Donald Traxler's Poetry: September 2020

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Upanishad XXXVI - He Has Lived Many Lives / उसने कई ज़िंदगी जी

He has lived many lives,

with their physical

births and deaths.

He knows that the death

of the physical body

is not the end of consciousness.

He does not have to tell you this,

but he is telling you.

Nagna says:

Many do not remember,

many do not see.

उसने कई ज़िंदगी जी,

उनकी शारीरिक के साथ

जन्म और मृत्यु।

वह जानता है कि मृत्यु

भौतिक शरीर का

चेतना का अंत नहीं है।

उसे आपको यह बताने की जरूरत नहीं है,

लेकिन वह आपको बता रहा है।

नग्न कहते हैं:

बहुतों को याद नहीं है,

कई नहीं देखते हैं।

Upanishad XXXV - He Greets Us from the Past / वह हमें अतीत से सलाम करता है

He greets us from the past,

the present,

from the future,

and from every place.

There is no time,

there is no space.

All is here,

and all is now.

Nagna says:

He is Consciousness,

and we meet him

everywhere.

वह हमें अतीत से सलाम करता है,

वर्तमान से,

भविष्य से,

और हर जगह से।

समय नहीं है,

कोई जगह नहीं है।

सब यहाँ है,

और सब अब है

नग्न कहते हैं:

वह चेतना है,

और हम उससे मिलते हैं

हर जगह।

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Upanishad XXXIV - Shiva is Shakti / शिव शक्ति हैं

Shiva is Shakti, and Shakti is Shiva.

Bodies die, but we do not.

The universe is multidimensional.

There is only Consciousness.

Nagna says:

Truth is not always popular.

शिव शक्ति हैं, और शक्ति शिव हैं।

शरीर मरते हैं, लेकिन हम मरते नहीं हैं।

ब्रह्मांड बहुआयामी है।

केवल चेतना है।

नग्न कहते हैं:

सत्य हमेशा लोकप्रिय नहीं होता है।

Monday, September 28, 2020

Upanishad XXXIII - In the Midst of Night / रात के बीच में

In the midst of night,

he serves the light.

Nagna says:

He is energy

and he is light,

manifestations of Consciousness.

रात के बीच में,

वह प्रकाश का कार्य करता है।

नग्न कहते हैं:

वह ऊर्जा है

और वह प्रकाश है,

चेतना की अभिव्यक्तियाँ।

Sunday, September 27, 2020

Upanishad XXXII - Driven by the Breath / सांस से धक्का

Driven by the breath,

the serpent must rise

from the valley of the bulb

to twelve fingers above

the top of the head.

Nagna says:

KuNDalinI will awaken

and become your housemate.

सांस से धक्का,

सर्प उठना चाहिए

बल्ब की घाटी से

ऊपर बारह उंगलियों के लिए

सिर के ऊपर।

नग्न कहते हैं:

कुंडलिनी जगा होगा

और अपनी गृहिणी बनो।

Saturday, September 26, 2020

Visions II - Gratias Ágere / To Give Thanks

Gratias agamus.

Dignum et justum est.

Vere dignum et justum est, aequum et salutare, semper et ubíque, gratias ágere.

Let us give thanks.

It is right and just.

Truly it is right and just, fitting and wholesome, always and everywhere, to give thanks.

[This is a non-theistic version of the words of the Latin Mass.]

Visions I - The Old Man

An old man,

with gray hair and beard,

is giving me nourishment,

sustenance,

and keys,

from the other side.

He hands these things to me

through the veil,

with his right hand.

In his left hand he holds a staff.

I do not know his name,

but he knows me.

Friday, September 25, 2020

Upanishad XXXI - This Consciousness / यह चेतना

This consciousness

spans worlds,

and goes beyond

space and time.

Nagna says:

It sees things

as they are.

यह चेतना

दुनिया को कवर करता है

और रद्द

स्थान और समय

नग्न कहते हैं:

यह चीजों को देखता है

जैसे वो हे वैसे।

Thursday, September 24, 2020

Upanishad XXX - "He" Is Not His Body / "वह" उसका शरीर नहीं है

"He" is not his body;

he is the Consciousness/Spirit

that animates it.

Nagna says:

He will continue to animate it

as long as it is useful.

"वह" उसका शरीर नहीं है;

वह चेतना / आत्मा है

वह इसे एनिमेट करता है।

नग्न कहते हैं:

वह इसे चेतन करता रहेगा

जब तक यह उपयोगी है।

Upanishadic Postlude, for Yakov

Crossing over the boundaries

of time and space,

we ready the ship that sails

but never leaves,

it is the same ship,

and many are the crew,

many are the Krewe,

when the saints

go marching in.

When the light is raised

to Sahasrar,

we see far.

"I" see Sara G.,

dressed as a bag lady,

dancing to Duke of Earl,

with her shopping bag

in her hand.

And Mary Wu,

too,

dressed as Diana Ross,

and Alice with her tinsel

hair,

this is what we do--

we all wear our costumes

(except "me," of course).

And on that day

I will light a candle

for my friend Yakov.

A candle

needs no minyan.

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Upanishad XXIX - Multidimensional / बहुआयामी

This multidimensional

energy-personality-essence

has animated this body

for seventy-eight years.

Nagna says:

It has become freer

with the body's age.

यह बहुआयामी

ऊर्जा-व्यक्तित्व-सार

इस शरीर को एनिमेटेड किया है

अठहत्तर साल तक।

नग्न कहते हैं:

यह मुक्त हो गया है

शरीर की उम्र के साथ।

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Upanishad XXVIII - The Desire-body / इच्छा-शरीर

The desire-body, too, is part

of the illusion,

a gift given by sentience

to ease our path.

Nagna says:

But only Consciousness exists.

इच्छा-शरीर भी, हिस्सा है

माया की स्थिति,

भावना द्वारा दिया गया एक उपहार

हमारे रास्ते को आसान बनाने के लिए।

नग्न कहते हैं:

लेकिन केवल चेतना मौजूद है।

Monday, September 21, 2020

94.000 Visits and One Added Camera

Today we are passing the milestone of 94,000 visits to this poetry/photography/writing blog. Progress is steady, and the pace is moderate. As to content, the Upanishad poem-series now has 28 parts. I like to think that it will reach 108 parts, but I'm not sure about that.

Those of you who are more photographically inclined may notice different and wider angles and higher resolution in some of the illustrations (the illustration on this page is an example). That is because I now occasionally use my cell phone camera, which I was not doing before. That is mainly because I've installed an app on the laptop that makes access to the cell phone pics easier. The only problem is that tripping the shutter is a bit clumsy at the angles that I need. I expect to resolve that before long.

As usual, I would like to thank you all for your continued interest and enthusiasm. Please feel free to contribute comments, which are always welcome.

Upanishad XXVII - This Body Is a Fiction / यह शरीर एक कल्पना है

This body is a fiction and an illusion.

It is made of protons, electrons,

and empty space.

It contains energy and can be

converted back to energy,

but it is not solid.

Nagna says:

It is nothing, really.

Only Consciousness

is real.

यह शरीर एक कल्पना और भ्रम है।

यह प्रोटॉन और इलेक्ट्रॉनों से बना होता है

और खाली जगह।

इसमें ऊर्जा होती है और हो सकती है

वापस ऊर्जा में परिवर्तित,

लेकिन यह ठोस नहीं है।

नग्न कहते हैं:

यह वास्तव में कुछ भी नहीं है।

केवल चेतना

सत्य है।

Upanishad XXVI - We Love the Illusion So Much / हमें भ्रम बहुत पसंद है

We love the illusion so much

that we feed it,

we exercise it,

and trim its pubic hair.

Nagna says:

But there is only Consciousness.

हमें भ्रम बहुत पसंद है

हम इसे खिलाते हैं,

हम इसे व्यायाम देते हैं

और हम इसके जघन बालों को काटते हैं।

नग्न कहते हैं:

लेकिन केवल चेतना है।

Sunday, September 20, 2020

Upanishad XXV - Today's Work / आज का काम

Today's work will be

from another world,

for another world,

and for this one.

It will be in a distant language,

from a distant time

and for this time,

and all times.

It will be from me

in all those other times,

to me in this time,

and therefore

to you.

Nagna says:

We are One.

आज का काम होगा

दूसरी दुनिया से,

दूसरी दुनिया के लिए,

और इसके लिए।

यह दूर की भाषा में होगा,

दूर के समय से

और इस समय के लिए,

और हर समय।

यह मुझसे होगा

उन सभी अन्य समयों में,

इस समय में मेरे लिए,

और इसीलिए

आप को।

नग्न कहते हैं:

हम एक हैं।

Saturday, September 19, 2020

Welcome to My Office

Welcome to my office.

It is here that I work

from dawn to dusk

and beyond.

It is here that I chase

the subjects, the lines,

the rhythms that I want.

It is here that I follow

that something more,

that forever knocks

on my door.

Upanishad XXIV - As the Illusion Wanes / जैसा कि माया घटती है

As the illusion wanes,

the Real gains

in power and efficacy.

Nagna says:

A shift of focus is needed.

जैसा कि माया घटती है,

असली बढ़ता है

शक्ति और प्रभावकारिता में।

नग्न कहते हैं:

फोकस की एक शिफ्ट की जरूरत है।

Friday, September 18, 2020

GTh Logion 29 and Nagnopanishad XXII - Consciousness = Spirit

It is a curious fact that in the whole Bible (including both Old and New Testaments), the word "consciousness" is never used. But the word "spirit" is used hundreds of times.

Yet Consciousness is the basis, the ground, of all being. Where "Spirit" is written, we could substitute "God/Goddess," "The All," "All That Is," or whatever we like. We can make such substitutions because ruach/pneuma = spirit = consciousness.

In Nagnopanishad XXII (published in this blog on Sept. 15 2020) we read that "Consciousness does not depend on the body; the body depends on Consciousness."

In Gospel of Thomas (GTh) Logion 29, we read "Jesus said: If the flesh has come into existence because of the spirit, it is a marvel; but if the spirit has come into existence because of the body, it is a marvel of marvels. But I wonder at how this great wealth has made its home in this poverty."

We are multidimensional beings. That is one of the secrets of life. Consciousness is also multidimensional. We live on planes/levels/worlds that have been called "Astral," "Ethereal," etc., and by other names in other cultures. We live on these planes simultaneously, When the body eventually dies, because that is what bodies do, the other planes of consciousness, which do not depend on the body, persist. But there is then a missing plane, the physical plane, and it must be replaced. It will be replaced, with another body. The set will then be complete once again.

The Gospel of Thomas begins thus: "These are the secret words which the Living Jesus spoke and Didymos Judas Thomas wrote. (1) And he said: Whoever finds the explanation of these words will not taste death." Logion 1 is literally true. Bodies come and go (Nagnopanishad XXIII), but "we" (multidimensional beings) don't die.

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Journal of a Naked Poet XXV - You Want Names?

You want names? I'll give you names.

Eileen Hanes Traxler, Donald Clyde Traxler, Charles Foltz, Frank and Marjorie Maciejewski, St. Rose of Lima, Central School, Nora "Nano" Dunne Hanes, Hamilton School, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, St. Francis of Assissi, St. Augustine, Dan Opincar, Mr. Weber, Adamski, Glenn Miller, Tchaikovski, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, The Platters, Elvis, Fr. Smith, Jim Lorentz, George "Jerry" Martinson, Bob Padberg, Mike Milligan, Dave Johnson, Jimmy Green, Alejandro Borja, Pat Rusconi, José Alfredo Jiménez, Gabriela Mistral, St. Teresa of Ávila, Dr. Theodore "Ted" Bardacke, Joe Labonville, John Keats, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, L. L. Zamenhof, Angela Merino, Alberta Galli, Cheryl Crofts, Martin Buber, Gershom Scholem, Baal Shem Tov, Juliette Savary, Kirsten Landsverk, Sri Aurobindo, Ramakrishna, Mereta Saltrup, Dani Touarin, Mitch Tyler, Ilse "Elsa" Johanna Operschall, Jane Campbell Flood, Don Flood, Sara "Sally" McCune, Jack Hirsh, Marianne Seaver, P. Deborah Lorentz, Orion Culver, Ramana Maharishi, Allen Ginsberg, Edward Weston, Tina Modotti, Shlomo Carlebach, John (Lubavitcher) Blank, Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Herman Hesse, Gandhi,Yeshua ben Yoseph, Moses de León, Federico García Lorca, Paul Twitchell, Adi Shankara, Lalla (Lalleshvari, Lal Ded) of Kashmir, Gerald Gardner, Pablo Neruda, Henri Bergson, William Buehler Seabrook, Persis Kirmse, Maria de Naglowska, Michael Sullivan, Marina Abramovic, Karen Finley, Yakov Leib HaKohain (L. G. Corey).

Relatives, friends, influences, objects of research, indiscriminately. Many have been left out. It's enough to make your head spin.

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Upanishad XXIII - The Eye of Consciousness / चेतना की आंख

The eye of Consciousness

sees and animates all.

Nagna says:

Bodies come and go.

चेतना की आंख

सभी को देखता है और एनिमेट करता है।

नग्न कहते हैं:

शरीर आते हैं और चले जाते हैं।

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Upanishad XXII - Consciousness Does Not Depend on the Body / चेतना शरीर पर निर्भर नहीं करती है

Consciousness does not depend on the body;

the body depends on consciousness,

which is the basis of all being.

Nagna says:

Consciousness is unlimited and unconditioned.

चेतना शरीर पर निर्भर नहीं करती है;

शरीर चेतना पर निर्भर करता है,

जो सभी का आधार है।

नग्न कहते हैं:

चेतना असीमित और बिना शर्त है।

Monday, September 14, 2020

Only Consciousness Exists

Only consciousness exists.

exstat sola conscientia

רק תודעה קיימת.

Numai conștiința există.

בלויז באוווסטזיין יגזיסץ.

Існує лише свідомість.

केवल चेतना मौजूद है।

Yalnızca bilinç vardır.

Vain tietoisuus on olemassa.

Endast medvetandet existerar.

só existe consciência.

只有意識存在。

意識だけが存在します。

Ufahamu tu upo.

Mung ana eling.

Hanya kesadaran yang ada.

Upanishad XXI - The Body / वह शरीर

The body that you devote so much time

to feeding, clothing, and pleasuring,

is an illusion.

Time is an illusion, too.

All this is illusion.

There is only Consciousness.

Nagna says:

Death is also an illusion.

वह शरीर जिसे आप इतना समय समर्पित करते हैं

खिला, कपड़े, और आनंददायक,

एक भ्रम है।

समय एक भ्रम है, भी।

यह सब भ्रम है।

केवल चेतना है।

नग्न कहते हैं:

मृत्यु भी एक भ्रम है।

Our Babysitters

Our babysitters are in the moon,

may they come here soon!

Saturday, September 12, 2020

Rising II - He Has Worn the Covenant

He has worn the covenant in his flesh

for more than two millennia.

He will wear it in his soul forever.

הוא לבש את הברית בבשרו

במשך יותר משתי אלפי שנים.

הוא ילבש את זה בנשמתו לנצח.

El a purtat legământul în trupul său

de mai bine de două milenii.

O va purta în suflet pentru totdeauna.

Він носив завіт у своєму тілі

протягом більше двох тисячоліть.

Він буде носити це в своїй душі назавжди.

ער האט געטראגן דעם בונד אין זיין פלייש

פֿאַר מער ווי צוויי מאַלעניאַ.

ער וועט טראָגן עס אין זיין נשמה אויף אייביק.

Friday, September 11, 2020

Thursday, September 10, 2020

Rising I - Poets Interpret Our Dreams (+ six translations)

Poets interpret our dreams

and tell us about our days.

We have no secrets from them,

nor they from us.

Poeții ne interpretează visele

și spune-ne despre zilele noastre.

Nu avem secrete de la ei,

nici ei de la noi.

Поети тлумачать наші мрії

і розкажіть нам про наші дні.

У нас від них немає секретів,

ні вони від нас.

דיכטערס טײַטשן אונדזערע חלומות

און דערציילן אונדז וועגן אונדזער טעג.

מיר האָבן קיין סיקריץ פון זיי,

אדער זיי פון אונדז.

Поэты интерпретируют наши мечты

и расскажи о наших днях.

У нас нет секретов от них,

ни они от нас.

Runoilijat tulkitsevat unelmiamme

ja kerro meille päivistämme.

Meillä ei ole salaisuuksia heiltä,

eivätkä he meiltä.

Poeter tolkar våra drömmar

och berätta om våra dagar.

Vi har inga hemligheter från dem,

de har inte heller från oss.

Upanishad XX - His Many Past Lives / उसके कई पिछले जीवन

His many past lives

are rising to the surface

of his writing.

Nagna says:

We, and he, will see them all.

उसके कई पिछले जीवन

सतह पर उठ रहे हैं

उनके लेखन के।

नग्न कहते हैं:

हम और वह, उन सभी को देखेंगे।

Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Upanishad XIX - His Past Is Behind Him / उसका अतीत उसके पीछे है

His past is behind him,

his future in front,

and both are present.

Nagna says:

So it is for all of us.

उसका अतीत उसके पीछे है,

उनका भविष्य सामने है,

और दोनों मौजूद हैं।

नग्न कहते हैं:

तो यह हम सभी के लिए है।

Tuesday, September 8, 2020

93,000 Visits, a Couple of Pirates, and Nineteen Parts of a Poem Series

Good afternoon, me hearties (I'll be practicin' me pirate language, as there are a few of them about).

As I write this, we are poised to pass the milestone of 93,000 visits to this blog (partly due to piratical activity from at least two countries). Ah well, for that we have laws, and courts.

In other news, my poem series "Upanishad" is now up to nineteen parts. I think it will continue, since it shows no sign of slowing down. Finally, India is becoming a more significant part of my audience. In addition, I am seeing an increase in visits from Japan, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Singapore. I even had one from China, which I wasn't sure was possible.

As usual, I would like to thank you all for your continued interest and enthusiasm.

Upanishad XVIII - Riding the Waves of the Day / दिन की लहरों की सवारी

Riding the waves of the day,

he steers for the harbor of night,

silently keeping watch

before the morning's first light.

Nagna says:

He hears and sees new things.

दिन की लहरों की सवारी,

वह रात के बंदरगाह के लिए सिर,

चुपचाप देखता रहा

सुबह की पहली रोशनी से पहले।

नग्न कहते हैं:

वह नई चीजों को सुनता और देखता है।

Monday, September 7, 2020

Upanishad XVII - He Lives Among Us / वह हमारे बीच रहता है

He lives among us,

but he is from another place.

He speaks a distant language,

is of a distant race.

Nagna says:

His communication

is direct.

वह हमारे बीच रहता है,

लेकिन वह दूसरी जगह से है।

वह दूर की भाषा बोलता है,

वह दूर की जाति का है।

नग्न कहते हैं:

उसका संचार

प्रत्यक्ष है।

Upanishad XVI - He Brings With Him / वह अपने साथ लाता है

He brings with him

a long past,

and an unknowable

future.

Nagna says:

His future will also be long.

वह अपने साथ लाता है

एक लंबा अतीत,

और एक अनजाना

भविष्य।

नग्न कहते हैं:

उसका भविष्य भी लंबा होगा।

Sunday, September 6, 2020

Why All the Nudity?

Why all the nudity? Well, first of all, I'm a naturist, and I'm naked ninety percent of the time. I'm also a photographer, and what I love the most is photographing light and shadow on the curves of the human body, in black and white.

I'm not a good model, but I'm usually the only model I have. I am a good photographer (I should be, after more than fifty years of doing it seriously), so by persistence I'm usually able to achieve an acceptable result, no matter the model.

My photography (usually black-and-white nudes) is very important to me. So is my poetry. It isn't too surprising, then, that my photography, as illustrations, has become an integral part of my poetry. Sometimes the photography inspires the poetry, while at other times it is the other way around. In either case, it's an intimate and symbiotic relationship.

It is my hope that you, my readers (and viewers), enjoy and appreciate these illustrations, and that they add to the writing that they accompany. I welcome your feedback, either directly as comments on the blog entries, or by email: exolinguist at gmail dot com.

As always, thanks for your continued interest in and enthusiasm for my work.

Upanishad XV - He Lives Partially In This World / वह आंशिक रूप से इस दुनिया में रहता है

He lives partially in this world,

and partially in others.

Nagna says:

He has had many names.

वह आंशिक रूप से इस दुनिया में रहता है,

और आंशिक रूप से दूसरों में।

नग्न कहते हैं:

उनके कई नाम थे।

Saturday, September 5, 2020

Upanishad XIV - His Journey Has Been Long / उनकी यात्रा लंबी रही है

His journey has been long,

centuries and millennia,

but it is not over.

Nagna says:

He takes nothing with him,

but it all follows him.

उनकी यात्रा लंबी रही है,

सदियों और सहस्राब्दी,

लेकिन यह खत्म नहीं हुआ है।

नग्न कहते हैं:

वह उसके साथ कुछ भी नहीं लेता है,

लेकिन यह सब उसका अनुसरण करता है।

Upanishad XIII - With Sahasrar Above / ऊपर सहस्रार के साथ

With Sahasrar above

and Muladhar below,

he sees all.

Nagna says:

He is living with the serpent.

ऊपर सहस्रार के साथ

और नीचे मूलाधार,

वह सब देखता है।

नग्न कहते हैं:

वह नागिन के साथ रह रही है।

Upanishad XII - The Sun Is High / सूरज ऊँचा

The sun is high and getting higher,

as the fire pit waits

for a ritual fire.

Nagna says:

All things in their time.

सूरज ऊँचा और ऊँचा हो रहा है,

जबकि अग्निकुंड प्रतीक्षा करता है

एक अनुष्ठान आग के लिए।

नग्न कहते हैं:

उनके समय में सभी चीजें।

Friday, September 4, 2020

Upanishad XI - His World Is Small / उसकी दुनिया छोटी है

His world is small;

his universe is infinite,

and conscious.

Nagna says:

He has everything.

उसकी दुनिया छोटी है;

उसका ब्रह्मांड अनंत है,

और सचेत है।

नग्न कहते हैं:

उसके पास सब कुछ है।

Upanishad X - We Live on Multiple Planes / हम कई स्तरों पर रहते हैं

We live on multiple planes.

When one level is vacated, the others remain,

and the missing dimension

will be replaced.

The continuity is not

of gender or race,

but of knowledge,

experience,

and memory.

Nagna says:

Nothing is lost.

हम कई स्तरों पर रहते हैं।

जब एक स्तर को खाली कर दिया जाता है, तो बाकी रह जाते हैं,

और लापता आयाम

बदल दिया जाएगा।

निरंतरता नहीं है

लिंग या जाति का,

लेकिन ज्ञान का,

अनुभव,

और स्मृति।

नग्न कहते हैं:

कुछ भी नहीं खोया है।

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

92,000 Visits and Three Pseudonyms

I'm happy to announce that visits to this blog now number more than 92,000. I thank you all for your support of my writing and photography.

In the nearly four years of its existence, the blog has evolved considerably. In the beginning it was all original poetry, which I supplemented in time with my own photographic illustrations. Eventually I added my translations of the Kashmiri poet Lalla, as well as excerpts from the Devi Mahatmyam and other works of Hindu religious literature. In time I incorporated translations of some of the Psalms, as well as prose articles concerned with various subjects related to the Old and New Testaments, including the Synoptic Problem, and the process of translation itself. Along the way, I somehow found time for creation of the Udugi language, a dictionary for it, and both original writings and translations in the language.

Somewhere in the mix, I wrote a multipart Journal of a Naked Poet, giving salient events from various periods of my life. I can see now that I shall very likely have to add a few new chapters to it.

One of the purposes of the blog is to reflect my own interior changes and beliefs, and to develop exterior expressions of the same. This is an exciting process, and you will find it reflected in my poem series Upanishad, currently extending to nine parts. I have a feeling that there will be more.

I have applied several names and variations of names to these various categories of my work. I wrote the general poetry of the earlier period as Donald C. Traxler, my legal name. In late 2017, partly to honor my late friend Reb Yakov Leib HaKohain (YaLHaK, the poet L. G. Corey) and partly to honor the family of my paternal grandmother, Judith Jacobson, I began using Donald Jacobson Traxler for all poetic work outside the Hindu tradition. I shall continue to do so.

For works in the Hindu tradition, I formerly used Nagna Devidas, but because of the evolution of my spiritual experiences and views, which are now non-theistic, I am now using Nagna Chidaananda. Both of these last reflect the fact that I live my life unclothed, at least so far as possible.

That last fact is also the reason why I'm using a new self-portrait, which you will see below, as my on-line profile picture.

I would like to thank you all, once again, for your continued interest and enthusiasm.