how we became friends, and I know he feels the same. I wouldn't say we're super close, or that we share Christmas cards, or anything like that. We do know each other on social media and share posts once in awhile, but I have my own life and husband. Not to mention our fur babies and a future addition to our growing family on the way. 

Still, its funny how life works out sometimes.

Anyhow that's my story about hooking up with a kilted stranger at an anime con. Thanks again to my good friend, Carl, for giving me time on his blog to tell my side of the story. Thank you all for taking the time to read it. God bless!


About the author: Moon Princess Serenity is a superhero from the Moon Kingdom and the defender of the Earth who "fights for love and justice; who rights wrongs and triumphs over all evil in the name of the moon!"
Well, actually she's a really awesome professional female anime cosplayer originally from Eastern Tennessee (somewhere near Pigeon Forge) who goes by that pseudonym. Moon Princess Serenity currently lives in rural Illinois, U.S.A. with her newlywed husband and their many pets.

Thursday, April 06, 2023

As Fans Of Star Trek: The Next Generation

The finest USS Enterprise command crew of the 24th Century Federation Starfleet:
From left to right: Geordi LaForge (LeVar Burton), Worf (Michael Dorn), Deanna Troi Riker (Marina Sirtis),
William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Jean-Luc Picard (Sir Patrick Stewart), Data (Brent Spiner), and
Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden).
Taken on the set of the Paramount+ series Star Trek: Picard, Season 3.
(Image courtesy of Paramount Studios and Facebook)

As lifetime fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation, we should all aspire to have the following ideals and characteristics:


The morality & integrity of Jean-Luc Picard;
The boldness & joy of
William T. Riker;
The humanity & child-like wonder of Data;
The tenacity & compassion of Beverly Crusher;
The empathy & insightfulness of Deanna Troi-Riker;
The ingenuity & heart of Geordi LaForge;

& The honor & courage of Worf, Son of Mogh.



Wednesday, April 05, 2023

Night Sky Photography -- 04-05-2023 -- The Full Pink Moon

In the North America, the April Full Moon is known as the Full Pink Moon. This year's April full moon is the first official full moon of spring here in the Northern Hemisphere....and despite the name, its not actually pink.

This evening I was able to capture these two really good shots of the April Full Moon. The first is the wide shot taken from the road down the street from my home, and the second is the close up showing the details of the lunar surface.


Sunday, April 02, 2023

Happy Palm Sunday Y'all!


As He (Jesus) approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you 'Why are you untying it?' tell them, 'The Lord needs it.'"

Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as He had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, "Why are you untying the colt?" They said, "The Lord needs it."

They brought it to Jesus, and they threw their coats on the colt and put Jesus on it. As He was going, they were spreading their coats on the road.

When He came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles which they had seen:

"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"


Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples." But Jesus answered, "I tell you, if they became quiet, the stones will cry out."


As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace -- but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and surround you and hem you in on every side. They will level you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you." 
~Luke 19:29-44


The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!" ~John 12:13



Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your King comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

~Zechariah 9:9
Written over 500 years before Jesus enter Jerusalem.


To all of my Christian friends and fellow believers, and to everyone worldwide reading this post, I would like to wish each and every single one of y'all a very Happy Palm Sunday!


Thursday, March 30, 2023

Night Sky Photography -- 03-29/30-2023 -- Venus & Uranus An Hour After Sunset

Good evening fellow stargazers!

Well, I can't think of any better way to end this month out than with some photographs that I was able to take over the course of two days about an hour after sunset showing the bright planet Venus in conjunction with the dim gas giant planet Uranus in the western sky dome. I was truly blessed with cloudless skies on both nights in order to bring y'all this night sky photographic offering.

I took two photos each evening of the two planets. One a wide shot as it appears in the western sky, and the other a close-up of the two planets together. As you can see, Uranus was just above and to the left of Venus on Wednesday the 29th, and the next evening on Thursday the 30th, Venus had moved just above and to the right of Uranus.



The planet Venus is the brightest object in the
night sky after our own Moon and the second planet in our Solar System is nearly as big around as our Earth at about 7,520 miles (or 12,104 kilometers) across, compared to our planet which is about 7,926 miles (or 12,756 kilometers) wide. Venus is about 67 million miles (or 180 million km) from the Sun -- roughly 0.7 astronomical units (AUs). Due to its proximity to the Sun, it only takes Venus approximately 225 of our Earth days to circle our star.

Though it appears much smaller and very much dimmer to the naked eye, the gas giant planet Uranus -- the seventh planet in our Solar System -- is actually much bigger with a radius of 15,759.2 miles (or 25,362 kilometers), making Uranus about four times wider than our Earth. Uranus is much farther away from the Sun
with an average distance of 1.8 billion miles (or 2.9 billion kilometers) making Uranus about 19.8 AUs away from the Sun. Because of its greater distance, Uranus takes about 84 Earth years to travel once around the sun.

I hope y'all enjoyed my planetary photographs and as always have a wonderful Dixie Day and be sure to keep your eyes to the evening skies, y'all hear.