Deep in the heart of...

When I mention to people that I spent much of my life living in Texas, they often say something along the lines of "bet you're glad to be out of there, huh?"

Well, yes and no. Certainly, Texas has a lot of things I didn't like much, like the stifling heat in Houston (ok, it's not that different here in Cambodia), giant cockroaches, muddy Gulf water, and a lot of ignorant yahoos.

But it's also home to Alvin Ailey, the Texas Medical Center, Janis Joplin, limited liability partnerships, Larry McMurtry, integrated circuits, the Marfa Lights, Renee O'Connor, Dr Pepper, Sissy Spacek, barbed wire, nachos, ZZ Top, open heart surgery, Sam Houston, chili, Tommy Lee Jones, margaritas, and, of course, Babe Didrikson Zaharias.

And today, one of Texas's treasures, Molly Ivins, writes about another, Senfronia Thompson, who makes me proud to say I once shared a state with her. Go. Read. It'll make you wish there were more like her in the US Congress.