CuriousByNature

It's good to have this context. Many readers may not realize that this is a hosted event, and consequently, dependent on the host's availability and schedule. Some may have understandably but incorrectly assumed the date is chosen by the Moderators or another subgroup of the forum.

Or they drive a model of Ford that hasn't been produced in 20 years? (I am being a smart ass)

I have an incredibly sexy ankle. It's just one of them that's super hot. The other is only so-so. Would that count?

A possible hierarchy of price descriptors from lowest to highest - of course it's all relative and subjective. Free Dirt Cheap A Steal A Great Deal A Good Deal Inexpensive Economical Fair/Reasonable Inflated Costly Expensive Excessive Exorbitant Extortionate Ridiculous/Delusional

I agree. Jesus was Middle Eastern. 😆

Reminds me of high school art class, seeing a slideshow of 20th century American paintings. Muffled giggles all around when slides of Georgia O'Keefe's flower series came up on the screen - yes, we were immature.

May I ask, is this a newer realization for you, or have you known/suspected that you were gay for much of your life? In either case, I wish you well on this journey.

Well, it's been a terrible fire season this summer.

I'm surprised nobody is asking for someone take Juan for the team

But was it a 'good thing'?

I certainly hope not. At least not for another 60 years or so...

I think it looks like a hemorrhoid cushion. Art is art, and what is considered art is in the eye of the beholder. Perhaps at the very least, the sculpture will attract proctologist conventions to Palm Springs.

Someone needs to tell JoeB to change his name, otherwise he can't be mentioned here due to forum rules against political content...hahaha.

100%!!! It's wonderful to go to the hospital here and not be charged a penny. But you also risk dying in your chair waiting to be seen by an ER doc. This has happened multiple times due to poor triaging and 12+ hour wait times. It's great being able to call an ambulance and not be bankrupted by it, as long as you don't expire waiting the 1 or 2 hours it can take for it to arrive. It's awesome not having to pay for visits to the family doctor, assuming you can manage to find one taking new patients. And you MIGHT even get to discuss one of your medical concerns fully, since most doctors squeeze in 6 patients per hour to cover their costs and you're often rushed through. Having more than one issue? Please come back for another appointment... Yes, we have most of our physical medical health care covered. But it's not free. The costs are there in terms of ridiculous wait times, bureaucracy, and sometimes even incompetence. Is it the worst system in the world? Absolutely not. Is it a system worthy of praise and imitation? Also a BIG no.

Maybe they close their eyes and think of England?

It seems from the shots of texts and conversations you have had with disappointing clients and potential clients, that you spend a lot of energy trying to explain your point of view/rationale to them. That is an added investment of your time and concentration to those people who are not bringing any benefit to you. I appreciate that you attempt to reason with prospective clients, but in all honesty, some people are simply unreasonable and will drain you emotionally. When contacted by people who try to bargain, for example, maybe it is best to simply say "it looks like we would not be a good match, and I wish you well" in order to draw things to a quick close? I think it's beneficial to be the driver of your own bus, so to speak, and not let a potential passenger take the wheel from you. By spending all that time trying to reason with the unreasonable, it might give a bad potential client the idea that you are willing to compromise, and in effect, you are letting them have unnecessary control over what should be your own domain.

Spending the winter in TO is hardship enough for most people. Add in the lack of hot water and the experience becomes excruciatingly painful. My heart goes out to him. LOL.

Haven't been to Hawaii in a while, but others I know who have been both before and since the pandemic have seen a doubling of hotel rates in some places, and triple in others. You may need to prepare for some sticker shock...

Here's three for ya

That is very sad - I don't think I am familiar with that name. Is there a link, or expired profile that can be shared?

I agree that it takes a lot of courage to approach people in that scenario, but you evidently have a way about you that did not cause offence. I haven't worked up the courage to even arrange a therapeutic massage yet, so perhaps I shouldn't comment, but it's not like you ran up on stage and grabbed the mike away from the emcee to make the proposition - lol. We've seen that running onto the stage uninvited and taking the mike from the person who is supposed to be speaking does not generally garner a positive response. 😁

This warms my heart more than you can imagine. You and @Alex.Blessings should both be commended for turning around a negative situation in such an amazingly productive and powerful way. You, @dk582, have gone out of your way to correct any misperceptions, and with great maturity and integrity, have not only acknowledged what you could have done better the first time around, but have walked the walk and not just talked the talk. And despite the earlier critical and negative posts you made about your first massage with Alex, @Alex.Blessings clearly has the professional fortitude and inner kindness to meet again and show you what a great experience with him should be like. I don't want to gush, but you guys are both awesome, and you've shown all of us how two adults can work together to make a challenging situation positive. This has made my evening because it reinforces my long held view that humans were made to be in relationship with one another, and that disagreements and misunderstandings do not need to result in the breakdown of relationships, but rather, can actually strengthen those connections if we approach our differences with kindness and a willingness to understand each other. ❤️

His photos look way better than what I normally think of when I see the words XL Chocolate...