An O'Brien Adventure: Things We Learned in Texas

1. Jean shorts (on girls) are still cool and acceptable in public, as long as the lower half of your butt hangs out. Unfortunately, I don't have any shorts this short, but I was excited to wear my jean shorts with pride. They just fit the best.

2. The police are called Constables. And they wear cowboy hats.

3. Everyone has a truck. And it is huge. Our little Nemo almost got squished every time we parked.

4. Whataburgers. Everywhere. You are shunned if you do not like Whataburger.

5. Frontage roads. These are roads that parallel the interstate.
Pros-Restaurants and businesses can be along the complete length of the interstate, instead of perpendicular to the interstate along exits.
Cons-You have to memorize where things are on the frontage road because if something is coming up on the left, you must exit onto the frontage road BEFORE you pass it, drive approximately 1 mile, make a U-turn under the interstate, then basically retrace your steps to get back to your destination. I may have cursed several times at the frontage roads.

6. Some people in Houston are still bitter about the Titans. Chris and I listened to an awkward conversation in a little shop between four Texans. They discussed the Titans move to Tennessee and how they refuse to acknowledge them as a real team. The group then each bought Oilers t-shirts. To be fair, the shop was called "Big Texas."

7. No one in Texas cares about organic or natural food! It was pure joy to not be given the stink eye for buying the regular bananas instead of the organic bananas. I also realized how much Nashville is becoming more and more a "Little Hollywood." I wonder if the Nashville hipsters would rebel AGAINST organic food in California...because they wouldn't be different anymore.

8. Tex-Mex. I was most excited to experience authentic Mexican food in Texas, as well as authentic Tex-Mex. I learned that authentic Mexican food is wonderful, and Tex-Mex is exactly what we've been eating this whole time. My Mexican food experience, in the heart of Mexican San Antonio, consisted of a chicken taco, rice, and beans. The taco was mostly vegetables with some chicken. The cheese dip was yellow. Very thick chips with no salt. My Tex-Mex meals were much more Americanized--lots of meat, white queso, buttered rice--but still delicious.

9. Last but not least......Buc-ees. This is a gas station the size of Walmart. There were at least 200 people inside. The line to the bathroom was out the door. People were buying Buc-ees bumper stickers. Chris and I were baffled.