Wings246

Then what's the point of posting some "desirable" pics, locking them, and with little to zero intention on unlocking them for potential real clients? Are they just thirst traps to begin with? And what's the definition of "a real client"? Is someone who is willing to book and/or pay a deposit a real deal? Scammers can fake book appointments, get the pics, and then cancel at the last second. Just the thought of that game is exhausting. Which came first: the chicken or the egg?

Do you have any rough idea about the rates that you'll be comfortable with (for texting / chatting / video gaming, etc.)? And will the rates vary based on the locations of the providers? What you are asking for, in a strange way, is analogous to work-from-home arrangements. We all know people who WFH receive less compensations than those who have to work at the office (just like in-call and out-call rates are different). It is then determined by geographical and other cost-of-living factors. I think setting up an agreeable rate and acceptable parameters for the interactions may be challenging.

So at the end, he is not worth an extra $50 to $100, which makes me wonder: is he that over-the-top delicious as you described in the first place?

I can care less if it's real. The story is undoubtedly captivating. People's opinions, perspectives, and advices on the issue (hypothetical or authentic) are the meat of the matter.

$700 can barely cover the average cost of a Michelin-starred dinner for 2 in today's world. A full weekend for $700 was a great bargain indeed.

Such false advertising is plainly evil and stupid; it borders on a scam. Why would you list sushi on a McDonald’s menu? The providers oftentimes talk about time-wasters. I suppose the term is not exclusive to one side of the provider-client equation.

I cannot agree more and you are not alone, for I share the same mental blocks. This psychological & moral courtesy is deeply implanted in our brains since childhood. It’s extremely difficult to reverse and erase decades of gaslighting. For me, it applies more broadly to everyone (even to my sworn enemies and people I hate — can you believe that?). It wasn’t until recent years — after I got older — that I can finally begin to shake some of it off. Sometimes, I just feel that I can’t constantly give a shit to everyone and everything. I need to learn to prioritize myself first. I am not saying we should be rude or unkind to others, but verbalizing and demanding what we want (and justifiably so) shouldn’t be such an obstacle.

Judging from the responses here so far, you can already tell individual preferences vary greatly. Preferences change even with the same individual, depending on contexts and circumstances. I guess there is no way to know for sure unless you ask your clients directly (after the session, for instance). Then you can keep a contact vs no-contact client list for future reference.

I may be digressing. This discussion highlights the hypocrisy of the US (and many other) government. On the one hand, this line of work is not recognized / legalized / legitimized, but on the other hand, the monetary transactions involved are scrutinized and penalized if not reported according to the rule book. Purely ridiculous.

I absolutely agree there are inherent risks with this interpretation / approach because the government can care less about how anyone interprets the law; it has the final say in everything. However, it sounds like the OP is only looking to do it as a side gig. I cannot help but compare it to the people I know and “employ” in different capacities. I pay my gardener cash for yard work. I pay my barber cash (who is my neighbor and she transforms part of her garage into a salon) for haircut. I pay my car mechanic friend cash for auto maintenance. They all have regular jobs & incomes and receive cash from me for these “side gigs” / services they provide me. Although I have never asked, I presume they don’t report (or at least under report) my cash payments. Practically speaking, we are the only people on this planet who know the transactions happen. Unless I snitch on them (and I have zero incentive or reason to), I don’t see how anyone or the IRS can find out. Then we’ll come to this age-old debate: when dating someone, you inevitably have to spend money on your BF/GF, especially in a financially lopsided relationship. Why is this monetary transaction not taxable then? Some may even go as far as arguing that sex between a BF/GF is also indirectly and intrinsically monetized. It entirely depends on how you define money and value. I know this is a drastic and twisted view, but it seems like love/affection/commitment will turn the monetary transactions into tax-exempt earnings.

Parking situation can indeed be a major obstacle to the hiring process, although I still find it a bit hilarious to list it as an amenity. If you think about it from a different angle, most hotels classify free parking as an amenity and free/subsidized parking is a huge bonus to rental facilities.

I don't think it's just this place. It's everywhere. High school never ends, remember? Back to the main topic: please forgive my ignorance, but what are the official definitions of work and reportable income (per the US government and IRS, for example)? If someone "innocently" claims that the monetary exchanges are "gifts" from one individual to another, will that constitute a legal mandate for the amounts to be filed on a tax return? If the transactions are all conducted via cash (with no evidence or paper trail), how can anyone prove that it is work (assuming no sting operations are involved)? Is it stupid and dangerous to not report the earnings on a tax return if you don't care about Social Security benefits? Again, I can be very dumb and naive to not see the potential risks associated with this alternative/arbitrary definition of work and what some may regard as tax evasion.

I can totally relate as I share the same sentiments. The self-consciousness emerges from time to time. To overcome the corrosive thoughts, I’ll convince myself that they are actors performing a script that is written and directed by me. I’m also the protagonist of that storyline. Being the audience and participant of the screenplay simultaneously, I can let go of my insecurities and indulge myself in the fantasy more easily.

I may be in the minority here. Perhaps I am just lucky, but the providers I have met all look better in person. I even tell some of them that “you don’t look your age” and “you should update your photos to reflect reality.” They look much younger than their reported ages on their RM profiles even though I am fully aware of the prevalence of age shaving on that platform.

Basic human decency, like common sense, is no longer common in our world, unfortunately.

I seriously believe @Simon Suraci should consider becoming a standup comic. I almost pee my pants from laughing too hard...... 🤣

Now, that is a storyline I'd be very interested in watching. Plots need to be morally ambiguous to reflect the true nature of human beings. Unfortunately, in our politically correct world, stories must be either black or white; no gray area is tolerated. The writer is forcing & lecturing us to accept the morally correct choice as the gold standard. In this case, the baby must be saved at all costs even though such a decision is ridiculously irrational. That's where the story feels like a contrived and trite idea to me. Oh well, it's only a TV show after all. It has to appeal to and appease the majority of the general public. Anything too drastic will get criticized and then cancelled nowadays. So we have to settle for mediocrity.

Spoiler alert: stop reading if you haven't finished the whole series or if you are planning to start. The whole series is just mediocre (at best) to me. It is entertaining mostly, but the basic premise of the show is not novel: people desperate for $$$ are tested to sell their bodies, minds, and souls (and ultimately kill others for it). The Hunger Games, Battle Royale, and countless other TV shows and movies share similar principles. In a way, it's reflective of reality: how many people are slaving over jobs they despise every day just to earn a paycheck and health insurance/benefit in order to survive? The show only dramatizes the concept to the extreme. Overall, it's not gory, brutal, or outrageous enough. Specifically, the ending where the protagonist sacrifices himself to save someone else's baby (who he just knows for under 6 days) is way too far-fetched, illogical, and formulaic to me. I hate it when the writer tries to force-feed moral and ethical standards to the audience and this show does EXACTLY that. I knew the show would end in the most cliche way the moment a pregnant girl was on screen. Then, the show was over the moment the baby was born. I cannot agree more. I can care less about the subplots with the North Korean girl as well. Basically, I am sticking around to watch the actual games and how the contestants are tortured to death. I have never been a fan of K drama. I find the K actors/actresses typically over-act and exaggerate their emotions and expressions. Subtlety is lacking. Even that Cate Blanchett cameo doesn't intrigue me too much. Will I watch an American version if it is made? Probably. Will I have high expectations? Probably not. All in all, it is not time wasted. There are indeed brilliant and exciting moments. But I still feel like the entire series is overhyped and overrated.

And just yesterday, one of the co-creators of the show, the original video game developer, quit before S3 production -- surprise, surprise, surprise! I bet he gets too many hate mails and death threats from the video game community??? Now, everything rests on Craig Mazin. It is a shame because I LOVE his Chernobyl.

S1 = 9 episodes; S2 = 7 episodes

I'd say this is a plausible generalization but a rather dangerous and limiting assumption. I, for one, am not attracted to people of my own race and cultural background. I even half-jokingly tell my friends that I "discriminate" against my own kind because I am bored by and tired of things & people that I am familiar and comfortable with day in and day out. I want new flavors and territories to add excitement and different experiences to my stagnant life. Being gay is already not "fitting in" in the grand scheme of things. So why should we force something that doesn't fit to fit? I know in the perfect world, we want everything to fit flawlessly. Things are already too difficult as is. If I can find someone who fits me, I can care less if he fits in with my family/friends. You may be looking a little bit too far ahead.

Even if he gives you his "real" name, how can you verify that it's indeed real unless he shows you his official government-issued documents? Still, how can you rule out the possibility of a fake ID? I'm just pushing cynicism to the extreme here.

Everyone’s healthcare coverage & arrangements are different. I can only speak about my experience. I have HMO so the PCP and lab visits are integrated. My PCP is allowed to place an unlimited amount of standard HIV, PrEP, and STI lab tests in advance. That was exactly what he did for me. He entered 9999 (the maximum number permitted) in the “quantity” boxes of all these lab tests. Hence, they become perpetual standing orders on my medical record. There is no need for me to contact my PCP. I just go to the lab to get everything done in 1 visit (and as frequently as I wish). Now, if your PCP and lab belong to separate healthcare entities, then I am not sure if your PCP can pre-order indefinite lab tests. You may have to contact the PCP’s office ahead of time each and every time. That really is a hassle.

That's the primary problem with developing a TV show from a video game. Storylines in video games are the ornaments; the gameplay itself is the Christmas tree. While the story is important and keeps the players invested, ultimately, the actions (killing, shooting, hunting, escaping, etc.) are the centerpieces of the game. So, logically, the storylines need to provide justifications for the actions. Violence and vengeance offer the perfect reasons for killing, shooting, hunting, and escaping when the gamers are playing from the main characters' perspectives. For those who don't know, you play as Joel in Part 1 of the game and you play as Ellie and Abby in Part 2 of the game. So in a sense, you can see and understand each character's viewpoint in doing what they have to do. In other words, as a gamer, you immerse yourself in their experiences. Now, the fact that the writers and producers are so gung ho about being faithful to the entire plot of the game is brewing trouble. As a TV viewer, you cannot indulge in the first-person experience as a gamer (as described above). You are a third-person observer of the events. There is a sense of detachment and the intensity of the emotional response is much diminished. I feel the writers and producers are having a tough time reconciling the distinction. I suppose the whole TV series will continue to spiral down unless they can find some magical ways to salvage what's left.

I cannot agree more. Too bad I don't live in his area......