John Masters, Author at Deep Something

Christmas 2010-A Good One

January 3, 2011September 29, 2018 B. John 460 Views 0 Comments Food, Peace, Video, Gifts, pictures, Christmas

Well, Christmas 2010 has come and gone. Nothing left to do but pack up the decorations. I’d have to rate it as a pretty good Christmas. I think I managed to stick to a fairly tight budget, and despite a few arguments with Lay, we wound up with everyone getting something they really enjoyed. I got my shopping and gift wrapping done well ahead of time this year. The decorations were up right after Thanksgiving, and the Christmas Cards went out just after that, so I never felt rushed or hectic.

Culture Holidays Music

Fireworks in Sydney

December 31, 2010August 10, 2015 B. John 295 Views 0 Comments Fireworks, Australia, New Year, Sydney

I guess there’s really no better way to welcome in the New Year than the fireworks over Sydney I guess there’s really no better way to welcome in the New Year than the fireworks over Sydney Harbor. They always seem to know how to do it up right down under. Give me a choice between ringing in the new year down in Sydney and Times Square, and I’m heading to Australia. Let’s all hope (and if you’re so inclined, pray) for a better year this year than most of us had last year.

Culture Holidays Music

Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring

December 29, 2010August 10, 2015 B. John 315 Views 0 Comments Christopher Parkening, Bach, New Year, Guitar

As we move towards the new year, and after the rush of Christmas, here’s a few minutes to settle back and contemplate what has gone before, and what is yet to come. This is Christopher Parkening playing Bach’s Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring.

Culture Holidays Music

Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring

December 29, 2010 B. John 315 Views 0 Comments Guitar, Christopher Parkening, Bach, New Year

Featured Culture Holidays

The 22nd Street Santas

December 28, 2010 B. John 452 Views 0 Comments Santa Claus, Tony Perkins, FRC, Christianists, Micracle on 34th Street, Miracle on 22nd Street, Love thy neighbor, CFC, christian, Bill Donahue, Christmas, AFA

It’s been called Miracle on 22nd Street. A gay couple started getting hundreds of letters addressed to Santa Claus at their address on 22nd Street in New York City. They’ve been unable to figure how it was their address that got circulated as Santa’s address, but the miracle of it grew. While many so-called Christian organizations spent millions of dollars to defeat gay marriage initiatives and support themselves…FRC, AFA, Christian Family Coalition of Florida, Catholic Diocese of Minnesota, Bill Donahue of Catholic League who pays himself $400k per year, just to name a few…these two guys enlisted the help of friends and co-workers and went to work answering letters and helping children.

Culture Holidays Music

Take a Few Minutes Out of Your Day

December 25, 2010August 10, 2015 B. John 338 Views 0 Comments Christmas, Kathleen Battle, Frederica von Stade

This is selected especially for this Christmas Day and is something to make pause in reverence. Kathleen Battle and Frederica von Stade sing a medley of carols concluding with “Angels We Have Heard On High.” timpani, Brass, strings and two amazing singers. That’s Christmas.

Culture Holidays Music

Ave Maria

December 23, 2010August 10, 2015 B. John 390 Views 0 Comments Christmas, Ave Maria, Kathleen Battle, Christopher Parkening, Bach, Gounod

Kathleen Battle and Christopher Parkening Performing Bach / Gounod’s Ave Maria Live at the 1987 Grammy Awards. I have the CD of these two, and it is remarkable. What a beautiful performance of a wonderful piece of music. In case you never knew this Gounod wrote the melody superimposed? over the Prelude in C Major, so it’s the Prelude that Parkening is playing.

Music Featured Culture Holidays

Still, Still, Still

December 20, 2010September 5, 2012 B. John 288 Views 0 Comments Christmas, Still Still Still, Vienna Boys Choir

Many years ago, when I lived here in Tampa the first time, I attended the Gay Men’s Chorus Christmas Concert at the Tampa Theater. The ceiling there is painted blue and has tiny lights in it simulating a night sky. I hadn’t noticed that until the Chorus sang this song and my eyes were drawn upward as I enjoyed the music and saw this amazing sight overhead. I think this has been my favorite carol ever since.

Culture Holidays Music

Dreaming of a White Christmas

December 19, 2010August 10, 2015 B. John 305 Views 0 Comments White Christmas, Bing Crosby

No one does it quite like Bing Crosby, and while there’s not much of hope of snow here in Tampa, I can always hope for some while I’m home in Kings Mountain.

Culture Music

Christmas Time Is Here

December 13, 2010August 10, 2015 B. John 281 Views 0 Comments Christmas, Charlie Brown

The famous Christmas Time Is Here from A Charlie Brown Christmas. I still, to this day, want to see this show every year. I remember the excitement of watching it as a kid because I knew it meant that Christmas had to be close. Laying in the floor in front of the fire and watching…you just can’t go wrong, no matter how old you are.

Culture Movies Entertainment Fun Stuff

Get Him to the Greek-A Movie Review

December 12, 2010September 29, 2018 B. John 362 Views 0 Comments Elisabeth Moss, Rose Byrne, Nicholas Stoller, Comedy, Jonah Hill, Sean Diddy Combs, Russell Brand

Aaron Green gets things done. The ambitious 24-year-old has been given a career-making assignment. His mission: Fly to London and escort a rock god to L.A.’s world famous Greek Theatre for the first-stop on a huge comeback tour. His record mogul boss, Sergio Roma, gives him one warning: “The artist is the worst person on Earth. Turn your back on him at your own peril.” British rocker Aldous Snow is a brilliant musician, but due to a bad break up and nose-diving career, has fallen off the wagon and is now a drunken disaster. This was better than expected.