The official state motto of Texas wasn't what I thought. That Englishman In Texas, Oli Pettigrew

This is not a pitch for Texas. It's simply lead-in to a statement about the problem of choosing your new home. I've called several states home in my life: Maryland, Hawaii, Colorado, California, and Texas. I didn't have much choice in the first place. I was simply born in Maryland. It was a helluva place to grow up in the 40's and 50's, which I must attribute to my early life spent largely on the Chesapeake Bay. From there I enlisted into the Army and can't take credit for the various places it sent me (although I did volunteer for Vietnam - hardly a place I'd call home). My final assignment in the Army following my tour of duty in Vietnam was Hawaii. (It was a reward for my service in Vietnam). However, I claim it as my second home inasmuch as I chose to stay there at the end of my time in service. Sadly, it was an unaffordable choice and I departed there for Colorado. Can't really say why I chose it, but it was home for about 3 years. It was also the site of the end of my marriage and I ended up in California largely by chance, and stayed there for about 45 years. It was a great place to live and pursue a career until it wasn't. As it became a one-party state, it ceased to resemble the United States and became unaffordable and unbearable. It was, on a positive note, where I chanced upon and married my wife of 48 years (and still counting). Texas was a joint decision and one that we made together (and we love it). Now, if you look again at those places I chose to call home, James Michener wrote works of historical fiction associated with Maryland (Chesapeake), Hawaii, Colorado, and Texas. Chesapeake obviously had no impact on me while I was growing up there inasmuch as it was published after I left. However, the other books were delightful introductions to the other places I lived/am living. I recommend his works highly (except Chesapeake - it was horribly researched and written and bears no relation to live in Maryland today). Wherever you choose to settle, I highly recommend that you find resources like the ones I used to familiarize yourself with your new home. Better yet, use them in making your choice. Visit prospective states. Rent a place there if you can to test the waters. Not everyone will be as lucky as we were to find the perfect home for our Golden Years. And don't expect to find anyplace as friendly as Texas. In addition to living in many places, my career took me on contract assignments to many other US locales and none can match the people of Texas.