Master Tom and slave linda: SouthEast Master/slave 2009
Added June 2016:
Master Tom and slave Linda- 2016 Jack Stice Memorial Award winners (speech given below)
Our award winners have been a couple who exemplify the Master/slave life. Those extraordinary people have been loving each other for twenty-one years. They bravely stood up and proclaimed love, obedience, mastery and marriage when these words weren’t said together in our M/s communities but were treated with suspicion. Like many M/s couples 15 years ago they heard how marriage and M/s didn’t go together. They heard how being in love wasn’t supposed to be part of a dynamic. They heard how a strong, smart, powerful slave wasn’t really taking direction and obedient to her Master.
They stood to be counted among us and educate us to dispel the myths of M/s. They did this for their community not once but twice. The first time they won the title SE Master/slave at Together in Leather. The second time, in 2009 they stepped forward to represent Masters and slaves for SELF. Having been previously vetted for the title, they accepted the challenge with such grace and dedication when their region truly needed them. Not when it was convenient for them.
The humility exhibited by this M/s couple has been a hallmark of how they have interacted with each other and others. Their educational efforts have provided generations with inspiration and possibility.
Many say the words of a slave are a reflection of the Master and provide a window into the integrity of the relationship. It was this integrity of a Master/slave relationship that they gave willingly to our communities who needed to witness a model and example of M/s at its best.
This slaves’ words in her speech when they competed for the M/s International title were:
“Being a slave for me means complete devotion, submissive surrender, but not blind submission and certainly not letting go of all limitations. As his devoted slave, I cannot hold my tongue while Master goes blindly into the dark to experience things that I know will either be bad for Him or have regrettable consequences without offering him what I see and knowing the final decision is his alone. As a human being, I have limitations. I can only trust that Master knows these limits and respects them…for He must if I am to call Him Master. He does and it is through Master I have become a completely surrendered slave who knows her slave heart.
So, what does it take to be a slave? Brains, brawn, diplomacy, strength of mind body and soul, utter devotion, complete surrender, and the stubbornness to face the one who owns you and let them know, albeit respectfully, that this may not be the correct path to take at the present time. I have found in my journey that when I completely surrendered, gave complete unwavering devotion, maintained strength of mind body and soul, and occasionally said no, my slave heart bloomed and Master was there to make sure it gets all the sunshine and dominance it needs to survive.”
It is with unmitigated joy I have the pleasure of awarding the Jack Stice Memorial Community Service Award to Master Tom and slave linda, your SE Master/slave 2009 and 2005.
Added April 2015:
slave linda's speech at SPLF
What does it take to be his slave? Complete devotion? Absolute surrender? Blind submission? Letting go of all limitations? When I entered into my contract with Master, these are the concepts I examined. I had never been a slave before that time. At that time I wasn’t sure I had what is known as a slave heart either. The heart that longs to serve. The heart that longs to be owned. This would come in time…but how to achieve that heart was my biggest question.
When I first met Master, I was independent, savvy, and slightly manipulative. I pushed every chance I could. Master saw something in me that no one else could see. He saw the slave longing to be…longing to surrender, but not knowing how. He took all those ugly qualities I showed to other dominants and molded them into His perfect slave. A slave that has a voice: will say no when it is needed and will help Him realize His journey through life with the least possible resistance. He has taught me, with gentle dominance, the difference between manipulation and pushing, and being respectful and doing what is good for me, while still getting what I need and serving Him in a manner that He deems right for us. He allows me to still have that savvy, brain storming, protective, nurturing personality that I have always had, but He has molded and toned it into a positive light and taught me to be true to myself, therefore being true to Him.
Being a slave for me means complete devotion, submissive surrender, but not blind submission and certainly not letting go of all limitations. As his devoted slave, I cannot hold my tongue while Master goes blindly into the dark to experience things that I know will either be bad for Him or have regrettable consequences without offering him what I see and knowing the final decision is his alone. As a human being, I have limitations. I can only trust that Master knows these limits and respects them…for He must if I am to call Him Master. He does and it is through Master I have become a completely surrendered slave who knows her slave heart.
So, what does it take to be a slave? Brains, brawn, diplomacy, strength of mind body and soul, utter devotion, complete surrender, and the stubbornness to face the one who owns you and let them know, albeit respectfully, that this may not be the correct path to take at the present time. I have found in my journey that when I completely surrendered, gave complete unwavering devotion, maintained strength of mind body and soul, and occasionally said no, my slave heart bloomed and Master was there to make sure it gets all the sunshine and dominance it needs to survive.
Calendar of Events
Sep 4-7, 2009 Master/slave Conference 2009, Washington DC
Sep 18-20, 2009 Fetish in the Forest 2009, Memphis, TN
Jan 22-24, 2010 Southwest Leather Conference 2010
Competing at South Plains LeatherFest in March
March 2010 News
The weekend of Feb 26-28th 2010, Southeast Master and slave 2009 Master Tom and slave linda competed at the International Master/slave contest in Dallas Texas.
Hard work and preparation for the last several months combined with help from the local SouthEast Leather Community have absolutely given us all a couple to be proud of.
While they did not take home the international title, Master Tom and slave linda wanted us to send this message to their community:
"We are so happy to have had this great opportunity to represent the Southeast. We know the judges had a difficult decision as we feel all the contestants have done such a great job! Congratulations to Master Obsidian and slave namaste Much thanks to the producers of SELF for having faith in us!"
We look forward to celebrating with Master Tom and slave linda at SouthEast LeatherFest and hope everyone will join us in congratulating them on representing the Southeast!
To contact Master Tom and slave linda: southeastms09@gmail.com
or reach them on FetLife: seMaster09 and seslave09
June 2009 Column
Wow and I mean WOW! That pretty much sums up what happened during our weekend at SELF 2009 this year! slave and I planned on showing up and having a very relaxing time and just enjoying being with old (and new) friends for the weekend. Things pretty much started out that way, and almost ended up that way, until a conversation that Lady Catherine had with us..... Before I get too much into that let me introduce us.
I am Master Tom, and my girl is slave linda. We are a Master/slave couple and have been 24/7 for over a decade. Several years ago (late 2004) we ran for (and won) the title Southeast Master/slave for 2005. The next year was a whirlwind for us, travelling, teaching, learning a LOT ourselves, and strengthening our own relationship along the way. We truly enjoyed our year of frequent trips, but after it was over linda was missing her time with her children, and other complications arose....
Regretfully, we ended up having to limit our travel to events for a few years after that while linda went through a few surgeries, not to mention trying to get the youngest one off to college, and out on his own. During this time I came to realize just how much I missed the wonderful chances of being with our leather family, so early this year we started attending the leather events again, travelling to Phoenix and Dallas among other places. During this time we had discussed how much more we could share now that we had a few more years of experience under our belt. When it came time for SELF we just knew we couldn't pass up the chance to see all our local family and friends, plus all our extended family and frinds that travelled all the way to Hotlanta for SELF 2009!
Well, back to the conversation with Lady Catherine.... Knowing how much we enjoy teaching and sharing, she came to us with the opportunity to again represent the Southeast. slave and I were both taken back at first, but after some pondering (not much) we decided that this could be a great chance to give back to our community, share even more, and learn and grow even more ourselves!
So, slave and I come into this with eyes open.... Let the whirlwind begin! Over the next few weeks we are going to start making our plans for the year as to where to go and what we feel we can offer the community. Please, feel free to contact us at southeastMs09@gmail.com if you would like to discuss an opportunity for us to present at your group or event. We really want to try get to every state in the Southeast, and will make every effort to go to everywhere we can. We'll be posting more soon with some of the workshops and presentations that we are putting together!
Our sincere thanks to Lady Catherine and SELF 2009 for the opportunity to again represent the Southeast!
Master Tom and slave linda
SouthEast Master/slave 2009
January 2010 Column
Wow! That about sums up our past three months with our title. We have had a wonderful journey thus far making new friends and renewing past relationships with old ones. We had a very full September traveling from Memphis to Washington DC. For the past couple of years, slave and I have been mentoring a couple who live in Memphis and they got together with the group there, IMPACT, and invited us to present at one of their functions. We presented a class on protocols in a very intimate atmosphere in the dungeon they use. We found the group of people there to be very open to learning different practices, and very willing to teach what they have already learned. They were all very hospitable, and extremely transparent in their actions and acceptance of us, not only as the appointed Ms Couple but as virtual outsiders to their community. Later that month, we were invited back to Fetish In the Forest to present to a much larger group of people from the area. Again, we cannot say enough about this open, honest, lovable group of kinks! In between we attended the Master/slave Conference in DC. I am always amazed at how much information about our lifestyle is out there and how many people are involved in it. This conference gave us the opportunity to not only renew some past relationships, but to make new ones as well. slave took the opportunity to explore her slave heart and bond with the other slaves and submissives there and the workshops put on by Master Z, Lady Catherine and Master Scott with his extended family were just wonderful to attend. We always walk away with a little more than we came with when we attend such an informational conference.
We will be attending SWLC later this month and then it is on to South Plains, for the International Contest. We are very much looking forward to SWLC, as it always provides a much needed energy recharge. South Plains will be stressful, but we really feel that we are ready for the challenge. We have both been working on different speeches and workshops, perfecting them and hoping for the best. We will however, maintain that we are simply Master Tom and slave linda. We have never changed and feel that we exemplify our Master/slave relationship as it relates to us.
Producer note
It's unusual that I add a personal note but in this instance I feel compelled. Master Tom and slave Linda stepped up to this title without notice and accepting a large scale change to their lives. They were seasoned and had already served the southeast holding a previous Master/slave title.
It was pure selflessness. We expect titleholders to hold up under scutiny but they knew there would be questions since this was the first time this title was appointed. I have to say they exhibited so much grace and such a dedication to remaining the Master/slave they know themselves to be. So, I'm putting this in writing-- they are my hero's not because they stepped up when their region needed them but for how they choose to step up. I can think of no better example of Master/slave relationships. Thank you for the dedication to your region but most of all, thank you for showing us the dediction you hold dear to one another.
Thank you,
Lady Catherine Gross
September 2015
Producer note: July 27,2020 Master Tom
With a broken heart, I am sharing the news that Master Tom, Southeast Master 2009 & 2005, winner of the 2016 Jack Stice Memorial Community Service Award, died Monday, July 27, 2020.
Master Tom was generous. He gave years of his life to help others grow and realize their best selves and their best relationships. He tackled the issues of “power slaves” long before it was an accepted concept. He tackled the issue that you can marry your slave and love your slave when those paths were questioned as not indicative of real M/s. He held fast to his ideals and his relationship without criticizing others’ choices of relationship style.
He mentored, helped, guided, and provided scholarships for many to attend SELF. Master Tom was humble, funny, and choose to laugh and learn his entire life. His proudest accomplishment was having the devoted surrender of his slave, Linda. Their twenty-six years together provided an excellent example of happy, healthy M/s that made each of them better together. They were meant for one another. We are better for having known them and for the service they so willingly offered to their community.
Lady Catherine & SELF