Posts Tagged ‘Shamus MacDuff’
Arcwave Ion Review
by Shamus MacDuff
If you enjoy fellatio from a skilled, pleasure-giving partner, then you will like the Arcwave Ion, a new stroker sex toy for penises that feels more like a blow job than any other sex toy I’ve tried.
The Ion is innovative and unusual. It uses the same Pleasure Air Technology that the Womanizer pioneered for vulva owners, now re-engineered for the penis.
The lower half of the Ion contains the motor and controls, and the upper half is of soft silicone with a ribbed “tunnel” into which the penis is inserted. First, rub some water-based lube inside the tunnel and on your penis. Then situate your frenulum over a round hole in the base. Once the Ion is turned on, you will be also!
The three control buttons are easily accessible and increase or decrease intensity through eight levels. The sensations are so pleasurable and unusual that an orgasm rapidly results. While it works best with an erect penis, the Ion will also accept a flaccid one.
How Does It Work?
The Pleasure Air Technology sends pulsating airwaves to Pacinian pleasure receptors in the frenulum, producing sucking and massaging sensations that lead to powerful orgasms. Pacinian corpuscles in the frenulum are analogous to those in the clitoris. They are nerve endings in the skin that are highly sensitive to vibration and pressure.
“Female Orgasm for Men”?
That these corpuscles occur in the frenulum as well as the clitoris has led Arcwave to claim that the Ion produces “a female orgasm for men.” This strikes me as both odd and counterproductive. Odd because it is impossible for one gender to know what another gender’s orgasm feels like. It’s counterproductive because few penis owners—whether gay or straight—wish to experience a female orgasm. The quick, strong male orgasms that the Ion facilitates stand on their own and needn’t imitate female versions. To me, this strange marketing strategy seems to turn Freud’s infamous idea of penis envy on its head.
More Pros:
- Fully waterproof!
- The 6-inch long Ion twists apart into two halves for easy cleaning.
- The Ion comes in a handsome 8-inch-tall hard plastic case that charges the Ion during storage.
Just a Few Cons:
- The Ion is rather noisy, sounding like a large dog lapping up water (other reviewers have likened the noise to a bike pump or a small pneumatic drill),
but that did not detract from my enjoyment. - The combination of the Ion and its charging case is bulkier than other penis toys so it would be less convenient to carry in luggage on trips.
- It is not designed for partnered sex (unless your partner likes to watch).
Bottom Line:
The Arcwave Ion adds a delightful and very interesting new experience for penis pleasuring. The Arcwave Ion joins an outstanding group of other penis toys, such as the Manta from Fun Factory and the JETT and Pulse (in several iterations) from Hot Octopuss.
Personally, I am very happy to have this new toy, and I predict you will be, too. It may just launch your level of pleasure into the ionosphere!
See the Ion in action
Thank you, Arcwave, for providing the Arcwave Ion in return for an honest review.
— Shamus MacDuff, age 77, was oblivious to the delights of sex toys for penises until about three years ago. He’s been making up for lost time! Read his other posts here.
Sunny Love by Shamus MacDuff
Sunny Love
by Shamus MacDuff
Sunlight streams through the window by her bed,
And shimmers off her hummingbird feeder just outside.
Clad only in pearl necklaces, she emerges from the shower
With a welcoming smile that beckons me join her in bed.
Feeling both the sun’s warmth and hers, I quickly comply.
My thoughtful lover has assembled sex toys and lube,
As we lie down together, kissing, stroking, and giggling.
Soothing sunlight dapples our nipples and softens our
Old people wrinkles and blemishes as we cling together.
We are again young in the sun, two bodies eager for touch.
Our preference is taking turns pleasuring one another,
With full focus first on one person, and then on the other.
Pleasuring and being pleasured in full sunshine is a treat
In that beautiful wood-paneled bedroom where we meet.
Slowly, gently, lovingly, we exchange climaxes in the sun.
Filled with afterglow, when spooning, we catch movement
Out the window as an iridescent hummingbird hovers.
While we hug and talk we count the hummers’ visits,
Thrilling over how they glisten in the sun’s afternoon rays.
Their allure accentuates the radiance of our own sunny love.
— Shamus MacDuff, 1/23/21
Dry Orgasm
Dry Orgasm
by Shamus MacDuff
My first dry orgasm surprised me. I was reveling in the myriad delightful sensations of my orgasm, when my partner observed that there was no semen. Really? It felt the same as other orgasms with ejaculation. This struck me as unusual or even unnatural. My partner reassured me that a “dry orgasm in men” was normal – the first I’d heard that term! I didn’t know then that ejaculation is unnecessary to experience orgasm.
“Ejaculation is an event that takes place in the penis,” explains Dr. Andrew Siegel. “Orgasm occurs in the brain.” Occasional orgasms without ejaculation — “dry orgasms” — are common as we age, and in most cases are no cause for alarm. A dry orgasm occurs when a penis owner reaches sexual climax without ejaculation — no fluid emerges from the penis.
As penis owners, we’re used to sexual climax involving these components:
- Emission (secretions deposited into the urethra)
- Ejaculation (contractions of the pelvic floor muscles that push the seminal fluid out the urethra in an explosive eruption)
- Orgasm (the intense emotional feelings that accompany the physical act of ejaculation)
Many of us are surprised and worried the first time we have a dry orgasm. Thankfully, in most cases, there’s nothing to fret about. It is quite common to climax and ejaculate “wetly” in some sexual encounters, and to orgasm “dryly” on other occasions.
Michael Castleman
Like me, most penis owners experience intense pleasure when orgasming, whether it’s wet or dry. Dry orgasms happen normally from time to time. Their frequency increases with age, as they accompany other age-related changes. Michael Castleman, sex journalist for 46 years and author of Sizzling Sex for Life: How to Maximize Erotic Pleasure at Any Age, explains,
“Menopausal women notice vaginal dryness and atrophy. Men notice that the volume of fluid in their ejaculations gradually declines, and in some men over 70, more or less disappears.”
With aging, the prostate gland enlarges. The pelvic floor muscles also weaken, diminishing the power of ejaculation. These are normal age changes and may contribute to dry orgasms. There’s usually no reason for worry about the occasional dry orgasm. However, if you begin to experience dry orgasms regularly, consult a doctor to find out what might be causing this.
Some medical conditions may contribute to frequent dry orgasms, such as surgery to remove the prostate as a treatment for prostate cancer. As Michael Castleman notes, “Afterwards, they still come, but any seminal fluid spurts not out of the penis, but backwards into the bladder, where it mixes with urine and leaves the body during urination.”
Medical causes for dry orgasms include
- Removal of the prostate and seminal glands
- Laser prostate surgery
- Radiotherapy to treat prostate cancer
- Operations for testicular and bladder cancer
- Diabetes
- Multiple sclerosis
- Spinal cord injuries
- Some drugs, such as Flomax to control urinary problems and various blood pressure and psychiatric medications
- Severe emotional stress and other situational psychological issues
All of us experience changes in our sexual selves as we age. We take longer to reach an erection (here’s where sex toys and lubricants can assist!), and our erections are not as firm or reliable as they once were. Our refractory period after ejaculation increases, and the amount of ejaculate we produce decreases. On occasion, we don’t produce seminal fluid, and we experience a dry orgasm.
All of this is simply a normal part of growing older and no cause for upset. I find that when my own dry orgasms occur, they are every bit as powerful and satisfying as their juicier and more frequent counterparts. I wish you the same. And, if you’re still worried, consider this comment from Michael Castleman:
“Dry orgasm has advantages. No wet spot. Women who never liked semen in their mouths and/or swallowing can provide fellatio more happily. And older men can self-sex with less messy evidence to dispose of. The key thing is to alert older men that this happens, that it’s normal and no big deal.”
I invite you to comment and share your own experience with dry orgasms.
Additional resources:
- “Ejaculation: What to Expect As You Age,” New Jersey Urology
- “Is It Normal, Doc? Five Changes All Men Experience as They Age,” Tower Urology
- “Should Men Worry About Dry Orgasms?” Sexual Medicine Society of North America
- “Dry Orgasm: Why It Happens and What You Can Do,” Healthline
— Shamus MacDuff, age 77, has been writing for this blog since 2017, when he wrote the popular post, “Sex without Penetration: A Man’s View.” Since then, he has become my reviewer of sex toys for penis owners. Read Shamus MacDuff’s other posts.
Old People Sex, a poem by Shamus MacDuff
Old People Sex
(with apologies to T.S. Eliot)
by Shamus MacDuff
It starts with talk—a conversation—
At which we set a date for play
Often a day or two away.
Time passes, anticipation simmers,
Thoughts unfold, excitement builds,
And then the chosen time arrives!
Showers happen, nothing’s rushed.
Sheets are pulled back, lube’s at hand,
And sex toys to match our ken.
We begin with talk—a loving flirtation—
Back and forth about who’ll go first,
Taking turns is very sexy!
The receiver makes requests; the giver
Complies gladly. Our “joint undertaking”
May require repositioned stiff knees.
Kissing, touching, then more kissing,
And more touching, all slow and easy,
No hurried strokes, no rush.
Responsive desire fires mutual pleasure,
Slow, gentle, sensuous, and exhilarating,
Spiced with smiles and laughter.
Activities vary, we experiment as we play.
PIV seldom happens; other ways
Prove more pleasurable and fun.
We finish with orgasms, hugs, spooning,
And more conversation—sharing thoughts about
Our past and present lives.
And this is how our date ends, this is how our date ends
This is how our date ends,
Not with a bang, but a cuddle.
Set the stage for Old People Sex with a variety of favorite sex toys and lube for all purposes!