It’s the 31st January and the first month of 2010 is already over. The Project 365 challenge has not been easy. I have often found myself not far from going to bed with no photo taken for the day. I’m thinking of making it even harder for myself by setting monthly themes for myself, such as a colour, style, or content.
Here are the first 31 photos for the year.
Aussielicious TV – Episode 11. Project 365 – January from Brenton Parry on Vimeo.
Friday night saw the inaugural dip for the “Skinnydipping Sydney” facebook group. Sadly the weather that had been holding off all day really hit in the hour before the dip was scheduled. So there were only 4 of us at the dip at 1am. All three others I had been to beaches and skinnydipped with before so we didn’t get to make any new skinnydipping friends. Two other straight couples did show up and skinnydip too but they weren’t really fussed on chatting as they were very drunk and one couple seemed more intent on having aquatic intercourse.
I won’t be discouraged. We’ll have another dip soon so if you are in Sydney and want to join us for a skinnydip, join the facebook group and stay tuned.
I’m from Driftwood is a fantastic site full of dozens of stories of people’s coming out and what their “gayness” means to them and how it’s affected those around them. Not everyone’s stories have a happy ending but even so, Driftwood let’s people know they aren’t alone. Coming out we all struggled with feeling isolated and alone and it’s very encouraging to kids and even older people, struggling to come to terms with their sexuality.
One of my favourite stories is from Scott, in Valley Stream, NY.
“It happened when I was a boy – grade school or junior high – I don’t remember. I was in bed trying to sleep and my father popped in to say goodnight, as was his custom. Sleep usually came easier after we chatted a bit.
Dad sensed my uneasiness and asked me if something was wrong. “I think I’m a homosexual,” I whispered. He looked at me, then out the window toward the junior high school across the street. I felt awkward. He looked back at me and said “Oh, don’t worry about that. Lots of young boys go through a phase like that.” He shut the light and left. My tension did not leave. He must have known, and the light came on. He came back in the room and said, “You know, if that feeling doesn’t go away, that’s ok too.” He shut the light again. Sleep came. I will always be grateful for that night.”
I found myself in a lively discussion this afternoon with a friend who is a sometimes reader of this blog and bit of a blogger himself. It’s come up a few times lately that he’s not in very good shape at the moment and that this blog actually makes him feel worse because it’s full of beautiful buff guys all the time.
I’m the first to admit that I am very much attracted to beautiful things and beautiful guys, hence the term “attractive”. I am also very aware that a lot of gay men (or straight as my friend is) are very hard on themselves especially in comparison to underwear models, bodybuilders and porn stars.
On the other hand, I know that sex sells and that while comparing ourselves to the men on this blog and others may not do our confidence any good, if I didn’t use hot guys on here at least from time to time, people wouldn’t come back. Why else do advertisers use models etc? Because it’s aspirational. If the beautiful people use this product or service then so should I/we. It’s an age old thing but to keep it in perspective, photographers and advertisers, after makeup, airbrush the models and manipulate the very proportions of their bodies to an even more “ideal” form. That means that the people we are aspiring to be don’t even look the way we see them.
SO, I’m posting a challenge (again). Send me your photos. I want REAL guys to send in their shots so that I can use them with my posts. I’m sticking to my rules. No hard ons and no sex shots, but you can be as nude and or anonymous as you like. I will still use model shots and other beautiful guys, but I will throw regular guys in as I can. It’s up to YOU! (brenton.parry@gmail.com)
Today the media found out about Spencer Tunick’s Mardi Gras plans to build a “base” to the Sydney Opera House out of 2000 nude volunteers. Several readers of the blog and many many of my friend have forwarded me the links to various news sites.
I’m well on top of it. I registered to take part weeks and weeks ago. I can’t wait. I know Spencer has his detractors but I just want to be in a group of 2000 nude people on the Opera House steps. Last time I was alone. It’s not an experience that comes around often so I really intend to be there.
I know a couple of bodybuilders and I would say, it has to be one of the most vain sports around. It is a sport solely and entirely devoted to how you look. I would also hazard a guess that, even for the straight guys, it’s about as gay as you can get. Sure it’s devoted to muscles and a perceived ideal of masculinity but it’s so waxed, fake tanned and preened it’s beyond belief. How many “straight” sports actually encourage straight men to wear very little and to look at other straight men and their bodies with a very keen eye.
This photo above made me laugh. Just how close to another man’s crotch can you get with fake tan before you feel a little gay?
A comment from a reader who emailed me overnight, without realising, tipped me off that I’ve been nominated for a Bloggie Award! This is the oscars of Blogging and I had no idea I’d been nominated. To whoever nominated me in the Best GLBT Blog category, I am very flattered and thrilled!
If any of you feel so inclined, please head over to the Bloggies Site and scroll across til you see the GLBT category and vote for me! Thank you so much!
I know I’m a day late but I was at the beach naked for the morning and then out drinking and celebrating with my flatmate and some friends yesterday.
It is now 222 years since British settlers landed on Australian soil. It’s a strange thing to celebrate so enthusiastically a day that ruined and ended the lives of thousands of Australian Indigenous people, but then it also has lead to a nation that is a spectacular place to live with a great way of life.
The great thing yesterday was all the different cultures and nationalities out and about celebrating Australia Day. We really are a country will a very broad and mixed cultural makeup and that is a great thing. I hope you all had fun!
Apparently Jared Leto has the biggest cock going around in Hollywood… I just read is somewhere. Anyone with evidence, feel free to send it in. Just saying.
One day I’ll stop fawning all over Bruce Weber I promise. That will be when he stops making cool imagery. This is a video from an YSL (Yves St Laurent) season promo. I don’t think there’s very many YSL clothes in it but that’s not important. This is the guy that gets all the Abercrombie guys out of the Abercombie clothes.
The way he captures the three guys chilling out nude and diving into the waterhole so un-self consciously is beautiful. Most guys I know, even my nudie friends would be a little self conscious in front of a camera like that.
Michal from Teamm8 emailed me the link to this video a couple of days ago and said it was a bit of fun. I disagree. It’s great! I love it when a brand finds their look and does really well with it. This video is so simple but so cool in it’s style and feel. And the boys are damned hot!! I agree with the girl, I’d be tearing at their undies too!
The madness of the Mardi Gras rehearsals is about to begin again. There is almost an entirely new committee for our float this year and the enthusiasm is brilliant. It’s going to be a great night.
If you want to be a part of it and are a REAL lifesaver or lifeguard, email lifesaverswithpride@gmail.com
Tonight a mate and I are going skinnydipping again in a spot that I love to go to for these kind of occasions. This weekend I’m doing my usual nude beach with a new nude friend on Saturday and then another friend is taking me to a new place that sounds really nice. It’s a nude beach with spectacular views and hardly anyone else there. I’m looking forward to exploring it and chatting and getting to know new nude buddies.
Tuesday is Australia Day here in Australia and I’m off to yet another nude beach down in the Royal National Park. It’s a hell of a hike back up the hill at the end of the day but it’s a really nice beach.
