Adventures of the Bearded Bard

  She and I spent hours talking, drifting from one possibility to the next — things we could do together, adventures waiting to be explored. She was especially excited about trying acro yoga. Her sister had just taken it up and shared photos, which she eagerly showed me. I admitted I wanted to wait until I felt better about my body before I tried it, but the idea intrigued me. The conversation was easy until it wasn’t. In a moment of unfiltered curiosity, I asked her: “Do you think your girlfriends might look at your lifestyle and see your actions as selfish?” The instant the words left my mouth, I knew I’d made a mistake. Her face shifted, her mood dropped. What I intended as an exploration of perspective landed as an accusation. To her, it sounded like I was calling her selfish. The sting was amplified because someone else she had dated had asked her almost the exact same thing — a wound still fresh. What followed was an hour-long conflict, circling around that one word. ...

Navigating Boundaries Ethical non-monogamy can be rewarding, but it is not simple. The lifestyle requires a significant amount of care for everyone involved. Feelings of hurt can be easily triggered—whether through past wounds, oversharing (as Song Bird calls it), straying out of one’s lane, or crossing boundaries. This is not for the faint of heart. Even for those who have practiced it for years, it remains a delicate dance. On our sixth night together, we began with sushi at 8:30 PM. The chef surprised us with a heart-shaped roll that made her smile, and her joy in that moment lit something in me. Over dinner we traded more stories from our past relationships, conversations that pulled us deeper into each other’s histories, our scars and our hopes. By 10 PM, we were still talking, reluctant to move. Afterward, we ventured to a Bachata dance mixer in Chinatown. She was in her element—hips and feet moving with natural grace, her smile radiant and contagious. Watching her dance, I felt ...

It was March 14th, 2025. She set up a last-minute date with me after I mentioned I’d be leaving soon for a weeklong vacation in Cancún . That same evening, my cousins arrived in town, and I took them out for dinner, offering suggestions for things to do while they visited. After saying my goodbyes, I headed home to finish packing. Something in me insisted I check my work email before the trip. Sure enough, a task needed urgent attention, and by the time I resolved it, I was two hours late to her casita. Punctuality has never been my strong suit, and I knew it. Wanting to soften the sting of my lateness, I arrived with Boba tea in hand—her favorite. Once inside, we settled into practicing our duo setlist. Music has always been a language between us, and that night it lifted the mood instantly. We sang together, laughed through mistakes, and eventually moved into karaoke just for fun. While she finished a song in her bedroom, I sat nearby and rubbed lotion into her legs and feet. H...

During our second date, she and I went to a Legacy Fighting Alliance match at the Palms Casino. We watched the main event with great anticipation—it was a bloody throwdown that electrified the venue. The energy in that cage match made it unforgettable for both of us. When the fight ended, we wandered to a nearby café for a late bite. Over coffee and food, our conversation deepened. We spoke openly about past lovers and the winding paths of our lives. She shared stories about her primary partner—their origin story, dating life, and the setbacks they’d endured together. She also reflected on the ups and downs of their ENM lifestyle: the triumphs, the heartbreaks, and the hopes she still carries. I found myself leaning in, captivated. Here was someone rare. Many people might see her in public and note her beauty, but very few would ever guess she lives an ENM life. She carries herself with grace—shy at first glance, soft-spoken, a little reserved, yet quietly confident. She is intelligent...