Hi, I'm new here in the forums... thought i'd come and answer these...

How did you find out about the BDSM lifestyle?
I'm not totally sure, it was really a gradual thing... I had been aware of having masochistic and submissive desires for a long time and was aware of BDSM existing.. but only from TV programmes etc, and because of that thought it was all about femdom. The first time I was tied to a bed I must have been about 13, but it didn't really occurr to me it was anything to do with BDSM! When I finally got an internet connection I realised femsubs existed and started trying to chat to and meet Doms... most of them were idiots (some of them appeared to be possible downright dangerous) but in the end I met the Dom (who is also my boyfriend) who I'm with now and am very happy with!

What was its appeal to you?
The appeal came before I knew anything about the lifestyle, but the more I learned about it, the more I liked it.

What misconceptions did you have of BDSM before you began that have been changed now?
I thought it was all about female Dommes and male subs, and I suppose a lot of other people I've met who don't know that much about it also have thought the same thing. I think I was too careless at first too... before doing a scene I never understood exactly why safewords were really needed etc, though I was very lucky to learn that the good way.

What do you hope to learn/teach/pass on to others about BDSM?
I hope to learn anything and everything I haven't learn yet about it! and I hope to pass on to others the truth about what the lifestyle is really about and get rid of all the misconceptions people often have about it, about how loving a Dom/sub relationship can really be and about what BDSM play is really like, that we're not really all nutters and most people in the scene are really quite friendly, caring people.

Do you consider yourself a "lifestyler" or just an occasional player?
I don't live with my boyfriend at the moment, I'm a student and unfortunately short of money with that, so I live on the top floor of a shared house... I'm sure they wonder what's going on up there! but we're a couple very much in love with each other and BDSM plays a big part in our lives when we're together, so I'd say I'm maybe a part time lifestyler, but we're developing in that sort of direction. Hopefully soon...

What do you enjoy about being dominant/submissive?
When I first got into BDSM, it was all about the sensation and feeling I'd get from scenes, and just really the way it turned me on. I enjoyed submitting but was a bit of a reluctant sub really. after I met my boyfriend, I fell in love with him and started enjoying submitting to him in a much broader sense and found I was able to very happily at the same time as enjoying everything else twice as much I'm not very submissive to most other people though!

What do you like about your dominant/submissive(s), if you have one (them)?
As a Dom, he can be sadistic, dominating, humilliate me totally, and still be very loving at the same time, put me through as much pain as I love to get but would never harm me. As for the whole time.. he understands me and we seem to be looking for the same sort of things in life, we respect each other, I can trust him totally... he's got a good sense of humour, is very loving...
...not forgetting a lot of other things
-I'll stop for the moment if I told you everything there is to say here, you'd have pages and pages to read lol!