Among my daily readings with my morning tea is the requisite entry in Marsh & Carrick's 365 Great Stories From History. This compendium provides the facts and a brief commentary for a significant event-- birth; death; marriage; revolution; battle on land, sea, or in the air; etc-- that occured that day. One of my favorite entries tells how the Empress Theodora well-nigh single-handedly put down a revolt in the city of Byzantium, with sidelights into her rich and scandalous character, including the reason why she could never enjoy goose-liver pate. Tales like this help me put the day into perspective before I launch out upon it, which I do all the more boldly for having spent a few moments in the company of Marsh & Carrick's selected greats.