claym

Over 60 years ago my city, in addition to a few stands located in lobbies, had a shoe shine shop. Besides having your shoes shined there were several booths (similar to public toilet booths) where you would drop your trousers, hang them over the door, and the clerk would brush and then steam press them. Being a young lad this all fascinated me; I suppose they also offered tailoring. Long gone, and have never found anyone who remembers the place.

Rant: I dislike the current fashion of men wearing sneakers (non-leather is the worst) all the time, especially with more formal clothing.

I do recall my last shoe shine.  I would utilize shoe shine stands as a respite from the days activities and to help out a small business man.  They became less and less common and the last one I utilized was in the Philadephia airport.  My flight was delayed and this was before TSA and the rigamarole that goes with it.  The shoe shiner, when asked, said that business was slowly coming to an end.  He said that most men, and the few women,  who used to utilize his services were traveling in sneakers or were too busy to take a few minutes to sit and read a newspaper or chat with him about the events of the day.  He said he would miss it once the stand finally closed.  The next time I was at that airport it was gone.  I had specifically worn shoes that needing a shining even though it was a vacation not a business trip.  

Nordstrom used to have a shoe shine service at many of their stores. Alas, no more. Since I rarely wear dress shoes anymore, it’s a moot point. That said, I do a pretty amazing job myself, including a spit shine.

I've heard more than one gay community voice say that the decision to put L first was in gratitude for the number of times lesbians cared for sick and dying gay men during the AIDS crisis.   I was too young and in the wrong part of the country to see that first hand. But I believe it.  
I will gladly put L first if even some of the L community cared for the rest of us in that time when the country, culture, and our families left us to die unattended.
 

Pronounced “giblet.” Like turkey gizzards, liver, etc.

Right!  The OP statement is not long enough.  The amount of letters looks current, but there's at least one addition sign, and by now I'm sure there's a multiplication, and/or numerator and denominator added to this algebraic expression

It was originally GLB until the G decided to be chivalrous and let the L go first. 

I learned that you can pronounce LGBT as "El Gibbity".  I've been saying that ever since.

I prefer GBLT, it's like a Gay BLT, delicious 😋 

In English I prefer LGBT+, in Dutch I say Holebi+.

Electricity, cable, internet - these are a few of the modern things we take for granted in this world as it has become. And these are things we miss the most when they go away and that we fail too often to remember how complex is their operation and maintenance and the armies of dedicated linemen, technicians, engineers and others who make them work, day after day, and who bring them back to us when they occasionally falter.
Now add to the list - The Company of Men.
And we have Radio Bob! A man who does all of this to keep this site going as a kind of sideline to his day job, and whom I also think does so as a labor of love.
And so, now add Radio Bob to that list of heroes who make our world make sense and who restore to us those modern marvels we daily depend on and take for granted until their absence makes us notice.
Thank you, Radio Bob, for your service and dedication to this community. You are a gift to all of us!

I wish there was more of that in general going on.
I miss the days of meeting someone out, having a drink, chatting a bit before going home to fuck their brains out.
Probably why I prefer meeting providers for a massage on a first meet. The encounter is more low key/ fewer expectations and more conducive to a little conversation. Wham*bam*thank*you*Ma'am isn't always what I am looking for.

Well, that’s unfortunate. While I’m not currently a paid subscriber, I was for over 8 years, month-by-month, and never had any trouble with their billing or support.
If you look a few posts up @56harrisond has posted several topics above that relate to seeking arrangements and their latest name seeking.com. It’s a valid point that it takes more time. I had very good luck on there, at least I did after my first year or two when I started to realize how to better filter through the profiles and messages. I’m still in a relationship right now from someone I met there almost 5 years ago, we see each other and travel 4-6 times a year…it’s not a monthly allowance type arrangement.
Many will be quick to say seeking.com leads to expensive monthly arrangements, I’ve found that’s not necessarily true, and have met many quality guys there. 

now Just a follow-up/conclusion.  I received my new passport book today.  I thought the application photo was bad, well, the photo, as it appears in the new passport book, would prompt the villagers to make the sign of the Cross and shelter in place. 
                                                                                                         

My naturally rosy hue is captured by gov cameras as 3rd day after chemical peel. 

Who knew fluorescent lighting, zero angles, and a bored government employee could be so artistically damaging? My DL photo looks like I blinked, sneezed, and lost all hope at the same time.

All of the moderators have my phone number. I explained what was happening to everyone that pinged me. I did not have my offline list as this happened while I was traveling for my day job. (Yes a perfect storm of crap to happen at once!)

I recall similar issues when Daddy was here and the site would be down for a few days and then, miraculously it would reappear.  I am glad the magicians who work to keep this going know the right tricks to do so.  
Thanks for your hard work.  I will be sending a small donation of thanks and urge others to do so as well.  

I wish I could say that for myself!  The last few days have been interesting to say the least. 

Just wanted to say I’ve had several amazing 1.5 and 2 hour sessions w Bodypoet. He’s gorgeous, sensual, very responsive, the messages are great and he is very accommodating with the erotic elements - VERY. I will actually be booking a session with him and his husband soon, my first 4 hands with them. Looking forward to it.

Yes, it means 'separate and distinct'. So queer places are discrete almost by definition. Whether they are discreet is a separate question.

Wow. I have… no words.
Actually, just one: sorry.
Reading this felt like a horror movie. 
I’m the extreme opposite. I am legitimately OCD about hygiene. Think Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets. I’m so thoroughly scrubbed you wouldn’t find a fingerprint on me, including my own. Even my fingernails are manicured specifically so I don’t accidentally exfoliate someone’s anal canal while fingering them.

I’m among the minority of guys my (boomer) age who never found overtly cruising public spaces to be a turn-on or productive. 
This excludes, of course, Nordstrom South Coast Plaza when Ralph Lauren Polo dress shirts were marked down in 1983. 

I dress down for comfort on the table. and, to quote one poor restaurant review, “…however, the portion of potatoes was so grand, I had to lift them up to discover the average serving of meat they accompanied on the plate” 😎