Gretchen L. Kelly, Author

Sex, Art & Rock and Roll

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Have you ever been excited about something, only to be let down? You feel energy firing up your senses and you give yourself over to the moment. But then the moment feels… dull. Boring. Lackluster. You’re left wanting. It can be a detached lover or a singer on the stage just going through the motions. When complacency resides where passion should burn, the disappointment floods you.

But… when there’s passion? When a singer looses his mind on stage? When art is inspiring? When someone’s words touch your soul? Those are the things we live for. That is what drives us to do great things, to connect with others. Beyond merely surviving in this world, passion is what gives us life.

Today, I’m on Elephant Journal writing about Sex, Art and Rock and Roll. I would love it if you would join me there:

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2016/03/sex-art-rock-and-roll-how-passion-fuels-our-inner-fire/

18 Responses

  1. is the woman in the black and white photo someone you know or just some woman you’re using to grab our attention?

    1. Um. When choosing a photo to accompany a blog post, one generally tries to choose something that conveys the feeling or theme of said blog post. This post, in case you missed it, is about passion and sex and art and music. (ahem, as the title states) This picture embodies my vision of those subjects. Funny how that works, huh?

      If you are offended by sensual images or think it’s in bad taste, you may want to not click on a blog post that has the word “Sex” in the title. As for me? I find nothing wrong with the human body. I am not offended in the least by a beautiful picture of someone, anyone, who is feeling emotions or standing in the rain soaking it up. I hope you have a lovely day, Tabby.

      1. I didn’t miss a beat. Duh. How easily you’re using a random image and then entirely nonchalant about your own way of being exploitive of women. When I use images of stereotypical sexy or beautiful or naked bodies, it’s to discuss exploitation, or objectification OR how artists are empowering and vulnerable both in employing the device.

        In your case you are helping/using the boring status quo “gender normative” and not the “passionate” in your own work because you are bored and maybe need to get laid? I dunno. I liked some of your other posts but no go on this one.

        I hope you have a lovely day too Gretchen, really. Don’t be offended by my real. I never shied away from telling women when they were participating in their own demise in order to pander to a male audience.

        1. We have very different thoughts on exploitation of women. And being un-ashamed of the female form and appreciating the art in a photograph like this is, in my opinion, not exploitative. I am in no way offended by your opinion. In fact, I have the power as the owner of this blog, to delete comments I find offensive. I have never once deleted a comment. They only way I would do so is if someone was being hateful and trolling.

          I am, however, chuckling at your insinuation of my “need to get laid” in the same breath you appear to be advocating for some kind of defense of women and gender.

          This image is not intended to pander to a male audience. You see exploitation, I see a beautiful image that emotes passion. People disagree. No big deal.

          1. Did *I* miss the point? I didn’t see this image as exploitative. In fact, using a sexy image even if it’s in an article about exploitation, seems like it would be exploitative itself. Duh. The pic is of a woman looking off to the side. It’s used for illustration. The article itself is quite brilliant. I cannot see where it might be interpreted as exploitative. Sheesh.

          2. Thank you Suheiry. I don’t quite get it either. I understand that not everyone will like my writing style or my choices of photos. But to continue to attack and get personal? I will never understand what drives someone to do that. Also, I don’t think some people realize how much time we spend trying to find the *perfect* photo that relates to our post and gives it the vibe and emotion that we are trying to express.

  2. Right now Bon Jovi’s we weren’t born to follow is playing in my head. I love what you have written, I have been trying to say it for all my life every not and then I live it. Now is one of the trying to live it times. J >

    1. Thank you Johann! Music is the thing that embodies this most clearly for me. (not that I have any musical talent, but I love music!) You can tell when someone is performing a song and they really mean it, they feel the lyrics. There is a certain euphoria to those moments, isn’t there? Obviously our lives can’t all be playing out our passions, but I think it’s so important to find the things that bring it out in you.

      1. As for Music : I ABSOLUTELY agree with your remark Kelly :
        “La Musique me semble plus proche du Défoulement” …
        In other words (I am not English-native speaker) , YES, MUSIC IS SO NEAR, SO CLOSE TO THE EXPRESSION OF LOVE that words -except perhaps Poetry ?- are far away from it… (perhaps because It’s so easy to lie ? )

  3. “Physical intercourse” (as they say) is something difficult to TALK ABOUT -at least for me ; it’s sth I DO whan I happen
    to be able to DO it, -or to feel like DOING it- , but talking about it… well, it’s just harder to express it with words I guess ! …
    It’s like sport a little bit, but it deênds on TWO persons.

  4. Post-Scriptum : I guess it’s my TANTRIC way of seing (and above all DOING) things that makes me say all this the way I do…
    But frankly, it’s so difficult to express these things with WORDS, things that in fact are so easier to DO with you own BODY…
    Is this perhaps the fruit of a certain “PURITANISM” ?
    Hmm…, if so, NOT in the classic acception or in the classic sense of “puritanism” -I hope.

    1. I think that putting words to something that is a physical and emotional experience is difficult for anyone. For some people talking about it absolutely makes them uncomfortable. Because of culture or spiritual beliefs perhaps? Because of upbringing for some? I am fortunate that my mom was progressive and very open to talk about these things once I was a certain age. I am so grateful that she made sure to not attach shame to sexuality. I actually wrote a post about this, about the purity mindset and how destructive it is (not on this blog, on another site.)

      1. Either you (try to) write a beautiful text on it, and then you’re a good Writer who writes novels ; either you DO it, you just MAKE LOVE and try to enjoy it calmly till you get indeed as high as 7th Heaven . But to just “talk” about it, I don’t know… I’d rather sing a Poem.

  5. I tried to comment on EJ. but alas technology .
    I loved the blog. Needed to read it. I have to keep things ‘simple’ to stay sober BUT That doesn’t mean I can’t be passionate about what I love bc that’s In my soul.
    Per usual. .very inspirational

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