Despite what the featured photograph and title may infer, the designation “Black Friday” has nothing whatsoever to do with a racial reference. Instead, the term “Black Friday” is what is known in the U.S. retail industry as the official first day of the Christmas holiday shopping season. It is the day after the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday (always the fourth Thursday in November) which means it is always a Friday. The “Black” designation is in reference to the customary business practice of posting commercial profits in black ink and commercial losses in red ink.
Thank You!
I am sincerely grateful and humbled by all the comments on my post from one week ago, entitled “My Father.” (Click the link to view). The encouragement and love that inspired that post sustained me through a very difficult and painful transition in my life. I am grateful to all of you who read the post and especially those who left a message. There are no words to express the appreciation and comfort that I felt simply in knowing that others were sharing in my own pain.
My Father
On the day of the recent USA congressional elections, I received a text message from my oldest brother that summoned me home (Greece) immediately. My father was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in his lower abdomen (one kidney, his liver and his colon) three weeks prior. Instead of the couple of months remaining (as the oncologists had advised us), the prediction was changed to “a matter of days.” I caught the earliest flight to Athens available and Aaron, my spouse, was followed me a day after.
Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, Veteran’s Day, 2018
One hundred years ago today, at 11:00 a.m., November 11, 1918, the Great War (World War I) came to an end as the fighting on the Western Front (northern France) ended the hostilities with the signing of the armistice (cease-fire). The Treaty of Versailles, officially ending the war, wouldn’t be signed until June 28, 1919. The more than four years of fighting resulted in the highest number of civilian and military casualties ever recorded and continues to reverberate our history still to this day.
Continue reading Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, Veteran’s Day, 2018
Tampons?
If the dude above looks even vaguely familiar, it’s because he’s Daveed Diggs, Broadway Tony-award-winning star of Hamilton, guests appearances on TV’s Law & Order SVU and a couple of season’s on black-ish and also of this year’s film, Blindspotting. So if he does indeed seem familiar to you, it’s because he is. By the way, I did neglect to mention that he won a Grammy award for the soundtrack (if theatrical plays have one) for Hamilton. I need to mention here that this post isn’t about Daveed Daniele Diggs.
Tomorrow Is USA: Election Day
In the USA, tomorrow is Election Day. In every voting district, the entire U.S. Congressional House of Representatives is standing for election. In the U.S. Senate, many Senators are also facing their constituents today. It is not a presidential election year (we could not be so fortunate), but we do have a duty and obligation to determine policies and governance for the next two years. Please, do not stand around waiting for others to decide for you. Please get out and exercise your choice for our future if you have not already done so.
Bare Proud and Ambiguous!
Those of us who are bare practitioners (naturists or nudists) have enough common sense to know that it isn’t possible to be clothes-free outdoors all year long. Even those who live along the Equator, where the air temperatures rarely fluctuate, have to contend with other factors such as precipitation and wind. Both indoors and outside, our human bodies are able to offer each of us a reason to be confident in who and what we are, bare members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer community (GLBTQ)!
Bottoms-Up! October, 2018
I realize that the photograph above may be somewhat late in the season for those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere where the summer is already an item of our past. However belated, this image caught my attention and I wanted to put it to use here. Autumn now invades our lives and soon scenes such as this will only remain as a fond memory of 2018. Most outdoor pools have already closed for this year. For those living in the Southern Hemisphere, please anticipate the summer before it arrives there!
Halloween Prelude #2: Bare Body Canvas
Our skin covers and protects our bodies. Few people realize that it serves another equally important purpose – that of a living canvas for our noble expressions of creative art. Since the beginning of time, humanity have used our bodies as a natural inspiration for both design and interpretation. We decorate it to share our own messages and stories, both fact and fiction. We use it to caution and warn, to amuse and to frighten or to beautify for the admiration of others
Friday #4: Bare GLBTQ History Month
Today is the final feature in this series, GLBTQ Bare History Month, a part of the celebration of October as GLBTQ History Month here on ReNude Pride. As promised in the first installment of this series, this week’s theme is Skinny-Dipping (swimming naked). There are just some things in life that always withstand the tests of both time and generations and skinny-dipping apparently is one of those activities. Skinny-Dipping or nude swimming or natural swimming is one of those bare activities that is enjoyed and practiced all around the world.
ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! 