Twin Peaks
On serendipity.
The 9th House is a SubStack dedicated to travel and philosophy by writer, interdisciplinary artist, and cultural critic J Simpson.
Imagine my surprise when my eyes landed on a sign reading Twin Peaks a scant 10 seconds after uttering the phrase, particularly in the sleepy semi-rural hamlet of Hood River, Oregon. One of my best friends and i were wending our way randomly through the ganzfeld effect of a light, fluffy snowstorm in the Columbia River Gorge in search of a hike that wasn’t wet and freezing. We settled for spicy burgers and seasoned curly fries at Big Jim’s Drive In while we searched.
Nathan and i had been discussing serendipity and synchronicity as part of the sprawling, spiraling conversation unfurling between us for the last 15 years. We were talking about pop culture icons as archetypes, a mythic dimension for the Mass Media age while snaking through apple and pear orchards, cattle pastures, dirt lanes. It might seem like some slight thing for someone else, but it was enough to give me gooseflesh, shooting adrenaline and fireworks through my nervous system with its implications.
These happy accidents and synchronicities might seem like little things to someone else, but they’re the organizing principle around which i direct my life. It’s a little jolt affirming that i’m on the right path, no matter how strange it might seem, how twisting and labyrinthine, full of switchbacks and dead ends. It’s one of my favorite things about traveling, as i feel like it leaves you more open, more willing to embrace the unpredictable, the unexpected and strange. The long, sprawling, spiraling conversations are even more of a reason that travel’s always been so special to me. There’s nowhere to go, nothing to do; you’re completely free to simply sit back and enjoy one another’s company, delighting in the connection, in the surprises and greater understanding that comes with hours upon hours of Vietnamese coffee-fueled reverie.
It was one of the best post-birthday celebrations a person could hope for, a mini-roadtrip through locales both exotic and mundane. We did manage to find a short hike near Horsetail Falls before making our way up to Washington to explore the incredibly cute town of Battle Ground, Wa., Vancouver, and Gods knows where else.
It was the perfect way to ring in my 46th year - comfort food and connection while discussing science fiction, philosophy, literature, film, and television while seeing places i’ve never seen before. Who could ask for anything more?
Today is the beginning of the #100DayProject, founded by Michael Bierut. For the next 100 days, i’ll be sharing some form of writing or creativity either through one of my newsletters or via BlueSky, Threads, or Instagram so make sure to stay tuned, follow along, say hey, and share the work if you feel so inspired.
Follow J on Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, Letterboxd, Trakt TV, Goodreads, Pinterest, AllTrails and Yelp.
Want to support The 9th House? Every donation supports independent criticism!
