nudity, poverty and creativity Last night I went to this event known just as 'sauna night', it is held in this guys house in my old neighbourhood. It is a clothing optional casual gathering with a roof top padio, a sauna and places to chill. The couple who put it on have been doing this for seven years or so. They had got the house and put the sauna in with this specific idea in mind. Actually at first they said for people to come any time, but much like magpie, no one came since they wanted to be there when others were there and they didn't want to invade their space. I would say about 20 people were there who mainly all knew each other really well, it was like a large extended nude family. Although my friend who had invited me to go had explained it acurately, I really didn't know what to expect. As I took to subway from kipling to ossignton I nervousness/excitment caused the trip to take forever. When I got there I reconised this lovley couple from the poly group, it was nice to see them there, and it took the edge off realising that I will know people here and they are all really friendly positive people like my friend had told me. My friends from the poly group were sitting out and fully clothed, it wasn't until I walked in and there was this large black guy with dreads, talking on the phone nude when it sunk in what this night was all about. I warmed to it slowly, sitting on the roof top on this great swing first still wearing clothes while everyone else was either nude or only had a towel wraped around them. As I sat up there I got so comfortable talking with the people. With the guy who had made the unique swing that I was sit on. This women who was talking about getting funding from the public school board to take twenty kids for a semester, teach them enviromental issues, make films, do zines and other really cool things that would lead it self to the kids getting there credits for the semester without ever having to step into a classroom. While I was talking to her and other equal inspiring creative people I forgot completely about the lack of clothes and sat there myself in the sauna, the chilln' floor and the roof chatting extremely comfortable. Between this event and the anarchist u I have met so many lovley, creative, active toronto people who I would love to get to know better over the next few weeks and next year when I come back. When I ws leaving I walked with my friend who had invited me to sauna night, she is this lovley creative person, we use to work together at TEACH years back, and I spent time with her while in pussy palace a few years ago. It was her nude photography exhibit where I met kim! Since I have been back in Toronto I have meet up with her at various free events in the city. Last night we were talking about how being poor has actually made us feel more creative, changed the activities that we engage in and these newer activities make us feel so much better about ourselves and our interactions with people. It is like straight edge, since you can't afford to run around in noisy spaces getting drunk, instead you spend time in quiter sapces connecting with artistic people, you go for walks, have tea and do other things that contribute to you having healthier more meaningful relationships.