Former Member

Well Edda made a song for Christmas, it's not only to get me in the holidays... but also to think about some things...

Nancy Wilson, The Things We Did Last Summer. I have this on one of my Christmas albums, and just hearing the opening bar puts me in the holiday mood

Dead-Composers Society proudly presents 12 Days of Christmas 2017 Music to keep you merry and bright Please enjoy and happy holidays! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tony Rowe and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra preform William Henry Fry’s Santa Claus Symphony from 1853. From its premiere to the 1930s, Fry’s symphony was concertized all across America and was as integral a part of the holiday season as the Nutcracker is to us now. Ironically, it was the music of Tchaikovsky‘s ballet which replaced Fry’s incredibly charming tone poem. The scenes are: Introduction and Christmas merrymaking; Juvenile song and dance (starting min. 4:16 and sounding straight out of Aaron Copland’s work – truly American music); Parting and farewell of party guests; Midnight approaches and the saying of “Our Father” by the children going to bed; Stillness “all being hushed in slumber”; The Snow Storm and death of the weary traveler (cello solo); Church bell tolls midnight; Santa’s sleigh appears; He distributes gifts in the sleeping children’s room; Angels welcome the dead traveler’s soul into heaven and show him the Christ Child; The children awake in joy; Chorus of Adeste fidelis. See this dissertation on the first staging and long-term impact of Fry’s tone poem here

How ironic that the ad they showed after the shootout with the police was for toilet paper! Hospital Waiting Rooms are horrible places. You’re sitting there totally helpless to affect the outcome, worried and afraid of what the nurses and doctors might say when they come out to talk to you. Nothing is interesting enough to distract you, food is tasteless and unappetizing. All you can do is… wait.

I’ve been on that bus in the pictures, but only when it was parked in the Castro on Pride Weekend one year. I donated $1 and got a rainbow bracelet that I wear when I leave my apartment. My best friend dated the guy who helped found the group and that’s my only connection to them. They certainly don’t have any pictures of me! ;-)

We say “Never again!”, but similar things are still happening in the world today. Death camps in Chechnya, accused men and boys being murdered by ISIL/ISIS/DAESH, suspected Gay men being imprisoned in Indonesia, suspected Gay men being killed in many countries in Africa, and Transwomen being murdered in the US, Central America, and other places. I know I’ve missed or forgotten other dangerous places, there are just too many to remember! There are groups out there that are assisting some of those who live in those areas to get out. I know that the LGBTQ-run, San Francisco-based Rainbow World Fund works with other groups to help LGBTQ refugees from Syria and Iraq escape to Lebanon as well as assisting with their asylum requests. RWF also works in Central America to assist Transwomen – including an underground railroad to get these women to safety. RWF provides for the shelter, safe passage and medical needs of LGBTQ people fleeing danger in Uganda. RWF does a lot of other work, but these are the areas that relate to the story. I have very little disposable income, so I have chosen to support the Rainbow World Fund through my purchases on Amazon. If you already shop on Amazon, but haven’t chosen a charity to support, please make all of your purchases through Smile.Amazon.com instead of their main URL. Choose a charity and a small fraction of your eligible purchases* will be donated to the group you chose without costing you anything additional! ;-) * Not all items qualify, but the site will tell you either way. It’s not a lot, but every little bit counts, and you literally won’t notice the difference when you shop. At some point, Amazon will start telling you how much your purchases have helped your charity choice. If you choose a charity, but shop on their main URL, your purchase will not count towards the program so be sure you shop through the Smile.Amazon address. I don’t know if the program is offered outside the US. I gain no benefits if you chose to participate or not.

I don’t know if I’d be able to identify with someone like that…

Oh honey, there's nothing like laughing with family and friends around the dinner table during the holidays. And seriously? How can anyone be offended by Dominick, he's a hoot!

Oh my goodness, what an amazing young man. This gave me chills.

Little kids like Tim are great when they’re excited about something! It’s just too bad life isn’t just one big natural history museum! It’s the rest of the time when I don’t like them! ;-) Nieces and nephews are great because you can always send them home to their parents! ;-)

Merry Christmas to you too. Your comments reminded me of this performance...thanks Josh Daniel sings Labrinth’s Jealous

As far as I know the ban was never rescinded by the IOC. And the USOC still hasn’t given the Gay Games permission to use the word “Olympic” (the US Congress legally gave them exclusive rights to it the US)!

Where will the the hidden body be found? Jake’s apartment isn’t big enough to have an undiscovered hidden body in it, is it? But if it’s not why would they think it’s tied to Jake?

...365 days and how my heart has broken anew on each and every one of them. Requiem in pace aeternam, amico meo

I was a only 14 years old the first time I heard this song from the movie 'Cooley High.' Not many movies reduce me to tears, but during the funeral scene at the end, I balled like a baby. But I must admit, this version by Boyz II Men makes me choke up. Maybe it's the time of the year, but I've been listening to some pretty sad tunes lately. lol I guess sometimes we need to get our blues on, before we pick ourselves back up, and remember the fond memories of those who have left us. I wish all a Merry Christmas (I know that's not very PC right now,) but hey...we need to grab hold of anything that brings joy, happiness, and most of all love. Peace, Love, and Understanding. Sorry for the ramble.

Dead-Composers Society proudly presents 12 Days of Christmas 2017 Music to keep you merry and bright Please enjoy and happy holidays! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mattias Beckert conducts Joseph Eybler's Christmas Oratorio If nothing else, be sure to listen to the finale of Part One, starting min. 33:00. It’s enchanting, and beautifully Christmassy (btw, the Part Two finale starts min. 1:03:28)

I’m going to claim blond Milo in this story! …Unless and until you come up with someone else who fits my type! (Stan’s my favorite in Blueblood, but I like several others too.) ;-)

Sex could be alluded to after the fact. Details could be kept between Bailey and Declan. Sex has already been hinted at by Declan’s suite mates. ;-)

Dead-Composers Society proudly presents 12 Days of Christmas 2017 Music to keep you merry and bright Please enjoy and happy holidays! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ James Levine, Kathleen Battle, et al in the Met’s 1991 production of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. This was David Hockney’s original production for the work. First, gotta love the three boys <3 Kurt Moll in one of his final stage roles

Since we already knew Charlie in the future from your other story, it was clear this wouldn’t last forever. But it was an amazing experience with a wonderful guy. And they will remain friends! ;-) Maybe someday Charlie can design and make an outfit for David to wear to an awards ceremony (a Grammy maybe?) or other special presentation! ;-)

There are times when I’d love to have the ability to compel someone to tell the truth – even if that ability was restricted to forcing homophobes to admit that they’ve tried and enjoyed sex having with another person of the same sex! There are times when it sees so obvious that their hatred is based on not being able to accept that aspect of themselves! And I’m talking about guys I’ve actually had contact with face to face, not just the ones who condemn us in churches, in courtrooms, or in legislatures. ;-) Homotruthman? ;-)

I’m thinking this is only a reaction to having just been diagnosed. I don’t think he really blames George. Billy, like most of us, often gets angry at the most convenient target, regardless of who is actually at fault. George is just convenient right now. ;-)

I hope so too. I don’t want to be stigmatized for having been in therapy for more than seven years! I’m still seeing a psychiatrist too, even though I’m not currently on any meds. ;-)

The only Branson I’m aware of is in Missouri. And there haven’t been frequent references to country music, so I didn’t think that was the setting. But I’m sure there are other Bransons elsewhere. ;-)

It’s very normal to suffer from depression after someone you love has died. My younger niece and nephew had a few sessions of therapy as preteens after my father died. They were very close to him and blamed themselves for his death (a common reaction for children). Some people are able to move past their depression on their own or with help from friends, but there is nothing wrong with getting professional help with this! You’d seek professional help with any other serious medical problem! Quite often, talk therapy is sufficient, but sometimes medication is needed to assist with treatment.