Hot Links, Hotter Men and Mellow Music

Last night was truck night as usual, and the truck was remarkable only in what it did not deliver.  We only received 33 boxes and 8 totes full of stuff that made for an easy night for which we will surely pay.  In reality this means we will be buried under a ton of products and supplies on Friday night with its attendant drunken debauchery, stupidity and sloth inherent in the behavior of the denizens of the night who frequent my store on Friday night.  I am so looking forward to it (NOT!).  Anyway, over the weekend and the last couple of days I have run across some excellent articles that I will link you to so you may read them for yourself.  The first article is from Black Tsunami over at Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters and is in response to the tragic massacre in Aurora, Colorado: Let Us Fight To Love Not Destroy.  A less measured and unsympathetic series of responses can be found in The 6 Most Offensive Things Said In The Wake of the Aurora Shooting gathered by the folks at AlterNet.  In his post at the Huffington Post Gay Voices, Miachaelangelo Signorile pays tribute to the recently departed astronaut in Sally Ride, American Hero: This Is What A Lesbian Looks Like.  Then finally in a remarkably insightful, scriptural and reasoned post by Kathy over at Canyon Walker Connections which discusses the Six Things Straight People Should Stop Saying about Gay People.  Her conclusion is spot on "We are guilty in families, society, workplaces and churches of oppressing a class of people because of our own ignorance and isolation. Be better than that. Get into relationships with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and get informed.  And stop saying stupid stuff." but you should read the whole thing for yourself to see how she gets to her conclusion. 

The music for today hearkens back to the days of yore when traveling troubadours entertained those in the castle keep  with nothing but a Lute.  Les Galliards (The Gallant), a suite of lovely yet melancholy tunes for the Lute by English Renaissance Composer, Singer and Lutenist, John Dowland  as intrepreted by American Lutenist Paul O'Dette is the perfect accompaniment to soothe your nerves, get you over the hump and headed for the weekend.  It will also lend a soothing aural tone to your cruise down the page to scope out today's collection of Random Hotness on display after the video.  Thanks for the visit, see you again soon.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!