For M.'s birthday I surprised him with a three-state roadtrip extravaganza to see family and friends; he was behind the wheel but didn't know where we were headed. Our first destination was Schenectady, NY, to see a performance by the Mop & Bucket Company, an improv group. We reached there as the sun was setting, creating a brilliant-hued backdrop for GE's original headquarters (cool trivia: its zip code is 12345).