In the spirit of many recent posters reminiscing about the year and their time in the hobby, I wrote down a few thoughts. These are, of course, only my thoughts and I'm far from the most experienced. I'm sure you guys have stuff to add and I'd love to read it.

Here's a list of Things I've Learned In The Hobby.

Never tell a soul.
This may be a controversial one as I know many hobbyists tell their buddies about it and share experiences. But I can't take any chances. There's just no telling how people react to things like this. Some can be very judgmental and they're not necessarily the ones you might expect to be, either. Friends today don't always stay that way tomorrow. The list of reasons go on and on. But if you are someone who has a good friend you trust and talk to about this, more power to you. I'm just too wary. That's not to say that if I ever ended up at a M & G, I wouldn't try to meet folks and make friends, but those are relationships from within the hobby already. Otherwise, I'm suspicious of civilians.

It's a transaction, stupid.
This may be the topic I've seen most discussed here and on other hobby boards. Many have said the best providers are the one that are able to create an experience that blurs the lines. I couldn't agree more. If something more develops, great. Sex does create a sense of intimacy and in that environment it becomes very easy to share yourself; way more so than you would otherwise, with clothes on. But a good provider will come across as genuinely interested and into you, physically and on every other level. That's what you're paying for as much as the sexual access if you prefer a more gfe experience. Outside of that time or environment, I'll never be surprised if they seem like totally different people. Sometimes, I've seen a lady shift gears mentally (a lot or a little) after festivities but before I actually walk out the door. That's always a reality check for sure.

It's always a crapshoot Part I - the experience.
I read on an earlier post that someone wrote that they've walked away from encounters thinking, "I paid for that?" and others with, "That was SO worth it." Resources on the internet make it real easy to do a lot of research and really stack odds of a favorable encounter in your favor. But everyone has up and down days. Disappointment is part of the game. It also makes the awesome experiences something to be that much more appreciated. Some of the best and worst money I've spent have gone to this activity. But that's probably true for anything you do for any extended period of time.

It's always a crapshoot Part II - timing.
Scheduling is always a bit iffy. If someone doesn't feel great it's not that hard to tough it out at work, unless you're a provider. If they don't feel great, I appreciate them taking themselves out of it. I'd prefer to be with them when they can be fully into it on all levels. I've had two 'day of' cancellations recently. Shit happens. That's always tough for me to swallow because generally I need to set things up in advance and it's hard for me to set aside time that can go by unnoticed. Ain't nothing I can do about it though if it all goes to shit. I know some guys believe in always having a backup plan. I don't go that route though.

I love getting a little nervous.
That moment right before you knock on the door of someone I'm seeing for the first time is one full of excitement, anticipation and a bit of nerves. (Still happens a bit for someone I've seen a few times.) Will she look like you expect? Worse? Better? Then hearing the click of high heels on the other side of the door, walking towards you? That's a rush for me EVERY SINGLE TIME.

Enjoy the moment.
I've let my mind wander to other things during a session. Big mistake. Keeping my mind on the lady, what she's doing and how it feels always helps me get the most out of a session. Sometimes I even find myself evaluating the session itself as it's going on. That's fine, to an extent. But there's plenty of time to evaluate after the fact. If you're in the company of a sexy female who is ready, willing and eager to rock your world, take advantage. Go with the flow.

The 'After' period can be confusing.
Participating in P4P can mess with emotions. Let feelings come out and be aware of them. But don't overreact. There was a great post the other day about guilt. I know I've felt it. Other times I've felt that special, amazing feeling that you can only feel after being in the company of a beautiful woman.

The ladies are, generally speaking, amazing.
Specifically, I'm referring to ladies who do this because they want to. I don't know what it is. I don't know if being a provider provides some weird, revealing glimpse into human nature? Or perhaps the kind of ladies that participate  just tend to be really, really cool people. But it's definitely more common for me to find myself with a lady who I can have a great conversation with, share some laughs, and even run swap stories or advice. Now this is a skill that probably becomes well-oiled with time for the ladies, but I'm always amazed at how cool and interesting many of the providers are.

Well, that's probably way, way too long. But if you made it this far, I'd love to read anything you have to contribute.