Now Let's Have The Other Side. (Austin, Lubbock: homes, movies, school)

[lutarian]

Call it bs if you wish or a big assumption. I could care less. But the FACTS are that after 20 years I met SO MANY people that told me that TX was the most beautiful place in the US and the best place to live in the US. I then asked them if they had been out of TX and EVERY SINGLE ONE told me "no".

Now keep in mind I am not talking about TX as a whole. I am talking about South Texas. I have found the people in the Hill Country to be not like that.

Here is another thing that I am talking about. You are attacking the poster. Why not post your dislikes so people can see both sides as bella stated. Here. I will start by posting thing I don't like about places I love.

WV: Don't like the winters. Bad Economy.
TN: Western area of the state sucks.

[stan4]

Right...I've been around the world numerous times, I have lived overseas, I've lived in California, I've been all over the U.S....and I chose to live in Texas. There's just something special about it that either speaks to you or doesn't.

To be fair to the thread, I will post things I don't like about Texas (though since there is varying culture/landscape/economies, mine is really more about North Texas). Some of these things can be said about other states...

1. Hot, muggy summers with mosquito swarms
2. Being a big border infiltration site
3. Lack of easy access to quality beaches/ski sites (without flying or driving a dozen hours).
4. Having to defend myself, my choices, and my state every time I encounter someone from up north. No, really...what is that? I don't meet people from Connecticut and say, "Oh, god! How awful!"

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by stan4

4. Having to defend myself, my choices, and my state every time I encounter someone from up north. No, really...what is that? I don't meet people from Connecticut and say, "Oh, god! How awful!"

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!

That's probably the worst thing about Texas, that so many people, in complete ignorance (many, though not all, of them never having been here), have so many assumptions that aren't true about Texas, and feel perfectly free to spout them at any opportunity.

[tycobb2522]

Originally Posted by lutarian

Call it bs if you wish or a big assumption. I could care less. But the FACTS are that after 20 years I met SO MANY people that told me that TX was the most beautiful place in the US and the best place to live in the US. I then asked them if they had been out of TX and EVERY SINGLE ONE told me "no".

Ok. I call it bs.

[Rathagos]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

That's probably the worst thing about Texas, that so many people, in complete ignorance (many, though not all, of them never having been here), have so many assumptions that aren't true about Texas, and feel perfectly free to spout them at any opportunity.

You don't know how true this is. This is all off-topic, of course, but my wife is from Pittsburgh, PA. When she was moving down here when we were first dating, she had a HUGE pre-conceived notion of what Texas would be like, especially my small town in west Texas deserts! But all I remember her saying when she was driving in was "wow... it's so much greener than I thought it would be!" Which was funny, because it's not... compared to west Texas.

When she got here... her first summer she was basically counting days until we would move... 10 years (when her daughter would be graduating high school). Then 9 years 11 months, 30 days... etc. etc. But she's slowly changing her mind. After the first couple years.. it became "well, let's wait to see where the kids live after college, then we'll decide." This has evolved into, "well... if we have to live here.. there's other worse places to be, it wouldn't be so bad..."

I guess the really funny thing is how Texas really does grow on you. When I was in the Bay Area in California, people that moved there I didn't hear mention how it was growing on them. They couldn't wait to move to another place. The same when I lived in Georgia, Colorado, and Virginia. Even when I lived in Hawaii for 6 years, after a time, they wanted a break. Most people I know, who have left my city, often return to either live or work again after they've left. Very few have choosen to leave for good, and they were younger because of a lack of clubs/bars/etc.

Just a little cold.. is that too much to ask? Some snow in the winter... some rain now and then!?? LOL

[GoingHome2TX]

Originally Posted by lutarian

Call it bs if you wish or a big assumption. I could care less. But the FACTS are that after 20 years I met SO MANY people that told me that TX was the most beautiful place in the US and the best place to live in the US. I then asked them if they had been out of TX and EVERY SINGLE ONE told me "no".

Now keep in mind I am not talking about TX as a whole. I am talking about South Texas...

Okay, just for the record, retract your statements now. I am 100% native South Texan, living in South Texas once again. To me, Texas is the most beautiful place in the world. (And beauty can be found in aspects other than just the visual scenery.)

Have I been out of Texas? Yes! (Oh dear <insert your deity here>! He did NOT just break lutarian's long standing, 100% accurate survey of every single South Texan to live or die in the last 150 years!?! )

In case you haven't figured it out, lutarian, I am with tycobb2522 on this one. I call BS.

By the way, this does not mean that I don't have issues with certain aspects of life in Texas. I agree with Reb on this, our illegal immigration problem needs to be handled.

Are they enough to make me even consider living anywhere else? No, because I have been there and done that, and was plain miserable the whole time.

This is the only place in the world that I have found myself being able to wake up in the morning, walk out on the front porch with my first cup of coffee and my first cigarette of the day, smile and feel at peace and happy to be living where I am.

[eliana_b]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!

That's probably the worst thing about Texas, that so many people, in complete ignorance (many, though not all, of them never having been here), have so many assumptions that aren't true about Texas, and feel perfectly free to spout them at any opportunity.

YES!

My husband and I have a tour of places for out of state friends. We show them Western/cowboy places, like they expect. Then we take them to beautiful lakes and museums. We show them the variety. They always leave glad to have had the "Texas experience," which they understand to be more than cowboys and a certain state of mind. They realize that their time with us was just an introduction to the people and places of the state. It is amazing that people could actually think that a state as large as Texas could be all one way, could possibly be classified in any way other than -- varied.

[case44]

Originally Posted by thecatwilbotd

Umm I thought this was the texas forum.

And I believe you came to the right place.

[case44]

Originally Posted by eliana_b

YES!

My husband and I have a tour of places for out of state friends. We show them Western/cowboy places, like they expect. Then we take them to beautiful lakes and museums. We show them the variety. They always leave glad to have had the "Texas experience," which they understand to be more than cowboys and a certain state of mind. They realize that their time with us was just an introduction to the people and places of the state. It is amazing that people could actually think that a state as large as Texas could be all one way, could possibly be classified in any way other than -- varied.

Yeah, there are a lot of misconceptions about Texas. Just look at the U.S. General forum pages, for example, and the things you read there. People don't really get an idea about our state until they come and see this place firsthand. I'll bet a lot of people end up leaving pleasantly surprised. Like I tell people, you never know how good something is until you try it.

[lutarian]

You know how you say that Northern States talk bad about Texas? I have found many, many people that live in South Texas talk bad about Northerners. I heard people constantly talking trash about Northerners, winter texas, snowbirds for years. So it's a two way street. The North and South battle still continues.

I was actually raised in California for 12 year. Spent junior high in WV and high school in IN. Then joined the military and of course was sent everywhere. Then I spent my time travelling all over the United States and living in quite a few states.

I think Northern Cali is gorgeous BUT I would never live there.

As for friendliess. I have never had a problem with any state I have ever been to or lived in. Some were more friendlier then others. The most friendly state I have been to was TN.

The interesting thing with TX that I found was that the more friendly people in TX were NOT born and raised there. They were transplants. Interesting uh? I am not taking born and bread Texans are rude I am saying the transplants seem friendler.

As far as state pride. That is a big problem when people have TO MUCH pride in their state. What I have found from experience is that when you have TO MUCH pride you can't admit when you have a problem. It's like a parent that says "oh no, my son and/or daughter would never do that"...even though they are and the parent knows it...they just don't want to admit it. So instead of the problem being taken care of...it gets worse.

It's like that with South Texas which is filled with corruption to an extreme level and even when people see it on tv or in the papers they still deny it.

Here is some proof of to much pride. I start a simple thread and instead of staying on topic and telling the things you don't like...you attack. Interesting uh?

All this is making me want to take a trip to Fredericksburg, TX and go the brewery for some beer!