I don’t often get a lot of comments. At best, I get one or two per post. I know from my statistics page, that I get about 1000 page views a day, sometimes more, sometimes less, but it averages about 1000. Yesterday, I got (at the time of writing this), nine comments on my morning blog piece. That’s a lot of comments for me. If so many people are going to my blog consistently, why aren’t you commenting? Don’t think I’m scolding my readers for not commenting. I’m definitely not doing that, I’m just asking. Is it because I don’t often ask you questions? Is it because what I say is not commentable? I love hearing from you guys. It makes writing this blog more enjoyable, and I love writing this blog.
So here are some statistics. The top ten countries visiting my blog are: the United States, France, Spain, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Indonesia, Russia, Australia, and Italy. Y’all are a diverse group of people. I also know that over half of you use Chrome as your browser. But these are just statistics. I’d like to know who you are. I did a post years ago which I think was titled: Age, Sex, Location. So I’m asking you guys to answer this if you will (Ladies out there, since it’s impolite to ask your age, I won’t be upset if you skip that one). But I’d love it if you commented with your age, sex, location, and something about you, and if you’d like to comment about the number of comments I get, please do so. I just want to get to know my readers better. Thanks.
Joe
The Closet Professor 
February 28th, 2019 at 8:23 am
ASL, eh? 69, gay male, Plains MT. I’m a retired educator (School of Fine Arts at the University of Montana) with a PhD in French Lit from Cal Berkeley. I have had four different blogs over the years, including two that I still work on periodically, and in my experience people almost never comment. I don’t have the number of viewers you have, but I think I could count on my fingers the number of comments I’ve received in the past twelve years. My blogs are photo heavy (usually at least five photos per post) and the photos are my own work–mostly landscapes, as i use my blogs to showcase my photographic work. I will say that even in the various on-line photo galleries i submit to, comments are rare.
February 28th, 2019 at 11:54 am
Age: 53
Sex: GWM and not near enough, lol!
Location: Seattle, WA
About Me: I’m a gay, Christian minister who appreciates all of my sexuality and that of others. I greatly enjoy your sharing and the comments. I grew up in Texas and did not come out until I was 45, and have enjoyed finally living authentically, living faithfully where all of me us appreciated and celebrated in ministry, and with a great husband and family. I comment on your blog now and then. Most of the time I look, admire, smile and find pleasure in your daily posts! 😏🏳️🌈❤️
February 28th, 2019 at 12:07 pm
My name is Michael and I am 55 years of age. I live in a small town called Wallaceburg, which is in Ontario, Canada. I have been reading your blog for several years now and enjoy what you have to say each day, and of course the photos. I am an avid history reader. I had to decide several years ago when I went to school if I wanted to make history a career or study art and photography, I choose art. Well to make a long story short, I now work in retail. However, I do still draw, paint and take nature photos whenever I can. It relaxes me and connects me with the outdoor world. And I still read every book I can on Canadian and American history. Like yourself, I have suffered from headaches and at times depression. However, I cannot change the past mistakes I have made in my career moves so I keep moving forward. I am a single gay man, who went to school in a small town in the 1970s. So I can identify with your writings. So keep up with the blog, as people look forward to reading it each day.
February 28th, 2019 at 2:53 pm
Sorry if this is brutal, but you asked.
My guess is most people sub as they like the hot guy photos.
Your content not so much.
Falls into 3 categories:
1. Some religious stuff totally inappropriate to accompany half clothed dudes.
2. Jejune political commentary. No real intellectual engagement with anything. I often wonder how you can be a professor. Maybe the problem is you are underemployed compared to your educational level. I’m sure people with MAs in history who are making mochas are suffering from boredom. I studied law and was at the top of my class, and ended up working in bookstores (my choice) which gave me access to books; I read voraciously and while in the beginning I was bored at work shelving books, once I became a manager and book buyer I loved it.
3. And a personal diary that could belong to an unhappy 7th grader. With *way* too much whining. Many times I have wanted to comment “MAN UP!” I’ll be 67 in 2 months and I’m not sick or tired as often as you are.
That said: Your entire generation have barely any immune system. You were raised and continue to live on food virtually devoid of nutrition and surrounded by environmental toxins. You have sedentary jobs and your leisure time is spent staring at TV or puter screens. All that is MY generation’s fault, as is your emotional fragility and constant complaining about ‘stress’ that adults used to accept as, well, part of being adult.
Also: I too have suffered from depression, severe to the point of being suicidal and being hospitalized. I always got help and recovered fully. If yours is chronic or constantly recurring, you need a new doctor, better therapy, different meds, and adjuvant therapies like better diet, no alcohol at all (it’s a central nervous system depressant), more exercise, a hobby that you are enthusiastic about pursuing, finding more rewarding interpersonal relationships. In my case, I did all those things to get out of and stay out of the depths of depression. However they recurred at intervals throughout my life. Then at 63 in 2015 they discovered I have an inborn inability to properly process B12. When I was in very stressful situations but eating a high protein diet, I could maintain my emotional stability. But if under stress I had no appetite and did not eat right (and sometimes when also cash strapped I couldn’t afford to eat enough protein) I did spiral down into depression. Which explains why I didn’t get depressed when my dad got Alzheimer’s then died of a heart attack, or when I myself was diagnosed with cancer in the 90s (I had a VERY healthy diet then as my life depended on it) yet went into a year long depression over a break up when I was also job hunting and wasn’t eating right.
I was put on B12 shots (gave my own), now I use a sublingual spray that works just as well, and have not had a depression since despite times of financial, emotional and physical stress (right now I’m laid up in rural New Zealand where I know no one with a broken foot). Since 2015, I moved from the small WV town where I’d lived for 4 years (and I mean small–1000 people) to Pittsburgh for almost a year (I grew up in Cleveland, so I actually like Rustbelt cities)–then to a small rural island in WA state I’d vacationed on in 1986 when I lived in CA and always wanted to return to where I lived for a year.
Then I bought a one way ticket to NZ which I’d always wanted to visit since I had a Kiwi half Maori friend in CA. I’ve spent a year there, with 8 months in Australia, and also visited Hawaii and Bali. I am not rich, I’m on a very piddly Social Security, but I’ve learned to live enjoyably on a low budget. I’m now finishing my first novel and have rough drafts of several sequels.
All this is to say: DO NOTbsettle for moping though life in a low level depression! You’re too young. Get tested for things like B12, low thyroid, and adrenal issues that can cause or exacerbate depression. Improve your diet and get active. Make your health, physical and emotional, your #1 priority. I am not anti psych meds–10 months on Prozac in 1988 literally saved my life–but I know people who have been on one or more SSRIs for ten YEARS. They don’t feel bad, but they don’t feel good, and in many cases don’t feel much of anything. Some recent longterm studies even show longterm use of antidepressants retards recovery versus talk therapy and lifestyle changes.
I hope you can get a handle on what is dragging you down and act on your own behalf whether it’s a complex situation or as simple as a B12 shot or a different job. These should be the best and most productive years of your life.
Sorry if some of this was harsh, but the Buddhists call it ‘ruthless compassion.’ 😉 Best of luck.
Chris in Kerikeri NZ
On Fri, Mar 1, 2019 at 12:00 AM The Closet Professor wrote:
> Joe posted: ” I don’t often get a lot of comments. At best, I get one or > two per post. I know from my statistics page, that I get about 1000 page > views a day, sometimes more, sometimes less, but it averages about 1000. > Yesterday, I got (at the time of writing this), n” >
March 1st, 2019 at 12:35 pm
Age 81
Joe, I enjoy reading your blog to see how others who have escaped the South have been affected but still have an appreciation of the culture we had there. I was also late “coming out” – it did not happen until I was almost 50 years old. Society was very different back int eh 50s and 60s from what it is today. I like to notice the positive changes that I see in blogs like yours.
Also, the wonderful “eye candy” that you post is most enjoyable. BTW, I moved to Prague in the Czech Republic 17 years ago. Life in Europe of much more relaxed that it was in the States.
March 2nd, 2019 at 3:06 pm
I’m 62, white, single, male and live in Clearwater FL. Nudist guy as well. Professional guy hoping to retire soon. Knew I was gay starting around 15 and came out of the closet age 24. I absolutely LOVE your posts and yes have quite an appetite for photos of nude guys. I most enjoy full frontal but accept that’s not likely on most forums. I have also had a history of depression but feel getting on meds and occasional therapy have been the very best things I could do. I would comment more often but am afraid I’d monopolize them which is not believed to be friendly so I try to refrain.
I couldn’t be so cold and brutally honest to the point of hurting someone’s feelings as did a prior commenter.
March 2nd, 2019 at 7:35 pm
Comment all you want. I enjoy hearing from you.