So, I'm getting really pumped about Oregon. Last week I was nervous, and I've been thinking a lot about how cool my family is, and how I must be crazy to want to leave them so far behind. Lots of people have sucky families, and I have a really great one. But they will always be there, and my youthful, adventurous spirit won't. So I'm off.
I thought to get even more into the spirit I would research famous Oregonians. I was so sure there'd be so many, having heard such great things about the places and faces of The Beaver State. Well.
First, of course, we have Matt Groening of Simpsons genius. I've known about this one for a while. I know that some of his characters have Portland street and/or attraction monikers. There's Flanders Street, Lovejoy Fountain. I think a Nelson in there somewhere too.
But that's about as cool as it gets. Raymond Carver, father of the American short story, is from some place called Clatskanie, and Amad Rashad is a Portland native. Beverly Cleary is a Beaver, too.
Rounding out our star-studded list are Sally Struthers and Lindsay Wagner. One made famous to our generation by the South Park episode "Starvin' Marvin," and the other was The Bionic Woman. Lindsay Wagner also makes me think of Nate Hayes' Sleep Number bed, Nick Kreager and his chupacabra, and the straight-to-VHS-movie, Buckaroo, all of which means nothing to you if you didn't work at Perk's at any time from 2006-2008. But the way my social circle goes, if you're reading this, you probably did.
Although my list was somewhat of a letdown, I'm not discouraged. I learned that Twilight was filmed in Oregon (Ooh, dreamweaver!), and I watched The Goonies save their hometown of Astoria, Oregon the other day on TBS. Or maybe it was G4.
So I say to you, Sally Struthers, I am honored to join your club. I hope you will welcome me with giant, open, waiting arms.
