Retired Coquitlam principal Cindy Seddon is taking the next step in launching her career as a communicator on the art of sexual intimacy.
Seddon, who lives in Port Moody, but spends winters at Manning Park teaching skiing with husband Kevin, is excited to launch SizzleNotFizzle on Valentine's Day.
The website is a follow up to her book Six Minute Sex: Maintaining Passion and Nurturing Intimacy in Long Term Relationships.
Besides links for purchasing the ground-breaking book on sexual intimacy for older couples, the website will provide podcasts and links to blog posts Seddon is writing on the topic.
Not just for youth
"This is about love and connections and romantic love and intimacy with someone you care deeply about in an intimate and passionate way," explained Seddon.
It's not a topic that is discussed openly, admits Seddon, who got the idea of the book 13 years ago when talking about relationships with a group of long-term friends.
Seddon learned the hard way that sex is considered mostly for young people when she attended the Taboo — Everything To Do With Sex Show in Vancouver recently.
"I was looking for things that may have been of interest to our demographic," said Seddon, who is in her 60s, and recently retired from School District 43 (SD43).
As she walked around the booths full of sex toys, creams and other aids, she saw that everyone was mostly young, and she didn't know what to do with most of the stuff — and she was too embarrassed to ask.
Shy about sex
She said most people who have been in long relationships are likely of an older generation and are "shy" about these kinds of topics.
"They want more privacy," she acknowledged. "But you can still spice it up a bit and not be so self-conscious that you are too embarrassed.
"It is about trust and love and joy."
So the sex fair was a bit of a bust but that can't be said for her book, which has sold dozens of copies to interested local readers as well as people from the UK and Australia.
With the launch of the website and Instagram, Seddon is hoping to reach more people and spread the word about the benefits of long-term, intimate relationships.
Podcasts are 20 minutes in length and talk about ways to maintain a positive relationship, and sexual intimacy, even after the body changes or a life-altering health issue, such as cancer.
Sex looks 'different '
The desire is still there, "it just looks different," says Seddon, in describing how sexual relations mature as people get older.
She's also hoping to get ideas about how people are exploring their own relationships, through date nights, romantic music or in other ways.
As for Seddon, she plans to spend Valentine's Day in a 13-foot travel trailer she shares with her husband during their annual skiing sojourn at Manning.
But she plans on making the evening special.
She's going to cook up a filet, and serve champagne under candlelight.
"it's a big day for me," said Seddon, referring to her website SizzleNotFizzle.
"This Valentine’s Day we're totally having a big celebration."
