SirBillybob

The one-off single entry to the Activ Fitness chain gyms is 29 francs. There is a really nice one at Bellevue station, a major tram junction, with a panoramic view of the top of the lake from the training room. I will complete my Paragonya review following this weekend as I attended last weekend and wish to defer impressions based on only those 3 visits. I have held off weekday attendance and perhaps a new crop will materialize. I filled the gap with worthwhile excursions to St Gallen, Basel, and Lucerne.

Addendum: I meant to write 2 Truvada primer doses 2 to 24 hours prior to first sex, not solely 2 doses within the week leading up. The week leading up would be one dose daily

‘On demand’ is simply code for NOT long-term continuity. On sex-centric holidays it can be ‘on demand’ without truncating at 2:1:1 … for example, if I am away for 4 weeks I start with 1 Truvada per day for a week prior to travel or 2 primers within that frame but no later than 2 hours prior to first trick. Then 1 per day for the 4 weeks of play and 1 final Truvada 24 as well as 48 hours past the final trick. Typically all doses around the same time of day. And condoms are used reciprocally consistently as well. I do feel nauseous at times, and even very modest alcohol intake seems to exacerbate it, so if there is a substantial break (celibacy) within the vacation period I just use common sense as to stopping temporarily and trying to anticipate the need for a renewed 2-dose bioavailability priming. Or adjust if necessary by postponing intercourse.

After I was protocol unblinded I did take the leap in terms of nAB testing with the Roche assay used by Labcorp, principally because the studies do utilize such markers for immunogenicity evaluation, in spite of the caveat made to the public to leave antibodies alone due to the uncertainty of true meaning quantitatively, and apparently vaccination counterintuitively may in some cases obscure N antibody detection for an infection latent to inoculation. Many trial subjects broke protocol with DIY testing and went too far with interpreting the quant metric, apart from of course enrolment attrition (understandable) based on the subsequent knowledge of placebo assignment in a context of high background incidence or associated risks beyond the pale. Not everybody has the desired antibody response to vaccination in binary terms (S protein that is) but an arbitrary threshold seems to be selected for an immune response. Oddly, my study did not correlate vaccination breakthrough infections with the categorical assessment of that threshold binary. The N protein with the Roche test, for past infection possibility, is binary and I believe false negatives are not uncommon particularly the further on from recovery (in addition to vaxx Hx stated above); not a liability as cockiness is riskier if the assumption is the other way around. Interestingly, my S antibodies were not much higher than the Roche semi-quantitative response threshold prior to prime mRNA dose (read 1st off-label booster) but were above the limit of quantification 8 weeks subsequent to it just prior to the mRNA boost dose (read 2nd off-label booster). It is anybody’s guess whether this suggests a mRNA series superiority immunologically because the study vaccine may have actually potentiated the second series response. A few volunteer peers have pursued off-label 5th dose uptake, as some require it to travel internationally where an official booster is required prior to 180-270 days elapsing give-or-take according to nation. I will likely wait a good while tracking re-engineered products, as the above deadline is far off in my case, and as I am already cross-platform heterologous I may end up doubling the heterogeneity playbook within-platform with a different mRNA, alternate protein subunit … or something snortified, or god knows what.

It’s moot for me in terms of deciding because I have had two protein subunit doses in a RCT and considerably later a conventional mRNA prime series primarily for utilitarian purposes, ie, mandate requirements. I don’t typically post about CoV but I received this in my Twitter feed today and it seems à propos … she has a fair degree of stature in reviewing and summarizing research … https://t.co/4tJ0o1fUC1

I had missed the dust-up prior to WS’s acceptance speech but tuned out of that part because he came across as histrionic and rambling. The narrative about hair is complex. If you justify your hairstyle as a default for having no choice but to adopt a certain look it simply conveys a value judgement about there being a gradient of beauty and undermines the buzz cut as a legitimate choice that actually need not be viewed as substandard … take Michaela Cole and others as an example. There appears to be a juxtaposition inherent in that hairstyle in the context of a designer gown and bling. I thought the joke played on that, ie, there must be a film industry backdrop to explain why a woman would choose that. That’s as far as the tastelessness went. ‘Oh woe is JPS she is backed into a shitty look and short-changed the glamor befitting her stature.’ Was Chris Rock actually supposed to understand the nuances of every minor celebrity’s fashion parameters?

I got it to work now by ‘save password’, so username and password are now coming up automatically, but I never willingly save my password when prompted for any site, because I feel more secure always needing to enter it, so I don’t know why the shortcut got set for M4M previously or GG currently. Maybe I saved password by mistake on one occasion and it held. I had always assumed that after many logins perhaps my browser just recognized the site and the entry specifications were automated so I could bypass typing them. Not a big deal. A Luddite like me must trade off comprehension desire for usability.

I reset a new password and got back in. I had forgotten the password because I had previously for a very long time clicked ‘sign in’ and my user name and password came up on its own as if the site had a memory of me; very convenient, even whenever I had cleared the browser history. Is there a way for that shortcut to work again? BTW, I only want to be logged in when active on the site, so remaining logged in as a solution won’t work for me.

I will be there beginning next weekend but will only use Paragonya Wellness Spa where I had several good encounters for 100 francs apiece four years ago, and I understand that amount still holds. Little about the ad profile above matches my tastes so he wouldn’t catch my attention at Paragonya but that’s much a matter of personal bias. In fact, no ad sites have shown much of what I like and if some of the fellows at the spa were to be depicted on Rentmen/Hunqz I would think “I hope I see them in the structured setting!”

To answer when, an Airbnb good deal is usually when a group staying in it splits the price at any time and everyone pays a relatively small amount, not when a single guest books during an event or peak holiday period. For example my go-to in Rio de Janeiro is 6 times the usual amount during Christmas/NY and Carnival and it is basically assumed that many more occupants will be crashing there, not a big party bash in the unit, but for facilities and sleep. It is a given that this is the way to bring more visitors in to the city to uptick business for the tourism industry overall. My sense is that there is an assumption that more guests will be crowded into a unit for basic use needs during Pride, even if the no-party rule is not broken, and a host has less control over this volume of people compared to a hotel that can assess and enforce compliance with the registered list of occupants. You can also see from San Diego listings that prices are higher for the week July11-18 compared to lower demand periods.

Writing an explicitly bad review is, I realize now, going to raise hackles among some of the readership. Dancing around it, I also realize, comes across as ambiguous. This sub-component of the forum is basically on life support but perhaps more members here will take the plunge and visit, adding to the breadth of impressions. I used to love going to the Montreal gay strip clubs, beginning in 1976 in fact, and I had additional jobs beyond my main income source to financially support it. Now I don’t enjoy them and the only thing that has changed about me is that I have even more money to spend on erotic entertainment, and that specific entry point into sexual interaction has progressively become about the sole avenue for me as I enter septagenarian status. All the more money for my travel abroad budget. The clubs have transitioned to completely gender-and-orientation neutral patronage and that is good for a subset of the scene stakeholders and likely for sustainability as well. The stripper inventory, as you can imagine, is spread thinly across the various venues and likely subject to reduced prospects of lapdance profits as well. Sorry if it’s tantamount to a hate crime to share one’s subjective take on the current scene, to lament the changes, and fall short of identifying one salutary aspect of a night out at X,Y, Z. YMMV, so just take what I report with a grain of salt. It’s not meant to be a warning to stay away. You are all adults with decision-making autonomy. You can also pony up a few bucks to access stage streaming where available, if desired. That may serve as a surrogate indicator as to whether it’s worthwhile to travel here particularly if you are some distance away. Whether it’s static, deteriorates additionally, or improves, I’ll refrain from weighing in further. At the same time as I may grouse about one element of this kind of entertainment outlet I can adapt and pivot to other sources. Finally, a reader DM’d me to criticize my input and to categorize it as problematic in the same way he considered another member, he also named, to make contributions he opined were similarly lacking in value. What is this … middle school? How immature and inflammatory. I thought we were all adults here. Obviously, I am not reading his lame follow-up.

Not going to name club names but last night (Friday) I went over to The Village with very low expectations that were met. The weather was milder and there was considerably more energy in the quartier (I waited in line at Pizza Pizza 25 minutes to merely order a slice!!) but the stripper venues lacked the sexual tension and eye candy that translated to lap candy years ago and offered qualitative value to single senior life. I settled in Montreal, not a city I had lived in prior to retirement that is accompanied by a comfortable play budget, partly due to the appeal of these establishments but it appears now it was a mistake other than a reasonable launch locale for travel elsewhere. This is not to say travel here particularly including sightseeing is not worthwhile. But it used to be Evolve, Monster etc with much better private dance environmental and price point features … gone baby gone.

Beginning April 1st entering Canada if vaccinated will not require an antigen or molecular test. You may be subject to a random test on arrival but these are done free. On my last entry many from my flight were subject to a test prior to collecting luggage and final exit although none had boarded without a negative test prior to leaving for Canada. Travellers may want to do a DIY test prior to travel so as not to be caught off guard with a positive test at border control and subject to unplanned quarantine. ArriveCAN is not likely to be revoked.

I just spent hundreds of testing dollars getting to Brazil for a few months and back to Canada. Soon headed to Switzerland where pre-departure testing for entry has been removed. And Canada to announce tomorrow the lifting of testing requirement for entry to Canada, likely to commence by the end of March, if vaccinated. Spot testing on arrival likely to persist but that is free of charge.

On SNL last night Chloe Fineman pulled off a very funny skit doing Anna and parodying the accent. If Garner had not been cast (though I liked her in it) I kept thinking of the resemblance between Sorokina and Elle Fanning. The casting certainly required a pale slight-build actor.

Last night (Saturday) rather subdued at Stock. Not to cast aspersions … it’s dead of winter and quiet in The Village, but a shadow of the shadow of its former self. Some women present but I don’t know if it was allowed due to mixed-gender grouping out for an evening. I actually did not feel it worthwhile to hang around and decided to go home to a cozy fire and SNL. In Montreal it’s Lights Festival and this week you would be hard-pressed to get a popular BYOB table in the context of recently relaxed pandemic rules. Yet out for a rare high end restaurant meal mid-week with friends and were the only ones seated in a large room. En route home last night stepped into Campus for a drink and half an hour of observation. Much more energy, most seating occupied, roughly 50:50 mixed gender as has been the trend for some time, but not the type of dancer selection that would impel me to hang in. Not too many privates going on, and particularly not with women. The bar itself seems to be doing a reasonably lucrative degree of business on weekends. I had dropped by last Monday 1st day of re-opening and it seemed dead other than what appeared to be a weekday group of loyal patrons socializing and celebrating the turning point. I rarely stay out past 11 so I don’t know how representative my views are. However, I think most strippers roll in by 10. Frankly, I will probably not return prior to going to Zürich in a month and frequenting Paragonya. I am getting quite accustomed to long gaps between play periods.

No gym. No access deal I know of. And the fixed price breakfast is exorbitant though sumptuous if you are paying for it by use. If you like a big morning meal each day it is probably worth it to select an inclusive option. Activ Fitness (chain) nearby appears to have a monthly rate of CH140 that seems reasonable for such a pricey city and if it’s a must for you to train or you are there long enough to make it worth your while. You would have to contact to inquire about a day pass. I am supposedly there about 4 weeks from now and will swing by to ask. —— No pandemic-related entry requirements currently, FOR now, and flying Swiss so likely none for airline boarding either. Though likely some kind of digital health report entry form. Just need to follow Canada re-entry rules and find a test in Zurich. I think that one’s CoV prime series vaccination must have been within 9 months if you have not had a booster or proof of subsequent infection, but I am formally vaccinated late to the party, arriving in Switzerland 4 months past my official prime series. I note that Spain, where I am visiting later in Spring, also has the 270-day lapse limit.

Hotel Scheuble is nice but the current rate is more than twice what I paid in May 2018 … $300+ Canadian now for their smallish room with no kitchen amenities; forget it. I am trying to book from a limited number of Airbnb units for a visit of a few weeks duration next month but not from the hotel listings on that platform. Self-catering with at least a fridge, microwave, and stovetop is my preferred model and one or less substantial meals out daily. This accommodation price you can easily get in Rio for $50. Interestingly, Hotel Alexander also close to Paragonya lists some rooms on Airbnb but I have not compared rates with, say, Booking dot com. I find it strange when a host has select hotel listings in a hotel that is on hotel platforms. Alexander also has a smaller guesthouse; maybe that accounts for the cross-affiliation. I am not staying there.

My best experience of about 25 tricks qualitatively in Brazil these past months, unrelated to the appeal of lower rates overall, but just simply an extremely edifying sexual encounter in a structured setting with stable fixed charges, was a full hour at USD$60 that included 20% tip (not that I just got the tip). I don’t know what he turned over to the venue but I think he kept $40-50 for himself. In my neck of the woods I would consider this a $300-400 guy and he could easily bank $1,000+ in a Montreal strip club. Gorgeous and a natural vibe. He did not seem to be of desperate circumstances, had his own vehicle to get to the setting, and spoke a fair degree of English. I think he was in it for lifestyle perks but cars there are very expensive and he would take forever to cover that cost at what he was earning.

It looks like bars re-open Mon 28 Feb, earlier than I thought. Likely Campus that day but I don’t know if it will be an unusually busy night considering 2 months of shutdown and clients chomping at the bit. Still some restrictions I believe in capacity but less so Mar 14th. It has been at least 24 months since I had a private dance in The Village.

Hahahah … I realize it was off-point and really just about adaptive bridging.

Looks like strip clubs end of Feb, and restricting dancing has never applied to stage peeling or the private 2-step lap shuffle.

I got stir crazy after 21 months though I like my place downtown and preparing meals, exercising, and streaming had been keeping me reasonably occupied. Fucked off right after New Years, and 2 weeks following 2nd mRNA dose of entire prime series I had deferred (long story), to winter in Brazil. Hoping to land to Spring stripper crotches beginning to sprout up in my face though I have already put a lot of solid fixes behind me here.

It appears that the migration/health form must be completed for entry to Colombia but, perhaps counterintuitively, also in order to leave Colombia. I think this also holds true for Dominican Republic and possibly other nations as well. So attend to exit documentation while attending to USA entry documentation.

I didn’t pay much attention but I realize now there is a flurry of controversial skepticism about it.