What would you like to do when you retire from escorting?

[Griffin Donavon]

So what am I going to do? I will have invested in stocks that are a $1 now and in 10 years will have reach the $300 bracket. After this I will have a team of anaylisis for properties and invest into them and then flip them for more. After this I will be creating a new therapy company to interact with humans that will get deeper connection then the traditional counciling and therapy that will change life's and create better research into understanding the brain.

[JuniorNYC]

Continue doing what I'm doing with my full-time job: Marketing within Public Health Research - finish my Master's and probably start a DPH program, which I'm currently exploring. I've been involved in this type of work (public health) since I was 19 and I hope to continue working within this field until I retire. That being said, there are other things I'm very much interested in pursing.

 

I DJ bars/clubs and events a few times a month here in NYC, which I love. I've been looking into music production software and equipment, which I plan to explore a lot more within the next few months during the Winter.

 

I've always had a love for interior design. I especially love repurposed furniture/art and have a few unique pieces that I've created which I think if I had a large enough space I could recreate, as well as work on other ideas, and turn it into a small business/hobby.

 

I'm into a lot of urban fashion, particularly casual wear. I dabbled into T-shirts, did screen printing, finding interesting ways to alter clothing and have made a lot of friends in NYC who are designers that I've learned a lot from. So starting a small fashion line would be fun. I would most likely focus on casual summer wear like tank tops, shirts and rustic jewelry.

 

I think in general, I'd love to continue and expand upon my current my career path but also do something that would allow me the freedom to be creative.

[BostonChris]

Stumbled onto this thread and thought I might add my two cents to the conversation.

I have a very different take on this and I'm curious about feedback. So here goes.

My reasons for getting into the business are quite different from most. I went to college, have a great degree and then used that degree to work for ten years. I was revered in my field, have multiple papers and patents, and was being courted by universities to return to get my PhD... not to mention I was making a very respectful salary. But, right around my 30th birthday, I had a bit of a revelation mixed with a sort of mid-life crisis. All that time I was so focused on my career, I avoided my sexuality. At this point I was openly gay, but I was struggling with what that meant. I didn't really fit in with most of the gay 'culture' or perhaps I simply didn't understand it. Furthermore, most of my younger/college/early 20's I never really felt attractive or had a physical presence... rather, my intellect, in my opinion, was my greatest asset. After I came out and started to feel good about my sexuality, I was quickly forced to change my appearance to fit it. Everything became superficial and the concept of judging books by their cover was overwhelming. I worked out like a fiend and tried to be one of the boys. I still didn't feel accepted. At the same time, my career took a back seat. I wasn't interested in advancing my career because I only saw it as a moneymaker and it left me unfulfilled. I left my career. I wanted to gain attention, be social, be accepted and finally feel validated. So I went on a journey. I started as a go-go dancer... that lead to propositions... and there you go... BUT... entering the escorting industry is a double edged sword. Getting validation for appearances is the polar opposite of what I thought my best features were. So, then you struggle to keep up with that... and you begin to feel that that is all you have to offer. However, something I didn't know that I would find fascinating was in fact the world I had just entered. I would revel in learning about clients, their lives, their opinions, the stories. I was learning about sexuality, sexual repression, fantasy, double-lives... all at the same time that I was living a sexual double-life myself. Then the businessman in mean kicked in. I worked in porn to further market and promote myself as well as gain more insight and experimentation. By then this was 2005-6... and then something in me wanted things to change. I was so far opposite of where I was five years prior... I started to lose myself. It was then that I decided to cut bait and start a new career. Also, just so happened I finally paid off my student loans. I left Boston and left the industry... but... I didn't leave for good. The next 4 years was a combination of a new career and new life on the west coast. I have an overwhelming feeling of guilt and shame that I was not expecting, and it took years to fully accept my choices, honestly appreciate them, and take pride in my joie de vie, zest for adventure, and constant education. Then I returned to the east coast, but it wasn't until I met a man in Key West, and not as a client because I had not returned to the business. We had a conversation that began changing my perspective about everything. I spent so much time thinking that I must be one or the other, that a must choose one of the opposites I fought against at different times. At that point I gained some clarity and peace and decided that I can do what I want to do and choose the path that feels right for me and break away from the stereotypes. I started back doing massage and then started to advertise escorting, all the while pursuing my other goals. I always enjoyed exploring my sexual side and I enjoy my clients and always learn from them, so I do just that. Over the past few years, I locked in on my next career path. I've returned to school (online for now) and my upcoming return to California is part of the plan as well. This time, I want to do it all. I want my new career path to expand, I want to keep learning, AND I want to have the opportunity to have clients. I'm not sure when I will 'retire' from massage/escorting, and I'm not sure one ever has to plan that... perhaps that will never be defined for me. However, I take solace in the fact that I am content with my decisions. I no longer have regrets or guilt or shame. It was certainly a long road to take, but hey, I think Frost said it best... "...that had made all the difference."

 

Not sure if this was appropriate for this thread, but, I guess I just felt like blabbing ;-) And it was easier to post here than to write another chapter in my book.... now THAT will have all the juicy details.

[+ Truereview]

Stumbled onto this thread and thought I might add my two cents to the conversation.

I have a very different take on this and I'm curious about feedback. So here goes.

My reasons for getting into the business are quite different from most. I went to college, have a great degree and then used that degree to work for ten years. I was revered in my field, have multiple papers and patents, and was being courted by universities to return to get my PhD... not to mention I was making a very respectful salary. But, right around my 30th birthday, I had a bit of a revelation mixed with a sort of mid-life crisis. All that time I was so focused on my career, I avoided my sexuality. At this point I was openly gay, but I was struggling with what that meant. I didn't really fit in with most of the gay 'culture' or perhaps I simply didn't understand it. Furthermore, most of my younger/college/early 20's I never really felt attractive or had a physical presence... rather, my intellect, in my opinion, was my greatest asset. After I came out and started to feel good about my sexuality, I was quickly forced to change my appearance to fit it. Everything became superficial and the concept of judging books by their cover was overwhelming. I worked out like a fiend and tried to be one of the boys. I still didn't feel accepted. At the same time, my career took a back seat. I wasn't interested in advancing my career because I only saw it as a moneymaker and it left me unfulfilled. I left my career. I wanted to gain attention, be social, be accepted and finally feel validated. So I went on a journey. I started as a go-go dancer... that lead to propositions... and there you go... BUT... entering the escorting industry is a double edged sword. Getting validation for appearances is the polar opposite of what I thought my best features were. So, then you struggle to keep up with that... and you begin to feel that that is all you have to offer. However, something I didn't know that I would find fascinating was in fact the world I had just entered. I would revel in learning about clients, their lives, their opinions, the stories. I was learning about sexuality, sexual repression, fantasy, double-lives... all at the same time that I was living a sexual double-life myself. Then the businessman in mean kicked in. I worked in porn to further market and promote myself as well as gain more insight and experimentation. By then this was 2005-6... and then something in me wanted things to change. I was so far opposite of where I was five years prior... I started to lose myself. It was then that I decided to cut bait and start a new career. Also, just so happened I finally paid off my student loans. I left Boston and left the industry... but... I didn't leave for good. The next 4 years was a combination of a new career and new life on the west coast. I have an overwhelming feeling of guilt and shame that I was not expecting, and it took years to fully accept my choices, honestly appreciate them, and take pride in my joie de vie, zest for adventure, and constant education. Then I returned to the east coast, but it wasn't until I met a man in Key West, and not as a client because I had not returned to the business. We had a conversation that began changing my perspective about everything. I spent so much time thinking that I must be one or the other, that a must choose one of the opposites I fought against at different times. At that point I gained some clarity and peace and decided that I can do what I want to do and choose the path that feels right for me and break away from the stereotypes. I started back doing massage and then started to advertise escorting, all the while pursuing my other goals. I always enjoyed exploring my sexual side and I enjoy my clients and always learn from them, so I do just that. Over the past few years, I locked in on my next career path. I've returned to school (online for now) and my upcoming return to California is part of the plan as well. This time, I want to do it all. I want my new career path to expand, I want to keep learning, AND I want to have the opportunity to have clients. I'm not sure when I will 'retire' from massage/escorting, and I'm not sure one ever has to plan that... perhaps that will never be defined for me. However, I take solace in the fact that I am content with my decisions. I no longer have regrets or guilt or shame. It was certainly a long road to take, but hey, I think Frost said it best... "...that had made all the difference."

 

Not sure if this was appropriate for this thread, but, I guess I just felt like blabbing ;-) And it was easier to post here than to write another chapter in my book.... now THAT will have all the juicy details.

Fascinating and thanks for sharing, BC! One question: would you now consider escorting a hobby, a part time job, a career choice or something else?

[gallahadesquire]

Manage my rental properties, slowly draw down my accumulated savings or live off the returns therefrom, and pursue stimulating and challenging hobbies, perhaps including writing my memoirs, tentatively entitled Would Only That I Had Pearls to Clutch.

 

Kevin Slater

 

Just make sure they are Mikimoto

 

http://www.mikimotoamerica.com/

[Frequentflier]

Stumbled onto this thread and thought I might add my two cents to the conversation.

I have a very different take on this and I'm curious about feedback. So here goes.

My reasons for getting into the business are quite different from most. I went to college, have a great degree and then used that degree to work for ten years. I was revered in my field, have multiple papers and patents, and was being courted by universities to return to get my PhD... not to mention I was making a very respectful salary. But, right around my 30th birthday, I had a bit of a revelation mixed with a sort of mid-life crisis. All that time I was so focused on my career, I avoided my sexuality. At this point I was openly gay, but I was struggling with what that meant. I didn't really fit in with most of the gay 'culture' or perhaps I simply didn't understand it. Furthermore, most of my younger/college/early 20's I never really felt attractive or had a physical presence... rather, my intellect, in my opinion, was my greatest asset. After I came out and started to feel good about my sexuality, I was quickly forced to change my appearance to fit it. Everything became superficial and the concept of judging books by their cover was overwhelming. I worked out like a fiend and tried to be one of the boys. I still didn't feel accepted. At the same time, my career took a back seat. I wasn't interested in advancing my career because I only saw it as a moneymaker and it left me unfulfilled. I left my career. I wanted to gain attention, be social, be accepted and finally feel validated. So I went on a journey. I started as a go-go dancer... that lead to propositions... and there you go... BUT... entering the escorting industry is a double edged sword. Getting validation for appearances is the polar opposite of what I thought my best features were. So, then you struggle to keep up with that... and you begin to feel that that is all you have to offer. However, something I didn't know that I would find fascinating was in fact the world I had just entered. I would revel in learning about clients, their lives, their opinions, the stories. I was learning about sexuality, sexual repression, fantasy, double-lives... all at the same time that I was living a sexual double-life myself. Then the businessman in mean kicked in. I worked in porn to further market and promote myself as well as gain more insight and experimentation. By then this was 2005-6... and then something in me wanted things to change. I was so far opposite of where I was five years prior... I started to lose myself. It was then that I decided to cut bait and start a new career. Also, just so happened I finally paid off my student loans. I left Boston and left the industry... but... I didn't leave for good. The next 4 years was a combination of a new career and new life on the west coast. I have an overwhelming feeling of guilt and shame that I was not expecting, and it took years to fully accept my choices, honestly appreciate them, and take pride in my joie de vie, zest for adventure, and constant education. Then I returned to the east coast, but it wasn't until I met a man in Key West, and not as a client because I had not returned to the business. We had a conversation that began changing my perspective about everything. I spent so much time thinking that I must be one or the other, that a must choose one of the opposites I fought against at different times. At that point I gained some clarity and peace and decided that I can do what I want to do and choose the path that feels right for me and break away from the stereotypes. I started back doing massage and then started to advertise escorting, all the while pursuing my other goals. I always enjoyed exploring my sexual side and I enjoy my clients and always learn from them, so I do just that. Over the past few years, I locked in on my next career path. I've returned to school (online for now) and my upcoming return to California is part of the plan as well. This time, I want to do it all. I want my new career path to expand, I want to keep learning, AND I want to have the opportunity to have clients. I'm not sure when I will 'retire' from massage/escorting, and I'm not sure one ever has to plan that... perhaps that will never be defined for me. However, I take solace in the fact that I am content with my decisions. I no longer have regrets or guilt or shame. It was certainly a long road to take, but hey, I think Frost said it best... "...that had made all the difference."

 

Not sure if this was appropriate for this thread, but, I guess I just felt like blabbing ;-) And it was easier to post here than to write another chapter in my book.... now THAT will have all the juicy details.

 

Chris, thanks and very kind of you to share these details. One view I have which is that working to only earn money is not going to lead to happiness. It doesn't matter how much money we make, we'll all leave this world with the same amount in our pockets. I have this view as someone far older than you and when I was young I thought making money was nearly the single most important measurement. Hopefully younger people reading this will learn from others like me. Sure, we all need to be financially comfortable (definitions for "comfortable" vary) but getting to that point while volunteering/traveling/living life so openly that you have good interactions with lots of other people and doing more of that if you can formally retire early seems to me a better path than too many restrict themselves to.

 

Another piece of advice for the young ones. Take advantage of your youth to put modest amounts of money away. You don't need to save much to accumulate a million dollars when you have the benefit of youth and years.

 

There is a free online calculator at bankrate.com. As an example. If someone starts with $1,000 in savings and puts just $825 a month away starting at age 20, assuming a 7% average annual return (not aggressive), they will have over $1 million at age 50. Maybe $825 sounds like a lot, but for most escorts that's one overnight a month. People should pay themselves first - pay into their savings as a priority. At age 50, life expectancy for a man is (I believe) over 85. So one would have 35 + years and assuming no other assets (house, car, jewelry, art, whatever) $1 million to draw off of. I suspect most people will have one or more other assets, like a condo/home/etc. But if you start saving later in life, achieving financial independence is harder.

 

While someone won't be able to live well in NYC on $1 million in savings (even today), there are still a lot of places where one can live well and happily on that nest egg.

 

As for where to invest, I suggest reading The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham. The big suggestion I have is 1) invest in a diversified set of mutual funds (there are free online tools) or ETF's that have LOW fees, 2) don't invest this money in investment real estate/business ventures with friends/etc.. The benefit of time young people have to accumulate allows them to be modest in their investment return expectations and they don't need to venture into more risky areas like business ventures/investment real estate.

[mike carey]

All true, Frequentflier. I have to say that BostonChris comes across as an incredibly gounded man, given my remoteness I won't say I would love to meet him, that sort of comment needs to wait until I am in the same location.

[Mark Gordon]

Where do I find your ad/contact info

 

In my signature

[keithhardy]

Own and Operate a Gay B&B, ideally in P-Town!

[RussJohnson]

Brilliant!

 

You have the looks and the brain for a nice future ahead.

 

Would you ever consider:

 

http://www.buildingdetroit.org/

 

I've always considered Detroit, but I would feel guilty because I am not in a place that I want to move there at the moment. I think those are really the best deals though.

[marylander1940]

I've always considered Detroit, but I would feel guilty because I am not in a place that I want to move there at the moment. I think those are really the best deals though.

 

It doesn't get any cheaper, sooner or later folks will move there and the city will be reborn again. I'm 75, kind of late for me to do it, but I'm sure in 20 years the city will be recovered.

[adannyboy]

I had to think about this one.

I think it would depend largely on when/why I retire.

I would probably go back into healthcare. I do keep an active license.

A large part of my goals for developing SWOP-LA and getting into sex worker harm reduction is building a service here like SF has with St. James Infirmary.

I could also see myself working at an already developed sti testing site like APLA or the LGBT center.

[+ Truereview]

I had to think about this one.

I think it would depend largely on when/why I retire.

I would probably go back into healthcare. I do keep an active license.

A large part of my goals for developing SWOP-LA and getting into sex worker harm reduction is building a service here like SF has with St. James Infirmary.

Is could also see myself working at an already developed sti testing site like APLA or the LGBT center.

 

Well, F me! Here I was hoping you'd be my own private itch scratcher in Uruguay...alas, I'll have to sacrifice for the benefit of society! I'm such a hero!

 

Kidding aside, awesome thoughts, Mr Cruz. Do swing by the beach house when you need a break from your retirement plans tho.

[AndreFuture]

I'm just getting started, so "retiring" from this business isn't something I'm thinking about very seriously at the moment. Escorting for me is like a hobby or part-time job (I have a real job that pays relatively decently). In an ideal world, I'd live off rental property income, which would fund various projects of mine: my own chain of vegan bakeries (or diners, haven't decided yet), halfway homes for homeless LGBTQ youth, some independent films, and what else…doing human rights work abroad that is (usually) underpaid. Those are some of my life goals and I'm hoping the money and connections I make as an escort can contribute towards realizing them.

[Michael Wayne]

clearly, ask any of my clients: BECOME A TELEVISION EVANGELIST!!! lol............ with the salacious and sexual history of Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Baaker and Paul and Jan Crouch I think I would fit right in very well! I am only half kidding and jesting....I think! or am I???