Listeners: Amy was born, raised and listens to The Junkees in Texas

How did you start listening to The Junkees?

I discovered The Junkees after first seeing Kitty Flanagan in Fisk.

The sheer brilliance and hilarity of that show led me on a journey to find more of her comedic endeavors. That's how I found The Junkees, which has not disappointed.

I could listen to Dave and Kitty talk about snacks all day and not get bored. It's such a funny and refreshing podcast!

And, an added bonus is that I'm becoming fluent in Australian, which will come in handy if I ever visit (which I hope to do one day).

I'm embarrassed to say that when I first started listening and heard the term "lollies", I thought they were talking about lollipops. I didn't realize "lollies" translated to "candy" in American speak.

I relied pretty heavily on Google in the beginning. I'm now proud to say that I've become fairly well-versed in the different terminology and product names (only occasionally having to google).

Can you recommend some Texas junk/snack food?

Given the popularity of Tex-Mex food here, chips and salsa are a mainstay in snack food.

The different varieties of tortilla chips and salsas are endless in our grocery stores.

Pecan and praline treats are also popular here, with the most famous being the Texas Chewie Pecan Praline from Lammes Candies (which sadly closed shop a few months ago after 141 years in business in Austin).

Another Texas fave are kolaches, both the sweet and savory varieties. I personally prefer the the sweet variety.

And, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the countless amount of snacks that can found at the famous Buc-ees convenience store (located throughout Texas), including their Beaver Nuggets, made of puffed corn, butter and brown sugar caramel glaze, and their fresh, hot-roasted candied nuts, which are roasted on-site in copper kettles and served warm in paper bags (the roasted candied pecans are my personal favorite).

They seriously have every snack item you could ever wish for – chips, nuts, jerky, salsas, popcorn, hard candies, gummies, cotton candy, chocolate bars, fudge, pastries, pies, pudding, ice cream, and the list goes on.

Curious what Dave and Kitty actually think of the snacks they've reviewed? Browse The Snack Index — every verdict, quote-verified, from 189 episodes.

Born and raised in TX, what next?

Nine-year stint in Colorado after attending the University of Colorado in Boulder.

I decided to stay for a while, but eventually moved back to Texas where all my family resides and people don't look at me strange when I say "y'all".

There are definitely times when I miss the snow and skiing in Colorado, but Texas is home for me.  

Since my company doesn't have a local office in Austin, I work from home, which can be good and bad. It's good in that I don't have to deal with Austin traffic, which will drive you crazy (no pun intended).

The downside is not having that in-person interaction with co-workers (although some might see that as a positive). It also means I spend a lot of my workday in Zoom meetings.

In the evenings, I try and get some exercise – be it going for walk or a bike ride. Unfortunately, it's still around 95 degrees (Fahrenheit) in the evenings here during the summer. 

My weekend activities vary, whether it's spending time with family and friends, going for a hike on one of the local trails, checking out a new restaurant (which there is no shortage of in Austin), or just decompressing and binging a good TV show. One thing is certain for me on the weekend, I always sleep late!

Which town/city are you in and what's it known for?

I live in Austin, which is the only city I would want to live in Texas!

The slogan here is "Keep Austin Weird", which speaks to preserving Austin's eclectic and independent/non-corporate spirit.

Austin is often described as "the blueberry in the tomato soup" because of our liberal, more progressive beliefs against the backdrop of the rest of Texas, which is definitely more conservative. I make sure to tell out of state people not to judge Austin based on the rest of Texas.

Austin is also very different than the rest of Texas in its geology and terrain. It's located amidst the Texas Hill Country with rolling green hills, dozens of greenbelts, natural springs, multiple rivers and lakes, limestone cliffs, along with underground caves and caverns.

In my opinion, nothing beats the beauty of the Texas Hill Country, especially in the spring when the wildflowers are blooming.

Are you planning on staying in Texas?

I love Austin, so I have no plans on leaving.

With that said, our idiot president seems hell-bent on destroying America, so who knows what the future holds. I may be looking for a new country to call home.

Big thanks to Amy!

If you'd like to share where you listen and bit about your life, get in contact!

courtney@nearly.com.au

Explore The Snack Index — the definitive record of what Dave and Kitty have loved, hated, and argued about.

Stories of other Listeners

• Listeners: David, 22 years later, in Canada
• Listeners: An Australian working as a police officer in Texas, USA