The Sex in Your Words

Keep “talking.” I’m listening.

That may sound like a rather cringe-inducing headline but bear with me, please.

Sexual attraction. The sheer mystery of it is an attraction in and of itself. That invisible, visceral pull of one human being to another. We love that feeling, do we not? That mysterious, crazy thrill of being desired by the very object of our desire.

We love that feeling, do we not? That mysterious, crazy thrill of being desired by the very object of our desire.

It’s difficult to define what attracts one human being to another. But, why define it at all? There’s nothing wrong with appreciating…with loving what we can’t understand. Of course, sometimes, what we can’t understand makes us do crazy things…makes us behave in ways we otherwise would not.

You may wonder how I know this. Or, not.

Case in point: Who isn’t drawn to a juicy story centered around a crime of passion? I just wrote one and hope that you’ll give it a read. I’d love to know your thoughts.

The physical slam-bam of sexual attraction is nothing if not intense. You know exactly what I’m talking about. That liquidity in the pit of your stomach. The rush of heat to your groin. A tingling in your scalp as if your brain is about to implode.

I’ve had moments on this platform where I’ve experienced all of the above. Am I nuts? Possibly. Am I being honest? Most definitely. I’m certainly not ashamed of it.

And I hope this doesn’t make you squirm but, aside from the fact that I am a writer to the bone, much of my allegiance to Medium is centered around my attraction to several of the writers, here. Many of who have become friends.

My attraction is gender fluid and does not discriminate against age, ethnicity, sexual proclivity or any other ridiculous “label.” And this attraction certainly doesn’t hinge on physical appearance, although I must say that some of your profile pics are pretty damned cute.

But, that doesn’t mean I’m not discerning. Most assuredly, I am.

To those writers here who consistently light me up with your words, thoughts and expressions — you are powerful AF. And, I believe you know who you are.

Trust me: I won’t embarrass you by calling you out. I’ll use one of my favorite expressions here and say that doing so would be untoward.

A few of my past stories talk about this very thing. The “sensuality” of Medium and the potent dynamic of making a connection with someone you’ve never met. How cool is that? Especially now, when we’re sequestered in our homes, hunkered down in front of our computers while we wait for the return of a “normalcy” that may never happen.

Thank you, Donald Trump. May you go straight to hell.

But I digress. Now, I can get clinical and say that the writers who I’ve become close with — as close as one can get online — stimulate my hypothalamus with their smarts, their wit, their zest for life.

In case you’re wondering, the hypothalamus is the part of the brain that stimulates the pituitary gland, which in turn releases the sex hormones, estrogen, and testosterone. Whee!

But to me, that explanation is way too cut and dried. I’d much rather talk about the mystery of it. The inexplicable whys and wherefores of how someone, hundreds of miles away, can tease me with their words, without ever intending to do so.

Do you feel this, too? Yes! You do, you know it!

I’ve always found brains and a sense of humor, combined with a sense of self, to be a dazzling mix. Red-hot, in fact.

I vibe with the writers here who unapologetically, speak their minds. Who aren’t afraid to stir things up and use the “F word,” from time to time.

Writers who can spin a great yarn, blow the lid off the bullshit and make sense out of the nonsensical. Writers who are tough, yet sensitive enough to let those of us who want in…in.

These writers blow me away with their unrelenting passion for spilling their guts onto the page. Man or woman, that takes balls. (Sorry, but I can’t think of another body part that will suffice for both, here. Suggestions are welcome.)

Contributing to ILLUMINATION has introduced me to many new writers who bring the heat and what a treat it is! Every day, I’m reading personal essays, bios, poetry…so many forms of heartfelt self-expression woven into tapestries that are soft, like chamois, yet they have an edge to them, as well. It’s that edge that gets me going, more than anything else.

That edge makes me want to get naked, frankly. But it’s still pretty damned cold in Chicagoland so I’ll stick to my layers. For now.

(“Reading naked.” Now there’s a story.)

The world is a grim place right now. As I write this, CNN is on in the background and we’ve just been told that in the U.S., every state is under “disaster declaration.”

Meanwhile, Trump is itching to “open things up,” to replenish his already over-filled coffers. Now there’s a disaster.

So, given all this, I want to thank you for helping me and so many others to forget about all the shit, if only for a little while.

I want to thank you for turning me on. I hope I can return the favor.

Sherry McGuinn is a slightly-twisted, longtime Chicago-area writer and award-winning screenwriter. Her work has appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and numerous other publications. Sherry’s manager is currently pitching her newest screenplay, a drama with dark, comedic overtones and inspired by a true story.

Hey friends, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed this. If so, please check out the other stories below.

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