So as 2023 winds down I am curious how the year 2023 went for everyone and their cuddling odyssey. Pros, was business down or up? Enthusiasts, did you find any comfort? Any interesting cuddle stories from the year?
Been good for me . I've met some folks who i know ill be friends with for a very long time. Even if situations change and we decide not to keep doing.the cuddle thing I know we're peeps for the long haul.
@BoomerSpooner What a fun thread! Thank you for this walk down memory lane.
Looking back, on MY Cuddling Odyssey.... I have had a lot of fun meeting new people throughout the community in large groups or one on one... I have been busier with life AND THE ACTUAL CUDDLING PART and less involved in the forums etc etc.... It seems like the cuddle community here is changing just a bit.
I love making friends that will be long time close connections and I found a few beautiful souls this year that will not be soon forgotton.
This was the year of meeting people I had been communicating with for YEARS so that was incredibly enjoyable....
Hmmmmm SO SO SO MUCH goodness.
What about you Mr. Boomer? How is your cuddle journey been?
Still haven't had the opportunity to cuddle. Not many people up here, and I don't get many messages.
@sillysassy I have been very negligent in my communication with you so feel free to scold me, but you are aware of some of the life changes that occurred this year. I hope you can forgive me and I will make it up to you on my next trip into Denver. I looked it up—I have taken 157 flights this year. It has been crazy.
I’ve enjoyed cuddling and making some new friends. I’ve learned to listen to my gut even more. Even for those I may not see again, I’ve learned lessons. And there are those I will definitely see again, cuddling or as friends or both.
I feel like 2023 has been a turning point in my cuddle journey.
In 2021, I enjoyed cuddles with several pros but no enthusiasts. In 2022, I enjoyed cuddles with several pros AND several enthusiasts. In 2023 (especially the latter half of the year) I have spent much more time with enthusiasts than with pros.
I’ve enjoyed all of my cuddles so that is NOT a knock against pros in any way. I just find enthusiasts tend to spend more time and put more value on conversations and truly getting to know each other before meeting in person. I know this is time consuming and I understand how it is not always practical for someone to invest that amount of time with a client when they are cuddling professionally.
I have cuddled more this year than any year on record AND I have NO clients who push boundaries and haven't in months and months and months. Everythings coming up Milhouse.
I did my first overnight (finally found someone I felt safe enough to do that kind of session). Loved it but I can't sleep cuddling 😵💫 so doing overnights will be limited to once per week lest I have a mental health issue from lack of sleep!
Also bought a house and am planning to install a sauna and a cold plunge situation in the basement which I'm very excited about. House o' wellness.
@coregulate - I am jealous. I have an infrared sauna and 1,800 watts of red light therapy panels but I have not been able to add a cold plunge tank yet. The one I want is out of my budget for now. Let us know how you like yours when you get it. 👍
@JohnR1972 I never think anything of people who are proud or happy to hang out with enthusiasts more. Actually I think better of them in a way because enthusiasts can cuddle pretty much anyone due to the imbalance. They get so many messages etc but they chose you and feel safe with you. I’ll cuddle anyone I know @sillysassy has cuddled and have in the past felt more secure because she gave them her stamp of approval. Same with some of the other enthusiasts around here. That may be a weird view. And I know not everyone can cuddle enthusiasts but those who have especially more than one skip to the front of the line if they ask me to cuddle. There are great people who haven’t it’s just easy vetting if they have. So that’s awesome you’ve had such a great year. 🤗🤗🤗
@everyone I’ll bore you with the details of my year when I have more time.
Every year (going on 5 years now of professional cuddling, that I'm celebrating this month) 😄 always brings a new level of joy from the community, connections that I normally wouldn't form, and a plethora of wonderful people like yourselves that I've had the honor to cuddle with or just be around their energy. 🌞🌞
💓 Reached over 300+ cuddles reviews though I have definitely cuddle many more....it really brings happiness to me to read and recall my time with each person. 💓
Next year I'm looking forward to teaching new goals in this community about platonic touch and it's meaning to the individual and expanding on hosting a meet and greet in Portland that should be quite well received, its gorgeous out here.💯
All these little things bring me joy to keep encouraging the productive and unique connections that this cuddle community, regardless of differences, brings.
@stormydaycuddle - That is not a weird view at all, it makes complete sense to me. I understand how pros may feel hesitant to leave a bad review because of fear of retaliation which could hurt their business but enthusiasts don’t have that same pressure. Enthusiasts also seem to spend more time talking via DM or video chat before a cuddle.
I’ve had a couple of cuddles with pros who did not even visit my profile before we met in person which really seemed odd to me. As much as pros talk about safety concerns on the forum (and I completely get that) I would think they would, at a minimum, ALWAYS review a potential client’s profile for red flags before accepting a booking or at least before showing up at a hotel.
@JohnR1972 it is a weird world. But you are lucky to have enthusiasts. I’d hop back over to that side… I liked my 4mo pro break but I also like that I don’t have to take on as many work projects at once which in turn opens my availability… it’s a cycle. Thinking about hanging in on you guys side come January for like a month. happy cuddles.
I see this as more a social exercise for me . I’ve certainly met a lot of folks but I usually just go into things looking to chat and goof off and get to know people better . And I’m on the forums a bit too which is both entertainment as well as giving a sense of community vibe to the site which is nice . Cuddling etc is all pretty much secondary as I want there to be a connection and feeling like we know each other and trust . Definitely helps with the comfort level. I know full well that the vast majority of people I converse with on here I’ll never meet so I don’t even really think too much about whether the person I’m talking to would make a good cuddle friend because we likely won’t meet much less cuddle anyway . But that doesn’t mean that we can’t have fun getting to know each other , and if our paths do ever cross then we will be just two old friends meeting each other for in person hijinks ! The interwebs are a whacky place like that sometimes !
@pmvines - That is a great way to approach things here. 👍
I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to travel and meet some great people from here who live 2 time zones away but I have gotten to know many more that I have not yet met in person. After really getting to know someone via DM and / or video chat over the course of months, it really does add a special level of connection and trust if / when you eventually get the chance to meet in person.
I moved from a major city where there were few enthusiasts to a major city where there are almost 0 active enthusiasts. So no cuddles.
Oh my expletives!! I just realized it's been over a year since I cuddled with anyone other than my honey!! So many of my cuddle memories that came to mind seem like they happened within the last six months or so...
So I guess my 2023 has had° been pretty great as far as cuddles go!!
Though now I feel like maybe I shouldn't be on here, let alone attend any future meet-ups, if I don't intend on trying to connect with someone other than my partner to get all squishy with for a bit... °nevermind. he just broke things off.