Now that the season of winter is settling upon those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere, the wearing of clothing – occasionally – is necessary! The use of garments also makes the use of laundering said garments an important chore! Sometimes there is no escaping this unfortunate task!
Those who are living in the Southern Hemisphere are now enjoying the return of their comfortable outdoor temperatures. For many, it is once again time to return to the beaches and the sands! Have fun!
It really is very little difference where we live, the majority of us begin our day in the comfort of our bed and then proceed in our routine from there!
Bubbly bottoms-up! buttocks are a refreshing and welcome sight for us all throughout the entire year!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for tomorrow, Sunday, December 1, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “World AIDS Day: Red Ribbon Campaign!”
For some phenomenal reason, the distinctly American holiday of Thanksgiving is observed on the final Thursday of the month of November, annually. Why a Thursday is bestowed this honour, I have no idea. The three-day holiday weekend would justify either a Friday or else a Monday celebration, but a Thursday? One day to feast and then back to the daily grind. Hardly a reason to be festive!
Fortunately, this year for the “feasting holiday” (Thanksgiving), my spouse, Aaron, and I have been invited to dinner with some friends. Aaron is to make the desserts! This is my very favourite of the aspects of any meal: desserts!
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Saturday, November 30, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Bottoms-Up! November, 2024!”
My apology! This is not the announced post entry for today! I humbly am sorry to disappoint but the projected topic simply didn’t quite meet my expectations and I was very disappointed in the final composition. The late JFK Jr. deserved better than what I composed.
Fitness Routine!
As the winter holiday season is now upon us, a very gentle and subtle reminder of keeping our fitness a priority. It doesn’t have to be an intensive or strenuous routine. It can be a simple series of exercises to encourage circulation and mobility.
The examples depicted here today are not the only ones recommended, They show us a few options that we can utilize in order to preserve ourselves throughout the inclement season!
Use the examples featured here or create your own! The important thing to remember is to stay healthy and enjoy yourself!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, November 25, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Thanksgiving, 2024!”
It’s the month of November. We’re almost through yet another year and then, we get to repeat the process all over again. One of the November features is the review of pictures acquired throughout the year and filing them accordingly. A November Monday, following a depraved election outcome, we can sit and reflect on others who prefer being fashionably bare!
At home in Chicago!
A couple at home (above). On the right is gay porn actor, J.C. Carter, in the late 1980s. This was prior to his habit of shaving his head as well as his chest and pubic hairs. J.C. was a popular co-star with Bobby Blake especially early in the1990s. He retired from films in the late 1990s!
Autumn hanging!
November is the last full month of the Autumn season. Next month, the season of winter begins and the temperatures tend to discourage outdoor nudity for the majority of us. One of the advantages of this month is the occurrence of unseasonably moderate days when nakedness remains possible in a natural setting!
Carry and kiss!
When the weather isn’t quite as cooperative, we always enjoy the option of staying at home and letting the outside world deal with itself while we stay comfortable and cuddle with the one we love! Body and clothes freedom is often a just reward!
Bare friends!
With the arrival of the cooler temperatures outside, the shifting of activities inside provides opportunities to invite friends to explore the wonders of social nakedness. This not only expands their life experiences but also acquaints them with a growing group of new friends and social opportunities!
My quotation!
Hardly words of wisdom but when asked for a statement, sometimes we just have to “go with what we know!” Sometimes, we all use the clothing issue to obscure ourselves from the accusations against us as being deceitful and promiscuous.
Laundry day!
For those of us who are serious bare practitioners, laundry day (for the cleaning of clothes) is not the major task that others regularly encounter. Our engagement in clothes freedom reduces the amount of clothes that need washing! A job that others do weekly we generally only have once a month! Another advantage for the body and clothes freedom advocates!
Hygiene!
Of course, our personal bathing/showering habits and routines take a higher priority than the needs of dirty clothes! We are, after all, primarily a very social species! As bare practitioners, we all want to look our best!
Our photographer!
Our photographer for today’s photo-essay is very serious for us to not only look our best but to also be confident and proud bare practitioners! Our nakedness is an essential part of who we are and what makes us unique!
All together!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, November 22, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “JFK, Jr.!”
Before I create any confusion and/or misunderstanding, this post entry for ReNude Pride is most definitely not a cocktail (mixed drink) recipe. The “twist” in the title above is involved in a popular social game – actual title “Twister” – so there is no twist of a citrus fruit necessary to be added to alcohol!
The Game:
Twister is not a convenient board game that is undertaken while seated at a table. It is an active challenge requiring minimal equipment: a chart that is unfolded on the floor or ground and a spin device that denotes particular colours (either red, blue, green or yellow). A spin of the device indicates the colour that the players must physically connect with using either their hands and/or feet.
Originally geared primarily for children, the activity soon became popular with young adults. As the number of clothes free enthusiasts grew, so did the “fun-to-play-naked” fans. The close proximity of the audience and the curious and sometimes compromising positions the players endured added to the excitement of involvement in the game of Twister! Among the bare and same gender loving population, the Twister engagement was astronomical!
As the game progresses, bodies – while nude – often become entangled which provides interesting and unusual encounters with the bodies of others, either a close friend, a casual acquaintance or a complete stranger! A very roundabout way to “break-the-ice” (introduce) oneself to others in a fun and non-threatening (uncomfortable) manner! The results can create lasting friendships or episodes of awkward familiarity!
The fun entailed with Twister is best experienced rather than explained! There are indeed some things that words just are unable to describe! Fortunately, the activity is suitable for play both inside a dwelling or outside in nature as a bare practitioner or clothed.
A pair of identical twins!
If and when a pair of identical twins are entered into the Twister situation, the contortions as well as the game itself can occasionally create unexpected consequences! For two devious minds, in particular, my spouse, Aaron, and my identical sibling, Alex, the opportunity is simply too rich to ignore!
The Devious Duo: Aaron and Alex
The situation that I am referencing took place back in 2010, the year that Aaron and I initiated our relationship. We had met one another that Spring and by that Autumn we were introducing ourselves to acquaintances, family and friends – a somewhat lengthy and involved process that is, at times, very time consuming!
Aaron’s oldest brother, Paul, was undergoing the “coming out” stage of his life and uncertain as to his status, whether he was a bisexual man or a gay man. Aaron and Alex had the idea that the four of us spend a weekend together, especially as I had never before met Paul. The details were arranged by the “devious duo” (Aaron and Alex), the date arrived – early October – and the weekend was underway!
Paul, aware of his attraction to men, remained in limbo (confused) as to whether he is a gay man (male attraction only) or if he is a bisexual man (attracted to both men and women). Aaron and Alex adopted the idea of a weekend “exploratory” gathering in order to provide Paul the chance to determine his status in the SGL world. I thought this a nice gesture and was honestly surprised that they conceived of this idea! Neither one of them were quite that perceptive!
Confused!
Aaron had invited me to his family over the winter holidays – our first together – so I was eager to meet Paul. We had exchanged emails, and I believed that as this was a crucial time in his life, I could offer advice and help in any way possible. I imagined it would allow us to build a bonding together.
I also knew that Aaron and Alex were conspiring some sort of “initiation” for Paul into the “world of twins!” They were both insisting on my collaboration, but I was adamantly refusing to be a co-conspirator in this episode. Aaron had already let Twin and I know that Paul’s American Sign Language (ASL) skills were not as advanced as his plus his confusion over his sexual identity and if that wasn’t enough, he was spending a weekend with identical twins! Give the man some breathing room! No type of “initiation” required!
The “devious duo” despicable plan was to create confusion for Paul involving Alex and I and our identical buttocks! They thought it would be funny, innocent and engage Paul through humour! I appreciated the humourous aspect but remained firmly opposed to any complicity in their conspiracy! My intention was to meet and assist Paul, not to embarrass him! I knew for a fact that Twin (Alex) could manage that reality solo!
Identical twin buttocks!
Just prior to our weekend gathering, Paul sent to me a confidential email and asking my help. Before this planned gathering, we’d exchanged emails but never met. He had overheard two of his sisters gossiping about our approaching weekend. They had shared that Aaron (their brother), and my Twin were planning a surprise episode and that I had declined to be involved. This prompted his request for my assistance.
My response to his message was a negative. I had refused to cooperate with our brothers in their plot to embarrass him (Paul), therefore, I couldn’t, in clear conscious, collaborate in his scheme. I did assure him that I had not violated Aaron and Twin’s trust in me and that I would respect his need for confidentiality.
Realizing that I now had two conspiring forces vying for my attention, I knew that I needed to proceed with care and caution. The planned weekend arrived. Aaron and I had readied our apartment for our guests, my brother Alex and his brother, Paul.
Twister game competition!
Being aware of the probability of some sort of competitive contest between Paul and Aaron and Alex, I reached a decision to try to avoid any resentment and/or conflict. I knew that we planned our meals out in local restaurants which limited our time together to basically Saturday afternoon/early evening and then again early Sunday afternoon. Not too much “free” time but enough for a possible problem to occur.
If there’s one lesson that I remember from my undergraduate education, it is to plan ahead to keep the students busy and involved. No matter what age or level of education, this lesson is applicable to almost everyone. To ease my self-appointed role as “peace-maker,” I had a Twister game available so that we would have an introductory game and then had a secondary activity, body painting, in place so that we could engage either separately or combine them both together. If we needed a third, I figured we could use charades. A last resort was our selection of dvds.
If we needed the dvd option, then I concluded that the entire weekend was a failure and let everyone fend for themselves! We were all supposed to be adults!
The weekend was fun and successful! Twister was a dynamic twist for all! Body painting was postponed until Halloween!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, November 18, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Through the Eyes of Another!”
On 11 November, 1918, an Armistice (cease-fire) went into effect at 11:00 a.m. that ended the fighting in The Great War (World War I). The fighting raged throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
The 11th day, 11th month, 11:00 a.m.
The Occasion:
Armistice Day is commemorated throughout the world saluting the cessation (ending) of hostilities (fighting) between the armed forces, thus bringing an end to the suffering of The Great War. The war officially was finalized by the Treaty of Versailles a year later. This date is Armistice Day in most of the world. In the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, it is observed as Remembrance Day, an occasion to pay tribute to all the casualties of The Great War and subsequent conflicts and wars. In the USA. it is known as Veteran’s Day, in gratitude for military service.
The Great War: Eruption
On 28 June, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Empire of Austria-Hungary (The Dual Monarchy) was assassinated, along with his wife, the Countess Sophie, while touring the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, a province of the empire. The assassins were Serbians who wanted the province united with the Kingdom of Serbia.
Tensions between the two countries escalated rapidly and exactly one month later, Emperor Franz Josef II of Austria-Hungary declared war against Serbia. Germany, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) sided with Austria against Serbia, France, Russia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, Italy, the British Empire and eventually the USA. Because of extensive colonial possessions, the fighting became global with battles raging in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the South Pacific.
The war grew in epic strides as the aggression spread out of control. Up until this point in history, the effects became catastrophic unlike any previous war. Civilian populations suffered enormous fatalities and the very first genocide, of the Armenian peoples was raged by the Ottomans. The military casualties were exceptional and often fought over the same battlefield, time and time again. At times, entire armies and regiments were annihilated within one day’s time.
The Great War, a name earned due to the massive fatalities inflicted, was global in the horrors it produced. The devastation was without precedent.
The Armistice:
The proclamation of the Armistice of 1918 was celebrated globally by all belligerents. It included the announcement of the of the peace conference to be held the following year and the official signing of the surrender of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. The bloodbath was over, and the living reverted to living their lives.
On the first anniversary of the Armistice, in 1919, a solemnity Remembrance Day service was conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury in London, UK, in the presence of King George V and Queen Mary. The prime ministers of the self-governing dominions of the British Empire were also in attendance. On this occasion, the red poppy was worn as a royal salute to the multitudes killed. At this observance, the entombment of an unidentified British casualty was by Royal Decree made for the Main Aisle in Westminster Abbey along with a state internment with full military honours.
Thereafter, the United States announced plans for the same once a burial site was determined. France soon followed in salutation to the fallen.
In tribute to all the military and naval deceased, a royal proclamation was enacted. Businesses and factories, parliament and courts, everyone in London was out on the streets, in parks and in public. At 11:00 a.m., on 11 November, 1919, a two-minute period of silence was implemented. Traffic halted, whether by motorcoach or driven by horses. The King and Queen bowed their heads. Complete silence prevailed. The city and the Empire remembered the dead.
At 11:03 a.m., the bands of the regiments guarding Buckingham Palace started playing God Save the King. The official tribute had been awarded to those no longer living.
Poppies and what they represent!
The Poppy
The red poppy flower represents consolation, condolences, death and remembrance. The poppy is a common symbol that has been utilized to also represent death and even, on occasion, to symbolize sleep. Since ancient times, the flower has been adorning coffins, graves and tombstones as symbolic of eternal sleep (rest).
During The Great War (World War I: 1914 – 1918), much of the actual conflict (fighting) on the Western Front happened along the trenches of northwestern Europe, especially in the Flanders region of the Kingdom of Belgium. The rural countryside was blasted, bombed and fought over repeatedly. The scenic landscape was riddled and shredded by trenches to accommodate the invading armies. The once productive and prosperous fields blackened barren where little or nothing could grow. A notable exception to this bleak horizon was the Flanders poppy, which survived and thrived in profusion. The resilient flowering flourished amid all the chaos and destruction.
Soon the red poppy naturally proliferated and adorned the hundreds of thousands of graves rapidly appearing all over the battlefields. The poppy became symbolic of divine sanctity upon the wartime casualties. Simultaneously, the flower was worn over the heart by those troops burying their fallen friends.
In 1919, the United Kingdom and the British Empire (now the Commonwealth) adopted the red poppy as the remembrance tribute to all the war dead. The British Legion (now the Royal British Legion) adopted the symbol and in 1922 created a factory to produce poppies that still operates today. In 2022, the original poppy factory was made a museum and a new poppy factory opened. King Charles III renewed the Royal warrant for the new factory to continue to create official poppies for the Royal Family.
Poppy Guidelines:
Wear on the left shoulder of the body, just above the heart.
Acceptable colours are red for remembrance and white for peace.
Not to be worn after 11 November, annually.
A field of red poppies in Flanders!
In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
the larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe;
to you from failing hands we throw
The torch, be yours to hold it high;
If ye break faith with us whodie
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
John McCrae, the Poet:
John McCrae was the son of Scottish immigrants and born in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, in and 1872. In May, 1915, he was serving as a physician in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps and posted in Flanders, Belgium. While there, his lifelong friend, Alexis Helmer, a lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Field Artillery was killed in the Second Battle of Ypres. Shortly afterwards, McCrae composed the poem, In Flanders Fields in memory of his friend and in honour of all the war dead of the British Empire.
The poem was first published on 8 December, 1915, in London, UK, for Punch magazine. It was immediately adopted by the Imperial War Council in honour of the deceased and incorporated into memorial services by the Church of England, the Church of Scotland and the United Church of Canada.
Veteran’s Day Poppies:
In 1918, U.S. humanitarian Moina Michael wrote: “And now the torch and poppy red, we wear in honour of our dead.” She composed this sentiment after she read the poem, “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae.
Following the British paradigm, the American Legion was organized and adopted the red poppy and its sale on Veteran’s Day. In the USA, the symbolism of the poppy declined after World War II. With the centennial observance of the Great War in 2018, the poppy use experienced a revival. In 2017, the American Legion officially took the poppy as the image of honouring all war dead.
A very happy whatever occasion you are observing!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, November 15, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Autumn Twist!”
It has been quite some time – at least three years – since I have referenced my bare and gay modeling job and/or the two years that I was involved with it. I have no embarrassment, guilt or shame over that fact/reality. After all, it was an enormous milestone in my life that contributed to the publication of ReNude Pride (this site). Credit should go where it is due!
While earning and learning my baccalaureate degree at my university, I was an active member of the Lavender Club. This was the student club for bisexuals, gays and lesbians. At that time, those three were the sole identities professed by our community and our membership. The overwhelming majority of us considered ourselves gay.
The second largest component group identified as bisexual and was predominantly male followed by the third grouping: lesbian. To our knowledge, there was no census, survey or research done to uncover the discrepancy in numerical memberships. The unofficial reasoning that circulated among us students was that none of the women wanted to be known as a “lavenderlesbian!” This observation was often repeated in jest!
As a student member of the Lavender Club (please make a note of: lavender), our faculty advisor was Dr. Rose (please note: rose). He also was the coordinator of the university’s programme of using graduate students, if interested, as nude models for the art and/or photography classes. Lavender? Rose? Were the university administrators attempting to organize a “rainbow” of surnames for the bisexual, gay and lesbian students?
Bare Professional:
Autumn posing!
As referenced above, Dr. Rose was the sole coordinator for the university’s naked models for the School of Art and he was the one who interviewed all prospective candidates. My situation was different from the others as he was aware of my comfort and familiarity with nudity as well as membership in several Washington, D.C. area clothes free social clubs. He approached me into joining his group of bare models. Of course I agreed! My first assignment as a naked model was to pose for a photography class interacting with fallen leaves the autumn after my graduation. Interacting with a pile of Autumn leaves while the students photographed me? Really?
A simple task that was a nightmare of a challenge. How “creative” could I be with a pile of leaves? Dr. Rose repeatedly emphasized to my modeling partner and myself that the project entailed both our nudity and nature (the leaves). Using the leaves to cover our anatomy was absolutely not an option. Little did he know that was never considered as a possibility by me! My goal: naked, front and center!
As for my modeling partner, he was obsessed with the wearing of a facial Halloween mask for the project. When I asked: why? He answered that he didn’t want his family or friends to know that he was posing nude. I convinced him that this was a project for the photography students, not creating pictures for an art gallery.
Once the project began and working with the leaves developed a pattern, the job became somewhat easier. It was no longer a tedious task. The camera (photography) students started to interact with us and we performed, danced, showered and countless other methods of socialization with the leaves ensued! The class became enthusiastic about the assignment and the focus evolved into having fun!
I realized how fortunate I was. An openly (out-of-the-closet) gay man who was being paid for having fun being naked! The center of attention of this group of photography students as we manually communicated (using ASL) suggestions and ideas as to what to attempt next! A very cool situation considering the fact that we were outside and it was already late October!
Leaves everywhere!
While posing, I began to fancy myself as a performer (actor) in the gay porn industry! Naked with all cameras and everyone’s attention focused on my every move and every whim with no one judging or shocked by my body and clothes freedom or the obvious fact that my man-to-man attraction was not a “taboo” (forbidden) subject! An ideal career aspiration for a 21-year-old man!
Author’s note: imagine me, nude and gay, entertaining the world with my talents! Unlimited financial success due to my superlative relationship with leaves!
While posing, I began to notice that the sunlight seemed to fade and then return. Dizziness one minute and then disappearing the next. Suddenly, after gasping for air, I lost my sense of connection with reality. I felt as though I were floating on waves. The next cognizant thought I had I was on a gurney in the back of a trauma vehicle on the way to a local hospital. I had fainted!
I had lost consciousness and stopped breathing while labouring among the leaves! I had never experienced such an episode in my life! I was kept in hospital for two days and informed that I was allergic to pollen from my co-stars – the leaves! My identical twin brother, Alex, nor I had ever experienced any allergy reactions before! This was actually a first for the both of us as well as all of our brothers!
This incident brought an immediate termination of my exceptional career in pornography with leaves! I continued to work as a bare model for the university’s School of Art and Photography for the remainder of that scholastic year and the next. Henceforth, I restricted my assignments to avoid contact with fallen leaf pollen!
Carpet of leaves!
My diagnosis with an allergy served notice to my parents and siblings to undergo testing. Growing up, there were no serious or urgent health issues for any of us. Fortunately, only Twin (the familiar name Alex and I use in referring to one another) and I were the only ones determined to be susceptible to pollen. Another amazing distinction to being identical twins: Deaf, gay, nudists and now allergy sufferers. Our unique notoriety qualifications listing continued to grow!
Upon being informed of his pollen allergy, Twin immediately asked the doctor if he was certain his allergy was to pollen and not to our shared preference for nakedness! Our physician assured him that it was solely a pollen allergy. Even today, we continue to laugh over his concern as to the cause of our allergy! In his defence, he reminds us that we were “only” 21 years old at the time!
As a footnote to the allergy theme here, in our paternal family we do indeed have a cousin, Michael, who is also a Deaf and an active bare practitioner. Within our family, his own “claim-to-fame” is that he does not suffer a pollen allergy!
Landscaping!
Another footnote to my career as a bare model, I was relieved of any consideration for any future leaf responsibilities! However, in response to my incident, no engagements involving leaves was ever taken again by the School of Art! No one affiliated with the now School of Media wanted a repetition of my reaction and hospitalization. Evidently, once was quite enough!
A humourous closing note, shortly after my return to graduate studies at my university, a notice was anonymously posted on campus: “Warning! Roger does not play well with leaves!”
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, November 11, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Armistice Day/Remembrance Day!”
This election is very important as it will determine whether this country continues on the path of democracy and freedom or if it abandons that course and becomes a victim of chaos and discord.
Again, Aaron and I urge you to join with us in casting our ballots to elect Ms. Kamala Harris as our next president. She is the best qualified to provide positive and productive leadership.
Ms. Kamala Harris!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, November 8, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Bare + Gay = Pay!”
Autumn is officially here! Daylight Savings Time (DST) officially ends!
On Sunday, November 3, 2024, 2:00 a.m. (local time), all clocks need to be reset to reflect the return to the regular timing schedule. Each time zone drops back one hour. Thus, 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2024, reverts back to 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2024!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for tomorrow, Monday, November 4, 2024, and the proposed topic is: “Vote Tuesday!”
ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! 