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This was the first ESA convention held at Empire Haven...
The ESA is the ‘Eastern’ Region of ANNR.
I went because Charles was going. He had stayed with us for the 10 days between the canude trip and this event just so he could go to it too,
before returning to NJ. I just thought I’d tag along with him. Didn’t know what it was going to be like but it turned out to be pretty similar to the TNS events.
Plus I found friends there too. Robb and Vera, and between them and Charles and some others, we had our own good times.
Newspapers, T.V. and even a writer for the Syracuse College
Newsletter all came to do pieces on the event.
It was very, very well covered in the media. And they were actually ‘grown up’ about it too... No rolling of the eyes or chuckles between the talking heads, etc. I was really impressed with the job they did.
Especially what we put them through to get their stories. It was a real good time but I’ll tell you, they got stressed.
We saw to that. Ha! Vera and I got to be the couple who were with the reporter as he did a short piece introducing the news report on the festival. They went on to various other people for short interviews and so on, and I did make it into one other shot when they taped a bit of the volley ball game. But for the intro itself, the reporter was trying to figure the best angles, our position in relation to him and the camera, and whatever else he had to worry about. But we kept messin’ with him about how much he could put on the air. When he said to stand behind him, we started dancing... And there’s nothing more sexy looking than NTaaknegdo,
you know? At one point, as he was sitting on a bench with us behind him, Vera bent down behind him and put her boobs on his shoulders; teasing him with his own pavlovian textile training... The guy was
flustered, and maybe even blushing, but certainly enjoying the assignment he was on... It was all good clean fun and everyone knew it.
The shot that made the T.V. was after he decided he
had to keep us apart.
We were told to sit on each side of him on the bench. We did one take that was an ‘unexpurgated’ version and one where we crossed our arms and legs to hide a few things. Ha! I bet you can guess which one made the airwaves. We looked so ‘formal’ sitting there. ;-/
And so on with the show. Everyone gathered in the club house to watch it at eleven o’clock that night.
It came out excellent. They gave us about 4 minutes all together, in the altogether, and that’s a lot of time for T.V. news.
The newspaper piece was very good too... It was picked up by
several other papers in the state such as in Batavia NY.
I have a copy of course. A memento of a wonderful time. I’m just now thinking that I should call the Syracuse College and see if I can get a copy of their piece too, now that they’re back in session.
I was sort of feeling down watching the dancers at night and being alone... But the fire circle beckoned.
It’s near the far end of the dance pavilion. It’s a big one where they use pallets for ‘throw on’ fuel. They make for really big fires when you stack a few of them in a pile. Phew! And then the circle gets even bigger. It’s especially nice when they turn the lights out on the dance floor and you see the dancers lit by that firelight. Very exotic looking. There were others at the circle of course and we were all talking with each other for awhile. Then some drums got brought in. Barb was there and she had been down to Sunsport too, at that super fire-circle night with the pagan couple, singing, and all. I was very happy to see them and hoped for another such night. It did turn out really nice, even though no one danced, and there were less people who knew songs. I still enjoyed it a lot...
What do you call that drumming...
Not ‘beating’, is it? Patting? That’s what they really do, isn’t it? With their hands, to get different tones and feeling, but all, sort of on the soft side? If I didn’t have a tin ear, I’d get one. :-) I mean I can appreciate good musical notes and tunes but I just can’t make them happen..
Now we get to the pudding toss...
:-) My second! Again I’m not sure what to do with my hands. But that doesn’t matter any more, I just get into it. I know I’m among friends. :-) Can’t be anything else, right? At the end of it we have one major group grope. Thirty some people coming together in a giant hug, trying to squeeze the life out of that poor guy in the middle. Then we lined up for the Can-Can kick.
Here is where I have a problem.
After I signed the release for AANR to take my picture for their benefit, and they took it, I was told I can’t buy a copy for myself, just as TNS makes them available. In fact at the Sunsport TNS event, anyone could take as many pictures as they wanted to; with their own camera. The official photographer even took a big box full of personal cameras onto the roof with him when he did the group-in-the-pool shot. Not only were we able to have our good times recorded for the albums, there wasn’t even a charge. The group just stayed put until he was all done shooting and everyone had their copy. AANR says their rules are for people’s privacy but then they talk about selling permits? I don’t mind paying for a finished print, but selling permits doesn’t compute. Then too it seems the more pictures that get out into the public domain, of we nudists who don’t worry about that, the quicker all of us will be accepted into the mainstream.
Well, enough of the rant. Let’s just hope they change that policy of theirs to one a little fairer to those involved.
You might also give us your opinion about this, using the feedback page, if you want to take the time.
This event was just after our canude trip and Julia brought our copies of the
pictures she took.
So we had them to show everyone. A real hit, and lots of people were jealous. <g> I spent a lot more time in the pool Sunday, trying to dunk Julia’s kids and talking. Charles had staked out a chaise early on so I always had a good spot to put my stuff while swimming. Even nude, you know, there is a heck of a lot of baggage to carry around... Togs, towel, watch, money container, glasses, the pictures... Gad it’s enough to make you want to get dressed; just to have pockets.
We did some figure drawing too.
With a real live nude model even. Hoot! Hoot! It was pretty nice to learn some techniques and all, especially since I’ve done some modeling myself. That’s another story elsewhere in the pages. So anyway, I might have been a little up on the class because of that. The final drawing was to be done with as much accuracy and detail as we could muster, and I surprised myself. It was really good... I think so anyway. So I signed it and gave it to the model. Like I do with all my ‘masterpieces’. ;o)
I split Monday early.
Had to get back to the fort that Carol was holding down. We packed the Goldwing and rode off, under the sun. I’ll probably die some day while riding that thing, but I love it. Did the whole 3 hour Thruway trip in nothing but sandals and shorts; getting even tanner all the way. No hot and heavy black leathers for me; until it’s cooler at least. Some people think I’m nuts but I’m just going to enjoy my life while living it. Worrying about dieing is counter productive.
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