TruthBTold

You got rimming all wrong. But apart from that, is it safer to eat sperm, spit, piss? What do you suggest? Sterilized abstence?

I have found Italians to be the cleanest in that department - thank god for the prevalence of bidets in that country.   Just my experience.  Even hairy guys that I've hooked up with, who I thought might be questionable in terms of ass hygiene have surprised me in a good and exciting way. 

This is why I almost never rim a guy - provider or general hook up. Men do not know how to wash their asses. Ask your married girlfriends-their husbands' underwear is skidmark city. 
That said, if someone is engaged in sex work, there's really no excuse not to be clean. There are YouTube tutorials and countless articles and books on how to douce or even just wash your asshole well. 

Separate and apart from specific preparation for scheduled action, I hear at times that some guys don't know how to properly clean themselves.  Apparently, they don't realize that they have to spread those cheeks and open up that a-hole under the shower for a thorough cleansing.  Just running the ass cheeks under the shower is not gonna do it.  Then of course, if the guy showered and took a shit afterwards, no wipes will clean as well as getting that a-hole under the shower.  Not passing the "sniff test" is a definite turnoff.  

They are not being very polite showing up unclean, especially if there has been conversation about expectations of work performed in that area. I think that in a good tone you can state that you did no feel comfortable with the smell when he dropped his pants. It's not ideal and I can see that being a mood killer, but letting him know it's best for both and in the long run.

A provider I became friends with gave me access to his Chase bank account to help him get his finances in order.  He kept complaining how much he had to work to pay for his lifestyle.  I was floored to see he made in excess of $1 million and spent even more.  He used his debit card for all his expenses so it was easy for me to download all the data and summarize it for him to understand what he was spending his money on.  He spending was bonkers.  I told him as much.  He's very good friends with the porn star Filou Fitt.  Even shared me a pic of his passport (Filou is not his real name LOL), a video with him driving around with Filou in one of his 2 Ferraris and having dinner with Filou and his girlfriend.  Filou is constantly telling him to get into porn and start an OF to make money.  But the stories Filou has shared with him about what he needs to do to constantly film new content makes him a firm no.  Instead of investing the million he made in to real estate, he spent it to present a high roller lifestyle that isn't sustainable.  I advised to move to a cheaper high-rise in Miami and start cutting the stuff he was wasting his money on and not using.  Expensive lease on Porsche, fancy clubs, gym memberships he wasn't using cuz he was traveling around the world so much, fly economy with exit row seats, etc.  You can lead the horse to water, but you can't make it drink. 

If you have escorted before you probably know most of this stuff:
 
Guys who make that sort of money work their tails off. Lots of things that successful guys have to do on a regular basis may seem mundane, tedious, and unnecessary to the provider. These things often do not immediately pay off, and they take up a lot of your time. Some of these might be:
1. Polite and timely communication with a client or potential client. Do you respond to texts or emails in a timely manner, and with courtesy and friendliness, regardless of how the client may be communicating with you?
2. Being the highest priced guy in your market. Every time I see an ad with the phrase (and similar) "Upscale clients only," it makes me cringe.
3. Advertise. A lot. Get your name, FACE, and best characteristics on as many platforms you can find.
3.  Get used to the fact that you are going to be criticized; often times unjustly. You are providing a fantasy experience. No matter how hard you try, there will be some who will take potshots against you because the experience did not meet the clients expectation of the fantasy. 
4.  Clients will cancel on you. A lot. Clients will schedule a time and then back out. There are a hundred reasons why a client might cancel. Ran out of money; got too nervous to go through with the appointment; something came up; client decided he really wasn't up for a session at the last minute. And on and  on.
Much of this you probably already know. In answer to your actual question, "what might a reasonably successful independent provider realistically expect to net per year in the current environment? If you work all the time and dedicate yourself to (within reason) the old saying "The customer is always right," an income of high five figures or low six figure income is not totally out of the question. Unfortunately:
1.  The economy is a mess right now. Many clients are hiring less frequently  than they used to. Which for many of us creates fewer discretionary dollars.
2.  You are older now than you used to be. Experience is a great thing to have. I bet you're heavenly in bed. But many guys prefer than young dude, who, in my experience, often disappoints in the sack due to the lack of said experience. 
3.  If you will travel for work your expenses wiil eat you alive. Hard to believe how expensive everything is now.
4. Broadly and generally speaking, people are pissed off these days. Lots of reasons why; we all know them. I think it's harder now than it was ten years ago to create the fantasy potential clients are looking for. 
Anyway these are the things which popped into my brain then out onto this page at the beginning of another lovely day in Dallas. I'm sure other clients, wiser and more experienced than am I, can give you better feedback. But the subject was interesting. Thanks for posing the question and Good Luck.

And you were right!

And you were right!

So it looks like they just hired Laura Dern and Jennifer Tilly. I find both actresses talented and interesting, so maybe this is turning into a positive.