Thursday, June 30, 2011

Summer in DC

Well since the last time I blogged I frantically moved out of the dorm, started working at Dick's Last Resort in Baltimore, been interpreting regularly, and most importantly signed up for this years gathering! I was just reading old GNI informers and I came across the article written about me wining the natural man award. The article itself definitely reminded me of my goal and enthusiasm that I have with being a naturist. Reading the article also allowed me to reflect on the past year and really made me think of how one's life can go in the most unexpected places, for example, I never thought I would be here in DC interpreting and going to grad school, and I would have never thought I would have to miss a gathering. When I realized that I was going to miss last year; I thought the world was going to end. Then august came, went, and the world continued.

Taking a break from GNI for a bit really gave me the opportunity to truly find my priorities. I've had time to stop and think about who I want to promote naturism to and how I want to do it. For the past few weeks I feel like I've been advertising the gathering non stop, so hopefully there will be at least a few people that will come because of it. Also, I may get a friend or two to come up, which will always be a good time.

I look back at the the first time I went to the gathering for the first time and think about how far I've come. I have a friend that is exploring naturism and he just turned 24. I look at him sometimes and think about what I was doing when I was that age and it seems like it was a very long time ago, but I know that's foolish because it really wasn't a long time ago. I know many people that read this are older than I am may think that thought is a bit silly considering I'm only 27 well almost 28, but I don't think age really matters when one is self actualizing.

Since discussing goals for naturism; I would like to add some new blood to this blog, I have some ideas that may work that I need to brainstorm a little more before I can actually put them forth. I would just like whoever reads this to gain perspectives from different people, so maybe people could understand each other a little better. I've heard great feedback from those of you who read the blog and I would like to keep it going. In any case I hope to see some of you at the gathering this year. I am definitely looking forward to seeing everyone again.

Stay Naked,

Nick

www.wedoitnaked.com

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Summer!

Now that Summer is almost here, well in DC it feels like it already, and the stress from school is done I can focus my attention on other things. Since I moved here I have started to take on more of an adult role than the lifestyle I had in Chicago. I came to this reason because in DC I'm starting a new career, graduate school, and living a lifestyle that reflects more of a professional. One thing that I half heartily tried in Chicago was dating. As one can read from previous blogs, I'm no stranger to dating, but in the past 8 months, I've decided to try a more traditional approach to the subject rather the more colorful alternatives.

I could go on and on about my various experiences while treading this new water of traditional dating, but I recently came across an issue that I thought was best suited to discuss on here. I had been on multiple dates with an individual recently and really started to like this person. The thing I found difficult to tell them was that I was a nudist. I found this odd because obviously, I haven't the slightest problem discussing nudism to anyone else, but with my past experiences with telling people I dated that I was a nudist then seeing the end result of that honest, I found myself a bit reluctant to divulge every detail about myself on dates 1 and 2. After this I started to arrive at the question, what number date is appropriate to tell the person that you're a nudist? Right off the bat SEEMS appropriate, until they are secretly freaked out inside and don't call again. 2 or 3 weeks of dating SEEMS appropriate as well, they know you to a certain extent and might even go over well with them. This is all ideal until the other person realizes you've been going to nudist events since the two of you have started dating, and not to mention they may or may not know about the 2 week GNI trip you go to regularly.

If the 1st date is out of the question, then when? Really, the 1st date they ask you, "so tell me about yourself," and it is the perfect opportunity to bring it up since you are well 'talking about yourself.' I feel anytime after that is just awkward to bring up like after a few weeks of dating, "my day was wonderful, oh, and by the way I take my clothes off recreationally. It's not sexual and I've been doing it since before I met you, and have been doing it regularly in the time that I've known you, I think I'll have the fish tonight." It shouldn't also be treated like you have an STD that you just HAPPENED to forget to tell them about, "umm, honey I need to tell you something, and you should sit down for this one. *long dramatic pause* I'm a nudist." Something like that can build up the topic to overly dramatic proportions that are very much unnecessary. Maybe I'm just at a loss with this one. I've been pretty upfront and honest with everything else about me, and really it's not like I don't hide my interests and such on my facebook, so he would have to really not look at my facebook page to not see that important tidbit about myself.

I vote for telling them right off the bat. The reason being is that you can get a good gage of who they are and plus it almost brings itself up on the first date. In a way I'm happy I had this experience, because I am always the person to say that it is beneficial to talk about nudism, because it spreads the idea of social nudity and eventually some that is truly interested will get involved with the culture. In this situation however, I was just scared because when you like someone you are scared that anything you do wrong will screw it up. Things would just be easier if I could take them to a nudist event for the first date. I don't know how appropriate that is, but to me it seems as if its the same as telling them I'm a nudist on the first date, why not show them that I'm a nudist? Being true to yourself is never easy and I feel that we need to be a little inappropriate sometimes in order to be ourselves. I think I'm done with this rant :-).

Stay Naked,

Nick

www.wedoitnaked.com

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Wow... Talk about not getting around to blog

So since my last post, which was AUGUST, I have been living and breathing grad school. Accepting it as my full time job, I am successfully getting through it, but not without sacrifice. Other than school, I've been interpreting part time and going to naturist events here in DC. One thing that I am really enjoying about DC is the naturist community here and the GNI members that live here. Since there are regular events here, I am fortunate to see them often, which as made it easier to "come to terms" with not going to the last gathering.

I've definitely been able to take the opportunity to talk about naturism to people that would probably never consider it. Although they haven't actually tried it yet, I am well on the way to getting them to some events here in DC, then maybe GNI. Right now though, I'm going to start small and go from there. Recently, I got an email from my website regarding an individual who was older, but was reluctant to try naturism even though he had been a home naturist for many years. He was concerned with the age groups and was looking for something with a well diverse age range. This struck me as somewhat amazing, because even though this person was far removed from my generation, he still felt a connection with my generation. I directed him as best as I could to the resources that he needed, but it made me think about how we are all just looking for people like us, so we don't feel alone.

Sometimes we become reluctant to seek out one's like us because if we are rejected then we might feel ultimately alone. I told this person that no matter what age someone is, they should seek out communities that they feel comfortable with. We only get to live one life, and I don't see why we have to sit in our mundane lives wondering what might be. We can sit in chat forums, visit all the naturist websites regularly, join facebook groups, and feel like we are apart of a larger community, but the truth is, it's a false sense of community. Community happens with real people. Real people that can potentially hurt you or make you feel welcome. It's the negative that makes us feel reluctant to be around real people sometimes. It's a lot easier to flirt with a profile online than with someone at a bar. What I'm saying is use the internet to meet people, use the internet to find places to get naked, but don't live on the internet. There are clubs, gatherings, and events that you can go to and without you guys, these places won't exist.

Ironically I'm using the internet to create this message, but I think it's an important one.

Stay Naked,

Nick

www.wedoitnaked.com

Saturday, August 21, 2010

What a summer!

With grad school looming around the corner, missing the gathering, and leaving my friends in Chicago I cannot help but feel scared and excited at the same time. It is ironic at that high point of my naturist life was last year and the low point is definitely this year. I guess everything has to equal out; there is just too much change for me this year to really participate in naturist events. I knew that would happen eventually, because one of my goals was to go to grad school and I would have to give up things in order to make it happen, and even though I am not giving it up entirely, I feel like I need this to realize truly how important being a naturist is to me. I never feel home sick anymore, but missing the gathering this year, I feel more home sick than I have ever felt in my life.

On a good note, I have been talking to people about GNI that email about naturism, so I think there will be some new members next year, which is a good thing. I am going to take the time this year to really promote naturism and get some new people that like to be naked and socialize into naturism. I have found so many people that like to be naked, but feel alone. All I want is to bring people together. I guess this is more of a passion than a hobby for me.

stay naked,

Nick

www.wedoitnaked.com

Friday, May 21, 2010

I GRADUATED!!!

I think it's funny that just after my last post about how unbusy I was the floodgates opened and I ended up being busy until I graduted. I never really thought that I would be this excited to actually be done, but it is a nice sense of accomplishment that I am feeling at the moment, and I am very excited about what's next. I have all but given up on the idea of graduating while still being in the same age group as my classmates. In reality It doesn't really matter, I love going to school and learning new things. I sometimes think that this whole grad school thing is more of a hobby than an actual career move, I mean what does someone do with a linguistics degree anyways? Sometimes I think I should take up a less expensive hobby like knitting.

The one thing that i do not like about this whole moving and going to graduate school thing is my graduate student orientation week. Since i will be going to a school that is the only Deaf university in the world they have a week where the new students can acclimate themselves to the school. I very much like this because it eases my nerves about the new endeavor, but what i don't like about it is that it happens during the same week as GNI. I tried to work the week around GNI every way that I could but the fact of the matter is, I could not, so now I will unfortunately have to miss this years gathering. It saddens me to think that I will miss a year, but I will be back next year, and it's important to get everything situated with school first.

I know this blog is a little short this time, but I will make a longer post soon!

Stay Naked

Nick

www.wedoitnaked.com

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Internet nudists?

Ok so before I get into the subject of the blog, I want catch people up on what's been going on in my life and why I haven't updated since January. My semester has been pretty laid back, but getting my research going and applying to grad school has taken up most of my time. I am happy to report that I have been accepted to grad school, so I will be relocating in the fall. It is a bundle of emotions I can't even begin to describe. It also hit me the other day that I will be 27 years old this year. Can I still be considered a young nudist in my late twenties? Probably, but a college-aged nudist? Probably stretching it a bit, since my Mom jokingly reminded me that I could be a doctor, so maybe I'm holding on to this title for dear life.

I was in various web forums a few weeks ago while I couldn't sleep one night, and I came across an interesting thought, although not a revolutionary one. There were a lot of 18-25 year old "nudists" in these forums. It wasn't like when I was 18 and on these forums and there would be a few here and there, but the majority of these naturists forums were dominated with people that were 18-25. This made me think as to the many theories why this age group does not get involved with real world naturist activities, and I came to my own conclusion; I believe the reason why is because of the Internet they found this lovely community, but they have already found people like them in a safe environment. Many people praise the Internet, such as myself, but there are times where we should put our computers to sleep and interact with real people. Pretty soon there will be a virtual nudist resort, as ridiculous as that sounds.

Sometimes it astounds me with how much the Internet can breed a false sense of extroversion. People think that they can be social and they talk to people all over the world and still be able to be the shy person that doesn't say much when they are out in the real world. We should remember that in this day and age we meet people twice first on the Internet and second in person, or vise versa. So get out and meet people! Go to naturist resorts and gatherings while they are still there to enjoy!

Stay Naked

-Nick

www.wedoitnaked.com

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Dead of Winter

As we are all trying to get through until summer I find myself wanting to not be in my apartment on my days off, but I soon realize how I do not want to venture outside since Chicago is not the best place to be in the winter time. I was looking through my emails one day when I found that someone had posted old GNI photographs in a yahoo group that I belong to. Now I don't know the formal etiquette on discussing the pictures that are sent out within this group, but I find these posts such a pleasant surprise. I can tell that they are older, because of one, how much younger people look in the pictures, and two the name badges. Looking at these pictures has revitalized my spirit and I realize how much I really do miss everyone at camp.

For me now, seeing people at GNI once a year has become habit. I know I will see them again next year and August is always here before I know it. I have spend 26 years just trying to get through my day to day life. Everything has always been paying the bills that I have to pay, then homework, after that school, and finally summer. Now with my graduation ahead of me and the beginning of a new chapter in my life; I suddenly feel like I want to enjoy the day rather than just getting through it. I actually started a savings account last year. It was surprisingly more of an accomplishment for me than I realized, because suddenly I felt more like an adult with responsibilities, rather than an adult who can legally drink and doesn't need a bedtime.

After the last gathering I had a sudden realization that I was not a child anymore. I had spent most of my life striving to become an adult and it had happened before I knew it. I honestly believe that this lifestyle helped me get there faster than most of my peers. The reason why I say that is because I found a place in the world where I am judged based on the content of my character, because that's all I really have to show. I know there are people out there looking for this experience as I use to look for it. Now that I found it I want to share it with everyone. I spent the first part of my life looking for a place where I belong now that I found it; I spend the next part of my life looking for more people to share it with.

Stay Naked,

Nick

www.wedoitnaked.com