Tuesday, January 30, 2018

A Super Blue Blood Moon


Writes Jesse Emspak of Space.com:

Skywatchers are in for a rare treat tomorrow (Jan. 31): a Blue Moon, a total lunar eclipse and a supermoon all at the same time! It's the first total lunar eclipse since 2015 and the first Blue Moon Blood Moon visible from the U.S. since 1866!

A Blue Moon is when two full moons happen in the same calendar month; lunar eclipses occur when the moon passes into Earth's shadow; and supermoons happen when the moon's perigee — its closest approach to Earth in a single orbit — coincides with a full moon. In this case, the supermoon also happens to be the day of the lunar eclipse.

The first full moon of January occurred on the night of Jan. 1 or the morning of Jan. 2, depending on your location. The second full moon and the lunar eclipse will occur on the night of Jan. 31 or the morning of Feb. 1. And the supermoon will take place on the night of Jan. 30, which is technically one day before the moon reaches peak fullness, but even NASA is willing to call the event a supermoon nonetheless.

Image: "Hare Moon Halo" by Wendy Andrew.

See also the previous posts:
Lunar Deity
The Hare and the Moon
Moon-Struck
The Hare on the Moon

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Merman VII




Image 1: Kristi Sutton Elias
Image 2: Source unknown.
Image 3: Source unknown.

See also the previous posts:
Merman I | II | III | IV | V | VI
A Merman Named Eric

Related Off-site Link:
From Mermaids to MermenAnyNewsBD.com (2014).

Friday, January 26, 2018

Bel Homme


Image: Actor Rowan McNamara at a Samson And Delilah cast portrait session during the 62nd International Cannes Film Festival on May 15, 2009. (Photo: Kristian Dowling/Getty Images).

Monday, January 22, 2018

Hare Sketch


Artwork: J.O.

Monday, January 15, 2018

The Naked Calendar That Celebrates Gay Men With “Ordinary” Bodies


By Curtis M. Wong

NOTE: This article was first published December 17, 2017 by HuffPost Queer Voices.

Twelve men of all ages, shapes and sizes have stripped down for a steamy new calendar that aims to shatter the body shaming that takes place in the gay community.

Since its 2010 launch, the London-based queer publication meatzine has billed itself as “a smoking hot celebration” of “real guys” who defy the ways that gay men are often portrayed in advertising and popular culture. Their 2018 calendar could be the magazine’s boldest (and hottest) endeavor to date, featuring 12 un-retouched images of meatzine models wearing nothing but their birthday suits ― and a smile.

Adrian Lourie, who is meatzine’s founder and editor, told HuffPost that his publication has been producing a calendar for the past three years, but opted “to do something a bit different” with the 2018 edition. Noting that chiseled models in typical beefcake poses “does nothing for my self-esteem or my body image,” Lourie strove to present “a bit of an alternative view.” He aimed to go against “the prevailing image of gay men as young, with perfect, porn-ready bodies.”

As playfully provocative as the images are, Lourie hopes they shed light on the oft-overlooked impacts of body shaming among gay men. A January survey of 5,000 gay men conducted by Britain’s Attitude magazine found that 49 percent said they were “unhappy” with their bodies. (An additional 10 percent described themselves as “very unhappy” with their bodies.)

“These are ordinary men who all have their own hang-ups and issues, like any of us,” he added.

Some of the models said that baring all for the calendar has already helped them see themselves in a more self-assured light. Though posing nude “wasn’t an easy decision,” cover star Fernando said he’s nonetheless “absolutely proud of myself for doing it.”

“I thought I would never be picked because of my body shape,” he said. “I wanted to prove that you can be hairy and have a belly and it can be sexy.”

Another model, identified only as Warren, echoed those sentiments.

“So many of us have issues with our bodies; we think we’re too fat, too skinny, too pale, our dicks are too small, our bums not pert enough or we’re too hairy,” he said. “I’m not toned, I’m ginger, hairy, I don’t go to the gym and don’t have big muscles, I’m pale as snow and my bum jiggles, but I now love being naked again.”

He added, “Confidence is sexy – so own what you’ve got and be proud, lads!”

To purchase the Meat Naked 2018 calendar, click here

Monday, January 1, 2018

For the New Year . . .


May you awaken to the mystery of being here
and enter the quiet immensity of your own presence.
May you have joy and peace in the temple of your senses.
May you receive great encouragement when new frontiers beckon.
May you respond to the call of your gift and find the courage to follow its path.
May the flame of anger free you from falsity.
May warmth of heart keep your presence aflame and may anxiety never linger about you.
May your outer dignity mirror an inner dignity of soul.
May you take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention.
May you be consoled in the secret symmetry of your soul.
May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.




Images: Subject and photographer unknown.