Ali Gator

He stated his rate. I agreed, and I told him which service I wanted from the menu he texted me.

True... but it should be in the provider's interest to grow his business with new clients, and the way to do that is to be more encouraging.

If his service was exceptional, then yes, I would have given him extra (I don't know if it would be $40 extra or less or even more, but it would have been something). If his service was 'as expected' or less, then no. The ball is always in their court (same with servers at a restaurant) - what they do with it is up to them.

BINGO ! This is so damn true. If these guys realized it's not about them, it's about the client they could make a lot of money. They're cute, sexy, hot bodies, and charging a premium as it is - yet know nothing about how the industry works.

Yesterday, I contacted a 'older' masseur I had my eye on for months, who has moved to my city. He's available seven days a week, from 10 am - 6 pm. I contacted him for a sensual one hour massage for sometime in the afternoon today (Mother's Day). I told him I found his ad on MF. He did respond about six hours later (fine) and sent me all the 'spa' services he offered at different rates (I didn't care since I knew what I wanted already when contacting him - but OK), and the cross-streets of where he lived (he works out of his apartment). I responded to him reiterating I wanted a one hour sensual massage, and I was familiar with his address - I live nearby. I think the info I was providing him showed I was a serious new client, and living so close, very possibly a potential regular. Again, I asked him if he was available in the afternoon, as I see his hours on Sunday are 10 am - 6 pm. He responded he could meet me at 11 am. I responded, "11 am won't work for me. Nothing after 1 pm ?" He responded with a solid "No". OK - so I responded back with "Perhaps I'll try for another day, or maybe next weekend." He responds with 'OK.' That's the end of our conversation. Maybe I'm seeing it differently, but if I was a provider and this potential client was texting me with interest and this info - and I could see he was serious and close by (as I mentioned above) - I would do my best to encourage the newbie to call again this week and book another afternoon. Instead of answering with just "OK" for an ending, I would say something along the lines of, 'Do any weekdays work for you ? I still have openings in the afternoon on Mondays and Tuesdays, if you want to come by' or 'Would you like to book next Sunday now, as I have the afternoon open at this time?' If he'd been encouraging that way, I would've booked something this week / weekend right away. Show me (a newbie) you want my business! Alas, I've lost interest in booking with him now. Who knows - maybe I'll regain some interest by the end of the week, depending on if there are any visitors (or not) whom I could book with, instead. But as a new provider who could've become my regular go-to, he didn't make a great first impression.

These guys are unreal. I'm thinking of writing an online blog or a book to help these 'businessmen' on how to succeed and provide a service, with my 20+ years in customer service (and previous life as a business owner for 24 years). One chapter would be how to attract and KEEP clients. I'm afraid the ones who need to read it simply won't. It's funny - I read every day on social media how another small business / restaurant in the neighborhood has failed and closed its doors after a year (or less). Of course, all the responses are 'it's the economy'. No, not exactly - a business owner can adapt to a fluctuating economy (I did for 24 years). It's the fact that these business owners know absolutely nothing about running a business and customer service. THAT'S their downfall. And I think that will be the downfall of this new generation of providers if they don't wise up.

I reached out to a traveler earlier today who I was interested in getting a massage from this afternoon. His price was $200 for the hour 'sensual' massage. Average rate for travelers in my area these days. When I confirmed the time for later today and the price, he told me there was a 20% 'gratuity' added (so today would be $240) since today was a holiday. What holiday, I asked ? He responded 'Mother's Day'. I let him know neither one of us were mothers, so why would he be considering this a holiday and add a gratuity for his time (if he wanted to celebrate with his mom, he should be with her and not clients). He wouldn't budge so I canceled. He texted back and said he'd drop the gratuity to 10% and I didn't respond - I'm done with him. Are these young, new providers serious about this as a business ? Are they structuring their business plan on a restaurant server today adding a 20% gratuity to the bill for a party of six or more ? He could've made an extra $200 today if he knew what he was doing.

Thanks everyone but nothing new to share since 10 - 20 years ago ?

He's traveling to my area in a few weeks (so he says, things could change) and I'm interested in meeting him. There are a few very old / locked threads on him from years ago. Anyone with recent experiences with him ? He seems my type for what I'm looking for these days - anyone can share info ? (Granted, he does look much older than his listed 57, but I'm fine with that). RayDaltonXXX - Male Escort, Gay massage - Wilton Manors | Rent.Men RENT.MEN RayDaltonXXX Gay Escort in Wilton Manors, Florida, available for Gay Escorting,Modeling,Available for videos. | Find all the best Male Escorts at Rent.Men

After I cancel my suscription at the end of this month, does anyone know if Amazon will start emailing me discounted offers to 'come back' like many companies do these days ? If they do, I'd consider it if the offer was worth it (I'm not talking '10%').

That's a rough 37. I'd have guessed early / mid 40s.

He's 85. They think now is a good time to sue him ?

The series is half way through its season and it's 'must see TV'. Flynn is a great addition to the cast (I first discovered him on 'How to Get Away With Murder' which he was totally wasted on the show). I wish some nudes of him would leak out !

For me, the list is endless. I haven't found a network sitcom funny in ages. I do enjoy 'Hacks' but that's not on network TV.

My subscription to Amazon ends on Memorial Day, and after nearly 10 years, I'm canceling. There is really nothing I watch on AP, and the shows I'm interested in are either for rent or to buy. As for the 'free 2 day shipping' - no matter what I purchase or when I purchase, it never comes on the second day - it always takes at least five days. So why bother ?

Same with me !!!!! I used to tell others how easy it was to follow WW. I really need to get my ass in gear and get back into the swing of things and copy what I ate each day 20 years ago. If it worked then, it could work today.

Thanks for sharing your story, too. Some things I want to comment on: 1. At my meetings, I'd say it was about 80% women ("lifetimers") and 20% men. I have to admit - the men seemed to shed the most weight the quickest. 2. Like you, I found it overall easy. When I tried to rejoin a few years ago, when Oprah took over, I didn't find it easy or consumer-friendly at all. Her 'zero points' plan (just about everything had zero points all of a sudden) her weight 'color plan', and the reliance on technology (scanning barcodes with your phone, 'zoom meetings' replacing in-person meetings, etc. just didn't cut it for me. It didn't hold my interest. I needed to 'write everything down' in front of me, and have one-on-one interactions (they never reopened the meeting spaces near me). The old saying - 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' - applies here (for me). 3. The story of your sister brings back memories. As you know, and for those who may not, nothing is forbidden with WW. Nothing. You can eat whatever you want BUT you have to count everything you put in your mouth. If you're allowed '30' points a day, and a croissant is 24 points, you can have that croissant in the morning for breakfast - just make sure you mark it off your daily points. And when you realize you only have 6 points left for the next 24 hours, you will be choosing more wisely. That said, it used to make me laugh out loud at the meetings when the over-weight women ('lifetime members, because after a decade they still couldn't reach their goal weight) would come into the Wednesday morning meeting and eat a Dunkin' Donut bagel sandwich with a Dunkin' frappe and complain 'they can't lose a pound'. No shit ? But that said, WW was there to make money - and they were making a ton of money off these women. Renewing their memberships every month, selling them every WW product they stocked in the store space, etc. These women were paying the bills to keep the space running (including the salaries of the 'coaches'), and WW were truly happy to see these women show up with their DD breakfast each week. They weren't going anywhere. The members who they were losing money on were members like me - who took it seriously, and determined to make it work. We went in, lost our weight, and that was it. Sure it was their goal to help us lose weight, but it didn't pay the bills.

I have a confession to make - 19 years ago, when I was in my early 40s, I joined WW on the rec of my PCP. He wanted me to lose 30 pounds, and highly recommended them as they were the only program endorsed by the American Heart Association (and I think that still holds true). So, Memorial Day weekend I joined up with a friend of mine (she needed to lose about 20 pounds, and dropped out of WW within weeks). I stuck with it - admittedly, the first few weeks were tough, but I stayed with it. And I took up Yoga and walking every night. At some point, it became 'easy' - knowing what to choose to eat, and writing it down in the 'point journal' each week. I went to weekly meetings, but never stood up to get the 'awards' for losing weight (Keychains, pins, etc.) - I didn't believe in that. But I liked the encouragement I got every week at the meeting space (which closed during the pandemic). The 'coaches' were very nice, and helpful. I slowly - but steadily - saw the weight come off, both at my weigh-in and in the mirror. By Columbus Day, I dropped 45 pounds - I was my high school weight. At the time, I had my store, and many customers noticed by mid-summer that I had lost weight. I remember one of the coaches at WW pulled me aside (she knew I owned a store and dealt with the public every day) and suggested when people commented on my weight loss, I should let them know upfront that it's 'intentional' and I was on WW. Otherwise, they may start a rumor that I was 'ill'. I'll never forget that. By Columbus Day, I lost 46 pounds and I was satisfied - so was the coach at WW and so was my PCP. He couldn't believe the transformation when he saw me for my 6 month followup. Slowly, though, within a couple of years, I did gain most of it back - then gradually all of it back and a little more. Then I added the 'COVID 19' and have yet to shed the 19 over five years. I've attempted to rejoin WW over the past 10 years and just couldn't get into it - it became confusing with 'zero points' plan. I truly feel the phone app and Oprah ruined it and I just couldn't adapt (I heard the same from others who had success 20 years ago). This past weekend, I found a shoe box with all my WW journals / points from 2006. I set it aside, and felt relieved - I am going to attempt to go back on it 'the old way' and copy everything I did back then.

Smokey Robinson is speaking out after he was accused in a civil lawsuit of sexual assault by four former employees. In a phone call with the Daily Mail on Wednesday, May 7, the Motown star, 85, briefly addressed the allegations put forth against him in a complaint filed in Los Angeles on Tuesday, May 6. "I am appalled," Robinson said, adding, "I can't speak about this right now." An attorney for the star did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. The former Miracles frontman was accused of sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence and creating a hostile work environment by four Jane Does who worked for the star and his wife Frances over a period of nearly 20 years. The complaint claimed Robinson “repeatedly forced his fingers and penis into their vaginas, causing severe and excruciating pain” without consent, and also alleged that he would use “physical barriers, force, threats of force” and more, such as locking his bedroom door, to prevent the women from leaving during the alleged assaults. Frances, whom Robinson married in 2002, is also named in the lawsuit, as the plaintiffs allege that she had “full knowledge of his prior acts of sexual misconduct” and “failed to take the appropriate corrective action” to prevent his “deviant misconduct,” even after settling cases with other women who experienced similar alleged assaults by Robinson. The plaintiffs — who all worked as housekeepers — also accuse the couple of failing to pay minimum wage and overtime. Smokey Robinson Speaks Out After He's Accused of Sexual Assault by Four Women in $50 Million Lawsuit PEOPLE.COM Smokey Robinson said he was "appalled" by the allegations of sexual assault leveled against him in a $50 million lawsuit filed by four former housekeepers.

WeightWatchers, the decades-old program touted for years by Chicago talk-show icon and entertainment mogul Oprah Winfrey, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to eliminate $1.15 billion in debt and focus on its transition into a telehealth services provider that helps users get prescriptions for drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Trulicity. In an announcement Tuesday, parent WW International Inc. said it has the support of nearly three-quarters of its debt holders. It expects to emerge from bankruptcy within 45 days, if not sooner. The well-known diet program says it will remain "fully operational" during the reorganization process, with no impact to members or plans. "For more than 62 years, WeightWatchers has empowered millions of members to make informed, healthy choices, staying resilient as trends have come and gone,” Tara Comonte, WeightWatchers CEO said in the announcement. Comonte went on to say the filing would give the program the opportunity to "innovation, reinvest in our members, and lead with authority in a rapidly evolving weight management landscape." "As the conversation around weight shifts toward long-term health, our commitment to delivering the most trusted, science-backed, and holistic solutions—grounded in community support and lasting results—has never been stronger, or more important." "The decisive actions we’re taking today, with the overwhelming support of our lenders and noteholders, will give us the flexibility to accelerate innovation, reinvest in our members, and lead with authority in a rapidly evolving weight management landscape. As the conversation around weight shifts toward long-term health, our commitment to delivering the most trusted, science-backed, and holistic solutions—grounded in community support and lasting results—has never been stronger, or more important." Popular diet program WeightWatchers files for bankruptcy. How will it impact members? WWW.NBCCHICAGO.COM The well-known and popular diet company, which assigns point values to foods, was founded more than 60 years ago.

Well that's a letdown. I was hoping for something more erotic. 😁

Let me share this with everyone, and you will see it's just not exclusive to these guys or their line of work. It's everywhere. I believe it's their generation (Zoomers / Millennials). I currently work as an admin in a healthcare facility, in 'social services' - the staff is made up of social workers and mental health workers. They all get paid very well. Some work full time, some part time, some per diem. The per diems and part-timers are all under 40. Just about every day, I hear per diems and part timers complaining they 'need more hours' and 'need to make more money' this week. They stop by the office to let me know if anything's available, they'll take it ! Following the rules of the union (they're all union) I will send email blasts out in the morning to these PTs and PDs to let them know we're going to be short-staffed from 3 pm - 7 pm, and need extra help if anyone can stay and pick up those shifts : first to respond gets the shifts. No takers. I will do a blast on a Thursday, letting them know we will be short-staffed over the weekend, and need extra help -plenty of shifts available days and evenings. No takers. I let them know we are offering 'incentive pay' - sometimes double pay, sometimes time and a half. No takers. I don't get it. I don't understand the thought process of these Zoomers and Millennials. Sorry !

I remember two servers at one of my favorite local casual restaurants. My friend and I used to meet for dinner there after work every Wednesday, and then again sometimes on Friday nights. Every Wednesday, for some reason, we were always stuck with a woman named Linda who was about ten years older than us. She would come to the table, make no conversation, no greeting, etc. and take our order. She wouldn't even make a comment she recognized from being there in her booth each week. (And we were easy customers - ordered, ate, never a complaint, and on our way). That would be the only time she came to the table - to take our order and bring us our Cokes. Food runners would bring us our food, and she never came by to check on us (food ok? need a refill on your beverages? would you like dessert ?). When it came time to drop the check off, then she turned on the charm - suddenly she wanted to have a cheerful conversation, smile, laugh, etc. Again, this was right when she was dropping off the check and we were going to have to tip her - and we caught on to what she was doing ("Forget the fact that I ignored you, my regulars, for the past ninety minutes and only put on 'the kindness' when it's time to tip me"). We would leave her 10-15% (we usually left 25% - and this was in the 2000s). Then I realized, 'let's ask the host NOT to sit in her section tonight' - and that was even better. On Friday nights, my same friend and I would go for appetizers, and she would order a martini for the end of the work week (I stuck to soda). There was an older 'creepy' waiter who was there for a long time, and obviously in love with my friend - he fell all over himself to run to our table and talk with her (she knew what he was up to). She was strikingly beautiful, dressed sexy, and knew how to flirt with men. He remembered the martini she ordered each week, and would bring it over before she ordered it with his tongue hanging out. He would be at our table all night, making sure we had everything we needed, and kept talking to my friend - he was in love with her, but we were glad he gave us attentive service. One Friday night, she was out of town so I met another friend after work. This other friend was a decade older than her, and rather frumpy and ordinary looking. He saw me at the table first, ran over with a big smile and put a martini on the table, and was shocked to see this other woman coming out of the bathroom and joining me tonight. My 'new' friend was perplexed by the martini waiting for her - she never drank. So what does this server do ? He looks at her, looks at me, frowns and asks "Where's the beautiful girl you meet here on Friday nights ?" I responded, "That's not a nice thing to say." He was so angry that 'the beautiful girl' wasn't here' - he took the $15 martini away and ignored our table all night. It was insulting. We left him no tip. When the check came, we noticed he had added the martini in the check and then removed it - underneath it he wrote 'customer changed her mind'. That wasn't true at all. I grabbed the 'customer copy' of the check before we left. The next afternoon I called the restaurant and asked for the manager. I told him exactly what happened the night before - gave him all the info he needed off the check to let him know what I was talking about. I told him he insulted the guest I was with, and also we never ordered a martini and 'changed our mind' - it was his error. I explained because of how horrible h was, we left no tip. The manager was very nice and understanding. He did say, "I'm not surprised, we've had a lot of complaints about him lately." We skipped our Friday nights there for the rest of the summer, and returned in the fall. The waiter no longer worked there.

He's posting in my area for travels to my city for a few days in June. Anyone have anything to say on him ?

This weekend my friend and I tried a new Mexican restaurant not far from my neighborhood. I've been wanting to try it since it opened back in January. The young lady who served us was fine, though she didn't know much about the food on the menu when asked as she was taking our orders (and the menu was not extensive). She was pleasant enough, though. We didn't order drinks from the bar, we just drank water (neither of us drink alcohol). The food was fine, but pricey compared to other Mexican restaurants in the area. We figured we'd maybe return in the future but not 'rush back'. When we got our bill at the end of the meal, this was at the bottom of the check which was added to our total (by the way, we paid cash not credit card): Kitchen gratuity: 4% Bar gratuity: 4% City Recycling Fee: 3% Credit Card Fee: 4% So an additional 15% was added to our bill. Kitchen gratuity? Since when are the cooks (who, by law, must be making at least the minimum wage, so they are NOT working off tips like servers are) getting gratuities ? Bar gratuity ? We ordered nothing from the bar, so why are we being charged a gratuity for the bartender ? City recycling fee? Why are we being charged extra for the business to dispose of their recyclables ? Those are standard utility fees which should have been added into every meal before the restaurant opened. Why not just charge us separately for 'electrical fee', 'water fee' and 'internet fee' on the bill, too ? Credit Card Fee? We're paying cash. Why are we automatically being charged a CC fee ? NO WAY were we about to add another 20% tip to our bill after already being charged an additional 15% in nonsense. We called the server over and asked her to remove the fees since none of them applied to us. She giggled, and said 'the manager' would have to do it, and she wasn't there 'at this moment'. (Keep in mind, NONE of these 'additional fees' are posted anywhere in the restaurant nor on the menu before we ordered - we would've walked out). So we ended up leaving her 5% - and explained to her that once the manager returned and took off the extra 15% in 'gratuities and fees' we were erroneously charged, she will give it to the server and she will have her full 20% from us. She looked a little confused, but I'm not going to leave an extra 35% on top of what was owed for the expensive meals. Later, I was curious to read some of the reviews on Yelp and other sites (I never read them before I try a new place - I want to go with an open mind). EVERYONE complained about the 'extra fees and gratuities' added to the bill (most did what I did, which surprised me) and warned others of this 'extortion'. They also said if you speak to the manager (the owner's daughter) she does nothing about it.