I moved to Texas when I was 19, from South Carolina (if ever a state was more aggressively regressive than Texas, it would be South Carolina), and I lived in Houston and Austin for a lot of the past couple decades. I travel full-time, currently, but I still call myself a Texan; and not just for tax purposes. There's a lot to love about the state, or at least the major cities.

I'm regularly embarrassed by the governor and the state legislature, particularly in recent years as anti-woman/anti-immigrant sentiment has shaped the political landscape in toxic ways. But, I love so many things about the place. I love the food trucks (which are unmatched anywhere in the world), the fantastic Mexican and Asian food in Houston and Dallas and Austin (easily competitive with the best California and New York have to offer on those fronts, and you don't have to dress up or spend a fortune to enjoy it), the visible and unique counter-culture in all of the major cities (weirdos in Austin or the Montrose are unlike weirdos anywhere else), the music scene that often seems completely independent of the world outside of Texas, the summer-year-round weather (even the hot days are fine with me, if it means winter will be short and mild), and the diversity of its best cities (though Austin is a bit too white and suburban for comfort, and getting whiter and more suburban over time, unfortunately).

I like to think I'm above jingoism, but I love Texas. I travel full-time these days, because there's a lot to love about all sorts of places in the US (currently in Eugene, OR, as I've never really explored the Pacific Northwest, and summer is a great time to do so). But, I'm pretty sure I'll circle back to Texas eventually, as I always do.

But, don't move to Austin, y'all. You'll hate it. It's just one big traffic jam, and the restaurants and bars are all too crowded now.