Congratulations on your milestone. I have been reading your blog for only a short time, and have enjoyed your articles. I will endeavour to read your previous articles and look forward to reading what comes in future.
I've enjoyed getting to know your thoughts over the past while. One of the things I really enjoy about your writing (and other naturists) is the delight and ease in your writing, hearing a story like one that would be told at a local greasy spoon or café, and the sense of community and friendship that comes with it.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that you don't always need to proselytize or advocate loudly to have a place that is valued and needed. Have you ever listened or read through Vinyl Cafe stories from Stuart McLean? (Link: https://youtube.com/@StuartMcLeanVinylCafe?si=4aauxxxuZf2861yS ) They resemble the feel I get when I read your writing. Something I think we all need more of.
Thank you for the time you have given here. Thank you for sharing your stories, for having a voice and for teaching others. Thank you for creating a positive community. If you change your mind and write more, I'm here for it. Maybe a podcast could be a new place to explore? Keep creating and take care.
Thank you for your very kind words. It is comments like yours that fill me with warmth and a sense of being appreciated.
You are right, not everything we write needs to advocate a cause, and it may be that I continue to write as I do enjoy the process. I will simply be less of a slave to a schedule, which I concede is entirely self-imposed.
PS thank you for the link. I have only listened to one so far (Emil), but I will listen to more of them.
Perhaps you might consider an article about once a month - kind of a "current event" type of blog. This would still provide you with a connection to the naturist community, AND it would perpetuate an important sounding board for us naturists who, at least here in the U. S., have take a beating over the past two decades both politically and socially, with the closing of numerous clothing-free clubs and nudist beaches, and with new restrictions on public nudity being voted into existence by the fascist-leaning Christian Nationalists. What we have here in the U. S. is a SERIOUS threat to our very existence - i.e., the right to publicly socialize in the nude. Even our right to be nude at home with simply our family members present is at jeopardy. In my 67 years, there has never been a greater threat to naturism in the U. S. and the loss of this sounding board comes at a most difficult time. As a concerned naturist, I hope and pray that this will not be the end of your most cherished forum.
David, Thank you for your very kind words and support of my contributions.
I do have strong connections to the naturist community through other naturist social media sites and have no intention of leaving naturism.
I intend to post more articles when I have something to say but I would rather not be held to a specific schedule. There are a couple of blog ideas that are percolating and I would like to give them time to come to maturity without forcing them out to meet some arbitrary deadline.
I will publish them when they are ready.
It is with much sorrow and frustration that I watch the decline in attitudes and tolerance toward the naturist community in the U.S.
I am only one man, and the fate of naturism in the U.S. is not my responsibility. As someone outside the U.S., I have no vote or influence in the debate.
I am not sure how to best counter these changes but I am happy to play my part, however small, in trying to reason against them.
Awaiting for your next 4 blogs to have the milestone of 2 years of blog writing on weekly basis. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blogs & helped me to expand my views about naturism. I welcome your decision though I will miss your blogs henceforth. Best wishes for your next naturism journey.
I've been blogging intermittently since 2016. Many different topics. One blog is completely gone. One hasn't been posted to in a year. One in a couple of months. The Naturist Community is the only one I'm active on and it feels like I've said everything. I can write up another hike or another event, but it doesn't feel any different from the last one I wrote up. I still get positive feedback.
I have found that I still enjoy responding positively to other people's work. Feels more like a conversation than a dissertation. Negative responses are few and far between.
There were some books about naturism published in the 1930s. I have a few of them, though I wasn't around then. When I was in high school (ages ago) I sometimes climbed a tree in the backyard and got naked. Why? I don't know - it just felt good. Years later I noticed that nude beaches were popular (much more so than now). So simply being aware of that option persuaded me. But times have changed, especially in the U.S. Things are different in your country, where, I gather, beach nudity is common.
It's necessary to realize that stuff doesn't work the same in different times and different places. All I can say is that what works where you live won't necessarily work elsewhere. Naturism in the U.S. has become a very difficult sale.
Sorry to see you leave the blogs. But I totally get why. It is a Massive commitment to do a weekly article. I look forward to reading the last 4, and hopefully many more random ones , Well done on the massive achievement over 2 years. On 1/1/11, I started to take a "Photo-a-Day", thinking I would last maybe a couple of months. I ended up doing it continuously for 11 years, then I ran out of things to take. Thanks for all the information and inspiration. xx
Writing blog posts should be a pleasure, not a chore. I say that as having written blog posts for about 20 years, and participated in online social media for about 40 years. I've never tried to follow a fixed schedule, such as once a week. I have plenty of other things to keep busy with. So, just go with the pace that feels comfortable to you.
Regarding whether to write mainly for naturists or the "general public" - stick with naturists. I doubt that many people have often (at least in recent years) gotten into naturism as a result of reading something online. I strongly believe that the most effective way to promote naturism is by in-person, face-to-face interaction. So what I write about now for a naturist audience is the need to use that approach and how to do it. YMMV.
The problem with using online media to promote naturism is summarized in the well-known cartoon "On the Internet nobody knows you're a dog." Where something as scary (to most people) as naturism is concerned, people want to know they're communicating with a real person - not some nefarious troll or AI robot.
Thanks for your comments. Something to think about. I also think that face-to-face conversations are more impactful than reading articles, although I believe that the written word is still effective and has it's place. Perhaps I am old school and come from a generation where if you wanted to learn something, you went to the library and read a book about it.
I recently started reading your posts, thanks to Jillian in Quebec. I look forward to reading your history. I prefer quality to quantity, so good on you!
Congratulations on your milestone. I have been reading your blog for only a short time, and have enjoyed your articles. I will endeavour to read your previous articles and look forward to reading what comes in future.
Thank you. I appreciate your support.
I've enjoyed getting to know your thoughts over the past while. One of the things I really enjoy about your writing (and other naturists) is the delight and ease in your writing, hearing a story like one that would be told at a local greasy spoon or café, and the sense of community and friendship that comes with it.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that you don't always need to proselytize or advocate loudly to have a place that is valued and needed. Have you ever listened or read through Vinyl Cafe stories from Stuart McLean? (Link: https://youtube.com/@StuartMcLeanVinylCafe?si=4aauxxxuZf2861yS ) They resemble the feel I get when I read your writing. Something I think we all need more of.
Thank you for the time you have given here. Thank you for sharing your stories, for having a voice and for teaching others. Thank you for creating a positive community. If you change your mind and write more, I'm here for it. Maybe a podcast could be a new place to explore? Keep creating and take care.
Thank you for your very kind words. It is comments like yours that fill me with warmth and a sense of being appreciated.
You are right, not everything we write needs to advocate a cause, and it may be that I continue to write as I do enjoy the process. I will simply be less of a slave to a schedule, which I concede is entirely self-imposed.
PS thank you for the link. I have only listened to one so far (Emil), but I will listen to more of them.
Perhaps you might consider an article about once a month - kind of a "current event" type of blog. This would still provide you with a connection to the naturist community, AND it would perpetuate an important sounding board for us naturists who, at least here in the U. S., have take a beating over the past two decades both politically and socially, with the closing of numerous clothing-free clubs and nudist beaches, and with new restrictions on public nudity being voted into existence by the fascist-leaning Christian Nationalists. What we have here in the U. S. is a SERIOUS threat to our very existence - i.e., the right to publicly socialize in the nude. Even our right to be nude at home with simply our family members present is at jeopardy. In my 67 years, there has never been a greater threat to naturism in the U. S. and the loss of this sounding board comes at a most difficult time. As a concerned naturist, I hope and pray that this will not be the end of your most cherished forum.
David, Thank you for your very kind words and support of my contributions.
I do have strong connections to the naturist community through other naturist social media sites and have no intention of leaving naturism.
I intend to post more articles when I have something to say but I would rather not be held to a specific schedule. There are a couple of blog ideas that are percolating and I would like to give them time to come to maturity without forcing them out to meet some arbitrary deadline.
I will publish them when they are ready.
It is with much sorrow and frustration that I watch the decline in attitudes and tolerance toward the naturist community in the U.S.
I am only one man, and the fate of naturism in the U.S. is not my responsibility. As someone outside the U.S., I have no vote or influence in the debate.
I am not sure how to best counter these changes but I am happy to play my part, however small, in trying to reason against them.
Awaiting for your next 4 blogs to have the milestone of 2 years of blog writing on weekly basis. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blogs & helped me to expand my views about naturism. I welcome your decision though I will miss your blogs henceforth. Best wishes for your next naturism journey.
I've been blogging intermittently since 2016. Many different topics. One blog is completely gone. One hasn't been posted to in a year. One in a couple of months. The Naturist Community is the only one I'm active on and it feels like I've said everything. I can write up another hike or another event, but it doesn't feel any different from the last one I wrote up. I still get positive feedback.
I have found that I still enjoy responding positively to other people's work. Feels more like a conversation than a dissertation. Negative responses are few and far between.
Best to finish on a good note, and that you've done. Thanks for the interesting reads. When one door closes another opens - maybe a vlog next :)
There were some books about naturism published in the 1930s. I have a few of them, though I wasn't around then. When I was in high school (ages ago) I sometimes climbed a tree in the backyard and got naked. Why? I don't know - it just felt good. Years later I noticed that nude beaches were popular (much more so than now). So simply being aware of that option persuaded me. But times have changed, especially in the U.S. Things are different in your country, where, I gather, beach nudity is common.
It's necessary to realize that stuff doesn't work the same in different times and different places. All I can say is that what works where you live won't necessarily work elsewhere. Naturism in the U.S. has become a very difficult sale.
Sorry to see you leave the blogs. But I totally get why. It is a Massive commitment to do a weekly article. I look forward to reading the last 4, and hopefully many more random ones , Well done on the massive achievement over 2 years. On 1/1/11, I started to take a "Photo-a-Day", thinking I would last maybe a couple of months. I ended up doing it continuously for 11 years, then I ran out of things to take. Thanks for all the information and inspiration. xx
Thanks Di. Not so much leaving the blogs, more taking a back seat.
Writing blog posts should be a pleasure, not a chore. I say that as having written blog posts for about 20 years, and participated in online social media for about 40 years. I've never tried to follow a fixed schedule, such as once a week. I have plenty of other things to keep busy with. So, just go with the pace that feels comfortable to you.
Regarding whether to write mainly for naturists or the "general public" - stick with naturists. I doubt that many people have often (at least in recent years) gotten into naturism as a result of reading something online. I strongly believe that the most effective way to promote naturism is by in-person, face-to-face interaction. So what I write about now for a naturist audience is the need to use that approach and how to do it. YMMV.
The problem with using online media to promote naturism is summarized in the well-known cartoon "On the Internet nobody knows you're a dog." Where something as scary (to most people) as naturism is concerned, people want to know they're communicating with a real person - not some nefarious troll or AI robot.
Thanks for your comments. Something to think about. I also think that face-to-face conversations are more impactful than reading articles, although I believe that the written word is still effective and has it's place. Perhaps I am old school and come from a generation where if you wanted to learn something, you went to the library and read a book about it.
I recently started reading your posts, thanks to Jillian in Quebec. I look forward to reading your history. I prefer quality to quantity, so good on you!
Thank you. I appreciate your comments.