Woodburn

It was with very little fanfare that I got my first Oregon mayor to sign our map yesterday. I need to think this through a little better: Perhaps bring a camera or something? Bring a gift? Ask for a gift? Mayor Figley was extremely friendly and a pleasure to meet. She had just finished giving the State of the City address, which I think is pretty cool. She told me that one of the great things about being mayor is that she gets to do fun things like sign maps sometimes. I really appreciated her being the first mayor to sign. It means a lot to me since I grew up there.
True story: In 1994 I actually almost ran for mayor of Woodburn. I got the 20 required signatures and everything, but I forget why I never turned them in. It was either because of college or jail. I kinda get those two things mixed up sometimes. Founded in 1889 by Jesse Settlemier, he had the foresight to locate his town right next to a Wal-Mart. Ninety years later, I moved there and spent a good chunk of the 80s having bad hair. Home to the Woodburn Tulip Festival, Woodburn is a diverse city of Anglos, Hispanics, and Russians. As a child, I learned many curse words in both Russian and Spanish which have served me well.
If you visit, I highly suggest you check out Salvador's Bakery on 1st Street downtown. Sometimes they fire up the tortilla making machine, which I think must be powered by either steam or kerosene or whale oil because it's a messy, loud affair that I could watch for hours. The exact opposite of Woodburn's vibrant downtown is the Woodburn Company Stores, a place I find completely soulless and heartbreaking--although I think Le Creuset is having a sale on cast iron cookware this month. It's like John Cusack said: You can never go home again, but at least you can shop there.
One down, 241 to go.