Hello from Austin, Texas.

[Writer]

I'm on the shore of Lake Austin, where the boats pass before me and the air is pleasant. There's this sparkle on the water, an apron of blue underneath the green canopy of trees across from where I sit.

Austin has grown. I graduated from the University of Texas ten years ago. My mother used to call it "Cowtown," her lip curled and her nose pointed upward, but it is now far from that. My husband, who I met here thirteen years ago, and I walked beside Guadalupe yesterday and I saw a shade of urban renewal following the Guadalupe Beautification Project's futile attempt to de-weird Austin last decade. They tore down the charm of Captain Quackenbush's Intergallactic Cafe and The Bazaar and replaced it with corporate synthetic storefronts. People rebelled, and Austin's soul remains. In fact, it seems enhanced somehow, like the weird had never left but remained hidden in the cracks of the sidewalks, awaiting better weather.

Well the weather is beautiful here. Simply lovely, and I sit here enjoying air that I can barely feel while my husband sits across from me reading a Tad Williams novel. I'm heading to Dallas tomorrow to spend my token day with The Mother and help my sister move in to her new house. I head back to Colorado on Friday morning, but I am glad we made this trip. After the year I had last year (non-stop absurdity some might say) I am glad to have gotten away from the house and the pets and the mountains, even for a little while.

Writer.

[GOPisEvil]

1. Oh sure, come to my hometown and don't say hi.

:P

We actually are getting some of the local DUers together tomorrow evening. (edit - that you won't be in town for. :cry:)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=180x42963

[taterguy]

2. Say hi to Alejandro Escovedo for us

And welcome back to DU :)

[SPKrazy]

3. Hi Writer...

I love Austin and know generally where you are posting from... Austin is a great place!

Hope you enjoy your stay and visit with family.

:hi:

[Madspirit]

4. Another Austinite!

It is lovely today, isn't it. What an Austin kind of day...
I moved here from the Gulf Coast area of Texas when I was 15. I'm 53. This IS my hometown.

Lee *keeping it weird in Austin*

[oregonjen]

6. A good friend of mine is moving to Austin and she's worried

Her husband lost his job last August and he recently found one in Austin, so the family will be moving there in June. Texas was the last place she wanted to move to, but there really is no choice. Is Austin the most progressive city in Texas? Please tell me a little if you can. I will pass it on to her.

[GOPisEvil]

7. This county is overwhelmingly Democratic.

In fact, no Republican holds office in this county, except for our Congressmen (who were given us by DeLay). This is the most progressive part of Texas, bar none.

[oregonjen]

10. Coming from progressive Portland, that's good to know!

[Shakespeare]

8. Austin is very progressive, and it's absolutely gorgeous.

You'll be hard-pressed to find a prettier place than the Texas hill country. And they're in for some outstanding tex-mex, barbecue and CHICKEN FRIED FUCKING STEAK. Oh, yeah.

Weather's nice, the music's great and the food can't be beat. And the folks are weird and nice.

--Shakespeare, who's feeling homesick for Texas right this second...

p.s. Tell them to be sure to go downtown at dusk and watch the bats come out. ;-)

[oregonjen]

9. Thanks! I will let them know.

[Madspirit]

12. Austin

Austin is one of the most progressive cities in the US. It has always...without exception...carried the Democratic candidate in the presidential election. It's full of hippies and high tech and it's the Live Music Capital of the World. UT alone has an enrollment of 55,000 students and that's only one of our Universities. It's beautiful...rolling hills, lakes, etc. It's wonderful. I lived in Cambridge Mass. and Swarthmore and NYC for a couple of years in my hippie youth and couldn't wait to get back to Austin.

I will send you some links tomorrow for your friend. I don't post much in the evenings because my girlfriend doesn't like being a computer widow.

Now if you leave Austin...you're in Texas and that's a whole different story. The rest of Texas is beautiful but the people are scary... San Antonio is a nice place to visit...90 miles South but Austin is the place to be.
Lee

[oregonjen]

13. Links would be wonderful!

:hi:

[GOPisEvil]

14. Here's a start.

http://www.austin360.com/lifestyles/content/lifestyles/tia/2006/index.html

Not political, but a good site for what's what down here.

[Madspirit]

15. As I said...

It will be tomorrow before I have time to send links but just wanted to add a couple of things.

Austin is one of the few towns in the whole US where it's legal for women to go topless. Google it.

...and we have a clothing optional beach at one of our lakes. The beach is called Hippie Hollow...right on the maps. It's the legal name and the clothing optional is all official.

...and we have a birthday party every year for Eeyore and we have a Spamarama.....

More tomorrow.
Lee

[argyl]

18. Hippy Hollow.That brings back memories.From the late 60's to mid70's

I was either living in or visiting friends who lived there.Even then nude bathing was allowed there. People just starting going nude there and the practice was allowed by the local officials.

The LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority) boat patrols would come by on occasion but only to chase off asshole redneck boaters rubbernecking.

About ten years ago I went back to Austin and was driving about Lake Travis and there was a green state highway sign with an exit marked Hippy Hollow.They had even built steps leading down to the beach.Back in the day you'd climb down the rocks to get to the beach.Wasn't going there to nude sunbathe,wasn't even looking for the spot.That sign was just there and it brought back a lot of great memories of a wonderful city and a very interesting period of time.

[argyl]

20. Erhh,I lived in Austin,not Hippy Hollow.Editing time expired.n/t

[Dora]

5. Oooof. And I'm chained in my office next to I-35.

SALT in my WOUNDS!!!

It is a beautiful day, enjoy the rest of your visit here.

[Guava Jelly]

11. Hello Stranger

:hi:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

16. Hey there!

I used to live in Texas, and in Austin for a few months while attending summer school. :hi:

[wildhorses]

17. hiya

:hi:

[Elidor]

19. What an idyllic postcard you paint

It sounds very pleasant. My parents met & married in Austin, lo these many years ago (43, to be exact). Neither one of them has seen it in decades, but it sounds like they wouldn't find it too objectionable if they returned. An oasis of urban progressiveness in a desert of...but no, I didn't come here to bash Texas. Many of my people are from there.

/I will not bash Texas
/I will not bash Texas
/I will not bash...