Category Archives: Entertainment

…Little Eddie…

Edward Baker “Eddie” Lincoln (March 10, 1846 – February 1, 1850) was the second son of Abraham & Mary Todd Lincoln. He was named after Lincoln’s friend Edward Dickinson Baker, and the youngest Lincoln son to die.  Eddie died one month … Continue reading

Posted in Abraham Lincoln, History Channel, Inspiration, Lincoln Presidential Museum & Library, Mary Todd Lincoln, Playwrighting, Religion, The History Channel, U.S. History, U.S. Presidents, Washington, DC, White House | Leave a comment

…25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE…

Today was the first time I’d ever seen the musical, THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE.   One of my voice students, Heather Barker, portrayed Logainnr Schwartzandgrubenniere, and Heather was absolutely hilarious!  Heather began studying with me when she … Continue reading

Posted in Actors, Broadway, Darin's Career, Entertainment, Music - Band, Musical Theatre, Performing, Private Students, Teaching, Theatre, Theatre: Community | Leave a comment

…The King Has Left The Building…

The pure, the bright, the beautiful that stirred our hearts in youth The impulses to wordless prayer The streams of love and truth The longing after something lost The spirit’s longing cry The striving after better hopes These things can … Continue reading

Posted in Abraham Lincoln, Christianity, Entertainment, Every day life, Fairmont High School, Fairmont Marching Firebirds, Family Life, Inspiration, Music - Band, Music - Marching Band, Private Students, Religion, Single Parent, Spirituality, Teaching, The Haasienda | 2 Comments

From the 1927 Grand Council of American Indians

From the 1927 Grand Council of American Indians   “The white people, who are trying to make us over into their image, they want us to be what they call “assimilated,” bringing the Indians into the mainstream and destroying our … Continue reading

Posted in Colonial America, Founding Fathers, Politics, Smithsonian Institute, The History Channel, U.S. History, White House | Leave a comment

Madonna at the Super Bowl…

I’ve been entertained by a plethora of varying reports on Madonna’s Super Bowl half-time production. The boards are lighting up with armchair-choreographers and directors this evening, and critiquing the 53 year old Queen Mum’s performance. Fifty-three? Wow! And she can … Continue reading

Posted in Blogroll, Drum & Bugle Corps, Entertainment, Music - Band, Music - Marching Band | 1 Comment

Go see JERSEY BOYS at Schuster Center

I’ve never had the opportunity to see this musical, but have always been fascinated with it.  The music is incredible, and the arrangements for the musical are invigorating! Go see it!  Enjoy it!               … Continue reading

Posted in Acting, Actors, Broadway, Entertainment, Music - Band, Music - Show Choir, Musical Theatre, Performing, Playwrighting, Theatre | Leave a comment

…The Wonderful Weekend of Rah's…

The weekend was a delightful world-wind of activity, all centered around music and friends! Friday evening after teaching, Quintin and I headed for Beavercreek High School where I served as a judge for the show choir’s invitational.  Friday was middle … Continue reading

Posted in Acting, Ball State University Singers, Darin's Career, Every day life, Music - Band, Music - Show Choir, Musical Theatre, Performing, Private Students, Teaching, Theatre, Theatre: Community | Leave a comment

…Enter ANGELS, Stage-Right…

Since childhood I have always sensed energizing, protective, and unseen guiding presences in my life.  For several years a lovely lady visited me regularly during my sleep – or at least, what I thought was my sleep.  Today, at age … Continue reading

Posted in Abraham Lincoln, Ball Family, Ball State University, Barmes Family, Blogroll, Christianity, Darin's Career, Daugherty Family, Every day life, Family Ancestry, Family Life, Indiana, Inspiration, Joel Osteen, Music - Band, Norman Vincent Peale, Parenting, Playwrighting, Private Students, Religion, Robert Schuller, Single Parent, Spirituality, Teaching, The Haasienda, The Secret | Leave a comment

Final Blog Entry for 2011…

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” – Vince Lombardi Well, in 45 minutes the curtain will come down on 2011 and … Continue reading

Posted in Blogroll, Darin's Career, Eleanor Roosevelt, Every day life, Family Life, Family Pets, Friends, Inspiration, Music - Marching Band, Single Parent, The Haasienda | 3 Comments

…Television Families…

This morning I happened to view Matt Lauer’s TODAY SHOW interview/reunion with the actors portraying the family from THE WALTONS.  It was refreshing and uplifting to see these familiar, albeit, older faces.  I found myself smiling throughout the interview as … Continue reading

Posted in Blogroll, Entertainment, Every day life, Family Life, History Channel, Movies, PBS, Television, The Haasienda | Leave a comment

…Quintin featured in national adoption newsletter…

Quintin was featured in HEARTLINES, the national newsletter for The Adoption Exchange. Read the article here:  Heartlines Fall 2011  

Posted in Blogroll, Every day life, Fairmont High School, Fairmont Marching Firebirds, Family Life, Music - Marching Band, NACAC, Parenting, Playwrighting, Private Students, School, Teaching, The Haasienda | 1 Comment

…Good Morning, Vietnam: 24 years later…

Growing up in the late 1960’s, I was surrounded with many familiar words, or terms… DMZ (demilitarized zone) KIA MIA Viet Cong Cambodia POW Tet Offensive Ho Chi Minh Trail On the evening news there were television images of helicopters … Continue reading

Posted in Entertainment, Kennedy Family, Movies, Richard Nixon, The Haasienda, The History Channel, U.S. Presidents, Vietnam War, White House, World History | Leave a comment

Sitting in the stands…

I will be honest. I only attend football games for the marching band.  Yes, I am now in my fifth year as a marching band parent so there is an incentive to get me to the games.  For me, I … Continue reading

Posted in Blogroll, Every day life, Fairmont High School, Fairmont Marching Firebirds, Family Life, Music - Marching Band | Leave a comment

'1776' at Wilmington

‘1776’ – John Adams: “One useless man is called a disgrace; two are called a law firm; and three or more become a Congress.” This afternoon, my 16 year old son, Quintin, and I drove 35 miles to Wilmington, Ohio … Continue reading

Posted in Acting, Actors, Ball State University, Broadway, Colonial America, Entertainment, Founding Fathers, George Washington, John Adams, Movies, Musical Theatre, Netflix, Performing, Playwrighting, The History Channel, Theatre, Theatre: College, Theatre: Community, Thoma Jefferson, U.S. History, U.S. Presidents | Leave a comment

A wonderful adventure…

What an incredible evening! Dinner at UNO’s with Quintin was loaded with good humor, and great food.  I love eating at UNO’s prior to a show at The Victoria Theatre, or The Schuster Center, because there is that familiar electricity … Continue reading

Posted in Acting, Actors, Broadway, Disney, Entertainment, Movies, Music - Band, Musical Theatre, People: Joshua Logan, Performing, Teaching, Theatre, Wright Brothers | 2 Comments

My corner of the sky…

Everything has its season Everything has its time Show me a reason and I’ll soon show you a rhyme Cats fit on the windowsill Children fit in the snow Why do I feel I don’t fit in anywhere I go? … Continue reading

Posted in Carillon Park, Cox Arboretum, Darin's Career, Deeds Point, Drum-Major, Every day life, Fairmont High School, Fairmont Marching Firebirds, Family Life, Family Pets, Fowler, Indiana, Fraze Pavilion, Indiana, Inspiration, Miami Valley of Ohio, Museum of the US Air Force, Music - Marching Band, Musical Theatre, NACAC, Old River Park, Parenting, Playwrighting, Private Students, School, Single Parent, Spirituality, Teaching, The Haasienda, The Secret, Theatre: Community, Theatre: High School, Vacation & Travel, Walking/Hiking, Woodland Cemetery | Leave a comment

Theatre In The Miami Valley

I found a great article in The Dayton Paper that lists all the upcoming shows but they were listed under the various companies. I made up a list of shows by their dates. Keep in mind that I only entered … Continue reading

Posted in Acting, Actors, Broadway, Darin's Career, Dayton, Entertainment, Miami Valley of Ohio, Musical Theatre, People: Joshua Logan, People: Rodgers & Hammerstein, Performing, Playwright, Playwrighting, Private Students, Teaching, Theatre, Theatre: College, Theatre: Community, Theatre: High School | Leave a comment

Band Camp, Wisdom Teeth, A Wedding & ACTION…

I think I passed three of the most enjoyable days of my summer! Thursday morning, I had a two hour lesson with one of my graduated seniors, Ryan Crouch, and as always, it was a great time – and tons … Continue reading

Posted in Carillon Park, Darin's Career, Dayton, Drum & Bugle Corps, Drum-Major, Entertainment, Fairmont High School, Fairmont Marching Firebirds, Family Life, Friends, Indiana, Miami Valley of Ohio, Music - Marching Band, Music - Show Choir, NACAC, Old River Park, Parenting, Private Students, School, Single Parent, Teaching, The Haasienda | Leave a comment

Does it really matter?

This has been an amusing several days for news. Lindsay Lohan is sentenced to jail and rehab… Mel Gibson has been acting up, again… Touch Down Jesus will be rebuilt – full body from Indiana limestone… The Barefoot Bandit has … Continue reading

Posted in Actors, Biblical History, Blogroll, Broadway, Christianity, Darin's Career, Disney, Documentaries, Entertainment, Every day life, Family Life, Great Britain, Humor, Inspiration, Miami Valley of Ohio, Movies, Music - Band, Musical Theatre, Performing, Politics, Politics - 2008 Election, Religion, Royal Family, The Haasienda, Touchdown Jesus, U.S. History, U.S. Presidents | Leave a comment

A New Weekend…

The deck is damp from last night’s rain showers, but the air is crisp, and cool at 68-degrees. The morning is beckoning those of us who have been besieged by the overwhelming heat and humidity of last week to come … Continue reading

Posted in Carillon Park, Entertainment, Every day life, Family Life, Family Pets, Miami Valley of Ohio, Old River Park, Parenting, Playwrighting, Single Parent, The Haasienda | Leave a comment

Just a Thursday…

This morning had me hopping – doctor appointments, pick up prescriptions, and rush back home to teach a 10:30am lesson! Began the day with tons of energy, and by Noon, I was alternating between reading and napping. The heat, even … Continue reading

Posted in Darin's Career, Every day life, Fairmont Marching Firebirds, Family Life, First Ladies, Harry Truman, Miami Valley of Ohio, Movies, Netflix, PBS, Private Students, Richard Nixon, Teaching, U.S. Presidents | Leave a comment

A relaxing holiday…

It is Monday, 1:00pm. The end of the restful, and enjoyable holiday weekend is creeping upon us.  Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were the most perfect days we’ve had in weeks. Saturday was a bit steamy, but not too hateful. Sunday, … Continue reading

Posted in Abraham Lincoln, Dayton, Documentaries, Entertainment, Every day life, Family Life, Family Pets, Founding Fathers, Friends, Harry Truman, History Channel, Miami Valley of Ohio, Movies, Music - Band, Netflix, PBS, Politics, Smithsonian Institute, Television, The Haasienda, The History Channel, U.S. History, U.S. Presidents, White House | Leave a comment

We… Hold… These… Truths…

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Posted in Abraham Lincoln, Acting, Actors, Ball State University, Barak Obama, Broadway, Carillon Park, Christianity, Colonial America, Composing, Cox Arboretum, Darin's Career, Dayton, Deeds Point, Disney, Documentaries, Eleanor Roosevelt, Entertainment, Every day life, Family Life, Family Pets, First Ladies, Founding Fathers, Franklin Roosevelt, George Washington, Harry Truman, History Channel, Humor, Indiana, Inspiration, John Adams, Kennedy Family, Lincoln Presidential Museum & Library, Mary Todd Lincoln, Miami Valley of Ohio, Movies, Museum of the US Air Force, Music - Band, Music - Choral, Music - Show Choir, Musical Theatre, NACAC, Old River Park, Parenting, PBS, People: Rodgers & Hammerstein, Performing, Playwright, Playwrighting, Politics, Politics - 2008 Election, Religion, Richard Nixon, School, Single Parent, Smithsonian Institute, Spirituality, Teaching, Television, The Haasienda, The History Channel, The Secret, Theatre, Theatre: College, Theatre: Community, Theatre: High School, Theodore Roosevelt, Thoma Jefferson, Touchdown Jesus, U.S. History, U.S. Presidents, Vacation & Travel, Washington, DC, White House, Woodland Cemetery, World History | Leave a comment

Declaration of Independence

Declaration of Independence (Adopted by Congress on July 4, 1776) The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected … Continue reading

Posted in Colonial America, Founding Fathers, George Washington, Great Britain, History Channel, Inspiration, John Adams, Politics, Smithsonian Institute, The History Channel, Thoma Jefferson, U.S. History, U.S. Presidents, World History | Leave a comment

WE THE PEOPLE – Vote for Ryan Vallo

I discovered this incredible video by one of Dayton’s own young celebrities – Ryan Vallo. I am adding Ryan’s text for those who may not have Facebook accounts. “It’s 2010 and change is EVERYWHERE: our government, our environment, our economy, … Continue reading

Posted in Dayton, Documentaries, Entertainment, History Channel, Inspiration, Miami Valley of Ohio, Movies, Netflix, PBS, Politics, Spirituality, Television, U.S. History, U.S. Presidents, World History | Leave a comment