Riobard

Thanks ... the journal is simply Medicine (pub Wolters Kluwer Health), not International Medicine, for those digging for it.

I was grabbing a java recently where visiting in Spain. So Guy#1 is sitting near me at a table anxiously scanning between his phone and the entrance. Guy#2 eventually moseys in looking for the fellow of his dreams of the day, app-arently. Their eyes meet. Guy#1 says: [insert Guy#2’s name]? ... and extends handshake. Guy#2 does a two-second sizing up while leaving the handshake hanging, and scurries off. I was not sure about local versus tourist status. In the baths, this kind of rebuff would not be seen as particularly noteworthy or amusing. I obviously recognized the above public humiliation, but I had to suppress my smile. The poor sap had only the one freshly grinded.

Viral hepatitis infection likely accounts for a significant proportion of the health decline features such as the wasting among known guys described here. The infection rates, for HBV for example, are high among MSM in Brazil, and follow-through for inoculation series beyond the initial vaccination dose is very poor. This is particularly disturbing because it is one of the few potentially serious sexually transmitted diseases that is medically preventable.

I no longer work with Microsoft Word program, so I do not run my pieces through Flesch-Kincaid reading grade level. The first paragraph is actually one sentence with three points separated by semi-colons. If it were PowerPoint, they would likely be presented as three bullet points. I am going to leave it up to the reader to mentally organize the structure for their consumption, should they choose to accept the mission. Interestingly, this thread contains information about research studies. I can assure you that research summary abstracts, including all of my several publications in peer-reviewed journals, contain well beyond 64 words. As you know, the abstract sentences are often clustered together. Sometimes the meat, potatoes and veggie sides are separated out on the plate, typically four headings but nevertheless usually single-spaced. Each periodical conforms to one of a handful of stylistic preferences. I often take the time to read entire journal articles that are referenced here on the Board, beyond the news summaries. I usually do not distract myself with word count. Such reading requires more than the average 64-second attention span, a liberal estimate, that is today's trend in focused attention to written material. The 64-dollar question is: how does one package content to everyone's penultimate satisfaction? The answer is simple. One cannot.

At the decision juncture, then, it is proverbially the elder who apparently should know better and be expected to model prudence by explicitly, politely, calmly, verbally, taking a pass on the offer or request; taciturn seamless condom application as though this is the most natural acceptable norm and not up for discussion; or attempting to engage in an instructive dialogue about risk and safety. This third option reminds me of the proverb: *Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.* It is a challenge because many younger people know everything whilst not knowing what they don’t know. I believe on-the-spot HIV test kits are available in Brazil. I suggest scooping up a supply so that if any one ‘garoto de programa’ importunes for bareback, the client shove one in his face saying “you will be needing this”. Or alternatively, “your choice buddy ... condom or needle prick, unless you plan to be among the 15,000 AIDS deaths in Brazil during some future calendar year”. Who is in the best position, holding the money and power, to add STD awareness and openness to education as an added precondition for playcheque? Public health campaigns are obviously failing and brothel owners be like honey badger don’t give a shit.

Just a small request, please. This discussion is very interesting, but I can understand the trends (eg anecdotal reports here) better if reference is made to when the BB offer or proposal from the Brasileiro is receptive anal (he bottoms), insertive anal (he tops), or perhaps reciprocal. ————- Most ‘garotos’ I select identify as ‘ativo’ exclusively but I am flexible about ‘versatil’ role. I always at some point put on a condom because “you never know” if they will accept receptive, as long as they do not have to explicitly verbally agree. It is fascinating to witness the reactions. Usually they freak out and I have to calm down the drama. What is particularly amusing is the idea that I could subdue and pin down any of these guys. I assume their vehement protest is related to my apparent bold assumption they “look” or “behave” gay enough to take it up the ass after all. However, some will go down on it, with the condom on me, although that had not been part of the sealed deal. A renowned exclusive top at 117 I have gone with for a few years recently shocked me by allowing me to frottage between his perfect butt cheeks with his face smooshed down on the mattress, with me wearing a condom. Sometimes edging a little beyond the forbidden is half the fun. ——- More on topic, I have had no BB offers among any of encounters now having reached 3 figures. PrEP uptake that is governmentally financed is a huge hurdle among the “straight” working guys. They are required to go to the relevant health station and declare that they are either having sex with men or are doing commercial sex work presumably with male clientele. There is no face-saving box to tick off, ie, “just a gigolo”.

Gay Pride weekend just wrapped today Maspalomas, so those dozen or so may have represented a temporary spike in trade. The theory is that cuz BCN Thermas was lacklustre this weekend the draw of Canaria festivities may have tapped off some working guys ... maybe, perhaps, etc etc

And the weather is cool all year, weather fluctuating very little seasonally. When porting a bag or good jacket in places at risk for theft, I typically hook a thin nylon cord with the metal hook fasteners one end thru the zipper hole of the external valuable and the other thru slacks waist loop, etc. In fact, making a mad dash off the subway when I was not paying attention in an unfamiliar city this week I almost bolted without my knapsack but it came dragging along with me. An unfortunate young guy this week eating lunch in a food court near my table had his knapsack ‘lifted’ from under the table at his feet. Thief unseen.

It might actually shift some of the Gigolo dancers downstairs on weeknights, then, where interaction in a massage space might be easier than a curtained nook/cranny. Not yet nailed down Bogotá travel dates.

Competition for the best dick can occur at two levels.

Sauter, you say Gigolo Erotic House is only open Friday night. However, their Instagram page has posts with banner ads for many nights of the week, eg Tues Wed Fri Sat. I believe they run every night, as does Saint Moritz.

Bogota's Saint Moritz Banos Turcos and Gigolo Erotic House. If you are looking for the entrance on Calle 65 just west of Carrera 13, here is a photo. It is situated on a block with a lot of home lighting retailers.

Correction: venue hours overlap 20:00-22:00

I thought it has already been discussed that St. Moritz rentboy massage spa was downstairs at the same address, GEH was a more clubbier and linked extension, and trade was implicitly accessible at both. It appears that there is an overlap in opening hours from 20:00 - 23:00 ... StM has strippers and "private shows" while GEH has strippers and "sex shows" but less explicit trade description and may brand more as a dance club to attract party crowds later into the night (to 03:00). Latest IG post for GEH does say 'private show', however. It would seem to me that the working guys want to make cash. One possible advantage is that the guys hot enough for stage work at GEH may cross pollinate both establishments and swing by StM earlier, or you might book them for meetup at StM on a subsequent day. Somebody needs to actually go and report back.

When someone sneaks into my house I initially decide whether to call the cops. Otherwise, I def would use a condom for fucking if there is no current lab evidence (assuming the sneaker may be poz and taking antiretroviral therapy) verifying the viral load is below the measurable limit of quantification ("undetectable"). [100% non-transmissable among those with "undetectable" virus due to ARV uptake] does not equal ["undetectable" virus among 100% of those on ARV]. The reason treatment is permanent is because "undetectable" is not the same as non-existent. "Undetectable" status is impressively consistent these days but only as good as the latest blood test. Beware the blindspots when interpreting research findings. Condom use relaxation may be more appropriate where the sexual partners are more than casual and have a viable system for sorting out prophylaxis based on current transparently shared lab data.

Good points, but I am thinking the rabble might be inclined to eventually converge and consolidate their discontent by directing it to one defined figurehead. You have the sophistication and advanced cognitive processing to track his use of two full hands of finger-pointing and to organize and hold in mind this complex list of whipping-boy categories. The masses under stress, in contrast, would tend to be depleted in capacity for relaxed yet detailed mental effort and be inclined to streamline blame. Perhaps my own psychological laziness supports this fantasy of him getting his just dues in due time.

Be patient. A demographically aging population hemorrhaging out social security funds at one of the highest proportions of spending budget and GNP globally, desperately ambitious pension reform already widely criticized and expected to impose greater financial hardship for workers, legislation delaying retirement age in a nation with marked health multimorbidity onset at late middle age similar to more thriving and resourced countries, grim economic 2-year forecasts capping off a near decade of minimal growth, crumbling infrastructure. Who will be scapegoated when it is obvious the prospects of Brazil being pulled out of the fire do not rest on the election promises of a populist bag bolsa of hot air?

I am relieved that you chose the hotel option your first time. As you know by reading here, it is common practice to have your guest deposit his cedula (RD ID card) at reception and to accompany him to retrieve it as he leaves. This is important particularly if the guest was not vetted and brokered by third-party procurer. I take an apartment in Brazil but I was glad to have the safety net of a hotel in SD as a newcomer. The downside is that some escort guests are anxious if they think their reputation will be sullied. It will be inferred by hotel staff that trade is happening ... the staff are quite savvy about adding two and two with a gringo hosting a decades-younger local, and porters hanging around the lobby are in the same age and socioeconomic range and may know the guest ... the city is large but has a more smalltown vibe compared to, say, Rio. Similarly, most procurers are known locally and some potential escorts are even sensitive about being associated with these known sex brokers. Brokers are often juggling matching hunks, twinks, and chicas with male sex tourists. All the desk staff, hotel restaurant servers, and porters, possibly even the cleaning ladies, were on to me. I am a very private person, so it took some adjustment. Mind you, nobody copped any attitude whatsoever and I had a lot of similar-agenda company. In fact a large group of Americans seemed to know one another and be on a routine pilgrimage lining up dates with ladies of the night. My preferred type is different than some. Physique buffs with great looks and minimally average endowment. Goal-assist procurement was not the most effective for me because isolated photos and endorsements mean little, and I am spoiled in that I can get to spa brothels or strip clubs to assess first-hand any prospects according to my quirky needs. Furthermore, procurers have to delicately balance escort recruitment with maintaining a decent reputation for themselves among their peers and associates. They cannot simply put out feelers to all hot guys in the vicinity, inquiring if they are willing to 'get down' for decent quick profit. My sense is that they have a defined enough reputation that trade prospects may gravitate to the employment application level, but that they must avoid being too forward in flaunting their role and financial gain. I also doubt that brokers hold up clients as salt of the earth. Realistically, in a conservative machismo setting, we are fags with needs that can yield financial gain at the expense of provider integrity. Interestingly, gay expats I briefly met there seemed to be well integrated and getting what they want, but did not know some of the broker contacts reported here. Some implied that there were too many middlemen 'on the hustle' to keep up with who is who. They are viewed with mild disdain, or broker users are subtly pitied for naïvely falling for the hustle dynamic. Cine Lido and Apolo are poor contenders for me. My week in SD was partly to determine the prospect of future extended winter time. I have spent up to 90 days at a time in Brazil and can replicate my northern life routine without needing the high levels of stimulation and entertaining distraction that is usually desired when younger and with limited vacay time. Frankly, I am ambivalent but still curious about a month in SD next winter. I was not blown over whatsoever by the trade I could get thus far. You have to be careful and it is labour-intensive to scavenge for top-tier guys without drawing too much unwanted attention. I need more prep time and mileage there to determine whether some reliable repeat-worthy gems can be excavated, how direct to be in my agenda, and whether upticking procurer reward levels will make a difference. Gym time was cheap and accessible. The main grocery store on El Condé is certainly decent enough to support meal prep in self-catering accommodations It is reassuring that you seem to be getting somewhere with social media in advance. I am gathering data. Grindr there did light up to some degree, but I lacked the time to follow through. The historic area is very enjoyable to soak up. One Grindr lad asked what "generous" meant, though my profile was as clear as you can be without outright declaring being a john seeking muscular trade. I replied that I was very giving in terms of providing compliments.

I have seen and applaud some of your vids, including the one where I presume skilled editing inserts a Yankee dick standing in for Fabian R. If otherwise, me Jelly at the highest level. You "ruined" it for me by mentioning you will be entering virgin territory in DR, as I had bought into the clip but now assume you did not score him in the USofA or elsewhere. BTW, my limited experience on site in SD suggests that he is unattainable and does not 'get down' for one-offs. Shame I don't have a yacht. About that balaclava ... it might be seen as a foreign idea there and may startle the native sons. If not grasped conceptually as a viable kink or as a filming discretion prop, and you are unable to follow the airflight playbook of applying first, thereby reasurring the uninitiated of its harmlessness, you may experience the nearest coffeemaker or table lamp whacked across your skull by a confused, disoriented trick. Use with caution to avoid subzero encounters. To boot, at a place like Apolo Spa it will be like putting a tea cozy on an already steaming pot of brew.

I know, right? This is not the place, for bullying, that inevitably happens for reasons most of us comprehend and dislike, such as it usually involves needless crash and burn. And, believe me, I knew as I was writing about it that it was was going to better suited for a forum or context other than sex and travel. So I am happy to side with you and ground this discussion in favour of topics and themes that have a better chance of finding a viable runway. But think about this: in your mind's eye, do a loose assessment of who fits into which of two basic camps. One is those who are out to correct and monitor and inclined to finger-pointing and ridicule, the other more laid back and hospitably conflict-avoidant. Which of the two is essentially mum about details of their sexcapades and which is more playful and candid in chronicling their play? It is a sex play forum after all.

De nada ... much fun.

Kevie, my high school system in the northern boreal above the Great Lakes required we had to take, in our final year, 2 of 3: English, French, Latin. In Grade 13, I dropped English to raise my GPA for uni. To clarify, English was Literature and I sucked at it. I tend to free-associate quickly if there is no income at stake and in a setting where the concept of reputation is, frankly, overrated. I tend to struggle with the more modern idiom here and there that leaves me scratching my head. ------ A megalomanic bully uses binding paradox and is set on the win. For example, you may notice in the dynamics here that not responding makes me a loser because I will have let a douche get up my nose without rallying, when in fact this version and source of bullying is not lacking in prevalence ... if you are not blind, you can see many examples of blatant derision peppered among this guy's more neutral passages, a blend of contributions that has the effect of calling into question the actual grade of Trumpification that rests within the offender. Similarly, responding makes me a loser because I engaged with the bully and the bully asserts that means I have no life and I am a social pariah. True, reciprocal engaging tends to be generally obnoxious, meaning that I am not exempt from the responsibility of tossing similarly rude salvos. That I term deliberative isomorphism (another boring lecture) Sure, one can take a hanky and blow out the shit cloud one walked into, walking out. That may work best for many and is certainly not a tactic I absolutely discard. You know you are being catfished into the bind when nonsense is spewed forth. Like this guy makes up stuff that is simply disorienting and because there may be enough naïve people around to take fake news at face value. Not being American, I am newer to this dynamic. Perhaps you get the drift of the paradoxical bind? It is the causal agent of much interpersonal dysfunction. Essentially, a position of being damned if you do and damned if you don't. Moving on. If you decide to engage and see it through, you must seek and find counterparadox, and focus on the process rather than the win. Counterparadox is simply paradox, where unpredictable, ungovernable change occurs irrespective of what you do in the enterprise. Better yet, paradox put forward by the bully tends to split and multiply like the amoeba that sourced it. And I do not mean that totally disparagingly. That is simply universal generativity. It is just that bullying is primitive ... I think we agree on that. In this example, I recognize basic intelligence and respect some reasonably well-played serves. Sometimes, not always, I think: Touché. On recent occasions, the serves progressively degenerate into playground base name-calling and plagiarized cartoons, gifs? Whatever, you want to call them. Since patterns tend to be repetitive, I acquired a better sense of this eventuality. The outcome tends to be better when I up the ante in the opposite direction. I think that the opening bitchslap has been consistently, though perhaps subtly, presented by the other party. I do not, however, proclaim to be perfect. The point is it is not important how I express or whether you grasp it all or you need a thesaurus. Think of it as a public display of nonviolent disaffection. I am not so much writing for the collective at these times, but I do somewhat hope that some of my response represents empathy for the bullying endured by other members, sometimes dealt by the same unclassy hand. What is important to me is the realization that some bullying simply galvanizes my energy. The paradox (remember finding the one that might fit the bully's paradoxical bind?) that has worked so far is that dissecting what I perceive to be nonsensical material and turning it on its head, no matter how unhinged I myself appear in the enterprise, while it can be mildly time-consuming, recharges my batteries and gets it across the finish line. It also helps that less intelligent less manipulative less committed bullies here enable a bit of practice at anti-bullying calisthenics. Nobody need take a personal side other than anti-bullying, as you very eloquently expressed in your own way. Other than that, some forebearance is required in terms of how we individually handle the subject. Frankly, I would feel more comfortable if others got into the ring more rather than feebly 'tap out'. But I expect that there is a host of excellent reasons for that kind of pacifism and that is my problem to handle. Final paradox before we call it a day: Riobard can be bullied yet unbullied. So can you. Peace out.

More Pelhourinho selections ...