Life Without Hitch

(article originally published on December 16, 2011 in Movement Magazine)

It’s about 1 o’clock in the morning on Friday, December 16th and I just heard the news that Christopher Hitchens has passed away. As a tenured fan of his work and character I’m genuinely depressed to hear this news, but I can’t say that it comes as a great shock either. Back in June of 2010, Hitchens announced that he had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer; and given his propensity for treating his body more like a brothel than a temple, the outlook seemed pretty grim. While he endured for another year and a half, it was a steady decline. As perhaps one of the most erudite public speakers in generations, he suffered an especially cruel fate when cancer claimed his voice. I can think of nothing more disheartening than having one of your strongest assets stripped away and being forced to press on without it.

Yet, what impression did “Hitch” leave upon the world? Most notable would be his recent outspoken support of the “New Atheism” movement; but he was also wildly successful as an author, journalist, literary critic, orator, humanitarian, and pundit. His was a wit that knew no bounds. Fan and critic alike loved nothing more than whipping him into a trademark frenzy of haughty, sharply worded retorts, with which he would level even his most intellectual opponents.

Personally, one of my favorite events was the public debate, entitled “Is Religion a Force of Good in the World?” held between Hitch and former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair in November of 2010. As he strode out onto the stage, Hitch debuted his newly hairless head as well as a confidence that surprised even me. It is no small feat to accept an invitation to debate the former leader of your nation of birth, but Hitchens didn’t hesitate for one moment before verbally shutting Blair down. Watching the debate was like watching someone’s mind being read. Every time Blair made an argument in religion’s favor, it would somehow play into the logical ambush that Hitch had laid in the early moments of the debate. By the end, not only had Hitchens clearly won, he had convinced Blair that even if his faith hadn’t been misplaced, his argument certainly was. It was a magnificent public defeat of tired principles and dusty logical fallacies.

While it’s easy to get hung up on the brash, visceral element of his spoken word, Hitchens was even more effective with a pen. During his life he worked as a journalist for many prestigious periodicals such as The Atlantic and The Nation, until becoming a Contributing Editor to Vanity Fair in 1992. He authored 18 books, including his best seller “God is Not Great”, and contributed to dozens more as an editor or co-author.

As a humanitarian atheist, Hitch held that the world did not need a supernatural guardian or man-made dogmas in order to do right by one’s fellow man. It was this fervor for the greater good of understanding that often got in the way of Hitchens’ own professional life. On multiple occasions, he was fired from positions because of his unwillingness to bend to his editors’ agendas, and he often landed in hot water with the media for his typically heavy-handed critique of culture. He was a champion of a logic that knew no creed or party and would often cross political and social borders. This was exemplified in his simultaneous criticisms of George W. Bush’s policies and belief that the Iraq War was our nation’s virtuous duty. He would rail against the right, left or any person or party that, in his eyes, was acting on less than ethical principles. He was also never opposed to endorsing figures that he felt were acting in the greater good. His support of Ralph Nader in the 2000 presidential election showed that he was not above the process of politics, just one of its rarest supporters.

In so many ways, what we have lost in the personality of Christopher Hitchens is more than just the man himself. We have lost an irreverent voice of reason, whose place in society is not likely to be matched again in my lifetime. It was a voice that was unburdened by the pressures of politeness; indeed I would guess that Hitch felt there was very little time for anything but frankness in this modern age. He was as important to literary, political and intellectual society as he was entertaining and I will miss his influence greatly.

written by Grant Nielsen

edited by Adam Moss

Original Article:
http://movementvoxpopuli.blogspot.com/2011/12/life-without-hitch.html

“Burn it Down” Interview

Sat down with Joe Moody of the “Burn it Down” podcast recently. Here is what transpired:

Do you know Dr. Concussion?

by Jennifer Jones, Jacksonville Music Examiner
November 15, 2011

Just like it starts with so many nicknames, what started out as somewhat of an inside joke the stage name “Dr. Concussion” became Grant Nielsen’s musical persona.  In fact the name Grant Nielsen would probably not have been recognized as a musician until recently.  Never the less, Grant has in fact been a big part of the Jacksonville music scene for quite some time now.

For those of you who are not familiar, Dr. Concussion is just one of the members of Jacksonville’s Fusebox Funk a seven piece band currently celebrating it’s 10th Anniversary, pretty impressive in a time where many bands struggle to make it.  We will get back to this band in just a bit.  In addition to being an original member of Fusebox Funk Dr. Concussion is the bass player in Black Drum a band that he produces.  But wait there’s more.  He recently started a solo project JacksonVegas, a tribute to the city of Jacksonville.  JacksonVegas has blossomed into a four piece band allowing for some musical depth, let’s face it one guy can play only so many instruments, sometimes you need back-up.

If you couldn’t tell by the fact that this guy is in three different bands simultaneously that he is very passionate about what he does, just take a little time to talk to him.  He is music personified, starting his music career at a very young age.  His roots are in blues and jazz but he now seems to dabble in a little bit of every style.  In fact when asked to classify his music he comes back with “Music is just music.  It becomes hard to be original if you have to classify your music.”  In a musical climate where bands classify themselves under multiple genre’s Grant realizes that there really only needs to be one classification – Music.

With all of his experiences this story could easily turn into a small novel I am sure but in the interest of keeping it short I will try to wrap this up.  First check out all the links attached to hear for your-self the talent and passion.  Next mark the day November 19th on your calendar and make sure to get your tickets for the Fusebox Funk 10 Year Anniversary party being held at Mojo Kitchenin Jacksonville, Lady Daisey and Batsauce will also be part of the festivities, tickets are $15.

Original Link 

Gimmie 5 with Dr. Concussion: 5 Songs I Can’t Live Without

Originally published January 22, 2010 in the Florida Times Union

by Heather Lovejoy

DR. CONCUSSION
doctorconcussion.com, fuseboxfunk.net
Dr. Concussion grew up in Jacksonville and is the guitarist, keyboardist and singer in Fusebox Funk, a local band that mixes funk with hip-hop.

5 Songs I Can’t Live Without

1. “Roforo Fight,” Fela Kuti: This is a 15-minute Afro Beat song from 1971 that has no understandable English lyrics. What it does have is the most undeniable rhythmic groove and one of the most intense uses of a horn section imaginable. Many funk musicians harbor it in a secret private listening stash, so consider this an insider’s tip.

2. “Christmas Time is Here,” Vince Guaraldi Trio: It’s important to know I dislike Christmas music. It’s all so over-the-top and idyllic that it makes me queasy. But when Guaraldi composed the instrumental music for “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” he must have been thinking the same thing, because it completely lacks pomp.

3. “Bleaker Street,” Simon and Garfunkel: Despite my reputation as a funk musician, rapper and opinionated sour-puss, I’m hopelessly addicted to folk music. My melodically mellow parents raised me on it. This song embodies poetry and melody. It paints a desperately romantic scene while remaining darkly mysterious.

4. “Benzi Box,” DangerDoom: When the [record label] Adult Swim announced an album with the iconic MF Doom and, Danger Mouse, then a rising star, I almost lost it. The album is a hilarious mix of sound bites and hip beats, including this synth-bass driven song with a villainous melody.

5. “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town,” Cake: First done by Kenny Rogers in 1969, this tragic tune covered by Cake attacks with humor and pity. Cake’s “B-Sides and Rarities” is a romp through genius. When you hear the old stereotype about how country songs are supposed to be sad, this is what people are talking about.

Emmy the Great – Pianos 5.04.11 (New York)

When my wife and I heard that the UK’s Emmy the Great would be playing a single North American date in New York, we jumped at the chance of going to see her.  Emmy, or Emma Moss, rarely ever gets across the pond and we were determined to catch this rare event. Granted we were going to travel halfway up the eastern seaboard to do so, but we reasoned that it would be well worth it; and boy were we right.

We arrived in NY the night before the show and stayed with some friends in their efficiency in the East Village, conveniently located only a few blocks from the venue. The night of the show we ambled over to Pianos early to make sure we got the good standing space. After all, we weren’t about to travel that distance only to be shoved into the back of the bar…

The opener was an interesting act comprising a wind player creating looped compositions using every kind of wind instrument you can even imagine, from saxophones to bagpipes. It was all very well entertaining, but as the first of a four-band bill he played a rather long time; thereby breaking the cardinal rule of being an opening act: DON’T OVERPLAY YOUR SLOT!

He finally wrapped up after his second self-imposed encore and Emma and her guitarist Euan emerged from the shadows to claim the stage. They were setup in a snap and the show had begun. The audience, who had filed in during the previous act’s set, were visibly eager to see their remote visitor and pushed up towards the stage where we had been camping out for the last hour. Emma, ever the charming character,  apologized for their tardiness in the way only a true Brit can do; by talking trash about the length of the opener’s set wrapped up in a compliment towards the guy. It was hilarious.

Her set was mostly new material off of her upcoming album “Virtue” (due out June 2011), with only a few tunes that we actually recognized. This was a surprising treat though, since we had been eager to hear the direction of her new material and were thrilled to get a sneak peak at some advance content. Everything sounded amazing and Emma’s voice rang pitch perfect the entire show. No sliding into high notes or half-hearted vibratos, she played her material effortlessly. She also has a masterful 4-finger picking technique which, (I’m not too proud to admit,) made me a bit jealous.

Then, nearly at the end of her set, after performing her song “First Love” she took a quick moment to talk to the audience during the applause. She asked, “Did someone come from Florida?” (which we were lucky enough to capture in the below video) and we just started cheering.

She thanked us for making the long trip and I responded with “Is that good enough for a request?” Knowing she was running late, I had no expectation that she would be able to; but she asked “what song would you like to hear?” and I responded “Two Steps Forward!” to which the audience cheered a little. She said that she couldn’t on stage, but that she would treat us to a sidewalk performance after the show. A promise that she made good on with gusto. We all emptied out on to the sidewalk and without a moment’s hesitation she broke right into the song. In the middle of the performance she forgot the words (albeit to one of her longest pieces) and turns to me to cue her next line! Fumbling over my own excitement I managed to say the line and she jumped right back in and finished up the tune. It was one of the most surreal moments of my life, in that I’ve seen hundreds of concerts, performed hundreds myself and never have I felt so connected to an artist before. You can view this moment in it’s entirety here:

After that she was kind enough to pose for a couple pictures with us, and then we got out of her way so that some other fans might have a chance at her attention as well. But all in all, it was one of the greatest, most memorable nights our our lives. Many thanks to Emma Moss and Euan Hinshelwood for taking the effort to help us realize our modest dream.

Top 25 Albums: A Musical Decade in Review

So I decided to do a Top 25 list of my favorite albums from the 2001-2010 decade. However I couldn’t pick a single album from 2010 that would’ve made this list. So I decided to push it back a year and give you 2000-2009 in review.  After all, a ton of groundbreaking work was done in this last decade that still deserves to be featured. These were the albums that demanded to be set on repeat and left to play in their entirety.

25. Gavin Castleton & One Drop – “FortNightShift” (2005)
As the only independent  artist(s) in the list, the collaborative efforts of One Drop and Mr. Castleton could not go unmentioned. “FortNightShift” vacillates between hip hop and fusion so well that it seems as if it’s always been a popular style. The vocals are shared between Castleton and Blak Lungz and they do a great job together. In my book this is as good as indie music gets.

24. Ben Taylor – “Famous Among the Barns” (2003)
If you’ve ever wondered what James Taylor might sound like as a more contemporary artist, you need look no further than his ultra-talented offspring. Ben’s writing, while not as immediately digestible as his father’s,  has a powerful presence all of its own. In this debut, album Taylor captivates nearly everyone that hears it and strikes a really nice balance between the styles of today and yesterday.

23. “Danger Doom” (2003)
In the self-titled debut of MF Doom and Danger Mouse’s first collaboration, Danger Doom exploded out of Adult Swim’s burgeoning record label. In MF Doom’s signature style, he raps his lyrics as arcanely as he hides his face. This was also Danger Mouse’s first major release, not counting his independently released “The Gray Album”. Combining as many references to the Adult Swim television network as cutting edge musical production, this group’s brilliance knows no bounds.

22. Emmy the Great – “First Love” (2009)
Emmy sits on an interesting line right now. With one foot in the DIY world and the other firmly planted it traditional studio production, I expect she’ll try to hang onto this essence for as long as she can. Emmy’s song writing is astoundingly mature for someone so young. Her lyrics are nothing short of brave as she describes herself in an honest and human way. I imagine it’s only a matter of time until she’s an international household name.

21. Ratatat – “Classics” (2006)
While “Classics” isn’t Ratatat’s ‘Greatest Hits’ record, it might as well be. There isn’t a single composition on this record that isn’t an example of this NY instrumental duo’s finest work. Some of the tracks on this album are so funky that it defies description; “Lex” being my personal favorite. It’s really no wonder that this duo sells out every show they play world-wide. Just do yourself a favor and pick up this record.

20. Aesop Rock – “Fast Cars, Danger, Fire and Knives” (2005)
I had to choose my favorite Aesop record for this list and that was nearly impossible considering the magnitude of his catalog. But I settled on ‘Fast Cars’ because, for only 7 songs, it shows an amazing amount of versatility; not only in the lyrical elements, but the beats too. The title track has an immediate pulse to it that I’ve never witnessed anyone hear and NOT tap their foot or bob their head to. It’s futile to resist this amazing album once you hear it.

19. Regina Spektor – “Far” (2009)
I couldn’t figure out if I liked Spektor’s “Begin to Hope” or “Far” better for this list. In the end I settled on “Far” based simply on the feeling both albums leave me with. The album is dark; but with Regina sort of winking at you from the side, reminding you that it’s all just rock and roll. “Blue Lips” and “The Genius Next Door” leave you wondering if you really just heard all the lyrics or if it’s just up to you to figure out what these cryptic songs are actually about… Either way, I am always looking forward to Regina’s next release.

18. Jon Brion – “I Heart Huckabees Soundtrack” (2004)
Kind of a weird pick, I know… But I find Jon Brion to be one of the most underrated song writers and composers of his generation. He can perfectly set the tone in any movie he is involved in, but on ‘Huckabees’ he hit it out of the park. This is also the only album in the list that is enhanced by watching the movie all the music is featured in. ‘Quirky’ doesn’t begin to describe it, but it’s a good start.

17. Beck – “Guero” (2005)
Beck has owned our hearts since “Odelay”, and with brilliance like that I imagine he’ll have a few more albums in his already illustrious career that will change the way we listen to music. “Guero” was one of those albums. From the title hip hop track that features as much of the Spanish language as English, to the south Asian-infused smoothness of ‘Missing’; “Guero” exemplifies Beck’s genius perfectly.

16. William Shatner – “Has Been” (2004)
Ben Folds produced this epic piece of art featuring ‘James T. Kirk’ himself. “Has Been” combines the sultry vocal performances of Bill Shatner, coupled up with popular contemporary musical artists to create a truly unique record. Teetering on the edge of comedy and drama, Shatner reveals his life’s stories in an evocative and sometimes heart breaking way. I could go on about this album all day, but just do yourself a favor and grab it. You will find something on this record that will speak to you; I promise.

15. The Avett Brothers – “The Gleam” (2007)
Anyone that knows me already, knows that I’ve spent the last few years of my life picking apart the genius of The Avett Brothers. They make the song writing look so easy with their effortless command of their listener’s heart-strings. It does, however, seem unfair to single out this album above all their others (that all came out this decade,) but this one holds a special place in my heart for whatever reason. This is as sobering as lyricism gets.

14. Jurassic 5 – “Quality Control” (2000)
This was the album, that when I was a teenager, begged that I pull my head out of my Rock n Roll ass and consider that hip hop was a viable form of music. Needless to say I started to do my homework and make up lost ground, but I give all credit to ‘J5′. “Quality Control” is just simply a radical record… Funky, thought-provoking, witty, funny, cutting-edge and just all out original. I will always be indebted to this record for expanding my ability to appreciate new art forms.

13. MGMT – “Oracular Spectacular” (2008)
The fact that this album is appearing in this list at all is kind of funny, because 2 months ago I had no idea who MGMT even was… I know, ‘get out from under your rock’, right? But it hasn’t left my CD player since I discovered it and couldn’t have made this list without including it. For a debut record ‘Oracular’ will blow you away. It sounds like these guys have been making music together for 20 years. From the funky “Electric Feel” to the poppy “Time to Pretend” this album had me at hello.

12. The Wood Brothers – “Ways Not to Lose” (2005)
Many folks were already well aware of what the ‘Wood’ in “Medeski, Martin and Wood” stood for. But what they were not aware of was that bassist Chris Wood’s brother just happened to be a bit of a sleeping legend himself. Together this familial duo took to the festival circuit promoting this quiet little release featuring some of the best Americana I have ever heard. Not surprisingly, they’ve turned into quite the phenomenon, but at the time it very much took me by surprise.

11. Blackalicious – “Blazing Arrow” (2002)
This was the 3rd album from the collaborative efforts of producer Chief Xcel and rapper Gift of Gab; but their first on a major label. The production and vibe of ‘Arrow’ is out of this world and if you’re looking for credible guest spots on a rap record, look no further. Boasting a handsome roster of 2002′s most notable voices in hip hop, Blackalicious outdid themselves properly with this masterpiece.

10. A Perfect Circle – “Mer de Noms” (2000)
When this album came out in 2000, most of my circle were already loyal apostles of, legendary 90′s hard rock band, Tool. But I wasn’t prepared for the decidedly more reserved vocal stylings of shared singer Maynard James Keenan. This record, while still quite brash and electric has a more sensible side to it that is utterly beautiful. I can’t speak for the rest of this band’s contributions to the ether, but this flagship record turned my head right off it’s base.

9. Tom Waits – “Orphans, Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards” (2006)
Tom has a way of surprising even his most die-hard fans and his triple-disc release of ‘Orphans’ fell nothing short of that. One disc dedicated to new blues recordings, one disc of down beat folk songs (some classic, some new) and an experimental disc filled mostly with original spoken word fables, told in a way that only Waits can. It’s a lot to take in, but the listener enjoys the journey through this modern-day ‘Renaissance man’s’ genius.

8. The Gorillaz – “Gorillaz” (2001)
The first time the music video for “Clint Eastwood”, (the band’s first single,) came over the airwaves, my friends and I just stopped and stared at the scene being laid out before us. That was Jaime Hewlett’s iconic style of animation, but was that Del tha Funkee Homosapien rapping as a cartoon?! The answer was ‘yes’ on both counts. “Gorillaz”, by the group of the same name, was produced by Dan the Automator and Del and still holds true as their most iconic album. A thick mix of rock, rap and a dash of whatever else makes this one of the strangest yet pleasant albums I’ve ever heard, to date.

7. Johnny Cash – “American IV: The Man Comes Around” (2002)
Oddly, another album I discovered through a music video was Johnny Cash’s ‘The Man Comes Around’. Not only was this one of his last great records, but it also featured the esoteric cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt”, which is still featured in every jukebox across the country. On this record, Cash boldly asserts “I have aged, but not in my ability to create”.

6. Muse – “Black Holes and Revelations” (2006)
It’s not often a band releases a greatest hits record, AND THEN becomes famous. But that’s exactly what happen with British rock trio Muse. After a modest, but successful career in Europe, they thought they had already made their stamp on the world. That was, of course, until they released ‘Black Holes’ and became one of the most respected bands on the planet. With its stadium anthem size compositions and an almost retro art aesthetic, Muse perfectly cemented their legacy to the history books with this epic album.

5. Radiohead – “Kid A” (2000)
I’ll confess, I have a hard time listening through an entire Radiohead album. You have to really love Tom Yorke’s voice to get through the moments on their albums that are more lyrical than compositional, but lucky for us “Kid A” strikes a great balance. The track on this record that defines it for me is the lead song “Everything in its Right Place”, a beautiful anthem to Yorke’s self-described OCD. I suspect this is the most introspective we will see this paramount group ever get, and for that it is a classic.

4. Cake – “Comfort Eagle” (2001)
I’m reluctant to give any band this title, but I can’t help it… Cake is my favorite band. THERE, I SAID IT! Now having said that, I couldn’t let this list go on any further without mention of my favorite of their albums, “Comfort Eagle”. We’re getting deep into the area of this list too, where I’m struggling not to fill every description with outlandish hyperbole; but when one is describing the genius of a band like Cake it’s really a challenge. This rock record redefines a lot of elements of the genre for me. There is no low point, only amazing, brilliant lyrics, licks and leads. If you aren’t familiar with the record already, stop making a mockery of your life and go get it please.

3. The Flaming Lips – “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” (2002)
Having slipped into nearly complete obscurity by the 2000′s, 90′s alt-rock band, The Flaming Lips, broke back out on to the international consciousness with a little luck and a lot of talent. Combining the success of their newly released concept album, “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots”, and a headlining slot at one of the original years of the festival series “Bonnaroo”, The Flaming Lips went from being all but forgotten into a house hold name forever. ‘Yoshimi’, while taking a little while to sink in, is truly a remarkable record combining sounds and themes that changed what a rock band was capable of.

2.  Mark Knopfler – “Shangri-La” (2004)
Knopfler is often cited for his guitar playing, which is of course substantial. But his lyricism and arrangement on this disc is beyond belief. Every song tells its own wonderful story and champions a different style of Americana each time. I sometimes find myself in an emotional place where only this record will do. It’s just a perfect record, hands down.

1. “Deltron 3030″ (2000)
If this album hadn’t been released when it was, it might not have made the list at all! It could really be argued that this is a record of the previous decade; but here it is, in its eminence. The aforementioned production team of Del tha Funkee Homosapien and Dan the Automator tackled an impressive feat; namely create a lasting concept record within the style of hip hop. They weren’t the first or last to do it, but they blew away the competition in my opinion. Del paints a distopian picture of a future where “The Corporate Institutional Bank of Time” controls the world, and the album describes the heroic exploits of this world’s characters. The lyricism and production might not be anything either, without the amazing abilities of turntablist Kid Koala, who is physically the one who made the whole thing come together. My only gripe with this record is that it isn’t more famous. Hopefully this vote will matter for something, but as far as a concept record goes, this is as good as it gets.

Honorable Mention:
Rage Against the Machine – “Renegades” (2000)
The Roots – “Phrenology” (2002)
Benny Bennassi – “Hypnotica” (2003)
Against Me! – “Searching for a Former Clarity” (2005)
The Smile Rays – “Party Place” (2007)
The Ting Tings – “We Started Nothing” (2008)
Lettuce – “Rage” (2008)

Nudists for a Night

(article originally published on July 24, 2009)

I’m sitting in an airport in Atlanta, waiting for my connecting flight back to “Dirty Duval” after a 2 week journey to the Northwest part of our country with my wife. We had been fantasizing about visiting that area for a long time and for our annual vacation it seemed like an obvious destination. The whole trip was wonderful and we learned a lot about the country we’ve always lived in, but mostly about ourselves.

Interestingly, the real self-assesment came in the last leg of the journey when we visited a natural retreat lodge about an hour and a half outside of Portland. We knew before we arrived that we should expect to be opening our minds to at least a few things, but we weren’t sure what those things would end up being or how they would reveal themselves.

We showed up right at the end of the vegetarian buffet-style dinner they provided to all their guests in the evening. While the dinner was definitely a buffet, it seemed more like a mess hall than a Golden Corral… It had a very ‘camp for adults’ feel to the whole affair and while we weren’t expecting that, the both of us embraced it as fun and dug in. The accomodations were just as interesting. We had booked their most expensive cabin in an effort to ‘splurge’ in our final days in the NW, but we arrived to a jarringly rustic wooden room with a toilet and a sink; however, no shower much to our dismay.

Wanting to stay in a positive mindset, we just smiled and decided to head down to the Hot Springs for which the retreat is famous. While the pamphlet they provided us said “clothing optional” they didn’t really make it clear that it was more along the lines of “nudity encouraged” and being sexually repressed southerners, we were fairly taken aback. But it wasn’t offensive or suggestive so we decided to take a dip. We made the first heinous mistake of going in our swimsuits which would turn out to just be awkward. The second mistake was heading to the “Silent Pool” which we naively thought would be more peaceful. As it turned out it was simply uncomfortable and without the dialog one would assume would accompany communal nude bathing, the conversation was utterly absent. We stayed for about 5 minutes, which felt like a lifetime and on the walk back to our cabin we both agreed that we wouldn’t be doing THAT again…

But when we looked at the situation we quickly realized that it wasn’t the scenario that was the problem; it was us. I remember in my youth I had no problem going naked for a good swim in the St. Johns or a streak down the beach during Spring Break. But as adults it felt like we were breaking one of the tenants of our modern, sophisticated culture. After a short discussion we noticed the sun was going down and we decided that we would take the plunge, albeit under the cover of darkness…

So we walked back down to the communal, social pools that were separated by their varying temperatures. There were no rules against speaking or holding a conversation there so we felt like that might lift the tension of the experience. To start we found an unoccupied hot tub, undressed and slipped down into the water. As it turns out, it wasn’t a nervous, anxious, frightening moment at all… on the contrary! It was rather peaceful and, dare I say, Zen. So we soaked and watched the stars and as more and more people filled the area we slid over to accommodate our fellow nudists. Everyone was very pleasant and after the first few moments, we were hardly aware of the nudity and everything felt very at home. The funniest part of the evening was when we met a bather that had driven there from Portland. He entered our pool wearing a pair of board shorts and for the first time we were able to see how comical it was for one person, in a group of 20 or more, to remain clothed in contrast to the decided group activity…

At the end of our stay there we had experienced a few new things; some good, some bad. And I don’t know if I’d ever be compelled to return to the Hot Springs Retreat. But I’m glad we went and tried our hand at being nudists for a night.