What advice do you have for a middle age man just starting out with this experience? I am certain that I will be nervous both in making contact with a provider and in my first visit. Also, I understand that screening is necessary to protect providers from wackos, but this raises concerns about my privacy. Some advice from you more experienced folks will be appreciated.

Screening protects you also.  The highest rated providers would do a good job of protecting information that you give them during screening.  Many will exchange emails with you, so you should get an idea of what they are like from paying attention to what they write and how they write it. The good providers will also notify you in advance if something comes up and they have to cancel, some will suggest highly rated alternatives if they have to cancel.
    You may want to have some way of communicating with providers other than a home computer if you have an SO or a family.  I suggest that you also do not communicate with them from work other than taking a pre-arranged verification call, if that is part of the verification process.  
   I suggest that you get VIP membership so that you can see all pertinent information.  You can search for providers that meet your performance/appearance requirements using the search facility that is provided once you select "escort reviews" and "search reviews".  As a VIP, you can also sort the reviews of providers who have served any large city that you live in, near or will visit.  The reviews can be sorted based upon things like performance and appearance.  I suggest sorting reviews for a city that you are interested in hobbying in by performance, select the newest ones, do not go back more than six months, then read a few of the ones where the ladies average higher than 8.0 for performance.  You will find a lot of good choices, depending upon your tastes.
   Keep hobbying in perspective.  It is a side interest that is secondary to you primary obligations in life.  Keep this in mind when budgeting money and time.  If you are single and do not have obligations like caring for elderly parents or relatives and you have significant free cash, then great, your time outside of a job obligation is completely your own and you can use whatever amount you want to hobbying.  If you have a family, then you are going to have to plan how and when to use your limited free time and you will have to insure that you do everything safely, please do not get careless because you will hurt a lot of people.  
  Also, if you do not have a lot of money to spend but want to see someone who is out of your price range, save for the occasion, please do not try to negotiate a provider down from her stated price.  If you have concluded that you want to see her, then you need to respect the conditions that she has set for meeting you.

Hello,
 I agree with Mr. Still Tryin's post.  I'm a bit of a newbie myself.  The screening requested varies from provider to provider.   So far I've only been asked for my name, kind of work, work phone, and cell phone number.  They won't call work looking for you.  They want their privacy as well.  Some will ask to look at a driver's license when you meet.  Relax.  You will know what to expect if you've read her reviews. (VIP membership)  A cell phone is needed for what they call a "two call system".  A provider will give you a location to be a few minutes before your appointment and they will phone the cell to give you an address.
 Definately get a VIP membership.  The amount of info you can get for the buck is pretty staggering.  You can also, privately, e-mail other members...which when I joined didn't seem like something I'd do...but now I'm asking for details I'm missing from reading reviews or other Newbie advice.  Within an hour of becoming a VIP I was very much at ease with the whole provider process.  I simply needed someone to talk me through an experience or two so I would feel comfortable contacting a woman through their website.  I don't have an SO (significant other) so I don't know your privacy concerns.
 People on the discussion boards talk about "throw-a-way" cell phones and shared computers but I don't have those concerns.
 The two biggest things to know when setting up an appointment is never to speak of money or sex.  You can get all that info as a VIP.  A lady's website is her most accurate, albeit sometimes vaugue, form of communication to you until you are in the room.  Some of those websites actually tell you to go to TER and read about her.  Once in the room with her you shouldn't talk about money or sex either.  Unless of course you start having sex then I think a conversation about sex could happen!  You still aren't gonna wanna speak about $ though.
 The only other info I needed after becoming a VIP was what do all those abbreviations mean??!!   (SO = significant other, etc.) You can find a link to those on this newbie discussion board - the thread usually starts with NEWBIES START HERE! or something like that.  Have fun.  you can PM me if you become a member.  PM = private mail.
 have fun,
Jockeypants

Screening is a necessary process for us, without which we would be at risk of god knows how many unforseeable bad situations. The screening process doesn't have to be painful, though. If you are strongly concerned about the questions you must answer, then try and find a provider with alternate means of screening. Use the VIP membership to find a provider that suits your needs- it is well worth the time and minimal expense, I'm sure.

Jockeypants pretty much hit the nail on the head though, IMO. You can be assured that most of us providers want our privacy protected as much as you do, and  as a result we aren't going to abuse any information we get. Not to say that there aren't any sketchy providers out there- because there obviously are- but that's where using your VIP membership w/ the review database here comes in handy.

there was a similar disucssion posted a few days ago which might also be of help.

Thanks for the advice. Any thots on whther best to try first time in community where I live or on business travel. Do have a SO and kids.

Thanks for your advice. What is your view on whether it is better to start with a provider in the area where I live or with one in a place I visit on business?

What is your comfort level?  For myself, I know a lot of people where I live and I prefer meeting a Lady to remain between the Lady and myself, so for me I do the "while visiting" thing.

But it also depends on where you visit.  Some places might not have the kind of person you are looking for. If you want to, send me a PM or if you can't, a note to Old_Traveler69 on yahoo letting me know where you are traveling to and I might be able to point you to someone I would recommend to a fellow "older guy".

I tried [email protected] and got a nondelivery diagnostic. Anyway, any suggestions in Denver area? THX!