I live in Texas! Ask me anything!

????

I am not too far from you... it's getting ridiculous. It was overcast and nasty looking ALL DAY here, and not a drop.

But, my crystal ball says it will finally rain on Thursday and Friday.

Brillant. You're just brilliant.

And I am afraid the answer is yes, metaphorically at least.

And if not....why not?

Because I have never heard of them until just now. Thanks for the tip.

I have seen (in random order):

Neil Diamond
Counting Crows (x2)
The Count Basie Orchestra (not actually Count Basie, of course)
The Monkees
Duran Duran
Jose Carreras
The Beach Boys
The Indigo Girls
The Sweethearts of the Rodeo
Elton John
Vince Gill
Blur
The Reverend Horton Heat
Foo Fighters
George Straight
Pearl Jam (x2)
Alabama
The Everly Brothers
Ani DiFranco
Frank Sinatra
Phish
The Vienna Boys Choir
Green Day

and surely some others I can't remember off the top of my head

the Allman Brothers, the Grateful Dead and Phish combined, with pedal steel guitars.....

Good stuff! And theyre a Houston local band...

There from Austin. Very original. Bluegrass w/ a touch of Gangsta Rap.

You have to hear there song: "I want to fuck you like an animal" live.

Too many good bands are coming from Texas these days....SRV opened up a nice wide path...

Haven't heard them, but have heard of them. Moving to Austin in two months, so will try to catch them.

you will like them, trust me.

and on ACL a few times

when Vince Young announced that he was leaving for the NFL?

I am a Life Member of the Texas Exes, your stereotypical orange-bleeder, and I can honestly say that, while I was personally disappointed, I bear no ill will toward Vince. I think most of us are so proud of the national championship that we feel it would be mean-spirited to try to hold VY back. I do hope he goes to Houston, though - since he can't go to Dallas! If we hadn't won the national championship, I think we would be pissed off. I for one figured he would stay because he would want to get his degree plus he would be a shoe-in for the Heisman next year. BUT, I suppose, too, that it's not worth playing the fourth year and getting injured. $0.02.

that the Texans weren't going to draft him!

But I am a vegetarian, so I don't eat it anymore. I never liked the gristly-ness of it, anyway. But that's one of those things you never get living in the UK (where I lived for four years), so I ate the odd one when I was home. That and iced tea, which I would not normally drink daily (like, I have been back in Texas for six months, and I haven't had any in about three months now!).

Deep in the heart of Texas?
Thank you.

I feel like SUCH a loser.
:-(

Also, The prairie sky is wide and high.

except in Houston, which is a cess pool

BOB WILLS IS STILL THE KING
(Waylon Jennings)

Well the honky-tonks in Texas were my natural second home
Where you tip your hats to the ladies and the rose of San Antone
I grew up on music that we called western swing
It don't matter who's in Austin, Bob Wills is still the king

Lord I can still remember, the way things were back then
In spite of all the hard times, I'd live it all again
To hear the Texas playboys and Tommy Duncan sing
Makes me proud to be from Texas where Bob Wills is still the king

You can hear the Grand Ol' Opry in Nashville Tennessee
It's the home of country music, on that we all agree
But when you cross that ol' Red River hoss that just don't mean a thing
'Cause once you're down in Texas, Bob Wills is still the king

Well if you ain't never been there then I guess you ain't been told
That you just can't live in Texas unless you got a lot of soul
It's the home of Willie Nelson, the home of western swing
He'll be the first to tell you, Bob Wills is still the king

Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies was a western swing band that played together between 1932 and 1936.

wreck, we might not even know Bob Wills' name.

But Wills and his bands were incredible as well. I especially liked the eff you attitude that Wills took when people started complaining about him hiring "jailbirds". One of whom was of course Merle Haggard.

.

was before my time.:hi:

They played Fitzgerald's last December.

(And is that perhaps too obscure a reference for some?)

Are you referring to the now-split rock band?

Though I would have also accepted a reference to the Misfits song "Bullet".

do you live in texas?

...due to personal circumstances (long story which I have told on DU ad nauseum).

But, Texas is much more than W-lovers, gun-toters, Bible-thumpers, and Anna Nicole Smith. Texas is bigger than France and as diverse as any other place so large would be. We have liberals and conservatives, a rich multi-ethnic heritage, mountains, lakes, prairies, beaches, desert, dense ancient forests, as well as a largely urban population (more people than New York now!) and a vibrant and fascinating history. http://stellaphotos.blogspot.com/ I don't plan to leave.



A few great things from Texas I can think of off the top of my head:
Dr Pepper
Chili
The microchip
Juneteenth
Tex-Mex
Southwest Airlines
The Corny Dog
Open heart surgery


A very few great people from Texas:
Wes Anderson
Lance Armstrong
Gene Autry
Erykah Badu
Dan Blocker
Earl Campbell
Kate Capshaw
Cyd Charisse
Bessie "Queen Bess" Coleman
Walter Cronkite
The Dixie Chicks
J. Frank Dobie
George Foreman
Jamie Foxx
Oveta Culp Hobby
Ima Hogg
Buddy Holly
Howard Hughes
Molly Ivins
Waylon Jennings
Lyndon Baines Johnson
Michael Johnson
Janis Joplin
Scott Joplin
Mary Martin
Matthew McConaughey
Larry McMurtry
Don Meredith
Ann Miller
Audie Murphy
Willie Nelson
Michael Nesmith
Chester William Nimitz
Roy Orbison
Bonnie Parker
Quanah Parker
Katharine Ann Porter
Wiley Post
Ray Price
Selena Quintanilla
Dan Rather
Robert Rauschenberg
Sam Rayburn
Liz Smith
Sissy Spacek
Roger Staubach
Sheryl Swoopes
Lee Trevino
Tommy Tune
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Bob Wills
Owen Wilson
Vince Young
Babe Didrikson Zaharias
Lorenzo de Zavala

(no, these did NOT come off the top of my head - ADD YOUR FAVORITE TEXANS!)

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

I am a sixth generation Texan and I don't plan to leave either.

N.I.O.S.A (fiesta week in San Antonio)
austin in general
Marfa lights
prairie dog town in Lubbock (although I hear it might be gone now)
cascarones
Deep Ellum in Dallas
the big ass boots in front of North Star Mall in SA
South Padre Island and the trip to Mexico every kid makes at one point or another to get wasted.
Enchanted Rock
Marble Falls
the McNay Museum in SA
Taco Cabana
Margaritas at midnight in the middle of December, on the riverwalk, at an outdoor table
Cowboy Breakfast (again, in San Antonio, to kick of Rodeo)

can you tell I grew up in San Antonio? I could go on and on for days...

Wanna be a precinct chair? :evilgrin:

And nope.

How would you rate his campaign on the Jesse "The Body" Ventura scale?

Though I am currently (temporarily) living in a -what did Cameron Diaz call it in 'In Her Shoes'? - a, umm, 'senior-oriented' apartment complex with my mom at 56, she's by far the youngest resident!), I was shocked a couple of weeks ago to notice that one of our neighbors has a 'KINKY FOR GOVERNOR 2006' sticker on their bumper. And another has one that says 'TERESA HEINZ KERRY IS MY FIRST LADY'.

I think he will get a reasonable vote, mostly from totally disillusioned people and students, a la The Body. I hope he gets into some debates.

I saw my first One Tough Grandma commercial this afternoon. :puke:

in the Panhandle?

coastline along the Gulf of Mexico. The Texas hillcountry is very beautiful, we have lots of green.

West Texas is green, fertile and very wet.
The Hill Country around Austin is stunningly beautiful.

We aren't all yahoo rednecks either. Austin is a great place - great music, artists, writers, a growing movie industry, one of the best colleges in the country. Dallas is very cosmopolitan - strong gay and ethnic communities.


We ain't what you thank we is.


(Oh my gods, did I say something nice about TX? I hate it here!)

Khash.

East Texas gets anywhere between 45 and 65 inches of rain (in normal years anyway). A couple of years ago Beaumont had over 100 inches of rain in a single year. *West* Texas and the Panhandle are the arid regions of the state, with Central Texas falling geographically and climatologically in between.

But no, we're not all redneck yahoos- but it sure can seem that way at times! :)

I fucked that up.

But before I slink away in shame, can I say everyone should see the Gulf Coast? And Galveston.


Khash.

but I must say that the Gulf is horrible- unless you're east of Mobile and maybe south of Corpus. Otherwise, it's nothing but backwash from the Delta and the offshore rigs. I guess that it can be a must see as far as strange and unhealthy things go.

*slinks away quietly*

:)

Charming old neighborhoods--even stuff built after the Great Storm tends to be older than Houston. A bit of shopping, a bit of seafood & a laid-back feeling.

Go in the water? Ick!

East Texas is green; West Texas is dry.



I live near Texarkana.

Representative photos:

Panhandle



North Texas



East Texas (Piney Woods)
http://candliciouscreations.com/myPictures/A+Home+in+the+East+TX+Piney+Woods3aa.JPG


Central Texas (Hill Country)



High Desert and Mountains (far West Texas)



Brush Country (The Valley)



Dallas


El Paso


Houston


San Antonio


Austin




Amarillo

That sure looks like the 100 block of West Main Street in Gainesville, Texas, south across the brick street from the county courthouse.

From left to right, Jim Robertson's law office, Personal Solutions, Tierra Realty then the surveyor guy.

I drive by those buildings five or six times a week on the way to Tom Thumb, Sonic, Blockbuster, Bank, etc.

Wish I had a scanner and could show you a black and white print from 1890.

It's a small world.

I got it on Google by typing in 'Gainesville Texas'. haha

I am a bit east of you, still by the river, almost in the trees, but not quite. :( Only been to Gainesville on the way to NM! haha

When cows don't have hands?

:shrug:

raised in the Cancer Alley of SE Texas. See, pollution is good for something after all.

What about buffalo wings, though?

One bacon and egg and one bean and cheese, please. Dang, now I'm hungry. :D

Not ONLY because I am a heartless bitch, but also because I am a loooong way from the nearest Taco Cabana. Taco Bell, I could do, but those are ubiquitous.

And, also, right now the lakes are all dried up.

:shrug:

Unfortunately it also came with just a touch of wind. ;)

areas about 3 weeks ago.

Weird weather everywhere.

Salud.

Lasted all of ten minutes.

But it was GREAT to hear!

(NE Texas)

live: Hill Country

visit: Big Bend

never been to Padre myself

you ever say "fixing to" ? :D

go to town, go the grocery store. I grew up hearing "fixing to", I miss it.

but I don't blink an eye when my mother says it

I am embarassed when people say things like "Yee haw, Texas is bigger than France." Well Russia spans 11 (eleven) time zones. How do you say yee haw in Russian? I do live in Dallas the nice part (Preston/ Forest) and as much as I hated the summers, I would love to go back home to Phoenix.

a) it's a handy reference to make people realize the size of the place - it IS a 'whole other country'

b) I just got back from living in Europe for four years and I found that to be a good comparison and so I still say it

c) it's always fun to bash France, come on! (really I love France, but, much like Texans, they make themselves an easy target)

things but
you are just too darn perky for my tastes.
1.Yee haw! Texas shore nuff is a 'whole other country'-make me an ex-pat of it.
2. OOOH you lived in Europe for four years. Where did you go, the American University in Paris?
You don't impress me as having assimilated into the culture, wherever you were for 4 years.
Not to brag, but my brother "is" an ex-pat, finished MBA at Theseus Institute in south of France (gawl lee he must be a fag to like it over there.) no he took work with other students and has now lived in Amsterdam for 13 yrs and they do all kinds of things there the bible says is wrong.
3. When I was 21 I came into some money and went to Paris stayed about a month. I speak french now well enough to be a candidate for the Peace Corps in French speaking countries in Africa.

Texans "are" an easy target because the trail of corruption unraveling about Texans that is gross:
Tom DeLay-gross
Scooter Libby-gross
Jack Abramoff-gross

There is a Shakespeare play called Coriolanus (sp?) it's about a leader who becomes very out of touch with real people but he thinks he is still "one of them." (clearing brush?)
King Bush 1st didn't even know what a price scanner at a grocery store was.

there are plenty of die-hard Democrats in Texas, remember a few of them left the state to try and keep DeLie from redistricting? How the hell is the state ever going to change if all the smart liberals leave?

I stay in touch with my Texas roots as much as I can, because I plan to go back and hopefully work on change instead of just bitching about it and making fun of people for liking it.

'not to brag'? if you have to footnote your comments, they are probably rude.

back off jack.

'not to brag'? if you have to footnote your comments, they are probably rude.
back off jack.

Yeah, sorry but I can't seem to please either way.

If I do say something like "my granddaddy went to graduate school at University of Chicago" well it's true but I get the knives out because of it.

Either way-
I was born and lived in Atlanta(1964-1973), lived in Arlington TX (1973-1980), then Greenville SC (1980-1982) where I graduated HS and went to Emory Univ Atlanta (1982-1985) came into money means for ME meant I sued somebody and won. Got that money and moved to NYC, where I traveled to France and Belgium. Needed to finish uni went to school in KY, didn't like it went to school at NYU for a semester, got sick of the East Coast, moved to Phoenix 1987 lived there until 2000. Now I live in Dallas took a job offer with Smith Barney. Burned out of brokerage went to paralegal school got a cert (2005) and work pretty steady now.

Sorry if insomnia made me a bitch. Guess I need to go back to NY I felt most comfortable there. The point is I never "had" a home my dad was too busy chasing the real estate market. But I wasn't a debutante did not have a cotillion, etc. I am just middle class.

There are some really bad things about AZ, our governor at the time Evan Mecham, not passing the MLK day U2 came and filmed Rattle and Hum here because of it, Jon Kyle is our other senator besides John McCain who I like. The Keating savings and loan scandal was a lot of egg-on the face.

but I flipped out when I read how many responses came through on my post. I make myself either listen to or look at Rush Limbaugh or Bill O'Reilly to see what they are saying. You guys what I put there if you think that is rude, well...I dunno.
I wish you peace.

sorry is enough for me, but really it should be directed point blank to the poster you replied to for it to mean something. We all get bitchy at times, best to own up to it and move on. I appreciate that at least.

if it makes you feel better, I have moved 15 times (not including moves within a city) in 32 years and am about to do it again. But, I take solace in the fact that Texas will always have a warm bed, a strong roof, and a full fridge waiting for me if I need it, family not included. It'll always be home, no matter where I hang my hat. (and that's why we Texans stick together)

I'm sure if you tell us where you're from we can name some unsavory characters from your area, too. Also, I do believe that everything I've said in this thread has been said in a friendly, open, and honest way. Did I not say that we're an easy target? You just proved it with your clicheed anti-Texas insults. We've heard it all before.

Sure, there are things about Texans and Texas that I can't stand. Lots of them. More than I felt in the UK. But I also love this place, as it's my home, and I have to just deal with the fact that we are surrounded by RWers here. Instead of just bitching about it, those of us who are Texas Dems, progressives, Greens, etc., are working for change and refusing to be intimidated by the likes of Mr Delay and his minions. Because we care about Texas and its future.

And I don't have to justify my background to you, but since you attacked my opinion as somehow unworthy, I'll tell you. I lived in York, North Yorkshire for a year while doing a masters degree (not as an exchange student) at the University of York, which, when I was there, was ranked number two in the UK in my discipline, ahead of Cambridge. It's a wonderful city and a wonderful university. Then I lived in Essex, in a small London sububrb town, for three years and worked for a major British construction company while living with my British 'domestic partner'. All my friends were Europeans except one. My SO's family was my own. In the whole four years I was there, I came back to the US all of TWICE. I also worked at a British newspaper while doing my MA, and I doubt I would've been kept on there if I was a Homer Simpson type. I personally have a strong dislike for the typical American abroad. But at least they represent the about 8% of us who have passports. When I left due to circumstances beyond my control, I was only four months away from getting 'indefinite leave to remain', the equivalent of a UK green card. I would've then applied for dual citizenship. I also made an effort to see as much as possible of Europe while I was there, and have been to Belgium (x2), Holland (x3), France (xmany), Germany (x3), Austria (x2), the Czech Republic, Poland, Greece, Italy (x3), and Spain. As for the words and phrases I use, well, guess what? I'm an American, I live in America now, and I am writing on an American message board. So I guess it figures that my speech sounds American. :eyes:

You are just too darn rude for my tastes.

I don't think I've said "yee-haw", or fired any of my impressive selection of handguns, in this thread.

If you really want to be an ex-pat, why are you still in Dallas? Waiting for another inheritance? (Do you speak Spanish, too?)

As a Texas Democrat, I'm quite aware of what's wrong with Texas. I don't need a Shakespeare reference to know that both Bushes are creeps--from Connecticut. But there are some good things, as well.

Why did you get on your high horse? Bashing the poster for no reason and then "Not to brag..." Yeah, right. :eyes:

Some of us happen to love Texas. I'm proud to be a native Texan, and proud to be friendly, open, and tolerant. I have travelled greatly in Texas (with a nod to HDT), and even lived in Big D during my medical school years. It has always been my opinion that there is a relatively higher proportion of misanthropes in Dallas than any where else in the state, and you have done nothing to dispell that notion.

other people in the sandbox. Sorry.

than white sauce by the French...derivatives of...

and decent milk and water in addition to flour/grease

for Chicken Fried Steak, mashed potatoes, bread or biscuits
Fried Chicken as well, mashed potatoes, bread or biscuits




With a bit a salt too.

Yum, Yum. Stella, I am a Texan by birth and miss Texas cookin', but I will be in San Antone a week from today!

While at his 'deer lease'. Yep, not kidding.

But I don't think there's an infestation, at least not around here. ;)

I'm in Texas too... :evilgrin:

I'm not the marrying kind.

Straight and lookin' for love, though. ;)

haha

:loveya: :pals:

or was that a clever metaphor?

:evilgrin:
Never heard of "The Prisoner"?

Texas was the Shit!!!!!!

One of the most OFF THE HOOK vacations I've had!!!!

I was born there, back when DickSteele senior was in the Navy,
maintaining the old 'Tomcat' jet fighters deep in the belly
of the USS "John F. Kennedy".

We moved when I was 18 months old, so I have no clear memories of it.

Sometimes, late at night, I kinda wonder what it's like there.

I haven't been there. So unfortunately I cannot help you. :) haha.

Maybe you should go visit, though, just for kicks.

:eyes:

You appear to be intelligent... I don't get it :-(

See above.

:tapsfoot:

If you've had bad experiences in Texas, please let us know.

Why don't you start a thread about Maine? I'm sure the countryside can be beautiful--I've been to other New England states. However, since I haven't been to Maine, I can't list any bad points. Are there none?

I do prefer the advantages of city life. And we've got a few pretty good cities down here.

like it. Let me know if I'm reading too much into your comment.

:eyes:

Or is there some pithy saying that directs me not to? :shrug:

"Don't Mess With Texas" was originally an anti littering campaign, not bravado...

I just couldn't resist! :hi:

For putting "Don't Mess with Texas" on a t-shirt.

So, no, you shouldn't 'mess with Texas' (as in roadsides).

But I wouldn't suggest actually messing with any Texans in person or with Texas whilst one is IN Texas, either. ;)

they call the 2 yr old boy BJ for fucks sake! bless his heart.

That said, I do know a Bobby Joe. :D

He claimed to be Jimbob from Texas, as if there was only one Jimbob in all of Texas.

Almost all the Texans I've met in person live in cities in Massachusetts.

:sigh:

I feel pretty naive to life anywhere else.

My house is worth 90k here (and Austin is high). It would be worth at least double, if not triple in MA.

It would be hard to even get a trailer for 90K here.:-(

I've heard Austin is very nice. Very liberal,too.

Austin's a nice place. I do like it here.

Thankfully heating isn't too bad down here. Natural gas for me. We've had a really mild winter so heating costs are WAY down this year.

Larry Joe
Joe Bob
Joe Paul
Buddy
Joe Don
Jerry Wayne
Jerry Wayne Jr
Billy Carl
Ricky Lynn

Seriously.

I love names like that.

I don't even have a middle name.

It's been warm, and I'm supposed to go there. I'm fearing an ice storm then.

Sunny, high 72, low 46, zero percent chance of percipitation.

It's in Arizona. Great Grandfather came out (was ran out they always say) from Coleman County and settled here - bunch of damn Texans up in yonder canyon = Texas Canyon.

But... how BIG is it?????

;)

I drove through on a trip from Texas to LA. It was not described in the AAA book & we were unhappy to be in the wrong lane to pull off & gawk a while.

Quite an impressive site. Has it been used to shoot any Westerns?

Old ones I'm not sure of, but Grandpa had some stories - since we've been here, along with lots of clothes catalogs and some vehicle stills, Young Guns II, Geronimo, the remake of Red River, Tombstone, a Kenny Rogers music video - planet Texas, probably more - can't remember now....

You must use your judgement. The hotter, drier, windier, and sunnier it is, the more you need to water. The cooler, wetter, and cloudier it is, the less you need to water. How wet the surface is, is not a good measure of how your watering program is working. It is possible for the surface to be soaked while the ground a foot deep is relatively dry. One way to check your soils, if you have clay soils, is to use a plumber’s probe. A Plumber’s probe is a 4 or 5 foot long fiberglass pole with a "T" handle on the end. If your soils are too wet, then the pole can be pushed down into the soil with little or no effort. When the soils are wet, but not too wet, you should be able to push the probe 3 to 4 feet by leaning heavily in the handle. If you can’t push the probe into the ground without banging on it, the soils are probably too dry. This test will not work well in sandy or rocky soils. The sand or rock can keep a probe from slipping into the ground even if the water content is high.

Do not use a metal pole to probe the soils. If you hit a buried electrical line with a metal pole, you could be electrocuted.

If watering does not work, you may need foundation repairs. In Texas, call 1-800-405-8880 for the number to your local Advanced Foundation Repair office.

Because apparently brains are not, although I did hear you guys actually have 3-liter cola bottles...

www.city-data.com/city/Apple-Valley-California.html

Stats for Houston are just a bit better....

www.city-data.com/city/Houston-Texas.html

:P

"Can't Get the Hell out of Texas" by the Offenders. one of my favourite C&W songs.

In that case, you're disqualified, as that was not really a question.

(But, personally, no, at the moment, I can't! haha)

I know you're a vegetarian and all, so I can trust you won't sneak any bites before it gets to me :)

Haven't been there since April 13, 2002. Am currently about 400 miles from there. So, the answer to your question is "no". But I can give you this:

Yes their sausage is good, they have the only edible potato salad and cole slaw Ive ever had too...

Jerry Jeff Walker. Molly Ivins mentioned him in a column and I think he rocks.
:toast:

my stepmother saw him in concert in Clarksville, Texas at a rodeo dance in the seventies.