mike carey

Damn, I'm a redhead (or was) so no salt and pepper here. Or at least no pepper.

Am I running late? [MEDIA=twitter]1162498376547651585[/MEDIA]

Sorry, I didn't mean to limit you, I just thought you were not for travelling that much! I sort of thought you might explore a place down under, but not necessarily the land down under. Hehe.

Translation: Be in NYC and call Dom.

I guess they couldn't call it 'nickel and dime', that would have a whole different meaning.

Translation: If only women knew their place and didn't try to get into the workforce, that's where men belong. Leaving aside all the reasons related to the health of mothers and their children (and there are many), providing paid maternal leave usually makes business sense (perhaps not for minimum wage insecure jobs, and some small companies). Trained employees are an asset to companies, and maternal leave helps them retain that expertise, and knowing that it will be available makes female employees more confident in their place in the company. Companies that provide leave are more attractive to prospective female employees, helping them attract good staff. Even when it is not legally mandated, many big companies do provide generous maternal leave: it's a business decision, not an altruistic one. It may come as a surprise, but some companies do provide nurseries on site, they make it easier for women to return to work. In many countries governments fund maternal leave, although some mandate it as an employment condition. In Australia the government funds 18 weeks at the minimum wage, but when that was introduced, many big companies already offered 12 weeks at full pay, and most have maintained that. Some countries also fund paternal leave, as that makes it easier for families to manage the early years of childhood. Some allow couples to choose whether the father or mother takes much of the leave, some in Scandinavia allow some leave that is only available to new fathers.

My apologies, I should have posted this last night. Some people may, unkindly, see reasons why I might continue to watch this series.

I doubt that I could!

Say what?

New series just started tonight on ABC TV in Australia. It looks promising, and is exactly what it says on the packet. It's based on a blog that was written three or four years ago. https://diaryofanuberdriver.com/ From his writing he was obviously a smart guy and in the 2016 election campaign the ABC put cameras in the Uber and had the real driver (not the character in this show) talk about politics to use as a vox pop. They then had him on their news panel show to talk about it. The show is on the ABC's catch-up service now but I'm sure it will come up on some of the international streaming services.

@BSR, Spar is a convenience store brand here and I wondered if it was also present in Mass. Turns out not, but the Dutch company is present in a large number of countries. Without the stores being a thing in New England the odds are this is not where this Boston quirk is derived from them.

But aren't those clients the more undesirable ones?

In my early days on Gaydar, I remember one guy who said, 'I only top in hook-ups but I'm totally vers in a relationship'. I think that provides a clue. My take is that these guys' rule is that they are prepared to engage only in safer sex when they are being hired. They are not talking about what they may do in their private lives or what they may do or have done on film (so don't assume that they are). It's a pick list on a form, not a detailed discussion of what safer sex means and what they will agree to do in any circumstance. We read our own interpretation into their responses at our peril. In addition, there is always the possibility that what they put in their ad is a starting point rather than a final position.

The circle closes, sometimes sooner, sometimes later.

That's pretty much universal. And BTW it's often claimed to be a naval, or Crimean War reference. (I originally wrote here that it was but on checking....) https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/cold-enough-to-freeze-the-balls-off-a-brass-monkey.html

To some extent I was rationalising, and the evidence of the RM ad overcame any concerns I might have had. I met him in DC in 2016 (not a 'meeting') and I wasn't sure about the face pic either. I'm fairly sure there will be some forum members who will check this year's Zachary and report back.

I'm guessing that it is him. It's not a new profile, but one that was opened in 2015 and there are reviews from early on that refer to him by name. Perhaps he will come into the forum and chat.

I watched one of the earlier seasons of Last Tango in Halifax when it was on TV here and loved it for all the reasons you cite. I think I need to binge watch all the available episodes.

Not the usual sort of pic in this thread, but my town this Saturday morning (first fall for 20 years).

I can remember using the expression 'just like a bought one' as if a commercial product was better than a home made one. Here roads are usually referred to by a name (with a 'the'), even when they have a number. The major motorways in Sydney are usually referred to as the M4, M5, M7 and so on, and now that major roads in NSW have been given M, A and B road numbers some of them are referred to by their number. Near the Queensland border what had been the Pacific Highway (Highway 1), but has now been upgraded to motorway standard (dual carriage way, limited access) is now mentioned in traffic reports as the M1 Pacific Motorway. In the UK roads are routinely referred to by their letter and number designator, so the main road north from London is 'the A1'.

I love it when people don't realise what certain things mean in social media. [MEDIA=twitter]1159773618664087552[/MEDIA]

The vagueries of the postal systems in our two countries mean that my contribution is still in transit. Whether I would wish to 'bump' with Mr Nicholas is a separate question.

Another parrot behaving badly. [MEDIA=twitter]1159057021745807360[/MEDIA]

My observation (not claiming I have read it correctly) is that if an escort sets up the 'Available in the next 6 hours' that you see in the Buddy Activities tab, his profile will show 'Available Now' for those six hours then switch it off automatically. I doubt that there is a uniform view from escorts as to what 'Available Now' means in detail, but I would expect that at least they would be open to discussing an appointment in that time window. Whether they would be ready to walk out the door, or for you to walk in within 10 minutes is a separate question. Communication is key.

I was talking about Ben Kieran, but it could just as easily have been @Benjamin_Nicholas!