JB_Studio38

or even the website itself...hence another rentboy shutdown, which can once again ruin business for already struggling sex workers ? But really the main problem: Instagram and Facebook. People always posting themselves on Instagram with 100,000 followers, how does anyone even know who all these people are. There are plenty catfish ? in the sea that’s for sure Whoa whoa now lol. I met him at a bar in DC few years ago. I seen him, at Nellies, surrounded by his “clique”. I got to know the clique, and then by the end of the night the party moved to the “ethnic” bar of Fireplace. Got his number. Funny thing, we didn’t hookup that trip because he’s not “W******” like that, but on my next visit down the line, we linked up. Those pics aren't necessarily best representation though. But the audacity of the person to spend on a gold ad at that. I could barely even afford a gold ad last month myself (I've paid $150 for ads before the month was out, and haven't had 1 person since, though I do have 1 booked for tomorrow). Let alone someone chancing paying $80 to use fake pics and not be reported.

Mask or no mask, all I know is biz is being seriously affected. It was already slow before the pandemic (missing websites, hookup apps etc), this just puts the nail in the coffin. Since I been back home from short tour last Saturday, haven’t had any bookings. Barely even an inquiry. Most weeks, I get one time where I see 1 or 2 in a day, the rest I’m going 5 days not making a dime. And all those dead days make the money go so fast when I get it. Most days don’t even know what to do or where to turn. Even one of my regular client told me he’s not able to do anything anymore because his IRA has been in decline. I’m just about ready to leave. Maybe just get out of the Midwest to start. I have no hopes of finding a suitable new job right now. And unemployment had the nerve to say my cut wasn’t due to COVID-19. If I show them all the texts I’ve gotten about “probably need to wait til this virus is over” shit, then maybe they’ll believe.

This just goes to show how fictitious some of these RentMen ads are, and also why they could stand to come up with some extra ways to verify ads, because that affects us as escorts as well as the client pool. I was browsing thru San Jose Ads, for a potential Travel visit. And came across this ad: https://rentmen.eu/Prettyboyromee This is a guy I’ve known for years and dated/hooked up with in Washington DC. I texted my friend like, I didn’t know you were an escort in San Jose??? Lol. Not to mention all the stats were off. Height, weight, dick size and all. Edit: point is that’s not him posting, and I confirmed that he’s definitely not in California lol. He didn’t even know what RentMen was ??‍♂️ He actually had a good laugh off of it though. But stuff like this just not right because, guys use these peoples picture and give us all a bad name. I had a session with a client, and he called a guy advertising on both rentmen and Grindr, as a tatted up ripped guy. Dude shows up and takes off his clothes, it’s nothing like the pics. Client went thru with it anyway, but that’s just such a cheap shot. And talking with the guy afterward, he claimed to have been in the biz for a couple years, and had traveled all over.

Did I allude that I wasn't taking it to heart? I agree in the same. The only concern I have, is how many visitors could end up blocked off in the long run. In my current area, I've got so many numbers blocked, that I almost wonder if I've closed off most of the hiring pool here. I mean, when it boils down to it..it often seems to be the same guys are using the sites and they probably contact escorts in rounds. So it gets more complicated than just "no". Do I be the forgiving and unbothered escort that just let's people change their minds or "have stuff come up" at random, despite me expecting that a session is taking place. And just roll with it, knowing that if they booked me once, maybe they'll come around and book me 3-4 months later? Or do I take notes, and possibly end up letting other escorts get booked by these guys on the days they decide to actually go forward with a session? I seen a guy traveling thru here this week, and we've often ended up in the same markets before. I'm thinking to myself, either he must be very dead here, or some of my blocked contacts are booking him. Because I'm looking at my past hotel trip itinerary, last time I booked a place to host an appointment was around August 8th for 1 day. That's in between traveling from other cities, but still. It's just sad. That a city can be so dead and there's nothing you can do about it because, everytime a text comes thru it's just another mother fucker on some bullshit. I'd be hard pressed to believe, he got more than 1 or 2 clients here. If that.

I wish more people had this mindset. The other week I got so frustrated, because some of these guys cancel, or flake, or don’t say anything about something came up, until I send my cancellation request. Then they want to sit and argue with me over some shit that they contacted me to arrange to begin with. If someone going to give the expectation of being paid, it’s just a real dick move to leave them hanging. It probably wouldn’t bother me as much if I had bookings coming left and right throughout the week. Not to mention, I just paid $150 for 3 ads since last week, and with the exception of my regulars who were already in my contacts and some inquiries in other cities, I haven’t made a single penny back. Might as well just use Twitter to advertise for free. That’s what makes it harder to keep a level head. I pay all this money for ads, only to have my time wasted or phone dead. I think going forward, I’m sticking to basic ads and keeping my ad budget to under $100 a month unless I plan to be in a big market. This is a travesty.

Count your blessings and be grateful of your position. Some of us have left the workforce all together, and now trying to figure out whether to go back or keep on grinding. Even worse, trying to get back into it after so many years, is nothing short of a mirage. At the same time, as I’ve said before...I am not on hiatus (even though I’ve let my Rentmen ad go, but that’s more because it’s been dead and a waste of time in my area. I’m also timing it so I don’t have to renew again before Halloween). I don’t have any reason to let the virus hinder my continuing in the business. Even periodic shutdowns and cases rising have no bearing on my decision. I’m just glad the majority of the same clients who were in touch with me last year, still in contact this year. Of course even my decisions can’t override trends and what’s actually going on. I’m not on hiatus but I still feel a void many days. ?

that’s why it’s a good idea to try and meet guys with either RentMen videos or Justforfans obviosuly that’s not guarantee of chemistry, but it’s still a good way to get some sort of visual. I understand not wasting time or energy, but in the case of @RyanChambers, I woulda made a point about a cancellation fee. And the ones who don’t want to do it, get an honorable mention on social media. But at the same time, it’s also why I’ve just become 100% deposit based. I decided awhile back I don’t even want to take appointments in advance without a deposit. The only time I may let it slide, is if someone is wanting to meet within an hour or 2, and THEY can host (versus me hosting and they don’t show up). But even over Labor Day I had a client send a deposit, and tried to cancel within minutes of me getting off his exit. ??‍♂️ I called him like, dude...it’s Labor Day Monday. Traffic was backed up every few miles. So he ended up keeping it. I think had I not requested the deposit, he might of blocked me. But who knows, he probably was stood up by other providers in the past.

??‍♂️ atypical. “Something came up” and then using Covid as a convenient backdrop. And what you’re saying is not a “complaint” like some seem lead to believe. It’s a valid concern that needs call for change. I wrote RentMen the other day, about similar description as yours...and only got “we will forward your concern to the RentMen webmaster” or something along those lines. Which at least is a response, and I feel they are acknowledging: but they need to take the route that Men4Rent took: Allowing registered providers to privately “review” clients, and have a search function to do so. That atleast helps create an accessible list for advertisers, despite some providers having their own private blacklist. I have a loooooong list of blocked numbers in my phone. Ironically, many start with 816/913 (Kansas Shitty...In the top 10 for time wasters per capita, and I feel bad for traveling escorts who come thinking they’re going to make much of anything), 407/813 (Tampon/PoorLando), 612 (For some strange reason, lots of Timewaster’s come from visiting Minnesotans despite the city itself being okay to work from). I also have 4 numbers from Palm Springs as “Palm Springs Timewaster”. Denver is also among the top 10. But see, this is exactly why too, I’m going to start to renewing my efforts in the bar game. I had a client I met at the bar the other day, and he seemed like he didn’t want to do it (and rightfully said so), but he didn’t walk away and I was just enjoying the drinks that kept coming anyway. $250 later, I was up in the hotel room. Problem with the internet and RentMen, #1 it’s too many options, and #2 it’s too easy to play around and be anonymous. I mean, picking clients from gay bars isn’t necessarily an easy feat, and for me I have to keep myself busy with a drink... so it’s not something I can do every night or even every week. But the online escort game is becoming lonely, frustrating, and diminishing returns. I only had to spend $3 on 1 drink last week, to pick up a client. RentMen: spend $80, let 4 guys waste your time before getting maybe 1 or 2 clients in 2 weeks ?

I just came back from a 4 day rendezvous in the Midwest. Short trip, but still involved some travel. There are some places in the Midwest that have very loose restrictions, others are very tight (St. Louis for example). Going into October, I’m ready to hit the ground running ? ? ??? Definitely going to up the travel game. I have no choice because my 2 home locations have become devoid. Hoping to get it in before the week of Halloween, which can tend to be kinda slow the week of, especially now that Halloween is on a Saturday this year. Only concern, I’m also seeing other escorts traveling as well...and some seem to keep ending up in the same markets that I am in. So with that, I have to try and make sure I’m not in the same city at the same times. I know that sounds petty, but in certain small markets...having more than 1 traveling escort/masseur in town tends to lessen the chances of being able to stand out.

Thanks Tyger ? for your very insightful evaluation (even though this thread is several months old, it still bears keeping it in consideration) Even though I do support the RentM enterprise, I have shared some thoughts with them as well. I am appreciative that they have allowed more than 250 characters at the time of this post. I can understand the benefits of having different tier levels of memberships, but I do feel the same that they are consensually raping us to a degree. And I say consensual because we are paying for the advertising, however I’ve suggested to them before that they are pocketing far more than we are in the long run. And they should be allowing us to use our private pics and video views to “pay” for the ads...essentially letting clients pay for our ads. Not us paying $80-$100, then having our time wasted by 2 or 3 clowns before finally getting 1 serious person. Make THEM pay for our advertising. Directly. Not out of our earnings. Lately I’ve just stuck with the Gold ads and have not done a platinum boost in idk how long. I wasn’t really finding it helping much, and in small or crowded markets, you can pay for platinum multiple times, and still not get any bookings from it immediately. I have also told Rentmen that, with the current pandemic, I’m getting half the serious clients, yet paying double the price...that I was 2 years ago. I feel a gold ad should be restructured to $39.99 or maybe even $49.99 with a recurring membership like RentMasseur, not $79. And like Tyger said, our “other“ overheads are endless. Last week was car insurance, this week is tag registration and inspection plus new brakes (I’ve logged over 2,500 miles in September traveling for appointments, because my current market is nearly unsustainable) Last thing I need, is more advertising costs on my coat tails.

I would, but I would include my usual: send deposit towards the donation, to confirm the session.

And I read it and replied to them accordingly. However others have also chimed in. Never said it was complicated, but there's more than 1 viewpoint. Like I said, if you can't handle the discussion, you're free to leave and read the other 100,000 threads.

My question is; why are you still here? If you don’t like reading what I’m saying, there’s 100,000 other threads going back to 2003 that you can read. You ain’t gotta be all up in here. Now you’re just being a bully. And you need to stop lying to the forum talking about you seeing a shrink and on meds, because if you was you’d be more focused on minding your own, instead of worrying about mine ✋? Why don’t you start with writing your own thread, before suggesting me to write a book, and leave. Please ??‍♂️ Other people want to give advice, and you’re being an incinerator.

Well, pat yourself on the back. Maybe your shrink can advise you to be less condescending, especially when it comes to issues that you don’t even have direct experience dealing with. Well as of lately, I’ve not been giving anyone who flakes a 2nd chance. I’ve already cut 2 previously met clients over the past week. One of who was a regular regular, but I’ve previously had issues with him before so it wasn’t hard to let him know: don’t contact me again. I’ve also blocked 2 additional people last week as well. It’s pretty clear, 2020 has been the year that I’ve had to drop and burn bridges with more clients than any other year. I just don’t have the tolerance for people who make a concerted interest in an appointment, then back out. The pandemic is indirectly affecting people’s mindframes in other ways.

Likewise...I said what I said. You disagreeing doesn’t change that nor my opinion either. I think you and I have a lot more in common than it seems. Everything you say, I agree with in the same as it pertains to you.

Well your response is “emblematic” of someone who can’t relate to what a sex worker is experiencing. But why should I be surprised ? . I don’t have to read Lucky’s post with any iota of charity. Soon as he said “good business man” and tried to define it by someone who doesn’t “complain” on a forum, he lost all bits of charity with me. He basically negated an epidemic issue, and confined it to a mere “complaint”. Therefore he gets no charity from me. He can go to the Red Cross ? if he wants charity. Agree or disagree, but don’t put me down and then brandish it as being supportive. What I talked about In this post is THE REALITY. If it comes off unhappy, jerky or arrogant...that’s unfortunate that you allow yourself to perceive it that way, but it says more about you than it does about me. Because I’m not intending to come off that way, I’m intending to create an understanding. That is true. One client did say that. However, I couldn’t really vibe with that because he had contacted me a couple times prior saying he was “so anxious” for me to get back to town, and if/when was I coming. Then the day of planning, he flaked and didn’t bother showing up once I arrived. I think he more so wanted a steep discount, but used Covid as an excuse. It’s no secret that guys use being sick to get out of things, and Covid just gives them 1 more excuse to make up. I know that’s not the case for every Covid cancellation, but all in all it has been a large part. Because it’s not your place to order me what to do. That’s why. You can offer advice and opinions without being condescending. You can read up above as to why, if you need more clarity.

New information: Seems to show getting a flu shot now might be getting it too early. So who’s the idiot now ? I also find it ironic that they threw in “conspiracy theories”. Why it gotta be conspiracy theories? Can they just say, “and be sure to talk to your administrating physician about any concerns you may have about the flu virus and whether it’s right for you”. Instead, it’s almost like they say, “if you don’t want to get a flu shot, you’re buying into conspiracy theories”. And that automatically puts anyone who doesn’t get or have one as buying into conspiracies. There is a neutral ground in it all.

Or better yet: hopefully “it” just burns itself out like SARS did back in the earlier 2000s. Going back to the flu thread, there’s still no guarantee that a vaccine won’t make a person ill. But...I know this is Oliver’s thread so I won’t make it a debate ?

@Oliver I feel you 100%. And now that you say it, I kinda have to admit I’ve been resentful in a way about it as well. But at the end of the day it’s like, what can we do. Here we all are, made it to 2020 (considering back in the 80s and 90s, Hollywood swore we would be in flying cars, meeting aliens, and traveling thru space like the Jetsons lol). Sometimes it’s those little things that seem so surreal. Even though scientists seem to point that this isn’t some type of biological warfare, I still compare Covid to 9/11. Mainly because 9/11 changed (and inconvenienced) so many things over the years. But then we were able to accept it, and ultimately become a safer society. I don’t know where corona will take us (I have to chuckle and wonder how stores will go from “mask required for entry” to “No masks allowed” come Halloween), but I’m sure it’ll pass and eventually create a new and better normal.

Just spoke with my favorite client today about this topic. I asked if he had been well and whether he is getting the flu shot. He told me he took the flu shot before, and got really sick. He’s not quite 30 years old I think. He told me he would not be getting one again. He said the doc explained to him, sometimes your immune system can handle the shot, but it’s no guarantee you won’t still get the ? He certainly wasn’t convinced to keep doing it. So when Covid comes out with a vaccine, I’m going to do my research. And aren’t we still waiting for the syphilis vaccine? If somebody going to inject me with syphilis, and Covid...atleast buy me a drink first and start off with some foreplay ? I also reached out to another friend who tested poz for Covid the other week. I was afraid he might be in ICU because I hadn’t heard from him in a few days. He just texted me and said he’s working a wedding and feeling better. So yeah, let’s stop with the scare tactics and focus on the facts. And FYI, this thread is not groundbreaking news. It’s the same information readily available on any news channel anyway. Hell, Walmart is offering flu shots. Maybe McDonald’s is offering flu shots. Free flu shot with purchase of a Big Mac ? Flu shots are everywhere. It does no good using frightening tactics to convince someone to get something that’s really a matter of personal choice.

Nobody in their right mind, that’s for sure. But many Americans don’t operate in their right mind. But I’ve come across guys who have addressed me in such a manner. It hasn’t happened lately, because over the years so many gay guys have started becoming “RentMen”, but there’s still a stigma amongst the elitist gay cliques about sex work, especially when a minority does it. That’s sad but I can almost imagine it’s true. It’s ironic how the George Floyd Minneapolis and Kenosha events in Wisconsin caused such a huge uprising. You’d think stuff like that would happen in the south (and I’m sure it happens all the time in the south). But it goes to show: these Canadian bordered states can just as easily be as hell bent on disenfranchising minorities as your most KKK southern states, in some ways. And I know about Wisconsin and Minneapolis. I’ve found both places when dealing with police, highly discriminatory to say the least. And truth be told: I believe the Derek Chauvin mother fucker actually pulled me over once. I ordered some records from the Hennepin County Courts, I just need to call and find out if the badge number from 5 years ago matches his name. If so, I want to be a part of this class action lawsuit ?? But back on topic....

Well considering I just made $700 within 24 hours yesterday; and only seen 2 clients, let me be the judge as to whether I want to get into another line of work or not. You need to stay in your lane. If you want me so badly to get into another line of work, find it for me, rewrite my resume, and then pay me during the transitional period. If you can't do all the legwork, I suggest you not make suggestions you can't backup. And don't tell me what a good businessman does or doesn't do. There's been many good businessmen who abuse their spouses, take drugs, and/or have all kinds of neurotic personality issues. You don't even know the half, so don't even try to patronize me with what makes a good businessman. If I want to talk about something, I'm going to talk about it regardless if it's catering to your comfort zone or idea of what a sexworker should or shouldn't be. You got a lot of nerve. Go sit down.

@thedanNYC , have a chill pill ? Or should I say, a chill ? shot ??‍♂️ When I said you didn’t quote it properly, I was referring to you didn’t use the quote function. It wasn’t an accusation, just a mention. For example below: See how I quoted what you said...versus copy/paste? So much easier that way, my friend.

You didn’t properly quote it, but I get what you’re saying. And yes I did say it. I deleted it because I was feeling a certain way at that moment, but now I don’t really care. Why have extra negative ratings on my charts for discussions that’s just not relevant at all ??‍♂️ Sure one could argue: we as sex workers/clients who have sex with multiple partners should be getting flu shots to protect others. But the doctor would say: “dude, just wear a condom if you want to protect others”. Imagine if I said to my doctor: I get my flu shot, does that mean I am doing the right thing and can comfortably have sex with multiple partners without fear of giving them anything, since I am all about protecting others? He/She would laugh and be like, a flu vaccine only goes so far. Protecting others and ourselves goes so much further than a flu vaccine. I try to give a different view, but the message is lost if everyone is consistent on choosing 1 viewpoint over others. Thankyou for appreciating my point of view. But I still say, asking people to take the flu shot is still giving medical advice. Which is a decision best to be made in a doctors office, not an internet forum. The better thing to say is, “Consult your doctor about how to best protect yourself against the flu and/or Covid 19”. I know that takes more lines than “Get your flu shot”, but it avoids some of the arguments that have occurred so far, on what could have been just be an innocent, feel good, stay healthy thread. But then when everyone seems to think getting an injection is the only way to protect yourself, that’s when the doors open to multiple opinions. And disagreements.

Continued from above: Making the choice to get a flu shot is your choice – not the government’s or your insurance company, and it should be based on your doctor’s input following a proper history and exam, and considering your risk of infection and potential exposure to infected individuals. No one should be required – forced – to have a flu shot (something that is being done with health care workers in New York). I said man AND lady ? Let’s be clear. That was meant to be a metaphor, not actual facts. The metaphor being: the old man and lady I referred to represent a bigger picture: those who don’t have access to health insurance for even basic and routine medical issues for pre-existing conditions. I know it didn’t sound like that, but I forget many people on the forum take things at face value. Versus reading between the lines. I do however live right next door to an actual older couple, I usually wear masks around them out of politeness, but they often look at me weird and I’ve never seen them wear a mask, ever. It’s really nothing more to argue about though.