Episode 49: ‘Just Happy to Be Here’ (Soren Berg)

Summary

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Episode Overview

Podcast: Bawdy Storytelling
Host: Dixie De La Tour
Episode Title: 'Just Happy to Be Here’ (Soren Berg)
Release Date: November 24, 2018

This episode features an electrifying, sex-positive storytelling set at Burning Man, delivered by first-time storyteller Soren Berg. Soren shares how a leap into a world of kink, friendship, and new experiences led to a transformative encounter at Orgy Dome. The episode centers on themes of openness, gratitude, adventure, and self-discovery through sexuality.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction, Community, and Openness (00:14–08:37)

• Dixie’s Thanksgiving PSA:
  Dixie opens with a delightfully cautionary "disclaimer," encouraging listeners to use headphones if their holiday crowd is more conventional:

  “If, like a lot of people, your Thanksgivings look like a house full of people and grandma's sitting right there... make sure that you sneak off and put your headphones in.” (00:14)

• Sense of Belonging & Gratitude:
  Dixie reflects on her journey from a repressive small town to becoming the celebrated host of a sex-positive storytelling phenomenon. She describes the warmth and acceptance she’s found within the Bawdy community—a contrast to her conservative roots.
• Community Support Stories:
  Dixie recounts being embraced by the Bawdy and kink communities when she found herself without Thanksgiving plans, underscoring the “chosen family” dynamic often found in alternative subcultures.
• Listener Story – Jeffrey Allen Hayes:
  Dixie shares vignettes from a fan, including an impromptu naked dance at a Vancouver bar, unexpected furry encounters, and being recognized as a Bawdy celebrity—all reinforcing the joy found in unconventional openness and adventure.
• Patreon Acknowledgment:
  Dixie expresses deep gratitude for listener support, highlighting the communal effort underlying the continued production of the podcast.

2. Story Feature: Soren Berg’s ‘Just Happy to Be Here’ (08:38–18:39)

• First-Time Storyteller:
  Soren’s nerves and vulnerability are highlighted by Dixie, who describes his backstage anxiety and subsequent triumph onstage:

  “He was backstage in the green room having panic attacks till he stepped on stage and blew everyone away. Got a standing ovation.” (07:21)

• Entry into Kink:
  Soren begins with an evocative description:

  “So I walk into this cavernous, dimly lit room. I have two condoms in my left hand and four paper towels in my right and the room is full of mattresses... and they're all fucking.” (08:38)

• Journey to Burning Man:
  Traveling up the coast in a VW van, Soren is invited by friend Ian to a Burning Man camp called “Shots for Shocks”—specializing in consensual cattle prod play and home-infused liquor, exemplifying the creative extremes of the event’s kink community.
• Colorful Characters:
  • Ho+pup– a pup player in full playful regalia, likened to a “Breaking Bad era Bryan Cranston, but younger.”
  • Kim– a punk, tattooed, Lucy Liu lookalike, experienced in kink, and Soren’s main point of attraction.
  • Walt– Kim’s partner who, “looks like an adult Ron Weasley with a sardonic grin. He is a sadist... something I didn't know actually existed outside of Literotica short stories.”
• Orgy Dome Adventure:
  The group decides to visit the famed Orgy Dome. Kim jokes,

  “I dare them to tell me that I can't handle three guys at once.” (12:07) They discuss boundaries and intentions—openly and honestly—a sexual negotiation scene, notable for its refreshing matter-of-factness: “Everyone's got an intention... Kim wants someone to come on her... Hell Pup likes to be degraded. And I'm like, I'm just happy to be here.” (13:18)

• Group Sex Escapade:
  The story crescendos in the Orgy Dome. Soren is repeatedly and humorously outpaced trying to accommodate Kim’s squirting orgasms:

  “So we unscrew [the Camelbak] and we put it under Kim and try and angle it to catch as much as we can. And I think, problem solved. But then it starts getting full.” (15:32) Walt quips: “You know pups, pups clean up messes. This is your fault.” (16:00)
  Hell Pup, delighted, obliges.

• Reflection:
  Soren’s self-effacing humor and awe at his own journey shine as he realizes,

  “After that explosive introduction to kink and sex positivity and the Pacific Northwest, I would never be the same either. Thank you.” (17:55)

3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Adventure and Belonging:

  “I just feel really... they're welcoming and so kind.” – Soren Berg (11:17)

• Sex-Positivity in Action:

  “Do we have shirts or... then I spy Hell Pup’s Camelbak. Camelbaks hold liquid.” – Soren Berg (15:27)

• True Gratitude:

  “I’m just happy to be here.” – Soren Berg (catchphrase recurring throughout the story; episode title)

• On Kink Community Impact:

  “I would never be the same either.” – Soren Berg (17:55)

• Audience Reaction (host):

  “He stepped on stage and blew everyone away. Got a standing ovation.” – Dixie De La Tour (07:25)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:14 – Dixie’s hilarious and heartfelt disclaimer about listening context
• 03:30 – Community anecdotes (furries, kinksters, “orphan” Thanksgiving)
• 06:54 – Patreon and gratitude for audience support
• 08:38 – Soren Berg’s story begins
• 12:07 – Kim’s bold assertion: “I dare them to tell me that I can't handle three guys at once.”
• 13:18 – The group’s frank intention-sharing at Orgy Dome
• 15:27 – Camelbak squirting solution (“Camelbaks hold liquid.”)
• 17:55 – “I would never be the same either.” Soren’s story ends, reflective note
• 19:18 – Dixie’s offer to help others with their personal stories

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Language & Tone

Playful, sex-positive, and candid throughout—the tone, set by both Dixie and Soren, remains inclusive and welcoming. The episode abounds with moments of vulnerability, warmth, and disarming humor. Both speakers urge listeners to embrace openness, share their own stories, and discover joy in authenticity.

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Final Thoughts

This episode is a perfect illustration of Bawdy Storytelling’s mission: breaking down shame, celebrating personal transformation through sexual adventure, and building community by sharing stories. Soren Berg’s “Just Happy to Be Here” blends innocence, honesty, and kink, offering both a wild adventure and, ultimately, a gentle invitation to embrace the freedom and connection found in sex-positivity.

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Transcript

[Dixie De La Tour]

Hang on a holiday minute. If your Thanksgiving looks like mine and it involves furry gatherings and Kingster fairy orphan Thanksgiving meals, then you can probably play this right out loud where anybody can hear it. But if, like a lot of people, your Thanksgivings look like a house full of people and grandma's sitting right there at the table, make sure that you sneak off and put your headphones in. That's my disclaimer. Want to make sure that only people who are down for this Listen to this. Sound good? Let's go.

[Unknown Singer (Song Performer)]

All of my life I've never fit But I won't complain and I won't quit I am enormous get used to it. Everyone tells me I'm too much maybe it's just you're not enough for me can't you see I'm the kind of woman I'm supposed to be? Hey, my vagina is eight miles wide. Absolutely everyone can come inside. If you're ever frightened, just run and hide. My vagina is eight miles.

Why?

[Dixie De La Tour]

Hi there, and welcome to the Bodi Storytelling Podcast. I am Sexual Folklorist Dixie Delator, and This is episode 49. Our story this time is from somebody who heard about a world bubbling just below the surface. And all it took was being brave enough to talk to strangers, to suddenly find himself right there in the middle of all the things he ever dreamed of. But before we get to that, I got some business to take care of. So if you listen to the Bodi Podcast, you know, I'm pretty much a grateful girl. I'm pretty amazed that my life looks the way it does. As somebody who grew up in a town with a population of less than 3 or 400, where I was told, don't be who you are, I now have a life that's pretty incredible. I just got back a day or two ago from Brooklyn, where I did a collaboration show with the Risk Podcast. Those stories will be coming out really soon on their podcast and on my podcast. But as usually happens when I go to New York, I got stuck due to weather. So far, I've been stuck in Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Florence. This time it was a snowstorm that shut down the whole East Coast. But luckily, I have a storytelling community who put me up an extra two or three days until Southwest could get me home. When I got home, I realized my partner Bent was about to fly to Ohio to be with his family for Thanksgiving. He'd asked me if I wanted to go, and I knew I was just going to be getting back from travel, so I said no. So I realized I Don't really have anybody to have Thanksgiving with. And I put it out on Facebook and said, hey, does anybody want to take in an orphan for Thanksgiving? And I got invited to Thanksgivings all over the country, y'.

[Unknown Singer (Song Performer)]

All.

[Dixie De La Tour]

Like, I got invited to a Kingster fairy gathering down in the mission here in town. I got invited to one that we get to eat the meal in a hot tub. I got invited to a furry gathering. I think I'm going to try and make the furry gathering because I love furries and a lot of other things and I can't do all of them. But I'm just so astounded that people would take me in when I don't have my own gathering. So I'm feeling really grateful for what I have in my life today. One of the things that I love is when people tell me the stories of what's going on in their life. And if you guys listen, you probably know I have this rock star named Jeffrey Allen Hayes, and he's been on the podcast a couple of times. He tells on stage for me a lot. He's got miraculous stories. And he, like me, is totally in love with the fact that he gets to make his life look like what he wants his life to look like. So we've been having these terrible wildfires here in California, and I was gone in the snow and people were saying, be glad you're stuck in the snow because you don't want to be here. The air quality is past super unhealthy. It's terrible. And Jeffrey has health problems. And so he went back to his neighborhood native Canada to get away from the smoke and the fires. And this morning, while I was getting ready to record the podcast, he sent me a message. And he said, hey, dicks, here are some fun facts from my Vancouver trip. 1. There is a bar called Pump Jack where guys dance naked in a shower for a few minutes at a time. Turns out it's not professional go go dancers who do it. It's just volunteers in the crowd. Guess who volunteered? It was me. Me. It was me. And it was great. 2. On my first night out drinking, a 20 year old zipped right up to me and immediately started pouring his heart out about his deepest kinks, which included simulating mantis sex. 3. While hiking on a trail, a random woman named Karen stopped me to ask if I was Jeffrey from Body Storytelling. You have made me an international superstar. 4. I probably should have led with this. Just as I was arriving at a touristy lookout point, a trolley full of furries pulled up. It was not even fur con. They're just all local furries who felt like doing touristy stuff in full suit. There was a really hot bunny who let me grab his butt. Well, guess what? I love people's stories. I love Jeffrey's stories. Jeffrey has the same sense of adventure I do about life. And I'm just reeling from the fact that I got to live vicariously through that this morning. So thanks. Do you ever wonder why Body Storytelling has been a live show for almost 12 years and it never had a podcast till now? Well, it's pretty expensive. Costs a lot of money for the tech side of things, but more than anything, it costs a lot to have someone to edit and produce and take the stories from the live shows and put them out in a way that feels like you're there. That was important to me. I wanted you to feel like you were there at a show. So those costs are now being covered by Patreon. Patreon.com BODI is where you go to help us keep this thing going. I'm not able to do this myself, y'. All. I do the story coaching, I do the hosting, I do the curation, I do the hosting of the podcast. But when it comes to putting it all together and making it sound great, not my skill set. And you can help me so that you can hear these stories wherever you are. So please go to patreon.com p a t r e o-n.com body. You know how to spell body and give it whatever level you can. Every single bit helps. I'd like to say thank you to the patrons who've already signed up to support the podcast and I'm hoping you will join them too. Thanks so much for listening and thanks for your support. Let's talk about our storyteller for this episode. He is someone who sat in the audience in Seattle and realized that he had a story too. The theme coming up was one that really spoke to him. So he sent me a pitch and we worked on it. I was pretty amazed that this was his first time on stage because he was backstage in the green room having panic attacks till he stepped on stage and blew everyone away. Got a standing ovation. And that's the kind of thing that inspires you to keep going, right? He is an outdoorsman and a board game nerd and a first time body storyteller. This story is from Soren Burke.

[Soren Burke]

Good to be here. So I walk into this cavernous, dimly lit room. I have two condoms in my left hand and four paper towels in my right and the room is full of mattresses and dozens of people and they're all fucking. I walk past two people spooning quietly. The next mattress has four people buck naked and fucking like possessed jackrabbits. I get to an empty futon with my three compatriots and I have to swallow a nervous laugh because I've never done anything like this before. So it all starts when I'm living in this old Westfalia Volkswagen van traveling up and down the west coast. I've just left Fresno, I'm headed for the redwoods and I get a call from my friend Ian. He says, hey man, you going to Burning Man? He said, man, I wish I was, but everything I own is in this van. I don't even have a mailing address. I can't. He says, hey, I've got a camp. We've got an extra ticket. We have everything we need. It's called Shots for shocks. We take a cattle prod and we shock people consensually and then we give them some hand infused liquor that we make. And if you're wondering who would be in a camp like this and your guess is a bunch of poly kinksters from Seattle, then you're exactly right, but that wasn't me. So I show up in Seattle and 12 hours later I'm joining a convoy of 20 people into electrical play and bondage and I don't even know what else. And they put me in the truck because I can drive stick. And over the next 19 hours I get to know some of them. For instance, ho puppies is. He looks sort of like a Breaking Bad era Bryan Cranston, but younger. And he is a pup. He's got a leash and a collar and a dog bowl and a hood, whole nine yards. But he can't smell anything, which is hilarious. Well, eventually we make it to the desert and I've been here once before, so it's, you know, it's flat, it's dry, it's uncomfortably hot. I'm used to that. I'm a little bit less used to the pony play and the impact scenes going on around me. But the camp is so welcoming and so kind and I just feel really, they're really friendly. One of those welcoming people is named Kim. Kim looks like Lucy Liu, but with a punk haircut and bad ass tattoos. And she is an experienced kinkster and I am attracted to her immediately. So midway through the week I see Kim hanging out by the bikes drinking from this comically large water bottle. And I'M like, oh, hey, good. Staying hydrated. And I ask her where you're going? And she says, oh, I'm going to Orgy Dome. I haven't been yet this year. They've got air conditioning. She may have seen my eyes get a little wider because she, after a moment, said, you want to come? So, yeah, I grab some stuff, get on my bike, we roll out of Camp four strong, myself, Kim, Hell Pup, and her partner Walt, who looks like an adult Ron Weasley with a sardonic grin. And he is a sadist, which is something I didn't know actually existed outside of Literotica. Short Stories. So we're biking along, and I can't believe this is really happening. I say, I hear Orgy Dome is really strict about single guys. How many guys can one. One woman bring? And Kim just laughs and says, I dare them to tell me that I can't handle three guys at once. And that was that. So we get in, we get the spiel, we get our wristbands, which I wear for the rest of the week, and we have our own little talk about STD testing status and intentions. And everyone's got an intention. Walt is interested in maybe hooking up with a stranger, and Kim wants someone to come on her, and HopeUp likes to be degraded. And I'm like, I'm just happy to be here. So we walk into the room, and it's this big room, and it's divided into two sections, the don't bother me section and the maybe bother me section. We're in the maybe bother me section, and at first a little awkward, but Walt breaks attention real quick by telling Hell Pup to give him a blowjob and then berating him because Walt isn't getting hard with. Which is a little unfair because Walt is straight, but Hellpup is really embarrassed anyways, and he's loving it. So Kim is cracking jokes and we're all laughing, and I say, is this normal for orgies? It seems like we're having the most fun of anyone in this room. But things do start getting hot and heavy. Kim's naked. Help up. And I are feeling her all over, and Walt is telling us things like, oh, she likes having her nipples pinched and her hair pulled, but don't touch her clit yet. Like, okay, she's getting more and more worked up, and eventually I'm fingering her, and all of a sudden, bam. She orgasms and just squirts everywhere, all over my arm, all over the futon. And I did not see that coming. So I've got two fingers inside her and my free hand is sort of groping around for those paper towels and trying to lay them down in a pattern that approximates the splash zone, but it's not really working. After, after things calm down a bit, I run naked to the entrance and I say, do you have any puppy pads or something a little bigger? And they say no. And they hand me another four paper towels, which I already know is going to be woefully inadequate. So I go back and we keep fucking. And it gets messy again. I'm like, well, I mean, she can't squirt that many times, right? Then I remember that water bottle. So we're looking around like, do we have shirts or. Then I spy Hill Pup's Camelback. Standard one liter camelbak. Camelbaks hold liquid. So we unscrew it and we put it under Kim and try and angle it to catch as much as we can. And I think, problem solved. But then it starts getting full. Fortunately, Walt has has a plan. He says, you know pups, pups clean up messes. This is your fault. So ho pup glues his face to Kim's crotch and is just drinking for all he's worth. And I'm coming all over her. And we all collapse in this sweaty pile. And eventually our breathing slows down.

[Dixie De La Tour]

We.

[Soren Burke]

We put our clothes back on. We go out of the cold air conditioned room into the dusty street. And Walt hands help up his Camelback and says, here, this is for you. I'm starting to feel a little guilty. I turn to the others and I say, hey, they're gonna flip that mattress, right? Kim shakes her head. She says, soren, we destroyed that mattress. That mattress will never be the same. And it's funny because after that week, after that explosive introduction to kink and sex positivity and the Pacific Northwest, I would never be the same either. Thank you.

[Unknown Singer (Song Performer)]

Hey, what happened?

You light me up inside like the 4th of July. Whenever you're around I always seem to smile and people ask me how you're the reason why I'm dancing in the mirror and singing in the shower. Let's see. Let's go, let's go. Singing in the shower.

[Dixie De La Tour]

Bad dog. So this is where I remind you that I'm a very good listener and that I would love to work with you on a story. Or maybe you just need somebody to listen to some things in your life that you can't tell just anybody. I just got through doing a story on stage in Brooklyn with Risk podcast. I walked off stage, understanding myself so much better than I did before I'd worked on that story. The same thing can happen for you if it's a story that you're thinking about telling on a stage, if it's a story you're thinking about telling at a party. Or maybe it's something that you just need to understand why you do the things you do. That's what I've been doing for a very long time, helping people find their story. I'd love to help you find yours. If you're interested in booking me, I'm Dixieoddystorytelling.com Send me an email. Let's make it happen. Thanks. You know, for me, it's not just about the story. I love songs about sex, kink, or gender too, and it's really hard to find them. I love to find musical acts to play at my live shows, and it's tough to find people who have songs that are appropriate for Bodi. Whenever I find something out there in the world, I love sharing it on the podcast. I recently came across this song and was kind of surprised at the content and the person who's singing this song. He is an actor and a comedian who is also a singer and and you may know him from movies like Django Unchained or the TV show In Living Color. I particularly liked the movie the Soloist, but he is a musician as well. This song is from Jamie Foxx and this song is called Storm Begins with.

[Jamie Foxx]

Stormy weather rain, wind, roads out mudslides.

[Unknown Singer (Song Performer)]

When it rains you can hear and hear see a flood well there's some people that hate the ring and others who just can't get enough of it. These are the people who love it.

[Jamie Foxx]

And get rid of it up for the rain Sleep villas We'll get some showers perhaps either from the south valley of the sun when Flagstaff when the chance are free Then we'll see what.

[Unknown Singer (Song Performer)]

Happens after that Got nothing but my T shirt and boxes on Waiting for you to get home it's been sunny outside all day baby I can't wait for it to storm.

[Jamie Foxx]

So this is the last piece of energy coming in.

[Unknown Singer (Song Performer)]

That thunder from down under surrounding me coming down hard pounding in me Rain drops falling down all over my life all over the bed I want the rain to come Let me feel the raindrops falling down hold over my love I want it so all over the bed I want the rain to come this storm will move lights out like a power outage Cause of the lightning in your bed Spring showers I can feel the Mist every time we kiss Just didn't know a downpour like this There's a flash flood warning Till we wake up in the morning There'll be puddles in the bed the weather man said girl the rain is coming Let me feel the ra all over the bed I want the rain to come.

[Dixie De La Tour]

Let it.

[Unknown Singer (Song Performer)]

Right there between your thigh I'm looking for scatter showers for about an hour Rain on me tonight now let me love you it's all I want now let me kiss you now let me set you I just want you Rain on me.

[Jamie Foxx]

Come let me.

[Unknown Singer (Song Performer)]

Feel the rain all over my love Raindrops fall down wet all over the bed I want the rain to come Let me feel the raindrops falling down all over my love I want it soaking wet all over the bed I want the rain to come.

[Jamie Foxx]

Thank you, Heather. We have record rains and there's more where that came from. Now, later tonight and in the morning, before we see this storm pull out, let's see it.

[Dixie De La Tour]

Excuse me. What was that? You'd love to come to a live body storytelling show. Oh, well. Gah. Let me tell you what's coming up so you can go ahead and book your air travel or set the night aside or whatever it is you need to do so that I can see your shining face in person. My favorite thing, on December 6th in Seattle, the theme is the naughty bits. On December 13th, the theme is Happy Endings. That one's in San Francisco and I got one spot left for both those shows. Will you fill my haul? I'd really love it if you would. After that, we've got shows coming up on January 10th in San Francisco, January 17th in Seattle. Speaking of Seattle, on January 17th, I have specially arranged that date because I am coming to Seattle for podcon. I went to podcon last year. It's a podcast conference and I had a great time. So I'm going back for year two. If you're thinking about going to podcon, let me know. I love meeting people who are fans of podcasts or other podcast producers. I'd love to meet you face to face. If you want to get tickets, you can go to bawdistorytelling.com if you want to send me a pitch, you can send it to dixieaudistorytelling.com send me an email. Let's make it happen. Thanks.

[Unknown Singer (Song Performer)]

Thank you.

[Dixie De La Tour]

I know this whole episode has been about saying thank you, but thanks for listening to this podcast. Takes a lot of work to make it and it means a lot to know that you're making time in your schedule to listen. I hope that this weekend gives you time to get a day off work at the very least, hopefully have some downtime with friends and family, a chance to share your stories, maybe even have a little sex. That'd be nice. Do you know I've noticed that Thanksgiving is the number one hookup weekend of the year. It really is. So sneak away from the family. I'm gonna say thank you to the team that makes this podcast possible. Thank you to David Grossoff, my sound engineer, to Joe Moore, my video producer and archivist, to Dana Hanna, my project manager, to Marty Garcia, my podcast producer. I am sexual folklorist Dixie de La Tour, and you've been listening to the Bawdi storytelling podcast. Here's a peek at what's next. And I lean down next to Rob and look up at him. And so I stick my finger into Rob's ass.