There’s not much more to say today. I woke up with a migraine and some stomach pains, and my body is making it very clear that it’s not up for much of anything.
Sometimes the only responsible thing to do is listen when your body says, enough. So that’s what I’m doing. No deep thoughts, no long reflections—just rest.
I’m going back to bed and hoping that sleep does what sleep so often can: reset, restore, and heal.
I began my life in the South and for five years lived as a closeted teacher, but am now making a new life for myself as an oral historian in New England. I think my life will work out the way it was always meant to be. That doesn't mean there won't be ups and downs; that's all part of life. It means I just have to be patient. I feel like October 7, 2015 is my new birthday. It's a beginning filled with great hope. It's a second chance to live my life…not anyone else's.
My profile picture is "David and Me," 2001 painting by artist Steve Walker. It happens to be one of my favorite modern gay art pieces.
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This entry was posted on Monday, February 23rd, 2026 at 6:00 am and posted in Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Joe
The Closet Professor 
February 23rd, 2026 at 8:07 am
Joe, get to bed and get more sleep. As you rightly say, listen to your body. It’s not happy ATM.
Thankfully I sleep like a log all night. At prep school I once slept through a dormitory pillow fight!