Newcomers to Austin - Do you identify yourself as Texan to folks back home? How much do you identify with being a Texan? (Lubbock: living in, shop)

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by staubach

I become an official Texan tomorrow when I close on my house..More importantly I will legally become an ex-Memphian!!

Ahhh, a Beale St. Transplant! From one music city(Sun Records - Stax -
BB King, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison - Graceland) to another(Austin).......

Goodbye Beale St., and hello 6th st!

[mlassoff]

Lived in Austin 17 years. Never considered myself a Texan. Never considered myself an Austinite. Grew up within 40 miles of midtown Manhattan on the Connecticut coast. Consider myself a New Englander AND a New Yorker!

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

Lived in Austin 17 years. Never considered myself a Texan. Never considered myself an Austinite. Grew up within 40 miles of midtown Manhattan on the Connecticut coast. Consider myself a New Englander AND a New Yorker!

If you grew up forty miles from midtown Manhattan, in CT, how could you consider yourself a New Yorker? If I read your post correctly, you didn't even live in the state.

[tibbar]

I am 59 and I have always considered myself a TEXAN because I was born in Corpus Christi when Dad was stationed there. My first record was "The Yellow Rose of Texas". When I was little I wanted to be a Cowgirl and I thought everybody wearing a cowboy hat was from Texas. Being in the military and being shoved around every couple years for my first 18 sucked. I finally had the opportunity to move to TX in 1985 and love it here.

I don't see many Cowboy hats here though, many more on farmers in SW Kansas.

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

To answer your questions:

No

and

Not at all

Why? Because I really don't what the questions mean. I'm guess OP you're making reference to "feeling like" a Texan in relation to the "settlers"? Or you're identifying because the state doesn't like the Feds? I'm not sure how to even approach the question. However, it is entertaining my mind but I can't post most of what it stirred up. I don't want to be put on another list.

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

Originally Posted by Jennibc

If you grew up forty miles from midtown Manhattan, in CT, how could you consider yourself a New Yorker? If I read your post correctly, you didn't even live in the state.

If that were the case then who can call themselves a "Texan"?

[poletop1]

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

If that were the case then who can call themselves a "Texan"?

People who are from Texas? CT is not NY, that's the point.

[cBach]

You can take this Cajun away from Louisiana but you cannot take Louisiana from this Cajun. I will always be a Saints fan and have a taste for spicy Cajun food and Zydeco.

That being said, as the years go by, my affinity with Austin and Texas grows and when people ask me, I tell them I'm an Austinite. But I'll never forget my roots.

[sagewithaflaw]

I grew up in Michigan, so that will always be "home" no matter where I go - and that includes the exquisite pain and misery of being a Lions fan.

This thread reminds me a bit of that 90's era SNL spoof of The Real World where Mike Myers kept saying "I'm from Dublin!", and then later he has a confessional where he admits (paraphrasing) "Well, actually... I'm not from Dublin - just outside of Dublin. A place called (can't remember the little town name). But when people would ask me where that was, I had to explain it's just outside of Dublin. And I got tired of saying "I'm from just outside of Dublin. So, now when people ask where I'm from, I just say I'm from Dublin."

Which leads me to the question -- if you live somewhere in the Greater Austin area -- say, Pflugerville, for instance -- do you just tell people from out of state that you're from Austin, so you don't get the "Where's that?" question next? And what if you're from San Marcos - do you say you're from Austin or San Antonio?

I live in Scottsdale, AZ right now, and so I usually tell people that, but it's a pretty big suburb of Phoenix. I do identify with being from the Phoenix area as well though too. Never thought too much of the "Arizonan" label though -- I don't think the state pride/label is as strong here as in other states, like New York, Texas, California, etc though I'm just speaking for myself. Weird inquiry, I know, just wondering. I think most people who live in a suburb of a big metro area identify both with their particular suburb as well as the larger metro area that suburb is in...

[G Grasshopper]

Originally Posted by poletop1

People who are from Texas? CT is not NY, that's the point.

Poletop: why did you answer a 2 year old question? I mean, you had to be looking hard to find the thread in order to make your comment. Just curious.