Making this site work for you

I live in the United States, so this blog is going to be from that perspective. I do think, however, that the concepts are sound, no matter where in the world you live. There are many types of people that come to this site. There are those that come to look, those that are looking for cheap sex, those that just want to show their naked bodies. But what about those that are actual nudist? Those that like to have something in common with the people they call friends. Those are the people this site is about. So how does one go about getting real friends here? Its more than just asking everyone you see on the site to be your friend. Think about how many friends you have around you now. Most have 1 or 2 people that are close enough to bare your heart with, much less your body. But how do you make those friends that you can do both? Are you really going to chat with a hundred people, or two hundred, or a thousand? And what about groups? Do you really think that a foreign nudist group is going to do you any good if you rarely get more than a hundred miles from home? Put some thought into what is going to be useful for you. Be selfish, but not unapproachable. So just some tips that have helped us out. First, CERTIFICATION. Do you want others to take you seriously? Do you have any real commitment, or are you here just to look? Becoming certified is easy and free. It shows others on this site that you have more than just a sexual interest. Others here will be more open to you, be it a guy, a gal, or a couple. Many on this site wont give you a second glance if you arent certified, not to mention that you can only see our uploaded pictures if you are certified. Build a profile. Theres nothing worse than, as a lifetime paid member couple, having someone look at our profile and discovering lots of blank when we go to return the favor. We have had people visit our profile that have been members for 10 years but are not certified and have no profile. Chances are 100% that you are now blocked from ever getting back on our profile without creating a new account. You dont have to write a book, but at least a few lines about your self would be nice. Besides, it really could be a conversation starter. Media uploads. This one is all over the place. There are rules on the site for what can be uploaded and, for the most part, it seems that they are followed. Pictures of your self and significant others can be a great conversation starter in that they show what kind of recreation you are in to, the enjoyment you get out of it, and more about your environment that you could other wise portray. A picture is worth a thousand words. Thats true. Of course, there are some that have more public lives, such as teachers or politicians, that could be damaged if found here (since nudity is incorrectly frowned upon in our society) and I can understand making a private profile or Friends only uploads, but if you are ashamed of showing your body are you really a nudist to begin with? For us, as we only consider certified people as being honest about nudity, only certified members can view our pictures. Sorry, lookie loos. Locations are great groups to join if you have been some place or plan on going. For us, Bar-S Ranch in North Carolina was such a place. We found that the environment there was what we had been looking for, visited the Ranch, and joined on our second trip. It was close enough to go for a weekend but has enough to offer for staying a week. Try to find a location that you can get too. Does living in California and joining a group in France really make sense? Maybe, if you are a world traveler. Locations are also great for others to find you if they have or are wanting to visit a place. We would never have found Bar-S Ranch if it werent for the Location entry. Groups are supposed to be a way for people that have similar ideas or situations to find each other. There are groups on site that do just that. For instance, Virginia Nudist is a group that we joined as soon as we moved to Virginia. What better way to find people that could be close enough to visit and with which to socialize? Skinny Dipping in Central Virginia was another group that provided the same service, especially since we like the freedom of being in the water sans clothing. Although at times the fish can be rather rude. Last, I want to talk about a paid membership. There are some real benefits to a paid membership, like the ability to see who has viewed your profile. This is REAL handy at weeding out the lookers from people that are True Nudist, and its not that much for a lifetime membership. The friends we have made from this site are only because we were able to see who visited us, returned the visit, and struck up a conversation. Oh, there were a couple that came from references from our friends, but most are because of the tips I have given here. In closing, I want to say that, no, we dont have 500 friends. But of the ones we have, some have been in our home, and we have been in theirs. This site is going to give out only what you put into it. So, think about your expectations and do what is best for you. That will also be what is best for the people you meet and call Friend.