This, That and The Other Thing Plus Anton Rubenstein and Tuesday's Temptations

I really don't have too much to rant or rave about this morning.  From Saturday through Tuesday, things sometime blurs all together in the 'work, write, snack, relax, sleep, repeat' cycle of life which is my work week.  Thus leaving me little time for discovery of interesting tidbits for your inspiration, admiration, or titillation. Although, I do have a couple of things worthy enough to warrant a small portion your attention for you today.  Up first is the compilation of photographs, taken on November 9, 2012, which were for the A Day in Gay America Project.  The Advocate has a slide show with those photographs selected to be the 'Best of' all that were submitted by normal Gay folks everywhere.  The Advocate also has an interesting video project from Blake Pruitt, which is "a short documentary, 20MALEGAYNYC, after hearing each of my gay male friends say, “I hate gay guys,” or at least, “I hate stereotypical gay guys.” I wanted to talk to gay men about gay men – what it means to be our age, gay, and living in New York in the year 2012; how we treat each other; and how stereotypes play a role in our daily lives."  This is real Gay Guys dishing on other Gay Guys and it is done very well.  Then from the friendly folks at AlterNet, comes The Top Ten News Stories of 2012 That Turned Into Jokes, which is fairly comical if you look at them with a definite tongue in cheek mindset.  That's all I really had time to check out.  That is why I spend Wednesday through Friday getting a lot of things I would like to share all organized neat like.  I do this in between naps and pay day chores and trying to cook something  a little more elaborate for our dinner than for which I usually have time to devote to meal making during my work week.  This makes it easier to put a post together in a smaller allotment of time than I have available during my weekend.  I usually find that you all are reasonably appreciative of my efforts, so I guess 'if it ain't broke I won't fix it'.  Sounds like a plan to me. 

Now: For your musical edification today, I have video of the original 4 movement version of Symphony Number 2 "The Ocean" by Anton Rubenstein.  This version is the one which really brings out the dramatic sweep of the music and the overall result is very impressive.  The performance in today's video is by the Russian State Symphony Orchestra, Conducted by Igor Golovchin.  The photograph in the video can be seen and saved at http://colorfully.eu/extream-beautiful-sunrise-facebook-cover/.  While being aurally pleasured, you may want to scroll a little further down the page to cruise and peruse this eclectic collection of extraordinary gentlemen, whose pleasure it is to be this week's Tuesday's Temptations, on display for your visual appreciation (among other things). Thanks so much for your time spent here today.  I look forward to seeing you all here at Nichevo again tomorrow.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!

Monday, Music and Men

I actually got off work on time this morning when my relief hit the door at 5 until 6 and I was outta there by 6:03.  I almost did not know how to act, but it did not take me long to head to the house and begin to get this post together for you guys.  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday, mine was actually all right even though I worked all weekend.  I talked to my Mother yesterday morning and she is sending me something in the mail as I really did not feel like driving to the other side of town after working all night and having to work again that night.  We had a pleasant conversation (surprise, surprise) and ended it on a positive note.  That was quite an improvement on Christmases past when all did not go as well.  As a result of that and getting off on time, I am in a pretty good mood for a Monday.  A lot of folks have their official holiday today because Christmas was on Sunday, meaning a lot of you out there have some time to spare after all the madness and hyper frenzy of the last couple of days.  I have a couple of things that will help you pass some of that time in a pleasant way.  In Saturday's post the video was the Cello Concerto by Ignaz Mosheles and today's play list is somewhat related in that the first work is dedicated to Ignaz Mosheles by the composer, Anton Rubenstein, who was a Russian-Jewish Pianist, Composer and Conductor.  As a pianist he was regarded as a rival of Franz Liszt, and he ranks amongst the great keyboard virtuosos. He also founded the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, which, together with Moscow Conservatory founded by his brother Nikolai Rubinstein, helped establish a reputation for musical skill among the subjects of the Tsar of Russia.  The play list today contains Piano Concerto Number 3 in G Major, Opus 45 (1853) and Piano Concerto Number 4 in D Minor, Opus 70 (1864) by Anton Rubenstein.  Both are performed by Joseph Banowetz and Conducted by Robert Stankovsky with the Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra.  Then while you are listening to these grand piano masterpieces of the 19th Century, you can scroll on down the page to cruise and peruse some 21st Century male pulchritude clad in or covered (slightly) by their Monday's Undies.  Thanks for visiting, I hope you have a fabulous day.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!