Category Archives: Miscellaneous

April 22, 2020

Sleepless Nights

By Joe

First of all, I want to thank everyone for their thoughtful comments on Monday’s post. Y’all have some amazing stories.
For the past several nights, I’ve almost dreaded going to bed. Even with my CPAP, which helps so much in getting a restful night’s sleep, I’ve been waking up all through the night. I just haven’t been sleeping well. I’m not sure what’s up. I’ve been having some anxiety issues, which could be a contributing factor. Several times a day, I feel a sinking feeling in my chest like I am on the verge of a full on panic attack. I’ve experienced this before, but it’s been quite a while. All of this is also causing my headaches to increase again.
I know I’m not the only one, but I’m ready to return to normal. However, unlike those jackass “protestors,” what George Takei called the “Flu Klux Klan,” I don’t want to try to return to normal until it’s safe. And that’s not going to happen until we have enough testing. When we can better track this virus COVID-19, we cannot return to the old status quo. We have to be diligent and patient, and above all, vote that asshole president out of office in November. The United States has needed leadership, and we aren’t getting that from the top.
Even when this quarantine is lifted, we will not return to normal until there is a vaccine. However, with enough testing, in addition to social distance and personal safety, we can at least begin to return to normal. Things will be different for a while, but if we return to the old status quo too soon, we will have the same issues that the post-WWI world had with the Spanish Flu.
If we lift the restrictions too soon, the spread of COVID-19 will spread again and again and will possibly be worse until there is a vaccine. Even then, we will have to battle the anti-vaxxers who will resist a vaccine and continue to spread the virus. As I said in Monday’s post, my mother was a public health nurse and was a firm believer in vaccines. Because of this, I only see pure stupidity and danger in anti-vaxxers. As a teacher, I caught whooping cough because some idiot didn’t vaccinate their child. My vaccine as a child had worn off but that shouldn’t have been a problem if people had vaccinated their children.
As you might be able to tell, I’m in quite a mood.

Leave a comment | posted in Health, Miscellaneous

April 16, 2020

Somedays…

By Joe

Somedays you just have nothing to contribute. This is one of those days for me. I just couldn’t think of anything I wanted to say. I’ve felt all week like I’ve just been worthless. I’ve tried to keep busy with work, but I’m not being terribly productive. Maybe today will be different.

3 Comments | posted in Miscellaneous

April 3, 2020

TGIF

By Joe

My creative juices are just not flowing today. It’s a rainy and dreary day. I have work to do today, so at least I’ll be busy. At least I hope I’ll be busy. Having to document everything I do is driving me a bit crazy. It wouldn’t be so bad if I could just make it up, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. I need to be able to show that I did produce work. Eventually, the world will go back to some kind of normalcy.

1 Comment | posted in Miscellaneous

March 6, 2020

First Friday

By Joe

Tonight will be a busy night. I’ll leave work to go to Burlington for an artist’s exhibition opening. I’m a bit obligated to go because I own one of the paintings in the exhibition. My piece is part of a larger display of paintings depicting the stages of transitioning bodies. Each stage is a transition from female to male. It is quite a beautiful display as each painting represents a different color of the rainbow. The painting I own is a red painting of the male torso. I am hoping that in the future this artist will create a group of pictures of male torsos with each one a different color of the rainbow. I would love to have them on my wall.
After the exhibition, I’ll go to dinner with a friend of mine and the artist. Then after dinner is First Friday, the monthly LGBT get together in Burlington. It is a mixture of drag and burlesque. Each month has a different theme. Tonight’s theme is Hoedown Throwdown. It should be a bit of country and western fun. I probably won’t get home until after midnight.

2 Comments | posted in Miscellaneous

February 17, 2020

Winter Is a Drag Ball XXV

By Joe

There were so many hot guys at the Drag Ball Saturday night. It was amazing. Eye candy was everywhere. One in particular was the guy wearing only a jockstrap picking up the money on stage for the “Just the Tip” contest. While he had a pornstache, which usually would have been a turn-off, his perfect behind made up for any other flaws. He won “Best in Show” for the men’s costume contest. He deserved best in show for that butt alone.
Let’s back it up just a little. The evening started with an hour long show with Rev. Yolanda. She’s a Radical Faerie, who happens to have lived in a commune that was in the town I live in, though it has since moved elsewhere in Vermont. This group of Radical Faeries started the Drag Ball 25 years ago as a way to raise money for AIDS charities. With the help of the LeMay Sisters, who currently host the Drag Ball, they’ve raise nearly $250,000. Anyway, Rev. Yolanda’s show was very spiritual in a the counterculture way of the Radical Faeries. I have to say that the Rev. Yolanda’s outfit was a yellow and red dress that looked like something that would get you eliminated on Project Runway.
Then we moved to the smaller lounge where they began the Just the Tip contest. Whoever got the most tips that night would win, and all tips went to charity. The winner turned out to be a burlesque dancer named Dixieland Delight, who really was fabulous. Anyone who’ll dance to “Dixieland Delight” by Alabama in Vermont is a winner in my book. The Just the Tip contest was hosted by the drag king Mike Oxready. As drag kings go, he’s my favorite.
After the first act of the Just the Tip contest, we went back to the main ballroom to watch the performances over there. My favorite was Green Mountain Cabaret, of which my friend Emoji Nightmare was part of. While the rest were pretty good, I think last year’s performances were a bit better. Eventually, we headed back to the Showcase Lounge to see the end of the Just the Tip contest.
We people watched for a while after that and then decided to head home before the costume contest began. All in all, it was a fabulous evening, and we had a great time.

Leave a comment | posted in Miscellaneous

February 14, 2020

Happy Valentine’s Day

By Joe

I hope all of you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day. If you have a significant other, I hope that today is very special for y’all. For those of us who are single, I hope you’ve learned to love yourself. Years ago, I read a book called Finding the Boyfriend Within. It was basically a book that said you had to learn to love yourself before you could love a partner. I don’t know if I’ll ever find the right man, but I have learned to accept who I am and to do my best to love myself. I hope you can love yourself too.
PS Thank you Susan for the beautiful card that is seen above.

Leave a comment | posted in Miscellaneous

February 12, 2020

Ugh!

By Joe

While I was getting the rest of the stuff out of my old apartment, I slipped on a wet patch on the stairs and fell down. I hurt my back but not too severely. I’m ok. All of my stuff is now out of that apartment. Thank goodness, I’m rid of that place.

Leave a comment | posted in Miscellaneous

January 29, 2020

Mostly Moved

By Joe

I could relax a bit last night. All my furniture and books have been moved. I’ve still got some stuff to get from the old apartment, and the old apartment will need a thorough cleaning. I will probably take off Thursday to finish everything up. I’ll probably also do some stuff tomorrow night. I’m just glad to be spending the night in my new apartment. It’s not easy moving in January, but it’s getting done.

Leave a comment | posted in Miscellaneous

January 27, 2020

Thank You

By Joe

I want to thank everyone for their congratulations on my appointment as an Assistant Professor. I was asked if I would pursue my PhD again. The answer is that I would like to, but there are a number of issues. The first is finding the right PhD program. It would have to be near me or online. The only one near me is the University of Vermont, and if I chose that one it would probably be a PhD in Gender Studies. There are a few online programs, but I don’t feel that the right one is out there yet. The other is the cost. I do not want to add to my student loan debt, and I can’t afford right now to do it on my own. I’ll just have to wait and see.
Also, today is moving day. I took off work so that I could get it done. I will be moving the major stuff today. Then I have until Friday to get completely moved out and into the new place.

Leave a comment | posted in Miscellaneous

January 23, 2020

Nothing

By Joe

I sat down last night to write this post, and I couldn’t think of anything to post. I hate when that happens. With nothing to write, I decided to just go to bed.

Leave a comment | posted in Miscellaneous