I also did a lot of theater in college, much of it Shakespeare so there were a lot of theatrical duels. My maitre d'armes d'escrime also taught theatrical fencing so I got to use the rapier a lot as well as a blunted replica broadsword in Macbeth (in the final battle at Dunsinane Castle, after I bit it as Lady Macbeth). I've also seen a fair amount of HEMA and enjoyed observing.

I have to agree with you there. I love the intimacy of having a partner, the sense of closeness and just having fun. Unfortunately, when my SO goes through his depressive cycle, he's just not physically or emotionally available. This could be a couple weeks or more. It's frustrating for me in that, for the first couple of years, it was several times a day. Then, a couple times a week. Then, hardly at all with occasional spurts. Like you said, I could still go several times a day and be happy.

Communication is a sore spot for us. It's like we're on different frequencies a lot of the time. I get to the point where I just wait until he comes out of the funk and not address it at all. I've given up asking during dry spells. I can tell I have some dysfunctional behaviors that are growing out of this. I always have been an incurable flirt and it gets worse when there's a long dry spell. I can also tell that my emotional bond with him fizzles out too during those times and we're more like roommates with two cats. And then, my patience is very thin with him too and he gets a lot of eye rolling from me. I've also lost all guilt pleasuring myself during dry spells and while I'm traveling for work.