Yesterday I was emailing with my favorite freelance copywriter, who was telling me all about this new town he's moving to in June. I was curious to see where it was exactly, so I looked it up on Google Maps. Then I got distracted by the map and just started clicking around looking at other places. I find maps irresistible for some reason. As I zoomed out, I noticed that Forks, Washington is called out on the map, a little dot in the middle of not very much else.
I thought to myself, I wonder if it has always been that way and that's how Stephenie Meyer picked the town in the first place, or if it is highlighted because so many Twilight fans have searched for it. And then I took a closer look at the map and realized that I've probably been to Forks.
A few years ago my mom and my brother and I took a trip to Seattle, up to Vancouver, over to Victoria on Vancouver Island, and then down to the Olympic Peninsula before heading back to Seattle. According to the map, when we drove from Port Angeles to the Hoh Rain Forest - which is a very, very cool park to visit by the way - we must have driven through Forks.
Obviously, it didn't make too big an impression at the time. I was probably arguing with my mom about whether or not I was driving too fast or something. Family wrangling aside, I thought the places we visited on the Olympic Peninsula were some of the most beautiful spots I've ever been. It's so green and lush and the mountains are incredible. I know everyone says I'd have trouble with all the rain if I lived there, but I love that area of the country.
Forks shouldn't take my lack of memory personally. Apparently I'm getting old and senile. I was telling John about how my boss and I are going to go see Jane's Addiction and Nine Inch Nails and mentioned that while I know I've seen Jane's live before, I can't remember if I've seen NIN or not. He pointed out that not only have I seen them, but that they were on the same bill as Jane's Addiction at one of the Lollapaloozas. And as we have discussed previously, he and I were both there, but we didn't know each other yet. Which led me to realize that show was 16 or 17 years ago, and wah, Jesus Christ I'm getting old. But hey, I once briefly passed through a town that is very important to teenage girls, so all is not lost.
Wow. I had no idea we had been to vampire central. It's a good thing that we got out intact.
I'd like to point out that the movie was filmed in Vernonia, OR (home of that Ax-men show) - and I've been to Vernonia!