This week I'm responding to Nude & Happy's 100 Nude Ideas [NSFW] ("to increase nude time and nudist friends") - illustrated with my own photography. Over 15 years of nudity, spread across five installments. It all starts here.
#21 Invite your friends to undress when coming to your place.
Isn't that what the Clothing Optional sign is for? I'm pretty solitary by nature, so I don't have friends that come over very often (they mostly live in other states, or on other continents). And this wouldn't really work when watching the kids (can you imagine? lol). But I always make a point, when the topic comes up in conversation, to espouse body positivity, and to defend people's freedom of dress, so that if anyone ever decides they want to do that, I'd hope they'd feel welcome to in my presence.
#22 Go to Burning Man.
I've actually done this! Incidentally, it was my first time being nude in front of strangers. Sadly, there weren't a lot of other fully nude people. But there were a ton of partially nude people. That was one of my favorite things about the festival. All in all, it was a great time. My only regret is losing my camera amid a throng of people after stripping nude to dance around the smoldering remains of the Man. A whole week's worth of out-of-this-world memories, gone. (Fortunately, I encountered a roving photographer during the week, who captured the image [not] seen above).
#23 Plan your holiday with nudism in mind.
I'm actually doing this right now. I'm thinking about heading to a tropical beach for my next birthday (which is in the dead of winter), and my number one requirement is that I don't want to have to get dressed, at all. But it's not the first time I've planned a vacation with the expectation that I won't have to pack any clothes!
#24 Organize a clothing-optional BBQ.
This sounds like the dinner party idea, except out in the backyard. Which, to be honest, would be a lot more fun. Especially if you had a pool! But again, I'm not a social butterfly, and I don't know many nudist-friendly people. That said, I have given my friends and family an open invitation to hang out nude in my backyard - specifically. Unsurprisingly, nobody has taken me up on it.
#25 Negotiate nudist time with your local gym club.
It never fails to amuse me how the word "gym" - as in "gymnasium" (or "gymnastics") - comes from the Greek word for nudity. And yet, most people would be horrified by the suggestion of working out (especially in public) in the nude. I, on the other hand, do most of my exercising naked - whether at home on the treadmill, or hiking and swimming outdoors (as much as is possible). This is the first I'm hearing of nudist gym meets, though.
#26 Sleep naked.
This one is obvious to me, but I guess it would sound like a great idea if you didn't already do it. I can't remember when I started, but I do remember the first time I tried it as a kid. I was terrified of getting caught. Even in college, when I lived with a rommate, I was in the habit of slipping off my shorts after climbing into bed (and slipping them back on before climbing out in the morning). These days, I go straight from my bed to the bathroom, to the kitchen to have breakfast, without covering up (if I can).
#27 Live entirely naked for 2 full days (and 3 nights).
This is pretty much a typical weekend at nudist camp during the summer. Or half of a slow week at home. I couldn't even begin to guess how many times I've done it. I was naked at home all throughout the pandemic lockdowns in 2020, so I think I've got this fairly well covered.
#28 Get naked as soon as you come back home.
I do this nearly every time I step in the house (unless I'm bringing back guests, who are not likely to be nudists). Sometimes, I'm out of my clothes even before I put the groceries away! On a really good day, I'll have spent lots of time naked outdoors, driven home nude, and am already naked before I walk through the front door! (Well, the back door in that case). Maybe I should try leaving the house nude, and see if I can spend all day out, and make it back home without ever putting on clothes. I think that sounds like a fun challenge.
#29 Avoid textile beaches.
Honestly, I think this idea is kinda dumb. If you have a choice - absolutely, choose the nude beach. But they are few and far between, and as somebody who loves the beach, I'm not going to cancel beach time just because I can't be naked. Nor am I going to cancel plans to go swimming with people who aren't nudists, just because I won't be able to swim naked. Moreover, I'm not above getting naked on a textile beach - under the right circumstances.
#30 Organize naked hikes.
Would I love to find other people in my area who like to hike naked? Sure! After all, there's strength in numbers. As an artist, I've thought a lot about how much fun it would be to go out into the woods and shoot nature nudes with somebody other than myself for company, assistance, and collaboration. But again, I feel like an oasis of nudism in a desert of textiles. The only people I know who are nudist-friendly are the people I've met at nudist resorts, and they don't live anywhere close to me.
#31 Stop buying swimsuits.
Okay, I have to disagree with this one right out. I know the idea is to force yourself into the position of having to swim naked, but the actual reality is more likely to be losing out on opportunities to swim with textile friends. And I love swimming! But, even aside from that, swimsuits are my favorite type of clothing. It's the closest I can get to being naked among textiles, without anyone making a fuss. And it's the closest textiles themselves will get to engaging in social nudity, without thinking twice about it. I think this is an example of nudists letting perfect be the enemy of the good. Swimsuits are awesome! I've got drawers full of them, and yet I still find myself buying more every year.
#32 Participate in World Naked Gardening Day.
As somebody who already likes to garden naked, this is easy enough to do. I actually think the first Saturday in May is a little early - the weather is still pretty cool, and it's just the start of the season, so nothing's really grown in yet. I'd prefer a Naked Gardening Day sometime in June or July. But, as the most well-known naked holiday (to my knowledge), it's a prime opportunity to broadcast your enjoyment of nude recreation to family, friends, and strangers alike - all of which I've done. I like to get out and celebrate this day whenever I can, if for no other reason than to honor all the years I've spent it cooped up indoors.
#33 Create a nudism library.
This is a neat idea, but I think it requires a considerable investment. I definitely have some nudist materials on a bookshelf in my home, but even after all the years I've been involved in the lifestyle, I don't think I have enough to call it a "library". That would be an awesome thing to visit, though. I'm assuming, of course, that the dress code is clothing optional.
#34 Create a nudist friendly AirBnB.
Helping out nudist travelers, and maybe making some new friends to hang out with naked (even if only temporarily), might sound like a good idea on paper. But the logistics of creating an AirBnB? I don't have the space (and don't even own the space I have). Besides, I don't really want strangers staying in my home. Nudist or not. My home is my sanctuary.
#35 Start a blog on nudism.
I don't technically have a "nudist blog", but I do have a blog where I can (and frequently do) talk about nudism - you're reading it right now. So I think that counts. It's just that I talk about other stuff, too. Stuff that doesn't always mix well with nudism. If I were to start a blog just about nudism, I think I would get bored quickly, and struggle too much against the impulse to write freely on controversial issues that involve nudity. That's why I've chosen to blog without limits here.
#36 Live entirely naked for one week.
As should be well-established by now, I've done this - many times over. The first time was on the grounds of a nudist camp, during my first weeklong nakation. I specifically made a point not to wear anything for the whole week, which culminated in a naked volleyball tournament.
#37 Go to the hotel gym naked.
Although I appreciate the sentiment, I think this probably counts more as exhibitionism than nudism. I would consider doing it only if I thought I could pull it off without getting caught (and these days, security cameras are everywhere). That said, hotels are like a home away from home - it only makes sense that you would want to be comfortable. And when there are amenities attached - like vending machines, laundry, gym, pool, lounge, bar, or even a restaurant - the possibilities thrill the imagination. I'd like to see more nudist resorts like this, as an alternative to the "rustic campground" model.
#38 Do your house chores naked.
(And yard chores). As a nudist, this is a no-brainer. Like sleeping naked. And it really does make them more fun. Sweeping, running the vacuum, mopping the kitchen, washing dishes, cooking, cleaning up your room, taking out the trash, dusting, painting, mowing the lawn, raking the leaves, building shelves, moving furniture, cleaning out the car - I've done all of these chores naked, and I'm struggling to think of a single one that would be improved by wearing clothes.
#39 Play a tennis match naked.
Well, you've got me on this one. I have not played tennis naked, and not for lack of opportunity, either - I'm just not that interested in tennis. Volleyball, on the other hand... However, I did play table tennis once at a nudist resort. It was a lot of fun. And there are a number of times that I've set up a net and played badminton naked in my backyard.
#40 Join a naturist event at your local swimming pool.
This would be awesome, but my local swimming pool (which is outdoors, by the way) would never go for it. I can't even wear my favorite swimsuits, because their rules are too conservative (girls, on the other hand, can wear whatever they like). I almost attended a nudist swim meet once, but there was a scheduling conflict, and I wasn't able to make it. Maybe I should try again. I may never have used a hotel gym naked, but I did swim naked in a non-nudist hotel pool once (it was a slow week at the hotel). Does that count?
(To be continued...)
