I live in Texas, but I hate it.

[castiron]

Who can sympathize?
Who can talk me out of it?
Who cares?

[mykpart]

1. Where are you from?

Why do you live in Texas?

[castiron]

2. Ohio. I moved here a coupla years ago.

I've lived lots o' places. This is my least fave place so far. I'm kinda nomadic.

[mykpart]

4. I'm assuming that you moved because Texas had something that

you couldn't get in Ohio? Where in Texas are you, and do you make a nice living?

[castiron]

5. I'm a personal chef and I make a good living, but

I've lived in veeeeeeery blue areas and this just doesn't add up. Even tho I'm in Fort Worth, which is coming into its own...... it's still mighty depressing. I'm an anti-sprawl activist of sorts and let's just say I have a lot material to work with here.

[mykpart]

7. I'm in Dallas - Ft Worth is liberal compared to Dallas.

It seems that with your vocation you could choose to work wherever you like. If I had my choice I would live somewhere in New England.

[castiron]

9. I sure do love New England, but my love of the West is too

romantic and strong to overcome. I'm looking into some land in Washington State soon. Nothing big: a tiny plot. But it's in a nice location, so either investment or retirement shack (yurt?)

New England will always remind me of childhood and my fave book "The Fox Went Out On A Chilly Night."

Live there?

[MiniMandaRuth]

30. I live in Washington,

and it is BEAUTIFUL. Great weather over here in the west side of the state.... Sure, a little rainy, but you get used to it. Hey, you can have snow, lightening and thunder, rainbows, and a sun spray all in one day!

[crispini]

25. That's bullpuckey.

Dallas, proper, is much more liberal than Ft. Worth. Wish people would stop including the suburbs when they talk about Dallas. Newsflash: If you live in Grapevine Colleyville Richardson Garland Rockwall Rowlett etcetera etcetera -- You don't live in Dallas!

[Yollam]

51. But get real, most of the "metroplex" IS suburbs.

Sprawl, sprawl and more sprawl...

[crispini]

55. Yeah, and that's why I refuse to live outside of Loop 12.

I find there is a definite difference in temperament and outlook between the people who live in Dallas, proper, and those who enjoy the burb-style. Honestly, I just write all that shit off and focus on the parts which I have managed to find and enjoy very much.

Which is why it kind of annoys me when people write off "Dallas" -- for pete's sake, DALLAS is the GOOD part! :)

[Maestro]

61. To escape sprawl, I moved to Ellis County

but it is catching up with us. I've lived in Texas pretty much all my life. I like it here but it has definitely changed. I need to spend more time in the Hill Country.

[Yollam]

50. Please don't judge the whole state by the "metroplexxx"

I'm a native Texan, born in San Antonio, raised in Beaumont and El Paso. DFW area, while offering a lot of shopping venues, etc., is otherwise one of the worst places in the state, IMO. The people are very right-wing and can be snobbish, the traffic is unbelievable. Both cities are characterized by ugly, endless sprawl and tacky "upscale" suburbs with the same stupid Chili's, Applebee's, etc. restaurants everywhere. The heat in summer is unbearable, and the wind and ice storms in winter can be bad, too. I HATE DALLAS AND HOUSTON!

Please check out San Antonio and El Paso. San Antonio is much prettier and the people are nicer. Summers are hot, but there's more shade, a lot of very pretty streams and rivers through the hill country. El Paso, though a bit arid, at least has mountains, it's a solid DEMOCRATIC town, has fantastic Mexican Food, a DRY heat in summer, and some of the friendliest people anywhere. Oh, and the cost of a home is the lowest of any large city in the US. People are not always impressed upon arriving in El Paso, but it tends to grow on people quickly, and they and up staying.

[Kerrytravelers]

3. I can see why you'd feel that way.

I come from a blue family (blue for generations).
I live in a very blue part of a very blue city in a very blue county in a very blue state.
I work in a very blue profession. My career change is to another very blue profession.
Mr. kt works in a very blue profession for a very blue company.
Most of our friends are very blue.
Even our kitty howls at the sound of *'s voice. dead-eye dickless terrifies Pitter-pat.

I am spoiled and it would be hard for me to be any place else because I have beome accustomed to being surrounded by like-minded people.

[castiron]

6. Yes, my work is blue and my home town is blue, blue-collar blue.

I'm nostalgic for a certain kind of rural Democrat outlook that this place just seems to have no history of..... a midwesterner is kind of scorned here.

[hfojvt]

18. Will you have a blue

Christmas without me?
Can I step on your blue suede shoes?
Do you own Babe the blue Ox?
Why isn't your username Bluestraveler?
Have you seen every episode of Blues Clues?

I'm just sayin' you could be bluer :evilgrin:

[Hardrada]

56. My Iowa county is so blue

it never even voted for Abraham Lincoln!

[Skittles]

8. I can sympathize

I live in the metroplex too

[castiron]

10. Thanks, skittles, it's nice to have company.

Just to feel I'm not crazy. I think the pollution here is really bad. Ever get that feeling?

[Skittles]

15. I notice the pollution of bigotry and ignorance more than anything

the idea that people "in these parts" truly think bush is a COWBOY FROM TEXAS - it just kills me

[Lady Effingbroke]

11. I completely understand how you feel.

I live in Houston. I am more than past ready to get out of this town; only finances prevent me leaving (I am as broke as my user name suggests).

I also cannot stand the hyper-sprawl and concomitant constant driving necessitated by the design of Houston's infrastructure. I try to get around on a bicycle as much as possible, but it can be quite dangerous.

[castiron]

14. Dang. Go, go, go: I'm sending good vibes for your possible escape!

[JVS]

12. I can sympathize. I don't even live there and I hate Texas!

[castiron]

13. try coming here: you'll hate it even more!

The Republicanesque bravado is more than annoying: it can be lethal. The big trucks and the big developers, the big sprawl and the big, Texas-sized houses.

[JVS]

16. Hell no. It is my policy not to go south of the St. Louis area and to...

tell the truth when I see the sign for Tulsa on I44 just West of St. Louis I am filled with a wave of anxiety about the endless land-sea that stretches before me. I prefer to remain in states adjacent to Great Lakes.

[hfojvt]

17. 'When I die, I may not goto hell

I don't know if they let cowgirls in
If they don't just let me goto Texas
because Texas is as close as I've been.'

Actually, I have never been to Takes-us, but I've been to Oklahoma. Well they tell me I was born there, but I really don't remember.

My baby sister was in Houston for three years while her hubby went to school. She hated it.

[Gold Metal Flake]

19. Any interest in the pacific NW?

[BikeWriter]

20. For gosh sakes, move out!

We don't want anyone here who doesn't enjoy it. I personally like the part I'm in, but I would not live right in Houston, much less Dallas or Fort Worth.

[XemaSab]

21. I'll trade you!

:P

[Arugula Latte]

22. Definitely get the hell out of there ASAP.

Life is short, ya know? I know some DUers like Texas and stick up for it (not me personally -- I didn't like it at all when I've been there but then again I've never been to Austin), but if it's not your cup of tea I know you can find clients in the NW ... One thing, though. The NW has a pretty strong rural/urban split, so if you're out in the country on a patch of land your neighbors are unlikely to be raving liberals ...

[XNASA]

23. I can empathize.

I once lived in Texas, though I'm not a native Texan.

Oddly, I like Texans and Texas cuisine, etc.

I didn't like the fact that it is a 'Right to Work' state and therefore pay and benefits were much lower to what I was accustomed to and I absolutely hated the weather.

[terrya]

24. I lived in Dallas for 2 years.

It wasn't exactly the highlight of my life. From 1984 - 1986. It was starting to turn weird down there even then.

[leftofthedial]

26. Where in Texas?

Pretty much, if it's not Austin, there is no chance it will get any better.

[crispini]

29. Hellloooo.... Dallas is, per capita, more liberal than Austin.

i.e. there are MORE Democrats in Dallas than in Austin.

BTW, we just elected a lesbian Hispanic sheriff in Dallas county.

[leftofthedial]

31. woh! those lesbian hispanic sheriffs are badass

I lived in Dallas for awhile. It has its semi-tolerable aspects.

[crispini]

33. LOL. She really is badass.

She spent all of her life in law enforcement and she could totally kick anybody's ass. Bless her, I hate to use her as the poster child for "See, Dallas is becoming liberal," because I don't see her as a label, I see her as a really qualified person -- but it really does kind of blow people away when I tell them that about Dallas. :D

[NoPasaran]

44. You elected that lesbian Hispanic sheriff a year and a half ago!

I hope you elect Katy Hubener next week so you'll have something new to brag about!

[crispini]

45. LOL! I hope so too.

I'm certainly doing my part to get her elected. Hey didja see I posted in the Texas forum about a free trip from Austin to Dallas to do GOTV for Katy? C'mon up!! :evilgrin:

[NoPasaran]

46. I saw that

But I need to put in my shift at the salt mine.

[Misunderestimator]

27. I grew up in Texas... and I hated it.

:shrug:

[Fenris]

37. Really? I didn't know that.

:hi:

[Misunderestimator]

38. Hey... I didn't know you lived in Texas.

My brothers went to the military school in San Marcos! :hi:

[Fenris]

39. Really?

:o!

What a coincidence! :hi:

[Bridget Burke]

47. Was "Texas" the problem?

Or "growing up"?

[Misunderestimator]

67. Texas was a HUGE part of the problem, yes.

If I had grown up in a more progressive area of the country, I doubt that I would have had as many self esteem issues as a child. It wasn't until I moved away at 18 to go to a music school in the Northeast that I realized that I was not the freak that everyone made me out to be as a kid. I also would have been exposed earlier to more acceptance of diversity... I might have realized I was gay before I was in college... I might have developed more confidence in myself at an earlier age. All that came later, so fine in the end... but yes... Texas was the problem.

[flamingyouth]

48. I didn't know you grew up in Texas.

You learn something every day. :D

[Misunderestimator]

68. Yep. Dallas for the first 10 years... then rural Texas.

Dallas was "ok"... except for the numerous paddlings I received in school for absolutely nothing... but rural Texas... I would never wish that on any child.

[crispini]

28. Have you tried to find some liberal Democratic friends?

There are some in Ft. Worth -- and your downtown is WAY nicer than ours, btw.

I find that the Dallas area has everything I need in the way of hippy, liberal, artistic, Democratic, interesting things to do, people, stores, food, shopping and so on... you just have to FIND it. And believe me, I know where it ALL is.

Case in point: every single one of my friends here is a Democrat.

Here's a good place to start looking for interesting stuff.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/moonladynews/

The Texas forum is a good place to find the Democrats.

[Bridget Burke]

32. Where do you live in Fort Worth?

I haven't been there in many years, but most Texas cities have some interesting, older neighborhoods near downtown. Too many people move to Texas for a job & take their co-workers' advice about where to live--which may be Far Suburbia. Living out in Sprawl-Ville can be dangerous for your sanity.

As a personal chef, you're probably working with the monied folk. Have you checked out environmental, artistic or political groups?

[johnnie]

34. I would hate the heat

I went to a small town there not long ago and although it was kind of neat to see, I didn't like the heat. And I get real bored of the "yankee" bullshit every time I am down that way.

[Samurai_Writer]

35. I lived in Houston for 26 years

From age 16 to 42. I didn't realize how awful it was until I moved away. I wouldn't move back for anything.

[Taverner]

36. Texas Democrats are a blessing to our party

No one has the fire of a Texas Dem...we in California are spoiled and lazy, compared to these keepers of the flame in harsh terrain....

[datsafact]

40. I live in Texas, but I LOVE it.

[Lumily]

41. I hate it too.

My husband and I lived in Plano, Texas for exactly one year and a day. Just enough to finish out his contract. It was the longest year of my life.

The prettiest thing I've ever seen was Texas in my rear view mirror.

[Bridget Burke]

43. You lived in PLANO?

That explains a lot. Let me guess--your husband worked & you stayed in the burbs?

[Lumily]

49. Wrong guess.

Husband worked in Plano, at tech company that no longer exists.

I worked at Collin County Community College in their ACCESS department. I tutored students with (and without) disabilites. I also took quite a few night courses to make the time pass quicker.

[amitten]

42. AUSTIN ROCKS. Hate Houston. Hate Dallas/Fort Worth. Hate

San Antonio.

But Austin is a different breed altogether. Come visit and you'll understand. Hell, most of the people I know here are actually from up North!

(PS--Lots and lots of people from the previously mentioned cities move to Austin to ESCAPE. Their words...not mine!)

[Yollam]

53. I liked Austin better when it was still Austin.

Back before it exploded, it was a really cool place. Now exurbia has spread all over the place, it's gotten expensive, corporate and fake/Starbuckified like everywhere else. Yes, it's still better than most cities in Texas, but that's not saying much...

[DancingBear]

52. I spent two weeks in Crawford

It's not the end of the world, but you can see it from there.

[Blue_In_AK]

54. I lived in Texas, and I hated it, too. n/t

[enigami]

57. Move to Austin. You will love it n/t

[khashka]

58. Yeah so do I

and it often makes me wanna stab myself in the throat with a steak knife.

I came here because I had to - for family reasons. I hate it.

I keep thinking an angel will wake me up and say "You've served your time. We' ll take you back to San Francisco now".

But every morning I wake up and am STILL living in Houston!

Khash.

[tarkus]

59. Yeah, Kentucky here

I definitely sympathize. I hope to move up Northeast soon, with luck I will be able to next year for college, but I don't know.

[DJYeats]

60. I have been in the DFW area since August.

It has been a breath of fresh air compared to Amarillo.

[crispini]

62. Well welcome to DU!

C'mon by the Texas State forum and say HI! Lots of DFW'ers around! Lots of Democrats! We have meetups sometimes too.

Hey, you don't happen to be in Dallas county do you? Are you working a polling place on elecion day yet? :D

[DJYeats]

63. Thank you

No, I live in Tarrant at the moment.

[Kathryn STone]

64. read below

I can sympathize I live in Dallas
Why should I want to talk you out I hate hate hate it here too.
Who cares? me Kathy. I want to know your story.

[derby378]

65. You never knew you had so many Texan friends, did you?

Just remember that George W. Bush came from Connecticut. He never was a cowboy and he'll never be one - he's just a broke-dick never-was underachiever who had a knack for finding dry holes when he should have been finding oil. It took his dad, the bin Laden family, and a hefty infusion of Saudi money to make him look good to the other Republicans.

Oh, yeah - we were discussing Texas. Maybe I need to schedule another meetup so you can hang out with us at last. And we're working on turning Texas blue.

[DemoTex]

66. You, dear friend, are caught in Hell.

Good luck. I used to live 800 yards from Dick Cheney. I trained my dog, Sirius (1993 - 2005), to poop in Cheney's Highland Park yard. I worked against the man.

Sounds to me like you work for the rich man. Good for you, chef! I certainly care and empathize. I don't sympathize, because you are gainfully employed. But I can picture your situation perfectly, with the rich-bitch giving you orders!

"Uh, Rick. Uh, Rick. Uh, like I can't see that funny a-too-fay dish for my luncheon tommorow. I don't know what that is. Let's just do some Texas chili ... blah, blah, blah!"

Mac

[redqueen]

69. I can certainly sympathize.

Can't talk you out of it, though... I can barely talk myself out of it.

I definitely care. Texas used to be blue, although it's always been corrupt. Sometimes a glimmer of hope makes me want to stay and work and let my kids grow up here. Most times, that is not the case. I just. want. out.

[Bridget Burke]

70. If you really hate Texas--please DO something about it!

You've mentioned the Northwest, but only as a place for retirement.

You also say you've lived in many other places. What did you like about them? What did you hate? Did you make more moves because you HATED where you were--or because you were enthusiastic about the next place?

Right now: Start checking out other options. Where else could you earn a living? Narrow down the choices & plan your next steps. Don't move without a preliminary visit.

It's not healthy to hate your environment. And it's pretty damned annoying to those around you. (Yes, we Texans bitch a lot. But we also feel that Texas has some redeeming features.)

[djeseru]

71. Now I'm just even more homesick...

...for Fort Worth. =( And, besides, it's not our fault all the rude Northerners moved here.


Edit for grammar.

[Paladin]

72. A Few Constructive Suggestions

1. Those of you who hate living in Texas and have the means of leaving, please do so, immediately, without any further whining, comment or fanfare.

2. Those of you who hate Texas but are stuck living there, for whatever reason, quit bitching about it and adjust.

3. Those of you who live outside of Texas, but enjoy participating in the all-too-common trashing of the state here in DU, kindly shut the fuck up. It's challenging enough being a Texas Democrat these days without the additional burden of brain-dead, Democratic-based prejudice.

4. To the residents of the state where the next major league asshole Republican president resides, brace yourselves---your time is coming, and you won't like it any more than I do now.....