Tejas!

The Texans have finally woken up! It's about time, but given as how slooooow they talk, I should have expected it.

The funny thing is that I pick on Texas because Texas is big enough to take it. I have this theory, you see, that there are really only five United States: California, Texas, New York, Florida and Hawaii. The rest are all provinces. Think about it: if the whole ball of wax were to fall apart, would Nevada remain independent for more than a couple of years? Even states with a proud and strong tradition would band together, as they would have to in the face of the big five (well, really Hawaii would be no threat to anyone, but they never made sense to me as a state anyway).

The California/Texas connection is strong. We were both a part of Spain, then Mexico. Many of our Central Valley folk can trace roots to Texas (my inlaws, for instance). There are active bullfighting clubs in both Texas and California (I think New York is the only other state with a major pena taurina, although in California and Texas we actually have bullfights). Even our oil companies are united, with the merger of Texaco (who valiantly supported Franco in the Spanish Civil War) with Chevron. Arhoolie Records, who have put out some of the best Texan folk music (Lydia Mendoza, Flaco Jimenez, Lightnin' Hopkins, Mance Lipscomb, Esteban "Steve" Jordan, Clifton Chenier (no, he was not from Louisiana) and many, many others) is in California. When I was the marketing and promotions director there, I probably dealt with Texas and Texans more than any other state, besides, possibly, Louisiana. As I mentioned on the Summamamas' blog, even Bob Wills ended up in California, as did Texas-born (I think) Buck Owens.

While the notion of living on the other side of the Sierra Nevada creeps me out to no end, I think I could tolerate living in Texas, especially San Antonio.