I don't know much about Astrology, but I know enough to laugh hard at a good joke...
The month of June and the first few days of July were characterized by far more drama, Hobby-drama, than I normally see in a full year.
I learned a long time ago to always angle towards the Win-Win. Which means, among other things, that I refuse to get pulled into the CENTER of ANY DRAMA. None-the-less, not being omnipotent, I still get some Hobby-drama splashed up on my shoes from time to time.
So, as I was wiping the last of June’s drama off my shoes, a dear provider friend of mine made this quip...
MY LUV, VENUS HAS BEEN IN DETRIMENT ON YOUR ASS!
LMAO, that is funny! On so many levels!
The truth is, I don't think the drama was based in Astrology; but I do think the drama was the result of a larger, systematic force... an exploding economy; aka, our current prosperity.
One of the few places that being an old man comes in handy is in the wisdom & moxie that is born from experience & engagement; and my experience has taught me this... most people have a harder time with prosperity than with challenge. To my point, research indicates more businesses collapse in growing economies than in recessions.
During growth economies, I have consistently witnessed that, as humans, we tend to tighten up so much that we become these little tape-balls of stress and angst and fear; and every little negative thing starts sticking to us and staying with us. In particular...
We fear getting left behind,
We imagine others are besting us and, ultimately,
Many of us convince ourselves that we aren't even being allowed to partake of the grand banquet that is prosperity.
When the truth is, a high tide raises all boats; it just does!
I have a different friend, my Mon Petite, Breezy; and she CHOOSES to live from an enlightened center, one that is characterized by positivity, gratitude, generosity and thankfulness! That’s why her aura is also characterized by those things, she intentionally & proactively chooses those things; and, before anyone says anything silly, let me go ahead and say this...
JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING IS INTENTIONAL DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT ISN’T SINCERE!
So, my experience has taught me that the most important thing to do during a growth economy is to live like Breezy: choose to have a spirit of gratitude and thankfulness and generosity AND don’t tighten up so much.
Gratitude and thankfulness and generosity, far more than stress or angst or fear, will put all of us in a much better position to seize the opportunities offered up by this current prosperity; so that we might enjoy what can be enjoyed.
Life is always going to be a challenge, if not straight out hard. The last thing we want to do is make it worse by not, at the very least, enjoying that which can be enjoyed.
I hate how ugly the Hobby looks when Clients and Providers wind each other up into these whirling-dervishes of Zero-Sum grabbiness (aka, "you have to lose for me to win"). The Hobby has so much potential to be a Win-Win, but it is so terribly ugly when it is nothing but a Zero-Sum game!
To be clear, earlier when I said “Hobby-drama”, I don't just mean Providers. In fact, at least 50% of the drama that has recently splashed up on my shoes was the direct result of Clients either being selfish assholes or, worse, abusive.
Since I'm a guy and a Client, I'll start this sermon with us...
Clients, don't just be males, be Real Men... and when interacting with ladies, be Gentlemen.
First, guys, don't tighten up about rates; don't begrudge for your Provider what you want for yourself. Yes, rates will go up a little, everything is going up, everything! That’s what happens in an exploding economy. But do you know what I enjoy more than all those other things that are going up? Yep, you guessed it... BOOBIES!
On a related note, guys, please be responsible members of the Client-community! If you are a selfish ass-hole and/or abusive, it spills back on me and the rest of the Client-community; and if you are one of those guys, and I get the opportunity, I will, on behalf of both communities, use my bully-pulpit to, at the very least, embarrass you.
Guys, let me also warn us about being accidental ass-holes, that also makes it harder for everyone else.
In particular, you can’t cancel anytime within 24 hours and act like its no big deal, especially during a hot economy.
Every Client should take stock of the fact that THIS is why so many more high-quality Providers, who weren’t previously requiring Deposits, are now requiring Deposits. It isn’t Providers being selfish it is Clients being ass-holes (even if it is accidental). Guys, we shouldn’t tolerate this; the Hobby is about us spending intimate time with beautiful, naked women... not protecting foolish, unwise and all-around ass-hole-esque behavior from some other guy that we don’t even want to be acquaintances with in real life.
Just like us, Providers have more choices in a growing economy; so, if more Providers start demanding a deposit, it’s time for a little code-red on the AHs among us, they are the ones to blame.
BTW, it isn’t a hunch, there are always More Clients and More Providers in the game during a hot economy; and if you have been paying close attention, that explosion has been going on, on both sides of the aisle, since the latter part of 2020.
Speaking of which, over to the other side of the aisle...
Providers, look, it's no secret that I love women! To the degree that more than a few other Clients have accused me of being "too pro-Provider" over the years. But c'mon ladies, help me out here, don't just be providing a service! Try and do so without also seething negativity, venom and disdain through every fiber of your being... especially your Twitters and Instagram.
Ladies, you have to watch those public feeds!
I have seen more than a few Twitters of late wherein every third post is either deeply negative OR is blasting EVERYONE with a message that is really just intended for a few ass-holes.
But remember, IF they are ass-holes, THEN they don't give a shit what you post. So, you aren’t hurting the ass-holes, but you are hurting your Brand and, consequently, your Business.
Remember, whether you like it or not, a public feed (Twitter, Instagram or whatever) is a customer-facing piece of marketing... 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
One entrepreneur to another, let me encourage you that, unless you are trying to kill your Brand and then kill your Business, you have to remember that public feeds are customer-facing!
There’s a reason why McDonalds has never had a jingle that included the phrase “Hey customer... FUCK YOU!” LMAO!
In other words, guys aren’t the only ones turning my stomach of late. I have seen more than a few Twitters in the last six weeks that have also made me nauseous; so much venom and negativity and “F-you”; and, as a potential customer, when I see it, I just move on (while thinking “I’ll leave that one for the masochist fets” LOL).
Just like Providers, Clients also have a lot more choices in a growth economy; and there aren’t too many “good guys” that are going to see someone who is publicly throwing around “F-you” more than once a month.
I have a few close friends who I do see who struggle with this (thankfully I didn’t look at their Twitter before I started seeing them), and it hurts me for them. I feel like I’m watching a slow-motion train wreck, because they are killing their Brand and they are killing their Business.
My hope is this, that we would all pause and appreciate the current prosperity AND that we would all angle towards the Win-Win, while being characterized by positivity, gratitude, generosity and thankfulness! For each other and for ourselves; because I am too old to constantly be bending over to clean off my shoes.
Bandit Rex