keefer

ooooooooh, that's a brilliant idea... it'd give me a chance to combine retirement with a hobby that has brought me a lifetime of joy

oh yes.... closely followed by literotica and xhamster: https://xhamster.com/stories/categories/gay-male

I'm two years away from retirement, and hoping to follow in the steps of a friend who retired five years ago. On retirement he volunteered at the British Museum (we live in London)... from clueless volunteer, he slowly built up a lot of knowledge on one of the galleries, added to by specialist classes and lots of time with the experts who work there and after five years regularly leads tours through three galleries. He tells me that the volunteer work provides sufficient structure to his week, around which he fits lots of long lunches, gym, etc....

Completely agree with the above recommendations (communicate before, during and after).... before our first meet, an escort once asked what my top three favorite porn vids were, and which role I saw myself in... still quite memorable first (and many subsequent) meets...

If you like that, you'll love this place : https://www.james-smith.co.uk/ umbrellas and walking sticks.... just umbrellas and walking sticks :-)

Needed to pick up a birthday present yesterday... saw the earlier recommendations of "Santa Maria Novella", and realized I had walked past their shop in London weekly for years without noticing... visited the one in Piccadilly Arcade (near Fortnums)... and it was like stepping back into the 1700's... for those of you in London - it's worth a visit simply for the shop...

*sigh* as a geek who lives 1/3rd the globe away... everyone bragging about how close to SF you are is making me jealous...

I've been to India a number of times with work (Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai); each trip lasting a few weeks or months... each trip was different and often was down to how adventurous I was feeling (or how exhausted I was from work or jet lag)... two suggestions are that if you're concerned about water to request carbonated (fizzy) water instead of normal bottled; and before one of my first trips my pharmacist suggested that bananas are a better choice than imodium (more binding, potassium, etc)...

I LOVE xkcd - thanks for the post

I live quite a distance from my elderly mom (Arizona to London) - she inspired my love of reading and libraries and bookstores from an early age, and she's still a voracious reader... thus I'm a frequent recipient of the random book of the week club... two of the best I've read this year were: Lincoln's last trial - Dan Abrams Fascism, a warning - Madeleine Albright and I'm currently sleeping my way through Sapiens (a brief history of humankind)...

I'm introverted and shy, so when an escort asks what I'd like to do, I fail to articulate what I'd really like to do... and it's normally only the third or fourth visit before a fun pattern emerges... After a session last week we were drinking wine and I asked -- how do other clients ask? And he laughed - saying more often than not it becomes a "... what do you want to do..." conversation back and forth... I naively asked - given that my imagination far outstrips reality, I'm surprised you never asked me about my favorite porn (of the moment)... and have you ever asked a new client what three or four scenes they really enjoy (and who they see themselves as being in the scene)... dead silence, immediately followed with "... that's brilliant..."... When meeting an escort for the first time... how do you broach the subject of what you'd like to do (without just vague top/bottom/versatile)... And when meeting a client for the first time... is there any tricks you use to find out before hand what they are really into - to turn a meet into an extraordinary meet???

Similar to @rvwnsd, I have cards I've kept forever -- one early '80s (Houston), the second late 90's (London). Both cards are elegant in their simplicity - the earlier one had Roberts' name, the later one Mario's gaydar name. Many many many years later they invoke memories of many encounters. I suspect I fall into the demographic you describe, older guy, potential client, not in gay setting... If, like the cards I kept, your card simply had your name (Mocha). Simple, elegant, no explanation or adornment. If we talked long enough for you to feel comfortable giving me the card, I suspect you'd have dropped enough hints or website names into the conversation and judged my reaction/understanding. I'd certainly remember that the card (Mocha) equated to RentMen (or Backpage, or whatever other sites are in your area or will occur in the future)... and have the means to find you online. And if you felt comfortable enough to give them (or me) your number, there's something quite elegant and intimate about letting the other person write it... ignoring the fact that it gives you plausible deniability ;-).

I've had gym membership since the early '90s, with a focus on weight loss/control and general fitness... I loved step classes ('90s, Houston and Boulder), and spin (London)... I briefly had a personal trainer, who managed to get me down to a 32" waist... but he moved on, and before I renewed membership I fell off the wagon.... Between bereavement, job changes, marriage, and life... I haven't been to the gym since 2014. I could blame all this on abduction by the pasta fairies... having been an AIDs buddy, I understand the depression/bereavement, know I'm now through it and looking to get back on track. For a few months I've been thinking about restarting gym, but I'm a geek and overthink things... I have pick of a number of gyms around Canary Wharf (London), including one in the office... but the thought of being naked around co-workers fills me with dread. But even worse is the low-carb diet the husband put me on... Have you been through similar, or dropped out of the gym habit for a long period? Any advice/recommendations for getting back into the gym and motivation to stick with it? Is time-travel a viable option? thanks

If you google: "private diary software" - there are a number of suggestions. I found this article interesting... https://lifehacker.com/5975750/how-can-i-keep-a-personal-private-journal-online

@Benjamin_Nicholas, I'd be honored if you played my part in the Netflix series... though for accuracy we either need to introduce you to Pasta or I need to go to the gym for a couple of years.... ;-)

First, THANK YOU! I've read and re-read everyone's comments a number of times, slowly realizing that most of the questions I left unasked were just anxiety about being clean and relaxed enough to enjoy ... As for the advice - @oldNbusted handled the majority of questions with one link (and thank you for that). Reading @MassageDrew and @NuSingle reminded me that the rare bottom experiences I had, remember and fantasize about, started with (copious alcohol and poppers, and...) me on my back or spooning. @NuSingle, thanks for the comment about poppers. I came out in New York and Houston in the late 70's, poppers were integral to my coming out experience. A number of brands available in London are still quite good. I also realized that the phrase "size inappropriate" left too much to the imagination... The escort I'm hoping to start with next week advertises as 8 inches, and it was looking at his advert that prompted my question. There is a guy in Paris I sometimes fantasize about who is 9 inches, but I think of him as a very advanced classes best left for the future. finally, THANK YOU - I'm very much looking forward to next week.

Not sure if this is the correct forum, but could someone point me towards existing threads about learning to bottom? I'm a client, rent every few weeks, and have always seen myself as top or top/versatile... but the past few months find myself quite attracted to top and top/versatile escorts. I've not yet followed through, but find myself checking out a number of escorts who are size inappropriate for my extreme lack of experience... Is there a position that's easier than others... or is this all personal choice and patience and breathing (and lots of lube)? Live in London if you have any recommendations...