Blogs > Cliopatria > Deep In the Heart of Texas

Jul 5, 2004

Deep In the Heart of Texas




If it’s 105 degrees out, if men are wearing cowboy boots and hats without irony, if twenty miles is just down the street, and if one of your state university colors is mandated by the legislature to be one that former All American Oklahoma linebacker Brian Bosworth so descriptively said “reminded him of puke,” you must be in Texas. If Bobby Knight is on local television shilling everything under the sun, if the pumpjack appears to be your national animal, and if from the fourth story of your campus’ largest building you swear you can see both Mexico and Canada, you must be in West Texas.

Giddyup, pardners, because Derek has moved west. Yup, the rootinest, tootinest hombre blogging west of Cliopatria has moved to the Lone Star State. Shiner Bock, the Midland Rock Hounds of the Texas League, and Permian Panthers Mojo all are in my backyard here in Odessa, where I have taken a new tenure-track gig at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. I move on to a better university system, with higher pay, more serious commitment to research (while still firmly committed to teaching), more supportive, friendly, and, well, collegial colleagues, and no more sub-zero winters.

I’m teaching in the same areas – Modern US with some Modern Africa, and I'll have chances to incorporate my work on terrorism as well as my usual race, politics and social movements, and possibly (hopefully?) some sports. I decided to get settled in early and to teach a summer class, a new course I have designed called “Current Issues and Historical Perspectives,” which allows me to blend two of my passions – history and current affairs. In a five week course, each of the first four weeks will have a theme: Terrorism, the Middle East, and Israel; Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality in the United States; Chaos in Africa; and the 2004 Election. The fifth week will be devoted to our final class project, which I think will be a group-written HNN-type piece. We will read a daily newspaper, (The Dallas Morning News, as I want there to be a somewhat local component, getting the Times here is a hassle and a bit expensive for students, the Odessa American is simply too limited, especially for the international topics, and I figure using the Dallas paper gives me some credibility that using that liberal rag from New York City might not.) and several websites. Each week also has a book attached that will give a historical context in well-written and engaging style, to supplement any lectures or other talking that I do. These include Thomas Friedman’s From Beirut to Jerusalem, Terry Anderson’s The Movement, Bill Berkeley’s The Graves Are Not Yet Full, and Zachary Karabell’s The Last Campaign. (All three available at the usual sites, plus at finer bookstores everywhere. All three are worth owning.) Each week they will have an assignment due Thursday, ranging from an op-ed piece to a reading response to a class debate, and we will close off with the group project (Rick Shenkman, are you reading? Publish their essay!).

We’ll see how I do with West Texas. The Midland-Odessa metroplex has an airport, so I’m only a connection in Dallas or Houston from being just about anywhere I want. The population base between the two cities is such that there are restaurants, there are minor league sports teams, and there is a lot more to do and more options (often on the consumerist side – no lack of chances to buy stuff with my filthy lucre) than in my last tenure-track outpost (the one prior to my being spoiled in Charlottesville. Sigh. I'll miss Charlottesville.)

Meanwhile today’s projected high is a mere 97 degrees. The projection for the next ten days does not have us surpassing a hundred, nor does it have us plummeting below 95. But it is, as they say, a dry heat (which from what I can tell means that it is too damned hot for anything with water in it to survive before being burned off) meaning that my pale self is gonna do some frying. But at least tonight I can see the Rock Hounds for a buck if I go to McDonald’s and get the sponsor’s coupon. I see Big Mac in my future. Giddyup.

By the way – UTPB are the Falcons, and yes, we have to wear those puke orange colors too. State law, you know. And I’ve always wanted to say this: “Don’t mess with Texas,” which may be second only to “Live Free Or Die” in the pantheon of vaguely surly state quotations.



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Derek Charles Catsam - 7/10/2004

Jesse --
Oh, I plan to get to Ratliff, though talking with a Permian alum at a bar last night (he teaches at Odessa High, home of the Bronchos, as you might recall, but he is still a panther through and through) I may only be able to get seats on the visitors' side.
Bissinger may not be especially popular around here, but people sure did line up to be extras in the movie, from what I have heard. It is much anticipated here, you can be certain. I know I can't wait.
As for Billy Bob -- first Angelina Jolie, now FNL. Of whom does he have naked pictures for blackmail?
dc


Tom Bruscino - 7/10/2004

We should remember that the most important Texas invasion of New Mexico during the Civil War was turned back by a bunch of Coloradans, at the Battle of Glorietta Pass. Just thought I'd mention it.


Jesse David Lamovsky - 7/10/2004

Using 'FNL' might be provocative indeed. I've heard that Buzz Bissenger hasn't been the most popular guy in West Texas since the book came out. But the movie based on 'FNL' is supposed to hit theaters this fall, so the timing is right (Billy Bob Thornton as Gary Gaines? Bad casting!).

Hope you get out to Ratliff Stadium a few times this fall, to see the Lights for yourself (although the Permian-Midland Lee tilt is in Midland this season). Permian has been down for a few years now, but as far as high school football goes, it still doesn't get much better than the Little Southwest Conference.


Derek Charles Catsam - 7/9/2004

I love that David is bringin' the New Mexico Pride to Rebunk. You go, you land of the yellow license plate lovin' dude!
dc


David Lion Salmanson - 7/9/2004

Something to do with their bellies I suspect... or their spines. Did I mention that Texas repeatedly failed in their invasions of New Mexico?


Derek Charles Catsam - 7/8/2004

Van --
I dunno. They love orange mostly because of the 'Horns, and so they decided it is such a glorious tone that all of the state school sshould bask in the color scheme in some ay, shape, or form. i could see myself digging the 'Horns, though. Anyone know how tough UT tix are to get?
dc


Derek Charles Catsam - 7/8/2004

Richard --
I love football of all kinds. I am even going to go so far (call me provocateur) as to use friday Night Lights in my survey.
dc


Van L. Hayhow - 7/8/2004

Can anybody tell me why the Texas legislature is so infatuated with the color yellow?


Richard Henry Morgan - 7/6/2004

Good luck, Derek. They don't measure the distance from Austin to Permian Basin in miles, but in centuries. Should be fun to watch a lib in West Texas. I hope you like high school football.


Steven Heise - 7/6/2004

Personally, I'll take my sub-zero winters over 100+ summers and dust storms...though that wind coming up Gage Hill is not pleasant six months of the year.


Ralph E. Luker - 7/6/2004

Hey, my high school colors were also orange and black. We did halloween the whole year through.


Derek Charles Catsam - 7/6/2004

Game was good -- Rock Hounds won in a zany game. Yes, UTPB is allowed other colors, but by state law that pervasive orange has to be there. My high school colors were orange and black, so I can live with it. No extra points for knowing the scores of the games. A good citizen ought to know the sports scores just as a matter of course.
dc


David Lion Salmanson - 7/6/2004

Yes, except Texans are mighty bad at fighting New Mexicans. Three failed invasions if you count the Civil War one. The first two were downright disasters with the Texans having to be rescued by the New Mexicans they were supposed to be invading. A lotta hype down there.


Ralph E. Luker - 7/6/2004

THANK YOU, Ms. Milmine. I suspected something like this all along! Now we know what carelessness comes out of Williams College, UNC, Charlotte, and Ohio University. We will help him out, however, by calling the poor dear on every comma error, typo, and belch.


Karen L. Milmine - 7/6/2004

Professor Catsam does not even proofread his syllabus.


Karen L. Milmine - 7/5/2004

Okay, first UT colors are orange UTPB is Black and Orange. How was the game? This should get me extra points if I can tell you the score in AM? As for the weather, wait five minutes, you'll either get a dust storm or it will hit 105, no we have to do everything bigger and better, that's the proper line. As for me at least in Dallas we get a mild breeze, here there is no breeze. Dry heat means no one can breath!

Karen Milmine (one of your first students) AKA: Big "D"


Derek Charles Catsam - 7/5/2004

Hey, buddy, let's remember who put the Tex in Tex-Mex! (Don't mess with Texas!). Now I'm off to see the Rock Hounds.
dc


David Lion Salmanson - 7/5/2004

So close to New Mexico, so far from green chile.


Ralph E. Luker - 7/5/2004

Do not ever entitle your comment "" because it won't be accessible. My smart ass question was: Can you see the end of your bad link from the 4th floor of your building? A little proof reading never hurt, Derek! Or a little proof reading never hurt Derek!


Ralph E. Luker - 7/5/2004

Good lord, Derek! From the 4th floor of the building, can you see the end of the bad link in this post?