Miscellaneous – Page 4

WYSIWYG

Remember when WYSIWYG was hot?

What is WYSIWYG ?

It’s probably mainstream now, but when computers were young and not so powerful, it was stunning to type and immediately see how it would look.

What You See Is What You Get.

Wysiwyg.

A few days ago I realised that this is the very same thing with nudists, naturists, clothes-free people and other denominations that prefer not to be dressed.

What you see is, indeed, what you get. Just the real person, with all its wobbles, welts, bruises, scars and smiles. Tanlines and all, that’s the real person, right there.

No need to use any prettifying stuff like hats, ties, scarves, skirts, pants, shirts and what-not. We’re real. Which, again, proves that the other world, the textile realm is more fake than people would think.

Clothes for keeping warm

Sensible. Going out in the snow and ice, freezing several parts off and getting hypothermia doesn’t sound smart. But is that a reason to keep fifty different kinds of the same piece of clothing, in different shapes, fabrics, colours and so on? You can wear only one at the same time (okay, some people like to overdo it. Please send shots of men wearing 2 pairs of trousers and ladies wearing a skirt over their dress).

And yes, diversity is good, but running after the fashion gods who are after your money is something else.

Stay naked, people. Be yourself. I want to see what I get, not the fake dream that someone tries to put out there.

Have a good one.

Paul

Naturist podcasts

I love listening to podcasts. I think I said that before.

As I write this, I’m listening to an episode of “Normalizing Naturism” (and yes, it’s with a z).

It’s available via Spotify, but also via many other podcast channels. It’s interesting that the name online is ‘naturism’ while the podcaster talks about ‘nudism’, which I find funny, but understandable as he hails from Arkansas. (Arkinsaw, as he calls it. Why that state’s name is pronounced that way is still a riddle to me.)

This is a fairly new podcast, it started in October of 2020, so if you want to catch up, that’s easy.

Another (long-running) podcast is the Naturist Living Show, that many have probably heard of. Presented by Stéphane Dechene from Bare Oaks in Canada, this show has over 120 episodes to show already.

The latest one I heard is about the Nude Yogi, which was a very interesting interview with Sarah Jane and how she got to be where she is now. If you want to learn more about her, have a look at the podcast page where you’ll find lots of interesting links. And do give the podcast a listen.

On Anchor.fm there is The New Nudist Podcast.

Also a fairly new podcast series, which is a nice listen for when you feel like it. The episodes are significantly longer than those of the first one I mentioned (which has episodes of around 20 minutes). The New Nudist Podcasts runs between 50 minutes and 1.5 hours. But worth the while, and it’s not like you have to run or do anything difficult while listening. 🙂

That’s it for the news for this week. I hope you enjoy this post and if you know of other interesting naturist podcasts, drop me a line in the comments.

Stay safe, stay nude.

Paul

The crazy stuff in Aquaman

Have you seen the film? Aquaman?

At the moment I’m writing this, I saw half of it. It’s 2.5 hours long; I can’t sit and watch something for that long, so tomorrow I’ll watch the rest.

It’s a well-made film I think. I love the special effects and the works that come with them. There is, however, something I don’t understand at all. It’s how the underwater people look.

Look at this bloke. In a bit, metal-looking outfit.

Excuse me? Under water? Look at the weird collar-stuff that point up. That scoops up water and will slow you down like a pro.

Another thing I really don’t understand is why some of them wear those long, flowing capes. Under water. Perfect to get caught in rocks or corals.

I understand that the filmmakers are bound to the rules and regulations of ‘decency’ and they also don’t want to shock people with nudity (while killing and murder is just fine)…

…but someone like this would make a lot more sense under water, in my view of things. Look at swimmers who try to go fast. They don’t wear capes. They don’t have collars that slow them down.

Look at scuba divers. They wear suits that make them as smooth as possible, so as to reduce the resistance of water.

I know this. I’ve been one:

(Shot in a Mexican Cenote, that’s why the water is so clear.)

Unless the film changes its attitude about clothes under water (and I know that isn’t going to happen), I’m going to enjoy the rest of it but I’ll shake my head at any full-costume scene.

It makes no sense at all.

Have a good day, and stay as nude as you can!

Are you nude with a mask on your face?

Naked with a mask?

I have heard a lot about this. Is a nudist really naked with a mask on?

Short answer: Yes, even when you wear something.

If that is all you have time for then you can move on and be busy with what you consider more important stuff.

The long answer is, as usual, longer and more thought through. Yes, a nudist isn’t naked with a mask on, but here’s the but: everyone wears such a thing.

These days, if you do it right, a mask is like having a nose or eyes. You need it. For living. Because if you don’t use it, the chances of not living very long are quite big. The reason for that, you probably guessed it already, is our little friend COVID-19.

A virus that has such an impact on life as we know it is not something to make fun of. Nor is it something to ignore.

We’re nudists so we refuse to wear anything

Even a mask.

That is one of the stupidest things I have heard in the past decade. That is like saying “We’re nudists so we don’t take medicine when we’re sick”.

You’re right, you can take medicine when you’re totally and veritably naked down to your lack of blue suede shoes, but consider the alternative in the light of a mask and taking home a good shot of the old COVID and blues. Is that worth the risk?

Last Thursday, July 2nd 2020, the USA alone reported 53,000 new cases of COVID-19. That is not just a lot. That is scary. And the majority of these people wore clothes but probably no mask. (I refuse to call it a face mask because I still haven’t figured out on what other body part you can wear a mask.)

Let’s be grateful that masks like up here aren’t obligatory.

Look at it from the other side.

Is a dressed person undressed when not wearing a mask?

If you say yes, you can’t be serious. People have gone without masks for the longest time, unless they intended to rob banks and stuff like that.

I don’t think you’ll find anyone in the textile world who will tell you they feel ‘naked’ without their mask. Masks have become a life necessity with friend Covid still hanging around. A virus doesn’t care if you naked, dressed in rags or the finest silk a caterpillar can poop. It wants to get in your face – and the way to keep it away is to wear a mask when you go out among people. It’s that ff-ing simple.

Conclusion

Having a mask on to stay healthy and alive isn’t that bad, I think.

Also, there is still this 6 foot distance rule, right? Take that into consideration. Keep a distance and the need for a mask isn’t major. (Please, correct me if I’m wrong!) Do keep a mask at hand. You never know when someone isn’t able to guestimate 6 ft.

Happy nude summer, everyone!

Paul

The Benefits of Sleeping Naked

This blogpost was created by Sierra Skelly.

Many of us know the joy that comes with being clothes-free, however, if you are still on the fence about it, consider just sleeping naked first. In the comfort of your own home, under the sheets with the lights out, it’s the perfect way to ease into nudism. Plus, there are so many health benefits to sleeping naked. Below we dive into a few of the top reasons you should sleep au naturel.

Better Sleep

Temperature plays a huge role in your quality of sleep. If you are someone who tends to sleep hot, try sleeping naked. Sleeping nude can increase your body’s temperature creating a biological cue for your body to go to sleep. You are also less likely to have your REM sleep disrupted by waking up too hot.

Increased Self-Esteem

One study found that spending time in the nude can increase confidence and decrease body image dissatisfaction. It goes to show that if you sleep naked, you are more likely to wake up feeling confident and happy. If you want to boost this benefit, try meditating in the nude before bed. This will help center your body and mind and allow you to take the time to acknowledge your accomplishments.

Supports Female Productive Health

Wearing underwear that is too tight can increase your chance of getting a yeast infection. There is research to support that sleeping without underwear can prevent this and have a positive effect on female reproductive health. Many gynecologists will recommend sleeping in the nude as a preventative measure.

From better sleep to increased self-esteem, there are many benefits to sleeping in the nude. For more on the benefits of sleeping au naturel, check out the infographic Casper provided below.

Naturism, books, COVID-19 and natives

Yes. Talk about a strange mix of subjects for one blog post. Please, read on.

A few days ago I listened to a podcast in the “Stuff they don’t want you to know” series. Maybe you know it. This specific episode was called “Indigenous Tribes, Covid & PPE”.

To my shock and horror I discovered that Native Americans are heavily affected by the COVID pandemic, and that in most cases and states, hardly a thing is done to help them, or even to educate them on the issues.

I know that the United States have many problems, and many people will shrug this off. I, however, am not many people. If you know my “Naked Crow” books, you may know that Native Americans play an important part in the stories.

The thing that really hit me, as stated in the podcast, was that “Doctors Without Borders” is stepping in to help Native Americans. This may not mean much to you, but this organisation usually steps in when a situation in a third world country is hopeless.

So what does this have to do with books?

In a previous blog post I mentioned “Murder in the nudist colony”. An anthology with death in all kinds of nudist places (just to stay on the cheerful side of life of course). All the proceeds of this book will go to Doctors Without Borders. After learning that this organisation is on the move to help the original Americans, this means even more to me. So here is your chance to help that organisation!

Murder in the nudist colony.

Pre-order it on Amazon, or on another e-book platform. Select your favourite one here.

On behalf of all the authors and other contributors to this publication, I thank you!

This one’s for the ladies. Do you miss your bra?

What? Bras? What’s this about?

Yes. Bras. You know about them, right? Breast bags.

Long time ago, in a podcast of the Naturist Living Show, I heard about a study by a French man on the goods and bads of bras. Not so long ago I heard another podcast, this time from Stuff you should know, called “How bras work“.

They referenced the same study, which means there isn’t much study done on bras. As I listened, I wondered about something:

Do naturist woman miss their bra when they’re “doing naturism”?

Cultural heritage

In our ‘modern’ Western culture it’s normal for people to wear clothes. For women it’s also ‘normal’ to wear a bra. The effectiveness and need of such an item of clothing has never been fully explained, as far as I know, but I’m not the bra-wearing gender. Correct me if I’m wrong.

Now to the reason why I ask this question: ladies of naturism are, as the picture up there shows, bra-less. I really wonder if they feel any discomfort regarding their breasts while being in that totally naked state. After all, they ‘cage’ the bosom in a bra all the time (generally speaking; I know there are women who don’t). This wearing of said item creates a habit and I’m curious if that affects the feeling of being naked.

Is it like wearing underpants and not wearing them is a relief? Or is the moment of putting on the bra one of relief? Perhaps/probably this is a very personal thing, which is an answer too.

So that’s the wonder of the week and I’m unleashing it onto you, my (former) unsuspecting readers.

Let the reactions begin. If there are any…

Vacation. Nudist camping vs nudist hotels vs COVID-19

Vacation plans in the current state of being.

It won’t be a surprise that the vacation and recreation industry will take a severe hit from the current “flu crisis”, as I saw the COVID-19 situation described somewhere.

It will be obvious to anyone with a bit of sense that COVID-19 is more than just a flu. It makes weird things happen and more weird things become necessary. Like keeping social distance.

Social distancing on vacation.

This made me think about what the title of this post already warned about. Camping versus hotels.

I expect that camping grounds will see a boost in visitors. On a campground it is much easier to keep the 1.5 metre/6 ft/whatever is current in your country distance than in a hotel.

Hotels will be fine as long as it comes to rooms, but they aren’t prepared to keep people at any required distance when it comes to food or simply moving around. At least, that is my experience with naturist hotels. (If you have any other experience, I would like to hear about it.)

Camping grounds are made to give people space.

Naturist camping on the Dutch island of Texel

Camping plots/lots/spaces usually are quite a bit apart. That, in this situation, is a good thing. As you can see my grasping for the right expression, I am not an experienced nor avid camping visitor. In fact I’m far from that (sorry, camping owners, don’t hold that against me!).

Do you run a naturist hotel?

If you, dear reader, run a naturist hotel, how will you tackle the upcoming vacation season? Is there any way to actually do that? I suspect, the larger your hotel is, the harder it will be to deal with the social distance aspect of life.

I am very curious about that, and with me there are probably many others, because your kind of vacationing experience is very dear to many people, also readers and followers of this blog.

News from a ‘social distancing’ naturist. A week of working from home.

Coffee, nude on the balcony — Nude coffee on the balcony

Let me tell you that the last week (officially 1.5 weeks) has been an interesting one.

Working from home isn’t new for me, so that was easy to get adjusted to. Being able to grab a coffee and enjoy that naked outside is a new perk of this situation. I don’t do that all the time because we still have a very chilly spring, but in the afternoon this is definitely a very enjoyable possibility. Since I live on the fourth floor (fifth for American readers), I’m in a safe zone, away from other people, which is definitely good.

Something else that I have found is laundry. Working from home means I don’t have to put on clothes. Which means the laundry basket is only filling up with towels and a few pairs of socks. Yes, laugh all you want but wearing socks means I don’t have cold feet.

And doing laundry naked is another good thing, although that’s not something new for me. Being a naturist, there is hardly another way unless it’s too cold to be naked. Let me add that I haven’t had the need to run a load of laundry since I started working from home. The few towels and socks don’t warrant starting the washing machine, which is a sign that naturism is good for the environment. No washing water, no detergent, no electricity needed for the machine or the tumble dryer (if you use such a contraption). Less wear of the clothes, so no need to replace those quicker either.

Work meeting — When I see the clothes, I shudder by now

A good thing too is that I don’t have to be dressed to join meetings. It’s simply a matter of not having the webcam on when I have to have a talk with a coworker or a customer. Who knows if the person on the other side is dressed or not. I honestly don’t care. We get the job done, and that’s what matters. I don’t need more proof that professionals can be naked and do their job; I’ve noticed that more than often in the past years. Clothes literally only add fabric, nothing more.

Perhaps you are new to working from home and it all feels a bit uncomfortable. I have found a link for you with a bunch of tips (32 of them!) that actually work. Because if you have to work from home, make sure you have the best setup you can manage.

And don’t forget: anything worth doing well is worth doing naked!

Stay safe, everyone. Be naked, happy and responsible.

A good thing with a bad thing. The nude and the virus.

You’re most probably facing the same thing I am. The invitation of your (local) government to stay home as much as possible.

Yes. It’s annoying, depending on where you are. In many places of the world you’re simply forbidden to go outside unless there is a strict need, like grocery-shopping, medical attention, walking the dog, etc.

Here in the Netherlands it’s not that bad yet. We can still go outside for a breather. Groups are not allowed, and people have to stay 1.5 metres / 5 feet apart. I understand that.

I’m making the best of it. Since there is no one in my home who complains about me not wearing clothes, I go nude as soon as the temperature is nice in the living room. (We’re having quite some night frost lately, which isn’t usual for March any more.)

And so I enjoy the morning sun, drink my coffee and do my work.

Yes, the restrictions that are in place aren’t the biggest joys ever, but doing it this way, it’s not a punishment for me.

It’s also interesting to notice that, for me, not very much changes in this pandemic virus situation. Of course, I don’t drive to work every day, which is different, but not being a very social person now has it’s benefits. I don’t have the need to meet many other people on a daily basis. Actually, meeting so many of them during a normal office day is very draining for me, so in a way this is a great relief! I’m fine with being alone – I’ve been doing that most of my life.

Working nude on the couch — Working on the couch. It’s a great experience, definitely when you can do it naked!

How are you coping with the lock down, if that’s applicable for you? Are you bored? Going crazy? Desperate to be around dozens of people, even from a distance?

I’m very curious how long all this will go on. China reports fewer cases and people can go out again. It took them 2 months of rigorous lock down. Let’s hope we can get through that with less strict rules, but we’ll see!

Have a good day, everyone, and stay naked if you can. Let your skin breathe.