PhileasFogg

And he has 9 positive reviews right now

A little harsh. True story, I once asked someone to drive 100 miles from New Orleans to meet me. I paid him half. He admitted he’d normally not have showed but he thought I offered him his “pretty woman” moment based on how well I treated him He currently has 23 favorable reviews on RM…one of them is not mine because he subsequently stole money from me.

A sunscreen set up?

Oh! You don’t think he’s referring to Bud Cort, star of the 70’s cult classic “Harold and Maude?”

Bed bugs are not a big risk if you’re not carrying luggage and don’t set clothes on the floor. A carpeted hotel is much higher risk than one with solid surface floors and carpet is probably smelly/musty too especially in the south. So I wouldn’t make it about price FYI…after midnight cancellations in ATL last night I stayed at a $139/night Fairfield. Not my first choice, but I was all that was available for my unplanned brief stay. but it was clean, clean smelling, and didn’t scream bedbugs to me.

For me, I blame the vasectomy I had 30+ yrs ago. Highly confident of both correlation AND causation

I’m pulling for him to get the help he needs. But my experience was multiple interactions spread over a period of months. Caveat Emptor

So based on that one hour, you’ve concluded he doesn’t use people and criticized @Dsca58? You’re not wrong in your assessment. But you’re also not right. But your experience is real and relevant. So is ours. And I can assure you, we had a great chemistry and were planning our next trip when something bizarre happened. I could show you the text messages and you’d go “really??”

Me too. And then VERY quickly, he went OFF THE RAILS! When he’s on, he’s as you described. But my direct experience over a period of nearly a year has been 10% great and 90% surreal. Good luck maintaining your good experience…did you get calls from the ER, or midnights calls from him saying he was kidnapped…oh, I have more. My most recent experience was about 2 months ago when I tried to help him out in a collab with another guy…his volatility actually had me concerned for our safety since I’d already given him the addrsss before he went off the rails

I’ve known teams who have worked together for years who opted for such an arrangement in really attractive cities but not because a top down mandate. The idea is only as good as the lowest common denominator on the team. One awkward or negative member will make this a disaster. I don’t think it’s a terrible idea, but requires a unique circumstance to work. The fact that you’re even asking with implied apprehension indicates this isn’t the circumstance.

But you’ve already given them your name and account credentials anyway? you do understand that your name, address, and account credentials are tied to any charge you make online, right?

Pure conjecture here, but chargebacks are the primary risk to a merchant using credit card processors. It’s a risk to the processor too, prone to certain “industries,” and as a result, they make restrictive rules to keep high risk businesses off the platform. For the first time, I offered to assist a guy whose profile (for good reason) had expired. So I went in to do the sponsorship and got a message that I needed to take a piece of paper and hand write that I’d authorized the charge, sign and date and then take a picture of this with my ID laid on top of it to validate the charge. Thats unprecedented to me: Theory 1: guys were adding client card numbers to renew/gift fees without the client knowing Theory 2: clients were having buyers remorse in drunken fits of generosity 😅😇 In any event, I’ve never seen a request like this from a merchant…it’s the equivalent of a signature based transaction in a “non card present situation”…but I think it underscores the problem RM has finding a card processor

We just corresponded a couple days ago. Maybe he’s taking a break. I’ll ping him and may offer to sponsor him in renewal.

I took the liberty of sending him a note in RM reminding him that word gets out even if he blocks the account to avoid a bad review. Let’s see if he responds.

I’ve known him for years and we were regular when I lived in Nashville and we’ve traveled together. Good guy, seeks to please.

We are assuming he’s an actual cop and not a friend of a cop though…but either way, someone is taking a big risk

I think that anyone would point out that they have to have a handful of regulars who cover the fixed bills, then everything else is profit

@Evin Alexsander, there are two kinds of guys here - those you’ll appeal to and those you won’t. i suspect you have more of the former than the latter, but while the latter should probably keep their opinions to themselves, just focus on the former

I think it’s attainable with travel, but you have to factor expenses into it. One guy I was regular with asserted he made 200k/yr (I was 1/4 of that) but it became obvious over time that expenses consumed 1/2 to 2/3 of that and that I was his only regular source of consistent income.

I suppose if you’re a visiting provider in a big tourist town, you’re looking for the convergence of good client opportunities in the little slice of time you’re there. Locals have regulars and finding that convergence with visitors is a crap shoot. Smaller markets have quality clients planted firmly who are looking for quality talent

I think you should go for it

I have a lovely regular meeting with a guy I met online. He’s 20. He said up front that he’d never accept anything from me. I made him accept a birthday gift a few months ago though - a camera he wanted. It’s just the mutuality of the situation.

It depends. I have better experience with guys who are sober, intelligent, and mature. I don’t think a “look at me” narcissist who is drawn to the drug/club scene will be happy or drawn to someone much older unless there’s an “arrangement” involved.

I’m not sure what you mean, But if younger guys can’t keep up with me, they can tap out 😅😉🤣

I took three to St John a couple weeks ago. Their combined age was 5 yrs more than my 63 yrs I’m with youngest one of those guys right now in Santa Monica and I’m more that 3x his age. Age is a number. So many other factors weigh into the chemistry and vibe. I am healthy, in good shape, energetic…and I treat them as partners in our travels and not chattel