Wings246

This situation is a mirror image of the age shaving "phenomenon," except that one is inflated whereas the other is deflated.

What is the definition of average-sized though? Is it based on sociological statistics or is it a personalized standard?

On my Windows / desktop computer, I have to click on the video, then blow it up to full-screen mode (upper right hand corner button), then the volume button is on the lower left hand corner. Yes, it is defaulted to mute, so you have to unmute it first. I guess the setup is different, depending on which browser / OS you're using.

I totally agree. The finale, as well as the entire series, is decent. It is a bit too "positive" and politically correct for my taste though. There are too many heart-warming and feel-good closures, so much so that I don't even know how the writer can continue with a season 2. Did I miss something? Are there any cliffhangers or loose ends? Regardless, I'll probably watch S2 when it's released, which will likely be in 2026 or 2027. Like I said previously, despite my encouragements, many of my friends drop off after the first few episodes, all complaining that the story is too slow and too quiet. Nowadays, viewers need to be sucked in right from the get-go; otherwise, they'll move on to other options since there are so, so, so many alternatives on the streaming market. I hope S2 won't repeat the same pitfalls. I'll give the series a B/B+ rating overall.

I am fully aware that my I-don’t-know response is childish, unproductive, and toxic. Thank you to @purplekow, @Simon Suraci, and @jackcali for your suggestions. I will keep them in mind and be a more responsible person in the future. Ironically though, it seems like all of the providers that I have met understand me way better than I understand myself. They can deliver & perform miraculously without any explicit directions from me. Regardless, I do see why I need to be more vocal. Some of the ideas in this thread, albeit wild, are rather tantalizing.

Absolutely! I may be old-school, but that initial reply builds the foundation of first impression. You probably won't be rude to the hiring manager or recruiter who contacts you to set up an appointment for a job interview, or will you?

I'm still at the "infant/toddler" stage of this hobby. So I am currently at that early phase described by @purplekow and @soloyo215 above. More than once, the providers would ask me, "What do you want to do?" 10 times out of 10, my response was, "I don't know," which would be followed by a 5-second deadly awkward silence from both parties. Then, I would say, "Why don't you just do what you normally do or what you think I would want to do?" I know this is really stupid on my part, but I genuinely do not know what I want. I just hope I can evolve faster.

I'll have to agree that was quite a bonkers scene.

From a provider’s perspective, listing “daddy” as his “into” is a smart marketing strategy because it can easily be assumed that most clients are middle-aged to advance-aged (therefore, daddies). So he’s preaching to the right audience by saying that he’s interested in the right targets. Plus, common logic dictates that daddies usually fall into the “wealthier” category. Whether or not wealthier people are more generous is never a guarantee, but I bet it doesn’t hurt to appeal to those who tend to have more $$$. From a client’s perspective (I can only speak for myself), I do have a penchant for daddies as well — daddies not necessarily in terms of age, but mental and emotional maturity. I have always been drawn to boys/men who are slightly older than me ever since I was a child. Although some may consider me a daddy (age-wise), I crave for that feeling of security and protection — that I can let go of everything, drop the pretense and façade, unleash my inner child, and depend on that other person to take care of me, if just for a few moments in my life. Contrary to common (mis)assumptions, I don’t have daddy issues. In fact, my late father was a very loving, caring figure who had never been absent from my life. Thus, Freudian theories probably won’t be able to explain my personal desires.

"Which is the best AHS season?" is an eternal debate. I feel it's a matter of taste. To me, the earlier seasons are most memorable. My favorite is season 2 (asylum), followed closely by season 1 (murder house) and then season 8 (apocalypse). I like the OG actors/actresses.

The quality of the series, as well as my interest in it, has drastically declined after Apocalypse largely because the storytelling has become super sloppy and the actors/actresses have been quite disappointing. Now, with the return of almost all of the OG core players of the show, along with the recurring witchcraft / murder house / Antichrist themes, my hope is somewhat reignited for S13. If anything, I wish this will be the last season and please just wrap everything up nicely and end the series with a bang. A note regarding Ariana Grande: she is certainly an unexpected addition to the show. Can it possibly be another witch role after G(a)linda? Is there a typecasting trend here?

@ThrowawayAccount: your encounter deserves sympathy and empathy. Just out of curiosity though, what were your expectations from that meeting? Did you communicate those expectations with him beforehand? A picture is worth a thousand words. His pictures seem to be in alignment with his RM profile descriptions, which were more or less reflective of your experience. Unfortunately, this book can be judged by its cover. I hope you will recover from this horrendous experience soon.

I can't agree more with all those who express hatred/disgust/annoyance towards phone (voice) calls. It's intrusive to say the least. Phone/Voice call is like showing up at someone's home, ringing the doorbell without prior notice. It demands the receiver's immediately attention. In a way, the caller violently forces the receiver to drop everything he's doing and re-prioritize his daily tasks. It's not any different from cutting in line in a grocery store. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule (e.g. a true emergency such as 911). Otherwise, as others have pointed out already, isn't it more polite to send a text to make a phone/voice call appointment in advance?

Wow??? 15 minutes?????? You are exceedingly generous. That's a quarter of your hourly work. I'm not sure what your rate is, but I assume -- based on typical NYC rates -- it will come close to $100, right? I just don't quite understand why people have zero respect for the concept of opportunity cost. Didn't we all learn that in elementary school?

Given the context of the interaction, this safe word may not be too safe. There are plenty of opportunities to (mis)construe it as an invitation rather than a cease and desist. After all, it consists of ”top,” ”pit,” ”ass,” and ”hole” -- if you know what I mean. 🤭