The following is a review I wrote for PopMatters for X-Men Red #11.
Jean Grey Exercises the Power of Emotional Intelligence in ‘X-men Red #11’
December 17, 2018 · 8:47 pm
How “Into The Spider-Verse” Embodies The Best Aspects Of Superhero Movies (And Sets Up A Promising Future)
In the modern era of superhero movies, Spider-Man is one of the bedrock franchises that has guided the genre through its journey from niche market to global box office dominance. Alongside the first “X-men” movie, Sam Raimi’s original “Spider-Man” is credited with ushering in this golden age of superhero cinema.
It has been a bumpy road at times. We had high points with “Spider-Man 2” and not-so-high points with “Amazing Spider-Man 2.” Regardless of how these movies fared, the story of Peter Parker shouldering the power and responsibilities of Spider-Man has become ingrained in pop culture. We still could’ve done without that awful dance scene, though.
Given all the weight Spider-Man has for the genre, a movie like “Into The Spider-Verse” has a lot going for it and just as much working against it. The story of Peter Parker has been done, redone, and overdone so much that it feels like there’s no room left for nuance. Well, “Into The Spider-Verse” definitively proves there’s still untapped potential and it runs even deeper than anyone thought.
I don’t want to spoil much about this movie, but I will spoil this. “Into The Spider-Verse” is every bit as awesome as critics and audiences alike have said. It’s a truly groundbreaking achievement for superhero movies, animation, and the Spider-Man franchise. The fact that it managed to do this without being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe makes that accomplishment all the more remarkable.
This movie succeeds on so many levels. It takes a concept drawn directly from the comics and expands on it, creating a whole new world in which all things Spider-Man do not revolve entirely around Peter Parker. That’s not a typo, by the way. This is a Spider-Man movie in which Peter Parker is not the main driving force of the story.
It’s this kid.
He’s still there. He still plays a major part in the story. However, this movie is a story about Miles Morales. Those who follow the comics will recognize that name. He’s not just some unknown character who gets thrust into a central role in the vein of the “Ghostbuster” reboot. Miles has a fairly comprehensive history going back to 2011 and this movie captures the heart of that history perfectly.
Miles is not like Peter in many ways. Beyond the fact that he’s half-black, half-Latino, and the nephew of a dangerous super-villain, his powers are slightly different. His personality is different, as well. He’s not the same nerdy dork that Peter Parker was, but he is very much an outsider who struggles to fit in.
Miles has more confidence, but not in the arrogant hipster Andrew Garfield sort of way. He’s someone who isn’t sure of who he wants to be or where he wants his life to go. On one hand, he’s got his parents who want him to aspire to something greater than a life in Brooklyn. On the other, he has influences like his Uncle Aaron pulling him down a darker path.
Him getting bit by a radioactive spider only compounds these conflicting forces. Part of what makes Miles work when other would-be Spider-Man replacements failed is that his struggle feels genuine. He never comes off as a rip-off or a substitute. What makes Miles a Spider-Man worth rooting for is how Peter Parker inspires him to take on that responsibility.
The comics went about that in one particular way that worked brilliantly. “Into The Spider-Verse” utilizes a different, but similar approach that’s every bit as compelling. Peter Parker has a major influence, but the movie throws in many other influences that send Miles down the path to becoming Spider-Man.
Some of those influences come in the form of other famous alternate-version Spider-Man characters, including the likes of Spider-Gwen and Spider-Ham. “Into The Spider-Verse” manages to give them their own stories that show how they fit into the greater Spider-Man mythos, but for Miles, they embody the responsibility before him.
Like Peter, and so many other Spider-Man characters, he’s initially reluctant to bear that burden. Over the course of the movie, he endures plenty of agonizing decisions and crippling self-doubt. He struggles in ways that we’re not used to seeing Spider-Man struggle, but that’s exactly why “Into The Spider-Verse” works so well in the current landscape of superhero movies.
Going back to the first “Iron Man” movie, we’ve come to expect struggles and setbacks from our heroes. Miles has a lot more than most and not just because of his youth or inexperience. He has huge shoes to fill and the history of characters filling the shoes of iconic heroes is mixed at best.
By the end of the movie, though, Miles effectively proves that he’s worthy of being Spider-Man. He deserves a spot in the greater Spider-Man mythos. It doesn’t have to revolve entirely around Peter Parker. For some Spider-Man fans, that may seem outrageous. “Into The Spider-Verse” shows that there’s plenty of room for characters like Miles.
How it goes about this has greater implications for the future of superhero movies than it does for the present. I would even go so far as to say that “Into The Spider-Verse” might end up being a major turning point for the superhero genre because of how it tells Miles’ story alongside that of Peter Parker.
Aside from just raising Miles’ profile, “Into The Spider-Verse” does something that is overdue for Peter Parker’s story. Specifically, it ages him. The Peter Parker in this story is not some wide-eyed kid with Tom Holland’s baby face. He’s an older, more jaded version of Peter who has made mistakes and lost confidence in himself, as often happens to those who survive to middle age.
The look of a man who has fought one too many muggers.
It’s part of the paradox of heroism that I’ve mentioned before in that many popular superheroes aren’t allowed to age beyond a certain point. In fact, that was cited as the primary reason for breaking up Spider-Man’s marriage to Mary Jane Watson in the comics. Aging a hero beyond the mold Frank Miller’s version of Batman just seems like a dead end.
“Into The Spider-Verse” makes the case that this doesn’t have to be the case. Peter Parker can grow up and even endure a mid-life crisis. For a character who has been around since the early 1960s, it almost feels overdue. His struggle doesn’t have to be the end of his story. If anything, it helps further Miles’ ascension to becoming the new Spider-Man.
It’s a theme that has played out in the comics more recently. Older heroes are inspiring a new crop of younger heroes. Miles Morales was among the first. Others like Kamala Khan and Riri Williams have followed. It feels like a natural progression of the superhero archetype, inspiring others to take up the responsibility and aspire to something greater.
Miles Morales isn’t a replacement for Peter Parker. He’s a supplement to the greater Spider-Man mythos and “Into The Spider-Verse” establishes how well this can work. His story is every bit as endearing as Peter’s, but without supplanting him. As such, it provides a new template for superhero movies in the future.
Not every story has to rely on rehashing and revamping iconic characters from the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby/Steve Ditko era. It’s possible for new characters to emerge without replacing older ones. The world of superheroes can grow and evolve with subsequent generations. It’ll have to and not just because of actors’ contracts expiring.
If I had to score “Into The Spider-Verse,” I would give it an 8 out of 10. It’s a great movie, but it does have some shortcomings. They’re very minor. The pacing of the movie is erratic at times and the designs for certain characters, namely Kingpin and Scorpion, have room for improvement. It never feels chaotic or disconnected, though. The movie has a unique artistic style that fits perfectly with the story.
Every now and then, someone will claim that superhero movies will one day go the way of the western. That may still happen at some point, but “Into The Spider-Verse” shows that there are whole new paths to explore and they have to exist in the MCU. This movie is an incredible achievement beyond just being a great superhero movie and one I hope inspires others for years to come.
Also, the tribute to Stan Lee at the end will bring a tear to your eyes. Be certain of that.
Jack Fisher’s Sexy Sunday Thoughts: Peppermint Candy Edition
We’re in the heart of the holiday season now. This is the time when people generally stop whining about seeing Christmas displays in shopping malls and just start enjoying the ambiance. Every year, it seems to get a little longer for that whining to die down, but when it does, the spirit of the season really sets in.
Part of that spirit involves the various candy and treats that coincide with the holidays. Coming from a family of talented chefs, I’ve always had a soft spot certain treats. In the same way pumpkin spice lets me know that fall has arrived, the abundance of peppermint flavored candy and treats help affirm that the holidays are truly here.
Now, I don’t consider myself that big a peppermint fan. I still enjoy it and will occasionally indulge in some peppermint candy, but I won’t say it’s my favorite. It’s one of those truly seasonal tastes that just doesn’t fit with other times of year. I still appreciate it for what it is and the season it represents.
With the spirit of the season in full swing and plenty of festive treats to choose from, I gladly single out peppermint for this week’s edition of my Sexy Sunday Thoughts. That extra fresh taste in your mouth goes a long way towards becoming more kissable and more eager to kiss, in general. For an erotica/romance fan, you can’t get much more festive than that. Enjoy!
“When you think about it, there isn’t that much difference between making your lover climax and hacking a computer.”
“Sometimes, you fall in love with a person, but other times, you fall in love with their financial situation.”
“Kids with active imaginations are more likely to become adults with elaborate kinks.”
“The lipstick industry probably owes a good chunk of its sales to oral sex.”
“Depression is one of the few feelings that can be both the cause of and reason for a lack of sex.”
“Fantasizing about your lover is like giving them a cameo in your wet dreams.”
“To some extent, puberty is your sex appeal under construction.”
I hope that puts everyone in the mood to take advantage of the glut of holiday candy we’ll be seeing for the next couple weeks, among other things. Even if you’re not a fan of peppermint, it’s still an excuse to eat more candy and in my experience, nobody can get into a sexy mood on an empty stomach. Uniquely flavored candy just makes that mood more festive.
Filed under Sexy Sunday Thoughts
“Naughty Nora” A Sexy Short Holiday Story
The following is a sexy short story I wrote to help get everyone in the holiday spirit, among other things. Enjoy!
Most kids stopped believing in Santa Claus at some point. Some never believed in him to begin with. They still celebrate the spirit of Christmas, but there was nothing fanciful or supernatural about it. As adults, they see it as just another holiday, albeit one that involves elaborate decorations and gift giving.
While that shift was understandable to some extent, it came at the cost of something critical to Christmas. A key part of believing in Santa was the idea of him keeping a list, tracking who’d been naughty or nice over the course of the past year. Good kids got presents. Bad kids got a lump of coal. It was a simple, concise morality lesson that often got lost once belief in Santa ends.
Nora Rael-Nagle was among the few who’d clung to it, but for reasons that had nothing to do with childhood nostalgia.
“He’s making a list…checking it twice…gonna find out who’s naughty or nice,” Nora sang playfully. “With girls like me, you don’t need to check twice.”
As she descended the stairs of the opulent home she shared with her very wealthy husband, she hummed various holiday music to herself. It was almost midnight on Christmas Eve, a time when children were most restless. Nora was restless too, but for very different reasons.
“I still believe,” she said to herself. “I know I shouldn’t. I’m an adult woman with big tits, a round ass, and sexy legs I just can’t keep closed. I just can’t help it. I believe in you, Santa.”
Her tone was a perfect blend of childlike excitement and naughty seduction. Her demeanor had an eagerness that she reserved for just one night of the year. She even chose to be festive with her attire, wearing only a revealing red nighty and matching silk panties. She knew the big guy was watching. She wanted him to watch.
Feeling his eyes on her, Nora casually strode through the spacious halls of the opulent estate. An army of maids and butler had decorated the house with plenty of holiday attire, including a 9-foot Christmas tree in the main living room on the first floor. She’d coaxed her husband – a man nearly twice her age, but still very receptive to a beautiful woman’s allure – to go all out every year during the holidays. Being the dutiful husband he was, he obliged her. However, her reason for wanting decorations were more personal.
Upon arriving in the living room, she saw that the tree was already lit with an array of Christmas lights. That, in and of itself, was telling because she remembered turning them off before going to bed with her husband. The blinds on the windows were also closed, as if to shroud the room in a protective cloak.
That didn’t bother Nora in the slightest. After all, the true magic of Christmas often went unseen. It was still there. It just required a special kind of belief to experience it.
“You probably already know, but I’ve been naughty again, this year…very naughty,” Nora said to the empty room. “I’m still sleeping with the neighbor’s son…the one who’s engaged. I also slept with my sister’s fiancé at his bachelor party. On top of that, he didn’t even know it was me because I was wearing a wig.”
The room remained silent, the only sound coming from the cold winds outside. Nora remained undeterred, though. Now standing in front of the well-lit Christmas tree, she recounted more of her naughty deeds.
“Not everything involved me getting naked,” she went on. “This past spring, I ran over my neighbor’s dog and convinced him to blame the gardener. He got fired on the spot. I stole an $800 handbag from a store because I forgot my credit card. I lied to my parents when I said I couldn’t come home for my Aunt Marilyn’s funeral. I told them I was sick, but I was just hung over and had planned a trip to Cabo that week.”
One-by-one, she recounted a full year of misdeeds. She had a long list of confessions, full of lies, debauchery, and selfishness. She regretted plenty, but only to a point. It was hard to feel too much remorse when much of her life had been one free pass after another.
Nora didn’t deny that she’d been born ahead of the curve. In addition to having great legs, big breasts, and a healthy libido, she came from a wealthy family that pampered her to no end. They imposed few rules and fewer punishments. She gotten away with things few others could, rarely facing major consequences for her actions. The only thing her family ever wanted for her was to marry into a better family, which she did the first chance she got.
Her husband was even less restrictive, though. Nora suspected he knew about her decadent streak. That might have even been why he’d married her in the first place. He just didn’t care. Nobody cared that she was so naughty. In her world, Santa Claus was the only one who gave a damn whether someone was naughty or nice.
For reasons too kinky to make sense of, even for her, that had an effect. As a girl, it gave her a unique appreciation for Christmas. It also connected her with the spirit of the season in a unique way.
“But I don’t need to tell you all the naughty things I’ve done,” Nora said. “You already know what I’ve done. You know I don’t deserve any presents and a lump of coal just isn’t going to cut it. For someone as naughty as me, you’ll need a special kind of holiday magic.”
Again, there was only silence in response. Then, she sensed it.
The air in the room suddenly got hotter.
The lights on the Christmas tree flickered.
A strange noise echoed from the empty fireplace, which wasn’t even connected to a chimney. Nora shuddered with a new kind of excitement, one that was mostly concentrated between her legs. She swore she could hear the echo of sleigh bells outside. That convinced her that the man she’d been waiting all year for had arrived.
“Ho, ho, ho…my naughty ho!” said a booming voice.
The lights on the tree flickered again. The air around her go so hot, especially between her legs. A year’s worth of naughtiness has invited the one figure who dared to punish her for her deeds.
“Santa?” she said, still fixated on the tree.
“Turn around, Nora,” said the voice.
Nora hated being told what to do, but she gladly made an exception.
As soon as she turned, she saw an ominous white mist emerge from the fireplace. Like a cloud with a mind of its own, it quickly grew. The line between the real world and the world of magic blurred, as often happened around the holidays. Rather than fear, Nora grew excited and not just from the sight of something that defied the laws of physics.
From the misty cloud, a familiar figure took shape. The magic of the season took form and substance…a magic most didn’t believe even existed, but Nora still did. As such, the figure that appeared within the mist was every bit as real as her naughty deeds.
He appeared first as a shadow, but took human form as the mist faded. The man that appeared before her was as recognizable to her as he was to any child. He had the big red coat, the long white beard, and the iconic red hat. Most importantly, in her particular case, he bought his big red sack…a sack she knew was not full of toys.
“Every year, Nora,” he said in his jovial tone. “Every year you find your way to the top of my naughty list. You don’t even try anymore. It’s as though you enjoy being naughty.”
“What can I say, Santa?” Nora said with an innocent shrug. “I’m just an inherently naughty girl.”
“A naughty girl who insists on believing long after any child. Most don’t dare tempt the spirit of the season…especially those who knows what Santa does to those who are extra naughty.”
“The fact that I know only makes being naughty that much more tempting.”
“Then, I need not explain why you deserve what Santa is about to do to you.”
A very jolly grin formed on his face. He then dropped the big red sack in front of him. More magic followed and all Nora could do was brace herself while still trying to contain her excitement.
Like the misty cloud before it, the sack took on a life of its own, opening as though invisible hands were at work. From within the velvet-red sack, a large red bow – the kind typically placed atop large presents – floated up into the air. Then, as Santa’s jolly grin grew wider, the bow magically untied itself and shot out towards her like tendrils from an octopus.
Nora barely had a chance to react. First, one part of the bow wrapped itself around her wrists, bounding them tightly and pulling her arms up over her head. After that, the other end of the bow removed her nighty and pulled down her panties, rendering her completely naked before the big jolly icon of Christmas.
“Ho, ho!” Santa laughed. “I can see why you’re so tempted, Nora. With a bosom and buttocks like yours, naughtiness tends to find you.”
“You have no idea, Santa,” Nora said.
“Ah, but I do! Remember, I check my list twice.”
As if to affirm how well he knew her, he waved his hand and the bow stream reacted. Her hands and wrists still bound, the stream swirled around her body before wrapping itself around her arms and legs, tightening its hold on her. Eventually, her hands ended up being her back, but her breasts and inner thighs remained exposed.
It happened so quickly, utilizing forces that only came around once a year. It still took Nora aback, but in a way that excited and aroused her. For every other day of the year, she was the one who tied up others and bent them to her will. Her beauty, her family ties, and her wealth gave her so much leverage over others. Everybody was just too afraid to subdue her so completely and dominate her.
None of that applied to Santa Claus, though. Armed with the magic of Christmas and a complete knowledge of her naughty deeds, he was the only man who could make her submit. Like the holiday season itself, the fact that it was so rare made it so special.
“Naughty girls often learn their lesson once I give them their lumps of coal,” Santa said. “For those who grow up to become naughty women, I must use other means to dissuade their misdeeds.”
“Do they work?” Nora teased seductively.
“For the few who still believe in the magic of Christmas, it gets the point across. For cases such as you, Nora…well, sometimes naughtiness can only be tempered with a special kind of spirit.”
With another hand gesture, the large red bow that remained wrapped around her naked body came to life again, applying force like a dozen hands pushing on her. It quickly forced her down onto her knees, a position she’d been in many times over the course of the past year. However, she’d never been in that position on someone else’s terms.
Still secure in his festive hold on her, Santa approached her, his portly form casting a large shadow. Upon reaching her, he undid his large black belt buckle and dropped his red pants to the floor, revealing a huge, jolly endowment that was perfectly proportional to his jovial size.
“Fuck! That spirit does wonders for your dick,” Nora said. “It’s even bigger than it was last year!”
“Such naughty language from such a naughty girl,” said Santa. “I say we wash that mouth of yours out with some Christmas joy!”
Whether by magic or the presence of a naked woman bound by holiday streamers, the jolly old man’s member began stiffening almost instantly. As it grew before her eyes, he grasped her chin with one hand and guided his dick to her mouth. Being the naughty girl she was, Nora eagerly opened her mouth and awaited Santa’s joy.
He delivered, as only Santa Clause could, thrusting his festive endowment into her mouth. It tested both her reflexes and her jaw muscles, more so than the many other men she’d blown over the years. Nora embraced the strain, though. Being such a naughty girl, she deserved it. Once she had his jolly cock in her mouth, she began sucking it with some holiday spirit of her own.
“Ho, ho, ho!” said Santa. “It’s a miracle! A naughty girl’s deeds becomes so nice!”
The spirit of the season was fully stoked, so to speak. With one hand still gripping her head, he guided the pace of her oral sex. Back and forth, her head rocked as her lips slithered along the length of Santa’s manhood. With each movement, his member swelled, becoming larger and more erect. It further strained her jaw muscles, but Nora kept sucking like the good naughty girl she was.
Being bound left her so vulnerable, having to cater to the whims of the jolly fat man in front of her. Something about that feeling – confronting her lurid behavior, accepting punishment from one who could subdue her so easily – just seemed so fitting. Having rarely experienced it during other times of the year, it made Christmas that much more exciting. Along with that excitement came arousal. The longer she sucked Santa’s cock, the wetter her pussy became.
As her arousal escalated, Santa’s became exceedingly jolly. His grip on her head intensified. She could tell by the way his massive member twitched inside her mouth that he was close. Being so naughty, he didn’t even warn her when he released his festive load into her throat. A load of thick manly fluid – which, fittingly enough, had a peppermint-flavored aftertaste – shot right into her gullet.
“That’s the spirit, Nora! Taste Santa’s joy!” Santa said with extra jolliness.
Nora did what the big man asked, licking up every drop. When he pulled out, finally allowing her to catch her breath, she gasped sharply. Traces of seminal fluid still dropped down her chin, but she remained very spirited. Looking up at Santa, his erect dick still hovering around her face, she flashed another naughty smile.
“Mmm…my favorite Christmas treat,” Nora said in a festive daze. “Am I back on the nice list, yet?”
“Ho, ho! Far from it, Nora,” Santa laughed. “For once such as you, I must impart some extra Christmas spirit.”
With another wave of his hand, the bow streams still wrapped around her body went to work again, putting her in another position with which to receive Santa’s special gift to naughty girls. She was moved around like a rag doll, the bow stream pushing her legs apart in the process. She eventually ended up on her hands and knees, her heart-shaped butt pointed up at the jolly old like a perfectly-wrapped present.
“I see the spirit has already affected parts of your body, Nora,” Santa said, “but for one such as you, I must employ the full magic of the North Pole.”
“Yes! Please, Santa…fill me with that pole,” Nora gasped.
He laughed jovially again, her naughty tone encouraging him even more. The bow streams pushed her legs apart even more as Santa’s gloved hand grabbed hold of her hips. Then, as she remained bound on all force, he guided his still-erect member towards her wet entrance and thrust it into her feminine depths.
A chorus of naughty and nice moans echoed throughout the room. Nora, her arms still tied behind her back, could only bury half her face into the soft rug, feeling her world rock under the light of the Christmas tree. Santa’s hard, jovial flesh slithered within her folds, sending surges of intoxicating sensations throughout her body.
“Oohhh, Santa!” Nora exclaimed. “That’s it! I’m naughty! So fucking naughty!”
“Ho, ho, ho! Yes, Nora! Yes, you are!” Santa said as he rocked her body with every movement.
He dominated her body and spirit so thoroughly. It was as though the weight of her naughtiness helped weigh her down, unable to use the influence of her husband’s wealth or the beauty she so effectively wielded. She was a naughty woman and Santa did not overlook that naughtiness, nor did she want him to.
Being dominated and bound, at the mercy of a jolly old man and his magic, was a special feeling. Between the size of his endowment and the holiday spirit that supplemented every movement, the pleasure felt uniquely festive.
“Santa! I feel…the spirit…coming!” Nora cried out with increasing fervor.
“Of course you do, Nora! Of course you do!” Santa laughed.
The red streams that had bound her body tightened, as if to keep her hold her in place for her coming release. It hit her like a Christmas miracle, a powerful orgasm that rendered her paralyzed with pleasure. It was like the spirit of the season possessing her, turning all that naughty behavior against her for one powerful moment.
“Oohhh Santa!” she exclaimed with a cry that echoed all the way to the North Pole.
Her body shuddered, her back arching and her toes curling under the onslaught of ecstasy. It rendered her even more enchanted by Santa’s magic. At that point, she might as well have been drunk on the sweetest fruits of the holiday.
“More cheer, Nora! A naught girl needs more cheer!” he said to her.
Even as her body trembled from orgasmic bliss, Santa continued ravaging her with his spirit-laden Christmas. He kept rocking her body, working his big old candy cane within her depths. The bliss that followed just sent her deeper into a holiday daze. Nora wasn’t sure how many times she came after that. She just knew that she remained at the mercy of Santa’s holiday prowess.
The streams around her body kept her in place, shifting her occasionally so Santa could ravage her from as many angles as he desired. He was as thorough as he was with his list, hitting every sensitive spot within her once and then hitting it twice for good measure. For such a big man, he had such miraculous stamina. It helped him build towards the ultimate Christmas miracle.
“Santa is ready, Nora!” he said with a beaming grin. “Prepare to be filled with true spirit!”
“Yes, Santa!” Nora exclaimed. “Fill me up! Fill me…with your…spirit!”
The big man used his size and weigh to his full advantage, delivering the last few round of gifted thrusts before crossing the final threshold. Upon reaching is North Pole, so to speak, he let out one more round of joyous laughter as he filled her with his holiday cum. Like the season itself, it had a unique flavor that filled her with a special kind of warmth.
Just as before, he made sure to inject every last drop. A girl as naughty as her needed all the spirit he could offer. Once the miracle was complete, the jolly old man withdrew his festive member from her and pulled up his pants.
“Your punishment is complete, naughty Nora. Do you feel true meaning of Christmas within you now?”
“Yeah…among other things,” she replied playfully.
“Then, my delivery is complete!”
With a jovial grin, he waved his hand again and the red bow that had kept her restrained magically untied itself, unbounding her wrists and legs from its grasps. Then, the bow magically re-tied itself before turning to Santa’s big red sack. Still grinning, he hitched the sack over his shoulder and gave the still-naked Nora one last glance.
Nora, still lying on the floor, drunk on Santa’s holiday magic, just looked up and smiled back. He knew how naughty she was. She knew how naughty she had to make his list every year. For someone like her, a beautiful rich woman who rarely gets punished for her behavior, she needed someone to punish her naughty behavior. She needed someone to subdue her without fear or hesitation. She needed someone to inspire her spirit in a unique way.
Who better to do all of that than Santa Claus? Giving gifts to good children did plenty to enhance the spirit of Christmas. Punishing naughty women like her just helped supplement the magic of the season.
“Merry Christmas, Nora. May you nice next year as you were naughty this year,” said Santa as the mist from earlier consumed him.
“You and I both know that’s not going to happen, Santa,” Nora said. “Being naughty just feels too nice.”
“Ho, ho, ho!” he laughed as he disappeared into the mist. “That, my dear, is part of the holiday spirit. Whether you’re naughty or nice, you still get the gift you deserve.”
Filed under Sexy Short Story
How Self-Driving Cars Will Change Sex Work (For The Better)
When it comes to emerging technology, there’s one inescapable byproduct that I’m sure confounds plenty of inventors and innovators. If said technology can be used to enhance and/or accommodate sex, it will. It’s like taxes, gravity, or traffic during rush hour. It’s inescapable.
While I’m sure the inventor of the back massager knew on some levels that it was going to be used for lurid purposes, there are plenty of others who had no idea how horny people would use their creations. I suspect that those developing self-driving cars know that at some point, a horny couple will have sex in a self-driving car. It’s just a matter of relegating it to a secondary concern, at most.
Even if you don’t closely follow to ongoing trends of the auto industry, it’s hard to overlook the recent news surrounding self-driving cars. This is not some far-off technology like smart blood, artificial wombs, or warp drives. This is a rapidly-maturing technology that is happening. As we speak, big companies like Uber, Apple, and Tesla are testing this technology.
I can even personally attest to the potential of this technology. Earlier this summer, I got a chance to ride in a Tesla Model S with a self-driving feature. It was quite an experience and I can verify that the technology worked. The car drove itself on a busy highway in the middle of the day. The driver still kept his hands close to the wheel, but the results exceeded my expectations.
While riding in that car, I wondered for a brief moment how this would lead to more sex on the road. Being an aspiring erotica/romance writer, those kinds of thoughts come to me fairly often. With this, it was easy to envision.
The car drives itself.
The driver and the passenger get bored.
As they combat the boredom, they get horny.
Since the car is taking care of itself, they decide to have sex and make their road trip memorable.
I think it’s inevitable. I bet that on the same day self-driving cars enter the market, some adventurous couple will celebrate by having sex in one. It might be so expected that it won’t even make the news. People already have sex in cars, even while they’re moving. Self-driving cars will just make it easier.
This is where sex work enters the equation. It’s another, less common byproduct of technology. Whenever something comes along to change the sexual landscape, it often finds its way into sex work. It happened with the internet. It happened with smartphones. It’s going to happen with self-driving cars.
The impact won’t be direct. It might not even be immediate. However, self-driving cars are bound to affect everything from urban planning to job markets to personal finances. It’s not too great a stretch to believe that it’ll effect sex work.
I’m not the only one who has speculated on this issue. One academic from the University of Surrey and Oxford stated that self-driving cars could be the brothels of the future. Instead of hotel rooms, apartments, massage parlors, or street corners, a self-driving car could act as a mobile red light district, bringing sex workers to clients with greater ease than ever before.
Considering the recent legal upheavals to the world of sex work, self-driving cars may arrive in a chaotic market that is rapidly adapting to new circumstances. Today, it’s a lot harder for sex workers to operate online. It’s also increasingly difficult for them to organize and find support on any area of the political spectrum beyond standard libertarians.
Conservatives see prostitution as immoral and deviant, favoring prosecution and punishment of providers and clients alike.
Liberals see prostitution as exploitative and oppressive, favoring policies that prosecute pimps and treat sex workers as victims.
As a result, operating as a sex worker is very difficult. Even if you live in an area that doesn’t criminalize sex work, as done by the increasingly popular Nordic Model, the logistics of having a place to operate and getting to customers is still fraught with complications. It’s here where self-driving cars could be a potential game-changer.
The most obvious and immediate impact has to do with mobility. As it stands, sex workers have to either operate on the streets or advertise online. Both have only become more dangerous in recent years. A self-driving car is akin to a Taxi that doesn’t ask questions or judge a sex worker on what they may or may not be wearing.
With self-driving cars, sex workers have a cheaper, more anonymous method for getting to clients and expanding their reach. They don’t have to stand on dirty street corners or stay in seedy hotels with questionable laundry service. They can get to where they need to go and not have to rely on a pimp or partner, which is critical in terms of limiting exploitation.
That’s one of the key factors in what makes sex work so dangerous in places where it’s illegal. Sex workers can’t rely on the police or standard legal services for protection. Pimps, including the violent kind, provide that service in a black market environment where workers have to surrender their autonomy in exchange for safety. Self-driving cars could make those services less necessary.
That means sex workers will be able to operate more independently. In terms of limiting the potential for abuse, that’s critical. While the operations of sex work are difficult to study, most research has shown that independent sex workers are better able to avoid the abuse and exploitation that often follows the illegal sex trade. Self-driving cars could make that easier for more sex workers.
Beyond the logistics, self-driving cars could actually become a life-saving tool for sex workers. One of the greatest dangers they face is escaping a violent client. In the past, a sex worker had to rely on a pimp or a fellow worker to get out of those situations. Even calling a cab was risky because, for all they knew, the driver could refuse to help them or report them to the police.
A self-driving car is less prone to ask questions. In addition to being cheaper, it could get them farther away from a bad situation and allow them to operate far from their where they reside. They don’t need to be confined to certain areas or districts. They can move around more freely and expand their reach while keeping more of the money they make.
That’s just the initial impact, though. There are plenty more potential benefits that self-driving cars could bring to the world of sex work. That concern about mobile brothels is probably not an exaggeration. The current laws prohibiting brothels in many jurisdictions assume that domain of sex workers isn’t moving. That wouldn’t apply to a self-driving vehicle.
Even in places where prostitution is legal, establishing a brothel is riddled with all sorts of red tape and regulations. A self-driving car that operates as a brothel isn’t constrained by zoning laws or specified districts. It literally goes to wherever the demand is. Considering how expensive apartments and hotel rooms are in some areas, a self-driving car/brothel may actually be the most cost-effective way for a sex worker to operate.
Given these potential benefits, it’s very likely that plenty of areas would seek to prohibit or regulate this kind of prostitution. However, I suspect that enforcing those laws would be even more difficult than the existing statutes. If a self-driving car operating as a brothel is always moving and the sex workers are discrete, then how would the public or the authorities even know?
There’s also the possibility that self-driving cars could make some aspects of the sex industry even worse. A self-driving car could make activities like human trafficking easier by giving traffickers a cheap new way to move people around. It could also set up some tricky legal battles, especially if sex workers regularly move between areas where prostitution is legal and illegal.
One way or another, self-driving cars are going to affect the world of prostitution in ways that neither an academic from the University of Surrey and Oxford nor an aspiring erotica/romance writer can contemplate. Given how prevalent prostitution has been in every society, no matter hard religion and government tries to suppress it, enterprising sex workers will find a way make the most of it.
Filed under futurism, gender issues, human nature, men's issues, prostitution, sex in society, sexuality, Sexy Future, women's issues
Daily Sexy Musing: Ode To Sexy Art
Art is one of those eclectic concepts that means so many things. For one person, it’s the ugly finger-paintings kids do in pre-school. For another, it’s a sculpture of Elvis made out of Ramen noodles. When it comes to sexy art, however, the ideas are a bit more concise. Like any other kink, it’s one of those things you know when you feel.
I may not be able to draw worth a damn, but I know plenty about using artistic skills to capture elements of sex appeal. I do it in my novels and in my sexy short stories. I’ve always had a way with words, using them to convey all sorts of colorful ideas, especially the sexy kind. That skill is even responsible for some of the serious romantic relationships I’ve had in my life.
While I utilize the written word, others tap different skills. Some are much better at it than others. You don’t have to look far to find art with overtly sexual imagery or undertones. Sometimes, it’s barely distinguishable from porn. Other times, though, it can be sexy in a wholly unique way. That’s the kind of art that leaves a hell of an impression.
The following Daily Sexy Musing is a celebration of the sexy side of art and the wondrous effects it has on all of us. It’s not always enough to just see someone else naked and let that be the sole manifestation of sensual imagery. There’s plenty of room for creativity of all kinds. I intend to do my part and I trust plenty of other skilled artists out there to do the same. Enjoy!
The world outside our window is so static and cold, changing only with the time of day and the direction of the winds. It is untouched by imagination, governed by strict rules that can neither be bent nor broken. Lacking color and passion, there’s room for so much more. It’s up to us to forge it.
I am your artist.
You are my canvas.
Our passion is the inspiration.
From it, imagination both loving and lurid roams free.
We coordinate in a process, one that requires tools and mediums to make our vision real. We assemble them in once place. On their own, they are nothing more than means to an end. As artists, we can control both.
Our minds explore boundless possibilities. From that treasure trove of thought, one goal emerges. We must turn our love from a powerful feeling into something tangible. Whether it’s a picture, a sculpture, or a sequence of words, the immaterial essence that is our love must become real. That, we believe, is art worth treasuring.
Maybe it’s a portrait, one that depicts our bodies entwined.
Maybe it’s a poem, one that describes our love through a tapestry of words.
Maybe it’s a symbol, one that we make our own and share with a passionless world.
There are so many choices, but only a few are fit for creation. Just thinking about it feels like an arduous journey in which the end is our own to forge. It’s overwhelming, but exciting. We don’t know where to begin or where it will end. That doesn’t matter, though. All that matters is the passion put into it.
From the whims of emotion and imagination, we decide on our path. In our minds, the perfect manifestation of our love appears as clear as the morning sun. Every detail becomes clear. Thought becomes vision. All that remains is to make it real through an artist’s hands.
Together, we craft something that will transcend our bodies and minds.
Together, we create a masterpiece that perfectly captures our love.
Filed under Daily Sexy Musings
The Future Of Villains And Villainy
What is happening to villains these days? That’s an entirely reasonable question to ask. Over the past decade, we’ve seen a remarkable shift in how we approach villainy in movies, TV, comic books, and video games. I’m not just talking about the superhero media, either. However, that happens to be the most visible manifestation of this change.
As a long-time fan of both superheroes and quality villains, I welcome this change. At the same time, I’m curious about where it’s leading and what it means for the future. Villains are as old as storytelling itself. From the Bible to “Star Wars,” these stories work best when there’s villainy to oppose the unfolding narrative. Villains have always evolved alongside the heroes that oppose them, but that evolution seems to be accelerating.
I’ve discussed the unique journey that villains undergo and how they set themselves apart from heroes. Traditionally, a villain’s primary purpose was to both oppose the hero and highlight how heroic they are. The sheer malice of characters like Lex Luthor help contrast the pure selflessness of characters like Superman. It’s easier to appreciate those heroes knowing they have to deal such malicious opponents.
Then, something remarkable happened. Audiences began demanding more of their villains. It wasn’t enough to just have a villain oppose a hero. People began wanting villains who were understandable and even relatable to some extent. Ironically, they wanted a villain they could root for.
That helped lead to characters like Walter White from “Breaking Bad.” His impact was so profound that I even called his influence the Walter White effect. However, I think there were others who paved the way for Walter White. If I had to pick one villain that helped kick-start this trend in villainy, it would be Heath Ledger’s Joker from “The Dark Knight.”
From this portrayal of villainy, the emerging state of villains emerged and it may very well set the tone for the future. On the surface, this version of the Joker wasn’t too different from the one who had existed in the comics for years. He’s dangerous, destructive, murderous, and callous, like many villains. Unlike most, though, he does what he does with a laugh and a smile.
What made this version of the Joker so memorable was the principles behind his madness. To him, society is corrupt and people aren’t inherently good. As such, he seeks to point out how laughable it is when others try to save it. Batman’s crusade against crime is the biggest joke of all, which helps drive their rivalry.
It’s a philosophy that few other than terrorists and extreme nihilists would buy into, but it’s one that’s understandable to some extent. We don’t have to agree with them or their methods. We just have to see their twisted logic. They can’t just be standard James Bond villains whose motives are indistinguishable from fascists, communists, or terrorists. There needs to be something more personal at work.
We saw plenty of that in 2018’s biggest movies. From “Black Panther” to “ Avengers: Infinity War” to “Incredibles 2,” the villains all had something personal at stake. Erik Killmonger saw his villainous actions as heroic. He wasn’t out to just take over Wakanda. He had a vision in mind that felt justified to some extent, especially to those familiar with real-world historical injustices.
Thanos raised the bar even more in “Avengers: Infinity War.” He never tries to come off as a hero, but he never sees his actions as villainous, either. In fact, when heroes like Dr. Strange call him out, he frames his desire to cull half the population in the universe as mercy. For him, it’s simple math. Half a population is better than no population at all.
These motivations, as devious they might be on paper, have some semblance of merit to it. Both Thanos and Killmonger think they’re doing the right thing. That significantly impacts how the heroes in their stories go about thwarting them, although I would argue that one story was more complete while the other remains unresolved.
In “Black Panther,” T’Challa doesn’t just stop at defeating Killmonger. He actually sees some of his enemy’s points and takes steps to address them. He doesn’t revert things back to the way they were. Wakanda doesn’t return to the same isolated state it had been at the start of the movie. Instead, he seeks to find a middle ground. That, I would argue, is the new template for how heroes defeat this kind of villain.
The resolution in “Avengers: Infinity War,” however, is not as clear. That’s largely due to the story not being complete. There is a sequel planned, but at no point in the three-hour spectacle did the Avengers attempt to prove Thanos wrong. They only ever tried to stop him. That oversight has not gone unnoticed by audiences.
This, in many ways, sums up the new dynamic between heroes in villains. It’s no longer enough for heroes to just defeat their adversaries. It’s not even enough for villains to be exceptionally devious. There have to be larger principles at work. It can’t just be reduced to general greed, ego, or bullying.
Thanos seeks to kill have the population because he believes that it’ll prevent the complete extinction of all life.
Erik Killmonger seeks to empower oppressed minorities to right past injustices.
Dr. Doom seeks to conquer the world because a world under his rule is the only one free of suffering and want. That’s actually canon in the comics.
It’s makes crafting compelling villains more difficult, but at the same time, it opens the door to more complexity. On top of that, it demands that audiences think beyond the good versus evil dynamic that has defined so many stories, going back to the days of fairy tales. It’s a challenge that some are certain to fail. Some already have, sadly.
It also sets the tone for future forms of villainy. How that villainy manifests is impossible to predict, but given the current trends, I think there’s room to speculate. At the heart of this emerging villainy is the idea that the current system just isn’t working. It’s so bad that the only viable option is to destroy and rebuild it. There’s no room, whatsoever, for reform.
This is where the heroes will have to evolve, as well. They can’t just play “Super Friends” and save the day. They have to actually make meaningful changes to move society forward. King T’Challa did that at the end of “Black Panther.” Other heroes need to be as willing. Otherwise, they won’t be able to call themselves heroes. They’re just defenders of a status quo may not be working as well as they think.
It’s an ideological struggle that parallels many real-world struggles. People today have less and less faith in established institutions. As a result, more people are falling sway to populist rhetoric that promises to break down the current system entirely. By and large, people today aren’t content with just preserving things as they are. They seek more meaningful change.
That presents a serious problem for heroes and a golden opportunity for villains. Historically, heroes haven’t been able to effect change beyond a certain point. Some of that is for logistical reasons. A hero can never create a functioning utopia without ending the story completely, which is something major media companies cannot have. There’s too much money to be made.
Logistics aside, the future of villainy will have plenty of raw materials to work with and plenty of societal angst to draw upon. Heroes who save the day, but do little else won’t be able to call themselves heroes in the world currently unfolding. Villains who have a real vision with understandable motivations will find themselves with more supporters than before.
It’s no longer taboo to root for the villain, especially when the heroes don’t confront the flaws in their rhetoric. In what seems prophetic now, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” may have put it best when Ultron stated:
“I’m sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn’t think it through. You want to protect the world, but you don’t want it to change.”
That’ll be the key to the future of villainy, change in a world that resists too much of it happening at once. It’ll make for some complicated villains, but it will definitely make the struggle of heroes even harder. However it plays out, I believe it’ll be worth watching.
Daily Sexy Musing: Road Trips
For some people, a road trip is a test of endurance and back muscles. I consider myself among those people. I’ve never cared much for road trips. I consider any car ride over two hours to be a chore. As a result, I don’t find much sex appeal in road trips.
That said, I don’t deny that there are some who do. I’m even related to a few of them. I can see it in them, even when they don’t state it overtly. There’s something inherently appealing about venturing down long roads to distant places, getting away from the tedium of their everyday lives. For them, there is real appeal in a road trip and some of it is sexy.
One of my roommates in college took it to another level. He owned a motorcycle and he once joked about how much long rides made his girlfriend horny. It’s also worth noting that this roommate was terrible at telling jokes and carried himself with the subtlety of a bullhorn, especially when his girlfriend was involved.
Even though road trips don’t appeal to me, I can certainly appreciate those who feel otherwise. For the purposes of today’s Daily Sexy Musing, I’d like to channel the spirit of my former roommate and his girlfriend in tapping the joys of a road trip. Some people need to just get away. Why not make it sexy as hell?
It’s the middle of the day. We’ve had a long week. Every hour has been 60 minutes of toil. Just coming home isn’t enough anymore. Our home has become nothing more than a pit stop in our daily regimen. It can no longer soothe our frayed nerves or nurture our shared passions. We must get away.
On a whim, we make a fateful decision. We abandon our current plans, shove aside our reservations, and just act without thinking. We cannot escape our lives, but we can seek new excitement. We need only let go of the shackles that keep us in place.
I take your hand.
You hold it tightly.
We enter the car and we start driving.
There’s no destination in mind. There’s no itinerary to maintain or schedule to keep. The only direction that matters is the one that takes us away from work and responsibilities. With every mile traveled, the air gets cleaner. Every breath feels fresher, like a weight from our souls has finally faltered.
Farther and farther, I take us into the unknown. The roads become less familiar and the scenery becomes more exotic. We’re not far from home, but we might as well be in another time zone. Everything feels so new and fresh, a world of beauty hiding in plain sight.
I look over at you. I see you smile with the brilliance of a thousand suns. The thrill of the road and the reprieve from the familiar is liberating. Beyond your smile, though, I see more than just exhilaration. You have that glint in your eye, one that hints at something other than relief.
I pull the car over into an unfamiliar place.
I park in a secluded area away from prying eyes.
I welcome you into my embrace and you lovingly accept.
In the confined space of a car, we smother one another with free passions. We don’t just kiss. We entwine our tongues like two snakes in heat, wildly slithering in an open field. Clothes become too tight. Flesh becomes too hot. In the freedom granted by the road, we rediscover our love and make it for this new world to see.
It is only a brief trip, but we reach our destination.
Filed under Daily Sexy Musings
Why “Adulting” Is Getting Harder
I’ve stated before that there are certain words I believe should be purged from the English lexicon. Contrived, agenda-driven terms like “toxic masculinity” or “mansplaining” are at the top of my list. I strongly believe that terminology like that is doing everything to further hostility and hinder understanding.
That being said, there are a few words that I have mixed feelings about. I think they also do plenty to divide people for all the wrong reasons, but I also understand why they exist. One term that I feel is increasingly relevant, albeit for negative reasons, is the concept of “adulting.”
I put that term in quotes for a reason, but it’s not out of sarcasm or scorn. This is one of those words that exists because there’s a need for it. Even if you think “adulting” sounds silly, chances are a word every bit as silly, if not more so, would’ve been coined. That’s because what it means to be a functioning adult is changing and not in a way that makes things easier.
This sentiment is implied in the popular definition. Even though it’s a fairly new term, it has become relevant enough to warrant a listing in the Oxford Dictionary, which defines it as follows:
The practice of behaving in a way characteristic of a responsible adult, especially the accomplishment of mundane but necessary tasks.
It may seem too simple to warrant scrutiny and maybe that was right several decades ago. However, a lot has changed in the past 30 years. A lot has changed in the past 10 years. The world isn’t as simple as it used to be. It’s become incredibly complex, full of fake news, alternative facts, and contrived outrage. That has changed what it means to be an adult.
I know this will elicit plenty of groans from certain crowds, but I’ll say it anyways. Being an adult is hard these days. Yes, I’m aware that it’s supposed to be hard to some extent. It always has been, going back to the hunter/gatherer days. Being an adult means functioning on your own and contributing to your society. You can no longer rely on parents or elders to provide for you. You must now do the providing.
It’s a challenge for many, some more so than others. However, there are some unique challenges facing adults today, especially among the younger crowds. I know this because I’m one of them. I’ve discussed the distressing issues surrounding Millennials and the potential issues that Generation Z will face in the coming years. Many of those issues, though, will affect everyone of any generation.
I’m not just referring to the crippling student loan debts that are burdening Millennials or the rising cost of housing in urban areas. There are deeper, more fundamental struggles that hinder or even discourage our ability to embrace adulthood. You want to know why nostalgia is so popular or why escapism is so prominent in media? Well, the complications and frequent frustrations that come with “adulting” are huge factors.
To understand, here’s a list of a few reasons why “adulting” is a thing and why just being an adult is getting harder. Hopefully, it’ll help make sense of this annoying, but relevant term. You’ll still probably roll your eyes whenever someone claims they cannot “adult” anymore for the day. If nothing else, this will help you understand where they’re coming from.
Too Much Information Is Overwhelming Us (And Making Us Mentally Ill)
This isn’t just a Millennial thing. It’s not even a byproduct of social media. The trend of people just getting more and more information has been happening for decades as people moved further and further away from rural, agrarian communities. Today, more people are educated now than at any point in human history. That has many benefits, but it comes at a cost.
Now, we can’t just see what’s going on in our world through pictures and streaming media. We can read about things, learn about them, and scrutinize them. That’s helpful in some instances, but in a world that’s increasingly connected and full of conflicting information, it can be overwhelming.
On top of that, we tend to find out about bad news and horrific atrocities as they’re unfolding. Many people alive today actually saw the horrors of the September 11th attacks occur on live TV. More recently, people were able to follow the horrors of the Parkland shooting as it unfolded on social media.
Being informed is part of being an adult, but when you’re informed of every horrific thing that happens in the world, it can wear on you. Some research has shown that this sort of system is impacting peoples’ mental health. In that context, it makes sense for someone to want to step back from that part of adulting.
For most of human history, we didn’t know or care about the horrors going on outside our tiny community. In the past 30 years, we know everything that’s going on everywhere. The human mind is good at a lot of things. Making sense of that much information isn’t one of them.
Our Options Feel Increasingly Limited (And We Don’t Know Which To Follow)
Growing up, every adult told me the path to success was simple. If you just stayed in school, got good grades, went to a decent college, and got a bachelor’s degree, then you were set. You could expect to find a good job with decent pay that would allow you to build a comfortable living for yourself and your future family. I believed in that path. I followed it. I can safely say it was half-true at best.
While there is plenty of merit to a college education, it’s no longer the clear-cut path it once was. I personally know people who graduated from good schools with quality degrees in subjects like engineering and they’re struggling. It’s not that people are getting useless degrees in underwater basket weaving. It’s that just getting a degree is no longer sufficient.
After graduating from college, I was in this daze for a while and many of my fellow graduates were the same. We were all told that getting this degree would set us on the right path, but nobody told us how to navigate that path or what it even looked like. As a result, most people ended up in jobs that had nothing to do with their college major.
On top of that, the job market is becoming increasingly unstable. The rise of the gig economy is making it so people don’t just live paycheck to paycheck. They live job to job, never knowing if they’ll even have one when they wake up the next day. These are not the same well-paying, blue collar factory jobs of the past. This is work that will not help pay a mortgage or a student loan debt.
However, we’re still told that this is the path. This is how we’ll prosper in the future. Even as we look for other options, most adults today don’t know how viable they are. We’re left in a state of uncertainty that past adults never had to deal with. We still need to choose, though, because our bills aren’t going to pay themselves.
There’s No Margin For Error And Every Mistake Will Follow You Forever
Remember when it was possible to make a dirty, offensive joke among friends and not worry about it haunting you for the rest of your life? I’m not being old or cantankerous. I’m serious because I do remember when that was possible. In my youth, I heard plenty of jokes that would’ve ruined someone’s life today if they’d been captured on video or posted on social media.
This isn’t just about political correctness or identity politics corrupting discourse. Adults today live in a world where any mistake they make, be it a bad joke or an off-hand comment, can come back to haunt them. It doesn’t matter if it’s from a celebrity or even if it occurs in private. It can still cost you dearly.
Now, I wish I didn’t have to say this, but I have to since I’m posting this on the internet. None of what I’m saying is implying that certain behavior, language, or comments are justified. I think it’s a good thing, for the most part, that certain people are paying a price for their bigoted attitudes. However, that good does come at a cost and it’s felt by adults at every level.
To some extent, we envy kids now because kids can say dumb things and get away with it. They’re kids. They have an excuse and it’s one of the few excuses most people accept these days. If you’re an adult, though, you’ve got nothing of the sort. You can blame liberals, conservatives, or Ambien all you want. You’re still going to pay a price.
As adults, we’re responsible for what we say and do. That’s part of what it means to be an adult. The problem is that in a world where every mistake is documented and preserved forever, our margin for error is exceedingly small. How many people don’t get the job they want because of an embarrassing photo or tweet they made a decade ago? How many people get fired because of it?
Regardless of how justified it may or may not be, it adds further stress to the inherently-stressful responsibilities that come with being an adult. The adults of today have many complications to deal with and if you mess even one up, then it could haunt you to the day you die. Now, do you understand why so many adults seem so uptight about adulting?
We Feel Like We Cannot Escape (And Badly Need To)
Life has always carried harsh burdens. Whether it was escaping wars or fighting disease, people of every generation in every period have sought out some reprieve from the endless struggle. Sometimes, it takes the form of games, drugs, books, or sports. After a long day of working the fields or gathering food, we needed some form of reprieve.
It’s as important today as it was in previous centuries. The big difference today is that we feel like we have fewer and fewer opportunities to do so. Life on farms and fields was rough, but at least the challenges were clear and laid out. We worked to survive. If we survived, we celebrated. It was simple.
Today, surviving just isn’t enough. We have bills to pay, debts to service, jobs to find, and connections to make. On top of that, we have to keep up with the news and popular trends. We have to fit into an increasingly diverse world where people of different communities and cultures are connected. It’s a lot of work, taking time and energy that go beyond plowing a field.
It doesn’t help that the abundance of information and the prominence of bad news makes the future seem so bleak. Even if society is progressing on almost every measurable level, our perceptions imply that the world outside our windows is dangerous, hostile, and hopeless. We can’t do anything about it, our politicians are inept, and our votes don’t even count.
In those frustrating circumstances, it makes sense for people to lose themselves in video games, movies, and TV shows. The whole concept of binge-watching allows adults to lose themselves in hours of content, which subsequently allows them to detach from a harsh reality that they have no hope of effecting.
Say what you want about adults who still love comic books and video games. The fact that they’re both multi-billion dollar industries is a sign that many are desperate for an escape from the frustrations of their adult lives. The things we loved as kids are just the easiest and most familiar paths.
There are plenty of other reasons I could list about “adulting” and why it’s getting increasingly difficult. I have a feeling that many adults reading this have their own sets of reasons and there will probably be more within the coming years. There will also be others who complain about anyone who tries to talk about those reasons. It’s sure to evoke more frustration and whining.
In the end, we all have to be adults at some point. There’s a time and a place to just step back from it all and take a breath. That shouldn’t be controversial, but the fact that “adulting” is now a thing means there are a lot of complications to adult life and we’re not doing a good enough job handling them.
Filed under human nature, outrage culture, philosophy, psychology
Jack Fisher’s Sexy Sunday Thoughts: Sexy Moaning Edition
It’s unavoidable. When you’re sharing a passionate moment, you’re going to moan at some point. It’s like a reflex. Your body is doing something awesome and your mind is telling you it’s awesome. You’re going to try and vocalize that somehow. A good, sexy moan achieves all that and then some.
Moaning is one of those acts that has a mixed reputation and not in a good way. Most of the time, you don’t moan for a good reason. Sometimes, it’s out of distress. Sometimes, it’s out of discomfort. It’s not one of those things that has inherently sexy connotations. Like true love or the sound of an alarm clock, though, you know it when you hear it.
Many of my novels and sexy short stories often highlight the moaning often associated with intimate moments. Plenty of other erotica/romance media, from movies to porn, do the same. In the right circumstances, a moan can be the perfect manifestation of sexiness and passion. It’s difficult to achieve, but it’s certainly worth pursuing.
This week’s edition of my Sexy Sunday Thoughts is dedicated to that pursuit and the extra-sexy results they achieve. Some may not be in the mood for that kind of moaning this early on a Sunday. At the very least, I hope it gives you an appreciation for it. Enjoy!
“When you think about it, a brothel is essentially an orgasm clinic.”
“The most awkward part of puberty is suddenly wanting to see other people naked.”
“The size of the dildo someone uses says a lot about their standards for a good time.”
“Pity sex is like a penny in that it has actual value, but it’s generally not the currency most prefer.”
“A couple’s first kiss counts as their act of foreplay in that it shows how willing they are to touch body parts.”
“How loud we are during sex often determines how sore we are the next day.”
“Going to a strip club on a date invites serious conflict between one’s heart and genitals.”
I’m not going to assume any of that got people moaning for all the right reasons. At the very least, I hope it got certain people in the kind of mood that makes it a pleasant byproduct. Intimacy and romance manifest in all kinds of ways. Some are cruder than others and moaning certainly qualifies. That doesn’t make it any less sexy.
Filed under Sexy Sunday Thoughts
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