01/15/2026
After reflecting on the end of ‘25 in my infamous holiday letters and starting to get into ‘26 I have decided I need another solo trip to be with myself at this part in my life…
When I first started the application process for Ph.D I received the news I was fully funded while at a gay bar named “Betty F***” in Germany- this was the second phone call that quite literally took my breath away (the first was being accepted). I had my graduation party last year after successfully defending my oral defense and we thought I’d be done- but the orgs we are working with had other ideas and plans etc… Now, we are all in alignment, ready to move on, and we should actually be done done this summer of ‘26!
I need time to process the shedding of my old identity of “student” I have held since I was 16 doing Advanced College Placement courses through IU and continuing to move into my big “Doctor Dusten” (DD) britches. No one will know me as my past anymore… they’ll only know me as Doctor.
I feel I have been prompted by Spirit to make time for reflection on this solo trip ending my academic journey as “student” - there is also beautiful, poetic, and serendipitous touch to all of this as it will be in Europe when my last deep reflection on starting all of this began.
The trip itself should be fabulous… a week at an LGBT+ friendly hotel, a free European cruise to Ibiza… but the real richness is the gift of processing, space, reflection, and time with myself- and of course also connecting with the Divine to realign my life’s purpose. I’m sure John will also be with me- he would love this cruise ❤️✨
