A few weeks ago we received an invitation to a party that sounded kind of fun.  I was lured in by the description of delicious appetizers (stuffed tomatillos, shrimp with spicy sauce, apples and caramelized onions topped with melted brie, pomegranate tartlets) and the promise of a night out with my husband.  Here's the part where it gets a little embarrassing though - it wasn't exactly a party but more of an open house for local businesses...and it was at the phone company.  Here's the part where it gets even more embarrassing - we had a great time and the tour was FASCINATING. 

Through our phone company we receive local phone service, high speed internet, digital cable TV.  We got to see how the networks send information to their satellites, how the information comes in through fiber optic cables, goes to special boxes where the information is decoded and encoded before being sent out through phone lines to our homes.  We got to see the rooms where phone calls come in and how they get transferred.  We were able to see what it looks like when a 911 call comes into the call center and how information is displayed and deployed.  It all is managed through a vast network of boxes, wires, servers, databases.  Basically it is Marty's dream setup to have a room filled with computer equipment, state-of-the-art air conditioning system, and cables that are all labeled and cinched together.

This night proves of two things: 1) I picked the right guy; 2) My dad was right, I am a geek magnet.