This one goes out to the one I love.

In 1992, in my 8th grade typing class, we were asked to write a two-page autobiography. What I came back with was a six-and-a-half-page diatribe, including a page of photos/mementos. Funny aside, it must have been before the advent of spell check because while I received an A+++ for writing, I got a C- for spelling. HA! Anyway, included in the manifesto of 8th grade me were nearly two pages about Sara (now Sara, don't get too cocky -- I wrote a full page on my tape deck) and about a page on REM. Why we liked REM ("The words written by Michael, Mike, Peter, and Bill have some real point and literally no two songs are alike. Kind of like a snowflake. ha ha ha."), why we KNEW REM were the ones that hand wrote the one-sentence response to the 10-page letter we wrote them ("because they just aren't that kind of people " [to deceive fans, of course!]), and how we admired REM's "involvement in the world." Funny thing, though -- my closing thoughts (errors included for authenticity!):

I would really, really, really love to get in to the University of Georgia, in Athens, Georgia. I want to get an English degree and Sara, who wants to go there too wants to get an art degree. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that REM lives in Athens? (We plan on going there sometime before that to discover the whereabouts of the four funky dudes.)

Well, clearly, we didn't quite make it to UofG... But... here we are, 2008.... pushing 30. And Sara and I are finally realizing our destiny and touring the whereabouts of the four funky dudes. It's been a long time coming, but this time next week I'll be finalizing my packing for our trip that begins bright and early the morning of the 18th.

Call it kismet, synchronicity, karma, whatevs. But the stars seem to be aligning for us. We decided on a whim last summer, hey, let's do our REM road trip next year to celebrate our 30th birthdays. We talked about it on and off throughout the year, then late this winter we just decided screw it, we're doing it. As soon as we made the final decision and started narrowing down dates, we heard REM was coming out with a new album. Then we realized REM was touring. Then we discovered REM was playing Atlanta. This summer. On a Saturday! It was fate. So we booked our trip around the show, which will be the final event of our journey. The next thing we knew, REM was everywhere. Now we find out the day we're in Athens, the Athfest is going on, and there are tons of local bands playing, music history tours... What more could we ask for?

While the trip certainly has evolved from what our little 13-year-old minds envisioned (an embarrassing obsession with Dawson's Creek; the means to tack on a Shag the Movie nostalgia leg), it's going to kick some major ass. I can't wait.