Vegas_Millennial

California will begin teaching cursive as a mandate next year!

It's now Christmas Eve, and I want to be the first to wish my fellow forum members a Merry Christmas 🎄!

This week I'm on holiday in Palm Springs. Today I reached out to a known provider (known to me), and inquired about his availability around Christmas. He said he was busy, but we set something up for later in the week. I then contacted two unknown (to me) providers and booked one for Christmas Eve Day and one for Christmas Day. I am on holiday alone, so it's nice to look forward to human touch each day via a massage, before heading to the bars and socializing. Merry Christmas 🎄 to everyone!

I am on holiday in Palm Springs this week. The restaurants and bars are over 3/4 empty, even on a Friday/Saturday night. I noticed the affordable rates for massages, so today I set up one massage for almost every day this trip.

My co-worker, friends, and regular providers know to only wish me a "happy Holiday" when I'm leaving for travel, or as they say across the pond, "going on vacation". No gifts are exchanged until I come back from holiday 😊 (meaning, I bring them a gift from my holiday abroad).

That happened to me this year, for the first time, one of my regulars gave me a gift when we met earlier this month. I usually give a cash gift to a couple of regulars I've seen on a long term basis. Last year one of my new masseurs (now a regular masseur) gave me a scented candle 🕯️ for Christmas. It was totally unexpected, but very much appreciated. This year, a provider gave me a free session last night as a Christmas gift. It's nice when it works both ways. 😊 As I get older, I look back and remember the unexpected Christmas gifts the most. 🌲

Amen. The best gift I can ever receive is to be in an escort's presence!

Only if they applied for a building permit 😊

In many cultures, gifts or tips are interpreted as insulting. So it's important to know if the recipient participates in Western cultural Christmas time norms.

I edited my post to emphasize the secular traditions of the National Holiday referenced in the subject title. I do the same with other legal holidays. If I'm hosting an Independence Day pool party and fireworks celebration, I'll first say "Happy Independence Day". If they respond with a generic "Happy Holiday" or "I don't celebrate American Independence", then I won't invite them to my celebration. If they counter with Happy Canada Day, then I'll wish them Happy Canada Day and invite them to my Independence Day party and would ask them if they had any plans to celebrate Canada Day. I would gladly go to a Canada Day event if they asked me. How silly it would be for an American and Canadian to wish each other "Happy Holiday" for two separate holidays that occur at a similar time of the year. Likewise, it is silly to diminish the importance Hanukkah by lumping it together with Christmas in a generic Happy Holiday. Back to the topic of Christmas gifts, I have a few regular providers that I send Christmas cards to, and one that I send Christmas gifts to. The cards and gifts are on par with those I give to my close friends with whom I am not regularly sexually involved.

After I wish an acquaintance Merry Christmas, I pay attention to see if he responds with Merry Christmas 🎄 or Happy Holidays 🎉. If he says Merry Christmas 🎄, then I will give him a Christmas gift 🎁. If he says Happy Holidays 🎉, then I know he doesn't appreciate or expect the traditions associated with this National Holiday. If, for example, he brings up Hanukkah, then I would consider giving him a Hanukkah gift.

I think it's because a fishpond is not considered a "structure". I was using the title of the thread which says "structure" In Nevada, we have American Indian paintings, caves, and ditches that pre-date the A.D. 1855 Old Mormon Fort, but they aren't considered structures.

I like having sex with Christmas 🌲 music playing in the background 🎵🎶

I'm approaching a mid-40s retirement. I plan to circle the globe on a cruise in my 1st year of retirement, then live a few months in a big city apartment near a subway station (I've only experienced suburbs my entire life). Having that very specific goal has kept me focused (I've had that goal since 2015). I'm leaning towards moving to Florida for winters when I retire, because I look forward to my annual Ft Lauderdale trips more than any other. I plan to work seasonal summer jobs with youth, because that brings me joy (camp counselor, etc.). I plan to work with theater somehow, perhaps on the board of a non-profit local theater, etc., because theater also brings me joy What helped me the most was to picture people I know who are already in retirement (my parents, and friends I worked with), and decide what I want to do differently or the same as they did.

I don't think marriage is the "solution" to child abuse. I have knowledge of 2 married fathers in my social group who abused their own daughters, and I served on a jurry for a married father accused of sexual abusing his daughter as well. None of them were Catholic (trying to keep this relevant to the topic). I am gay and single. The ability to marry or not to marry does not affect my decision/desire to not molest children. Getting married won't change that. I applaud the decision of the church. It's a step in the right direction. If it helps its members love their neighbors, then I'm for it.

Thank goodness our entitled attitudes of "don't offend me with art" didn't exist in Brazil when their major tourist landmark was constructed. Be careful about asking a government to stop its construction by private enterprise on private land. For if that government succeeds, then there should be nothing to stop it from preventing the display of giant rainbow flags on private property either. Be careful what you ask for, for you just might get it. I appreciate that most posters here realize this is a non-issue.

Enough commentary on his political affiliation! 😆 (It's a joke... Donkeys and Elephants. It's not meant to be a political endorsement or discussion of politics).

Yes 💯, when I know I'm going to spend a day with difficult extended family, I will treat myself to an Escort the morning of Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. Some of my most memorable lays have been on Christmas mornings. If an escort says he is not available that morning, I move on and find someone who is. I even had an escort reach out to me the following year to ask I wanted to book again for the morning of that holiday. So obviously there are some ready and willing to meet on Christmas.

Although not my state (see earlier post for Nevada), I visited the oldest man-made structure in Hawaii. Built in 1821, Ka Hale Lā‘au was built by the Christian missionaries and is located in downtown Honolulu.

But, likely not associated with a five star general and a two term president Independence Hall comes to mind. Constructed in A.D. 1753, it is where General Washington addressed Congress (before he became a two term President). It's still not the oldest man-made structure in Pennsylvania; but, at least it's older than all of the members of this website 😁

The Eisenhower home in a Gettysburg was constructed in A.D. 1955. I believe there may be a few other man made structures in Pennsylvania that are a few years older. 😊

You bring up a good point. Maybe the increase in social ills across cities and suburbs is due, in part, to decline in church attendance. It might be that church used to provide inspiration and hope that people needed and no longer get, and then end up suffering to addiction to soothe their feelings of despair. Or it might be that churches have fewer resources to provide help to the needy because their membership has shrunk. Either way, it is an astute observation that we oughtn't rely solely on taxes and laws to address the ills of society.

I prefer 2 axles myself. Any more than that and you might not be allowed to use Florida's High Occupancy Vehicle lanes.

Not charging sounds like an ethical decision and good customer service from the provider, given the situation. Kudos to him. I had a similar situation once with a provider who could not perform. He also offered to not charge me. I gave him some money right then and there for cab fare. While I wouldn't hire that man again for me, I admire his business practice of not charging for a less than stellar experience. A good lesson to learn from this is that with some forms of communication, less is best. Especially don't send text messages when there is any negative or serious issues to discuss, as they can be blown out of proportion. If I had wanted to see him again, I would have waited a day to let the negative feelings from the encounter cool off, and then text him to schedule the next appointment. If I had no intent of scheduling with him again, I would just let it go and stop communication.

You might get better responses if you include the masseur's name and location in the subject.