To obtain this point: You must experience the ideological differences of UT and A&M.
Caveat #1- This could be done in a most-Texanacious way in November when UT and A&M play football. I would recommend going to the game and feeling the passion from the fans of both teams. If going to the game is not an option, I would invite two close friends, one from UT and one from A&M to watch the football game together. Grab some nachos and enjoy the action (on TV and in the living room)!
These two excellent institutions have both developed contrasting ideologies. The first time I was in Texas, I was told, "You are either a Longhorn or an Aggie. Not both. Not neither." That Texan with the black-and-white-mind might be exaggerating a little bit, but these two schools definitely represent differing ways of life in Texas.
My experience with the Aggies came at a gas station on my way driving out of Texas. I had a truck bed full of all my belongings and trying to 'batten down the hatches' before driving on the highway. As it started to rain, the Aggie with a Heart of Gold appeared with a roll duct tape in his hand and asked if I needed any help. 7 years late, that duct tape is still in my truck.
My recommendation for experiencing the UT ideology would be to go to Austin on a Friday night on Sixth Street...it won't take very long to get this point.
Enjoy Texas...remember that both schools give you an excellent education. :) (I hope that is PC enough)
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Point #4- The Texas Military Connection
To obtain this point: You must experience the Texas Military Connection in someplace away from your own home town. The best way to do this would be to go to one of the current military bases.
Texas and Texans have historically been inter-woven with the military might of the United States since joining the union. Texas was the home of many military leaders and heroes- Chester Nimitz, Dwight Eisenhower, Oveta Hobby (director of Women's Army Corp in WWII), Quanah Parker (last Chief of the Commanches...and undefeated), Audie Murphy (most decorated WWII soldier), and a few Commander-in-chiefs. There are also many military bases throughout Texas and roughly 200,000 military personnel stationed in Texas.
In addition to being the home state of many heroes, there were many other famous military leaders that spent time in Texas. Two future presidents (Zachary Taylor and Ulysses S. Grant) fought in the Mexican American War in Texas. Robert E. Lee was stationed in Texas immediately before the Civil War. George Patton and John J. Pershing chased Pancho Villa during the Mexican Expedition of 1916. Teddy Roosevelt was said to have collected many of his 'Rough Riders' at the Menger Hotel in San Antonio. They also trained near San Antonio before going to Cuba.
I would recommend that you should go to a museum, fort, or battlefield in Texas that shows the military connection to the US: Texas Military Forces Museum (Austin), Battleship Texas (La Porte), USS Lexington (Corpus Christi), Commemorative Air Force Museum (Brownsville or Midland), Buffalo Soldier Museum (Houston), 12th Armor Museum (Abilene), Silent Wing Museum (Lubbock), or the National Museum of the Pacific War (Fredricksburg). There are also museums at Ft. Hood, Ft. Bliss, Lackland AFB, and other military instillations throughout Texas. A good battlefield to visit is the Palo Alto Battlefield (first battle in Mexican-American War).
Enjoy Texas...and do you know which Texan was the founder of the 'Flying Tigers' who fought the Japanese in China before the US declared war in WWII?
Texas and Texans have historically been inter-woven with the military might of the United States since joining the union. Texas was the home of many military leaders and heroes- Chester Nimitz, Dwight Eisenhower, Oveta Hobby (director of Women's Army Corp in WWII), Quanah Parker (last Chief of the Commanches...and undefeated), Audie Murphy (most decorated WWII soldier), and a few Commander-in-chiefs. There are also many military bases throughout Texas and roughly 200,000 military personnel stationed in Texas.
In addition to being the home state of many heroes, there were many other famous military leaders that spent time in Texas. Two future presidents (Zachary Taylor and Ulysses S. Grant) fought in the Mexican American War in Texas. Robert E. Lee was stationed in Texas immediately before the Civil War. George Patton and John J. Pershing chased Pancho Villa during the Mexican Expedition of 1916. Teddy Roosevelt was said to have collected many of his 'Rough Riders' at the Menger Hotel in San Antonio. They also trained near San Antonio before going to Cuba.
I would recommend that you should go to a museum, fort, or battlefield in Texas that shows the military connection to the US: Texas Military Forces Museum (Austin), Battleship Texas (La Porte), USS Lexington (Corpus Christi), Commemorative Air Force Museum (Brownsville or Midland), Buffalo Soldier Museum (Houston), 12th Armor Museum (Abilene), Silent Wing Museum (Lubbock), or the National Museum of the Pacific War (Fredricksburg). There are also museums at Ft. Hood, Ft. Bliss, Lackland AFB, and other military instillations throughout Texas. A good battlefield to visit is the Palo Alto Battlefield (first battle in Mexican-American War).
Enjoy Texas...and do you know which Texan was the founder of the 'Flying Tigers' who fought the Japanese in China before the US declared war in WWII?
Point #3- Visit the Battle Site of San Jacinto
To obtain this point: You must go to the top of the monument at San Jacinto and visualize the battlefield where Sam Houston lead his troops to victory over Santa Anna.
Okay, so maybe it was not the most heroic battle of the war because Sam Houston caught the Mexican army during a siesta, but damn was it effective. After weeks of retreating, Sam Houston finally turned to face the Mexican army at San Jacinto. He successfully trounced the Mexican army, captured Santa Anna, turned the tide of the revolution, and solidified his place in Texas history.
At the top of the monument, you can also see the fourth largest city in the country that bears Houston's name. While up in the monument, view the ship channel that has provides the economic backbone for Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast.
Enjoy Texas and keep watching for points about the Texas Revolution...
Okay, so maybe it was not the most heroic battle of the war because Sam Houston caught the Mexican army during a siesta, but damn was it effective. After weeks of retreating, Sam Houston finally turned to face the Mexican army at San Jacinto. He successfully trounced the Mexican army, captured Santa Anna, turned the tide of the revolution, and solidified his place in Texas history.
At the top of the monument, you can also see the fourth largest city in the country that bears Houston's name. While up in the monument, view the ship channel that has provides the economic backbone for Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast.
Enjoy Texas and keep watching for points about the Texas Revolution...
Point #2- Central Texas BBQ
To get this point: You must enjoy small town Central Texas BBQ.
Caveat #1: You must receive your BBQ on a slab of paper material of some kind or else it does not count.
Caveat #2: If you are vegetarian...you must bring a carnivorous friend and share his/her side orders, while he/she devours the BBQ.
There are many food items that Texas is famous for-- fajitas, citrus, chili, salsa, shrimp, migas, kolaches and chicken fried anything, but to obtain this point you must go to the heart of Texas culinary spirit--BBQ. There are different BBQ joints throughout Texas and many are excellent, but the best BBQ is in central Texas- Luling, Taylor, Lockhart, Elgin, and Lexington.
To give you an idea about some good BBQ joints, I will refer to the Texas Monthly in June 2008 where the top 5 included:
- Lexington, TX- Snow's BBQ
- Lockhart, TX- Kreuz Market
- Lockhart, TX- Smitty's Market
- Luling, TX- City Market
- Taylor, TX- Louie Mueller Barbeque
Caveat #1: You must receive your BBQ on a slab of paper material of some kind or else it does not count.
Caveat #2: If you are vegetarian...you must bring a carnivorous friend and share his/her side orders, while he/she devours the BBQ.
There are many food items that Texas is famous for-- fajitas, citrus, chili, salsa, shrimp, migas, kolaches and chicken fried anything, but to obtain this point you must go to the heart of Texas culinary spirit--BBQ. There are different BBQ joints throughout Texas and many are excellent, but the best BBQ is in central Texas- Luling, Taylor, Lockhart, Elgin, and Lexington.
To give you an idea about some good BBQ joints, I will refer to the Texas Monthly in June 2008 where the top 5 included:
- Lexington, TX- Snow's BBQ
- Lockhart, TX- Kreuz Market
- Lockhart, TX- Smitty's Market
- Luling, TX- City Market
- Taylor, TX- Louie Mueller Barbeque
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Point #1: Stock show and Rodeo
To obtain this point: One must go to a stock show and rodeo. Once there, to be truly Texanacious, you must only cheer for the native-Texan rodeo participants. Grab a Lone Star beer, BBQ, or a fried item of choice and try to remember the cattle herding roots that these modern day sporting events are based. There are many rodeos out there (and we will get to some others later) but we are going for the gold to obtain this point. Therefore, the rodeos that will count must be one of the big ones: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, or the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. Here are some websites for each of the rodeos:
Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo:http://www.fwssr.com
San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo: http://www.sarodeo.com
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: http://www.hlsr.com
Enjoy Texas...and did you know that rodeo was the state sport!
Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo:http://www.fwssr.com
San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo: http://www.sarodeo.com
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: http://www.hlsr.com
Enjoy Texas...and did you know that rodeo was the state sport!
Monday, June 2, 2008
The Road to Texanacity Explained
Welcome to the Road to Texanacity!! The simplest explanation of this Road is my attempt to understand more about Texas and Texans. As you will soon learn, The Road to Texanacity lies somewhere between a sociology experiment, travel guide, cultural immersion, geographical game, and personal odyssey. To begin, I should probably explain what ‘texanacity’ is:
Texanacity (Texas + Tenacity) is the tenacious spirit that Texans have for their state. I am sure everyone has run into a Texan and been either mildly amused (or annoyed) about the pride Texans have for their state. How many people from Iowa can start rattling off a list of presidents of their state (oh wait! Iowa didn’t have their own presidents)? How many people from Montana have years of ‘Montana history’ by the time they leave grade school? How many people from the rest of the US can say that their state was once an independent country or can fly their state flag at the same level as the American flag? How many other Americans live in a state that can divide itself into up to 5 new states?
The pride that Texans have for their state is unmatched. As a non-native ('naturalized') Texan, I am fascinated by this fervor. Why do Texans have such a love affair with their state? The Road to Texanacity is my attempt to understand why the people of Texas have such a tenacious pride in their state. It is also my attempt to try to become ‘more Texan’.
Coming originally from Nebraska, I can safely say that Nebraskans do not have the same kind of state pride (therefore, the Road to Nebraskanacity would not be much fun and very short). My grade school education about my state included one week in 4th grade and went roughly like this:
Monday- Native Americans lived in Nebraska (They were forced to leave).
Tuesday- Lewis and Clark walked through Nebraska (and left).
Wednesday- the Oregon Trail went through Nebraska (people came through…and left).
Thursday- The Transcontinental Railroad went through Nebraska (The railroad came through…and left).
Friday- The Nebraska Cornhusker football team is awesome.
After my formative years, I moved to Texas and soon realized that Texans were absolutely passionate about their state-from the Alamo to NASA to the Dallas Cowboys. They were almost passionate to a fault. I remember often telling a Texan that I was from Nebraska and receiving one of two replies: “Damn Yankee!!” or “isn’t-that-one-of-them-there-square-states”. I was annoyed with these responses because 1) I never thought anyone from Nebraska as being a ‘Yankee’ and 2) although Nebraska has some ‘squarish’ tendencies, it is not exactly square. C’mon people! Didn’t you ever take geography? I finally realized that it was not that Texans were poorly educated; rather, they just didn’t care about most of the rest of the United States because they were so proud of their own state.
Once I realized the ego-centric nature of Texans, I became fascinated by why they were so passionate about their state. Hence my desire to learn more about this passion and try to have a similar love for Texas. Therefore, the Road to Texanacity was born!
The Road to Texanacity is a game. This game includes 100 points. The more points you have, the more ‘Texanacious’ you are…Pretty simple, eh?
Points are earned by doing, learning, or experiencing things that are truly Texan. For instance, you get one point for going to the Alamo. You get another point by visiting the state capital. These examples are fairly basic, but to be truly Texanacious, you will soon learn that not all the points are so straight forward. This blog will go through each of the 100 points that are available for being truly Texanacious. My goal is to reveal one point a week until all 100 points are accounted for. I will be keeping my own score and trying to get more points as I try to become texanacious. I hope you enjoy and good luck!
Enjoy Texas and welcome to the Road to Texanacity...
Texanacity (Texas + Tenacity) is the tenacious spirit that Texans have for their state. I am sure everyone has run into a Texan and been either mildly amused (or annoyed) about the pride Texans have for their state. How many people from Iowa can start rattling off a list of presidents of their state (oh wait! Iowa didn’t have their own presidents)? How many people from Montana have years of ‘Montana history’ by the time they leave grade school? How many people from the rest of the US can say that their state was once an independent country or can fly their state flag at the same level as the American flag? How many other Americans live in a state that can divide itself into up to 5 new states?
The pride that Texans have for their state is unmatched. As a non-native ('naturalized') Texan, I am fascinated by this fervor. Why do Texans have such a love affair with their state? The Road to Texanacity is my attempt to understand why the people of Texas have such a tenacious pride in their state. It is also my attempt to try to become ‘more Texan’.
Coming originally from Nebraska, I can safely say that Nebraskans do not have the same kind of state pride (therefore, the Road to Nebraskanacity would not be much fun and very short). My grade school education about my state included one week in 4th grade and went roughly like this:
Monday- Native Americans lived in Nebraska (They were forced to leave).
Tuesday- Lewis and Clark walked through Nebraska (and left).
Wednesday- the Oregon Trail went through Nebraska (people came through…and left).
Thursday- The Transcontinental Railroad went through Nebraska (The railroad came through…and left).
Friday- The Nebraska Cornhusker football team is awesome.
After my formative years, I moved to Texas and soon realized that Texans were absolutely passionate about their state-from the Alamo to NASA to the Dallas Cowboys. They were almost passionate to a fault. I remember often telling a Texan that I was from Nebraska and receiving one of two replies: “Damn Yankee!!” or “isn’t-that-one-of-them-there-square-states”. I was annoyed with these responses because 1) I never thought anyone from Nebraska as being a ‘Yankee’ and 2) although Nebraska has some ‘squarish’ tendencies, it is not exactly square. C’mon people! Didn’t you ever take geography? I finally realized that it was not that Texans were poorly educated; rather, they just didn’t care about most of the rest of the United States because they were so proud of their own state.
Once I realized the ego-centric nature of Texans, I became fascinated by why they were so passionate about their state. Hence my desire to learn more about this passion and try to have a similar love for Texas. Therefore, the Road to Texanacity was born!
The Road to Texanacity is a game. This game includes 100 points. The more points you have, the more ‘Texanacious’ you are…Pretty simple, eh?
Points are earned by doing, learning, or experiencing things that are truly Texan. For instance, you get one point for going to the Alamo. You get another point by visiting the state capital. These examples are fairly basic, but to be truly Texanacious, you will soon learn that not all the points are so straight forward. This blog will go through each of the 100 points that are available for being truly Texanacious. My goal is to reveal one point a week until all 100 points are accounted for. I will be keeping my own score and trying to get more points as I try to become texanacious. I hope you enjoy and good luck!
Enjoy Texas and welcome to the Road to Texanacity...
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