Guess who can use this blog again, as well as my tumblr?

Well, isn't that kind of cumbersome. Two blogs?

What should I do about this?

Hello, everyone.

I've been having some problems with this program, so I'm moving over to tumblr for the most part.

http://achtungandroid.tumblr.com/

Come on over, y'all!

Beautiful.

via Al in Philly

DUDE: Or, Why Catalog Images Matter

I love latex. I love men in latex. I love wearing latex. I've got no problem with people wearing latex. But someone please inform me why, in a catalog photo for a fetish clothing company, this dude is going for a brisk morning jog?

I AM MOTHERFUCKING BATMAN.

I don't even know, dude.

Imagine that stare at you. Just do it. Srsly.

And this, my friends, is GOLD.

WHAT?!

It's really important to take good catalog photos, y'all. Whether it's etsy, eBay, or your Spring couture line, presentation is important. Don't be these guys -- instead of looking at their handiwork, I'm too busy laughing at these ridiculous photos. Why do you think the fashion industry spends so much money on editorials? Presentation is everything.

I will return to posting about things that aren't absolutely ridiculous. At some point, I might even say something intelligent. But right now?

Think about that last image. Think long and hard.

Your life's not so bad now, is it?

That's what I thought.

*hey, laughing is what the internet is for. don't get all butt-hurt, now.

For me, sexuality is as mental as it is physical, as sacred as it is nature (and who is to say nature is not imbued with sanctity, and vis versa?). The moment when two hands meet with the same electricity, when two people come together with mutual desire and respect and vulnerability -- that moment, to me, is ritual. I am in no way a religious person, but I cannot help but notice that every time we express ourselves erotically, something profound happens. Whether casual romping or the product of a long term love, there is something inherently breathtaking about the machination of giving another person pleasure, and learning to accept that pleasure from others.

I do not mean to say that sex essentially links our hearts or souls to another person, only that there is something about the nature of sexuality and sexual expression that tells us something about ourself, and creates a space for openness. I believe that, if given freedom from shame and fear, claiming our own desires allows us a richer world, and one in which we will more comfortably find ourselves. What better way to get to know yourself than to learn your body, to know what turns you on and what feels good?

I have often found it difficult to articulate desire plain-spoken. The nature of my arousal, my sexuality, my eros most naturally comes dressed in metaphor and lyricism: an elusive courtesan, humming madly beneath layers of silk and intention. In spite of my own verbal apprehensions, eros is a lens through which I see most of the world, a fuzz and warmth that informs and shapes my experiences as a person. Eros, desire and need are enmeshed in my life inextricably, each casting a glow to the smallest of details -- the feel of fishnet stockings against my thighs as I walk; a silk tie firm against my collar; the force of a bass beat or a smoke stained vocal line; a lover's penmanship, slurred with anticipation.

Owning your sexuality can be hard, especially if you come from a repressive culture, or if your desires don't necessarily follow what is considered mainstream. Hell, it's scary sometimes, even to yourself. Coming to terms with my own sexuality meant facing a slew of seeming contradictions, taboos, foreign territories, and many rejections. There are desires of mine that I have yet to speak aloud, but I have learned to say them to myself, to reassert their validity over and over as mine, and as okay. I think this is important, something we all owe to ourselves. And eventually, when we're ready, let it out in the world. Trust me, as I am learning to trust myself: it will be okay.

And kids, I know I went all heavy with this post, but this part is important: sexuality is beautiful, but it is also silly. Don't be afraid to laugh sometimes, don't be afraid to get messy, and for fuck's sake, don't forget to have fun. If you aren't having fun, you're doing it wrong.