Justin Starr
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urbanastronyc.bsky.social
Justin Starr
@urbanastronyc.bsky.social
2K followers 1.2K following 1.5K posts
Middle school chorus teacher, composer, guitar, piano; #STEM/#STEAM, particularly Astronomy and Bugs (#TeamSpiders); Photography; Movies (#Horror!); Dog Dad; He/Him
Link Below for all my Music and Photography socials/sites
https://linktr.ee/justinstarr
Posts Replies Media Videos
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
Our shrine to Oscar is almost done. My parents got him that pillow many years ago. The wooden box houses his ashes. We just need one more thing… either a shadow box or a particular type of picture frame that holds a collar (leaning forwards shadow box - I’ve seen lovely pet memorials on Etsy)
A picture of the corner of my fireplace mantle. A red pillow with the name Oscar stitched on it, two clay discs, a wooden box with a nameplate that says Oscar, a collar sitting on the box, a tennis ball between the box and wall, and a velvet bag behind the box can be seen. A closeup of Oscar’s box of ashes, his collar on which you can see a nameplate with his name, the tennis ball, a velvet bag, and the clay discs can be seen. Now you can discern that there are imprints of his paw prints on the discs. A picture of the two clay discs with Oscar’s front paw prints on them. Behind them is an ink print of his front right paw print.
July 13, 2025 at 2:14 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
Hey yall. We started to foster this lil guy a week ago and have moved to adopt. We’ve almost pinned down a name. We think he’s a lab/pit mix, and possibly others.

He is the sweetest bundle of love… when he’s not in a puppy zoomie state being a razor-wire-mouthed Baby Shark 😂🦈
A puppy sitting on a big stone in my parents backyard during golden hour. Grass and a shed can be seen in the background. A puppy stands at the steps to the deck. His bottom half can’t be seen, but you can infer he is standing in grass and his front paws are in the first step as he stands. The immediate foreground has the deck, the background shows grass of the backyard A selfie of me lying down with the puppy laying on my chest and arm. His head is tilted upward laying against mine. His eyes are closed and he appears to be smiling. A selfie, although my face isn’t seen. I am laying on the couch. The puppy is laying in my lap, belly-side up. His front legs are down by his side and his bottom legs are stretched downward.
July 13, 2025 at 2:14 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
My wife cradled him in her arms through the whole procedure. He will be cremated with his favorite stuffed animal Ellie the Elephant. He took her everywhere and now he’ll be with her forever.

Rest easy, my baby boy. My Best Friend. My Bud-Bud. The Best Boy. My Oscar.
🌈🐕💔
Oscar lying with Ellie the Elephant tucked under his right arm. He is lying on a blanket the hospital sent him home in, on top of a dog bed that was typically in our bedroom, but we brought down to the living room for the farewell. A selfie with the boy. I am lying on the floor, my head on a pillow, right next to his bed. I spent a lot of time laying there with him, letting him, letting him now how much I loved him. Oscar is looking a little more relaxed. At this point he already has the sedative shot so he was more at peace than earlier. My wife kissing Oscar’s head as she is cradling him in her arms and lap. One of his paws is over her hand and Ellie’s head is poking out of the blanket too.
June 19, 2025 at 11:48 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
Thank you all for your kind words about the passing of my dear Oscar. It was nice to see so many familiar faces from the Twitter days who used to see pics of him regularly.

I miss him terribly. The Best Boy.
🌈🐕💔
One of my favorite pics I’ve ever taken of my boy. It is afternoon at Cold Spring Harbor and the sun is reflecting off the blue water. In the distant background is tree-covered land on the other side of the harbor. In the near background are boats and a floating dock. Near center frame is a tennis ball floating in the water, right beside the reflected sun, as small circle ripples emanate around it. Oscar is the foreground, lower in the frame, swimming away from our view towards the tennis ball, leaving ripples and waves in his wake. We are taking his late afternoon walk. In the distant background center, the sun is low giving everything a golden hue. Oscar is walking in the center of the tree-lined neighborhood street. His outline is glowing golden as the setting sunlight passes through his fur. A green leash is attached to his harness and extends towards the camera and out of frame. The picture is from my perspective, and he is walking in front of me, leading me. His back is to us but he is looking slightly to the right Just a picture of the pavement during an afternoon walk. The sun is behind us causing us to create long shadows on the road. Oscar’s shadow is looking up at my shadow, his mouth open like a smile.
June 19, 2025 at 11:48 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
I’m rarely on here and I don’t know who of my old Twitter friends are still here, but at the risk of screaming into the void:

We will be saying farewell to my boy Oscar today. He just turned 14 last Wednesday. It’s all very sudden. I’m absolutely devastated. He is the best boy.
June 17, 2025 at 12:41 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
So while I’ve been ill I decided to rewatch/binge the first season of The Punisher, which I have not watched since 2017. I did not realize that David “Micro” Lieberman was Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

So Jon Bernthal and Moss-Bachrach went from partners in The Punisher to best friends in The Bear (2022).
Scene from The Punisher in which Ebon Moss-Bacharach as Micro and Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle clinking glasses in a cheers gesture. Scene from The Bear in which Moss-Rachbach as Richie and Bernthal as Mikey are laughing in a kitchen.
December 18, 2024 at 1:15 AM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
This reminds me of the time I encountered a banana having an existential crisis.

🍌: “What if I *am* a gluten-free bagel?” 🤔😐
A collage of 4 images. It begins with a wide shot of a banana in a metal basket with a sign that reads Gluten Free Bagels. At one of the banana, it has markings that look like a face with the expression a blank stare. Each panel in the collage zooms in closer and closer on the “face,” giving an increasing feeling of dread.
December 9, 2024 at 12:09 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
A singer’s-eye view from the final cleanup an hour before last night’s Huntington Choral Society performance. It was a wonderful concert with exciting repertoire.
#MusicEd #MusicSky
A wide angle shot looking over my music folder containing my iPad with a few stages of music visible. In front of me at the backs of other singers and their folders. A few rows up is the conductor mid gesture leading the choir and behind her is an empty auditorium. Bright spotlights can be seen from the balcony.
December 8, 2024 at 4:05 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
Leaving the house to head to choir rehearsal and this is the face my pupper gives me from the couch. How am I supposed to leave?!
😭😭😭
#MusicSky
Tight close-up of my adorable puppy resting his chin on the arm of the couch looking at me lovingly.
December 3, 2024 at 12:22 AM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
Well that was unexpected to see!

Hopefully it will, you know, translate into some sales lol.

It’s SATB, ideally for select high school choir or collegiate level.

It can be purchased here:
www.jwpepper.com/Let-the-Righ...
#MusicEd #MusicSky #Composer
Screenshot of my JW Pepper’s Featured MyScore Choral Music page featuring one of my pieces, Let the Righteous Be Glad
November 26, 2024 at 8:10 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
Not enough people talk about the 2022 dark comedy slasher “Sissy” and that makes me sad.

Also — and I know this is a weird superlative, but — it has one of the best head-crushing scenes in any film. 😅
Movie poster for Sissy.
November 22, 2024 at 10:51 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
Timeline cleanse.

Also… puppy beard cleanse 😂
November 20, 2024 at 12:26 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
Alright Composers, what software are we notating on these days? Dorico? Sibelius? MuseScore? Stubbornly clinging to Finale like me?

Anyone composing on any iPad apps? I still often prefer to put ideas down by hand, and use MusicPad with the Apple Pencil.

Discuss.
#MusicSky
#ConposerSky
#MusicEd
Picture of my iPad displaying a blank “sheet of staff paper” in the MusicPad app. The Apple Pencil is attached to the side of the iPad and there is a Starbucks beverage in the top right corner of the picture.
November 19, 2024 at 4:17 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
I have some Daniel’s stuff, like the Eclipse socks I got for me and my dad for when we went to watch the Solar Eclipse in April. He included solar glasses with the purchases (pics from back in April). Also, he’s just a really nice and awesome dude. 🤘🏻

Included my own eclipse pics just because
My feet adorned with with solar eclipse socks, showing the progression of the eclipse cycle as they wrap around the feet. A selfie of me wearing the solar safety glasses. A picture of the solar eclipse during totality. It was a relatively short exposure so the corona is small but it makes the prominences on the southern/south eastern limbs really stand out. A picture during the diamond ring portion of the solar eclipse. Some clouds started to move in by this point, the so black moon, the big bead of light, the corona, and the misty clouds create a very ethereal and surreal image.
November 18, 2024 at 12:51 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
Well that was a great time!
#ThatsARap
Mirror selfie in the green room A picture of my amongst some of my fellow choir members on ththe towers. Some are looking off to the side… I forget why. I am smiling a very large smile. A more official photo of the choir and musicians that my dad took. I set the camera and flash settings, but I had to be in the photo so my dad pulled the trigger.
November 18, 2024 at 1:42 AM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
I refuse to join BlueSky — I don’t want to become part of an Etch A Chamber
Image of an Etch A Sketch children’s toy
November 17, 2024 at 3:17 AM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
Tomorrow I’m singing in the choir for a really cool piece - a Latin Mass in a jazz setting. It’s called Mass in Blue, composed by Will Todd. We’ll have a 4-piece combo, the choir, and a fantastic soprano soloist. It is a very cool piece of music. Looking forward to the performance!
The poster for the concert. It says jazz inspired concert setting of the Latin mass. Will Todd’s mass in blue. Dr. Jennifer Micelli, conductor; Aubrey Johnson, Sopranos; sound vocal jazz choir; and the Alex Pryrodny Quartet. Sunday, November 17 at 5 PM. tickets thirty dollars . presale until November ten twenty dollars . students , veterans , and seniors fifteen dollars. For tickets: StJohns1745.org/concerts. St. John’s Episcopal Church Church, 12 Prospect St., Huntington on Main Street.
November 17, 2024 at 3:14 AM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
He’s well! Thank you! Can you believe he’s 13 and a half?! Still spry as heck, can still jog faster than me LOL! His vision/hearing is def waning, but he’s energetic and healthy. I love him so!
November 15, 2024 at 4:15 AM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
Quote post with a picture of yourself and show the newbies who they're dealing with
Bathroom mirror selfie. I have about shoulder-length hair with an undercut. I’m wearing blue jeans, a concert teeshirt from Ozzfest ‘97 with a red, white, and blue plaid flannel tired around my waist; and a leather biker jacket
November 13, 2024 at 12:32 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
My mental health took an utter beating after the election. My anxiety hasn’t been this severe in I can’t even remember how long. Unease in my gut. Looping thoughts (usually fragments of music on repeat). I’d been rough, to say the least.

On the lighter side, look at this face. I love him so much.
The face of my labradoodle Oscar; his head resting on the ark of the couch. He’s looking straight at me, and the orientation of his beard almost makes it look like he has a slight smile.
November 11, 2024 at 10:28 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
What’s all this then?
A screen shot shaking when Rich asked for people’s opinions by asking “why do they always get knighthoods wrong?” I circled the question. At the bottom of the image I underlined where he says “nobody asked your opinion.”
July 5, 2024 at 3:12 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
Checking out the Found Footage horror film Hollows Grove. I was not prepared to see Lance Henriksen (Bishop in Aliens, Weyland in Alien V Predator) and Matt Doherty (Averman from The Mighty Ducks).

Only 81 min long!
Hollows Grove movie poster.
June 28, 2024 at 8:44 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
Had a couple former students of mine in the studio yesterday helping bring some of my original choir pieces to life. They were in my 8th grade choir back in 2015-2016… and now they just graduated college!

Wonderful as an educator to make these long-lasting musical relationships 😊
#Composer
View of a part of my desk, on which you can see a Yamaha monitor speaker, a tiny sad-looking cactus plant, a large portion of monitor displaying my recording software, and some rack-mounted equipment. I am in the foreground smiling for a selfie while one of they young ladies is in the background holding sheet music and in the midst of singing into a microphone I am in the foreground smiling and giving a thumbs up for a selfie while one of they young ladies is in the background holding sheet music and in the midst of singing into a microphone
June 22, 2024 at 3:56 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
quote skeet with a favorite movie that isn't a a huge hit, let's get to know each other a bit better
Movie poster of the found footage horror film “Death of a Vlogger”
June 21, 2024 at 12:28 PM
urbanastronyc.bsky.social
With the end of NNN fast approaching, I think Dunkin should run a marketing campaign in which Boston Kremes are on sale. Call it:

DoNut December
Image of a Boston kreme donut sitting on a cooling rack. There is a glob crème leaking out the opening on the side of the donut.
November 28, 2023 at 12:22 PM