BeamerBikes

PSB - version of Home and Dry PSB’s version is completely different in both arrangements AND lyrics.

When I go back, I will likely try staying at Island House. If that can’t salvage the island’s reputation, I don’t know what will. I fear Key West may be going Disneyification of the gayborhoods. The conservative bent of Florida is affecting the island. More families, more strollers, no drag queens out and about. No gogo boys spotted. Even the female strippers on Duval were tame compared to years past.

Went down for New Year’s. Stayed at Casa Marina using my last of Hilton Points. It was relaxing, but debauchery fun was fell under the very little and even less of anything eye candy. Didn’t spot any gogo dancers at Bourbon Pub the nights we were out. Mon thru Thurs. Very few gay folks younger than 40s as mentioned earlier - it’s a good number of older GenX/Boomers going down memory lane. I was also very surprised to see the number of families with kids on the island. Stroller invasion of the big city gayborhoods happened on Key West too. It’s not the same island I really felt vacay ideal in 2012. I know time marches on, but it’s likely viewed as retirement home territory as Ben Nichols pointed out at this point. I don’t know if it will swing back. I can’t say I will never go back, but it’s some place I’d bring a bf / fly in a “rent a bf” for a weekend. Pickings for single debauchery will likely be slim unless you are playing in the 40+ age and likely coupled open relationship groups.

I think this forum would appreciate some memory sharing of Pet Shop Boys As a teen, I came out in the 90s. Single Bilingual was probably the first album I devoured. The title track being Single Bilingual became an anthem for what I thought I wanted as a career. Se Vida E music video was always eye candy for me at the bar I worked at in college. Home and Dry became a song I always wished I would have someone playing for me on my international trips. Now most recently, I’m reminded of Rent and the tagline - “I love you, you pay my rent”. Fits a bit with the hobby.

Laying down my marker. Just spent the week in Key West story for another thread. I will often travel with my best friend from college days. We are both 48 y/o, allowed our careers and in my case family obligations to consume our personal lives and affect our health. This past week, I shared with him my hiring habits, need for the little blue pill from time to time to enjoy topping again, the side effects of Testosterone therapy (goodbye the wonderful set of big balls I had in my youth). He was surprised at my hiring streak. He’s also on a weight loss journey and the dry spell that comes with age and weight gain at times. I know I squandered advancing my personal life mid 20s thru 30s on career and family. Then 40s I had my own body remind me time is fleeting. I’m entering my daddy era, I don’t intend to squander any further time. Likewise, I will treat everyone I interact with grace and respect that should come from an experienced man. I’m both more direct in voicing my desires, and more intentional in my gratitude. In amusements, I lookout for classy ways to harmlessly flirt. Favorite one heard from a southern gentleman letting a lady go ahead of him, “I must insist you first. Folks seeing you ahead of me, can only improve my entrance (with a wink)”. When done with discretion and reading the room, still shows the dog may have some grey around the muzzle, but he still has some fight left in him.

Bump?

Hands down, I’d likely hire Benvi again. For as kinky as he gets, just making out with him was a top 2023 moment.

I get a text - “hey, can you send John the video of Big Boy?” Then you have to ask yourself… Are they asking about Big Boy the steam loco, a rescue dog you transported, or a Brazilian? and who is John? Turns it was the Steam loco video, and John is a friend of friend. Code switching - the ability to adjust your conversation/reaction based off current situation. I primarily heard it used in a racial context, but witnessed it when relatives slip out of their northern accent back to southern roots depending on location/company.

I’ll admit I gamble in moderation. Agreed, it’d be better to win one of the smaller jackpots as well because 1) less attention, 2) I’d know this isn’t let’s go blow this all money. I fear with the larger jackpots you might be inclined to start spending stupid, AND not arrest yourself until the money already went below critical mass. As for what I’d do… go on career break, but try to keep my professional creds up to par to look into side work. Hire a personal trainer to force my ass into shape in a reasonable time. Probably buy a boat since I’d have the time to enjoy it.

The first time my Dominican Masseur called me Papi, I did get some goosebumps. but yes @PhileasFogg, I’ll joke about Daddy advice, but I don’t like the Daddy/Boy labels outside of the bedroom as role play. In everyday life, I’d rather two adults mutual respect etc. Power dynamics will still exist between older/younger or provider/clients, but I don’t get off on that being pointed out in public.

Another Chuck-ism from a dearly departed friend. After discovering the swim coach hottie, I fell head over heels for, ended up having a secret husband and I was the side dish…. I asked Chuck for advice. I KNEW better, I had red flags I ignored, but damn he looked great in a speedo and he’s from my town, etc. Chuck faked a bad Irish accent and just laid it out - “Well, laddie it appears you have been taken”. No other magic advice, get over it. Don’t sugar coat and don’t try to salvage it.

Tragic at 31… too young. Motorcycles are unforgiving. it’s a smidge morbid, but wonder how his OF online presence will be managed or terminated now. He went no PPV to spike his residuals thru subscribers.

A gay with no college options joining up because there’s no other options that seem better AND his best friend is there? I know a sailor and coastie, who did just that to get out of their dead end min wage life post high school and they didn’t have a best friend joining with them. So in that, I can believe it. 18yos are sometimes that impulsive and listless.

After having a bf I considered getting serious end up having a secret husband once, I reframed my thoughts on similar subjects. “If you have to tie up a dog to your porch, he ain’t your dog”. I used to think this was about dog needing to stay on property. Over time, I see it as long as the dog stays loyal to you and comes back. It’s your problem to square away if you can’t handle other folks petting your dog. What matters to me - knowing when it counts, the dog is in my corner. A decade plus after the husband in the closet - we still talk and somehow have an odd fellows friendship/lovers relationship. He’s since gone through multiple husbands. I’d probably never marry him tho. I can’t count on him to be in my corner if shit got hard. Same vein as Philleas - no matter how he earns his living, if shit gets hard in your lives, will he cut and run, or stay and fight thru it with you? That’s the only question I see mattering.

Yeah, I’ll usually bare down my wallet to just some essentials, but even an ID and single credit card can be an ID theft’s great start. Credit freeze/lock and keeping strong unique passwords on MFA and your emails will go a long way. Very least, always keep an eye on your card transactions! Lot easier to clean up while it’s small.

I miss being downtown with access to the snooty private bank that pretty much still treats you as customer not a suspect. Out in the suburbs, it did feel unusual ask for acouple grand in hundreds at the Chase branch I visited. Tho now that I look at it, it was over 3k, which at the time was a requirement for the increased reporting. Add to that Treasury Department is now asking banks to report patterns of behavior for cash withdrawals / deposits routinely over 1k. Lowering the Currency Transaction Report threshold from $10k to $1k. I suspect they’re likely to snag both providers and clients. That rule change came out in Aug 2025.

I pulled out acouple grand in hundreds at Chase last year, and the identity verification for a teller transaction seemed to be excessive. Drivers License plus a credit card if I recall correctly. I do need to look into their bank specific ATM and withdrawal limits. If they will dispense 100s directly at the bank ATM, that’s likely a good option. Been too used to the ATMs out in the retail establishments only dispensing $20s

Just feel the need to point this out to folks. RentMen chats are stored on their servers so anything stated there could be subject to leakage should their site get compromised. Additionally, Images uploaded to chat are PUBLICLY accessible without authentication as long as you have the link. This link / image stays active even if you UNSEND the image. Unknown IF or WHEN they purge image files. as a result, if you know the magic link - you can probably still see what I’m working with!

Sorry under the sweats they are way too tight to try to go over them.

I broke out the Meggings (men’s leggings aka compression pants). As much as I like free balling in sweat pants around the house, it’s definitely warmer with these over the sweats. Made a trip outside tolerable when it’s -9F / -23c degrees windchill Example of the Leggings

@Vegas_Millennial I don’t know if the small-time gambler in me would be able to ask for $50s. The old gambler myth that $50s are unlucky and you will never see them in a casino. Of course, I think the other is that they didn’t get a counterfeit redesign for awhile so the Casinos started that myth to keep the risk of accepting bad ones down. $2 bills would make leave mpression on the gogo’s and strippers! And also really annoy the bartenders trying to cash up the singles at the end of the night.

Posing this to the group. From a privacy standpoint, I will always die on the cash in an envelope is the most traceless. However, it’s getting hard to source cash. Banks making it a pain in the ass to withdraw out in larger bills. $20s common in the ATM end up bulking up a wallet. Add into that any extended hours, overnight, weekend rates. Short of paying in gold coins… Has there emerged a preferred payment platform? I’ve used Zelle a bunch. But I know there’s also Venmo, PayPal and CashApp floating around. I know the short answer is the one you both can agree on!

Starting a new thread for folks to post New Years Resolutions. Putting it out into the ether for myself - - Be able to perform 20 good form pull-ups by Year’s end - Finish the professional certification to demonstrate mastery in my technical realm. - Examine potential teaching/consulting opportunities

Yeah, this wouldn’t be considered a fly-in event. IML Memorial Day weekend with the Grabbys would be the better time for a meet up for a wider audience.

Real talk… based on those behaviors… Look into DoxyPep. After that, I’d be more concerned about crabs than STIs. And to put a fine point on it, I’ve NEVER got crabs from a provider, but hookups OMG multiple times before I started this hobby. College aged guys especially seemed to never have their shit together in that regard. That ruined many a weekend, and it’s a pain to thoroughly get rid of.