The site for ranting and reporting by John Masters
I would classify things in this category that were related to arts, literature, cinema, performance. Things that make us and the world better.
I’m back. I know I haven’t posted much this entire year. I was writing a lot for work, and frankly there hasn’t been much of interest going on in my life. I admit a lot of the aspects of life I’m not happy with are under my control, and I plan to work to make some changes this year.
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Sunday afternoon we attended the annual holiday concert for Una Voce The Florida Men’s Chorale. This was their 10th annual holiday concert, and Lay and me have been to each of them. This might have been the best concert yet, and I had a great time. The theater was very near, if not, sold out, and I believe straight couples might have outweighed gay couples.
Read moreSo, should I eat ice cream, or take a nap. I can appreciate the young man’s dilemma, they are both a pretty good way to spend an afternoon. They’re usually mutually exclusive, but he’s doing a pretty good job of multi-tasking. Call is the lazy, hazy days of summer I guess.
Read moreDirector Spike Jonze has posted an amazing video of Los Angeles street dancer Lil Buck (Damian Woetzel) doing a collaboration with Yo-Yo Ma. This is an inspiring and beautiful blend of both old and new. It combines amazing modern dance techniques by Mr. Woetzel with the usual beautiful accompaniment by Yo-Yo Ma of “The Dying Swan” from Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals. This will ease you into a nice mood for the weekend. Enjoy.
Read moreSounds a little different on a pipe organ, but this is an incredibly cool way to render a song, and this one in particular. I wish I had the kind of time it would take to set this up. This is about three minutes and is definitely worth your time. I especially like how they did a couple of the tremolo phrases.
Read moreI had occasion to hear the Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus several times when I lived in Dayton. In fact, it seemed their Christmas Concert and that of the Cincinnati Gay Men’s Chorus were often the same weekend, so I’d do Cincinnati Saturday evening, and then go to Columbus for their Sunday afternoon concert. Both were excellent choruses, and they both had very different styles, so it was a great fun. Here the Columbus Chorus provides a youtube for the “It Gets Better Project” with the Columbus Youth Choir. I’ll just let the music speak for itself.
Read moreWell, 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.
Read moreI 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.
Read moreAs 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.
Read moreAs 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.
Read moreIt’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.
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