I just met Mrs. Vir/gin/ia. She works in this office, apparently (hence the googleproofing), and just got back from competing in the Mrs. America pageant in Florida. Sadly, she didn't place.

I figured she was probably sick of conversations about what her talent was, so I didn't ask. But based on our brief interaction and my time in this office, I suspect her talent may be remaining chipper in the face of soul-crushing tedium. It's certainly impressive, but I can see how the judges might not "get" it.

I can't say that I understand the idea behind the Mrs. America contest. Isn't the point of a beauty pageant, in the abstract, to identify the most fit physical specimen? It's eugenics for people who like small dogs. How can you mash that institution together with another that expressly forbids the directed procreation necessary to capitalize on it? How are we supposed to construct the tiara-clad master race that one presumes to be the pageant organizers' object? It's all very confusing.