Monday, July 30, 2012

More Olympic Goodness

At the last Olympic Summer Games, I did give a lot of love to that paragon of shirtlessness, Michael Phelps.  Now he has a rival, and it only seems fair that I give Ryan Lochte some air time for providing some excellent shirtlessness right off the bat by winning gold on Day 1 of the London Games.  Unlike Mr. Phelps whose body appears to be almost genetically engineered (double jointed ankles?), Mr. Lochte looks like a normal human being who happens to be in really, really good shape and also swims super fast.  I'm still routing for Mr. Phelps to become the most decorated Olympian ever, but I can't help but cheer Mr. Lochte on as well.

Our fellow IMS member who continues to study hard for his nursing exams has sent me more excellent news in the shirtlessness arena.  I'm almost concerned that I will really suffer from a lack of shirtlessness when he passes his test!  But in the meantime, check out this link to a list of 50 Hunks of the Olympics, many of whom happen also to be shirtless.  The funny British comments make me smile, and the international scope of this list makes it one worth any IMS member's reading time.

Gentle readers, I will be away for 2 weeks on a family vacation to India and will not be posting again until August 17, but I promise to have an exciting Bollywood post when I return.  Until then, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Friday, July 27, 2012

Olympic Shirtlessness

In honor of the Olympic Games that will open tonight in London, I had to post this video of the US Swim Team lip syncing to "Call Me Maybe," another version of which was featured right here last month.  I don't know what it is that makes this song so conducive to shirtlessness, but I like it.  It's definitely my July song!  The above video could have featured some more shirtlessness, but given that these people are focused on breaking world records and the like, I'm going to cut them some slack.

Other news in swimming, apparently the original IMS Poster Boy, Daniel Craig, and his shirtless scene(s) in "Casino Royale" have affected fashion in a positive way in that now the most popular swim trunks for men are modeled after his square cut trunks from the movie.  I'm pleased to know that our cause is even having an effect on fashion.  Never doubt the power of the cause, my dear IMS members.  Read more about its positive effects here.

The Summer Olympics are always a good time for shirtlessness.  I'm sorry to say that I will be in India for most of them, but I hope that you will keep the flame alive.  Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Monday, July 23, 2012

Boys of Summer

After the events of Friday morning in Colorado, I felt it was inappropriate to post that day.  My thoughts goes out to the victims and their families.  I can only hope that this time something will change on our culture's relationship to guns, even though I have been disappointed on this count many times before.  I wish we lived in a country where the word gun refers to a man's well developed arm muscles rather than a weapon used to kill people.  Sometimes wishes do come true, and so I continue to make mine.

In the meantime, I give you a taste of shirtlessness across the ages sent to me by a very active IMS member who is currently studying for his nursing certification exam.  I hope that when he passes the exam, one of these shirtless hunks is waiting to accompany him to his celebration party!

While I am a big fan of many of these guys, I do marvel at the lack of diversity on this list.  There are lots of men of lots of races all giving good shirtlessness these days and should be included in lists like these.  For instance, I saw a show called "Prison Dancer" at NYMF yesterday that featured some amazing Filipino shirtlessness.  The show is terrific, and the shirtlessness caused me to start clapping in the middle of a fight scene.  I hope some of you will be able to check it out!  Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Monday, July 16, 2012

Classical Shirtlessness

In my fury to return to blogging and of course covering "Magic Mike," I neglected to reflect upon my travels in Italy and their affect upon my shirtless aesthetic.  Italy is the land of classical arts, and I would be remiss if I didn't admit that seeing shirtless sculpture after shirtless sculpture changed me in some way.  If it's possible, I think I appreciate the male nude even more than before.  Granted, I will continue to maintain that pantslessness is for private, but certainly shirtlessness was raised to a new level in the Uffizi and the Galleria dell'Accademia.

Seeing Michelangelo's David was no less awe-inspiring than the first time almost 20 years ago.  To see the veins and skin of a man carved into marble of an awesome scale did inspire silence and wonder.  Also, to see in person a sculpture whose image I have seen hundreds of times creates a strange sense of deja vu that is hard to shake.  It seems almost unreal.  And yet, there he stands, surrounded by visitors from all over the world, towering above them all as he prepares to do battle with Goliath.  Who can look at this sculpture and not appreciate the artistry?

So today, I toast one of the birthplaces of shirtlessness and thank heavens for the Renaissance.  May we all get to experience the sublime in every day life.  Salute!

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Friday, July 13, 2012

Magic Shirtless Mike

The IMS outing to "Magic Mike" was a resounding success!  I will point out that we were not the only organized group at our screening, but we were the only one to erupt spontaneously into applause at various points of the movie.  It was a different movie than what I expected in terms of tone which was actually quite somber, but it certainly delivered on the shirtless front.  In the first 10 minutes, no one wore a shirt at all!  Hurrah!  IMS members, our work is certainly making a difference!  

Let's take a moment to reflect on an accessory to shirtlessness that I don't often discuss - dance ability. As a former dancer myself, I know my own tendency to be overly critical and so I rarely comment on it.  But Channing Tatum is a great dancer!  I knew this from his "Step Up" days, but in "Magic Mike," you realize that his dance ability really reflects the core of his sexiness.  I don't think I've ever seen any man writhe on the floor the way Mr. Tatum does, a fact which now makes me a little bit sad.  But sadness aside, it takes someone incredibly comfortable with and knowledgeable about his own body to move like that, and as President of IMS, I have to say it is incredibly attractive. The ability to dance is up there with water and kindness as a great accessory to shirtlessness.

And I have to give a shout out to Matthew McConaughey who has been previously banned from this blog due to overexposure. He stole the show with his portrayal of the egotistical stripper-turn-strip-club-owner Dallas.  Mr. McConaughey has always struck me as someone with a very healthy ego, but his performance suggested to me some self-awareness of his own persona.  It was not quite as delicious as Alec Baldwin's nude scene in "It's Complicated" but significantly more layered and nuanced.  I can't believe that I can use the term "pathos" in a sentence about either Mr. McConaughey or "Magic Mike," and yet I felt that Mr. McConaughey indeed found the pathos of his "Magic Mike" character.  Brava!

So dear IMS members, I suggest you support this film and post comments on what you thought.  I await your commentary.  Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Monday, July 9, 2012

Call Me Immediately!

As I have said before, there are some wonderful benefits to being the President of IMS.  I recently experienced one of them when an IMS member posted this video on my Facebook wall.  How happy it made me as I prepared for my European vacation!  How I hoped that my tour of Italy would include shirtless Abercrombie models dancing across the Ponte Vecchio or on the Spanish Steps!  Sadly, my tour did not include the kind of shirtlessness displayed here, but I think that just means I need to go back again soon!  In any case, I kind of love this video and now kind of love this song.

On other fronts, while I was away, the seminal IMS film "Magic Mike" opened to surprisingly warm reviews, and I am planning an IMS outing to see it on Wednesday night.  We have a good group of IMS members pumped and ready to go see this coming of age tale of a male stripper just trying to find love.  I read somewhere that the screenplay is based loosely on Channing Tatum's own life.  I don't know whether this fascinates or scares me, but wait till Wednesday, and we will find out!  Mr. Tatum was an early favorite of IMS from his hip-hop turn in "Step Up" and I think you all know that I went to see "He's the Man" by myself in the theater just for the delightful mash up of his shirtlessness and Shakespeare.  So I am really looking forward to Wednesday.  Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Friday, July 6, 2012

Viva Italia!

Having just returned from my Italian vacation where I watched three of the Euro Cup matches, I thought it was only fitting that I post the Italian football team's Dolce & Gabbana underwear ad.  Though they lost in the final match, they played well and of course, exhibited good shirtlessness.  I'm sad that the star of the games, Mario Balotelli, is not featured here.  Hopefully he and his faux hawk will be in next year's campaign!

So for those of you who were wondering, Italy was wonderful!  Two weeks of eating good food, seeing amazing art and architecture, and hanging out with the vice president of IMS, along with stays in a 16th century palazzo and a feast with 6 of my dearest friends who were able to join me - what could be better?  My goal on the trip was to eat pork products, cheese, and gelato every day, and I'm pleased to say that I achieved my goal.  We did not catch quite as much shirtlessness as perhaps hoped, but there's nothing like a vacation to give you new eyes and get you ready to begin the quest again.  I am ready for whatever shirtlessness New York wants to throw at me!

With that in mind, I am organizing a "Magic Mike" outing.  The vice president, secretary, and I have already made a pact to see the movie together, and I suspect that many more will join us.  More details to come.  Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS