I consider myself to be a connected person, but...

I did not know that Michelle Monaghan:

1. played Ethan Hunt's love interest in M:I3,
2. a character named Julia MEADE (a cousin's name, also, incidentally), and
3. is from Winthrop, Iowa (the next, little hamlet east of Independence, where I once visited my college roommate's home).

Two problems here:

1. I did not know.
2. None of you told me! ;-)