OneFinger

Just checked my profile. It says I started 23 Aug 05. However, I believe that is when Daddy took over after HooBoy. I remember interacting with HooBoy before his death. He actually took me to the woodshed a couple of times for some of my controversial / inappropriate posts. Thanks goodness I've calmed down since them (or at least drink less while on-line).

Today, Daddy's M4M is drastically more calm and collected than when HB was alive.
 
What was once the Wild West has now settled into a steady, collaborative conversation.

I think in a way this site is a lot less contentious but as a result, a bit less entertaining than it used to be. I still enjoy coming to the site daily, but apart from the political section, it is more an old man's pastime than an active sport. Sure courteousness and politeness are appreciated, but every now and again a claw bearing cat fight can be entertaining.
While I am sure that there are those who enjoy the large number of photos posted, I have mentioned in the past that for me, it is too much of a good thing. I think many come, look at the photos and go. It seems the new postings are generally posted by the same few people and the diversity of responders is less. These seem to be major changes.
Still, I do enjoy my daily visit. Sometimes several visits in a day, if a particular thread is getting a influx of thoughtful posts, rather than the +1 or me too that sometimes dominate.
As to posters who have left the scene, I miss Rick Munroe's dry humor.

As a tax professional here's my opinion... If you are comfortable with your current provider, stick with him/her. This person is familiar with your tax history and how your change in income will effect your tax liability. Knowing this, you can properly plan a payment schedule (either through withholding or estimated payments). I recommend setting up a meeting with your provider to discuss your situation and do some tax planning.
 
Topics I might suggest... The effect receiving the IRA income will have on the taxability of Social Security (if you are receiving it) and the overall impact it will have on your general income. Will it push long term cap gains into a higher rate? How will the IRA be taxed in your state?
 
If you are the beneficiary of an estate or trust, speak to the trustee/representative of the estate/trust to find out if you will be receiving a form K-1. This is, basically, the income reporting form from the distribution of the assets of the estate/trust and is reported on the recipients 1040. (Think of it as an estate/trusts W-2.) K-1s are often the last tax form a taxpayer receives. To spare yourself the annoyance and expense of amending your return find out if one will be issued before you file.
 
Cheers

Having studied public accounting and having several CPA friends I can tell you that many CPAs in private practice are either enrolled agents or have studied taxation.It is not unusual for a CPA with an undergraduate in Accountancy to get a Masters in taxation or go for a combined bachelor's/master's program in Public Accounting and Tax.

A CPA is as the initials clearly indicate is a Certified Public Accountant. They frequently don't know a thing about tax forms and tax preparations. Tax Attorneys are definitely not accountants and usually know very little about tax forms although some are very knowledgeable regarding tax law. Ones best choice for tax preparation is an Enrolled Agent. Enrolled Agents must take three day of testing (given by the IRS) on tax forms, tax law and other matters regarding tax preparation. The number passing is usually lower than the number passing the bar exams. Once an individual becomes an Enrolled Agent they must, in in order to maintain their status, take frequent updating classes. Enrolled Agents may represent their clients at IRS audits. They may also represent their clients in Tax Count, however, they usually want a Tax Attorney actively participating.
 
P.S. Wikipedia has an excellent article explaining exactly what an Enrolled Agent is and what they are able to do.

That was me. Even after military basic training where I lost 50 lbs. I still had obvious male boobs. So, after I was released from active duty, I had bilateral gynecomastia surgery. I was NOT covered by insurance but was well worth the personal cost.
 
Another surgery that I don't regret was gastric bypass. I went from 330 lbs to 200 lbs in 6 months.

I totally missed this thread. I'm hoping your recovery is going well!!
 
As for neuropathic pain-about 5 years ago when I had no health insurance I developed this burning pain down my upper arm. The pain was probably a 6 to occ 7 out of 10. This had been preceded by difficulty turning my head -which I had noticed when trying to look behind me while backing up/parking in the car.
 
Because of the no insurance, I went to one of those clinics in the poor side of town. He did regular xrays. As I remember the disc space between some of the vertebrae in my neck looked almost non-existent. I think he gave me some Flexeril or some other non-narcotic pain medication. The pain remained the same or was worse. I did some reading on spondylitis. It said that steroids hadn't been proven to work by studies but were often tried. I went back to the clinic, and he prescribed me some prednisone. After months of increasing daily pain, I was pretty much pain free after 2 to 3 days.
 
Gman

Out of surgery. On my way home with a fall risk bracelet.
 

FreshFluff, I'm so sorry to hear of your problems. But, instead of medical marijuana, have you considered CBD oil? CDB comes from hemp but does not have the "high" affects of marijuana. My nephew swears by it for his diabetic nephropathy. It comes in drops, beverages (here in Portland they're sold at the liquor stores), and lotions. SeeBeDee (https://seabedee.org/) is the site I've been looking at and they have a wide variety of products - especially one for joint and muscle pain.
 
Since Thanksgiving I've started developing some serious mobility issues. It started when I lost strength in my leg muscles and couldn't get out of a chair without extreme difficulty. Then my hands started shaking so bad I couldn't use a mouse or type. Then I got Foot Drop in my right foot. In short, that is similar to my foot being paralyzed from the ankle down. I now have a foot brace. I also had to stop using my sneakers and switched to my steel-toed work boots which provides more support for my ankles and a very non-flexible sole.
 
Ten days ago my physical therapist and 2 doctors (all seen on the same day) independently told me that I could no longer function with a cane and needed to use a walker. They also all told me to stop driving. So, I've been home-bound and have been working hard on the exercises from the physical therapist.
 
Like I said, my next option (in addition to continuing my medical tests / visits) is the CBD oil. From what I've read it has provided help and support for people with a variety of ailments.
 
Please, keep us advised on your progress. I'd explore all options before agreeing to surgery. I firmly believe in physical therapy, chiropractic massages, good diet, holistic options and similar things before surgery.

FreshFluff, I'm so sorry to hear of your problems. But, instead of medical marijuana, have you considered CBD oil? CDB comes from hemp but does not have the "high" affects of marijuana. My nephew swears by it for his diabetic nephropathy. It comes in drops, beverages (here in Portland they're sold at the liquor stores), and lotions. SeeBeDee (https://seabedee.org/) is the site I've been looking at and they have a wide variety of products - especially one for joint and muscle pain.
 
Since Thanksgiving I've started developing some serious mobility issues. It started when I lost strength in my leg muscles and couldn't get out of a chair without extreme difficulty. Then my hands started shaking so bad I couldn't use a mouse or type. Then I got Foot Drop in my right foot. In short, that is similar to my foot being paralyzed from the ankle down. I now have a foot brace. I also had to stop using my sneakers and switched to my steel-toed work boots which provides more support for my ankles and a very non-flexible sole.
 
Ten days ago my physical therapist and 2 doctors (all seen on the same day) independently told me that I could no longer function with a cane and needed to use a walker. They also all told me to stop driving. So, I've been home-bound and have been working hard on the exercises from the physical therapist.
 
Like I said, my next option (in addition to continuing my medical tests / visits) is the CBD oil. From what I've read it has provided help and support for people with a variety of ailments.
 
Please, keep us advised on your progress. I'd explore all options before agreeing to surgery. I firmly believe in physical therapy, chiropractic massages, good diet, holistic options and similar things before surgery.

A small ship is the ticket. Around 150 pax can be a sweet spot. You find itins that mainly go into smaller ports and you cruise at night (LOL) and wake up in a new place in the morning. Generally the time in port is from early morning until late afternoon so plenty of time to get off and see things. The small ships tend to moor right in the middle of the town so attractions and shopping are near at hand.
 
The downside for foodies is that most of meals are on board so I try to eat local at lunch and then do more touring. Back on board in time for cocktails and the dinner. If the weather is hot I’ll tour in the morning, go back on board for a cool down nap and then go back out. A Big plus is not having to pack and repack and haul luggage around with you.
 
Small ships are much less regimented and more laid back. A floating mega hotel shopping mall for me! Never. A small ship, I’m signed up for three upcoming trips right now.

Noah Wylie's performance is Emmy-worthy
 
A simple trip to a grocery store sets in motion a chain of tragic events in “The Red Line,” a limited series Sundays on CBS.
 
Noah Wyle (“ER”) stars as Daniel Calder, a teacher whose husband, Harrison (Corey Reynolds), an African American doctor, is picking up milk after a long shift at the Chicago hospital where he works when a holdup takes place.
 
After the thief leaves, Harrison steps forward to minister to the owner’s head wounds. A lone white cop, responding to a 911 call, enters the store and shoots Harrison twice in the back, mistaking him for the thief.
 
Six months later, Calder is trying to function at his job teaching AP history at a local high school while raising his adopted teenage daughter, Jira (Aliyah Royale), also African American. He’s doing a bad job of holding it together. “This is thrust upon Daniel and he’s not ready,” says Wyle, 47. “He has to put on a brave face but internally he’s crumbling. His grief has to take second place. He has to figure out a way to reach somebody and admits he has lost control. And he’s selfish and not above hurting people That’s the part I like. He’s not a perpetual victim. At the same time he’s an antagonist.”
 
First developed as a play by executive producers Caitlin Parrish and Erica Weiss, “The Red Line” — so named after the Chicago metro line — shows how one family’s grief reverberates through Chicago’s shaky sociopolitical structure. Calder wants Paul Evans (Noel Fisher), the cop who killed his partner, to lose his badge and hires an attorney. Feeling she can’t express what she’s going through as a black child who has lost her black father, Jira reaches out to her birth mother, Tia Young (Emayatzy Corinealdi), who’s risen far above the circumstances that found her pregnant at age 15: She’s running for public office and has her own family.
 
For Wyle, it’s his Regina King moment: a mature, robust role that reminds your peers how good you really are. “I was incredibly moved by it. The scripts avoided clichés and went for a deeper sense of inclusion,” he says. “I looked at the project more like a personal odyssey than the next big career decision. I know they went through a few actors before they came to me.”
 
Aware that we live in an age where art must serve politics, Parrish and Weiss admit they first offered the part to the nation’s most public gay actors. “Noah knows that. He knows we did our due diligence,” Weiss says. Availability was the problem. “Most of the actors were in [the 2018 Broadway production] of ‘The Boys in the Band,’ ” Parrish adds. The matter seemed settled once the cast gathered at the first table read and Wyle left the writers in tears. That’s when Weiss said to herself, “Oh, it was always supposed to be him.”
 
If there’s any controversy in “The Red Line” it will be the series’ negative portrayal of the white cops in the Chicago police department, which is in line with other Hollywood portrayals of law enforcement personnel.
 
But Parrish defends her characterization of the policemen in “The Red Line.”
 
“It was very important to not portray the cops as just one thing,” says Parrish. “It was important that Paul not be a sociopath blindly executing people. Or a perfectly good person making a mistake. The truth lies in the ambiguous middle.”
 
“It’s really easy forget how many dedicated men and women risk their lives every day,” Wyle says. “I think Erica and Caitlin did a good job of showing the diversity of the police department. I think it’s honest.”
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A real-life event had a profound effect on the premise of the CBS limited series “The Red Line.”
 
The eight-episode series picks up almost immediately after the fictional police shooting death of a gay black doctor, Harrison Brennan (Corey Reynolds) and follows three storylines: his husband Daniel (Noah Wyle) and their adopted daughter Jira (Aliyah Royale); Officer Paul Evans (Noel Fisher), his brother (Michael Patrick Thornton) and his partner Vic (Elizabeth Laidlaw); and Chicago alderman candidate Tia Young, Jira’s birth mother (Emayatzy Corinealdi).
 
The program pulls from the headlines, a combination of similar cases across the country. The aftermath of the actual shooting death of a black teenager by a Chicago cop changed history, and changed the script.
 
In 2014, Laquan McDonald was fatally shot by Officer Jason Van Dyke. Initially, Van Dyke was not charged because he claimed McDonald, who was 17, had been behaving erratically, had a small knife and was a threat to the officer.
 
There was dashcam video of the shooting, but it took a judge’s order 13 months later to get the city to release it. The video showed McDonald veering away from officers, contradicting Van Dyke’s account that he had lunged at him with a knife.
 
In October 2018, a jury found Van Dyke guilty of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm — one count for each bullet fired at McDonald. He became the first Chicago cop in decades to be convicted of murder for an on-duty shooting.
 
McDonald was convicted during the filming for “The Red Line”; his sentencing didn’t change the story or the idea that officers are held to a different standard, but it meant precedence for their fictional officer to face repercussions for his actions.
 
Showrunners Caitlin Parrish and Erica Weiss, who have worked together for more than 15 years, created the series from their 2011 play “A Twist of Water,” which debuted at a Chicago theater before moving to off-Broadway.
 
“We returned to those characters and that story that we loved so much,” Weiss told the Daily News. “The cultural conversation and sociopolitical conversation was different between 2011 and 2015 when we wrote the pilot and even more in 2019.”
 
Parrish and Weiss, both white, built diversity into the writers’ room and crew.
 
“From moment one, we made it a priority to listen,” Parrish told The News. “We care more about getting the show right than either of us being right.”
 
In the first two episodes provided to critics, “The Red Line” is a heartbreaking reminder that a story doesn’t end when an Emergency Room doctor declares time of death or a trial ends. Family members are left reeling; police officers struggle to move on.
 
“I was so moved by the immensity of the tragedy,” Wyle, returning to network TV for the first time since “ER,” told The News. “I’m really attracted to characters who go along almost on autopilot and everything that defines them…is stripped away. Where does that leave them?”
 
“The Red Line” looks at what happens next.
 
Wyle’s character Daniel grapples with his emotions while dealing with his daughter’s new reality, while Jira (Royale), who grew up with two fathers in a mixed-race household, is looking for something to hold onto. She picks her birth mother.
 
“She’s trying so hard to get Daniel to understand,” Royale, a relative newcomer to TV, told The News. “She knows her upbringing and she’s thankful for it, but clearly there’s this whole universe she never knew about. She needs someone who looks like her, a woman who looks like her, to get a a better understanding of herself, a better comprehension of what happened to Harrison.”
 
And for Paul Evans, the white officer who shot and killed the innocent black man, a young cop searches for the truth of that night: colleagues, including his partner, have repeatedly told him he did everything right. But that’s not what happened.
 
“It exists in the gray,” Fisher, known best for his role on “Shameless,” told The News. “From the moment that he understands what happens, he’s utterly devastated and questioning himself from that point on.”
 
“The Red Line” is more questions than answers, more doubt than faith. The show doesn’t want you to pick a side or a villain, to blame the white cop for shooting or the black man for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
 
“It’s so easy to ascribe a value judgement to something that you’re hearing the top level detail to,” Wyle told The News. “What we do and why we do things is infinitely more than that.”
 

 

My parents died years ago. My only sibling (sister) died in February. In the 3 local papers we only submitted a death notice which was linked to the mortuary obit (free). That met our needs.
 
Since I no longer have immediate relatives to take care of my burial, I've spent this month determining and PAYING for my burial. My sister's family is very close to me. But, I didn't want to burden them with the details and cost for my burial. In my area, the mortuaries will NOT plan services without payment in advance. There is no way I could put this burden on them. So, I've planned and paid for my burial in advance and am designing my own headstone.
 
For me, this has been a sense of healing. I have some serious health issues and don't know how much longer I have. I currently live 2,000 miles away from sister's family. So, I wanted to be sure what they needed to do if I died out-of-state. That's already taken care of and they have a single point-of-contact when I die.
 
My next task is to write my own obituary. And, I plan to have it submitted in the first person.

My parents died years ago. My only sibling (sister) died in February. In the 3 local papers we only submitted a death notice which was linked to the mortuary obit (free). That met our needs.
 
Since I no longer have immediate relatives to take care of my burial, I've spent this month determining and PAYING for my burial. My sister's family is very close to me. But, I didn't want to burden them with the details and cost for my burial. In my area, the mortuaries will NOT plan services without payment in advance. There is no way I could put this burden on them. So, I've planned and paid for my burial in advance and am designing my own headstone.
 
For me, this has been a sense of healing. I have some serious health issues and don't know how much longer I have. I currently live 2,000 miles away from sister's family. So, I wanted to be sure what they needed to do if I died out-of-state. That's already taken care of and they have a single point-of-contact when I die.
 
My next task is to write my own obituary. And, I plan to have it submitted in the first person.

My parents died years ago. My only sibling (sister) died in February. In the 3 local papers we only submitted a death notice which was linked to the mortuary obit (free). That met our needs.
 
Since I no longer have immediate relatives to take care of my burial, I've spent this month determining and PAYING for my burial. My sister's family is very close to me. But, I didn't want to burden them with the details and cost for my burial. In my area, the mortuaries will NOT plan services without payment in advance. There is no way I could put this burden on them. So, I've planned and paid for my burial in advance and am designing my own headstone.
 
For me, this has been a sense of healing. I have some serious health issues and don't know how much longer I have. I currently live 2,000 miles away from sister's family. So, I wanted to be sure what they needed to do if I died out-of-state. That's already taken care of and they have a single point-of-contact when I die.
 
My next task is to write my own obituary. And, I plan to have it submitted in the first person.

Death announcements are a part of life. Friends...family..neighbors and acquaintances all deserve to know the passing...Every once in a while I see an obit and am surprised I had not heard. Or read of the adventures of a friend..
Life and death are everyday happenings....I have plans to write mine and update as needed

Wow-no idea. The family ones I've seen lately are done by the funeral home. I thought all obits were free. So disturbing. So sad.

Yes also did the Budapest to Amsterdam trip with Viking, highly recommend it. Small number of passangers (approx 100) and very enjoyable but still see a lot.
 
just this fall also did a bike and sail cruise in the islands off of Croatia for a week and was amazing. Boat was small (32 passengers ) and had a couple of guides that led the daily bike tours on each of the islands that we went to. Highly recommend if into biking. There are tons of these types all over if looking for something more active.

Generally speaking, for low-risk sexually active adults, the recommendation is comprehensive STD/STI testing annually. That includes anal and throat swabs (if they are receptive for penetrative oral or anal sex), urine and blood draws, and visual inspections. This is what any responsible exclusively heterosexual or lesbian sexually active person should be doing every single year unless they are in a rock solid monogamous relationship.
 
Everyone else who is sexually active should be more frequent because anyone having sex with men who have sex with men are automatically at least medium to high risk. I have been reliably and happily married to my wife for decades. I have a long term guy on the side who says he's exclusive except for his female partner. I get tested every 6 months for everything. I have my vaccinations: HepA/B, HPV and meningitis.
 
Escorts that we are talking about are an even higher risk group. Not only are they men who have sex with men, but many of them engage in high risk behaviors like partying, condomless sex, and a high number of different people. For them, every 6 months would be an absolute minimum. Every 3 months is much better. Even monthly may be useful, but they also need to be very aware of the false positive and false negative rates of the tests they are taking. They also need to be very aware of their bodies to detect even subtle changes because something like 60% of men don't show major symptoms when they have many major STD/STIs.
 
For HIV prevention, PrEP and condoms are your friend. Know that there are already PrEP resistant strains in the wild but they are rare.
 
Get informed about the risks. Make your own decisions about what you're comfortable with and have fun.

@Cannon , So to add to this topic ironically...just yesterday I was in a “session”, but fortunately not in the middle of anything...just laying in bed nude.
 
Out of nowhere, the door pops open and another guy is peering through. “Oops, I’m sorry!” Door closes, but after a LONG 5 seconds of awkwardness, followed by: thats my husband, he wasn’t supposed to be here yet
 
Now THAT I felt vulnerable. Not to say your situation is any less vulnerable, but it’s like it certainly came to mind. Not to mention the whole “being walked in on” by someone’s partner tops my list of things I never want to have happen during a session, unless they’re going to hop in. That, and a son and/or daughter walking in during a session, which was like seconds from occurring just a few weeks ago.
 
I think I just want to invest in an RV for outcalls. Like yes, I can do an outcall to you...but I’m going to have to park my RV down the street from your place, and you can meet me there ?? ?

I understand that even when your brain is dead, you can still be president of the United States.

You are absolutely correct! I often join friends for dinner or drinks and enjoy sparkling water or mocktails; yet still have a great time. I got to the point where I felt “entitled” to a glass or two of wine every night. I simply stopped and was grateful to find how easy it was, although I know very well that it’s almost impossible for many to stop. There seems to be a growing sobriety movement and Millennials, in particular, are drinking less. I’ve mentioned an app that can be very helpful. It’s called Dry Days. Like any accountability tool, it forces you to “check in” every day. For me, it’s gratifying to see the dry days add up. For those who would like to take a break from alcohol, it’s really a useful tool.

I had bariatric surgery in 2010. I can't begin to tell you the number of times I heard in support group meetings of addiction substitution. And it's not always an alcohol substitution. I've heard of people taking about gambling, sex, cleaning, and even hording addictions after surgery.
 
I don't regret having the surgery. But it's was helpful to know addiction substitution could be a side-effect.

That cock was not too impressive; thus I'd have to pass, face or no face!