CuriousByNature

Thanks Joe for ruining chocolate for me. I guess I'll be bypassing Lindt Lane. 😂

As long as it is authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano, sign me up!

All the very, very best to you, whenever it was that you sprung forth from your mother's loins

I don't know why I'm weighing in given my complete and utter lack of experience, but you are paying for his time and you are getting short-changed. 70 minutes is 70 minutes, even if half the time is spent staring at each other awkwardly. If you had paid for 70 minutes with a lawyer and the lawyer tried to usher you out after 30 minutes, it would be completely unprofessional. If you felt that the lawyer had done all that was needed in 30 minutes and YOU decided to cut the meeting short, that's another story. But what you describe seems to be the opposite, and I would seriously reconsider meeting with that individual again. It doesn't sound like he respects you.

Again, I haven't met yet with any providers, but I imagine the more important question is 'what amount of an increase am I willing to accept, based on my own financial situation and the value I place on our time together?' Ultimately a provider can and should modify their donation amount as they believe appropriate, which may or may not be based on supply and demand. The potential advantage I see you having over other clients in this situation is that you have a well-established relationship with the provider, and if the proposed increase is a burden for you, you might be able to openly express this to him and see how he responds. If the donation amount is still affordable for you after the increase, I would think it best to accept it, assuming your time together has that level of value for you. Just my two cents, though.

It's a nice place, but expensive. I prefer Ontario so I can afford more travel than compared to when I lived in Vancouver.

Hahaha... not that I am aware of! Just meant that a person who is being practical about their elder care needs doesn't have to forego their other interests

Good question. I'm confused about the warning system. I was given 10 points that apparently can never be removed, for straying off topic back in January. After a certain number of points, is a person's profile cancelled?

Not sad at all. Just practical. But don't forget the two aren't mutually exclusive either.

What regular hotels would you recommend in NY, LA and SF? I'm fine with a regular hotel for sure.

I'm in Ontario and still waiting for dose number two. Relatives in BC are a bit ahead, and those in Alberta are a bit behind. I think Canada has done quite well for a country without a domestic supply of vaccine, but hopefully the powers that be will restart vaccine manufacturing before the next pandemic comes around.

It's past my bedtime... my eyes are so tired that I thought you wrote Mickey Rooney. 😂

Nope... couple of hours outside Toronto - nothing over $12 within 100km...lol. I wouldn't mind paying the LA prices (even in US dollars) if it's good. The best burger I ever had was over $30, years ago in Vancouver, with braised short rib meat and pan-seared fois-gras on top of the burger patty.... so good.

Would be interested too... hoping to travel down when it's safer.

I'd be upset paying $18 for a hamburger, let alone $36... 🤣

That's awful. Is this individual still advertising? Could you send me a DM?

Hey everyone, Prior to the upgrade I noticed if you clicked on a member's name who happened to be a provider, their profile would often show a link to their RM profile. Has this feature been changed or removed, or am I not looking in the correct place? Thanks

Holy cow - you have a lot messages in your RM inbox! I get excited if I have two messages waiting at any given time... lol

Wow... that's steep. When I was going to school in Vancouver a while back I had a rental 1-bed in a pretty good area, and paid almost $1500 a month. I heard recently that a studio apartment in that building was now $1850, so I imagine a 1-bed would likely be pushing $2400 - in Canadian dollars though.

I know where you're coming from, but please remember that what you read in this forum is not conclusive, nor does it represent everyone's opinion. Everybody has their own subjective preferences for what is considered attractive, cute, hot, or whatever. I would be thrilled to be described as 'cute' with the potential of becoming 'very hot if (I) lost 10-20 pounds', but that's just me. This forum is a place where individuals provide their own feedback about others who, for good or for bad, operate in a service-oriented industry where phyical attractiveness may be a factor in the choice made by a client. I have seen your photos in your ad and you are obviously a good looking guy, in my opinion. None of us will be to everyone's taste, and please try not to take anyone's comments too harshly. I don't think anyone who has commented about you here meant anything derrogatory, but we should all probably be mindful of how words can be taken. Some things that are said here, particularly between posters, can be pretty surprising! Anyway, you likely have been doing this already - and I don't want to assume you want or need the following advice - but determine what your strengths are and capitalize on developing those to their fullest. It sounds like you have the advantage of good skills and attractiveness. Some people can only rely on how they look, which may reap rewards in the short term, but will not likely support a lengthy and stable career in the long term. All the best to you, and don't forget that you don't have to be the lid that can cover every pot, so to speak

Just curious... what is an average rent for a 1-bedroom in a decent area? I'm not familiar with the LA market.

I would pay people NOT to tickle me...

Kraken? I'm only counting 2 arms.

Not sure if this a gay anthem or not, but 'Band of Gold' gets my head bopping. So I guess it's a bi-curious anthem in my case. Sorry, no idea here how to post a clip of the song 🙄

I think you've made a very good point here, but I can also see how any sudden, substantial increase in a donation amount would be jarring - especially when the provider has been helped along the way by the OP. However, the provider may have kept his donation at a lower level longer than he would have otherwise. Does the OP know if the donation amount increased for everyone at once, across the board? Or had it been higher for others already, with the OP's amount kept lower to reflect the help he had given? In any case, I'm thinking it would be good to be open with the provider and honestly tell him the increase came as a shock. Perhaps he'll reconsider, or find other ways of demonstrating the OP's importance to him.