“Secrets are made to be found out with time.” ~Charles Sanford

I am at one with this secret these days. Yes. I am. And don't get me wrong. This isn't one of those deep dark secrets that could ding me later, do any damage. It is just cute, quirky, and provides a little more insight to me as a quirky person to you, my reader. Heck, this is a very public place. I wouldn't write anything here that I didn't potentially want the world to know.

Here goes:

There is this weird side of me. Yes, I am weird and this is one of the contributing factors to my weirdness.

I LOVE, absolutely love, random roadside attractions. It's true. Shhh....don't laugh so loud. I've never been embarrassed by this, I just chose to not tell most people. I'm not even sure my parents and brother know this side of me. Well, maybe they do. Maybe. Any potential husband and future children are in for it. I sort of feel for them. But it still won't stop me from wanting to see some strange/unique things!

Anywho, I have, in the last couple of years been especially tuned in to random things I'd like to see in my life. Yes, things like the World's Largest Egg housed in Winlock WA, the Peace Candle of the World in Scappoose OR or its near neighbor, the Damascus Centennial Peace Candle, and the Paul Bunyan Statue in North Portland.

There are also other odd attractions that are a distance away. Things like L. L. Bean's Giant Boot in Maine. The Giant Pink Elephant in Wisconsin, Foamhenge in Virginia, and the Fremont Bridge Troll in Seattle, the giant bench in Mitchell OR, and the World's Largest Radio Flyer Wagon in Spokane.

And then, there are the more "acceptable and reputatble" sculptures and attractions (and I say this because they can be and are considered art, whereas all the above attractions are truly random). I'd love to see the Peanuts Characters in Minnesota, the largest easel and Van Gogh painting in Kansas, The Awakening near Washington DC, the headless statues in Grant Park in Chicago (I actually prefer to call them the Leg Statues-it doesn't sound as morbid), along with some other statues and sculptures also housed there.

Recently, I was gifted two amazingly fun books from a friend, Tera, a student intern spending her summer with us at work. Looking through those books prompted my admission via blog. One is called Oregon Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff and the other is Larger Than Life: Saskatchewan's Big Roadside Monuments. When I looked up the Oregon book I soon discovered that there is one for Washington, Wyoming, Colorado and most other states. Hmmm...a bad thing could have been started. Anywho, they are fun to have and I will have to start checking the sites off. Thanks, Tera!

So, now that you know of one of my quirks, don't think any less of me. And furthermore, I promise, if you have a secret desire to see any of these random sites, I won't think any less of you. Promise.