Shades Of A 030
And now for your biweekly dose of 50 shades comparison:
‘It all happens so fast- one minute I’m falling, the next I’m in his arms and he’s holding me tightly against his chest. I inhale his clean, wholesome scent. He smells of freshly laundered linen and some expensive body wash. It’s intoxicating. I inhale deeply.
“Are you okay?” he whispers. He has one arm around me, clasping me to him, while the fingers of his other hand softly trace my face, gently probing, examining me. His thumb brushes my lower lip, and his breath hitches. He’s staring into my eyes and I hold his anxious, burning gaze for a moment, or maybe it’s forever…but eventually, my attention is drawn to his beautiful mouth. And for the first in twenty-one years, I want to be kissed. I want to feel his mouth on mine.’
Emphasis mine.
Nice job on the puckered lips in the last panel. I can practically see him batting his eyelashes.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN “PRACTICALLY”?!? YOU MEAN YOU CAN’T SEE IT?? xD
Oh no, I’m having bad font flashbacks now. If only you’d minded my username. *curls up* D:
I want a Chris. Can I have one? He’s adorable.
Same. if u get one, do share.
Haa… Sarcasm: the best way to react to that situation.
*shakes head* That book seems even more rubbish every time you quote it…
This is the point where I admit my ignorance re: asexuals and kissing.
Strongly depends on the individual. Some asexuals don’t like it, some do, just like some asexuals would never have any sex and some have it regularly. Asexuality is defined by not being attracted to any gender, but it doesn’t necessarily goes with not wanting any sexual contact.
Bit of a clunky last sentence there so I’d just like to add that Asexuality is lack of sexual attraction, aromantics are people who lack romantic attraction.
It will be explained more as the comic goes on, but Anwar has romantic leanings, but no interest in sex. For him kissing comes under romance, but it’s an awkward one for him to define.
i have a grand total of one asexual friend offline and he has more sex than i do (pansexual and more open to casual sex, though being trans* makes that difficult). in fact, i’ve aided his and his girlfriend’s exhibitionist fetish. she describes him as a horndog pretty much.
so it’s as individual as any other sexuality!
As has already been said, asexuality is highly individual, but as an asexual with romantic leanings, I can give you my experience. I love kissing, being held, and many types of physical intimacy – sex just isn’t one of them. I’m in a long term relationship so I’ve tried sex, since it interests my partner. I don’t think sex is terrible, I just…don’t really care at all. It does nothing for me, and I have no personal interest in engaging in any kind of sex.
Tatter… I think I’m the same way.
Of course, I came to this realization after I’d been married for over 10 years, which still makes me sad for my husband. Sex has always been ‘that thing I do because my partner likes it’, and I like making my partner happy. Me, I just wanna cuddle and snuggle (and possibly smooch) and it doesn’t matter which gender I’m doing so with, nor is attraction really involved, as to me it’s just a display of deep affection for someone I really care about. I AM physically attracted to people, though not that often, and not actual sexual attraction.
If you don’t mind my asking, which type of trans?
That’s…pretty rude. Unless someone is okay with being open about their gender/transition, you don’t ask.
Thats why they said ‘if u dont mind me asking’ and im pretty sure they just stated they were trans, doesnt that count as being open?
As an asexual, I personally hate sex. I hate “deep passionate kisses” but adore kisses on the cheek/forehead. I love cuddles and snuggles. I engage in sexual activities for my husband’s benefit and for procreational endeavours. But I never enjoy it, I never want to do it. I endure it because I know it makes him happy. He can illicit a physical response from my body, but I am never truly arouse & don’t get there on my own. I don’t find myself physically attracted to people either. I can sit back and look at someone and think they are attractive, but I don’t find myself attracted to them.
As my husband puts it, sex for him is sex, sex for me is cuddles in that the enjoyment he gets from sex is the same sort of enjoyment that I get from cuddles.
I really like your comparisons. I also like your emphasis in the quote. Gag me with a spoon. Then explain to me why this person I barely know is PROBING MY FACE! It doesn’t sound like he’s really checking to see if she’s okay as much as taking advantage of her and the situation.
I wish I could give you a +1 for that.
okay so, with that emphasis, and some of the other comments on here, I can’t help but picture the guy just… feeling up her face and like putting his finger up her nose and feeling along her gums and stuff. the word used was probing…. so…
Surely not!? I mean, it’s such a well-written book! I can’t imagine poor use of English giving the wrong impression is a [i]frequent[i] problem.
I’ll admit, though, a certain morbid fascination with Shades of Grey. I want to read it just to know how bad it is. I know that makes me a bad person… but at least I’m deep enough to know I’m shallow…
It doesn’t make you a bad person to be curious. I’ve never read it myself, but I’ve heard that if you take it as a badly written parody of sorts, and not a serious romance as intended by the author, then it’s manageable.
However, from what I’ve heard, it portrays quite a few instances of non-consensual sex, and yet many readers still find it to be a good erotic novel, which is just horrifying.
I suggest reading a spork of it – like, an analytical, snarky recap. There’s a very good one on the das_sporking community on the livejournal site. Just trawl through the ‘Main Sporkings’ until you find Fifty Shades. While it’s not reading it as intended, it means getting the feel for it while two skilled commentators point out all that’s wrong with it at the same time.
I hope that helps.
What you want is someone else to translate it – This blog will make it barable! :D http://fsofgrey.tumblr.com/
Me too. One of the main things stopping me from reading it is that every person I’ve heard of who has described reading it (for the amusement of seeing how terrible it really was) seems to find reading it a painful experience. The books seems to have a unique special quality that torments many readers.
Thanks everyone. I’ll go check these out after my chores today (a real downside to living alone; no-one to share chores with *grumble*)
It would be far better to get a feel of the book without actually, y’know, reading the book. It sounds awful.
Maybe try the spork, as I suggested in an earlier comment? I’d give you a link, but I’ve no idea how this site views outside links (some are fine with it, some delete comments with outside links).
XD
A true romantic picks their partner’s nose for them.
If you make Anwar and Chris any more adorable I think you just might end me.
I want a Chris!! He’s be my best friend, I’d love him and feed him, and be a smart ass with him! <3 Lol.
You know, sarcasm is the perfect way to evaluate someone's intellegence.
The sign of a intellegent person is how fast they can come up with a sarcastic remark to a stupid question. :3 I believe this quote should be on a shirt that Chris has. Lol
Tab! I love you for creating Chris!! <3 My hat would be off to you, if I had a hat, but I'll improvise and raise a pillow to you instead. XD
Shades of Grey reminds me more and more of any fan fiction ever written. I think it might be fun reading if you sub the character’s names for Characters from Lord of the Ring, Harry Potter, Star Trek or My little Pony…probably it’s clear that I’ve never written or really read fan fiction myself^^ oh but I hate the misunderstanding between Anwar and Chris…I fear they might end up fighting really really bad.
Your comic makes me question my sexuality^^ I never saw myself as anywhere near asexual but since your description I realized I hardly ever have any sexual attraction to anyone (although it happens) and I ended my last relationship because the sex became more of a duty to me than pleasure, also that was not the first time I felt…bored during sex. No idea if it’s the circumstances (like stress, fading attraction, bad mood…) or sexual encounter itself that is to blame. I also can go a long time without having sex and not really missing it. But I still don’t think I’d label myself as asexual, I don’t like labeling myself at all and I still want sex in my life if it’s good and with a person that wouldn’t do things like touching my face up and down^^
According to Wikipedia, Shades of Grey started out as Twilight fanfiction, which really explains a lot.
It really does
I think I have to puke. Yet more reasons for never wanting to read it.
I understand you don’t want to label yourself, but I thought you might be interested in looking through a list of ace terms with basic definitions. It sounds like you might find some of them worthy of consideration, and it can help explain nuances (to yourself and others) when you have more specific words to use. http://lantean.tumblr.com/post/9398972934
Omg, how awesome is Chris! XD
Hands up everyone who imagined Chris saying that with a faked slight high-pitched voice.
Seriously. His reaction is so perfect. They’re just a trio of sassmongers in this comic and I am thoroughly enjoying it- although I’m not sure if I prefer Anwar’s deadpan sass, or Chris’ sass with accompanying delightfully playful facial expressions and body language. I think I will need to see much much more before I can decide!