Robert Manners

Do you ever have that not-so-fresh feeling?

Something that I find unusually fascinating, considering that I am a long-term celibate, is an account of the troubles and travails experienced by the sexually active. Today I have spent several extremely enjoyable hours perusing the archives of Seattle's best sex-advice-columnist, Dan Savage.



I've been familiar with Savage's work every since Shiloh bought me a copy of Savage Love for my birthday a couple of years ago (and since I was pursuing him as boyfriend material at the time, I interpreted this as a seriously mixed message)...my almost complete inability to identify with the questions sent in, along with my total identification with the harsh-but-inevitable logic and the really useful and well-researched information kept me entertained through three readings of this best-of compilation.



I think what impresses me most about this advisor-to-the-horny is that his advice, whether you agree with it or not, tends to cut directly to the nub of the problem, a nub that the advisee obviously hadn't seen. That's the best advice, I think: pointing out what is at the root of the problem, divorced from the personalities and emotions of the sufferer...any suggestions as to what one might do to solve the problem are completely obvious by that point.



I totally want to be an advice columnist. It's a long-time dream of mine to be a professional Advisor, to soothe the sorrows of a troubled world à la Ann Landers, Dear Abby, (the other) Miss Manners, and Dan Savage. Can I practice on you? If you have any questions about anything in my areas of expertise (etiquette, literature, fashion, aesthetics, grooming, and trivia), send them to me at marlene_manners@yahoo.com; I'll then post your question and my answer here in the blog (protecting your privacy with my last breath and drop of blood). If I get lots of responses, I'll publish a new page in my homepage area devoted just to advice.



In the meantime, I shall continue my practice of posting beefcake when I don't have anything profound to say. Enjoy this Ken Haak photo of a...peach: