Tulips & Condom Commercials

A) HAD to share this:

Condom Commercial FTW

B) Yeah, so... Sorry for the MIA... Sitting here with an injured shoulder, which was immediately preceded by an adductor injury... and I've been training through both of them with more than a fair share of stress since I found out that I had to test out to keep the job I just got--again. I thought that I'd feel positive about my work and about finally having a stable job once this final test came through, but the owner of the company basically left me saying, "You're about a 5 out of 10. Your routine isn't as good as you think it is. But, I'll put you on the floor, and if your retention is good, we'll keep you." Gee, thanks.

Anyway...

There used to be an awesome sex shop here in Chicago called "Tulip". Well, the STORE is still there, but the awesomeness part... Eh.

It used to be driven by a queer family of sorts; they dubbed themselves the "tulips". The employees and the managers--basically, everyone below the ownership level--were rockin' LGBTQ and Kink people, who were all very progressive and open and friendly. Next to Early to Bed, I considered it THE fem-friendly sex resource of Chi-town.

Unfortunately, the owner had a falling out with a tulip or two, and decided to bring in a new manager. One who had NO experience in the sex shop scene, and started running the place like a common department store. Suddenly, instead of the warm community hot-spot it used to be, Tulip has been transformed into just another cold, business-driven sex-toy truck-stop. From what I've heard and observed so far, almost the entire tulip family was fired, and are being replaced by more "qualified" applicants. (Ie., people who can say, "I recommend this excellent product." instead of, "If this is your first time looking for your g-spot, this toy's the way to go!")

This isn't an attempt to slander Tulip; just a heads up, as an ex-customer, for anyone else who may have been attached to this store. Things have changed. They still carry high quality products, but if you're looking for the warmth and sex sav and queer pride and fem-friendliness that drew you in before... Well, you may have a hard time finding it.

It's too bad. A sex shop is only as good as its employees, and we desperately need more feminist personalities in that area.

If toy stores are your thing, I'm kind of curious what the atmosphere is like in other places. Are there fem-friendly shops where you live, or are they all garden-variety fap-your-patriarch-stick dens?

Oof, off to rest this shoulder...