“Summer’s End” A Sexy Short Story (For Labor Day 2019)

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The following is a sexy short story to help celebrate Labor Day 2019. I know I wrote a sexy short story for Labor Day last year. I thought it turned out well, so I wrote another one. I hope this helps everyone cap off their summer in the best possible way. Enjoy!

“To another great summer!”

“Here, here!”

That was the toast that Calvin Price’s father gave an hour ago. It capped off his family’s annual Labor Day barbecue, much to the praise of their relatives, neighbors, and friends. Many of them were still outside in the backyard of his suburban house, drinking whatever beer remained in the several coolers his Uncle Ronnie brought. He could still hear them laughing and chatting from his bedroom window.

In every previous year, Calvin – or Cal, as most people called him – would’ve been down there with them. He’d been at every one of these Labor Day parties since he was a kid. His father, a successful financial consultant and prominent community leader had been throwing them since before he and his two younger sisters were born. They acted as a definitive transition point, ending summer and everything with it.

That used to not bother Cal. He enjoyed a good barbecue as much as anyone. However, a lot had changed this past summer. A lot was going to change over the next nine months as he entered his senior year of high school. Looking out into yard from his bedroom, he contemplated the breadth of those changes.

“My last summer before my last year of high school,” Cal said to himself as he leaned next to the window. “Is it supposed to feel this daunting?”

That sounded like a loaded question. The last year of high school was supposed to be daunting. More than one relative had already asked him about college, careers, and all sorts of topics that reminded him he wasn’t a kid anymore.

He usually smiled and gave them a generic answer about focusing on the upcoming school year. What he said didn’t match up with how he felt. If anything, the end of the summer left Cal feeling something other than the pressures of another year in high school.

“Burned out already, Cal?” came an unexpected, but welcome voice. “If so, then I fear for your attendance record this year.”

“Hey Briana,” Cal replied with a humored grin. “I take it you got tired of my Aunt Grace’s scrutiny.”

“What makes you say that? I just love spending hours with your bitterly divorced Aunt,” she replied with scathing sarcasm. “What girlfriend wouldn’t enjoy her endless scrutiny?”

“She’s just being protective. I am her favorite nephew, after all.”

“That’s just because she doesn’t have kids of her own to baby. I swear she thinks I’m just with you because my dad partnered with yours last year.”

“Well, that is how we met,” Cal reminded her. “I guess she just doesn’t believe people can form healthy relationships from random circumstances.”

“For a woman who met her ex-husband in traffic court, that’s just hypocritical.”

They both laughed and it felt good. Cal needed something to take his mind off the end of the summer. Brianna Westly had a knack for doing that. It was one of the many reasons they got together several months back.

If anything, this past summer had been defined by his first girlfriend. While Cal had pursued cute girls before, Brianna was the first girl he formally dated. She came into his life unexpectedly. Her father moved into the area earlier that spring as part of a deal with his father’s company. They first met at a formal meet-and-greet that he didn’t even want to go to. From there, sparks flew, phone numbers were exchanged, and things got serious.

His mother and friends thought it was just some summer fling. It certainly had all the qualities of one. They met suddenly and progressed quickly, so much so that they snuck out a few nights to hang out at strip mall several blocks away. They’d even been intimate a few times. While she wasn’t his first sexual experience, she was his most meaningful.

Now, on the eve of Labor Day, a burning question remained. Would that meaning go beyond summer?

“You’ve got that brooding look again,” Brianna said, taking on a serious demeanor as she approached him.

“I hate that you know me that well already,” Cal said with a half-grin.

“What can I say? You’re that transparent,” she said as she leaned on the wall next to him.

“Then, I’ll skip the part where I lie to you about everything being okay,” he told her, “because honestly, this year’s Labor Day party feels different. And it’s not just because school is starting and I already miss sleeping in on weekdays.”

“So what is it? Does it have to do with us?”

Cal shifted awkwardly. He wasn’t ready to have this conversation, but Brianna wasn’t the kind of girl who brushed things off. That just wasn’t her style. It might have been for the best, given the situation.

“It partly involves us,” Cal conceded.

“How big a part?” she asked curiously.

“Bigger than I can put into words, but not enough to cover the full story,” he answered. “All my life, Labor Day was just the day I capped off my summer, prepared for school, and daydreamed about next summer. It was bittersweet, but in a good way.”

“It probably helps that your dad throws awesome Labor Day parties,” she pointed out.

“It certainly doesn’t hurt, that’s for sure. But this year, it’s not just the end of summer. It feels like the end of something more. I’ve been doing things a certain way all my life. And it’s worked, for the most part. But next summer, I can’t do things the same way. I have to figure out a new way.”

“It’s daunting, I know. I imagine everyone in our class feels like that today.”

“That’s just it. How I feel about school, this summer, and next summer is so different,” Cal said in a more serious tone, “and you’re a big reason why, Brie.”

He reached over and slipped his arm around her waist. He invited her to get closer and share his intimate warmth. She accepted without hesitation.

Being so close to her reminded him just how different this past summer had been. He’d never had a serious girlfriend before. Much of their relationship had been formed by the events of the past few months. It completely changed how he saw the events that awaited.

“Remember when we first went out? And your sister just rolled her eyes when I picked you up?” he asked. “I believe her exact words were stupid puppy love.”

“It was actually bullshit puppy love, but close enough,” Brianna replied.

“That’s what a lot of people thought. They saw us and they still saw a couple of teenagers who didn’t know what the hell they were doing. Maybe we didn’t at first, but then…”

His words trailed off. As the memories of the past summer played out, he deepened his embrace with her. He recalled their first date, their first kiss, the first time they had sex, and even that embarrassing time his mother caught them fooling around in his dad’s shed. Altogether, those moment came to define his summer. Holding her in his arms, Cal entertained ideas on how it might define his life beyond that.

Brianna must have been entertaining similar ideas. She affectionately wrapped her arm around his neck and caressed his unshaven face, gazing into his eyes with affection that did not match that of an immature teenager. It was a look he’d seen a lot more frequently as the summer neared its end. Now, it had even greater meaning.

“And now, here we are,” Brianna said, putting into words what he could not, “still together and sharing more than just fond summer memories.”

“That’s what makes Labor Day feel so different this time around,” he continued. “I’ve got something from summer other than good memories. I’ve got something…someone that I want to take with me into whatever comes next. And with this being our last year in high school, a lot is coming.”

“That’s for sure,” she said. “The fact you want me along for that ride says a lot about us.”

“It says even more about what you mean to me.”

Still standing so close, the warmth of their bodies mixing despite the summer heat, he caressed her face with both hands. As he looked into her eyes, he tried to convey just how much she meant to him. Cal wasn’t good with words. It was one of the reasons he hadn’t had a serious girlfriend before Brianna.

She was a special girl. She could sense what he was trying to say, even when he couldn’t say it. She must have sensed quite a bit because he could feel her trembling in his arms.

“Damn it, Cal. Why do you have to do this when I still smell like barbecue sauce and brussels sprouts?” Brianna asked, her voice cracking under the emotions.

“It’s your fault for cutting in line to get my mom’s burgers,” he teased curtly.

“Guess it’s also my fault I fell for a guy like you…a guy I just thought would show me the ropes in this town. Now, I can’t imagine getting through the next nine months without you.”

“You won’t have to,” said Cal strongly. “Everyone else keeps calling us a summer fling. But we know it’s more than that. I want to make it more than that.”

“So do I, but we picked a hell of a time to get serious,” she added. “High school, college applications, fall sports, our dads working together…we’re basically jumping over this cliff together and hoping we don’t land on jagged rocks.”

“I’m willing to take that leap. I’m even willing to bet we can land on those rocks and come out stronger. You’ve made this past summer so special for me, Brie. Now, on the day our summer ends, I’d like to make every other season just as special.”

It marked the first time that Cal had ever articulated a complicated feeling in just a handful of words. It was both fitting and cathartic, telling Brianna the depths of his feelings for her. It had been a laborious struggle, but with it being Labor Day, his timing couldn’t have been better.

“Oh Cal,” Brianna said with that beaming smile of hers, “that’s the sweetest, most heartfelt thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Thanks,” he said, blushing somewhat under her gaze. “I’m honestly surprised I managed to say it.”

“It’s a good thing you did,” she said, “because now, I can tell you how I feel about this past summer too…and how I feel about everything else moving forward.”

She made her point, as only she could. In the light of the setting sun on Labor Day, she kissed him. It was no ordinary kiss, though. Through her lips, warmth, and touch, she told him everything she needed to say.

That was another thing about Brianna that Cal had come to love. She could convey so much with so little. Sometimes, she didn’t even need words. Her actions conveyed the necessary meaning. With her, there was no ambiguity.

She loved him.

She loved him every bit as much as he loved her.

This past summer might have brought them together, but on the eve of Labor Day, they saw just how far they’d come. Moreover, there was still time to do more.

“Brianna…the door,” Cal gasped as the kiss intensified.

Their lips parted briefly and she cast him a knowing smile. They’d shared enough tender moments in his bedroom to know when their passions escalated beyond a certain point. That often meant taking a few precautions to preserve the moment.

Without saying a word, Cal broke the embrace and closed his bedroom door. He quickly took her in his arms again and resumed their heated kissing. He also grew bolder with his touching, trailing his hand down her waist, hips, and thighs. She returned the favor, feeling around his arms and reaching up his shirt. With each intimate touch, affection turned to desire. Before long, he began guiding her to the bed.

“Cal,” she gasped in between their heated gestures, “your parents and mine…they’re right outside.”

“So long as there’s beer in those coolers, they’ve no reason to come back in,” Cal told her.

“It’s not just that. If this is the end of our summer…the end of the summer that brought us together…then I want it to be special.”

“In other words, you don’t want interruptions.”

“Not for this. Definitely not for this.”

She kissed him again. They’d reached the bed. By now, his pants felt uncomfortably tight. He also noticed Brianna rubbing her thighs together. She felt it too. The desire had escalated beyond that special barrier. To fully express their love, they needed more than simple kissing.

“The sun is still out. My dad hasn’t turned down the music. We’ve got time,” Cal said with a confidence he knew turned her on.

“You sure it’s enough?” she asked curtly.

“This is the official end of our summer,” he said. “Don’t you want to end it with a bang?”

“Of course, I do…in more ways than one.”

“Then, we’ve all the incentive we need to make sure it’s enough.”

He made it sound like he wasn’t the least bit worried about someone barging in, just as they were in the middle of getting intimate. In the back of his mind, it was a concern. His parents had rules about him and Brianna being behind closed doors for extended periods. However, there was a time and place to break those rules. This was definitely one of them.

“That might be the sexiest logic I’ve ever heard,” she said to him while pressing her thigh up against his groin.

“I had no idea that turns you on,” said Cal in his manliest tone.

“Make sense of it later. Right now, let’s get out of these itchy clothes!”

They smiled and laughed playfully as the passion resumed. Together, they climbed up onto the bed, kissing and pawing one another, building arousal and loosening clothes. Their love was real, but he and Brianna were still a couple of horny teenagers.

Once on the bed, clothes started coming off quickly. His shirt was the first to go. Brianna’s tank top, sandals, and shorts followed suit. In just her bra and panties, she practically tackled him to the bed so she could get his jeans and boxers off. By the time she tossed them across his room, he already had a semi-hard cock. As she so often did in their intimate moments, Brianna made it a point to maximize his arousal.

“Lie back,” she told him. “Let me add to the incentive.”

“Incentive…right,” Cal said, already breathless.

Trusting her and her motivations, he laid down atop the comforter and let his lover work her sensual magic. She looked like an angel in the late afternoon twilight, hovering over him and tempting him with her loving gaze. She kept that gaze squarely on him as she trailed her lips down his neck, chest, and abdomen. Along the way, she grabbed hold of his growing cock and stroked it.

He tensed under her firm, yet loving grip. She knew how to get his blood flowing in all the right directions. As Brianna stoked the flames of his arousal, she removed her bra, revealing her perfectly round breasts. She used both them and her lips to step up the passion.

“Cal…my sweet, caring boyfriend,” Brianna said through seductive purrs. “You’ve given me so much. I want to return the favor.”

She did plenty to deliver. With the utmost care and sensuality, she licked and suckled his hardened cock. She wasn’t hard or sloppy. She never made oral sex look dirty or lurid. She approached it like any other loving gesture. It was part of what made their love lives special.

“Oh Brainna…so much,” Cal gasped. “You give me…so much too.”

With each subtle act, she heightened his desire. She even used her breasts as well, sliding it between her fleshy mounds to really maximize the arousal. It worked perfectly. Cal grunted and panted in accord with her gestures, reaching over and lightly running his fingers through her hair. Her eyes never diverted from his every step of the way.

They hadn’t been together for very long, but he and Brianna learned quickly how to set the mood for sex. She knew what got him going. He knew what turned her on. He had every intention of maximizing his intimate knowledge. For his lover, she deserved nothing less.

“I’m ready,” he told her.

“Mmm…so am I,” she said.

With more motivation than most teen lovers, Cal drew his love back up into his arms so that she was on top of him. From there, he rolled her over so that she was the one on her back. He then removed her panties and tossed them across the room, rendering her as naked as him.

Now hovering over her, her naked body glowing in the warm twilight, Cal looked at her with love and awe. If it hadn’t set in earlier, then it certainly set in now. He loved this woman. He loved her and he was going to make love to her.

“Cal…I want you. I want this,” Brianna said to him.

“I want it too,” he said to her, already breathing heavily.

“Then, please…take me.”

Rather than waste time putting his emotions into words, Cal let his actions once again do the talking. He followed the intense love and lust between them. She eagerly welcomed him into her intimate embrace, wrapping her legs around his waist while holding onto his shoulders. Their naked skin now touching, he aligned his hips with hers, the tip of his manhood rubbing against her moist folds.

With their eyes locked and so many wordless sentiments flowing between them, he thrust forward and entered her. As soon as he felt her hot, womanly depths embrace his masculine flesh, a more profound act unfolded.

“Cal…ohhh Cal!” Brianna gasped.

“Brianna…my sweet Brianna,” he replied.

The connection was complete.

The flow of passion commenced.

He and Brianna began making love.

He began working his body along hers, digging his knees and feet into the bed to help set that perfect sensual rhythm. It wasn’t too rough or too fast. He and Brianna weren’t that kind of couple. They learned quickly that they preferred a gentler, steadier form of sex. It was quality over quantity, making each thrust, touch, and gasp count. It gave harmony and spectacle to their love. For a moment like this, there was no need to push their bodies or their hearts.

As they settled into that balanced pace, they shared soft kisses and loving gestures. Brianna playfully tickled his shoulder while nibbling on his lower lip. She knew he liked that. He squeezed her butt and caressed her face. He knew she loved that too. They went the extra mile in making their sex special, giving every blissful sensation greater meaning.

That involved more than just standard missionary style sex. Brianna usually let him set the tone, trusting him to get those sensual feelings going. Then, she stepped in and shared in the effort. They mixed things up, orienting and arranging their bodies in various intimate configurations.

For a while, she was on top, working her hips and riding him like a sex goddess from Heaven. After that, he laid her on her side, making love to her at a different angle that helped her show off her flexibility. They made the most of his undersized bed, moving and working their naked bodies in an intimate heat. It was as though they were capturing that last bit of summer heat. Based on the sweat they’d worked up, it was safe to say they succeeded.

“We’re doing it. We’re really…really doing it,” Cal said in the heat of the moment.

His impassioned words went beyond the sex. He and Brianna weren’t just making love. They were completing a journey that started at the beginning of the summer came into focus. While another one awaited them, it was a journey worth celebrating.

“Cal…I’m close,” Brianna said as the heat and the passion prepared to culminate. “I’m really…really close.”

“So am I,” he said, his voice laced with masculine grit.

“Let’s share this…together.”

“Together.”

As he and Brianna neared their final peak, they found themselves in the center of his bed. They were each in an upright position, their naked skin glowing under the light of the setting sun. She clung to his neck while rocking her hips with his, her throbbing womanhood slithering along his manly length. He clung to her hips, bracing himself for that coming release. He could tell she was close too.

The way her expression shifted and her body trembled made it clear. She was about to come. They were going to take a dip in that special ocean of ecstasy and they were going to dive in together. It was a challenge, coordinating their bodies and passions in just the right way. For a couple horny teenagers, it was next to impossible. For him and Brianna, it came together perfectly.

“Oohhh Cal!”

“Brianna!”

In a moment that felt like the ultimate Labor Day celebration, they both climaxed. It was almost simultaneous. His dick throbbed and his lower body trembled under the weight of his release. Brianna dug her nails into his neck, arched her back, and curled her toes as she got hers.

A wave of ecstasy washed over them.

A culmination of passions came pouring out.

Together, they lingered in that moment, holding and caressing one another. He didn’t say a word and neither did she. Their eyes and gasps told the entire story of their blossoming love. What began as a summer romance had become so much more. While Labor Day meant their summer vacation was over, their love was just beginning.

Once the orgasmic fervor passed, their flesh parted and they fell back onto the bed together. Cal kept her in his arms while she curled up next to him, resting her head on his chest. As they panted heavily, their bodies trembling within their intimate embrace, he gazed into her eyes. In a moment that was an entire summer in the making, he made his feelings for known.

“I love you,” he told her.

“I love you too,” Brianna replied, casting him another beaming smile.

“This…was a summer to remember.”

“That, it was. And we capped it off with a hell of a Labor Day!”

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Jack Fisher’s Sexy Sunday Thoughts: Labor Day 2019 Edition

sexy woman in work overalls with a wrench

Some holidays are cherished solely because they mean getting a day off work or school. There’s no elaborate decorations, gift exchanges, or social rituals. It’s just a day in which society collectively decides is a holiday. There’s nothing wrong with that. I’m all for having an extra day off work or school, but sometimes it undercuts the greater intent behind a holiday.

For many people, Labor Day is just some arbitrary holiday. However, it does have a noteworthy history here in the United States. As a kid, I certainly didn’t appreciate it. To me, Labor Day was just the day before I had to go back to school. Then, I became an adult and learned why this day became a holiday in the first place. In that sense, I’ve come to appreciate it more.

People work hard. Whether it’s to improve their lives or keep society going, we all have to do our part to keep this wondrous civilization going. Like all things, there’s a spectrum. It is possible to work too hard and miss out on life. It’s just as possible to work too little and not appreciate what we’ve collectively built as a species. A holiday like Labor Day helps put that into perspective.

It’s not just a day off. It’s a recognition of how far we’ve come, both as a civilization and as a society that values workers. At a time when wealth inequality is expanding all over the world, it’s an important lesson to learn. For that reason, I proudly dedicate this edition of my Sexy Sunday Thoughts to the spirit of Labor Day 2019 and all those who work hard to keep this world going. Enjoy!


“From an evolutionary standpoint, oral sex can’t be enjoyable beyond a certain point.”


“Time may heal all wounds and laughter may be the best medicine, but great sex will make you feel the healthiest.”


“The first love poem was probably an elaborate form of flirting that worked exceedingly well.”


“On some levels, dating is investing in a stock in which dividends are paid out in orgasms.”


“Boring sex is like cheap candy in that, even at its lowest quality, it’s still appealing.”


“When it comes to seeking love, your brain is basically the lawyer mediating your heart and genitals.”


“Being a fool for love is not the same as being an idiot trying to get laid.”


Once again, in the spirit of Labor Day, I hope everyone takes a moment to appreciate and respect the role of workers in our society. Without that labor, we literally would not have a society to function. In that sense, we’ve all earned a day off. To those who still have to work today, I sincerely thank you. Hopefully, we all get a chance to enjoy the fruits of our labor. As workers, we’ve earned it.

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Quick Announcement: Sexy Short Stories Plans

I know Saturday is usually when I post a sexy short story. I pride myself on being consistent with updates on this site and believe me, I’ve been working on those stories. I have plenty more to tell and I fully intend to share them.

This past week, however, a few things came up that kept me from finishing a story on time. One of those things actually involves another sexy short story that I’ve been writing for Labor Day. I know I already have a Labor Day themed story, but I wanted to write another. I thought I would finish it and have plenty of time to complete another one that I’ve been working on for over a week. Then, life happened and I couldn’t.

Rest assured, I will finish. I will keep posting these sexy short stories and sharing them. I apologize that I was unable to finish one for today. I hope to make up for it with the upcoming Labor Day story. I also hope the other story I’ve been working on is worth the wait.

Thanks for your understanding and your patience. Good things are worth waiting for. Sexy things are even more worth it. I hope to continually prove that with each story I write.

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Daily Sexy Musing: Romantic Systems

Happy couple

When it comes to love, having a system rarely evokes romantic connotations. If you heard a couple claim they had their relationship down to a system, you might think that sounds boring. You would imagine their relationship being defined by routine and regiments. On the surface, that doesn’t sound very sexy.

However, systems aren’t the same as routines. Systems have a different definition and it’s not restricted to technical support manuals or math problems. It is possible to build a relationship around a particular system. I would even argue that relationships with those systems are among the most functional relationships you can get.

I know this because I know couples who have honed their relationship into a well-oiled machine. They know how to relate to one another. They know how to resolve conflicts and share their lives. It even extends to their sex life. They’ll be the first to tell you that having a robust system in bed goes a long way towards a satisfying love life.

Every couple is different. Every couple will create their own system. Those who put in the time and effort can make one that works. It’s not easy. It’s not even possible for some couples, but when it works, it’s a beautiful thing and it’s worth celebrating. Consider this Daily Sexy Musing as a small part of that wonderful system. Enjoy!

I know the time.

I know the place.

I know your method.

I know your body and you know mine.

Our love is a work of art, encased within a scientific miracle. Like a well-oiled engine with unlimited fuel or a sculpture polished to perfection, we’ve done all the work. We’ve made all the tweaks. You know what I want and I know what you want. Together, we the tools and the scheme to make our love work.

What began with a spark has become a steady flame. Through time and toil, learning and listening, we worked together to make this love more than a fleeting passion. It wasn’t easy, nor should it have been. A love like this needs more than just old memories feeding new ones. It needs a method fueled by desire, sparked by longing.

We put in the effort.

We made the adjustments.

We exercised patience.

The results are as beautiful as they are satisfying.

Together, we make it work through the toughest of times. Then, when the times are good, we make them even better. It’s not just a process that we’ve mastered. It’s a foundation that we can build upon. Our love gave us the fire, but our system gave us the forge.

With it, a simple date can be a romantic moment.

With it, a quiet night can be a treasured memory.

With it, a normal day can evoke extraordinary feelings.

With you, I am greater than whole. To me, you are the great beyond brought within my reach. I can feel you without a touch and you know my love without words. There’s no doubt, dread, or uncertainty. In each other, there is trust.

Our love is an ongoing process.

Our love is a wondrous system.

More than anything else. Our love works.

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Daily Sexy Musing: Romantic Sparks

ff84b2007f4720b519e65f31020af95a

As an admitted romantic, I find it fascinating how people describe love. Beyond the sexier descriptions, there’s a lengthy list of metaphors and colloquialisms we use for various stages of love. Whether it’s the first time we lay eyes on someone we love or the way we feel on our 50th wedding anniversary, there’s a metaphor for everything.

One of my personal favorites involves love being a fury of sparks. You’ve probably heard it from more than one couple. Two people start hanging out. It’s not always love at first sight, but then chemistry emerges. They start enjoying each other’s company. The next thing they know, sparks fly and things get more intimate.

I like this description because I think it nicely mirrors the overall process of romance. It doesn’t happen all at once, but it’s not a slow burn, either. Every flame, be it a candle or a raging wildfire, starts with a spark. Not every spark turns into a healthy flame, but every flame needs that spark to get going. Love works in a similar way.

The sparks are the foundation. They’re the catalyst that ignites the chemistry. It’s what turns an otherwise platonic connection into something deeper. It often starts small, but it grows into something much bigger. That growth is where all the larger complexities of romance occur, but it starts with those sparks.

I’ve experienced it before with the relationships I’ve had. I’m sure many others have felt it, as well. It’s exciting and thrilling. It gets your heart, your thoughts, and other parts of your body racing. This Daily Sexy Musing is not going to match it, but I hope it gives everyone an appreciation for those simple sparks on which all great romances are built. Enjoy!

In a sea of figures, faces, and bodies, I feel lost. Everyone is so different, but so similar. Nothing they do seems to stand out. I walk by them and they walk by me, as though we’re just shadows cast by trees and hills. There’s no connection or bond. I’m totally adrift in a sea of people.

Then, our paths cross and I am no longer lost.

We know each other, but there’s nothing mundane about our connection. In a crowd, I can find you. In you, I don’t just see a face, a body, and a collection of mannerisms. I know your kinks, quirks, and secrets. You know mine, just as well. We don’t know them all, but we’re very curious.

From that curiosity comes new energy.

From that energy comes new intrigue.

From that intrigue comes new feelings.

At the center of those feelings is a fury of sparks that shoot out in all directions.

It’s there whenever I’m around you. The air gets a little hotter, the sun shines a little brighter, and every word we say gains greater meaning. Like a magnetic force or the pull of gravity, we’re drawn together. The closer we get, the more intense the sparks.

With them, our passions ignite.

With them, our souls connect.

With them, our lives entwine.

It starts small, but blossoms beautifully. Like fuel for an engine, our love is its own wondrous flame.

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Five Terrible Life Lessons I Learned From Sitcoms

featuuuure

As a kid, I loved cartoons and comics. I think I’ve made my love of superhero comics abundantly clear on multiple occasions. However, I had other guilty pleasures as a kid that weren’t as common. Among those pleasures were sitcoms.

I’m not just referring to the popular or iconic ones, either. There was a time in my life where I would literally watch any sitcom that happened to be on TV at the moment. It didn’t matter if the premise was stupid. I still watched and I still enjoyed it. I certainly have my favorites. “Married With Children” and “Malcom in the Middle” are near the top of that list.

A big part of that love came from how I consumed them. My awesome mother also enjoyed sitcoms. I often watched them with her. She even let me watch sitcoms with themes that weren’t exactly kid friendly. That didn’t stop us from laughing hysterically at episodes of “Seinfeld” together. Those were good times.

As fun as they were, I also feel like I gleaned some less-than-helpful lessons from those shows. Unlike cartoons or kids shows, sitcoms involve real people who deal with real situations. I wasn’t the smartest kid, but I knew a show that involved superheroes, killer robots, and talking turtles was wholly unrealistic. Most kids with functional brains know that.

Sitcoms were a bit trickier. When the people are real and the scenarios look real, your inexperienced can’t always make sense of it. Even as an adult, the message of a sitcom can become muddled, even if it’s not based on a ridiculous premise.

Since I probably watched more sitcoms as a kid than most people did as an adult, I think I’ve been exposed to those misguided messages more than most. As a result, I learned plenty of terrible life lessons that did not help when reality hit me with a few gut punches.

I’m not saying that sitcoms were the reasons for my problems, growing up. I don’t blame the sitcoms themselves. I think that, in terms of the bigger picture, the themes of these shows tend to get complicated when it clashes with reality. In the same way fairy tales and porn create unrealistic expectations of romance and sex, sitcoms present false assumptions for making sense of the world.

What follows are five of those terrible lessons that I surmised from my excessive sitcom assumption. If you have other lessons you’d like to add, please share them in the comments. Some sitcoms tell better lessons than others, but these are some of the worst.


Terrible Lesson #1: All Great Romances Begin As Friendships

This lesson preyed off my inherent love of romance. While superhero comics offered plenty in terms of in-depth romance and melodrama, sitcoms were a bit more limited, thanks to their half-hour format. It was a tough, but not insurmountable limitation. Unfortunately, a great many sitcoms relied heavily on flawed, incomplete concepts of romance.

The most common involved romances that begin as friendships. Shows like “Friends” built almost every meaningful romance around this concept. While it wasn’t the only sitcom that did this, it’s by far the worst offender in sending the message that an epic romance starts with a great friendship.

While that makes for good TV, it’s a very flawed approach in the real world. I’m not saying that being friends with someone can’t lead to meaningful romance. It definitely can. However, shows like “Friends” give the impression that this is the only romance that has true depth. Every other romance is just flat and uninspiring, by comparison.

In the real world, seeking friendship is a good thing, but using that as a pre-cursor to romance can come off as deceitful. Sometimes, a person wants a friend more than a love interest and if that’s the only reason you’re friends with them, then that just comes off as insincere and a little creepy.

That’s not to say that sitcoms don’t contain meaningful romance lessons. This just isn’t one of them.


Terrible Lesson #2: Everyone Always Has Ulterior Motives

Chief among the hallmarks of sitcoms are the conflicting motivations of the characters involved. Whether it’s Charlie Harper trying to hook up with a new woman in “Two and a Half Men” or Kelly Bundy trying to win a modeling gig in “Married With Children,” those motivations are rarely that complicated. The only conflict arises when they encounter others whose interests aren’t in line with theirs.

In a half-hour sitcom, there’s little room for characters whose agenda has nothing to do with that of the main characters. Unlike real life, everyone around these characters is either looking to help or thwart their efforts. There’s rarely anyone who just wants to live their life and doesn’t care if someone like Kelly Bundy gets a modeling gig for a pest control company.

While that makes logistical sense within the context of a sitcom, it has some nasty implications for the real world. It further fosters a mentality that anyone who isn’t helping you is actively opposing you. That us versus them mentality already brings out the worst in people, both in the real and fictional world.

At least in the fictional world, that mentality is somewhat justified. It often is the case that the people around you, including close friends and family, have ulterior motives. In many sitcoms, close family members are the ones who screw you over the worst. It’s not a healthy approach to dealing with the world. If you can’t trust your family, then who can you trust?


Terrible Lesson #3: Every Authority Figure Conspires Against You

When it comes to villains or antagonists, there isn’t much room for nuance in sitcoms. You’re not going to find a Walter White within those constraints. Most of the time, the bad guys in a story are painfully obvious. That, in and of itself, isn’t too big a problem. Villains don’t have to be complex to work, even in a sitcom.

However, if a sitcom does have a villain of any kind, it’s almost guaranteed to be an authority figure. They can be a parent, a teacher, or an older sibling. If they have even a shred of authority, no matter how arbitrary, you can assume they’re going to oppose the protagonists in some form or another.

Whether it’s Red Foreman clamping down on the pot smoking in “That 70s Show” or Lois being a tyrannical mom in “Malcom in the Middle,” the authority figures are always the problem. There’s really not much to their villainy. They exist solely to prevent the main characters from having fun and achieving their goals.

Now, I’m not going to claim authority figures can’t be corrupt. There are real cases of authority figures acting like real villains. There are also cases in which authority figures do genuine good. Whether it’s the leader of a country or the chief of a police unit, it is possible for someone to wield authority over others and not be an asshole.

If your understanding of authority comes solely from sitcoms, then that’s like claiming pigs can do algebra. It’s not just that power corrupts. In sitcoms, any kind of power corrupts and it does so completely. It’s as simplistic as it is absurd. In reality, there are authority figures worthy of respect and sitcoms seem to go out of their way to avoid that point.


Terrible Lesson #4: There’s Never A Reason For Someone Being A Bully

In the same way sitcoms present a simplistic view of authority and villains, they take an equally bland approach when it comes to villains. For the most part, bullies in sitcoms aren’t characters. They might as well be robots programmed to insult, denigrate, or annoy the main characters at every turn. There’s no deeper motivation beyond that. They’re just mean, unrepentant assholes.

Characters like Libby Chessler in “Sabrina The Teenage Witch” and Harley Keener in “Boy Meets World” don’t exist to give depth to a sitcom. As bullies, they’re function is to present obstacles and setbacks for others. Giving them a reason for being a bully, be it a personality disorder or past trauma, would hinder their ability to achieve that function.

While this makes sense in the context of plotting a sitcom, it grossly simplifies the concept of bullying. When it happens in the real world, it’s nothing like what we see in a sitcom. I know this because I dealt with bullies in my childhood. It did not play out like any sitcom I ever saw.

Bullies aren’t robots fueled by the whimpering cries of their victims. They are human beings too and while few will sympathize with them, few people are born bullies. They may not even see themselves as one. There are some deeper complexities to the mental makeup of a bully and sitcoms pretend those complexities don’t against.

Granted, it’s difficult for a half-hour TV show to explore and flesh out the personality of a bully. It’s considerably easier to make them an unlikable asshole who helps glorify the main characters. As a result, it’s easy to see bullies as blunt instruments rather than people you need to deal with in your day-to-day life. In such a complicated world full of complicated people, it’s bound to cause problems beyond losing lunch money.


Terrible Lesson #5: Hard Work Is For Suckers

Let’s not lie to ourselves. Growing up, we tend not to appreciate hard work. Most of us go out of our way to avoid it or when we can’t, we take the path of least resistance. Many sitcoms reflect this sentiment. They certainly aren’t the reason why people avoid hard work. That inclination existed long before sitcoms, but they do take it to extremes that can be both hilarious and asinine.

In the world of sitcoms, hard work is tantamount to waterboarding. From Lucy standing on an assembly line in “I Love Lucy” to the over-the-top slacker behavior that plays out in “Workaholics,” hard work is only a step down from bullies. It’s something every major character either avoids or gets crushed by.

Sitcoms build entire plots around characters looking for a way to get out of hard work. Francis in “Malcom in the Middle” is the personification of this struggle. He once spent an entire episode willingly distracting himself from an overdue history assignment. While characters like him often pay a price for their slacking, it’s rarely a worse alternative than hard work.

In the world of sitcoms, you only work hard if you have your dream job. Since most people don’t get their dream job, hard work is basically tantamount to defeat. That’s the main take-away from sitcoms. Anyone with just a small amount of life experience knows how flawed that is.

Even when I was working a part-time job in high school, I learned the value of hard work very quickly. It’s a means to an end. It’s something that, when done right, gives you a sense of accomplishment. While we all can’t approach it with the same passion as Hank Hill, it does have value and sitcoms would have you believe that value doesn’t exist.


I still enjoy sitcoms. I still watch them regularly when there aren’t superhero movies or TV shows to see. While they can be funny and entertaining, they can also present a very flawed concept of life, people, and how to handle it. There are a lot of bad lessons to be learned from even great sitcoms, but if they make us a laugh, then I say that’s a price worth paying.

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Jack Fisher’s Weekly Quick Pick Comic: Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11

There’s an old saying for those of us who have read Spider-Man comics for a good chunk of our lives. Behind every strong Spider-Man is a beautiful redheaded woman. Sure, sometimes that woman is a cute blonde or a skilled thief, but it’s the beautiful redheaded woman who often makes Spider-Man the iconic superhero he is.

If ever you’ve doubted that, then “Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11” should provide the definitive proof you’re looking for. Spider-Man, like many iconic heroes, derives as much of his strength from his supporting cast as he does his powers. For years, the bedrock of that power was his Aunt May. Then, Mary Jane Watson entered the picture and his bedrock hit the goddamn jackpot.

While their history, romantic and otherwise, has been convoluted by some rather infamous moments, Mary Jane Watson has proven to be one of the most integral components of Spider-Man’s story. It’s part of the reason why she’s his most iconic love interest and I say that as someone with the utmost respect for Gwen Stacy.

However, like many superhero love interests, Mary Jane often gets caught in the crossfire of Spider-Man’s heroic activities. There are times when she’s more damsel than lover and these days, that trope is prone to all sorts of unpleasantness.

It’s for that reason, and so many others, that “Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11” is uniquely satisfying in how it affirms Mary Jane’s role in Spider-Man’s life. She doesn’t just prove herself and look sexy while doing it. She tells a side of Spider-Man’s story that isn’t often told.

Writer, Tom Taylor, has given plenty for both Spider-Man and Peter Parker to do since he took over the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man series. For this issue, however, he keeps Peter Parker on the sideline. Superheroes need rest too and Mary Jane understands that. She also understands that being Spider-Man’s girlfriend requires more than just looking great in skin-tight outfits.

There are responsibilities, as well. Responsibility has always been a big part of the Spider-Man mythos, going all the way back to the days of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. It doesn’t just apply to Peter, though. Mary Jane has her own share of responsibilities and not just with respect to being a good girlfriend.

She narrates much of this issue. Taylor doesn’t rely heavily on melodrama or standard relationship issues. Much of the dynamic between her and Spider-Man resemble that of a couple who’ve already worked those issues out. They’re just two people, managing their lives, and doing their part.

For a couple whose romance is one of the most iconic in comic book history, that shouldn’t be such a novel concept. It really shouldn’t and yet, Taylor makes it feel like the most refreshing romantic sub-plot in years. That says more about the history of Spider-Man’s love life than it does anything else.

In addition to being the focus of the story, she finds herself in a situation that usually requires superpowers or billion-dollar gadgets to deal with. It’s not the most daunting situation she’s ever been in. There’s no Green Goblin or Sinister Six to deal with. Even so, it has all the traits of a conflict that usually requires her being rescued.

However, that’s not how it plays out. On top of showing why Mary Jane Watson is such a great superhero girlfriend, “Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11” proves she’s just as capable in those situations. She doesn’t have super-powers, unless you count being irresistible to heterosexual men. For this particular story, she doesn’t need them.

Whereas most civilians would just run at the sight of a threat that requires a suit of armor or a magic hammer, Mary Jane steps up to help. She still can’t do it alone, but she still finds a way to seem as capable as any experienced her.

It’s not just her choice. She sees it at her responsibility. It shows that Spider-Man has influenced her every bit as much as she has influenced him. That doesn’t just belabor why she’s so important to both Spider-Man and Peter Parker. It perfectly reflects the larger themes of Spider-Man, as a whole.

While the news surrounding Spider-Man’s movies are making all the headlines, comics like “Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11” prove why his story is so endearing. There have been countless comics that show Peter Parker rising to the occasion, fighting crazy super-villains, and saving the day. This comic shows how taking those responsibilities seriously help inspire others to do the same.

Mary Jane Watson may never win a fight against Rhino or the Green Goblin, but Taylor makes it abundantly clear that if she has the power to help in a situation, she won’t back down. She’ll fight when others run away. She’ll be strong when others can’t. She’ll look sexier than Peter Parker ever will in the process, but that’s more a bonus than a responsibility.

Throughout her history, Mary Jane Watson has shined in many ways, both on her own and as Spider-Man’s top love interest. A book like “Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11” might not be her most iconic moment, but it shows in a single issue why she’s such an amazing part of Spider-Man’s spectacular story.

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Daily Sexy Musing: College Sweethearts

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It’s that time of year again. As I write this, many new or returning college students are kicking off a new school year. It’s a stressful, but exciting time, especially if it’s your first time away from home. I certainly remember my college experience. I freely admit that one year of college taught me more than all four years of high school and not just with respect to knowledge.

College isn’t just about getting a diploma, getting away from parents, taking on heavy debt, or attending frat parties. At its core, college is often a critical step between adolescence and adulthood. It’s the last top on the highway to becoming a functional adult. Some make that transition better than others. Those who thrive often do so because they have help.

A big part of that help comes from college sweethearts. Talk to anyone who went to college and chances are they’ll speak fondly of their college sweetheart, even if they didn’t stay together. In the same way living on your own gives you a taste of adulthood, a college sweetheart gives two people a chance to have a relationship on their terms.

There’s no more sneaking around, avoiding parents, or trying to find private spaces to get frisky. In college, you have your own space. You have your own life. You get to decide whether or not to share it with someone. It’s a powerful feeling and one I know well. I had a girlfriend in college. Even though it only lasted about nine months, I learned a lot from her. That’s on top of the passionate moments we shared.

Not everyone is lucky enough to have a college sweetheart. Those that do know just how special they can be. It’s a true sign that you’re ready to be an adult and share that adult life with someone. I know college sweethearts that went onto get married. It’s a special kind of love and one that warrants a Daily Sexy Musing. Enjoy!

It’s a new phase of life. We both take a step into the adult world, but kept one foot in the domain of carefree youth. High school is behind us. College awaits. What it means and where it leads us is unclear, yet exciting. We navigate and endure it, not planning to fall in love.

Then, it happens.

As we enter our last step to adulthood, our paths cross.

As we begin to chart our futures, our lives become entwined.

As we contemplate what we want to be, we find a shared desire.

We’re still young and adventurous, but eager to grow and evolve. At times, we behave like reckless teenagers madly in love. We dare to be playful, laughing with foolish glee and carefree spirit. I hold your hand in public. You whisper sweet, lurid sentiments into my ear. Others look on in envy or bemusement. In our youthful mindset, we laugh it off.

However, there’s nothing immature about our love.

We are not just teenagers, discovering the thrills and upheavals of love. In you, I see both the future and the present. To be with you, from a simple kiss or heated lovemaking, is to expand my heart and open my soul. Sharing a moment is one thing. Sharing a live is quite another.

In college, we seek to find ourselves.

In college, we learn what drives our soul.

In college, we begin to build our own world.

By finding each other, we learn a lesson more profound than any class or diploma. Finding you, my college sweetheart, taught me something I never expected to learn. You tested my heart, my soul, and my ability to contemplate a new life. Thanks to your love, I pass that test with ease.

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Five Things I Hope To See In The Upcoming “Ms. Marvel” Show

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Every so often, I get news that excites me like a kid in a candy factory. It doesn’t happen often these days. As adults, it’s hard to get too excited when bills, the news, and traffic do plenty to dampen your spirits. Then, it happens and your world is better because of it.

This past weekend, I got a much-needed dose of that excitement. At Disney’s annual D23 Expo, Marvel Studios announced that they’re making a live-action Ms. Marvel TV show for their Disney+ streaming service. As someone who has praised Ms. Marvel’s comics and her contributions to female superheroes, I freely admit I jumped for joy when I saw this.

I know the news surrounding Disney hasn’t been good lately, given what has been happening with Spider-Man. I also know they’re in a bit of a transitional period after the conclusion of “Avengers: Endgame.” Despite these issues, Marvel Studios and their Disney overlords still want to make money. They’ve got plenty of high-profile movies on their slate, but this could end up being a bigger deal.

I say that as an unapologetic fan of Ms. Marvel and all things Kamala Khan. I also know that Disney is looking for any possible edge to promote their new streaming service and take a bite out of the market share that Netflix currently dominates. I admit I wasn’t planning on subscribing. Shows about She-Hulk, the Scarlet Witch, Vision, and Moon Night sound fun, but not enough to justify the cost.

That all changed with Ms. Marvel. As far as I’m concerned, she’s the only reason I’ll be getting or keeping a Disney+ subscription. There’s a lot to unpack with this announcement. I doubt I’ll cover all of it here, but for now, I’d like to take some time to articulate the extent of my excitement.

To that end, I’d like to share five things I hope to see in this upcoming series. Kamala Khan is one of those characters who can capture the heart, soul, and spirit of the superhero genre. Her entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe couldn’t be better. These are just some of the things that could make it even more marvelous.


Number 1: The (Many) Quirks That Make Kamala Khan Lovable

Any TV show, comic book, movie, or video game involving Kamala Khan must make its first priority to capture the essence of what makes her so endearing. Being a superhero is only small part of her overall story. What makes Kamala great is the many little things that define who she is.

She’s not just a teenager who gets superpowers and decides to start fighting criminals. She’s a self-professed fangirl. She loves playing video games, eating gyros, and writing fan fiction. These quirks are small, but numerous. They’re real things that people in the real world can relate to. That makes it easy to understand and appreciate her passions.

When I first read about Kamala in “Ms. Marvel #1,” I immediately grew to like her. She came off as the kind of girl I would’ve been friends with in high school. She presents herself as someone who behaves how you would expect a teenage girl to behave in a world where superheroes existed. She has a good family, a good heart, and an adventurous spirit. How can you not love that?

She’s also an outsider and not just because she’s a Pakistani Muslim girl living in Jersey City. Like most teenagers, she’s uncertain of her place in the world. She struggles with real issues, even before she gets superpowers. Those issues stay with her, even as she develops her superhero identity. It makes her easy to like and even easier to root for.

A TV show can’t just focus on her beating up bad guys and making witty one-liners. Plenty of other superheroes already do that, some better than others. It has to highlight, if not belabor, the distinct traits that have helped make her one of Marvel’s most successful female characters. There’s a lot to love and with a TV show, there’s plenty of room to explore it.


Number 2: Relatable Teenage Melodrama (Compounded By Being A Superhero)

Along with the traits that make Kamala Khan so lovable, there’s also the unavoidable battle that is teenage melodrama. Everyone faces it. Superpowers don’t make you immune to it. The last two Spider-Man movies have made that abundantly clear. A TV show provides more time and flexibility to flesh out that melodrama.

In the first few issues of Ms. Marvel’s comic series, which I highly recommend, she deals with a lot of teen angst and uncertainty. In fact, that sentiment is the very thing that prompts her to defy her parents and sneak out at night to a party that would ultimately end with her getting superpowers. In a very literal sense, teenage melodrama helped make Ms. Marvel who she is.

She’s not sure of where she fits in. She clashes with her parents. She argues with her friends. She also is starting to have feelings about other boys, which have made for some wonderfully sweet moments. She deals with all of this on top of being a superhero.

Like a young Peter Parker before her, these different aspects of her life often clash. One tends to undermine the other and it does plenty to overwhelm her at times. That often brings out the best in her and any TV show would be wise to present those moments.


Number 3: The Family And Supporting Cast That Help Make Her Who She Is

Like every major hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ms. Marvel’s greatest strengths often stem from her supporting cast. Tony Stark wouldn’t have achieved what he did without Pepper Potts. Carol Danvers wouldn’t have accomplished what she did without Nick Fury and Goose the Cat. Kamala Khan is no different.

In “Ms. Marvel #1,” we learn plenty about Kamala’s supporting cast. She has two loving parents who tend to be overprotective of her. She has an uptight brother named Aamir, who tends to intrude into Kamala’s personal life more than most siblings. She also has a friend/love interest in Bruno who had a front-row seat in seeing her become Ms. Marvel.

Each one of these characters helps shape Kamala into who she is, before and after she gets her powers. They support her, but they also complicate her efforts. While none of them have to die for her to be the hero she strives to be, they all make their on contributions to her story. In the same way Superman’s parents guided his heroic journey, Kamala’s friends and family informed hers.

Unlike Superman, Kamala endured a pretty rocky road to establishing herself. However, at no point did her creator, G. Willow Wilson, give the impression that her friends and family were just background decorations. They all care for her. They worry for her. They all want what’s best for her, even when they’re rarely on the same page.

A TV show featuring Kamala has to capture at least part of that family/friend dynamic. Even a fraction of Kamala Khan’s supporting cast from the comics can do plenty to make for a rich, engaging TV show.


Number 4: The Struggles (And Triumphs) Of A Growing Hero

There’s no getting around it. Kamala Khan screwed up more than once when she started off her superhero career in the comics. While she managed to save one life the first time she used her powers, she ended up getting shot the second time. Even before that, she struggled to master her powers in ways that were both understandable and hilarious.

It’s a critical part of every superhero’s journey. With new challenges come new struggles. Some of those struggles devolve into outright failures. Even the best heroes fail sometimes and Kamala had more than her share in the comics. Any TV show that tells the story of her journey cannot and should not gloss over those struggles.

With Kamala, however, the struggles matter even more than the triumphs. While many heroes may lament at their failure, Kamala tends to get a lot more animated. She’s passionate about what she does and has a tendency to wear those passions on her sleeve. It’s part of what makes her lovable. It also reminds everyone that she’s still a teenager. She’s still growing and maturing.

One of the things I love most about Ms. Marvel comics is seeing her grow with each passing story. The first dozen issues had more growth for Kamala than the last 100 issues of Amazing Spider-Man. Along the way, there were missteps, heartbreaks, and victories. They all just made me want to root for Kamala even harder and if a TV show can accomplish that, it’ll do plenty to justify a Disney+ subscription.


Number 5: A Vision For Young (Idealistic) Heroes In A World That Needs Them

From the beginning, Kamala Khan connected with fans like me because she radiated this ideal spirit that a lot of people once had in their youth. Time, age, and watching too much news has a way of crushing that idealism over time, but most of us still remember why it was so important to us.

As Ms. Marvel, Kamala carried herself as the kind of young, idealistic hero that many of Marvel’s traditional heroes grew out of years ago. The comics, themselves, became jaded as the very act of heroism gained major complications, both from events within the stories and influences from the real world. That’s part of what made Kamala a breath of fresh air.

She might be young, naïve, and impressionable, but she’s also exactly what we need right now. The MCU just suffered some devastating losses. The world, as a whole, is still recovering from the events of “Avengers: Endgame.” This world still needs heroes. Even though it still has plenty, it doesn’t have someone like Ms. Marvel.

She can be the hero that emerges from the chaos of this broken world and shows what dedicated heroes can accomplish. She can show everyone that, even in the face of heavy losses and broken hearts, there’s a place for pure, uncorrupted heroics. You don’t need to be a billionaire playboy genius philanthropist, either. You can just be a teenage Pakistani American girl from Jersey city.


I cannot overstate how excited I am for Ms. Marvel to get her own show. I imagine I’ll be writing about it a lot once it comes out. There’s a lot I hope to see for this show, the comics, and the MCU. If Marvel Studios can capture even a fraction of what makes Ms. Marvel great, then the future of that world and ours will be that much brighter.

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Jack Fisher’s Sexy Sunday Thoughts: Manly Musk Edition

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Anytime someone mentions men’s body odor, it’s rarely in a positive context. People only ever seem to talk about how men smell when they smell bad. It’s not just women who do it, either. Other men are guilty of this as well. I’m even guilty of it from time to time. I’ve even been accused of going overboard with aftershave on more than one occasion.

It doesn’t change the fact that men have a distinct musk. Put a blindfold on most people and sit them in a room with a smelly person and chances are, they’ll be able to tell whether that person is a man or woman. It’s not just a product of marketing for overpriced aftershave. Musk is a real biological phenomenon and it has real effects, which includes the very sexy kind.

Musk is very distinct from odor. A man who rolls around in cow shit all day is going to have an odor. A man who works hard over the course of the day, earning his keep and providing for his loved ones, is going to have a musk. My dad had one every time he came home from work. I know I have one, especially during the summer months. Friends and ex-girlfriends have told me as such.

A good, manly musk is one of those subtle, yet powerful manifestations of sex appeal that doesn’t get enough credit. I hope that changes over time. When done right, both women and gay men do take notice of a good, manly musk. It helped inspire this batch of my Sexy Sunday Thoughts. I hope it inspires more than that. Enjoy!


“Logically speaking, a happy ending also counts as testing orgasmic reflexes.”


“Spicy foods are basically BDSM for your mouth.”


“Is it ever possible to effectively punish a masochist?”


“How someone takes care of their genitals says just as much as how they tend to their lover.”


“Having a good lover is like having a favorite show, but having a good marriage is like having a favorite channel.”


“Does a three-way with twins truly count as a three-way?”


“Technically, rough sex can be a form of tough love.”


Smell is a powerful sense, but one we tend to only think about when something smells either really good or really bad. I’m all for good hygiene and grooming, but I’m also for preserving the more subtle forms of sex appeal. A man can do a lot to make himself sexually appealing. A good musk can and should be part of that noble effort.

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