One of the great things about this board is occasionally getting to meet one of its members, esteemed or otherwise, on their own turf. 😎

While we were in the Denver area, my boyfriend, another friend who lives there, and I met up with @jimmie50 at a Mexican-themed restaurant, because apparently I don’t get enough of Mexico while actually living in Mexico. 😂

My impression of Jimmie50 was exactly what I expected. He seems like a truly nice, genuine guy, and I have no doubt he’ll handle his time in Cambodia just fine, as long as he stays of prop planes and I'm really happy for him.

We hung out for a couple of hours, and the time flew by. It felt less like meeting someone from an online forum and more like catching up with someone we already knew.

And if anyone’s ears were burning that night, there may have been a reason. Of course, everything we said about all of you was complimentary., more or less 😇

So, how many other members here have actually met someone from this board in person on their/your home turf?

I'm not at all surprised to hear that @jimmie50 is a nice guy. From his earliest appearance on this forum introducing himself as a former special ed teacher and telling us about his arrangement with his sister to care for each other in their golden years, I've had good vibes from him. But it has also made me very concerned about him because in my over 20-year association with Thailand I've seen too many nice guys finish last. Hence, occasionally, I've put him in the dock with my leading/looping questions when I felt he needed a little jolt. I do it purely out of a sense of protectiveness.

Over the years I've met around 8 Forum members.

Apart from one - Neal - who was the most evil person I've ever met, the others have been really nice and friendly. At the end of the day, we are just normal guys who happen to love Asian guys, so we have at least one interest in common.

That's not to say we always saw eye to eye on the forum. But we don't with our friends 100% of the time, either.

Funnily enough, one of the nicest guys was actually a little unpleasant on the forum.

8 hours ago, floridarob said:

So, how many other members here have actually met someone from this board in person on their/your home turf?

I've met @jason1975 in Singapore twice!

9 hours ago, floridarob said:

We hung out for a couple of hours, and the time flew by. It felt less like meeting someone from an online forum and more like catching up with someone we already knew.

Not surprising that we kind of know each other's personality and character through reading the posts that we each write on forum as well as the way we interact with others via our replies.

I have met several active forum members over the years and they are more or less like the way they wrote about themselves in their forum posts.

I haven't met @floridarob in person though I believe we happened to be in Bangkok at the same time on several ocassions in the past. However, I know he will be a fun person to be with through his clever wit and warm personality.

1 hour ago, ichigo said:

I've met @jason1975 in Singapore twice!

It's pretty easy to meet me as I am just 2 hours away from Bangkok!

11 hours ago, floridarob said:

One of the great things about this board is occasionally getting to meet one of its members, esteemed or otherwise, on their own turf. 😎

While we were in the Denver area, my boyfriend, another friend who lives there, and I met up with @jimmie50 at a Mexican-themed restaurant, because apparently I don’t get enough of Mexico while actually living in Mexico. 😂

My impression of Jimmie50 was exactly what I expected. He seems like a truly nice, genuine guy, and I have no doubt he’ll handle his time in Cambodia just fine, as long as he stays of prop planes and I'm really happy for him.

We hung out for a couple of hours, and the time flew by. It felt less like meeting someone from an online forum and more like catching up with someone we already knew.

And if anyone’s ears were burning that night, there may have been a reason. Of course, everything we said about all of you was complimentary., more or less 😇

So, how many other members here have actually met someone from this board in person on their/your home turf?

It was great meeting up with you, your boyfriend, and your Denver friend. I certainly never expected anyone from the forum to actually connect with me on my home turf in Denver. This isn't exactly a main destination for folks! lol.

There is something about the posts forum members make and the camaraderie that develops from our mutual interest that we begin to form a vision in our minds of who the person is and what they might look like. I knew right away when floridarob walked in the door of the restaurant that it was him and was exactly as I had imagined. His charming personality and wit you experience online is exactly what you get in person, too. He and I are very similar in that we sometimes like to 'poke the bear' in our posts. lol.

It was nice to hear him describe other forum members he has met in person...far more than I have...since he is a long time member. As he said, the time flew by and it was like meeting an old friend and catching up. Wonderful evening. I cannot say how much longer I will actually be in Denver, but if anyone ever passes through please let me know. Would be great to connect with other forum members as well. I probably have a better chance of meeting others once in Cambodia. While Battambang may not be a huge attraction, Siem Reap is only 90 minutes away by motorbike and I also want to explore Phnom Penh once I am in Cambodia. Give a shout out if you are traveling in Cambodia and we can meet there.

9 hours ago, mauRICE said:

I'm not at all surprised to hear that @jimmie50 is a nice guy. From his earliest appearance on this forum introducing himself as a former special ed teacher and telling us about his arrangement with his sister to care for each other in their golden years, I've had good vibes from him. But it has also made me very concerned about him because in my over 20-year association with Thailand I've seen too many nice guys finish last. Hence, occasionally, I've put him in the dock with my leading/looping questions when I felt he needed a little jolt. I do it purely out of a sense of protectiveness.

I really do appreciate the leading/looping questions from you and also floridarob. It does cause me to pause and think things through more carefully. I am trying to enter into this adventure with eyes wide open and no blinders on. One step at a time. So far things have been very positive between me and Cam. I do thank you for being protective...I can sometimes be a little naive or too trusting.

7 hours ago, a-447 said:

At the end of the day, we are just normal guys who happen to love Asian guys, so we have at least one interest in common.

Normal I'm not so sure but I reckon most of us do like our men sober.

1 hour ago, jimmie50 said:

I certainly never expected anyone from the forum to actually connect with me on my home turf in Denver. This isn't exactly a main destination for folks! lol.

Not unless you're a Carrington or a Colby! 😉

1 hour ago, jimmie50 said:

I knew right away when floridarob walked in the door of the restaurant that it was him and was exactly as I had imagined.

You mean because of the large Liberace-style bouffant held up by copious amounts of hairspray? 😏

1 hour ago, jimmie50 said:

I do thank you for being protective...I can sometimes be a little naive or too trusting.

You're welcome. I try to do what I can and rest assured you're not alone. The working boys (and girls) are very good at what they do and oftentimes understand human nature and its vulnerabilities much better than the average, wide-eyed, sometimes closeted or semi-closeted, farang. Good luck!

3 hours ago, jason1975 said:

It's pretty easy to meet me as I am just 2 hours away from Bangkok!

not to mention you are in Bangkok quite often

13 hours ago, floridarob said:

One of the great things about this board is occasionally getting to meet one of its members

.........

And if anyone’s ears were burning that night, there may have been a reason.

.........................

So, how many other members here have actually met someone from this board in person on their/your home turf?

tell us something we don't know

..................

interesting, where I was born we would say " if you had hiccups that night"

..............

out of total of 42 members I met over years, two of them , williewille and firecat sadly deceased already , I met 5 on their home turf , two each in Bangkok and in Pattaya and one in Singapore. Two members met me on my home turf, including one whom I never met in Thailand.

7 hours ago, a-447 said:

Funnily enough, one of the nicest guys was actually a little unpleasant on the forum.

I'm not surprised , I know reverse situation, one of my friends ( not from forum , not gay) is very nice in person but put him behind the wheel and in instant he becomes most ashollish driver I ever met

1 hour ago, jimmie50 said:

while Battambang may not be a huge attraction, Siem Reap is only 90 minutes away by motorbike and I also want to explore Phnom Penh once I am in Cambodia.

Battambang has it's charms and may keep one occupied for few days - Bat Caves , Banan Temple or bamboo train to name a few. Phnom Penh is only 7 hrs by train 15 USD first class, 10 USD second class

1 hour ago, mauRICE said:

You mean because of the large Liberace-style bouffant held up by copious amounts of hairspray? 😏

Don't be jealous because I still have hair...

Same military haircut since I was 17 in the Army, hairspray is to keep it firmly in place, same reason you might use the blue pill 😬