December 15th is a day of memorable life moments.

39 years ago on this date, my mother married David Haas who was to become our step-father for six months, and our adoptive father for the remainder of his life – 37 years. I gathered my fellow Ball State University music colleagues to play in the orchestra for which I arranged all the music for the pre-ceremony and ceremony.

In 1939, GONE WITH THE WIND premiered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Yesterday at Noon, Mama Kay, Mary, Ann, and I nestled into the seats of The Loft theatre to enjoy the Carillon Brass quintet from the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, an annual tradition. After the one-hour concert, we traveled to The Cherry House Cafe in Beavercreek for a late lunch. By 5 PM, I rode toward Downtown Dayton with some friends for a company party at The Lift, a beautifully redeveloped venue that had once been an ice cream cone-making factory. One of the event hosts was a long-time friend and co-band parent gal, Cathy Symnes. It was so good to see her and catch up with her.

Today, I will be at Schuster Center from 11 AM to nearly 5 PM to house manage the sensory-friendly performance of THE NUTCRACKER. I will have the evening off, but will return to Schuster Center for two back-to-back performances of THE NUTCRACKER on Saturday – a very long day!

On this date in history: (2011) The Iraq War officially ended as the United States formally declared that its mission in the country was over. (2001) The Leaning Tower of Pisa reopened in Pisa, Italy, after more than 10 years of work to stabilize the structure. (1997) The U.S. Department of Defense ordered that all Americans in its service (about 2.5 million people) be inoculated against anthrax, a potential weapon of biological warfare. (1948) Former U.S. State Department official Alger Hiss was indicted on two charges of perjury for lying about his dealings with Whittaker Chambers, who accused him of membership in a communist espionage ring. (1939) The Premiere of Gone with the Wind, starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable, the film Gone with the Wind—a romantic tale of the American South during the Civil War adapted from the 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell—premiered this day in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1939. (1892) American oil billionaire J. Paul Getty was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (1890) The Hunkpapa Lakota Chief Sitting Bull was killed by Native American policemen who, with others, were attempting to arrest him near the Grand River in South Dakota. (1791) The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution—the Bill of Rights, a collection of mutually reinforcing guarantees of individual rights and limitations on federal and state governments—were adopted as a single unit. (37 CE) Roman emperor Nero—who became infamous for his personal debaucheries and extravagances and, on doubtful evidence, for his burning of Rome and persecutions of Christians—was born.

Make it a great day!