All About Texas

Some of these things may apply to the state where you live, but I wonder if all of them do. 

1. Football is BIG in Texas, and there is no game bigger than Homecoming. Our girls wear mums on Homecoming (and the guys often wear smaller mums on a garter around their arm), and the bigger the mum, the better. Three or four flowers, dozens of ribbons, teddy bears, boas, and all other kinds of goodies. They have become gaudier over the years since I was in high school. Then, it was a single mum, a few ribbons, one with your name, one with your boyfriend's name, and one with your school name. They're over the top now.

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2. You can request a jury trial for a simple traffic offense. My husband served on a jury two years ago for an illegal left turn. Six people, including him, missed a day's work, plus the court's pay and time, for a $200 offense.

 3. People wear white after labor day because... who cares? It's 90-something degrees outside!

4. The lightning whelk is the state's official shell.  Who knew?

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5. "Fixin' to" is acceptable language. It means "about to" such as fixin' to do something.

 6. Our state capitol's slogan is "Keep Austin Weird" and has an annual WeirdFest.

7. Our state capitol is also the live music capital of the world.

 8. Texas is the only state to enter the union by treaty rather than by annexation.

9. Texas is the only state to have flags of 6 different countries fly over it.  Spain, France, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Confederate States, and the United States.

10. We not only say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning at school, we also say the Texas Pledge every day. Honor the Texas flag, I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible. The words "one state under God" were added in 2007, about the same time they started making us say it every day in school.

 11. Yes Ma'am, No Ma'am, Yes Sir, and No Sir are considered respectful, not sarcastic or insulting.

12. Brides (and sometimes bridesmaids) often wear cowboy boots with their dresses. I was in a wedding three years ago, and the bride asked us to wear boots with our dresses. I don't own cowboy boots!  I had to borrow some.

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13. Yes Ma'am, No Ma'am, Yes Sir, and No Sir are considered respectful, not sarcastic or insulting.

Come play along with Thursday Thirteen!


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