Answers to Some FAQs

Every so often we hear from people with feedback on our website and they often have the same comments/assumptions … that we were raised to be living this life.

So I thought it might help others if we set the record straight. I was raise in a very religious family and attended private, church schools through my first year of college. It wasn’t until I was married with my own child that I started looking at who I really was and what truly made me happy.

That did not always create a harmonious environment with my family. My actions are not to be disrespectful to them, but to honor me and how I have chosen to live my life.  Luckily, we finally came to an understanding that they shouldn’t ask the question if they couldn’t accept the truth. It still took a couple of years for them to full accept the life that Tony and I have built. I’m sure there are still things they don’t know, but overall they have come to accept and love us as we are.

Our home has many pieces of art, and many of them feature the naked female form. As well, there are several nearly-life-sized nude photos of me throughout the house. Over the years, it has been very interesting and amusing to see people’s reaction to them.

There was the elementary school mom who wouldn’t allow her daughter into our home after she saw the photos and there were the neighborhood boys I caught peering through the windows to see the pictures. I began telling parents ahead of time that we had artwork featuring a naked woman in our house before we got into an awkward moment at the door (I admit I didn’t tell them it was me!).

My favorite situation was when we had our son’s little league team over for a post-season BBQ. Everybody was out back and we though the boys were playing baseball in the cul-du-sac. I was in the kitchen when suddenly our son came in asking if I’d see the boys. He found them in the living room starting at my nude photo over the fireplace. His reaction was priceless! He said, “Come on guys! It’s just a naked woman. Let’s go play ball.” I was so proud!

The funniest and most liberating story was for my mom’s 60th birthday. We had invited her friends, her conservative, religious friends … one of whom had been my orthopedic surgeon since I was a kid (see my previous blog about my feet!). Some came into the house, took one look at the picture and retreated into the kitchen, never to return. Others purposefully seated themselves in so their backs were to it. Towards the end of the evening as the group was getting smaller the orthopedists said, “I see you don’t have your feet showing in the picture.” And that was all it took. It opened the flood gates with questions about when I had them taken, where I had them taken, was I nervous, etc. Turns out everybody wanted to talk about it, but nobody was comfortable bringing it up.

In hindsight I think that was a major turning point for my parents as well. I know they were nervous having their friends into our home, but bless them for not asking me to take the photos and art down. And after they saw how their friends didn’t judge me (or them) because of it I think they really realized it was okay.

I am also often asked if it isn’t difficult to walk on the street in Key West with nothing on but body paint. My first thought is that after standing still for up to three hours being painted, I am painfully aware that I am not naked. On the other hand, walking down a street naked would not be a problem for me. It’s not a sexual thing, it’s just how I am comfortable.

There are also a lot of photos taken at FF that might appear that I am more “open” than I really am. In general, I am not one to show it all just for the fun of it. However, over the years we have become friends with many professional photographers, who ask nicely for certain shots. And I do accommodate these requests. Of course it is impossible to ensure that only they get “the shot,” but as soon as they say “Thank you” the pose ends. I don’t sit on the bikes or get body painted to draw attention to myself; although I realize both of these things do draw attention to me. Again, if people are respectful of me, I am willing to accommodate them.

So, yes, we live a very liberal lifestyle. But we weren’t raised that way. It took us testing the waters and finding out which ones worked for us … and then being willing to stand-up for what makes us happy.

There aren’t a lot of people around where we live that know about, or would understand, how we live our lives. And many that do know and don’t get it. I had a friend introduce me once as her “nudist friend.” I was horribly offended! It might be what I do, but it is not who I am. We have lives very similar to 90% of the population … we volunteer in the community, attend sports games and are parents and grand parents.

We just have found what makes us happy and comfortable, and pursued it despite what others might think. And as long as we’re not hurting anybody else, what harm can there be in being happy?