So some years back, I went out to San Diego on a business trip. (Check my archives for photos.) A bunch of lawyers, often sitting in one big room together.
Just that week is when Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes began dating, or got engaged, or something. In the course of the media crush, Holmes was quoted as saying (adopt Hollywood starlet voice) "I think Scientology is awesome." ("Ah-some.") We (the San Diego crew) had a good chuckle over that one. We'd be sitting around, each quietly doing our own work, when someone would suddenly pipe up, apropos of nothing, "I think Scientology is awesome." It never failed to crack us up.
Almost seven years have passed, and in all that time, until this day, my brain has maintained a Pavlovian response to the word. All I have to hear is the word "awesome" in any context, and I automatically say, aloud, "I think Scientology is awesome." Then comes the explanation, and, to this day, it never fails to amuse. Not long ago I was explaining it to someone in the Mamilla Mall elevator; the doors opened up and we found ourselves face-to-face with a huge poster of Katie Holmes as model for H. Stern jewelery. Now that's awesome.
And now my personal meme has outlived that relationship. Well, in all sincerity to Ms. Holmes, I wish her (and her daughter) all the best. I suppose I should feel bad for using her as a punchline all these years, but hey, Hollywood is supposed to entertain us, and their wacky religious beliefs always help. At least we still have Mr. Cruise to kick around.
