Originals!

I got a huge iced coffee, one of those tiny energy-in-a-bottle thingies and some sunshine when walking around the neighborhood.

I think I'm *slightly* more awake!


The title of this post has two meanings...first, I owe the charming bidders (and whomever loyally reads "Adventures in Panties," the original photos from my latest update.

But first, let me offer you the "director's cut" of the video I uploaded to YouTube (for your eyes only!) - 

And, naturally, here are the unedited photos from the auction -

(I admit being a little paranoid about covering the world's smallest hint of pubic hair, but I don't want to get kicked off Flickr!)

(Amaya, back in school, didn't take this second set, by the way. 

New roommates = New photographers!)

(My personal favorite!)

I added a surprise element to the auction - determining the next item in the mini-progressive format by rolling my dirty dice! I'm a little bit worried how it will go - I'm not sure if people will be into the idea of not knowing exactly what they're getting next!

But you know me...I love a surprise!

Now, let me tell you about something I'm not so crazy about...

Theft of intellectual property! 

The above link takes you to my "me" page on ebanned - at the bottom, I've very clearly stated a disclaimer forbidding reproduction of my work without my explicit, written permission. 


Yes, I consider auctions my "work," exactly as much as I consider an installation piece, essay or short story. They require the same time commitment and creativity as anything else I do!

While the majority of theft of intellectual property occurring in the world of panty-selling regards images, I've found my auction format, style, and even text is misappropriated.

  

Not cool.

   
I've gradually watched the perpetrator (I'm not naming names) pluck from my auctions for a while. At first, I played it off, thinking "imitation is the sincerest flattery."

But it's gotten to the point where I'm scrolling through this person's auction, fuming, and my roommate looks over my shoulder and says, "that's you, right?" I've brought up the notion of "imitation" a few times in my new auction, hoping this person, or potential bidders, will get the hint. I really hate bad-mouthing other girls and try to keep a positive attitude...

But this person's last auction really grated on my nerves! Particularly because I recently re-vamped my "Me" page with freshly written text. Apparently, the seller ignored my copyright warning - and plucked from the rest of my brand new text!

Some of you may know, I do a lot of freelancing writing. And I'm very familiar with copyright law.


Good artists know their rights.

Most people aren't aware that you no longer need to register with the US Copyright office for a work to be considered your intellectual property. The purpose of registering is mainly to establish a back-up, dated record of ownership, should it be be disputed. Here's a helpful guide from a law-firm that answers a lot of common questions.

(Side note - ArtFlaw lists five prominent lawsuits involving artists. That of David Wojnarowicz - 

- Best known for the Hide/Seek Exhibition controversy at the Smithsonian, is particularly interesting!)    

I'm proud of my work and ideas and I can't stand seeing them adopted inappropriately for profit. I'm crossing my fingers this seller may fall upon this information and "cease and desist" her plagiarism!

Although I've never had any personal experiences with having photos stolen, I have caught "word on the street" (or, internet cables, rather) about a seller on ebanned who seems to be posing as something like four different girls, using photos swiped off the internet!

I've seen some of these photos and I see them as obviously faux. The images are very clearly taken by professional photographers and portray professional models - they may as well be stock images!

 (Not actual image - I just grabbed this off Google!)

But, apparently, a few honest buyers have fallen for it! What's extremely upsetting, however, is whomever is behind the scam, has admitted it! And refuses to do anything!

It sort of stinks that panty/fetish-selling should have so many examples of blatantly poor business ethics. Think about it. It's may be a big step for someone with uncommon sexual desires to finally explore them and don't deserve to be conned. 

Misappropriating others work, aside from fair use (and none of these examples constitute as fair use!) really bugs me! I hate seeing honest people (not just myself) screwed!

 (Unless it's in the good way!)

Knocked Back Down, Again

Every my life starts to improve, it falls apart again.

Although I really hate writing negative posts, I just want to let anyone who's been trying to contact me know why I haven't responded. And in hope that someone out there has some good advice...

I've been working like crazy on a new panty auction, trying to get it up as soon as possible. I got pretty caught up in making this auction as cool as possible - here's a little preview:

As you all know, I put a TON of effort into my auctions (why I get so pissed when I find other sellers ripping me off, but that's a subject for another time). Since I've been off ebanned for a while, I wanted this auction to be particularly awesome. I've spent the past four or five days editing photos, editing text, and even made my first .gif!

(Again, just a preview!)

I really wanted to get this auction posted...and even stayed up for almost two days straight working on it!

Here's the problem...

At the gallery, three of our roommates moved out. We were not given a full month to find replacements. And got stuck with the bill.

After a long struggle to find new roommates, I was overjoyed when my "friend," let's call her "Marie," decided to take the final room two weeks ago. 

(Photo added to keep your attention!)

I've been friends with Marie for about three years - but didn't know she was in an abusive relationship. Clearly, I wanted to get her out of her apartment and into mine as soon as possible! She was slated to move in on Friday.

A few hours ago, I got an email from Marie. Not only has she decided not to move in, but refuses to pay rent for this month. I won't state her exact excuse, but I will say it's an offensive lie, if she'd signed a lease, would classify as discrimination.

Of course, she "loves all of us and hopes we can stay friends."

 (Arbitrary photo from my first panty-selling days.)

But blocked all of us on Facebook and refuses our calls. 

Of course, I'm still creating my new auction...and still filling orders! I'm determined to keep working, despite this setback, and not fall into another depressed spell!

But I feel so betrayed! I'd post new photos but a.) I've got to get back to work and b.) I've been crying for hours! 

What I'm wondering...

Does anyone know if there's any legal recourse we can take? Small claims court? Public aid?

Any advice MUCH appreciated! I'm taking a shower and getting back to work...hoping to post this auction tonight, get to my emails, and investigate a discrimination lawsuit!

Keep your fingers crossed...

It's going to be a long night!

Deliberate Cruelty, Depression, and Forgiveness...

As a few of you know, I've been pretty down, lately.

 

I'm trying to get past it, but life has been nothing short of awful for the past two weeks. Right after getting over the flu, I got hit with the death of an old friend. The night before the funeral, my (now former, I guess) boyfriend and I got in a gigantic fight.

I won't go into detail, but it was as bad as you can imagine. We're currently not speaking. At the time, I was furious and dreaming up various revenge schemes. 

I really wanted to slam him for being an abusive, hypocritical, ungrateful, undeserving jerk (I'll stop now). He and I bicker a lot, but this time he went too far. 

I'm not cool with disrespectful behavior out of anyone. But purposefully playing off known insecurities is particularly low.

My favorite work of literature is Tennessee Williams' Streetcar Named Desire. Blanche Du Bois - here she is played by one of my the always incredible Vivien Leigh:

And, in the original stage production, by Jessica Tandy:

One of Blanche's finest quotes from the play:

"Some things are not forgivable. Deliberate cruelty is not forgivable. It is the one unforgivable thing in my opinion, and the one thing of which I have never, never been guilty." 

I've been living by that philosophy since I first read the play at fourteen years old. And, yes, what [anonymous person] did qualifies as deliberate cruelty. 

But, I can't stand strife and quarreling.

Ever since [unnamed former beau] stormed out, I haven't been able get out of bed. I don't know what's wrong with me, but I'd rather prove his point ("you'll come crawling back to two days") and end the fight, myself. 


It's better than waiting weeks (or months) for an apology.

Obviously, I haven't felt very sexy, lately. I did, however, swallow my pride and and whip out the cam for some nudes. It sort of made me feel a little better...for five minutes.


After falling behind on my orders, and subjecting everyone to the world's most depressing rant, consider these images my own form of apology.

I just realized I may have posted the world's saddest nude photos.

I do, however, promise to be back to my normal self as soon as humanly possible...


I guarantee!

Stealing Thongs, Hiding Cats

I am SO bored of being cramped up in my bedroom!

When I first taking photos in panties, I swore I'd never appear in my bedroom. Overdone, I thought! I loved the appear of tearing off my clothes on the patio...

I was going to proffer an image here as example, but cannot. My hard drive full of photos is in the living room. 


Which lead me to conclude...


As stated many a time, I live in a sometimes lovely, usually messy live/work space/gallery/venue. A few of my roommates do not approve of my lurid endeavors.

Thankfully, these roommates moved out!


Or...were supposed to move out.


Yesterday.

Instead, they are still here. Prowling around. Cramping my style!


I intended on taking some over-due photos in their supposed to be abandoned rooms. In fact, just yesterday I took a romp through one of these assumed abandoned bedrooms and found a cute cotton thong!


I snatched it right up!


Apparently, it had not been abandoned and I received a stern lecture. The phrase, "who are you?" was included.


Um...the room was occupied my a male. Who, to the best of my knowledge, does not wear a thong. And typically leaves a trail of trash (and tears) in his wake. 


MOVING ON...

The worse of the soon-to-be-former roommates is also, sadly, owner of the best of the house cats. This little girl has appeared with me in such popular photos as:

You can't get a close look at her there...which is a good thing! Because I've been secretly hiding her in my laundry and hoping she's left behind! But my ex-roommates are stomping around the living room and little Viola is not in my room. She's sure to be taken! No thong. No cat.

That's a satin-y bikini in the photo from my personal collection ("personal collection" should be taken to mean, "I own the matching bra and thus, am keeping the panties!")

I do have another cat, however!

I was mildly annoyed at my paramour this morning (the man, not the cat). Admittedly, not for anything he'd actually done but for his behavior in a dream.


I'm (half) kidding.


As usual, I drank too much coffee and wondered what my "talking-to-cute-animals" voice sounds like on video:

Being stuck in my room, I inevitably ended up doing a little online window-shopping (I've oft found myself trying to think of a good portmanteau for surfing online stores without planning on buying anything - since it literally is "window-shopping"). And I came across this necklace in my friend Lisa's Etsy store, Archives Vintage.

For a second, I considered buying it - but remembered my collection of tiny animals and realized I could make it myself! 

 I was all excited to find a drill and get to work...but heard my roommates prowling...

And hid in my room. I don't want to be confronted with thong-gate 2011 a second time.

...which was extra lame because I was hungry! Luckily, I made a grilled cheese earlier. It was cold. I was bored.

Pretend the salt is snow and you have a lovely vignette.

Bad (and some good!) news from the Bedside

I woke up...still sick.

Yeah, I know, outdated photo. But I guarantee no one wants to see me in this state! Aside from the usual puffy sick face, I got a grain of sand in my eye yesterday...for, like, the entire day. Thus, my eyes, which I've been told are a true asset:

...are now red and watery. Everyone thinks I've been crying!


On the contrary! Before I got swept with sudden sickness last night, I'd been having a lovely time hanging out with my boyfriend, whom I don't see nearly enough. In my brand new green panties!

Sadly, I found the thong equivalent on ebay, but slept through the auction! 


Speaking of news - I've got some sad (and good!) announcements.


Let's start with the sad news.

1. After my current sock auction ends today-

...I will offer another similar pair. Then, my much coveted Keds - 

After that, I'm discontinuing foot-fetish auctions.

This is a real disappointment. I love making sock videos and may make a few, just for "kicks!" But the cons outweigh the pros.


1.) I personally prefer dark-colored socks (so does my bf), own very few pale pairs.
2.) Although I buy new socks every fall, I get attached! I hate parting with them!
3.) Most important, I've never had any unpleasant interactions with fetish-buyers...until I started offering socks. Granted, this doesn't apply to everyone - I've met a few very cool sock fetishists, but a few bad apples ruined the bunch.

I think it may have something to do with socks and their associated odor being considered base or cheap (more so than panties), but I've never had my ethics questioned until recently. From what I hear, there's much unethical selling going on in the fetish business already (photo-stealing, fake items, back-stabbing), and being grouped in with such people is upsetting enough to remove myself, entirely.


I don't take well to accusations of "scamming" particularly when they seem intended to manipulate me. 


Yeah, I'm slightly new to selling my own wares. And I may look innocent.

But I'm not naive. 


I'm still happy to work with polite, considerate individuals on a one-on-one basis (and may even change my mind in the future), but when it comes to the point when I'm up late, with a fever, ruminating over a rude e-mail, it's not worth it. 

 
Moving on...

Because of my current sickness, I'm going to hold off on preparing any orders. At first, I was excited about shipping out extra sweaty panties. Then, I realized I didn't intend "surprise" add-ons to include the flu virus! 

On a better note - 


I should be fully recovered by Tuesday and am bouncing back with a new auction (debutante-themed!) for some silky panties, by popular request!

PLUS a new, re-vamped "About Me" page on ebanned! I've written the text and even took some new photos - 

But I need to do a quick photo edit for color correction and edit the text to further clarify rules on correspondence (i.e. a "no jerks allowed" policy). Plus, I'm hoping to add cool html graphics!


Also...


I was originally intending to hold on to these panties - 

 ...and surprise my boyfriend! But, alas, he caught a premature glimpse yesterday, and the surprise was ruined. 


Expect to see more of them soon!