Great topic. I've participated in discussion boards of many different types since the late 90's and every board, without exception, is the same...the topic is all that changes. Most people will say things in the board discussion they would never say in person. It's the nature of hiding behind the keyboard (that goes for #1 here too). Too often if have found myself "spouting off" when I would have been much wiser to shut up and go on. I'm trying to learn to do that more.
1. If a girl NCNS's I'm out! I hate my time being wasted. I realize it happens both ways and I think it is equally bad. I think I said something about that recently,
2. I don't remember the gal, but I do remember that for several weeks most of what she said sounded like she was downing new posters with comments like "another one managed by a butt hurt guy." It was that bad and worse. It just gave me the sense that she hated guys and was trying to walk over every other girl posting. Complete turnoff.
3. It's been said that bad press is good press. That is one of the reason I don't post anymore about a certain provider who has been notorious for NCNS's in the past, and to her credit she seems to have cleaned up her game. Having said that, I have booked with a gal who it seemed like she was at the bottom of the dog pile just to see for myself if she was as bad as all were saying. As it turned out, I've seen her about three-four times. This is rare, but I have done it on two occasions.
4. Mostly, I follow this procedure:
*I look at price first as my pockets are just not that deep. I wish they were, but it is what it is. If she is out of my price range, I simply move on, no sense looking any further. No disrespect meant, I just know what I can and cannot do and have accepted that.
*I look at pictures, after all, if I'm not attracted visually, then it's not going to do me any good in person.
*next I look at activities. If activities match what I like then I will proceed to the next step.
*I will then read all the reviews or until I am satisfied, but I usually read them all. I want to see the big picture.
*If I'm still not quite sure, I will read posts, but usually it's the posts that have sparked my attention to begin with. I won't so much look at her ad as I will look at her interaction with others. I'm reminded of another provider that I will never see simply because 90+% of her posts are bitching about this or that and adding her unwanted "advice" (this is obviously my perception of her and no doubt it is skewed due to my disdain for her. She turned me off with her first non-ad interaction and continues to to this day).
Having said all of that, I've also learned that most people are completely different in person than they are behind the keyboard. For example, I can come across as more outspoken than I really am. In fact, I'm more of an introvert than anything in person, which is one of the reasons I will never attend a social, I would probably show up and then sit in the corner somewhere ... I know me.
The people who "think" before hitting enter are usually the ones who are more like they are in person when posting. I'm trying to learn this. I've typed and deleted about 15 posts in the past week. Looking back, it was very wise to do so. I'm also trying to learn that most people don't care about what I have to say as much as I do ... so therefore........
One last thing and I'll stop - I don't, D-O-N'-T read ads that are loooong and wordy. I can only speak for me, but I'm visually motivated. Don't try too hard to convince me with words ... convince me with pictures. (Says the guy who just wrote a small book here)
