Our Visit to the Porn Store
Feb. 17th, 2007 09:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
geminigirlThe background: PCOS is a fertility issue in many ways, and so, in order to determine the best course of treatment, and how much intervention, we're going through a lot of the usual fertility screening stuff. This is a bit awkward and invasive, but it's what we need to do. This meant that ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
zedrikcayne had to go for a semen analysis, and upon recieving the results, had a visit with the urologist who ordered a second semen analysis and some other tests. The urologist (who told us that he and his wife have gone through their own fertility issues) explained that many times, men who go for semen analysis are so uncomfortable with the whole situation, and find it sterile and distressing, and so the first sample is not always an accurate measure of things. And he also suggested that zedrikcayne "bring some pornograhpy" because that often helps encourage a proper count.
So, last night, I tried to figure out how to find an adult store, without getting a screen full of porn, since that's not what I was looking for, and toay we paid a visit to our local porn store.
We decided to stop at Fairvilla Megastore, which is the name of the nearby porn store. It's more like a porn mega-mart. I teased Cayne about whether they would even let women in to the store. We arrive and it's brigher and more well lit inside than most of the non-urban porn stores that I've been in. We wander through the store, and I critique the book section. I found it light on some of the classic stuff, on the anthologies, and the non-s/m erotic literature and educational books, but there were some good books, and some things that I would expect to see. The gay section was reasonably impressive-I may need to go back when I have some money budgeted for my own reading. And, there was a very, very large selection of magazines (we even bought some Penthouse Letters type thing.) Then we wandered over the movies. A very large selection of movies, and not being a movie fan, I don't know one from another. We browse, frustrated, looking for something that both of us might like, and don't find anything. I wander over to some things that just don't really appeal to Cayne (as many women do, I like guy on guy action. We're just not finding anything really interesting, they don't seem to have a section devoted to "story" porn-porn with plots and costumes that happens to be titilating, rather than titilation that happens to have costumes or plots. We check out the bargains section, and on our way there, find something that looks interesting, and so, we indulge in some classic dvd set that appears to involve plot, costumes, and sex, and also costs more than I'd planned to spend.
I suggest, as long as we're in the store, we might as well go upstairs and get a bottle of lube, even though we can't use it right now (no lube when trying to concieve, unless it's Pre-Seed, which doesn't affect sperm.) So we wander upstairs, and check out the toy selection (mostly disappointing, I think I'd probably be more inclined still to buy online) and the "leather" section, (very disappointing-we browsed some stuff that we'd had on our "want" list, but everything they had seemed cheap.) We browse the lube display-amazingly, no "Wet" brand products, though we finally found one that we decided to buy a sampler of.
Still, I'm generally disappointed. Perhaps I've been spoiled, shopping in New York, and DC, and other large metropolitan areas. I miss places like Toys in Babeland. It makes me sad to not have a local bookstore that has a good selection of erotic fiction, and education sexuality materials. I miss being able to go and browse the stuff I want too, since everything in this place was shrink wrapped.
A question: Can anyone explain to me, why is it, that porn that includes women having sex with women,as well has men having sex with women, doesn't get classified as bisexual, but as soon as it involves action between two men, it automatically becomes "bisexual"? It doesn't make sense. I understand the idea of marketing, and that the largest consumers of porn are men who don't want to see men having sex with men, but it just seems silly.
I've got a post brewing about sex, and marriage, and polyamory and kinky stuff. It's not likely to be explicit content, but just chatter and processing and that sort of thing. I've got some filters that this post may appropriately overlap to, but if you think you might like to read it, let me know. I could certainly use the feedback and space to discuss it, but it's not something that I think belongs as public.
zedrikcayne had to go for a semen analysis, and upon recieving the results, had a visit with the urologist who ordered a second semen analysis and some other tests. The urologist (who told us that he and his wife have gone through their own fertility issues) explained that many times, men who go for semen analysis are so uncomfortable with the whole situation, and find it sterile and distressing, and so the first sample is not always an accurate measure of things. And he also suggested that zedrikcayne "bring some pornograhpy" because that often helps encourage a proper count. So, last night, I tried to figure out how to find an adult store, without getting a screen full of porn, since that's not what I was looking for, and toay we paid a visit to our local porn store.
We decided to stop at Fairvilla Megastore, which is the name of the nearby porn store. It's more like a porn mega-mart. I teased Cayne about whether they would even let women in to the store. We arrive and it's brigher and more well lit inside than most of the non-urban porn stores that I've been in. We wander through the store, and I critique the book section. I found it light on some of the classic stuff, on the anthologies, and the non-s/m erotic literature and educational books, but there were some good books, and some things that I would expect to see. The gay section was reasonably impressive-I may need to go back when I have some money budgeted for my own reading. And, there was a very, very large selection of magazines (we even bought some Penthouse Letters type thing.) Then we wandered over the movies. A very large selection of movies, and not being a movie fan, I don't know one from another. We browse, frustrated, looking for something that both of us might like, and don't find anything. I wander over to some things that just don't really appeal to Cayne (as many women do, I like guy on guy action. We're just not finding anything really interesting, they don't seem to have a section devoted to "story" porn-porn with plots and costumes that happens to be titilating, rather than titilation that happens to have costumes or plots. We check out the bargains section, and on our way there, find something that looks interesting, and so, we indulge in some classic dvd set that appears to involve plot, costumes, and sex, and also costs more than I'd planned to spend.
I suggest, as long as we're in the store, we might as well go upstairs and get a bottle of lube, even though we can't use it right now (no lube when trying to concieve, unless it's Pre-Seed, which doesn't affect sperm.) So we wander upstairs, and check out the toy selection (mostly disappointing, I think I'd probably be more inclined still to buy online) and the "leather" section, (very disappointing-we browsed some stuff that we'd had on our "want" list, but everything they had seemed cheap.) We browse the lube display-amazingly, no "Wet" brand products, though we finally found one that we decided to buy a sampler of.
Still, I'm generally disappointed. Perhaps I've been spoiled, shopping in New York, and DC, and other large metropolitan areas. I miss places like Toys in Babeland. It makes me sad to not have a local bookstore that has a good selection of erotic fiction, and education sexuality materials. I miss being able to go and browse the stuff I want too, since everything in this place was shrink wrapped.
A question: Can anyone explain to me, why is it, that porn that includes women having sex with women,as well has men having sex with women, doesn't get classified as bisexual, but as soon as it involves action between two men, it automatically becomes "bisexual"? It doesn't make sense. I understand the idea of marketing, and that the largest consumers of porn are men who don't want to see men having sex with men, but it just seems silly.
I've got a post brewing about sex, and marriage, and polyamory and kinky stuff. It's not likely to be explicit content, but just chatter and processing and that sort of thing. I've got some filters that this post may appropriately overlap to, but if you think you might like to read it, let me know. I could certainly use the feedback and space to discuss it, but it's not something that I think belongs as public.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-02-18 07:38 am (UTC)I never understood why it's perfectly 'acceptable' for most straight guys to watch porn featuring tag-team-type action on a woman, that somehow they'd never classify that as homoerotic in the least. Silly indeed. And the women-on-women stuff not being classified as bisexual, well, again, yes, the marketing thing makes a lot of sense. If they put that (typically very popular) in the bisexual section, it likely wouldn't get a lot of business.
I've been to porn stores in New York, Seattle, and Minneapolis, and I have to say the "famous" one I went to in New York (The Pleasure Chest) was my favourite simply because of the salespeople and how funny they were. I was new to the whole experience and there was another place down further into Greenwich Village I went to later on to see what's what and it was a lot seamier. In Minnesota, Fantasy Gifts wasn't bad either, though I have wanted to see what The Smitten Kitten in Minneapolis was like. I'll admit it's also very interesting to see the clientele in these stores too; a lot of folks stop by The Pleasure Chest because it was featured on a Sex and the City episode, so you get all types there. Kinda neat to see lots of ladies-over-55 with their 20/30something daughters strolling in on a Saturday afternoon after lunch. :)
no subject
Date: 2007-02-18 01:26 pm (UTC)Mostly, I've bought sex toys via mail order (way back when, before the web existed...) and on-line. Oh, and I have a couple I bought at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. :-)
I hope the acquisition of porn helps the next sperm collection effort be more successful!
no subject
Date: 2007-02-18 02:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-18 03:14 pm (UTC)It's a shame fertility tests and the whole medical fertility experience is so clinical and detached. I hope y'all get your answers, but moreso I hope soon you get your (growing :) ) results. :)
I'm interested in any marriage, etc thoughts.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-18 05:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-18 09:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-19 03:10 am (UTC)Also, my experience in Texas was just like the one you described. They seem to have a lot of "mega mart" sex shops and very few small, nice shops. I did end up finding one that I liked, but I just found better variety online. I haven't even looked for a shop here in Utah.. I imagine they don't exist, but now maybe I'll poke and ask around a bit..
Thinking good thoughts for the next count.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-19 12:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-19 06:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-19 06:54 pm (UTC)That was meant to be a response to geminigirl's "post brewing/do you want in on the filter(s)?". Not at all local to SLC, sorry!
-the bostonian
no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 01:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 01:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 01:55 am (UTC)The only stuff I've heard about are the anti-babe club nights and the like. :/
no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 02:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 01:24 pm (UTC)We probably wouldn't go to something like that. I think we're both like, that's MY sub/dom and only mine...not sharing! lol.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 05:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-20 05:48 pm (UTC)I guess we're more the vanilla type. lol.
We should hang out some time.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-24 05:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-24 06:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-24 02:20 pm (UTC)Count me in
Date: 2007-02-21 10:23 pm (UTC)