Pickleball – First attempt report

It was a comfortable but cloudy day and I had nothing else important to do, so I gathered my balls and paddle and headed to the pickleball courts in my small town.

It was noon on a weekday and as I expected, nobody was there. That’s OK because I just wanted to get the feel of it and what better way than to have the place to yourself.?

I chose a court by the entrance and had at it. Pretty much all you can do by yourself is practice serving the ball. I had four balls with me, so I could hit it four times before having to walk around to the other side and repeat the procedure. I’m a pretty well motor-skilled person and having played tennis and ping-pong before, it pretty much came naturally.

After spending about 30-45 minutes practicing my serving, I decided that I was a natural and had enough practice at that. While hoping, all the time, that someone else would show up, I packed my balls and paddle and left. It was a good introductory run. I feel confident that I’m ready for the next step, which is finding some other person who can hit the ball back to me.

Not being able to find another person with basic enough skills to hit the ball back was the reason I gave up playing tennis decades ago. I tried but got tired of playing one-person games with someone else. Fortunately, Pickleball has become a popular sport, so I expect finding opponents will not be difficult.

It may be a good gateway for me to spend some time socially with others.

Even though I was playing alone, I feel that my legs got a good workout, mostly from bending over to pick up the balls. I think it will add to my exercise regiment. Also, even though the weather was cool and cloudy, and I was wearing short shorts and a cropped shirt, I was still sweating enough to be annoyed. Playing during the high summer evenings may become unpleasant unless I can find some clothing that is maximally minimal while still being socially acceptable. I would so rather play naked. Fortunately, the nudist club I plan on joining has a pickleball court. At least I can play comfortably there.

Experimental Workout

Last week, I finally bit the bullet and joined a health club. Some might say that Planet Fitness is not a real health club, but I think it’s just fine for regular people. (as if I was regular, lol.)

After going back and forth with myself for days, I finally decided today was the day to go check it out. After all, the hardest part of doing anything is getting started. Putting the New Thing Anxiety aside, I grabbed some stuff and went.

After checking in, I asked for a quick tour, and they were happy to take me around and show me where everything was. After that, I went to the changing room and put on my shorts, then returned to the main room. There were maybe 10 other people there in a very large room full of machines, so there wasn’t much competition.

I have a plan to tend to just a few specific parts of my body to which I would like to give a little definition. I am currently at my perfect weight, so I have no need for weight loss. I mainly would like to juice up my Pecs, biceps and saggy ass a little, so I’ll look extra good either naked or in my little speedo this summer. Since I have a cruise coming up in a few months, I have at least some motivation to try to look a little better. As a long-time nudist, I have no hangups about my body the way it is. I am what I am, and I think I look rather good naturally. However, I’m getting older now, and it wouldn’t hurt to lift my butt and define a few other areas. I’ll try to fit in some cardio too for my heart health.

It doesn’t hurt to try to look good because I’ll never completely lose hope that one day, someone will see through my invisibility shield and say, “Where have you been all my life?” And we will never have to be lonely again. Wishful thinking, but you have to have some hope in your life.

Today was an experimental day, so I started with a warm up on an exercise bike for a little while to easily blend in a bit and get a feel for the place. While doing that, I watched the others to see what kind of procedure went on. Next I went over to some of the machines which have pictures indicating which muscles are exercised. I had no idea how much weight to use at first, so I started low and did 10 reps. After a quick rest, I upped the weight a bit and did 10 more, rest, 10 more.

It has been, probably, 30 years since I’ve been in a gym, so some of it was remembered. Other stuff I was making up as I went. After three sets of 10, I could feel my muscles feeling tired, so I moved on and repeated the procedure on a few other machines. I was there for, maybe, 30 minutes and could feel some burn. I didn’t want to overdo it on the first session, so after trying out 6 or 7 machines, I packed it up. My arms and legs were a little shaky, so I know there was some effect. We’ll see if I get any soreness later.

Anyway, it was a good start. Now I at least feel more confident about being there and what I’m doing. That’s an important step on making it a regular thing. For a while at least. I predict that I will go twice a week, then once a week, then once a month, then never. LOL. We’ll see.

I’m not trying to bulk up, I just want to look a little good. A few years ago, it rained a lot and I spent many hours out driving the tractor to shred the weeds. Working the steering wheel made my pectorals look nice enough that someone asked me, at a nudist club meeting, if I worked out. That made me think that perhaps it’s not that hard to tone up a little.

We’ll see how it goes.

Zee next day…
Last night I didn’t feel any soreness and was worried that there was no effect. This morning, however, I feel the burn. Mostly in my pecs and biceps, as promised. Yay. It works. I guess I’ll plan on going at least twice a week for a while.

Four days later…
Wow. I’m still a little sore. Mainly my triceps, which I didn’t even know were involved in these particular exercises. Most of the rest of the soreness is gone. I really didn’t think I worked them out that much. It was only three sets of 10. It seemed like nothing at the time. I’m sure it’s because I’m a noob and those muscles have been mostly dormant for a very long time. I will have to plan my future workouts because I can’t spend 3-4 days not doing other things because of the pain. On the other hand, no pain, no gain.

What a conundrum. We can make this work. It’s just a matter of figuring it out.

Plowing the fields for the 2024 crops

It’s January 30th and the weather was good, so I decided to plow the field in preparation for planing next month. It rained last week, so the ground was soft but not muddy. I chose….wisely.

Early February planting is not usually recommended because there’s still a chance of freezing weather through the end of the month. I have a hunch that Global Warming may be making that unlikely. I looked at a couple of 30-day forecasts.

You can’t trust a 30-day forecast, of course because that’s just too far in advance for even today’s supercomputers to predict. However, the temps are looking pretty darn warm.

I think my plan will be to wait until the second week. Probably February 7th and then check the two-week forecast. That’s only a week away. If it looks good, then I’ll go ahead and plant the seeds.

They will take two weeks to sprout anyway, and by that time it will be near the end of the month and I will have gotten somewhat of a head start. That’s important here in Texas because by April, we will not get any rain again for the rest of the year and everything will wither and die. Hopefully, by that time, they will have grown tall enough.

I’m planting both Sunflowers and Sorghum. I bought about $100 worth of seed. Not really for harvesting purposes, though. Their purpose will be for fun and also for privacy screening from my neighbors, so I can go naked all summer. Besides, I have a tractor and when one has a tractor, one should use it for something.

The last two years were desperately dry and hot and Oy Gevalt! I’m having a positive feeling that this year might be less hot and more wet. It’s not like that’s impossible. Three years ago was very nice. It can’t just be hot and dry forever. Can it?

Either way, I’m having a hell of a fun time. 

Dreamblog – Naked at work

This morning, I dreamed that I was at work, but I was completely naked all day long. As a computer support guy, I had to visit various people and walk around. I wasn’t bothered in the least about being naked. My co-workers had varying responses.

In the end, the new boss took a poll about me being “The Naked Guy” and decided that it was OK.

New Year’s Resolutions, 2024

Resolutions don’t have to be done at the beginning of a new year, but it’s a good marker for a fresh start. I’ve never been a fan of resolutions because they seem silly, but as I get older, they begin to make a little sense. It’s at least an attempt to make yourself better in some way.

I don’t need to lose weight, or sleep more, or get a better job. My needs are mostly psychological and personal. They are all very difficult, otherwise they would not need to be resolutions. I guess that’s true with all issues. Let’s see if I can list them. 

1. Smile inside – I don’t smile on the outside much, mostly because you need other people to see you smile. ”If a man smiles in the forest and there’s nobody around to see him, is he smiling at all?” There’s nobody around me, so I tend to straight-face it all the time. At least I won’t get laugh lines and wrinkles. Smiling physically is a lot of work to be done unnecessarily. I want to at least smile on the inside. That would be a great step for me to feel better on the inside.
2. Spend more money – I’m a frugal Scrooge when it comes to money. My goal in life was to save enough to retire at 50, and I accomplished that with bells on. Thanks to a long, lonely life, my net worth is approaching 1 million dollars. Even though I’ve Arrived, I am so used to saving and sticking to a budget that it has become a bad habit. It still seems crass to me to waste money on material things that support the destruction of the planet, but what are you going to do? You only live once. This year, I resolve to buy stuff and go places. Fuck the planet. I’ll be dead in 25 years anyway. The planet can burn to a cinder after that.
3. Be more open to others – In order to solve my loneliness issue, I spent the majority of 2023 cutting myself off from others because too many people were taking advantage of my generosity without giving me any satisfaction in return. That only goes so far.  I had hopes of either becoming lonely enough to reach out or become satisfied with being alone. I set a deadline of December 31 and now that has expired. I do feel somewhat ready to try to find someone now, but it needs to be done gently. I have no idea how to accomplish this, so I’ll just try to be more open and see where that takes me.
4. Be less angry – On the inside, I am a pressure cooker that is already way past the bursting limit. I’m ready to explode at any point, and it’s difficult to keep it contained. It takes very little to set me off. I’ve got to find a way to get over all the things that piss me off. 90% of that anger comes from frustration from the lack of love in my life.  I don’t think I can do anything about that, so maybe I can work on the 10% to at least take the edge off. I need to learn how to accept all the stupid things that people do, like make rap music and dumb commercials. I guess it’s the old man inside me frustrated about the loss of the world he grew up in. Everything is strange and stupid now. LOL, but not really.
5. Get out of the house – Other than band practice and forced labor for others, I pretty much stayed at home in 2023. I love my house and property, so going anyway seems pointless. However, there’s a whole world out there that can be my oyster if I just go out and see it. Going alone seems pointless too, but it’s probably actually better that way. I can do what I want, go where I want to go, eat what I want to eat, and do it whenever I please. It’s just a matter of picking a destination and jumping in the car. I resolve to do that at least a few times this year. I’m also going to seriously consider joining a nudist club again. There’s a great club/resort about 120 miles away. I’ve been putting that off for a few years. Now might be the time. It might also help me with my social skills and maybe even solve the loneliness issue.
6. Stop thinking bad thoughts – I resolve to use my thought/memory fogging technique to stop thinking about being lonely. From this point on, I will try very hard to not post any more blog entries about it. It will be the hardest thing I’ve ever done because the issue is so central to me and I keep hoping that someone out there will see that I’m lonely and come to my aid, personally. That’s just a silly pipe-dream, and it has to stop. There’s nobody out there to help, so stop trying. I will also classify my thoughts as good and bad, so all bad thoughts can be fogged out. That will most definitely help me reduce my anger load. There’s no point in dwelling on bad thoughts. Just accept things as they are and try to see the good in them.

This is a dynamic list and may change in the next few days. That’s probably more than enough for one person to attempt in one year. I better not push it by adding much more. Baby steps, right? If I can do these six things, I will be seriously leveled up. I’m going to print the list out in large letters and post it around the house. I’ll move it every week so it will not become ignored furniture.

New Clothes in 2024

I need to get some new clothes. (said the nudist.)

Of course, I have little use for clothing during the summer months, but during the winter, one has to wear clothes or one gets rather cold. I’m not really much of a fashion follower. Never cared for it. Clothing has usually been utilitarian for me. If you were to classify my style, it might be, “Homeless.”

I usually wear t-shirts because what else do you need? Some of my shirts are from the 80s and I still wear them. Many are oversized, stretched, worn, and full of holes. Yet I still wear them. 

Maybe it’s time to update my homeless look to at least a newer level. For some reason, many of my t-shirts are XL when my ideal size is Large. So many of those shirts were given to me, and I used to be 30 lbs heavier. Now they are just too big. The holey ones will get thrown out, and the OK ones will be cut into tank tops and stuff. I need to up my sewing skills.

I should probably upgrade my wardrobe from t-shirts to polo shirts or something nicer. I don’t really care for the collars, though. I’m not really sure where to go then. What’s better than a T-shirt but not as annoying as a collared shirt? I guess I’ll just get new, properly sized t-shirts. I have a few polos and drag them out for special occasions. I used to wear them daily for work, but threw out the majority of them when I retired.

Well, we’ll just see what I find at the stores. Maybe something will strike me. I wish there was some kind of required uniform, so everyone just wears the same thing, and it’s fine and normal. We are living in the future, after all.

Naturist Thanksgiving with my best friends

It may be a day late, but it was a good time to prepare our annual Thanksgiving Meal. I invited my best friends, Myself and I, over for a nice naturist holiday dinner. They are never too busy to spend time with me, and I’m always their top priority.

It seemed like way too much trouble to make a whole turkey, so I bought a package of legs, which are the best part anyway. The best part is, they only have to cook for about an hour in the oven at 400 degrees.

For sides, we had some of the old favorite standards, Stove Top Stuffing, canned cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, green beans, deviled eggs, and pecan pie for desert. (That’s pu-cahn. Not Pee-can. A Pee Can is what you use in the car on long trips.)

The whole feast took only about an hour to prepare, and I’ll have leftovers for a few days at least. We had a great time and watched A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving while eating. You can’t get much better than that.

The weather was cool but sunny, so we went out and sat in the sun on the patio while talking about awesome things. What more could you ask for?

Millions Embrace Nudism as Global Warming Pushes Society Toward Eco-Friendly Lifestyles

By Chad Jipeeti

In a surprising response to the growing concerns of global warming and its adverse effects, millions of people worldwide have taken a bold step towards an eco-friendly lifestyle by embracing nudism. This unique trend has seen families shedding their clothes at home, children playing freely in backyards, and adventurous souls seeking camaraderie at nudist beaches, resorts, and local clubs.

As the reality of climate change becomes more apparent each year, people are seeking ways to reduce their carbon footprint and live more sustainably. The nudist movement, historically rooted in promoting body positivity and self-acceptance, is now intertwining with environmental consciousness, offering a harmonious solution for a greener Earth.

Many families have decided to adopt a nudist lifestyle within the confines of their homes, reducing their reliance on air conditioning and embracing natural cooling methods. By opting for nudity, families are significantly cutting down on energy consumption, thus mitigating their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, nudism within the home has become a way to reconnect with nature, allowing households to embrace a more minimalistic lifestyle and appreciate the natural beauty surrounding them.

In backyards across neighborhoods, children can be seen playing carefree and without clothes. This shift in mentality encourages a sense of oneness with nature, teaching young minds about the importance of environmental preservation from an early age. Parents believe that such an upbringing fosters respect for the planet and a deep understanding of the need to protect it.

Beyond the confines of their homes, families are venturing out to nudist beaches and resorts, which have seen a significant surge in visitors. These destinations offer a welcoming atmosphere for people of all ages to embrace naturism without judgment. Visitors often cite a sense of community and camaraderie as a primary reason for joining nudist establishments, where they can exchange ideas and strategies for leading more sustainable lives.

Alongside beaches and resorts, local nudist clubs are witnessing a boost in membership as more people discover the ecological advantages of a clothes-free lifestyle. These clubs provide safe and private spaces where members can engage in various activities like hiking, gardening, and communal cooking without the constraints of clothing.

Experts have noted that nudism’s growing popularity is not only a response to global warming but also a way for individuals to reconnect with nature, promoting mental and emotional well-being. Moreover, the nudist movement has been keen on advocating for environmental conservation, often organizing beach cleanups and tree-planting initiatives to contribute to the fight against climate change.

While the idea of nudism may be unconventional to some, the trend’s underlying message is one of sustainability, self-acceptance, and environmental responsibility. As the global community continues to address the challenges of climate change, this movement serves as a unique and innovative approach to creating a greener future for generations to come.

General Update

I haven’t been very writey lately. I guess everything is good for the most part. Without anything specific to write about, I think I’ll just ramble a bit as a general update.

My mom’s house sold quickly at an unbelievably high price. I figured I would list it a good amount above what I figured it was worth, and I got an offer that was close enough. On top of all the preparation work I did on it, there was a list of fixes the buyer wanted to be done. I went ahead and took care of them. I saved at least a thousand dollars doing it all myself. Closing is on Friday this coming week. I have to split the money with my brother and sister, but I get half, and they get quarters since I was the only one who tended to my mom and the house all those years. It’s kind of a bitter pill, but I’ll be adding $100,000 to my retirement portfolio. Thanks, Mom. I’ll do my best to use it wisely.

It’s hot as hell here in Texas. Yesterday was the first day of summer, but we’ve already had multiple 100 degree days. It’s all I can do to keep my newly planted bushes and trees watered. I try to get out and do stuff outside in the mornings, but by 11:00 it’s just too hot to be out there. I spend the rest of the day inside watching movies and stuff. I can’t complain too much, I guess. These are a few of my favorite things. At least I don’t have to go to work, and thank god I don’t work outside.

I’m spending some of that morning time working on my 1966 Karmann Ghia. I’m currently finishing up the rust repair on the body. A little bondo and a lot of sanding. I should be able to start painting those spots, then polishing the whole car back to a shine. It doesn’t have a clear coat, so polishing the paint brings it back to a nice luster. After that, I need to fix the rusted floor pan and check the clutch pedal linkage to make sure it’s not about to wear through. Then it’s ready for a good test drive. I’m getting excited about that.

My mental health seems to be rather well. I’m still keeping myself purposefully alone in hopes of breaking my desire for companionship. Though it’s not yet complete, I feel as if it IS helping. Since I can’t have a friend, I’m trying to destroy my desire for one. That’s the plan, at least. I think it’s working.

What to do with all my time. When I was working, there was no time. Now I have beau coup time. It’s wonderful and awesome. Time is the most valuable thing in the universe. I don’t consider myself as wasting it, either. However, I could put it to better use if I wanted to. I still want to do some traveling, but I’m not feeling like it now. I’m still happy just to be home, naked, and doing whatever I want to do without anyone telling me when, how, or whether to do it. I’ll probably do some kind of trip this fall when school starts. That way, all the masses are back in their cages, and I’ll have the world to myself. I’m thinking of making a trip to the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. before it gets nuked. I’d better hurry.

I have an old friend from school that works at the Smithsonian, but she unfriended me on Facebook, so I won’t impose my presence on her. I’ve let her go, anyway.

This winter, I might do some maintenance on my motor home so that I’ll feel more confident using it next year. It has been sitting for a few years now, and I feel bad about it. I don’t want to sell it, because if I do, I’ll want it back. Lesson learned when I sold my 1971 Porsche 911. Dumbass. My Karmann Ghia will take the place of it for a while, but I’ll likely sell that too after a few years and wish I hadn’t.

Well, it’s 11:00 now and I can’t think of anything else to write about. I think I’ll go to bed. I’ve been waking up at 6:45 lately. I’d go back to sleep until later, but I usually have to pee so bad it hurts. Might as well get up early and get outside before the sun burns relentlessly down. Thanks global warming. Preciate it.

A Peaceful Easy Feeling

I have been feeling rather peaceful lately. It has been two months since I’ve made it known that I am unavailable in order to tend to my mental health. I really think that it has worked.

I spend most of my days a home and am very satisfied to do so. I’ve been leaving the house so little that the grass is growing over my driveway. I try to keep my away missions down to two a week.

It feels fantastic to stay home alone. No demands from others. No having to pretend to be someone I am not. Not being judged by anyone. It’s just simple living and maximum peace.

It really has done wonders for my mental health. I’ve learned how to be self-satisfied and have very little desire for companionship or the ever-elusive love thing. I am perfectly fine as is. I don’t even have much desire to watch porn and masturbate. I am good with working on simple home projects and watching TV.

Some might consider me to be on my way to becoming Agoraphobic. My sister is agoraphobic, but I am definitely not. I am not at all afraid of leaving the house. I just don’t see any reason to do so. I have everything I need right here, and Amazon brings me the rest. My 3.5 acres of happiness here at Maison Naturel is all I need.

I wonder how long I can sustain this. Is it even a good idea? It seems like a good idea. Within a month it is likely that my mom’s house will be sold, and I’ll be taking the summer off from the community band, so there will be no reason to drive to San Antonio until October. If I do go, it will be because I want to.

I kind of have a small desire to do some travelling, but it seems pointless to go alone. I can’t think of anywhere I would really want to visit. I think, for now, I’ll just go with the flow. It will still take more time for the peacefulness to really settle in and become long-term reality. Tomorrow I will be going to Austin to a Commodore 64 club meeting for the first time. I’m hoping they can help me get my floppy drives aligned, so they will read all my old disks. That will be plenty good for an excursion.

All is good. All is calm. All is bright.