I did a Tour of Twilight filming locations in the Portland area in 2014. Read about it here- https://wp.me/p3tCLD-G0.
I felt satisfied at the time that I had fully experienced the magic of Twilight in the beautiful sites I saw.
I had no great desire to see any additional film sites such as Cannon Beach, Oregon and the Swan house in St. Helens, Oregon. I had even less desire to go to the true Mecca of Twihards-Forks,Washington-the true life setting of the fantasy.
Nevertheless, I just returned from a 5 day stay there and discovered that the film sites did not come close to capture this breath-taking area.
I was led to Forks via The Forever Twilight in Forks Festival-an immersive Twilight experience of the events and places of the book.
I attended the festival as an opportunity to promote my book Confessions-of-a-Christian-Twihard.aspx.
The Pacific Northwest is a beautiful place, but the closer I got to Forks,the more beautiful it was. My drive along Lake Crescent was the intro to the pristine nature of the area. The highway 101 is mostly desolate from Crescent Lake to Forks. It is flanked by tall, thick groves of pine trees. The foilage is nothing like the Portland area, which is more of a mix of pine and Poplar trees. This was the vision I had in my mind as I read Twilight.
Crescent Lake
As I got closer to Forks, I crossed the bridge as seen in the movie, but not just one bridge, maybe 5 bridges. Then I saw the famous “The City of Forks Welcomes You” sign.
Forks is situated in the Quialute Valley. The valley opens before you as you cross the final bridge. You can see the forested mountains surrounding the town.
The downtown area seems frozen in time with its unassuming, wood siding covered businesses. It is only about maybe 1 square mile.
As I stepped out of my car to check into my hotel, which is really a motel, I breathed in the pine scented air and saw the beautiful source of the scent interspersed among the homes and businesses.
That evening, I watched Twilight, just after twilight with my fellow fans under the canopy of an A-frame log canopy at Tillicum Park. The audience reaction was almost as fun as the movie!
The town was still and quiet,and the stars in the sky were brilliant above as I headed to my hotel for a deep sleep.
Friday began with an early morning buffet breakfast, that was lumberjack sized, at the Forks Elks Lodge. The cosplay actors recreated the school cafeteria scene for us from the movie.
I had just enough time to get back to Tillicum Park to set up my table for my book signing.
It was an exciting day of sharing about my book and making sales.
My fellow twihards are wonderful and I enjoyed meeting and spending time with them.
That night was Bella’s Italian Dinner.
We had mushroom raviolis under a big white tent and watched the re-creation of Bella and Edward’s first date.
Saturday was Forks High School day. It started with the autograph signing opportunity by our special guests from the movies, Ashley Greene, Rachelle LeFevre and Erik Odom. It was exciting! The actors were kind and engaging. I was able to give each of them a copy of my book!
I hung out the rest of the day at Forks High school to experience time with Edward in biology and hear the special guest panels.
That night we were back under the white tent for apps and dancing for Senior prom. Edward and Bella were there complete with Bella’s foot in a boot brace. It was more like prom at an all girls school, but fun nonetheless!
Sunday,thankfully, I got to sleep in. We had a Mexican lunch at the Kit’la Roundhouse Center as we paid tribute to the other half of the story, the Quieute Tribe.
We had the privilege of having Ashley Greene’s husband and baby girl join us along with the other guests.
I had free time until dinner, so did my touring.
The road to the beach referenced in the book,is stunning. It is lined with thick forest that understandably Bella could get lost in.
The Beach itself was long and white, and there are rock formations and islands off the shore. It was a gloomy, gray day with fog in blanketing the forested hills in the distance.
The magic of this setting put me right in the fantasy of the story.
When I got back to town, I checked out a few more sites from the books. I saw the Swan house, Dr. Cullen’s parking space, and the Cullen house.
That night we were back at the Kit’la Rounhouse for a fabulous barbecue salmon dinner.
I said my goodbyes and then headed back to my hotel for an early bedtime to get ready for my long drive to the airport in the morning.
I decided to take the southern route to the airport through Tacoma. Once again, I passed through the tunnel of green that is the Olympic National Park. On this route, I also had the Pacific Ocean on my right as I passed Ruby Beach. It was a stunning sight between the trees.
I drove through country roads that led me to the main highway and finally back to the airport and reality. It was a wonderful weekend, and I look forward to returning next year.
My journey began in 2019 when one of my friends was able to purchase tickets for me for San Diego Comic Con 2020. It was the first time since 2013 that I was able to get tickets through the online waiting room. Previous tickets were purchased through comp tickets from a friend.
I was so excited that I got a room at an Air BnB and looked forward to my journey to the Con.
Then the unthinkable happened as not one but 2 Cons were cancelled!
Finally the Megaverse opened and Comic Con 2022 was pronounced to be a reality.
But this Comic Con would be like no other before it.
First step on Preview night was obtaining my wrist band to certify that I was Covid safe. This was not the simple procedure that I had experienced at Comic Con Special Edition back in November 2021. Now there were long lines at the limited stations.
Fortunately I had downloaded the required info to my phone which allowed me in the very short line for Clear Pass app holders. Masks were required in the Convention Center at all times and I do not mean the Cosplay variety. Masks had to be medical grade.
Next I was happy to find out that the fact that my badge did not come in the mail allowed me to bypass the long line for those who only needed their bag and schedule. There was no line to pick up my badge and I received my bag and schedule at the same location.
Then to my surprise there was an extremely long line forming to enter the Exhibit Hall. This was something I had never experienced at previous Cons. Preview Night in previous years was not very well attended and what few panels were available and the Exhibit Hall were easily accessible.
I decided to head to Tin Fish for their taco Tuesday special then head home on the train. I got a few fun pics of the huge billboards painted on the buildings near the convention.
I accomplished all of this in an hour which I am sure is some kind of record.
Day 1
My goal for Thursday was to check into my hotel and then head to my group for my allotted time in the Hall H line for Friday. It was too early to check into my hotel so I checked my luggage and then took the trolley to the Convention Center.
I had hoped to get into the Exhibit Hall but once again there was a very long line. This was something I had never experienced. The Exhibit Hall, in previous years, never had a line to enter. I heard others say that there were less people this Con, but based on the lines and crowd I saw, I have never seen a busier CC.
I decided to go to my line group. I was there an hour before my scheduled time. I met some nice people there. Chatting made the time go fast. Since I had arrived early I was allowed to leave early.
I headed to Hall H which typically is not busy on Thursday and was able to walk right into the half filled Hall. Thursdays in Hall H don’t usually have panels from the major studios but in past years I have always had surprises of unexpected stars in the panels.
This was true for CC2022 as well. The first panel started late due to some security issues so arriving a little after 1:00, I hadn’t missed much.
I spotted Chris Pine in the panel as I walked in. It was the panel for Dungeons and Dragons which surprisingly had a star studded cast!
Also included in the Panel were Michelle (Furious 5+ Series) Rodriguez, Rege Jean-Page (of Bridgerton fame) and Hugh Grant (one of my long time fav actors). We were treated to a trailer and previews of the movie which looks to be quite epic.
The next panel was for Teen Wolf-the movie. I must admit that I never watched the TV show that the movie is based on.
I was familiar with the cast from other films. Tyler Posey I knew from Maid in Manhattan and Tyler Hoechlin from various films and shows.
What I do know of Teen Wolf the TV show, this movie rendition seems much darker. It is a sequel 20 years following the end of the TV show.
The third panel was Masters of The Universe. It was fun to see clips of the classic stop motion TV show from the 70s as well as the movie from the 80s. We had the privilege of seeing Dolph Lundgren from that film.William Shatner popped by as a mystery voice in the upcoming Netflix project for Masters of The Universe-Revolution. Stephen Root of Office Space fame was also in the Panel. He has also done voices for the animated series.
I headed back on the trolley to check into my hotel rested a bit before returning to my Hall H group for a long wait for our wrist bands for the Friday panels. Then back to the hotel this time by Lyft for a good night’s sleep.
Day 2
I arrived at the Hall H tents around 7 am Friday. Although we were supposed to be able to join our groups holding our space in line, security was not letting us into the tent area. I reminded them that this was Comic Con policy and showed them a picture of where my group was in the first chute of the tents.
One of our group members came back to vouch for me and the rest of our group and finally we were escorted back to our place in line. Around 9 am we were allowed to enter the Hall. Our seats were about 8 rows back. It was the closest I had ever been to the stage.
I heard later that Hall H never did fill up that day so perhaps all the maneuvering in my group line was in vain except for the prime seat I had.
There was beautiful music playing and subtle blue lighting as we waited for the first panel-Amazon Prime’s Lord of The Rings, Rings of Power.
Then at 10:30 am the back drop covered in Comic Con Logos raised, revealing an orchestra and we were treated to an amazing performance of the score for The Rings of Power led by the composer, Bear McCreary.
Next Stephen Colbert came to the stage to share his love of Tolkien as he MCed the panel.We heard from the show creators, executive producer , composer,and then with a spectacular screen spanning three walls of the huge Hall, were introduced to the cast, watched the trailer, and scenes from the series. It was a mesmerizing morning.
After a break, the next panel was Tales of the Walking Dead. This is a new spinoff series with 6 tales from The Walking Dead Universe. I was excited to see Terry Crews, Danny Ramirez(Top Gun Maverick) and Samantha Morton reprising her role as Alpha.
Tales of the Walking Dead
The breaking news was a 6 episode spinoff featuring the beloved Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes) and Danai Gurira (Michonne) who made a surprise appearance and the crowd went wild!
The Return of Rick Grimes and Michonne
Next we were treated to the final panel of the original Walking Dead as they wrap up their finale season. It was a tearful good bye for the cast and fans. The cast paid tribute to the fervent loyalty of the fans.
The Walking Dead
I ended the day with Keanu Reeves presenting his comic book BZRKR which is being made into a movie and anime series. Loved seeing him!
I had a brief rest back at my hotel then at the NDL (Next Day Line) for my turn in line and to get wrist bands from the blinky blinks for Sat Hall H. The wrist bands are so coveted that the line is wrapped in caution tape and Comic Con staff in neon vests with blinking lights distribute them. No, this is not a sci fi!
Day 3
I arrived at the tents outside Hall H a little after 5am Saturday morning to fulfill my final line shift. Security was a little more cooperative with a bit of a delay then suddenly we were allowed to join our groups.
This time my group was in the second chute so our seats were a bit further back but Saturday is Marvel Day so every seat was taken and our efforts as a group to hold our space in line were definitely worth it.
The first panel was Warner Brothers. We were shown the trailer and met the cast for Shazam Fury of the Gods which included Zachary Levi and Lucy Liu. Helen Mirren is also in the Movie. It seems they are increasing the Star Power from the previous film.
Zachary Levi, Lucy Liu
We were treated to some special effects as smoke filled the stage and The Rock appeared in a skin suit as Black Adam. My line group members are still debating if it was really him or an animatronic. It was exciting anyway. We were each given a device that we wore around our necks and as he came out of the smoke and raised his arm, a blue light appeared from the device and we all lit up the Hall. We were each given a movie ticket to see Black Adam at an IMAX theater.
Black Adam with Dwayne Johnson
Again we saw the trailer and met the cast members including Dwayne Johnson who was in jeans and a Hawaiian shirt.
HBO was next on the agenda with House of Dragons, the prequel series to Game of Thrones. We saw clips to introduce us to new characters and new imaginings of characters from the previous series. It was quite an honor to have the author and creator George R.R. Martin as part of the panel. Unfortunately, it was later reported that he caught Covid 19. He did not have major symptoms,however. House of Dragons looks to be just as exciting as Game of Thrones!
House of Dragons cast and creator George R.R.Martin
After a short break it was time for the Star Trek Universe. I was most excited to see the cast of Picard which resurrects the cast of Star Trek The Next Generation for the 3rd and final season. Present was Picard himself-Sir Patrick Stewart.
Sir Patrick Stewart-Picard
There were a few more shows presented which seem interesting, but the universe of Star Trek on Paramount Plus has so many worlds and timelines and storylines, I can’t keep them all straight.
Moving on to Sandman the Neil Gaiman comic to new TV series coming to Netflix. It includes some exciting actors with Tom Sturridge as Dream and Gwendolyn Christie (Game of Thrones) as Lucifer as well as some thrilling cinematography. Apparently I was so mesmerized that I didn’t take any pictures of the panel. Maybe I was saving the battery on my phone for the Marvel panel.
Though I was pretty exhausted by this point, I had to hang on through one more panel before Marvel.
I can’t really say much about Entertainment Weekly Bold School except I am glad women have more opportunities in film and TV.
Just before the Marvel Panel an alarm went off in the Hall. The announcement told us to stay in our seats while the incident was investigated. After about 10 minutes the announcement told us that the incident had been resolved. We found out later that it was a security breach. A woman ran into the Hall and pulled the fire alarm.
Finally it was time for Marvel!
We were entertained by The Ant Man and Wasp sequel and Guardian’s of the Galaxy 3 with trailer and cast members. Paul Rudd and Chris Pratt were the fan favorites. We were given the timeline of upcoming films and Disney Plus series.
Paul RuddChris Pratt
Next was a beautiful performance of African song and dance as we were introduced to the new Black Panther movie. We met new and returning cast members from the previous film. There was a lot of emotion as Chadwick Boseman was remembered. I especially enjoyed seeing Angela Bassett. It was a beautiful presentation. The new film Wakanda Forever looks amazing.
Wakanda Forever
As the Marvel panel ended I finally exited Hall H. I headed on the trolley to the Hyatt Mandarin for my swag from Game of Thrones and Marvel. Then I stopped in at Kansas City Barbeque and got ribs to go and rode the trolley to my hotel to relax!
Day 4
This is the first Comic Con that I attended Sunday events. Past years I was too exhausted and headed home on Sunday. Being part of a line group and staying in a hotel downtown made all the difference.
I went to the Christian Comics Arts Society Panel and made connections for my own creative endeavors.
I stayed in the room for the next panel for the new Netflix film The School For Good and Evil. I didn’t know much about it except that Charlize Theron is in the cast. The author of the book series Soman Chainani was the only panel member. We heard how he came up with the concept for the book series and how it was brought to film. We saw the trailer. He had a quiz for the audience and gave some signed books and memorabilia for prizes.
Somain Chainani author School For Good and Evil
I spent the rest of the day wandering the Exhibit Hall (finally) had lunch at Cerveza Jack’s and headed home on the train. It was an amazing Comic Con. Til next year!
After a 3 year break I was thrilled to be able to attend San Diego Comic Con International 2022.
I have been attending Comic Con most years since 2013. I finally figured out the secret sauce to how to have an enjoyable and less exhausting Con.
For the first time I stayed at a Comic Con hosted hotel in downtown San Diego. This made all the difference for getting a decent amount of sleep and time to rest and recover between days, events and mandatory runs back to get my pass into Hall H.
I also discovered the beauty of joining a line group. In previous years I spent hours in line trying to get a pass into Hall H. I joined a few Facebook groups for Comic Con and found line groups looking for members.
I joined a fantastic group of committed enthusiastic people from all over the world. We had a great leader who organized our schedule and pivoted for every rule change that was thrown at us about where and when we could line up for a space in coveted Hall H.
Comic Con allows 1 person to hold the space for up to 5 people as we wait for wrist bands to guarantee our space in the Hall and where we are in the line for a preferred seat up front.
This meant that I had much less line time than past Cons once I served my assigned time slots.
I sprained my ankle on Thursday and discovered how to get my Lyft ride to take me directly to my Hall H line so I only had to walk 3 miles instead of 6 miles per day for a few days until my ankle got better.
I also brought an insulated cooler with snacks, breakfast pastries and sandwich ingredients so I could bring a lunch each day and avoid the horrible convention fare and long lines for food. I had a small refrigerator in my room that kept everything fresh.My hotel gave me two bottles of water each day so those got thrown in my back pack as well.
My hotel had food available at the bar area until late at night so I was easily able to get a great substantial meal after a long evening waiting for wristbands.
My hotel was one block from the train and trolley station so this made it convenient because I took the Coaster train from north county and it gave me an easy way to the convention center via the trolley if I didn’t want to walk from the Comic Con bus drop off at Petco Park to the convention center.
This was the first Comic Con that I actually had the energy to attend Sunday’s events! In fact I attended 2 panels and walked the Exhibit hall and then through the Gaslamp District-a 6 mile day!
It has taken nearly 10 years but I think I have finally figured out how to manage the chaos and craziness that is San Diego Comic Con.
I am always amazed at how those who complain about being judged for their life choices are so quick to jump all-over those who make choices they disagree with.
Case in point- the canceling of Will Smith.
Hollywood promotes sexual promiscuity and yet condemn those whose promiscuity has turned to a dark addiction. (Epstein,Weinstein,Cosby)
Hollywood promotes lavish lifestyles and great wealth but condemns those who try to short circuit success.(Madhoff)
Hollywood promotes a hedonistic lifestyle of alcohol and controlled substances but condemns alcoholics and drug addicts (Lindsay Lohan, Mel Gibson, Ben Affleck)
Hollywood promotes violence but condemns those who display it. (Alec Baldwin, Will Smith)
Christians have been accused of hypocrisy by the very people in Hollywood whose own hypocrisy is so evident.
This proves this truth
 for (A)all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Roman’s 3:23
At this Easter let us remember the One who came to set us free from our mistakes and let us forgive as we have been forgiven.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17
7 years ago on this day I did Part 2 of my #Twilight tour of the filming locations around #portlandoregon. I was there for a #marykay retreat. Oh the places I’ve gone because of Mary Kay. The freedom and flexibility also allowed me to write my books. Find out more on the links in my bio. Search Twilight in my inspiration blog and buy my books link in my bio.
The pinnacle of this entitlement lead to an alignment with an ungodly leader who fought to preserve the rights of Christians to ensure his power.
There is ,however, a new day of Christianity that has dawned. The ravages of the Pandemic have left scars on all of humanity including the followers of Christ. These have come true:
Romans 8:17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
The scars of loss and suffering have allowed Christ followers to bear the image of His scars and His sufferings. As I hear the teachings of evangelical leaders, there is an end to the pride which is the mark of entitlement. There is a humility, a softening,and a greater compassion for the lost.
The Pandemic has been a proving ground and a preparation for the prophesies of Christ’s return. The time has come to reach the lost that they may be found by the Shepard for eternity.
Psalm 23King James Version23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
His return draweth nigh.
1 Thessalonians 5:23May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
GoodFriday #blessings to you. This is a very special cross to me. It was given to me by my son as as a child. He picked it out himself. Of all the things he could have given me,this is what he chose. It is said “More is caught than taught ,” in raising children. This represents that my highest value was “caught” by my son. Nothing could make me happier. So grateful that Good Friday wasn’t the end of the story. But on this day it is a comfort that He knows our pain and no pain is without purpose.
Freedom is a questionable commodity currently in the Land of the Free and Home of the brave. Law after law has been put into place year after year impinging on personal freedoms. I address this in my book Blessed Are They That Hunger .
Now there is a new loss of freedom that is even more insidious. Freedom of thought.
Freedom of speech, as we saw during the 2020 election was eliminated by social media fact checkers and censors. They posted disclaimers, blocked posts and banned users that were not in line with the party of choice.
Now there seems to be open propgandists in the media telling us how to think. Questioning or criticizing the government is not allowed.
Perhaps this is why SNL did not do it’s usual cold opening satirizing the current regime. This is a format that goes back decades through several leaders.
This article by CNN is a great example. Do not question any adverse reaction to the vaccine but embrace and welcome it- seems to be the correct thought. Do not question and above all do not reject this process.
My local TV station had another interesting report. Its message was how to cope with the poor system of getting a vaccination. The inability to get an appointment,and long lines forcing the fragile and elderly to weather the elements for hours is not something to question or take action against. You must take action with your negative feelings about it. Your problem is not the system. Your problem is your vaccine jealousy.
The Bible says “Guard your Heart.” Guard against those that want to silence it.
The division in America has reached the point that liberty and Justice for all is in question once again.
I ask whose liberty and Justice is at stake this time?
Unfortunately liberty for one is at the cost of someone else’s. This has always been true throughout history.
The current division can be simplified as the party of virtues against the party of vices. I will leave it to you to determine which is which.
This division is being propagated by the true power behind the parties-the large corporations and industries who fund them. We are merely the pawns they use to manipulate our votes to the party that best serves them.
If we could take a moment to stop our squabbling and realize this, I think we would lay down our arms and join arms instead.
We must join arms against government funding of large corporations including so called private industries that control our communication and how we receive information. We must join arms against tax exemption for special interests and industries. We must reduce corporate political donations or eliminate them altogether.
If we disarm the true enemy of our harmony we can end the division.
cindybiondigobrecht 