Friday, November 20, 2009

Has This Blog Made a Difference in Your Life?

Or any blog, or any online nudist/naturist site. I'm just curious. I've had a couple of people recognize me at nudist events and thank me for inspiring them to take the plunge into social nudism.

For me, it was Sunny Day's blog which really stirred the inner nudist in me, because her forays into open fields rekindled memories from the 1970s when I used to sunbathe nude on my parents' rural property. ClothesFree.com was also influential, showing me that there was a real, solid and supportive nudist community out there.

I do fear that many people out there are frequenting nudist blogs and websites but not crossing the line into actual nude social interaction. Perhaps the online social networks line Nudist Clubhouse, Skinbook and True Nudists are turning nudism into some sort of weird online exhibitionism club, excluding families and children and encouraging more "hooking-up" than actual nudism or naturism.

Today I am inspired by The Academic Naturist and his intellectual approach to the lifestyle, Morley Schloss and his Sunsport Gardens Resort, Tom and Mary Clare at the Terra Cotta Inn and their open and enthusiastic embrace of nudism, Dr. Paul Rapoport of the FCN and his wonderful work with TERA, the Naturist Action Committee, Allen Baylis and all the good folks fighting the free beaches issue in California, and Mark Storey and the people in Seattle advocating body freedom.

And while I do appreciate the work done by AANR and TNS, they do little these days to truly inspire me.

So what has, and what does move you to be a nudist or naturist?

8 comments:

Bob said...

This is a very interesting subject.

I think what attracted me to nudism originally was my own lack of confidence and comfort in my own body. Although I am frequently told I have a nice body it is not something that I have always accepted easily. Becoming a nudist many years ago made me more confident about myself. It made me realize that under our clothes we are all naked and basically alike. We let the nudie magazines convince us that everyone has a hot and beautiful body. It is so NOT true. As I've gotten older I have come to appreciate the ordinary person as being the most beautiful.

That said, I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for all of your hard work and to also tell you that I think you are a very hot man. Love your pics. Hope that is okay and not considered inappropriate for this forum.

Hugs

Howard said...

"So what has, and what does move you to be a nudist or naturist? "
Having moved from secret to open free-range naturist I do feel inspired by your blog, so well done and keep it up please! Being open helps others to be open, it reinforces the belief that naturism is fine and nothing to keep secret. Whilst others may not join in, at least they come to accept naturism for what it is, a harmless lifestyle. Of course your blog has a US slant so some of the items appear to me to indicate utter nuttiness in the US, but we are not free of such nuttiness over here in the UK. The more that well written and observed naturist content appears on the net, the better things will be. Howard

Paul Rapoport said...

I think this is the top single-person blog on the whole subject. That is inspiration enough for me.

Anonymous said...

I moved from southern California to NE Washington State. So I left an area that had a high concentration of nude venues and nudists for one with only two clubs within a two hour drive, in good weather. In winter one of those places shuts down and the other only has a few hard core users. So for me this site and others are a life line, a window to other nudists and a way to interact with other nudists. From time to time it is nice to have a reaffirmation that this way of life is normal or at least something I have in common with many others.

Anonymous said...

I love looking at photos of nudists. It is not the nudity that is inspiring. It is the sense of fun. Look at all the smiles. As the world grows darker by the hour, the one social group that seems to inspira a sense of peace and fun is nudists. Freedom and a sense of humor may get us through these trying times. Respect for others also is a halmark of true nudists. I envy their ability to follow this lifestyle, and hope to join it permanently when I retire in seven years. Them perhaps I can find my own smile as others photograph me being free and happy.

Rick said...

Yes, this blog has been inspirational as I've watched it evolve from nearly the beginning. Other blogs I've enjoyed are The Academic Naturist, All Nudist and The Terra Cotta Inn blog.

Sunny Day's web site was one of the first I found when I began to explore nudism as well as the Clothesfree forums. I've found Stephane Deschenes, owner of Bare Oaks to be an inspiration with his views on traditional naturism.

I'm still not sure about the nudist social networking sites. They seem to have too much emphasis on posting pictures, most of which are not representative of the naturist lifestyle. I've left True Nudists and Skinbook but still belong to a couple others on Ning that are making an honest effort to get it right. I've been less than satisfied with Nudist Clubhouse for other reasons.

What moves me to be a naturist? That's kind of hard for me to sum up in a few words but comfort and relaxation are near the top of the list. For me naturism has become part of a holistic, healthy, commonsense lifestyle.

Academic Naturist said...

Online nudist sites are where I originally got information on where to go. (Can't find a book on nude beaches or resorts in the library...) I knew of Mazo Beach from the old websites dedicated to it, and found my first beaches in Australia from websites.

I, too, am inspired by NAC (and Bob Morton, Morley Schloss specifically), TERA, and Mark Storey. Adding to your list, Lee Baxandall. I never met the guy, but after reading things he wrote and attending his memorial service, I find him quite inspirational. I think him and I share some unique qualities.

But why did I start my "inspirational" blog? Because I was inspired by your blog! You inspired me to take a more active role in naturism, instead of passively enjoy whats out there.

Delfin Amamte said...

When I became an active nudist, there were so many questions in my mind. The two biggest sources of information on nudism were and still are Nudiarist and the Academic Naturist. Thank you so much guys, and yes, your blogs have been a huge help. They encouraged me and enabled me to experience Social Naturism. It was something I had wanted to try for a long time, and it has made a huge difference in my life.