Dear Linc,

When it comes to sex, TV and the movies have got it wrong. One doesn’t necessarily have to be morally decrepit when one is having routine casual pre-marital sex. I mean, for one thing, one is fulfilling a basic human need. For another, one night stands aren’t usually that dramatic, so much as they have been portrayed on TV and the movies, or exaggerated by our friends. (Let’s be real: folks have a tendency to magnify their sexual escapades. It’s only human nature, after all. Seldom are the Blanche Deveraux-s and Samantha Jones-es of the world — although they do exist. I’d dare to say that one of my good friends is pretty much a combination of the two, and she’d take that as a compliment, which is how I mean it.) Anyway, this subject was one of the first things that came to mind this morning.

You know what else I thought about? That, as debatable as it is to have a routine sex life without a single, committed partner, it just makes one that much more desirous of having that single, committed partner, especially as one ages. Sure, there are folks out there who have no interest in settling down. Those folks are, again, the stuff of good storytelling on TV and the movies. And maybe you’re like that too, Linc. And there’s nothing wrong with being as successful as you are and being flexible with your intimate life. Here’s the thing: for me, when it comes to that sort of thing, I’ve never truly been flexible. I go through the motions and just find myself getting a little bit lonelier. (I’m aware that this subject, especially the previous sentence, falls explicitly under the “Forever alone” meme that popularly circulates Tumblr. You should really join the blogosphere, Linc. And if you do, get on Tumblr. It sure has some interesting folks.)

When I was in middle school, my favorite movie was… not Street Fighter. Nor was it Mortal Kombat — although I did make sure to check out Super Mario Bros., just because it has always been my favorite video game series (to this day), and then I ended up being disappointed in Dennis Hopper’s portrayal of Bowser. (I am biting my lip with a little bit of shame as I say that.) Naw, Linc. My favorite movie was Love Affair, which I would later find out was a remake, which itself was a remake, and that all three movies were singularly referenced in Sleepless In Seattle. Did you get all that…?

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