I'm going to Texas on Saturday to see my father and have fun. My girlfriend is also going and has never been to this place so she will not understand why there are 3 bail bondsman offices in a 2 block stretch in Arlington. Yes, I'm going from the good Arlington in Massachusetts to the evil Arlington where my father lives. It's a town between Dallas and Ft. Worth. Thank goodness these names are not just placeholders for intuitions. You can go there. There are other Arlingtons as well but they're of no concern here.
So, what do you think about Texas? Can anything be done about it? Would you like to live there? Is it safe?
Some tasty chicken down in Texas. Maybe you could send me a bucket of some during your visit?
We're off to a good start. :)
Quote from: drogulus on June 19, 2009, 12:46:08 PM
So, what do you think about Texas? Can anything be done about it? Would you like to live there? Is it safe?
Everything about Texas is outstanding except for the weather.
Do yourself a favor and check out Austin while you're there. It is just a (Texas sized) stones throw away.
Quote from: ' on June 19, 2009, 01:38:11 PM
I wish everybody who visited Austin would do so on these 100+ degree days. It would greatly reduce the likelihood that they would ever want to move here.'
Oh I remember those days when a shower merely a formality.
We're not going to move far from our base. It's really a visit, not sight-seeing.
I would like to see Austin some day.
I've been to USS Texas, or onboard, rather. Houston had no sidewalks, but college radio played Heather Nova. And you always have ZZ Top.
(1) Get yourself some real chili.
(2) And pecan pie.
(3) Saturday night casual classics at the Dallas Symphony:
GERSHWIN: Cuban Overture
PIAZZOLA: The Four Season of Buenos Aries
DVORAK: Slavonic Dance Nos. 1, 2, 5, 8
COPLAND: Four Dances from Rodeo
(4) Be polite and you'll be safe.
(5) Pull that attitude of smug superiority in the wrong place and you will get your ass kicked.
I have this idea that if I ever visit any sourthern state, I'm going to disappear and end up on a chain gang just for having a Pennsylavania license plate. They don't need my crazy ideas.
An Austin musician I interviewed once (he was originally from Pa) descrobed Austin to me as a blue boil on the red butt of Texas. And they gave us Molly Ivins and
Bill Moyers, so they cant be all bad.
The governor has talked about secession, and I'm all in favor.
I guess my attitude is summed up by the T-shirt (http://www.tshirthell.com/search.php?search=texas) that begins "Don't mess with Texas."
A girl I once knew gave me a "Don't mess with Texas" ashtray. Must be 20 years ago.
Before I retire I give you my favourite song by That little ol' band from Texas:
If you're down in Acuna and you ain't up to being alone
Dont spend all your money on just any honey that's grown.
Go find the mexican blackbird and send all your troubles back home.
They all call her her puta cause no one really knows her name.
She works the cantina, dancin and a-lovins her trade.
Her mama was mezcan and her daddy was the ace of spades.
Oh, lets drive that old chrysler down to mexico, boy.
(Said, keep your hands on the wheel there.
Oh, it sure is fine, aint it?
Now, ya got it! hand me another one of them brews from back there.
Oh, this is gonna be so good.)
Mm, shes hot as a pepper but smooth as a mexican brew.
So head for the border and put in an order or two.
The wings of the blackbird will spread like an eagle for you.
Oh, one more time,
(Can you roll me another bull durham, please?
Cant you do it with one hand, boy?)
Have a splendid weekend. I'd do Saturday night casual classics in Dallas.
Quote from: ' on June 19, 2009, 03:05:39 PM
Who is the Austin musician?'
Ray Benson, of Asleep at the Wheel.
OK, all - I'm waiting for Gurn to 'chime into' this thread - ;D
Personally, I love Texas history, such a transitional piece of geography - Spain, Mexico, & US! I've made about a half dozen visits, including San Antonio (w/ the Alamo), Austin (Driskoll Hotel a must visit or stay!), Houston, & Dallas - but I must say that these 'city' visits really cannot reflect the variety and beauty of this large state - would take months, if not years, to appreciate! Just a voice of experience - took me a number of years to appreciate the vast variety of own my home state, North Carolina- :)
Quote from: Valentino on June 19, 2009, 02:34:44 PM
I've been to USS Texas, or onboard, rather. Houston had no sidewalks, but college radio played Heather Nova. And you always have ZZ Top.
I was on the
USS Massachusetts in Fall River.
:) I'd love to see the
Texas. The website says it's the last dreadnaught. I suppose what they mean is pre-1914 or some other semi-arbitrary distinction. Anyway, it's pre-
Arizona.
Well, Texas is the greatest state in the Union, and I've been to all of them and lived in a few. I wasn't born here, but I got here as quick as i could. :) Y'all don't have anything to worry about in Arlington, it's (was?) a nice little city. I lived in a couple of places near there, and worked there for a few years. Stuff happens, but that's true anywhere. As Don says, the weather is a bit touchy at times, it takes some getting used to and y'all aren't going to be here long enough for that. So you'll have some stories to tell your grandkids about how your ass got burned up in Texas because you were, ummm, adventurous enough to come down here in the summer. April and October are the right times, BTW. Anyway, I've lived here for 30 years now, and I can't imagine living anywhere else. The people are honest and friendly (except if you're a smartass. I'd advise against that ;) ). Just relax and have a good time. :)
8)
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Listening to:
Jakob Lindberg / Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble - G 446 Quintet #2 in E for Guitar & Strings 4th mvmt - Polacca (Tempo di minuetto)
Quote from: drogulus on June 19, 2009, 04:37:56 PM
I was on the USS Massachusetts in Fall River. :) I'd love to see the Texas. The website says it's the last dreadnaught. I suppose what they mean is pre-1914 or some other semi-arbitrary distinction. Anyway, it's pre-Arizona.
Yes, pre-1914. Head on down to Corpus and check it out. It's cool!
8)
PS - Don't be fooled looking at a map though, it's a full 8 hour drive from Arlington to Corpus! :D
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Listening to:
Jakob Lindberg / Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble - G 449 Quintet #5 in D for Guitar & Strings 4th mvmt - Andantino pausato con variazioni
Quote from: ' on June 19, 2009, 05:45:35 PM
Do they still call it "Variety Vacationland" like they did when I lived there as a kid?'
Well, when you were a kid living in
North Carolina? That title may have changed over the centuries - ;) ;D
But, at present, the so-called
Tarheel State has a lot of variety to offer, e.g. do you want 'Original 13 colonial history', Sea coast/Outer Banks, Mountains (including much of the Blue Ridge Parkway), Revolutionary/Civil War history, and much more - if you've not been here in a while, please try to come back! :)
Quote from: ' on June 19, 2009, 06:05:09 PM
1962-1965. There was a nifty tune that went with a jingle "North Carolina, land of mountain breezes, North Carolina (some other fine attribute, probably something about Kitty Hawk, the Mako lights, or Bucky Fuller being at Black Mountain College).
http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/vacationland/index.html
And evidence of why that would stick in the brain:
http://www.wral.com/golo/blogpost/5314811/
Thanks for the links - I moved to NC in 1971; can't comment on seeing that particular plate on a car (but of course could have easily missed it!) - but still plenty to enjoy here! BTW, Black Mountain is just outside of Asheville and a great place to visit - a college no longer exits (but was pretty famous in its time).
Concerning the economy - in a sorry state w/ the loss of textile & furniture manufacturing (won't mention tobacco since I'm in the medical profession and on a 'non-smoking' campus) - grape growing & wine has partially replaced some of this previous industry, but the future of the state will involve a different direction - we're working on it! :)
Quote from: Joe Barron on June 19, 2009, 02:57:33 PM
The governor has talked about secession, and I'm all in favor.
Texas was an independent country in the 19th century. IMHO, it should be again.
Quote from: Spitvalve on June 20, 2009, 12:06:54 AM
Texas was an independent country in the 19th century. IMHO, it should be again.
All you commies want to take the good stuff out of America... Listen here Scott commie. Texas may secede, but only on its own damn terms.
:P
Quote from: Catison on June 20, 2009, 01:12:08 AM
Listen here Scott commie. Texas may secede, but only on its own damn terms.
:P
I read years ago that Texas is legally entitled to split itself into 5 states if it wants. This was part of the deal for joining the Union, since other states were intimidated by its size. Anyone know if this is actually true?
Quote from: SonicMan on June 19, 2009, 04:25:49 PM
Just a voice of experience - took me a number of years to appreciate the vast variety of own my home state, North Carolina- :)
Oh, well that ex
plains it. ;)
Quote from: Spitvalve on June 20, 2009, 12:06:54 AM
Texas was an independent country in the 19th century. IMHO, it should be again.
And of course, secession it would gerrymander the rest of the country so that Republicans would never win the White House ever again. It's a win win.
Quote from: Joe Barron on June 20, 2009, 11:20:30 AM
And of course, secession it would gerrymander the rest of the country so that Republicans would never win the White House ever again. It's a win win.
Well, even talk about secession is nothing but aimless dreaming. If you were to actually talk to any Texans, it wouldn't take you long to discover that it is only the far right lunatic fringe that even consider it. 99% of Texans are as loyal to the USA as anyone anywhere. You really shouldn't believe most of the shit you see on TV news... ::)
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Listening to:
Jakob Lindberg / Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble - G 447 Quintet #3 in Bb for Guitar & Strings 4th mvmt - Allegro
Quote from: Joe Barron on June 20, 2009, 11:20:30 AM
And of course, secession it would gerrymander the rest of the country so that Republicans would never win the White House ever again. It's a win win.
Texans also supply a large percent of the armed forces. So my idea is to secede and conquer. >:D
Quote from: Catison on June 20, 2009, 12:47:26 PM
Texans also supply a large percent of the armed forces. So my idea is to secede and conquer. >:D
Sure, but what the hell would we do with all the useless parts? If we just gave them to Canada, then
they would get all uppity. :-\
:D
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Listening to:
Chiara Banchini - Ensemble 415 - Boccherini Op 23 #1 Sextet in Eb for Strings 2nd mvmt - Larghetto
Quote from: Gurn Blanston on June 20, 2009, 12:09:57 PM
. 99% of Texans are as loyal to the USA as anyone anywhere.
Aww ... hell. :(
Quote from: Joe Barron on June 21, 2009, 10:26:01 AM
Aww ... hell. :(
:D
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Listening to:
Ensemble 415 - Op. 39/1, Rondeau, Allegro non tanto / Minuetto / Rondeau
After 2 days I'm adjusted to the heat and it doesn't really bother me. A heat wave in Boston is much worse because the humidity is higher. We went to a nice Mexican restaurant in Ft. Worth with tamales (yeah!).
My GF loves this place. She's from upstate New York so it must seem a little bizarre, but she's been all over the world and lived in India and other Third World places, so.... :P
Anyway were here on business and not really pleasure, so no battleship tours. :(
Quote from: drogulus on June 21, 2009, 11:38:05 AM
Anyway were here on business and not really pleasure, so no battleship tours. :(
Thought you were going for fun?
Quote from: Catison on June 21, 2009, 12:04:50 PM
Thought you were going for fun?
It's fun we can have close to home and the business we're doing. So I can't do any sightseeing except around here (we went around Ft. Worth and saw the hospital where I was born and the apartment building where my parents lived at the time (that looks like it will be torn down soon).
Quote from: Catison on June 20, 2009, 12:47:26 PM
Texans also supply a large percent of the armed forces. So my idea is to secede and conquer. >:D
Yeah, and you can clean up your own hurricane damage.
Quote from: Joe Barron on June 22, 2009, 06:51:14 AM
Yeah, and you can clean up your own hurricane damage.
We did. This isn't Louisiana.
8)
I always thought of Arlington as a suburb of Irving. :)
Are the Rangers going to be in town? The stadium is a really nice place to spend a some time, if you like baseball, that is, and it will get you out of the heat, which this time of year is already 100 degree days.
Have fun on your visit - definitely get some Tex-Mex, especially if your GF has never been to Texas.
Quote from: Gurn Blanston on June 22, 2009, 07:48:43 AM
We did. This isn't Louisiana.
8)
Yeah, I'm sure there wasn't a nickel of federal help. ;)
Hey Ernie,
If you get a chance, get some BBQ at Angelo's
http://www.angelosbbq.com/
Barbecue isn't going to happen this time. We ended up going to Luby's and had chicken-fried steak, which you can get anywhere. I liked it, though. It's un-Bostonian to say the least. So we had good Mex and so-so Tex. Tomorrow we go back.
Quote from: bwv 1080 on June 22, 2009, 09:29:57 AM
Hey Ernie,
If you get a chance, get some BBQ at Angelo's
http://www.angelosbbq.com/
Next time, maybe. Wait....I might order some brisket! And a bottle of sauce.
0:)