No, the original dark lord never said that, but I thought it inside my head as I quickly reflected on my life and the last 7 years in Austin after a few email exchanges with my wife discussing medicine and healthy living. For those of you familiar with Austin or have heard "stories", no, I'm not a starving musician/ filmmaker who hopes for that big break (now or 20 years from now), I'm relatively well-groomed, and I have no plans of naming any of my children Sunshine, Lilac, or Pine Tree but I have adopted many "Austinish" ways and mindsets. [Side note: My wife and I will soon be moving to South Austin after having been Northees for a while.]
I blame my wife mostly seeing as she is one of few native Austinites. No, her name is not Sunshine either, but since meeting her and being married I've discovered things my conservative, "Christian" southern upbringing would not have allowed me to such as the tastiness of tofu (when cooked right), challenging the status quo even if it's religious, and thinking for myself. While I'm no conspiracy theorist, vegetarian, eccentric governor hopeful or some indie band aficionado, I do feel like I have learned to view the world in my own way rather than adopting someone else's. I think things like this were always in me in some way, but growing up in Houston, you either go with the flow or just get looked at funny... and growing up as me, I didn't need the help.
I still and will forever enjoy some down home country fried cookin' (yes, I said cookin' and not cooking), the occasional country song, living for Jesus and not some cosmic energy that holds us all together no matter what we believe, and at least one meal if not more than one that centers around something that once had a face... after all, I still live in Texas.
So while I will never be a full convert and I seemingly knock my humble upbringing (pun intended if you know me), I do appreciate the unique blend of life from both worlds I've lived in. What that said, "Jesus, Love, and BBQ to ya!"
1 comment:
I take full credit for your adopted Austin ways. There is much to be praised and loved about my city - my next project is to make you a fellow coffee lover, so that we can grow old and drink my perfect brew on the porch that we will soon have. :)
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