A high point in the news of this is that CHICK-FIL-A (which normally does not open on Sunday due to religious beliefs -- a known thing) did open their establishment and gave away their food. At least one person had the common sense to do something kind.

For several years now, Dmitri Shostakovich's Waltz #2 from the Jazz Suite has been used in movies and commercials. It is a grand waltz but it is not a Viennese waltz. I played those waltzes on electric organ. I know their parts and their nuances from the actual notes and chords.

Every time I listen to Shostakovich's music, and I have heard most of his symphonies and much of his other music, Almost all of it is tinged with sadness. Behind his themes is an abiding sorrow that colors his music. It's a subtle tonality and texture.

From The Waltz King himself down through the composers to the modern broadway incarnation of the grand waltz, none have that hidden layer of sadness that is in Waltz #2. I think that almost all of Shostakovich's music has a sad feel to it. I think that Shostakovich was a profoundly sad person who was never truly happy.

Just my music thoughts on hearing a few bars of Waltz #2 again in a movie

A couple of years ago I was at a company Christmas party in Durango, Mexico and they had a Mexican quartet playing. There was no singing, only music and it gave me this profound sense of sadness. One of the reasons I'd like to retire to the Iberian peninsula is to experience a place where the music alone can have that affect.

Most country songs are neither here no there to me, but the ones I really like are either the finger snapping toe tapping perky ones or the ones which express great sadness. I'd nominate "My Heroes Have always Been Cowboys" and "Old Dogs, Children and Watermellon Wine" for tops in my book.

Even belt-it-out songs like "The Piano Man" can have that theme.

The Andean folk flute music also is very sad to me.

It is curious that sadness is such a universal thing expressed in music. I asked my accupuncuturist about it and she gave an explanation in Eastern thought. Anyone else hae comments?

I've posted a new horror story to my website "fragments.ws" and archived the 2017 stories in their own folder.

I hope y'all like the stories.

Tough philosophical times in 2018!

Selling out big time...

That Michael Wolff book on politics that causing all the screaming is selling for $14.99 on Kindle.

Kindle is the electronic version.

I won't sell my stories for 99cents apiece because I think that's a ripoff. I'd rather post them free than "play the poor writer" and "screw my readers out of 99cents" for greed or giggles. I was raised different.

PT Barnum said there's a sucker born every minute and he was right.

Of all the great literature from excellent writers and crappy literature like mine - who wants a book of gossip and garbage?

There's got to be more to life than this shit...

There are truly great books with excellent stories available - read that, care about that.

A teenager once complained to me that their mother and father forbid them from seeing certain movies. My answer was that when they reach 21 or the moved out of their parents house, then they could go see whatever they wanted. BUT, some things just aren't worth the time or the money that it wastes.

Sorry for the New Years Rant...

Dave (imported) wrote: Tue Dec 19, 2017 11:15 am A high point in the news of this is that CHICK-FIL-A (which normally does not open on Sunday due to religious beliefs -- a known thing) did open their establishment and gave away their food. At least one person had the common sense to do something kind.

our local chick-fil-a is always doing community outreach. they offer free food to emergency crews during major incidents, sometimes even delivering. they once catered a funeral for free for a law enforcement officer who was brutally murdered on the job. and they quietly feed the homeless. i don't always agree with their opinions (though i believe it's a free country and they're entitled to them), however i do appreciate their show of support during times of crisis.

rivianwarrior (imported) wrote: Wed Jan 17, 2018 8:13 pm our local chick-fil-a is always doing community outreach. they offer free food to emergency crews during major incidents, sometimes even delivering. they once catered a funeral for free for a law enforcement officer who was brutally murdered on the job. and they quietly feed the homeless. i don't always agree with their opinions (though i believe it's a free country and they're entitled to them), however i do appreciate their show of support during times of crisis.

Thanks for pointing this out. I will try them. Have avoided them because of their politics, but if they actually act Christian and do these things, I can be forgiving. I learned that from my stint in the South - surficial face with massage parlors, stripper joints and moonshiners lurking just under the surface.

Dave (imported) wrote: Thu May 07, 2015 9:47 am https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

K16fG1sDagU

Arab Nights (imported) wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2018 12:19 pm Thanks for pointing this out. I will try them. Have avoided them because of their politics, but if they actually act Christian and do these things, I can be forgiving. I learned that from my stint in the South - surficial face with massage parlors, stripper joints and moonshiners lurking just under the surface.

Dave (imported) wrote: Thu May 07, 2015 9:47 am https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

K16fG1sDagU

As a gay man I will never be forgiving of them for giving money to organizations which advocate my death. End of discussion.

Losethem would you mind elaborating on the organizations I am curious. I admittedly have not followed that much about Chick-fil-A and definitely not on any side as I haven’t enough information to take sides!

Looks like he ended the discussion. As a gay man I must say they contribute money to organizations that work to deny gays' their basic human rights. A number of those groups would be considered hate groups. Feel free to google and you will find lots of reasons to boycott.