My daughter just called from her first Americorps project deep in the woods of southern Virginia. I miss her so much it makes my teeth hurt. She loves her "team" of fellow do-gooders, loves the challenge, the sense of accomplishment. She says she misses us and I'm sure she does, but she's busy and excited and doing new things and meeting new people and having a great - if challenging - time.

She's having boyfriend problems: he's a year younger, a senior in high school, and he's having a real tough time adjusting to her being away. He's jealous and insecure, wants to hear from her everyday, whines and moans when she calls, pummelling her with clasic passive aggression. She's sweet and sincere and doesn't want to have to dump him, but he's kind of forcing the issue (please don't get me wrong - he's a real nice, sensitive kid and we all like him).

For some reason, talking about all of this reminded her of the ABBA musical Mamma Mia!, which she saw and loved on her graduation trip to New York this summer with her uncle. Here's a description of the show:

"Mamma Mia!" is based on 22 songs from the '70s Swedish disco group ABBA. The musical somehow pulls off putting together all the songs to make a linear story. The story takes place on a Greek island, where 20-year-old Sophie is due to be married.

Sophie is loved by her mother, Donna, but she is unsure who her father is. So, she looks into her mom's diary, chooses three former lovers as likely candidates, and invites them to the wedding, thinking she will figure it out when she sees them. Donna's reaction to seeing her old flames is interesting, to say the least.

The musical opened Oct. 18, 2001 on Broadway, a few months after the Sept. 11 attack on New York City. Louise Pitre, one of the principal cast members, says she believe "Mamma Mia!" was able to put a smile on Americans during a serious and heart-wrenching time.

Not that I don't like ABBA, in fact there are ABBA songs I love, and I had a great time talking with half of the ABBA brain trust, Benny Andersson, a few years ago.

The Swedish pop group ABBA was the world's most successful in the '70s -
selling tens of millions of records by combining lush group vocals and gorgeous
Euro-melodies with rock and disco rhythms. The group's lyrics ranged from silly to touching, many reflecting the real-life romantic complications within the group, a la Fleetwood Mac: songwriter/producer/guitarist Bjorn Ulvaeus was married to and divorced from singer Agnetha Faltskog, and songwriter/producer/keyboardist Benny Andersson was married to and divorced from singer Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad during the life of the group.