JB

[andrewfi]

I just noticed jb had RIP on his profile. When did he fall off his perch?

[Bodine]

I just noticed jb had RIP on his profile. When did he fall off his perch?

😱

No! Anyone who has information please fill us in? I often wondered whatever happened to the members of RWG, notably jb and I/O.

Jb imparted the single best advice I ever received in these fora during my journey back in the days.

[Manny]

When did he fall off his perch?

April 2023 it seems. CapB announced it on another forum:

A good friend of mine passed away the other day................jb. For those who have been around 10+ years you may remember him as a member of this forum. Opinionated....
cantankerous......and always "stiring the pot". When he got on a roll (pissing people off)........it always made me laugh. He had.....and gave a lot......of good advice. He just liked to "disguise it"...............a little. We started to get to know each other back in 1997.....when we both belonged to the RWG.

[Bodine]

Thanks Manny. That's just the sh!t! I agree with CapB. I was a recipient of his wisdom. He's always been 'rough', but he's a straight shooter, IMO.

RIP jb.

[2tallbill]

I often wondered whatever happened to the members of RWG, notably and I/O.

I/O still married 4 kids

Jb imparted the single best advice I ever received in these fora during my journey back in the days.

Spill it, the single best advice.

[Bodine]

Spill it, the single best advice.

Two weeks after the dust settled down from maiden trip to Russia to meet the gals I was writing to (Moscow: My Twilight Zone), jb simply told me that, quote, "take that airline ticket you just purchased and tear it in half. Forget you ever did this. Guys like you don't belong in the MOB"; end quote.

[andrewfi]

Spill it, the single best advice.

Two weeks after the dust settled down from maiden trip to Russia to meet the gals I was writing to (Moscow: My Twilight Zone), jb simply told me that, quote, "take that airline ticket you just purchased and tear it in half. Forget you ever did this. Guys like you don't belong in the MOB"; end quote.

How did that end up working out for you?

[Faux Pas]

Spill it, the single best advice.

Two weeks after the dust settled down from maiden trip to Russia to meet the gals I was writing to (Moscow: My Twilight Zone), jb simply told me that, quote, "take that airline ticket you just purchased and tear it in half. Forget you ever did this. Guys like you don't belong in the MOB"; end quote.

Yeah that's similar to my introduction to JB. He seemed to take umbrage with my forum moniker. He bashed me pretty hard over it almost to the point of trolling for awhile to the point the Mods admonished us both a few times. Eventually, he calmed down and actually was pretty helpful to me before and after my first trip.

[2tallbill]

"take that airline ticket you just purchased and tear it in half. Forget you ever did this. Guys like you don't belong in the MOB"; end quote.

HAHAHAHA!

Classic, still passing out the gold.

[Bodine]

Spill it, the single best advice.

Two weeks after the dust settled down from maiden trip to Russia to meet the gals I was writing to (Moscow: My Twilight Zone), jb simply told me that, quote, "take that airline ticket you just purchased and tear it in half. Forget you ever did this. Guys like you don't belong in the MOB"; end quote.

How did that end up working out for you?

Fairly well actually. I kissed and married one of the gal from the trip. Still married & going to 20 years. We have a beautiful child - happy family. We're all doing quite well. Yet, I fully understood, appreciate, believe and agree with jb's advice despite of my choice and current situation.

Strange as that may sound but that's the fact.

[Bodine]

Spill it, the single best advice.

Two weeks after the dust settled down from maiden trip to Russia to meet the gals I was writing to (Moscow: My Twilight Zone), jb simply told me that, quote, "take that airline ticket you just purchased and tear it in half. Forget you ever did this. Guys like you don't belong in the MOB"; end quote.

Yeah that's similar to my introduction to JB. He seemed to take umbrage with my forum moniker. He bashed me pretty hard over it almost to the point of trolling for awhile to the point the Mods admonished us both a few times. Eventually, he calmed down and actually was pretty helpful to me before and after my first trip.

That's how he was. So many times, especially when FSUW/WM MOB was fairly robust, we had an enlarged peanut gallery and it seemed the members were like vultures waiting for a road kill. jb certainly was one of them, LOL.

You folks know what I'm talking about. There's two revived threads here right now (and there are hundreds if not thousands of such threads over the years) that you can follow about guys getting on trainwreck express, and as they always surely do, multiple pages of *relationship experts* trip over each other handing out two-bit wisdom as though each is trying to outdo each other on who gets *the* wisdom medal, yet are merely saying the same crap the other expert said. Guess what? Who are those relationship experts these days?

Pulling back to the RWG years, a whole slew of heroes from the site were regarded as 'experts'. Sure. How to manage yourself around  these catalog gals. Where are they now? I'm certainly not demonizing any of them as I do think most if not all are pretty stand-up fellas just trying to do 'good'. But the fact is, many who touted themselves as 'gurus' didn't quite 'gel' as we all hoped they would.

Let's see: Jet, KenC, Dan, Gator, even AJ (and I like AJ ), etc (so many more to mention)..these fellas are all willing to 'help' but they are also proof that all the BS that FSUWs are somehow some silly mystical beings as end-all-be-all are really no different than women in your neighborhood. Because when all is really said and done - women are women (unless you're a Democrat like BC). Yes, those good folks all got divorced from their inamoratas (I know AJ remarried). These rates are not any different with couples we know here at home.

The single biggest difference with jb, despite being married to his RW, he was honest enough to admit it isn't all peachy and rosy. He loves (loved) his wife but would be the very first to tell you (FSUWs/MOB) aren't the answer to people's prayers, or worst, social woes.

The MOB really is catered to a subset of folks. I don't mean that in a bad way, if we can be honest to each other. It seems most, or the vast majority, get into it all for the wrong reasons. Mostly from what they're told by so-called 'experts'.

I know and believe that was the point 'jb' was making with me. Don't buy into the hype.. Like jb, I discourage my friends and acquaintance not to ever go this route. The MOB isn't for them.

[Manny]

Let's see: Jet, KenC, Dan, Gator, even AJ (and I like AJ ), etc (so many more to mention)..these fellas are all willing to 'help' but they are also proof that all the BS that FSUWs are somehow some silly mystical beings as end-all-be-all are really no different than women in your neighborhood. Because when all is really said and done - women are women (unless you're a Democrat like BC). Yes, those good folks all got divorced from their inamoratas (I know AJ remarried). These rates are not any different with couples we know here at home.

IIRC, DonAz is on that list too.

I also remember JB, I recall he borderline trolled me once or twice. But later we had an exchange and he was fine after that. A bit cantankerous, but quite a character is how I remember him.

[Markje]

IIRC, DonAz is on that list too.

DonAz also had a huge age gap if I remember correctly.

[Faux Pas]

Two weeks after the dust settled down from maiden trip to Russia to meet the gals I was writing to (Moscow: My Twilight Zone), jb simply told me that, quote, "take that airline ticket you just purchased and tear it in half. Forget you ever did this. Guys like you don't belong in the MOB"; end quote.




Let's see: Jet, KenC, Dan, Gator, even AJ (and I like AJ ), etc (so many more to mention)..these fellas are all willing to 'help' but they are also proof that all the BS that FSUWs are somehow some silly mystical beings as end-all-be-all are really no different than women in your neighborhood. Because when all is really said and done - women are women (unless you're a Democrat like BC). Yes, those good folks all got divorced from their inamoratas (I know AJ remarried). These rates are not any different with couples we know here at home.

The single biggest difference with jb, despite being married to his RW, he was honest enough to admit it isn't all peachy and rosy. He loves (loved) his wife but would be the very first to tell you (FSUWs/MOB) aren't the answer to people's prayers, or worst, social woes.

Funny how all of that worked out isn't it? I could think of a dozen more of those guys if I put my head to it. Most or all of them divorced and disappeared over the years. The funny thing to me was, I never sought any relationship advice when I found the boards but ironically most just wanted to tell me how "I" would fail. Apparently I didn't have the right stuff and all the wrong motivation.

I was basically looking for logistical info and knowledge on what to expect and how to get from point A to point B. I found very little encouragement in those days just condemnation and explanation on the 50 ways I would fail. It bothered me a bit at first but I eventually blew it off and ignored them. I/O probably offered the best advice, "if you want it sugar coated, buy a donut".  At some point I probably became one of them. More so because my tolerance for stupidity is zero.

I wouldn't have included AJ in that group. He's a great guy who I met in person a few years later. He was more of a realist. I never saw him pounding on the newbies like many of the others. I admired him. After his divorce he picked an agency lady knowing the odds of that happening and made it happen.

In one way those guys were right. There obviously was a whole subset of dudes that were bound to fail. Usually determined by their motivation IMHO. They just didn't seem to have a good idea who they were (including themselves)

[Bodine]

...Funny how all of that worked out isn't it? I could think of a dozen more of those guys if I put my head to it. Most or all of them divorced and disappeared over the years. The funny thing to me was, I never sought any relationship advice when I found the boards but ironically most just wanted to tell me how "I" would fail. Apparently I didn't have the right stuff and all the wrong motivation.

  I was fresh off of my adventures over Slovakia/Czech/Poland & Hungary chasing women prior to going further east. I remember heavily relying on a site called 'Virtual Tourist' at the time, if any of you remember that site. It was there that I was introduced to the MOB and eventually RWG. Then found a post by Doug Salem (RIP), a commercial member promoting 'snail mail'  announcing a planned get-together meeting in SoCal to spread his knowledge to all interested blokes about the in-and-outs of the MOB.

Piqued my interest and met with him and the group. He seemed overly-confident, if not downright arrogant. I later found out from one the RWG member who actually asked him what he thought of me and my chances in this circus. He flat out told him I have two chances, *nil and zero*.

 

Yes, I do remember DonAz. Had dinner with him and his wife in Scottsdale, AZ. Nice couple. we then hooked-up on a skiing weekend in
Lake Tahoe and a bunch of other RWG folks. IINM, that was when RUA was first mapped out between him and Jookie. Unbeknownst to me at the time.

Also met and had dinner with KenC and his wife in San Diego. IIRC, both Ken and Don got a long well enough to start doing things together. Lost track and touch with them shortly thereafter. Sorry to hear of their divorces although I heard KenC dipped in the Asian MOB and married a Chinese gal. Hoping they're all doing well.

I agree about AJ. You're right about the exclusion. He's a class act. As were I/O, CameraGuy, Atma and JayPatches. I met the last 3. Atma was in my wedding in Hawaii, and I in his here in SoCal. Dunno where they are all right now.

I wish I met JB in person.

[B.B.]

I wish I met JB in person.

Considering he threatened to kill me a few times, I am not sorry I missed out on that particular one of life's pleasures, but he was clearly just mad bc I was getting the better of him in some argument he had started. 

JB was a living example of "He's a nice guy, once you get to know him", but that also means "He's kind of an asshole, but you get used to it", and eventually you wind up (as I did) with sort of a grudging, mutual respect. 

RIP,

B/B

[Bodine]

I wish I met JB in person.

Considering he threatened to kill me a few times, I am not sorry I missed out on that particular one of life's pleasures, but he was clearly just mad bc I was getting the better of him in some argument he had started. 

JB was a living example of "He's a nice guy, once you get to know him", but that also means "He's kind of an asshole, but you get used to it", and eventually you wind up (as I did) with sort of a grudging, mutual respect. 

RIP,

B/B

Holy smokes, Batman!! Well, that's not cool. Was that literally? That's going way beyond 'crass', if so.

Wonder why Spencer didn't do anything about that.

[Manny]

Yes, I do remember DonAz. Had dinner with him and his wife in Scottsdale, AZ. Nice couple. we then hooked-up on a skiing weekend in
Lake Tahoe and a bunch of other RWG folks. IINM, that was when RUA was first mapped out between him and Jookie. Unbeknownst to me at the time.

2007. My wife and I were supposed to be at that Lake Tahoe jolly, but Uncle Sam refused her a tourist visa back then.

[B.B.]

Holy smokes, Batman!! Well, that's not cool. Was that literally? That's going way beyond 'crass', if so.

Wonder why Spencer didn't do anything about that.

Did he literally threaten to kill me?  Yes.  Did I think he had the ability to carry out his threat?  No. Was he actually going to (try) to do it?  Also no.  He was just angry because I was getting the better of him in whatever argument we were having, which had to do with him being opinionated and me going, "Yeah, that's great...Ima do what's right for me, thanks."   

Spencer didn't do anything about it because I didn't complain; I didn't think JB was capable of carrying it out nor did I think he was doing anything other than being a blowhard. /shrugs

He did post once, over on That Other Place, about missing me, because he was having an argument with some libtard (JB and I were/are on the political right) and he was bemoaning that I wasn't on that board bc I'd have taken the guy down.  See above about "kind of an asshole, but you get used to it."

Edit:  I just did a search Over There on my old (full) username and evidently JB was quite kind to me when I wasn't in the room.

B/B

[Bodine]

Yes, I do remember DonAz. Had dinner with him and his wife in Scottsdale, AZ. Nice couple. we then hooked-up on a skiing weekend in
Lake Tahoe and a bunch of other RWG folks. IINM, that was when RUA was first mapped out between him and Jookie. Unbeknownst to me at the time.

2007. My wife and I were supposed to be at that Lake Tahoe jolly, but Uncle Sam refused her a tourist visa back then.

WOW! I just read your report! Shame. Especially if you consider our southern border had always been as porous as the Grand Canyon. I was bummed to have heard of your & Mrs.'s experience fate during that time and couldn't join us.

I had originally planned dragging along 4 other couples with me & wifey to spend that weekend in Mammoth instead. But since we met Jookie over Thanksgiving holiday just prior, Jookie thought it would be a much better idea to convince me (us) to ski Tahoe instead and join him. Then word got out and next thing you know DonAz was in, then TwoBitBandit, too..Like I said, I didn't realize at the time they were (including you?) planning on mapping out RUA.

It was a fun time. Especially the night before hitting the slopes. There was a pretty surreal time during dinner when the wives were in one room talking amongst each other. TwoBitBandit sat silently in one corner eating his meal. After a few minutes, I think it was DonAz who looked at him and asked, I'm sure jokingly, "Hey! What are you doing in there? They're speaking Russian so you won't be able to pick up any gossip!". Or something to the effect.

TwoBtBandit: "Do you wanna bet? Do any of you guys wanna know what you're wives are saying about you?["

  The dude speaks fluent Russian. There was about a 10 second silence in the entire room, including the missus, you can loudly hear the crickets. Everyone's eyes started glancing over each other until one gal asked - do you speak Russian? He answered, then proceeded to converse in perfect Russian.

Our souls were spared that fateful evening. My patron right shoulder angel was validated that night, too! Thank you jeeesuus!

[TwoBitBandit]

TwoBitBandit sat silently in one corner eating his meal. After a few minutes, I think it was DonAz who looked at him and asked, I'm sure jokingly, "Hey! What are you doing in there? They're speaking Russian so you won't be able to pick up any gossip!". Or something to the effect.

TwoBtBandit: "Do you wanna bet? Do any of you guys wanna know what you're wives are saying about you?["

  The dude speaks fluent Russian. There was about a 10 second silence in the entire room, including the missus, you can loudly hear the crickets. Everyone's eyes started glancing over each other until one gal asked - do you speak Russian? He answered, then proceeded to converse in perfect Russian.

Our souls were spared that fateful evening. My patron right shoulder angel was validated that night, too! Thank you jeeesuus!

Haha, I remember that.  I have fun memories of that meetup and meeting you guys.  I surprised a lot of people with my Russian: Russians seem to have this opinion that Russian is too hard for foreigners.

At some point I memorized some poetry by the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, and reciting that really shocks Russians.

Jooky is still alive and kicking.  I had lunch with him and his family in 2020 when I was back in the USA.

[Bodine]

TwoBitBandit sat silently in one corner eating his meal. After a few minutes, I think it was DonAz who looked at him and asked, I'm sure jokingly, "Hey! What are you doing in there? They're speaking Russian so you won't be able to pick up any gossip!". Or something to the effect.

TwoBtBandit: "Do you wanna bet? Do any of you guys wanna know what you're wives are saying about you?["

  The dude speaks fluent Russian. There was about a 10 second silence in the entire room, including the missus, you can loudly hear the crickets. Everyone's eyes started glancing over each other until one gal asked - do you speak Russian? He answered, then proceeded to converse in perfect Russian.

Our souls were spared that fateful evening. My patron right shoulder angel was validated that night, too! Thank you jeeesuus!

Haha, I remember that.  I have fun memories of that meetup and meeting you guys.  I surprised a lot of people with my Russian: Russians seem to have this opinion that Russian is too hard for foreigners.

At some point I memorized some poetry by the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, and reciting that really shocks Russians.

Jooky is still alive and kicking.  I had lunch with him and his family in 2020 when I was back in the USA.

There he is! I wondered how a lot of you fellas are doing. Hopefully well enough.

Yeah time flies by so fast. I had to look over those old pictures of that weekend as it was fun and a blast to see those RWs try to ski and snowboard 😜

There were segments of that weekend that wasn’t cool but it is what it was. For starters each of the couples in our group, even Dmitry/Alesha, are all divorced. The gal is now living in Australia, married with 2 kids. Tanya is still around, remarried, divorced again and now with a new boyfriend. Etc. you get the idea.

[Bodine]

Holy smokes, Batman!! Well, that's not cool. Was that literally? That's going way beyond 'crass', if so.

Wonder why Spencer didn't do anything about that.

Did he literally threaten to kill me?  Yes.  Did I think he had the ability to carry out his threat?  No. Was he actually going to (try) to do it?  Also no.  He was just angry because I was getting the better of him in whatever argument we were having, which had to do with him being opinionated and me going, "Yeah, that's great...Ima do what's right for me, thanks."   

Spencer didn't do anything about it because I didn't complain; I didn't think JB was capable of carrying it out nor did I think he was doing anything other than being a blowhard. /shrugs

He did post once, over on That Other Place, about missing me, because he was having an argument with some libtard (JB and I were/are on the political right) and he was bemoaning that I wasn't on that board bc I'd have taken the guy down.  See above about "kind of an asshole, but you get used to it."

Edit:  I just did a search Over There on my old (full) username and evidently JB was quite kind to me when I wasn't in the room.

B/B

You reminded me of a member who may have carried the sentiment a bit longer than. I don’t remember what his original forum name was. The one who eventually ran with the moniker OneWeekWonder.

I guess he married the gal he visited on the firs trip. JB and I think KenC, were lambasting the guy for doing what he did on the forum. Then over the years he’d show up once in a while with his suggestive new moniker, still married and haunted both of them in these fora proving his point.

I was bummed then when Spencer surprised everyone in what he did. Sold out to an agency.

[Bodine]

I would be remiss if I didn’t say this. I’m aware how JB rubbed plenty of guys the wrong way. Maybe to some extent, worse than that. B/B likely described him well enough in what he said above.

I never met him personally, nor had any personal contact other than the forum at the time. However, I always felt he at least ‘watched out for me’. Before I left for my trip, jb pm’d me to wish me luck, and gave me tips for most things Moscow as that was my point of destination. He also shared a phone number, IINM, for his kid or relative, in case I needed it. This, and what he were telling me in the open forum shed a little more of the person to me than his board persona.

So I will just say, may you rest in eternal peace wherever you are JB. And thanks…

[Faux Pas]

You reminded me of a member who may have carried the sentiment a bit longer than. I don’t remember what his original forum name was. The one who eventually ran with the moniker OneWeekWonder.

I guess he married the gal he visited on the firs trip. JB and I think KenC, were lambasting the guy for doing what he did on the forum. Then over the years he’d show up once in a while with his suggestive new moniker, still married and haunted both of them in these fora proving his point.

I was bummed then when Spencer surprised everyone in what he did. Sold out to an agency.

JB and KenC were especially brutal to OneWeekWonder. I felt bad for the guy at the way they trolled and hounded him. I found it really funny how he'd show up periodically to poke his finger in their eyes. His name was/is Dave IIRC. I haven't heard from him in a long while now but we did for a time keep in touch. He fell in love with the woman on the first meeting and made no bones or excuses about it. The odd thing was he wasn't one of the often heard about OWW that had issues of various sorts. He was just a honest good guy and a regular guy with good intention. I could tell from talking to him JB and KenC  treatment, what they called him and his wife bothered him a lot. But he did get the last laugh out of that melee