Right on! I can see that now.

Right on!! Good job!

I am sorry to see quotes around the word "earning." I have known a few prostitutes in my life and it seems anything but easy. Their clients freely pay their fee, which varies according to supply and demand, so I'd say it is arguable that they are providing a service. It takes a heavy toll on the ladies though, because they have been brought up with the idea that prostitutes are lowly and unworthy, and this idea eats away at their self esteem unconsciously, from the inside. The truth is that many of us prostitute ourselves in a variety of ways. Anytime you compromise your integrity, act against your ethics or sell yourself short because it was the easiest way to appease the powers that be, you have prostituted yourself. We live in a fairly prudish society which places an extra onerous stigma on sexual "immorality." (prostitution, promiscuity, etc.) It is these attitudes which are responsible for the damage done to these women as much as the act of prostitution itself.

I joined this site yesterday with the intent of finding a companion but now I realize that the site IS the companion. Everyone is wondering where I am...

On a slightly more serious note... Being new I must wonder: are the forums a better venue for finding a companion than the other part of the site? Or are the forums simply so much more interesting that people get drawn in to them and forget the initial reason that they joined the site in the first place?

Perhaps I'm missing something. What do you guys do to pass the time while you watch the screen waiting for something to happen. I thought about making coffee, but the percolator is in the other room and I would miss it if someone were to match me or send a "nudge."

Lots and lots of rain in San Francisco.

Do woodchucks hibernate? I don't know.
I guess not if they blow snow.

No offense to Adivorcedone but drives me more nuts than a terse voice call is when people insist on texting a long, involved interchange, taking hours when only minutes were needed, and all during this time both hands are occupied. It'd be cool if the extra time to think about what we were saying led to more thoughtful communication but this is very rarely the case.
Text if you have just a quick message. Speak if you want to have a conversation.
I feel better now.

God knows TV has done its share to lower the quality of both food and sex in our lives. And from what I observe, iPhones are well on their way to surpassing TV in this regard.

I'll take the food, prepare it well, and hope to attract a dining partner of the opposite sex.

No.

I find the idea that women have a monopoly on drama in a relationship to be curious. I have seen men contort themselves in Machiavellian twists to vent their bruised feelings and hide them at the same time. In fact, I would credit women as being the most sensible when it comes to relationships.

I say, take the girl to the party. How she handles your family will let you know a lot about her. (and maybe your family, too)

I hope your idea works out well! Let us know what happened!

A few tentative points:

Dating is inherently a dishonest endeavor at the start. Each person tries to put forth their best side and to hide their (as they perceive them) faults. Of course these faults usually reveal themselves but only after enough time has passed to give romance a passing chance.

Of course some people of both sexes are shallow. Sad for them. I notice quite a few women who haven't filled out even one of the profile fields. That means that the only criteria I have to decide if they should be a match is their appearance. This can work for women sometimes, but they shouldn't complain about the responses they get.

I think that the best long term companion and lover aught to be a best friend as well. I much prefer to be friends first, and then lovers. Unfortunately, this preference has made me very familiar with the "friend zone." Ladies, perhaps you might consider checking out that friend zone for hidden wealth! Passion is easy to generate but a good friendship is not.

It is natural and proper, according to evolutionary psychology, that a woman expect financial assistance, gifts or the man to pay the cheque. This is because the female has by far the greater investment in reproduction and consequently the greater power in sexual selection. The males must compete to prove fitness, the females select. Kindness, humor and compassion can also prove fitness and, at the end of the day, women usually recognize this. (My "Nice guys finish first" theory)

An anecdote from my failed marriage: I was married for 18 years and I was not the one who wanted to separate. About 5 months after she left, I called her to wish her happy birthday as she was getting off work. She said I was the first to wish her thus. I said, "well, there will be folks wishing you happy birthday this evening." She responded, "No, I'm just going to go home and watch TV by myself." I realized at this point that she did not yet have someone to take my place. I would have thought that this fact would be of comfort but I surprised myself by being sad that she had no one. When I thought about it though, it made perfect sense. I loved her, and therefore her happiness was my priority. If I was not the one to be there for her, I wanted someone else to be there.
True love is not about having someone or needing someone, it is about caring for someone so much that you are willing to let them go if that is what they need.
And yes, I can promise you that true love still has a place in our world!

As for needing someone so badly you could die, google the word "limerance."

While there are no guarantees, (I'd like to point out that if you have to lock 'em in the basement, they may still be present, but they are no longer yours) but I have had pretty good results in the past with honest respect and foot rubs in the evening.

It seems to me that dating should logically begin without commitment. It is not unreasonable to date more than one person at first. How can you commit to someone before you know them. Commitment grows with the relationship. The important thing is to always be honest with them and always carefully consider their feelings. Why would you do otherwise with someone who may become very important to you?