There is a hotel in Ballinger, the Runnels county seat.
A newspaper? A newspaper interested in running a feature on a one-time depression baby?
I hadn't thought of it. Hmm . . .
I like Texans. I was lucky enough to live where the X is in Texas for almost three years. (Look at the map, you'll find it.) The USAF is particalarly lax about where their airmen go on weekends. So I hitchhiked and drove all over West Texas. West Texas, I hasten to add is the real Texas, not that sissy, over populated Houston or worse, the cramped, dismal streets of Dallas. Austin, don't get me a'going. No, the real Texas is out there near Robert Lee or farther West at Rankin or Muleshoe. You can find some real Texas down in Menard, but god'am that's a far piece to drive in August or anytime.
Anyways, I jis wanted to say, "Howdy" and I figgered out what happened with the Iraq crap about the weapons. Now, George is not really a Texan, did he study ranching at Yale? Nope. He's all hat and no cattle but he has learned how to do what is a peculiar Texas skill, he can bullshit his way out of anything.
So he wasn't lying, he was just shitting us.
So.
Joe(That's Texan for telling you what you want to hear)Nation
The Bush family and Tom Delay defines Texas for a lot of people. But there is much more than such as these. Texans like to brag, but a lot of that is show for the foreigners from New York and California. It will probably always be predominantly conservative, but, actually, true conservatism and true liberalism are complimentary to one another, like yin and yang. It is the radicals who can't see it.
Edgar--
Newspapers are always looking for local color--you were only "local" briefly, but you've got enough color and glitter to share with Texas and the rest of the USA.
If I get that far, I intend to follow your advice. Now. I have to convince Mrs edgarblythe of the worthiness of my cause.
Joe Nation wrote:...Now, George is not really a Texan, did he study ranching at Yale? Nope. He's all hat and no cattle...
http://www.allhatnocattle.net/4-1-05_wolfowitz.htm
Lotsa other good ones there, too!
All wax and no wick - Ouch.
Lived in Lubbock (or Lub-yuck, as we liked to call it) recently while my wife was in school.
Joe, you wouldn't have been the fella looking for "Mull-ess-hoe," would you?
i am proud to say i am Graduate of the University of Texas, go horns!! and i married texan whose great grandfather was the first brewmaster of pearl beer (yes there was such a thing) in Texas. While i did love it down there (miss the tex-mex food more than you can believe), i missed my family terribly who live in good ole virginia. had to move close to my entire family. amazingly my hubby went for it (a born and raised austin boy-he loves me
) but i tell you, i long for those 112 degree days, all you can eat BBQ restaurants who understand what smoking really is, and tex-mex restaurants who understand that you are supposed to use cheddar cheese on everything not mozarella. anyone from Austin out there---boy i miss the chicken and guacamole tubular taco from Hula Hut!!!
You're a sweet-talking man, Edgar. You can convince your wife that you are interested in your roots....and then you'll den up and write your autobiography.
I'd like to order a copy.
Actually, my autobiography is one of my current projects - written as a novel.
Nonfiction...fiction...I still want to order a copy.
Back on topic. When in 1957 my Mom decided to bring me and my siblings to Texas, after ten years in California, I was at first pleased and excited. But as the train rolled closer and soon approached Corpus Christi, I became increasingly disappointed, feeling betrayed. I saw us as coming to a last remote outpost of civilization, with no security, nothing to fall back on. I spent the next fifteen or so years leaving Texas, but always ended right back in it. Since then, I've come to terms with living in a place where most of the residents don't like my politics and attitudes about hunting and life in general. There are compensating factors. I have my friends, and the land is a patchwork of good to great scenarios. I am content being here.
I hope this isn't off topic, but I would like to share.
One of my happiest moments occurred in Texas.
A moonlit night in the mid nineties...West Texas desert in a van with my bandmates. In the middle of nowhere, halfway from point A to point B...
We decided to drive without headlights because the moonlight was so intense. After 15 minutes or so we realised that the light was fading, I peered through the moonroof and saw the beginning of a lunar eclipse .
We pulled off the road, and lay on our backs on the sand and watched it happen in all it's glory. With no light pollution, you could literally see clouds of stars, it was incredible.
Seeing as this is posted in the humor section, I have to add...
The drummer says to me " This doesn't suck."
He was a notorious complainer.
I have the great state of Texas to thank for it Edgar.
One of the truly interesting, but ignored places in the US is Big Bend National Park. Take a look.
http://geoexplorer.tamu.edu/bigbend/index.html
I love Big Bend, it is the only place that I have ever seen signs posted that read "Caution! Keep pets and small children close by or they my become snacks". Literally worded just like that because of the large amount of alligators that call the park home. There is also the observatory where you can sometimes get the scientists to let you have a look through the huge telescope and see all the planets as if they were as close as the moon. Beautiful place.
You can't say you have visited TX and not have seen the Alamo. I recommend that.
Galveston is also a great place. They have a museum where you can learn all about the hurricane disaster of 1900. You can swim in the warm Gulf of Mexico and go visit all the great shops on "The Strand". Definitely bring sunblock. My soon to be hubby is from up north and he didn't believe me about the sun and ended up with 3rd degree burns all over his chest, arms and face. I also recommend dinner at Mario's. They have the best ravioli I ever tasted.
Texas is one of the few states that contains all climatological types: desert, coastal, plains and mountains. There should be something for everyone.
