It's been one year in the hobby for me now.  It's been a great year but also one with alot of ups and downs.  About 30 reviews and about 40-50 total sessions.  I post this with the hope that it will help newbies. I am sure others have additional advice to weigh in with, so please do.

1.  Always go with reviewed providers.  This is the "location, location, location" equivalent for the hobby.    Can not emphasize this enough.  You do not yet know enough to TOFTT and you could get yourself in big, big trouble if you walk into a bad situation.  

2.  Look at the reviews for a provider but also look at the reviewers.  Do they have only one review -- the one you are reading?  Do they tend to give everyone a 10-10?  Are all of their reviews for people from the same agency?  All of these are danger signals.  Look for reviewers whose reviews you trust, either because you've had similar experiences or tastes or you see him on the board and think he is not a crazy fool.    

3.  If it looks TGTBT it almost definitely is.  Never feel like there is a single provider that you JUST HAVE to see.  That makes you do dumb things.  (Corollary:  think with the big head.)

4.  Looking at Backpage is fun, just for the variety and craziness and silliness of some of the ads, but be really careful (see rules above) before following through on any BP provider.  I personally would not see a BP provider unless there is a TER Trail.

5.  The market basically works.  If someone is $150 per hour, there probably is a reason why.  I can't vouch for the high end of the market (whether 800/hour is really better than 500/hour) as I have never gone above 400.  

6.  Things NOT to do -- Give out work place information, give your full name, tell your civvie friends about your hobby, have a provider come to your house.  Never, never, never.  If a provider insists on these things, just move on.  There are lots of others. I have been disappointed in this regard several times, but there's always another gorgeous, willing, talented woman coming down the road. And there are the ones you've seen before.  

7. p411 and Date check -- The one exception to rule 6 for me was signing up for p411.  But they are not in the US, so I thought that would be ok.  Some people sign up for Date Check and give out information there, but I think they are US-based.  P411 is useful for booking, for ads, and because providers list what activities they enjoy in their private life.  Whereas in TER, the first reviewer lists those things and sometimes (ahem) gets it wrong. I can't vouch for DC, except that a number of people seem to have found "hidden gems" there.  I would recommend signing up for at least one of those.  

8.  Don't rip off a provider.  Should go without saying.  Just don't get clever and try to save money that way.  it give us all a bad name, and we have a good thing going here, don't mess it up.

9.  Write reviews. Be honest about it.  Reviews are really helpful.

10. Ask questions -- on the newbie board, the regional boards, through PMs.  The GD board is kind of a raging attack-fest (mostly in fun). you may not learn much there.  RO board is sometimes very helpful, sometimes not.

11.  EROS-DC is full of frauds.  google image search and tinyurl are your friends here.

12. Try a variety of different providers -- age, ethnicity, build, menu items.  Dont expect every session to be fabulous, especially as you are getting into the hobby.  allocate some time, money, and expectations for the idea that some of this is experimental. you may like it -- great -- you may not -- in which case you've learned something that is useful.

13.  Be safe -- by going with reviewed girls with quality reviews from reliable reviewers and by not doing unprotected sex or greek - EVER!!!

14.  Get yourself checked if you have any doubts about any infection or disease. There are many places to do this without going to your family doctor.

15.  Have fun -- it's the world's oldest profession precisely  because it meets the world's oldest demand