A Long Friday

It’s finally Friday, but instead of my usual work-from-home Friday, I’ll be at the museum today. I have a tour to give this morning. Normally, I look forward to giving tours, but I’m not particularly looking forward to this one. Part of the reason is that I’m still dealing with a migraine. The other reason is that it’s a long tour. Earlier this week, on Tuesday evening, I gave three tours back-to-back over a two-hour period. Today it’s just one group, but it will still be two hours—an hour in the museum followed by another hour in the basement collections.

The one advantage is that it’s a small group, so I won’t have to project my voice the way I do for larger tours. I can speak in a normal conversational tone, which should make things a little easier. I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I’m also not the biggest fan of the teacher bringing the group. Hopefully, the students will make up for that.

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that when I’m actively giving a tour, I can usually set the migraine aside for a while. Focusing on the visitors, the artifacts, and the stories helps me push through the pain. The downside is that once the tour is over, I usually crash, and the migraine comes back even stronger. If that happens today, I should be able to head home afterward, which is something I’m definitely looking forward to.

I don’t have any real plans for the weekend, and honestly, that sounds perfect. I need the chance to rest and hopefully get this migraine under control. If I’m feeling well enough, I may drive up to Burlington to see Grogu and the Mandalorian, but that will depend entirely on how I’m feeling.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Sunday marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, and there will be Pride celebrations and parades taking place across the country this weekend. If you attend one, have fun, celebrate safely, and take a moment to remember those who came before us—the LGBTQ+ people who were forced to hide who they were, who risked everything to live authentically, and whose courage made it possible for so many of us to celebrate openly today. We owe them a debt of gratitude that should never be forgotten.