PhileasFogg

Funny, my first wife was a CPA in tax...and she never did the taxes. She said she'd charge her normal hourly rate and I said she wasn't worth it. The marriage still lasted another 20 yrs - presumably because I'm Italian.

I would offer this counter point - your time is most valuable when it it fully booked. if you’re fully booked to the capacity you want to make available, then the math validates what you’ve said…you’re at maximum capacity and you should even consider raising your prices but, if your time is not fully booked, then the question is a) do you want to make $x/hr or b) do you want to make more money? If you have available time, you make MORE money by discounting unbooked time and making something rather than nothing. It doesn’t cheapen the value of your time, it maximizes your income as long as it doesn’t take you away from something else. Social time is not exhausting like physical activities and can be fun too. I have one provider who charges social time at half the normal rate and it works great for both of us.

As a client, it’s when you are so much of their income that they build their schedule around yours. That’s not healthy for either

Interesting. I have blocked client profiles that repeatedly pinged my own CLIENT profile. But I can’t even fathom how these guys could have found themselves to you unless someone has hacked your profile and contacted them posed as you

When I come across new guys entering the market, I often hear that a friend was making easy money and talked them into it. What’s really happening if they’re flooding supply when - it seems to me - that demand is down. I’m repeating myself - it’s simple economics

The market sets the price - it’s the demands of the buyer and the availability of alternatives that contribute to market equilibrium and not the needs/demands of the seller. All the seller can offer is premium services to achieve premium pricing IF that market is deep enough (no pun intended)

Some of us prefer younger men - me included. The key is to be more mature than your age. Age is only a number and no one believes the posted age anyway. Edited to add: you might consider linking your ad here.

I’ve noticed lower quality for lower price. But “great” is always rare and will always attract and provide more value

It’s all in the tone and inflection. But if the f word precedes, it ain’t a compliment 😅😅

Cost of living doesn’t impact the cost of employment. Cost of employment is a function of the supply of qualified workers in a given market. Given that location matters less and less, it expands the supply which results in lower cost of qualified workers. It has nothing to do with giving a shit or not. If you had a choice of two identical jobs - one for $100k and another for $150k - you’d take the $150k all else equal. similarly, if an employer has a choice of a $100k worker in Dallas or a $150k worker in NYC, they will take the $100k worker - all else equal. Boston is another example. High cost of living and low cost of employment. Why? Workers want to stay there

It’s been said many times - impose an extra tax on the wealthy and the wealthy may leave. Then when the wealthy leave, those who make money off (or with) the wealthy follow the wealthy. Escorts, accountants, lawyers, money managers…etc Plus, technology means that professional service providers don’t need to be in the expensive markets I haven’t been in the sane city as my portfolio manager in 20 yrs, but we communicate no less This is a simple economic principle applied to certain events that are playing out.

I’ve seen him. His ad is accurate

I wouldn’t have dropped one for the other until Thing 1 reacted like he did

“Bless your heart” ain’t no term of endearment darlin’ 😅😉🤣

Thanks to @samhexum, I have an earworm of Moon Unit Zappa singing “Valley Girl”. 🥸🥸🤣😅

Ironically, that situation only scratches the surface to a separate situation that occurred in the last week, but that’s another topic for another thread 🥸

Oh Sam….Sam, Sam, Sam…those are the words of MY youth! 🤣🤣 Welcome to the 80’s

My weekend companion is 42. He knows them all

Me Too!

My weekend encounter in New Orleans was with a long time - younger - friend (our first following a mutual “coming out”) At Oz last night, he said something about “Ohio Skibidi Toilet” and I had to look this one up! Other terms learned in my encounters with 20 somethings this week: - heard = I understand you - word = I agree - dipped = Left Abruptly What are some of the other words/phrases you hear??

A lot has been said here. On either side, families are complications to planning. Some grace is warranted. In the end, it’s more relevant how either party responds to the situation and how that might affect future encounters

Yeah, I had this happen with two Chicago guys several weeks ago. The mistake I made was asking Guy 1 for a blessing to see Guy 2 which he took as asking for permission. He was instantly offended and said he wanted to think about it. After two weeks of silence, I approached Guy 2 directly, explaining the back story. Ultimately Guy 1 gave permission and we planned a weekend trip. During the trip, Guy 2 suggested that Guy 1 was furious with me. So I tried to clear the air reaching out to Guy 1. He replied with the most histrionic, gaslighting, accusing tirade by text that one could imagine. There’s a much longer story here - and I’ve subsequently learned some things about Guy 1 - but it’s a shame - Guy 2 is a prince (and better than Guy 1 in so many levels) But I will not do anything more to come between or create conflict for them. Guy 2 will have to figure out the unhealthy relationship dynamic on his own. But to avoid making issues for him, I’ve been silent since the tirade and moved on and had outstanding encounters with new guys. Ironically, I have reason to believe that Guy 1 moved to poison my well with some other guys - but that’s on him.

I understand. And to be clear, I continually assert that every party in these encounters warrants respect and should be respectable to each other. What you’ve described is an occupational hazard that IMO can be managed but not eliminated.

How? Usually face down and ass up?

Not all ads are clear and articulate. And many are static. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve responded to one - in the manner instructed - only to find out that the provider “really didn’t mean it” or “wasn’t on top of maintaining the ad” So, the criticism cuts both ways. Now, as to calling a potential client an idiot, it might just be better to block them to try and connect dots that make no sense. If they really are an idiot, do you really want to meet?