Several years ago, when I was still teaching, I was invited to be part of a group of educators participating in a series of leadership building events. We did all kind of leaderish activities to make us better leaders although, frankly, I was in it for the days off school and the free lunches which were, incidentally, quite lovely. However, while enjoying not working and consuming mass quantities of food which I had not taken to school in a paper bag and stored in a community fridge, I actually managed to absorb some pretty interesting stuff.

One of the places we visited was the Toyota manufacturing plant in Georgetown, Kentucky.

Honestly, up to that point, I knew nothing about Toyota vehicles aside from the fact that everyone who owned them thought they were the best vehicles in the entire world, even possibly including the entire universe. People who owned Toyotas only owned Toyotas and never wanted to hear about the merits of any other vehicle. Frankly, they were a little annoying in their vehicle worship. On our visit, we were ushered into the Toyota plant where each and every one of us was immediately amazed at the immaculate cleanliness of the joint. As an individual who worked with wonderful but often grubby little children who had been known to hand me a library book to return, then announce that they had been sick throwing up all night – thanks ever so much for the cooties – I was particularly impressed with the cleanliness not only of the area where they ushered in visitors but, as we tooled around in our tram for a tour of the place, of the entire factory itself.

This was a place where people worked who had pride in their workplace. This same pride was reflected by the individuals who showed us around, by the workers themselves, by the spit-shine cleanliness of the machinery putting together the vehicles which were being assembled. We left with a new understanding of the Toyota worship exhibited by Toyota owners.

Now, several years later, I get to learn even more about that Toyota pride because Tom and I are headed to Santa Monica for the Corolla Elevated Event on June 6 in Santa Monica. I’m not sure exactly how we ended up on the list of media for the event unless someone in Georgetown remembered the individual in the group who couldn’t get over how freakin’ clean everything was – which I highly doubt. However we got on the list, I’m not going to question it because seriously? Santa Monica.

We are going to see the official unveiling of the Toyota Corolla 2014 which I picture as being much like a magician whipping a pristine white cloth off the car which stands on a golden pedestal, but will probably be nothing like that. I will try to get the information and some photos of the new Toyota Corolla up here on the blog as soon as possible but it depends on how late we stay at the reception on Thursday night. Normally, we are in bed and sound asleep by 11:00 but again. Santa Monica.

There may be some actual hijinks and a late night. Although now that I have used the word hijinks I have lost any shred of credibility I might have sustained about just how wild it will be.

So even though there may not be hijinks, there will be an unveiling and we are actually pretty excited about it.

Updates on aforementioned hijinks and the new (and probably immaculate) Toyota Corolla very soon.

Full disclosure: Our visit was arranged by Toyota but, as always, I will share my honest opinion about any travel experiences I have.