Nude Photography without Censors

A Nude Photo Does Not Need to be Censored... and can still show full-nudity, without shoving anything in anyone's face.


In a recent discussion with a friend who wanted to do an interview with me about a nudist's life-style, she also mentioned how she likely would put a Censor-bar over any photos showing certain parts. I Objected, stating that doing so only defeats the entire purpose. 

Her concern was, however, very valid, in that the purpose for her desire to take the photos in the first place was partly for her own blog, and partly (possibly) for her journalism class. Her concern was in showing full-nudity to people that may not be comfortable with such a view... or even who may not expect such a sight. I can totally understand, and agree with that.

I Am A Nudist. I live as much of my life as possible without clothes. Among other things, I also am an avid photographer. So, it would not be shocking to also have plenty of photos of myself naked, enjoying life, and not at all ashamed of showing who I am, how I live, and how I do so many daily things the same as anyone else... just without clothes.

What is most shocking to Most Americans is the discovery that naked is not at all illegal, is not necessarily sexual, and is in fact completely family-friendly. (It becomes Illegal, and also non-family friendly Only when it is done in a sexual, lewd, or obscene manner.) Someone living life simply naked is not at all lewd, obscene, or sexual. That is how I live my life.

This brings us to the photos... and How you can creatively photograph a naked person. All of the following photos Are taken by Me, and also are of Me... Living life fully naked.
~Just a Word OF Warning~ 
Every One Of These Photos shows Me Naked. ...
... But You will not see any full-frontal nudity.  I am showing how Anybody can view a Naked Photo, and not Be forced to view what they might not wish to see. ... Proceed with An Open Mind.... Or Closed Eyes.  If You are not sure if you are comfortable in viewing a naked person, then By all means, Please feel free to go away.... or possibly you want to see if this is comfortable for you? Great! Scroll with an open mind... and I bet ya find yourself laughing, smiling, and enjoying your day.

There are Many creative options when taking pictures, and not wanting to fully show frontal-nudity. These are some of my favorites. ... ~Enjoy!~

You could dress as "Peter Pan":

Or, You could Share a Cuppa Coffee:





















You could Wear a Scarf... Because it's Cold Outside!




















Using Various forms of lighting can change the view of the photo. Whether you choose direct sun, creating a Sun-flare effect, or using the lighting in a way that creates a silhouette...
Various lighting options creates a completely different view:

You Might Be Hidden Creatively Behind Flame!




                                            Perhaps You happen to have a Hat....

Or some Shrubbery....


Often, Just Simply using The Body without any objects Creates a Fun Photo!
























Maybe You have Some fun Relic of a time long gone...



























Perhaps, You don't Mind Seeing The Butt...

Or, Finally, Maybe You can use The Darkness of Night to be Creative:

There are So Many Fun Options to Photographing Naked Humans! I hope as you explore, learn, grow, and have fun in life, you also are finding ways to be free, and capture the moment in a photo... or twenty. ~=:-)

"It's Because I'm Black"

“It’s Because I’m Black”

Yes, I hear that phrase (and excuse) way too often in Vegas, 

and hear it daily on the bus.

Here is a news flash, people: YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO CARES WHAT COLOR YOUR SKIN IS. Knock it off!

Nobody cares if you have red, blue, black, purple, yellow, green, white, or pink skin. Stop using your skin color against yourself.

Skin color does not determine one iota of how anyone behaves, how classy or trashy anyone is, or how much education one does or does not have. Skin color does not determine if you pay your fare-share in life, or try to ride for free. Skin color does not matter if a machine is out of order, or if it works. Skin color does not determine if you should follow the rules, or get special treatment.

Now, before anyone goes and gets their panties in a bunch about this post, I hope you will read it entirely rather than just read one or two sentences and take it completely out of context.  This Is Not a post against people with any certain color of skin, any nationality, or heritage. It is not even about everyone who might have the same shade of skin color. It IS About those few who think they deserve special treatment BECAUSE of the color of their skin. EVERY HUMAN is different than any other human. Every human’s skin is different than any other. There IS NO such thing as two people, or a group of people having “the same color skin”. What we all have in common is simply: We Are All Human. Shouldn’t We all Act like it?
Not a single human has any choice in what color pigment is in their skin. Whether you believe in God, or not, you were created, and you were created beautifully. I personally believe in God, and Know God does not create anything worthless. There is no such thing as an ugly human. We are all incredible works of art. Sure, everyone has the ability to choose what they do, or do not like about what they see in other humans. But Not a single living creature has any say-so in how they were created. We cannot choose, or even change our creation. But we fully have the capability to control how we behave, how we act towards others, and how we get along (or don’t) in this world. THAT IS What This Post is about.

Every day on the bus, I see the same thing. Most people who ride the bus do so in an orderly fashion, pay their fare, and know they need to follow certain rules for the privilege to ride the bus. (Yes, I said it is a privilege. It is not a right, or even supposed to be available for everyone.) When someone chooses to ride a “public transportation” vehicle (a bus), they agree to the terms of a civil-society to be allowed to ride. Nowhere is there a law that states anyone can ride anytime they want. Nowhere is there a law that states “if you don’t want to pay for bus ride, you can choose to ride for free”.  It is a service provided for those who wish to pay for that privilege. When one chooses to ride a bus, they agree to the terms which make it available. One of those terms is to pay for their ride. Most of the riders buy their pass, never make stink about it, come and go in daily life without a problem. Everyone riding knows that it is not free, and knows there are fines if you do not purchase a pass. It does not matter what shade someone’s skin happens to be. We all are the same. We all take up space on the bus. We all must pay our own way. Riding the bus is a very economical way to get around the places we need to go. It is much less expensive to ride the bus than any other form of motorized transportation. A monthly pass costs much less than a citation for riding without a pass. It is a minimal cost. If someone does not have the money, or feels they should not have to pay, The only option is that they do not ride. They can choose to walk, or ride a bike, or get a ride with another person who happens to have a vehicle.

But because not all people feel they need to pay for such a privilege, the bus company needs to hire fare-inspectors to patrol the buses. These fare inspectors do not have an easy job. Some people feel they are an exception and think they should ride for free, or even if they do have a pass, they feel they should never have to show it to any fare-inspector.

Fare inspectors are not on every bus. They board buses at random, so nobody knows which times they will be asked for proof of payment, and which times they will not. But every rider knows they will be given a $75 citation if they choose to ride (and get caught) without a pass.

Once a fare-inspector boards a bus, most people cooperate and know how to behave. The inspector does not check only one or two passengers. They start at one end of the bus, and check every passenger all the way to the other end. They do not skip anyone, nor do they only pick certain people to check. Most people will simply hold their pass up for the inspector to see as they walk past. It is a simple process, and to inspect the whole bus usually takes less than a minute. But there is always one who does not have a pass, or has it and thinks they should not be checked for it.

When a fare-inspector comes across a person without a pass, they simply ask that person to show their pass. The reply from that passenger is always one of the following: “Why, because I’m Black!?” Or “Because I’m Black, you think I don’t have a pass?!” Or “You’re only checking me because I’m Black!” The inspectors never fall for that garbage, nor do they sucked into the trap of entering the race-topic. They simply state: “I check every passenger for their pass. May I see your pass, please?”

But for some reason, the ones making such a scene seem to think they are being singled-out. They will assert again that they believe they are being asked simply because they are black. The inspector will again ask for their pass. But they will not show it, and accuse the inspector of being racist. Then the inspector will point out that everyone else on the bus, many who also have similar-shades of skin have already shown their passes. Then they will ask how they feel they are being singled-out, if every person on the bus is asked to show their pass, and all the others show it without a scene. Then the inspector will ask for an ID to write a citation. Often, at this point the person will produce a pass, and again grumble that they were singled out “for being black”. The inspector will thank them for showing their pass, and inquire why they felt they needed to make it so difficult.  At this point the grumbling passenger will reply: “You only checked me because I am black, and you thought I would not have a pass because I am Black.” The inspectors are baffled by this, and often will again point out all the other passengers many who happen have “black skin” cooperated, showed their passes, and did not cause a disturbance. Often the inspectors will say something like: “If you have a problem with the color of your skin, that is your problem, because nobody else does.” Or “Why do you behave that way? I checked every person on this bus. You could have simply shown your pass, and made it easy?” For some reason the offended still believes they were the only one checked, will start getting belligerent, cussing, and causing a major disturbance. Then the fare inspector will have the driver stop the bus, and the offender is evicted for causing a disturbance. As they are leaving the bus, they will be swearing, grumbling, and hollering about “being kicked off the bus because they were black”. Everyone on board just shakes their head in amazement, and disbelief at how ignorant one person among fifty can be. How is it one person can believe such nonsense, yet all the others saw it for exactly what it was.  (One person causing a scene because they thought their skin color was somehow an issue.)

Often, the ones causing a scene do not have a pass. They seem to think it is ridiculous that they should have to pay to ride, and even more ridiculous that anyone would ask them for proof of payment. You often hear them say such bizarre things as: “I didn’t buy a pass, because I’m Black.” Or “I’m Black, you know I can’t afford a pass.” Or “I’m Black. I should not have to pay to ride.” The fare inspector will ask for ID to write the citation. They Never give an ID. They will find something to argue about until they see an opportunity to flee at the next stop and run away from the fare inspector. Even as they are running away, they are yelling about “being singled out because they are black”. The inspector will just shake his head, then radio to the other inspectors the description of the offender.

Sadly, not a day goes by that I do not see this same thing occur. Most of the people on the buses pay their fare. They show their pass, and never have a problem. But there is always one who makes a scene “because they are black.”

As often as I see it, I am sure the inspectors see it a hundred-times more often than I do. You would think that seeing it so often, I would be used to it, accept it, and not even pay attention when it happens. But it still amazes me every single day that any person could be so ignorant to think they are treated any different  because of the color of their skin, or to think the rules don’t apply, or they are singled-out solely because of their skin color.

The other day, I needed to validate my new 30-day pass. This can easily be done at any machine at any bus-stop. The machine at my stop was out of order, so I could not validate it. No problem, I would just use the machine located on the bus when I got on.  I sat down a few feet from the out of order machine, and waited. The next person to come up also approached the machine. I told him it was not working. He just glared at me, so I let him figure it out for himself. After many attempts to get the machine to dispense a ticket, he started hitting the machine, cursing at it and yelling about “The machine won’t give me a ticket because I’m Black!” I got up and waited far away from him. He then started hollering at me “You can’t stand to be seen near a Black Person! You went away because I’m Black!”  I just shook my head in disbelief. I tried to tell him it would not work for me, but he thought that I should not have spoken to him. He would not shut up long enough for me to tell him I went away from him because of his behavior, not his skin color. He could not even notice that I stayed sitting right next to him until he got violent, and start playing the race card. He clearly was the one who had the problem with the color of his skin, not me. Yet, he thought he could attempt to somehow make me into some horrible monster because of his bad behavior. It amazes me at the level some will go to just to isolate themselves from humanity.

When the bus came, he was still ranting, cursing, and complaining about the machine that would not give him his ticket because he was black. I went to the machine on-board the bus and validated my ticket. He chose to go find a seat, and not get a ticket, still trying to get others to feel sorry for him because of his skin color. Most people looked at him and shook their heads. The rest just ignored him.

At the next stop a fare inspector boarded. (He happened to be black.) Before the inspector even had a chance to begin asking for passes, the man started hollering at the inspector about the machine that would not give him a ticket because he was black. The inspector looked at him, laughed, shook his head and went about his normal business of checking for passes. When he got to me, I showed him mine, and told him what that guy had done at the previous stop. He laughed, and said “Yeah, it’s always the same excuse with some people. They cannot understand that machines do not see anything or know what the human looks like.” He laughed as he went on down the length of the bus. Most of the riders give no hassle, show their passes, and there is no scene.

When he got to a lady who did not show her pass, he simply asked to see it. Without even looking up, she started yelling “You’re just singling me out because I’m Black!” He just stood and smiled, waiting for her to look up. When she did not get a reaction, she looked up to find out why. (usually if they start hollering, they are seeking some sort of attention, and are surprised when they do not get it.) She was surprised alright! When she looked up and saw a guy smiling at her with a look of “I’m not buying your game” She did a fast look around, hoping to find others who would join her fight. Nobody said a word. We all just looked at her and gave her the same look of disbelief, and wondered what it takes for someone to think this kind of bad behavior is at all acceptable. Then she attempted to turn on the charm. She said “Oh, good, you’re Black, too. That means you’re on my side.”  The inspector looked at her and told her to “Knock off that crap. I Do not tolerate any form of racism. Either you have a pass, or you get a citation.”

She said, “But I’m Black!” He asked again for her pass. She looked in disbelief. Then said, “But Blacks are supposed to support each other, let me slide, sweetie!”  He told her “I am not your sweetie. If you think you deserve special treatment because of the color of your skin, you’ve got a lot to learn.” He was very stern, and not at all pleased with how she was being so racist. He told her “Until you stop making your skin color an issue, you will never get anywhere in life. There are no sides. We all are equal. Now, do you have your pass, or not?” She grabbed her bag and ran from the bus as soon as it stopped. As she left, she was screeching about “You’re Black! You’re supposed to be on my side!” Although she could no longer hear him, he said “There are no sides. We are all human, and we all have to pay our fair share.”

Then the inspector turned toward the belligerent man who was still complaining about the machine that would not give him a ticket because he was black.   He walked up to him, looked right at him, and said, “Now, Sir, What is this nonsense about a machine that is racist? No machine can see anything about your skin color. It was out of order for the guy who tried to use it just before you did. He tried to tell you, but you insisted on being ignorant and causing a scene. Now, you have two choices: you can give me your ID so I can write you a citation for not having a pass, or you can shut your mouth and go to the machine on this bus and buy your ticket.” The man started to argue again about “because I’m Black…”, but the Inspector cut him off quickly. He said, “You, Sir are the Only one who cares what color your skin is! Knock that crap off! There is no excuse for behaving that way. If you have a problem with the color of your skin, then I suggest you stay home, because you will never make it outside your home with that attitude!” The man shut-up, and just glared at the inspector. He refused to go get his ticket from the machine, so the inspector insisted on his ID. He ran from the bus as soon as the doors opened.  The inspector looked like he could not believe how hard some people like to make their own lives.

For those of you who happen to have a problem with the color of your own skin: KNOCK IT OFF! YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO CARES. Nothing happens only to you because you have a certain skin color. What does happen is because of your attitude. There is a difference. IF YOU TRULY BELIEVE SOMETHING HAPPENS ONLY BECAUSE OF YOUR SKIN COLOR, You might try looking around. You are not the only one who has skin similarly shaded. If 99% of the people around you do not have issues, then you might look into your own behavior. Behavior is deeper than skin color. It might amaze some to discover they are the only ones misbehaving, or causing a scene. It might amaze some people to discover everyone else on the bus paid for a pass, showed it without a scene, and went on with their lives without feeling the need to pick a fight, or cause a disturbance. If you despise the fare-inspectors, you might notice YOU are the only reason those fare-inspectors exist. If YOU would just purchase a pass, and do what you are supposed to do, there would be no need for an inspector, and nobody would ever approach you and ask to see your pass. If YOU would learn to behave in society, and not think you deserve special treatment, you would be amazed at how smooth your life could be. The way YOU are treated has nothing to do with the color of your skin.

Here is a challenge for anyone who feels they are treated different because of the color of their skin: Rather than just assume someone has a problem with the color of your skin, why not ask them? … That is IF YOU Really Want the truth! But since you would rather isolate yourself with such ridiculous beliefs that it is “Because I’m Black”, then you likely do not want to know the real reason… that reason being because your attitude sucks. In case you did not yet notice, Attitude is not connected to any color of skin. But I challenge you: Ask, and seek the real reason you are treated differently. But you won’t, because that would mean you had the ability to make changes, but since you know you cannot change the color of your skin, it is easier for you to blame everything on your skin color.  Are you willing to change your attitude? Or would you rather go through life making everything difficult “Because I’m Black”? The choice is yours… so is the result you get. 

Why Hate Because of Skin?

The Stratosphere

Why hate based on skin?


“Eww, Gross! I Don’t wanna See their skin!”

That is the phrase that baffled me last Saturday.

I work at The Stratosphere in Vegas. The Stratosphere holds an annual event called “Scale The Strat.” This is an event sponsored by The American Lung Association, and encourages people to get fit, healthy, and active. The event is exactly what it sounds like: A running race Up the stairs of The Stratosphere Tower. This is 108 floors of stairs… not exactly an event for couch potatoes, slobs, or those who like to be lazy. Hundreds of fit, healthy, active people from all over the U.S. come for this one-of-a-kind event. There are also many locals, too! There are Firefighters, Police officers, local community leaders, and others who are like-minded.

As with any event where athletes are performing, it is a must to have the foods available that the human body needs to either fuel-up before the event, or to re-load on nutrients after the event has finished. The exact place I work is in The Pizzeria in The Stratosphere Tower. We are located at the base of The Tower, and where every event participant comes back down after they have finished the climb. In the past, The Pizzeria has not been open for this event, but this year the powers in charge decided that since the event people would be seeking to load up on carbs, salads, etc, they made the decision to open us up at 8am. (We usually open at 11). So they scheduled one cashier, and one cook. I did not get the early shift. I got the noon shift.

I showed up a little early, and was surprised to find out that we had hardly any business from the event. The cashier who was the early one is the type of person who always says things like “Man is God’s gift to women” or “I Love to watch all the men go by” or “I love the way the men flirt with me here!” I thought it was perfect that she was the one scheduled to work the front counter while all these healthy, fit men were going to be right in front of her. There were plenty of healthy, fit women, too… but this gal does not like anything about women, so they were not a factor.

So, as I walked-up, and saw her leaning on the counter looking absolutely bored, I was slightly surprised. I asked how business was and she told me they were not getting any customers from the event. So I teasingly asked her if she was at least enjoying all the “man eye candy”. She looked horrified, and said, “Eww, Gross!” This kinda baffled me, so I inquired further… because these are some of the most fit, healthy, leaders in our community. These are people who are clean, not on drugs, active, healthy-minded, happy, positive, and help others to find motivation. She looked horrified at me, and said, “Eww Gross! I Don’t wanna see their skin! They wear those baby-shorts, and are gross!” Then she said, “Some of them were even shirtless!” She was absolutely horrified to have been “exposed” to the sight of the human body.
Her reaction really had me baffled, so I went into the kitchen, to ask the cook what her opinion was of these participants. She had the same exact reaction! Since She is definitely into both men and women, I kinda figured she would have a little different take on the eye candy of both men and women. I was wrong. She was equally disgusted to have seen these people.

I was completely baffled. Here were two people who always talk about how much they like the eye-candy with the people who come through our work-area, and love to flirt with them, yet on this day they were both thoroughly disgusted. They were disgusted, and put-off by people who were happy, positive, and healthy. I asked some more questions to attempt to understand why both of these women were offended by what would be considered model citizens of our world. I pointed out that these people were happy, healthy, positive, encouraging, fit, and an inspiration. To this, both of these women replied, “But they are gross! Who wants to see their bodies?” I asked if it would be different if these same people were covered head to toe in baggy clothes. One of the gals said “These people are just gross.” The other one said “These are not the people I am attracted to.” So, of course I asked why that would make them so hate-filled toward them. Why would they not be happy for them? Why would they choose to hate? Why would they not want to be around positive, energetic, happy people? They did not understand what I was asking. I tried to explain about how the happy, positive, healthy, active, and motivating people are the ones who work to make our world a decent place to live. They looked at me like I was some sort of alien. They could not fathom anything positive about these people. I just walked away shaking my head.

Their attitude helped me to understand why we had no business from this crowd. I had asked to work for this event, and I know one of the other cashiers would have loved to also! We would be thrilled to work around happy, positive people, but management decided to put the haters on instead. I know the management was not happy about opening early for this event, and it would seem they wished to make sure we had no sales, so we would not do this regularly. I will never understand this mentality.

As I went through the rest of that day, I heard from many others how “offensive” this group of people were. I heard from so many people I work with complaining about having to “put up with this group of people”. (But Sadly, these same people seem to think the drunks, and crack-heads are not a problem!) I heard from security how they hated being forced to work “with all these freaks”, referring to the runners. I heard more racist remarks that day than any other day. Vegas is one of the most racist places I have ever lived. But for some reason, racism is not frowned upon here, and when people are racist in the work-place, it is somehow acceptable. Every single person who complained, I would attempt to see why they took this view. I would ask how the color of someone’s skin, or even the sight of someone’s skin made them a target for hatred. (And it may surprise you that it is not the people, or color you might suspect making the racist remarks.) I would ask why someone’s event-appropriate attire somehow made them “Gross”. I asked how come the very people who employ them, and sign their paycheck are somehow considered freaks. For some odd reason, this makes the complainers, racists, and haters look at me like I don’t belong, and how dare I go against their group-hatred of the positive people of the world. How dare I take a stand against racism, and hatred. How dare I look for positive, healthy, happy, encouraging people. How dare I defend those who were being bashed when they were not there to defend themselves. How dare I point out that the people they were calling freaks and gross, knew how to enjoy life.

I recalled hearing the same type of comments from so many people in Vegas when The Zappos Marathon, and Half-marathon took place in town. The comments made about “having to view the half-naked-runners” or “how gross those people were” just amazed me. For some reason if people are not on drugs, drunk, or just lazy, they are somehow considered gross, or offensive. If this is offensive, I wish more of our society would be offensive! Could you imagine? If the majority of our “offensive society” was considered so because they were happy, healthy, active, positive, drug free people? Oh that would be so wonderful!
What has happened to our society that the human body has somehow become “Gross”? What has happened that the people who are positive, happy, healthy, encouraging, motivating, and wonderful role models are reduced to “Gross”? What has happened that these people are now a minority, and looked down upon? What has happened that the people who provide the jobs, seek solutions, and encourage others are looked upon as “Gross”?

How is it that our society has decided to look at any flesh they see as “Disgusting”? Yet, somehow at the same time those very people are lining up to go watch strippers, view porn, and would do anything to see a naked body… but only if they view it as sexual, illicit, or sneaky, creepy, or voyeuristic. But to see the human body in a natural, positive way… forbidden!

Come on people! Wake up, and get back to living life! Recognize the human body for exactly what it is. It is the vessel in which we exist in this life on Earth. It is the thing of beauty that is incredible in all its infinite detail. It is The Most Complex machine ever created. There is no technology invented that can even compare to the incredible detail in which we live. Fine, forget about all the intricate details happening on the inside… just look at the skin. Can you find a more complex wonderful, versatile substance ever created? There is no other substance on Earth that can fix itself. No other substance so flexible, versatile, or has the feeling/ sensitivity to all variables as the skin. No other substance protects so well, yet is also so delicate. No one has ever truly understood all the infinite details that make up our incredible living forms. Our bodies have more life, more information, more joy, more wonder, and more potential than anything ever created by a human. Of all the billions of humans on This Earth, no two are alike. Every single one is a unique, mind-boggling creation of infinite detail. Each one was created a slightly different shape, color, and size. Each one is created as an amazing work of art to be cherished, loved, enjoyed, and taken care of. Each and every human body is beautiful, wonderful, amazing, and cannot be compared to anything else on this Earth.

Ok, so you do not wish to recognize that the human body is the most amazing thing ever created. I challenge you to create something that is equally as amazing, yet at the same time, make billions of that something, making sure that there are no two ever alike. I challenge you to create anything that is as beautiful, has as much feeling, is an incredibly mind-boggling thing that can do so much in life. Go ahead, create anything you wish…

…and when you finally realize that there is nothing any one of us can possibly create that even comes close, then, and only then can you allow yourself to understand that The Human Body is not “Gross”, or that Humans are “Freaks” because they do not look like you do.

Only once you realize that when you see the Human body, you are viewing THE MOST AMAZING thing Ever created, will you allow yourself to view it without disgust, hatred, racism, or any other thing that makes you hate other Humans solely based on their skin.

The Human Body is not “Gross”. How some choose to behave with their own bodies could be considered gross… but you need to recognize that it is the behavior of that human you hate, not the body in which that human exists. And once you recognize that it is a behavior you hate, you will learn to not hate the shape, size, color, or form of The Human Body.

Still not convinced?
You still think any viewing of The Human Body is “Gross”?
Try looking at it this way:

Suppose you viewed the outer-shell of anything in life you love… maybe it is a car, a piece of furniture, a building, a home, a computer, a TV, a camera, a book. It could be the wrapping of a candy-bar, or any kind of container a product comes in. It could be anything that is the most-visible outer-shell of anything you value in life. If you looked at these items the same way you do a human, you would suddenly be filled with hatred toward that item. Why? Is that wrapper of your favorite candy bar suddenly obscene? Is that case that holds your camera suddenly offensive because it is a different color than someone else’s camera? Is that car a different shape from the one parked next to it? Suppose you live in a brick building. Would that make the wood building next door somehow offensive, or gross?

Hmmm… It would seem the things we love in life are very similar to humans… each one is created similarly, but with a slightly different exterior. We value all of these things based on what is inside that wrapper. We do not base our desire, or appreciation solely on the exterior. We look for what is contained on the inside.
So, shouldn’t we be offended by the skin of the car? Shouldn’t we be offended by the glass, wood, brick and metal which make up a building, house, church, school, or other structure we visit regularly? Buildings do not exist solely for us to look at. The reason for these buildings to exist is because we need, and enjoy what is on the inside. Most often when you go someplace, and enter a building, it is because of what you need that is located inside that skin. We are drawn to those places because of what they offer, and often ignore the details of the exterior of that building. When we look for a place that offers what we seek, we do not first search by what the exterior looks like. We search based on our needs. The exterior is often not considered, or noticed, until we have decided if we like what is on the inside.

If we see beautiful photos taken by a friend, aren’t we glad they captured those, and allowed us to view them? We do not instantly think about what color, shape, or brand their camera is, or even the details of what makes that camera so wonderful. We see the beauty that was created by that camera. The way the camera looks is not a factor in whether or not we like the photo. Or, more often, we see striking photos captured by someone we have never met. You do not instantly stop and try to figure out what color, shape, size, or age the skin was of the photographer to decide if you like the photo you are viewing. It may come later, but we do not decide if we like the photo based on the exterior of that camera, or the exterior of the person who took the photo.

When we eat food, we do not make our decisions based solely on the wrapper, container, or plate on which the food arrives. We base our eating decisions on what the actual food is, and how it will nourish our bodies. Sometimes we choose food to satisfy a specific craving, but most of the food we consume is based upon the needed nutrients that we currently need to continue living. Could you imagine if you decided on the foods you liked solely on the color, shape, or size of that wrapped it was delivered in? No… we choose our foods by what is on the inside of that wrapper. We all eat at restaurants. Seldom do we see the people cooking and preparing our food. We do not order food based on what the color, shape, size, or age of the cook might or might not be. But we enjoy our food, and seldom, if ever give the skin of the cook any thought. But would that food suddenly be either better, or worse, just because we could see what the cook’s skin was like?

When we view something a computer has done, our first thought is not what the shape, size, color, or brand of that computer is. Instead, we marvel at the complexities, and understanding that it took for that computer to do what made us take notice. Humans are the same way… when we see people doing extraordinary feats, shouldn’t we marvel at what it took to make that happen? Shouldn’t we look at the effort, training, understanding, and will-power it took for that human to be able to run all the way up the stairs of The Stratosphere Tower? But instead, we see their skin, and are somehow offended.
If we solely based our likes and dislikes in this world the same way we view The Human Body, could you imagine how ridiculous that would be? Yet, for some reason many people choose to hate another human based on their skin. They look at humans as gross, because they somehow got the idea that the exterior is somehow unappealing, and should not be seen. Sure, some humans are indeed ugly… but that has nothing to do with their exterior. Ugly is a personality, a character, a behavior that is from within that human. There is no such thing as an ugly human on the outside. Think about any time you have found spoiled food. I can guarantee the food has spoiled, is bad, or in some way is offensive… but the wrapper of that food is no different than when that food was good. The wrapper is still a beautiful thing, and has not changed. What is spoiled is on the inside. The same is true with humans. The wrapper, or skin is not what determines a person’s character… that is on the inside.

The next time you decide to hate a human based on their skin, I hope you can see past the shallowness, and look at what is on the inside. That skin you hate is only the wrapper… you might just be surprised at what you find on the inside!

I understand that many people somehow have the idea that the human body is somehow obscene. How they have gotten this idea I cannot understand. There are even a few states in The U.S. that have made the human body illegal, but thankfully, there are not many that narrow minded! Most states have made laws against anything obscene, lewd, or publicly sexual. The focus of those laws is on behavior, not the human skin. Sadly, however, many people have confused the human body as somehow being obscene, lewd, or sexual. Those people somehow got the notion that the human body is somehow illegal. Only when our world decides to stop calling something as innocent as the human body something it is not will we finally be allowed to see humans as just that… we are human, we are not illegal, or gross, and should not be labeled as such.

I am sure some of what I write will offend many people… I say good! If they are offended because they have been judging people based on their skin, then they deserve to be offended. Do I believe for a moment that what I say and write will finally get them to look at humans in a more appreciative way? Nope. But if I can get them to stop hating based on skin for even half a minute, then I have accomplished more that I would have by not saying anything. Would I love it if many people actually started to look past the skin? Yes! I can hope…. Maybe someone who reads this will share it with another. Maybe someone will stop hating based solely on skin. Maybe there are a few who will see this that have not been aware they were judging solely on the skin of a human, and they will appreciate having it brought to their attention. Maybe there are people who have been copying their supposed role models in life, and will be glad to learn there is a different way to see people.

If my voice helps make this world a better place, then that is why I exist. I have not given up on humans, and as long as I am on this Earth I will continue to try and find more to find joy in! May you find joy on This Earth, too… and hopefully help another find it as you go! I appreciate your stopping by and reading what’s on my mind! JOn ~=:-)

Fall is When...

Fall Is When…
Here is something I just found while sorting old stuff. I wrote this for Kathie in the fall of 2006, and wanted to share it.
I do not recall what exactly inspired this, or what was happening at the moment… But I do recall the feeling it created….
As I retype it, it seems to represent so many possibilities. Perhaps you will find it represents Life. Perhaps you will find comfort in a recent death. Perhaps you are blue from the onset of winter. Perhaps you find no greater joy then the onset of spring. I think this can fit any and all of these… And Much Much More! May you find what you need in the words I wrote so long ago…

Fall Is The Time of Year When…
…The Dark of night creeps into our light.

…All the critters are nesting and storing food away.
The time of frolic and play is going to go away.

…The warmth of the sun turns crisp and cool.
The comfort feels like it is on the run.

…Tan lines quickly fade away.

…All the beauty and color of summer begin to fade.

…The blooms will curl up to die.

…The greens will start to turn brown.


This surely feels like a good time to frown!
As we feel the dread of the loss of our true comfort of summer,

Everything seems to go grey and cold.
We realize nature must take away before
It can give us even more!

For as the night comes all too fast,
We suddenly have moon and stars to last!

As The critters retreat into hiding,
Snowmen and Snow Angels come out from
Where they have been residing!

As the warmth of the sun seems to abandon us,
Suddenly we are amazed at how spectacular the glistening
Of the frost fills our desire,
And we embrace the comforting warmth of the fire!
We remember the comfort of that old favorite sweater!




As the tree leaves are seeming to be about to curl up and die,
We realize the spectacular beauty they give us as they go!




As the flowers begin to shrivel & drop,
We surely notice what seems like a loss…


…UNTIL SPRING…

…It is then, we are suddenly surprised
By the gift of love those flowers so carefully left behind,
As they were all-to-eager to go away.
Somehow we always fail to notice how much we gain
As something we love goes away.
We quickly forget during the cold
What beauty we truly hold.

How we wish what we had,
Was still here,
Because, truly we become sad.
Those flowers that died
Left tiny little seeds scattered all around us.
After the snow melts,
We cannot believe how much that dying flower gave us!

Come the Spring,
We feel so loved and so blessed
By what seemed a truly great loss in the fall.
The sunrises are more spectacular than we remember!
The critters that went away created baby critters
To show us it is time to play!
The warmth of the sun that had gone
Is now warmer than before!
We have more flowers now,
Than ever before!
Fall and winter seem to be the signs
Of what we loved going away.
But instead it turns out to be
The Most Beautiful Way!

I signed the note with the following:
Written by JOn
Inspired by life!
Motivated by Kathie!
Kathie, You Created this writing…
You truly are a beautiful creation.
You are the flower spreading your seeds.
You are wonderful!
This is but just a small way to say thank you! Love, JOn

My Favorite Blanket Came out of Storage Last Night

My Favorite Blanket came out of storage last night.

Yesterday was Labor Day. To many people in The U.S., it marks the unofficial end of summer. The reason it is unofficial, is because that is usually the last long weekend they have while the weather is still good. Often schools begin again immediately following Labor Day (although lately many across the nation have begun in August). The Official end of summer is not actually until the Fall Equinox, September 21st. However, when Labor Day arrives, one notices dramatic changes in the season.

I am currently living in Las Vegas. Vegas is in The Mojave Desert, so it would come as no surprise that we see temperatures well-above 100 degrees all summer long. I moved here in February from Oregon, specifically to enjoy the warm climate. March, and April, the temps started to warm up enough that I could sleep with the windows wide open, but still needed a blanket. By the time June came around, I had long since packed-away all the blankets, and occasionally needed a sheet while sleeping. Once July came, we had daily temperatures that were never below 100 degrees, often mid-day saw 110-115. I Leave my windows wide open, and they face south, so my apartment would easily reach 110-115 by evening. Ahhhh, The most perfect climate for me! During the night, I would sleep with a fan in the window, and one at the foot of my bed. Never needing even a sheet, and I Loved it! By morning, the temperature outside had dropped to about 90 degrees, sometimes in the 80’s, but it not got “chilly”. (My body defines chilly as anything below 80 degrees.) This is just how my body is, I have no say-so in how I was made. I am comfortable at anything above 80, and chilly at anything below 80.

Irony: Yesterday was Labor Day. It was also the very first day in many months where the temperature did not reach 100. Vegas had clouds, and drizzle all day. Do ya suppose the Sun decided it was done with summer, and took a holiday?  The sunsets are now happening right around 7 and completely dark by 8. It was less than a month ago, I could watch the sunset around 9, and darkness did not come until 10. I have watched as the arc of the sun has gotten dramatically lower, and high-noon now casts a quite long shadow. The sunrises are not happening at 5 anymore. The first signs of daylight are not until 6.

With Temperatures below 100 yesterday, and a breeze last night, I pulled out my favorite blanket before bed. I knew it would get chilly by morning. It did. My apartment was close to 70 degrees when I woke at 5 this morning. Outside was 72 degrees with a cool breeze. I always make my coffee, and go enjoy the morning on my balcony. I love everything about being outside as much as possible. Watching the day come to life with a fresh cup of coffee, in my comfy chair on my balcony is a beautiful way to start the day. Even in the City of Las Vegas, one can find nature all around them if they look. I hear an owl every morning in a nearby tree. I see birds looking for breakfast, I see the stars fade, as the dawn breaks. I see the color f the sky turn from black, to grey, to light blue, to pinks, purples, and finally brilliant blue as the sun reports for work every morning.
I usually can come and enjoy my morning on the balcony without even a blanket. This morning, was a bit too chilly for me. For me, needing to grab a blanket is not a bad thing. But I do not grab just any blanket. I HAVE THE MOST WONDERFUL BLANKET ever created, and it is MY FAVORITE BLANKET! What makes this blanket so wonderful?

On my 37th birthday in 2005, I was living in the garage of my best-friend’s house. I had gotten pneumonia again. I was working too many hours, and running myself ragged. I came home from work, and the ONLY thing I wanted to do was crash-out, and sleep. My friend (Cara) texted me when she saw me pull in the driveway to ask me to come inside the house for a few minutes. I wanted to ignore the text, and just go crash-out. There are many people I can just ignore, and a rare few that I absolutely could not. Cara was one of those few I cherished, and would not ignore. I had to go see what she wanted. When I walked inside, she could see how horrible I felt. She hugged me, and told me to stand there a minute. Then she came out, and wrapped a blanket around me. She hugged me, held me, and said “Happy Birthday.” Even in my wishing I were dead sickness, I could see the love that was just wrapped around me!

This, I Knew was THE MOST WONDERFUL, LOVE-FILLED Birthday present I had ever received! This blanket was the first one I had ever had that was actually longer than I was. It was not a tiny little blanket. Nor was it a skimpy, almost worthless thing that someone just threw together fast. The colors matched my personality perfectly, the yarn was heavy, and the knitting was done perfectly! As I admired this wonderful work of craftsmanship (or craftswomanship), She explained how hard it was to create. It was no small little knitting project she could easily stuff under a cushion when I came in. It was twice as big as she was, and not a light-weight, easy, fast project. She had found a yarn that matched my personality perfectly. The color was variegated, starting at the darkest blue possible, going through the entire color-spectrum all the way to the lightest yellow possible.

This blanket was knit to have plenty of warmth, but with large enough holes in the pattern to for it to allow air both in and out. It created warmth, but never made me sweat. I could be warm, and still feel the fresh-air through it. One of my favorite things to do at night is to watch the stars wearing nothing at all. This is not always easy when it is cold outside. This blanket became my star-gazing wrap. I could still feel like I was nekkid, yet have warmth. I could feel the night-air, yet not be freezing parts off.

There were many things I left behind when I (literally) ran-away from life as I knew it in Oregon in August of 2005, But this blanket was not one of those things. While I am not trying to make light of that whole situation by just glossing-over it, I only mention it to show the reference and importance of this blanket, and what it represented. (Eventually, I will write in detail about that event).
When one is running away, there also is irony: Every night when I would find a secure place to sleep a few hours, what did I wrap myself in? Yup, even sleeping under the stars in a corn-field, I slept with only the wrapping of Cara’s blanket. It Helped. After I settled in Virginia, and was back in contact with Cara again, one of the first things she asked me was, “You didn’t get rid of the blanket, did you?” We both understood what this blanket was. I even took it into The Salvation Army Shelter. Even though I knew it was a risk, because nothing was safe in that place…. But I also believe there is more in this blanket than just yarn. As Cara put herself into this blanket, God also wove himself into every fiber. (No, I am not saying this blanket IS God, nor do I worship this blanket AS God). I Believe God has a hand in all things created with love.

Virginia has some of the most breath-taking thunderstorms I have seen. They often came through during a summer night. I always went outside to watch them, wrapped in only this blanket. I would sit on the hood of my car, leaning against the windshield, and using the cover of the carport to stay just out of the storm’s drenching. Even in summer, the storms blew cold. The wind, and rain were wild! In this blanket, I was kept warm, yet through the large holes, I could feel every bit of nature in it’s fury. The wind and rain would hit my skin, the blanket would be wet, but I never got cold. I had two wonderful neighbors there. Lucy was a 22-year old college girl. Sandy was a 42-year old lady who had never met a male she could trust. Often, they would come and join me on the hood of my car, and all three of us would wrap in this blanket. They each were so completely different in everything about their lives. Lucy loved to be naked, and loved the storms. Sandy would never go naked (except on Memorial Day.. You can read about that here: http://enterwithanopenmindorclosedeyes.blogspot.com/2012/06/get-naked-on-roof-for-memorial-day.html ) , and was scared to death of storms. All three of us fit perfectly. Sandy, the one who would never go naked, and even was not comfortable seeing naked until she met us, for some reason found comfort in the company of two who were not at all uncomfortable with it. She also found comfort and safety in a storm from two people who not only loved storms, but went out into them. I say it was the blanket ~Grin~ You decide.

This Blanket has traveled across The United States twice. It has moved to new homes along with me dozens of times. It has held me close, kept me warm, and reminded me there is love. There is not a single time I use it, or even see it, that does not make me smile.

The photo at the top of this page was taken at 5:30 this morning. The first chilly morning. This is Wonderful! Coffee, Early morning Chill, and THE MOST WONDERFUL BLANKET EVER CREATED!

Thank You, Cara! I Love You, and always feel your loving, caring, hands in every stitch against my body.