I believe there is beauty in everyone whether old or young, skinny or fat, male or female, tall or short, black or white (or any shade in between), whether they conform to any given cultural ideals of beauty or not.
I believe perfection in a woman is not defined by her breast size anymore than perfection in a man is defined by his penis size. It is defined by a person's size of heart and development of their mind.
I believe surgically altering one's body should be done for the sake of improving physical health or repairing damage that has been done by disease or injury. However, I also believe adults have the right to have surgery for purely cosmetic reasons.
I believe when a button like this, with the caption "help build the perfect girl"and a link to raise funds for someone's breast implants, is put up as part of HNT and followed with a crass, "Maybe if we help her raise enough she'll let us see them later."...
HNT ceases to be a fun weekly post where variety of form can be celebrated. I believe it sends the message that you are more valued if you conform to narrow definitions of physical beauty and if you are willing to bare all for cyberspace. I do believe if an adult wants to bare everything he or she has that right.That said, I believe it is time for me to say goodbye to official HNT participation. I expect to continue posting in my own particular style without linking to the site where folks announce their posts. I will not be bothering to post on Wednesday evenings and heading over to say I have done so. On Thursdays you'll get a "slice of lime" that will either be artistic, humorous, or have a story to tell. I will continue to visit the folks I've enjoyed in the past and do my best to say hello to anyone who visits me. This week I may be somewhat absent due to the holiday coming up and various preparations.
48 comments:
Hi Lime. This is my first HNT time this year, and from what you've said, things have changed a bit while I was away, and not in a good way.
Take care. rob.
Madam, I also defect.
BTW you have lovely shoulders.
I understand and will be sad to see any HNT participant leave, but I understand your view point and agree.
I do not blame you on this at all. First and for most it has to be fun. When it is no longer fun that time to do something else. Contributions to change ones appearance like you mentioned just does not seem right but then I have never thought it was a good idea to go through reduction or augmentation surgery (or other plastic surgery) unless it is really needed. I mean if I do not like a person unless they change themselves, shame on me.
I am glad you will continue to participate in your own way. I love you contributions. Not so much for the nudity but for your creativity. You always amaze me.
Anyway lovely shoulder there Lime ... I mean ... well I do mean that but...
I hope the bunny brings you some good stuff like lots of chocolate. Good luck with prepping for the weekend.
You are absolutely my kind of people, Lime. You totally rock.
Your point is well and eloquently stated. I went from a regular to a "once-in-a-whiler" (is that even a word?) for similar reasons. The fun and creativity of the early days was diminishing.
That said... I may come up with an epic (like I used to)... just for old time sake.
And of course I will turn up for a Slice of Lime. :)
I totally agree with you. Good for you for sticking with your prinicpals.
Enjoy your easter hols!
I have always been deeply disurbed by the idea of vanity. I know it's a free world, people have the right, blah blah blah, but cosmetic surgery and especially breast implants, are altering what our society perceives as normal beauty. That post you menioned is a particularly sad example of that. I've never much cared for the whole HNT concept. Some people used it in a harmless and fun way (yours were like that), but for others it was just an excuse to post porn. So, anyway, good for you for standing up for what you believe in.
Brilliant post. I can sign under all you said about the human body as is and what matters.
Now, let it be revealed, I was President of the Norwegian Naturist Association 30 years ago - and did learn to love people for their mind and attitudes towards others.
Have a Great Easter Holyday.
Although I've been reading your blog regularly for quite some time now, I never knew/understood what the HNT stood for but I've always enjoyed and appreciated your posts. Today though, I very much understand your theory about withdrawing and do admire you greatly for taking that stand too! Tasteful commentary is one thing I always expect and receive too when I read your blog -along with a lot of humor interspersed. Keep standing by your guns, girl!
I hate goodbyes!!!
Your HNT's are always fun, stylish, AND creative. To me, this is an end of an era...(sniff)
xoxoxox
What a great post Lime, open-minded and very well said - I could not agree with you more!
I hate it when some makes money from others dissatisfactions made up by the commercial driven consumerisms - that's why I hate all these 'make over' programs too. Can't people see this is big industry and they do it only because of money, and not because the care for a person.
So your right and I do understand and also looking forward to your "slice of lime" in the future.
Go Lime, GO!
Wishing you and your family A Happy Easter Holiday. Ours have started already and we are in our vacation home in Sweden :-) Hope one day you can come over and join us!
Happy slice of Lime then. :D I applaud you for that and I've removed my links to HNT as well.
Good for you, Lime. :D
Hi Lime, thanks for taking the trouble to come over to my blog and read my post re Ian at the National Gallery. I am not sure what HNT stands for but it does sound as though it was once fun and isn't anymore. I started ABC Wednesday some time ago and we have great fun each Wednesday posting a photograph of something beginning with.....next Wednesday we are up to J, second time round! Geat fun, you are always welcome to join in.
Take Care
Denise
I've never been one for 'Half Naked' anything... Me, even a 1/4 Naked is more than even I wish to see, let alone the 3.5 readers of my blog. But I'm LOVING the idea of ABC Wednesday... May I join in Mrsnesbitt? Thanks for the post Lime!
You took the words right out of my mouth. In a world where we are barraged with images of perfect people, HNT used to be a place where one could go to see "real" people and their beauty as a human beings, not pieces of meat.
Every week I have to convince myself to do an HNT. I feel that some people have grown to expect more of me than I'm willing to give.
I have very much enjoyed the self confidence and love of self that I've gained from my participation. Even at my heaviest weight I was able to find something positive about my body and for that I'm grateful.
I fear that my time may have come as well.
I think you're the last of the original crew (at least the ones that were in my little circle). Yours is the only HNT I've looked at in a year or more, simply because you still capture the original spirit in your photos. They are fun, artistic, creative, or thoughtful, or some combination thereof. I'm looking forward to your own personal "Slice of Lime". :)
thank you for addressing this issue, Lime.
as i said to Susie as well,
thank you for keeping it real.
if only people actually believed
the truth of your words...
our society is so sadly brainwashed
as to what constitutes beauty
on this planet.
the word perfection,
even as it pertains to our minds
or the size of our hearts,
should be stricken from our vocabulary.
our personal insecurities
drive us to all of this sadness.
a little kindness and compassion
goes a long way on this Earth. xo
I hear you. I tend to stick around with the friends ive made on here. I dont like some pics posted..its a fine line..but see around in different ways! happy non hnt :)
good for you lime. i'm not a fan of augmentation surgery.
BTW, your CD is in da mail.
Hmmm, seems to me that doing your own thing and being creative doesn't have much to do with participating in a group effort.
You can still post pictures of yourself and call it whatever you like. Just have fun doing whatever you do. That seems to be a preponderant precept to this place.
(OMG I'm still stuck on "p")
One bad apple can truly spoil the whole barrel.
Darlin', you have beauty of both kinds, so more power to you.
You know, I tripped across this site (not yours, the breast fund raising site) a couple weeks ago and was so repulsed I couldn't ever write about it. I didn't want to give it any more credence than it was getting. I guess I'm going to have to post the Dove videos again. What we do to our young women to make them think the cover of Cosmo is the standard...makes me nuts. Great post.
I still enjoy doing my HNT each week. I'm far from a "perfect specimen", but if my posts bring some laughter to my readers, then I've accomplished my goal. The comments I've receive have helped me gain more self confidence.
I know where that breast link originated and can't for the life of me understand why these people find it necessary to mess with their body that way. I've known three women that have had boob jobs and not one of them looks as good as natural breasts. One of them didn't turn out well at all.
Go Lime! Like I told Susie, I completely agree and I wouldn't want to be a part of something that twisted either.
HUGS!
I look forward to your future picture posts!
I'm new here and haven't ever participated in the HNT. I'd say, if you are just yourself on your blog, it's probably what I'm looking for anyway.
Well said Michelle.
I suppose that all thing have a season.
Dear Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler of the House of Lime,
I agree, that did seem to violate the spirit of HNT. As usual I admire your clarity and strength of character. I shall continue to come by for my (more than) weekly slice of lime. Rock the hell on!
-Der keyser hass zpoken
Thank you for saying everything I was thinking last week. While I am still participating in HNT, I completely support your decision to not do so. (The beauty of the American way!)
You go girl!
I guess HNT was bound to be hijacked sooner or later. Pity that some ppl still seem to be driven by (or want to drive) the "perfect" image.
Last week, I saw this link on the HNT based site and I felt upset about it too... What? Asking us, ordinary men and women to contribute to someone vanity? To encourage the
Those who know me will understand that it has nothing to do with nudity... but from the creativity of each and everyone, the pleasure and fun, the originality, no matter if it includes a full naked body shot... Like you, I cringed at the 'create the perfect girl' statement... It feels like a slap in the face...
I don't care if so or so wants to get a plastic surgery, I even think about it often myself (tummy is a little prominent...)but, asking people to participate in it with the promise to show off once it's done is a little of too much... A woman breasts will change something like 6 times in a life time, I can testify about this, as I went from a small 34AA to get a 38D while breastfeeding and everything in between since I'm getting older... And this is what a perfect girl should experience... because, in all our imperfections, we are what is the closest to perfect...
That said... I'm still doing HNT... in my own way... ;-) but you are right, that was somehow upsetting and as many wrote, I'm sure we will see you on that day or any others... Your creativity is expected... ;-))
Ahem, all that being said, I would also like to say that real breasts are better anyway.
:P
I also defect, people!
Well, I am a fan of real nekkidness not fake, airbrushed or silicone nekkidness....so I understand.
I think HNT has to be about the body as whole. If we just pick out the "naughty bits" and focus on them, then it becomes a whole different internet animal...
Oh my... Glad I missed THAT!
I agree that most of the HNT participants have strayed far from its original intent. That's their right, of course, but I don't participate any more either. (Though I do still visit a small number of HNTers most weeks.)
And I'll always be here for a slice of Lime!
I'll stop in to see my slice and know you are always there for me. A fond farewell.
As the only person in the entire HNT group that can say I've known the "creator" for a long time (long before HNT, really long before) I've argued my point with him on countless occasions and we just agree to disagree and I will keep my HNT posts about me, and definitely always HALF nekkid.
As usual I seem to be learning about this stuff way after the fact. A link to raise money for breast implants? Yeah, that is for me tasteless and perpetuates a narrow idea of what beauty is. Like someone said boysenberry HNT was bound to be hijacked.
Good for you. I agree.
I must admit that this is the first time I've heard of HNT. Dur.
Hi. I followed links in. I think I've been here before. I remember this community.
It sounds like you're doing the right thing - you're following your sensibilities, your gut.
I like your blog...I like your picture.
Here here. And follow the force. Do what you want to do.
I've never participated in HNT.
I feel the same way about much of the things you stated in this post.
I hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend.
Chow down on a chocolate bunny or two...
or three.
:-)
Lime, I've never followed the HNT except for your own postings. I am glad that you will continue to post your own sensual images. But I don't blame you at all for not wanting to be associated with such crass, decidedly anti-body, anti-sensuality, anti-joy attitudes as you have described.
cheeseandrice,
I go to Mexico for a week, and all hell breaks loose!
I support your defection from HNT, and I also support your creation of a weekly slice-o-lime.
thanks for everything!
This is the best "I believe" soloquily since Bull Durham.
And suddenly I admire you all the more.
Well decided.
well done- and well said Lime. You're the apple of my eye with this post. grace and style.
Quite nicely stated. Sad to see an end to an era - but when I came here for my first "slice of lime" I knew I'd be back again and again, and not just on Thursdays - because you've got some darn cool and intriguing posts.
HNT has helped introduce me to some great bloggy friends like yourself, and I'm still "in it" for that creative spirit, that sense of community and fun that can occur in the celebration of exposure of self.
In any case, I'll keep returning for my slices of lime (And not just because I'm jealous of your fantastic Friday 55 posts either)
with you all the way girl...
i was always dubious about the whole HNT thing as an excuse for something else...
Good for you. Well said, well done.
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