From 2007 to when he passed away in May, Jack Unruh illustrated 105 columns by the Texanist, who, in the wake of Unruh’s death, wrote a tribute to the artist who captured his likeness for nearly ten years. Here they are, in all their colorfully bizarre glory.
July 2007
What is the proper answer when asked, “Where are you from?”
What is the proper answer when asked, “Where are you from?”
September 2007
I have a co-worker who dips Copenhagen and spits into a Styrofoam cup in the office. Is this appropriate?
I have a co-worker who dips Copenhagen and spits into a Styrofoam cup in the office. Is this appropriate?
November 2007
If, when you visit a friend’s house, he has parked on his front yard, may you park there too?
If, when you visit a friend’s house, he has parked on his front yard, may you park there too?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
January 2008
How high is too high to jack up a truck?
How high is too high to jack up a truck?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
April 2008
Is it really appropriate to make love in a campground?
Is it really appropriate to make love in a campground?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
June 2008
Can one have too many Texas tattoos?
Can one have too many Texas tattoos?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
August 2008
What are the guidelines for male friends helping each other apply sunscreen?
What are the guidelines for male friends helping each other apply sunscreen?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
October 2008
Is it be okay for me to buy my daughter a homecoming mum and say it’s from a secret admirer?
Is it be okay for me to buy my daughter a homecoming mum and say it’s from a secret admirer?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
December 2008
I insisted that my husband begin getting regular pedicures. He won’t. What do I do?
I insisted that my husband begin getting regular pedicures. He won’t. What do I do?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
January 2009
How old need a boy be to receive the gift of a first gun?
How old need a boy be to receive the gift of a first gun?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
February 2009
What can I do to keep varmints from further destroying my beautiful landscaping?
What can I do to keep varmints from further destroying my beautiful landscaping?
March 2009
What can I do about breaking in new boots?
What can I do about breaking in new boots?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
April 2009
Do I have to go with my family to take a bluebonnet photo this year?
Do I have to go with my family to take a bluebonnet photo this year?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
May 2009
What’s the best cure for jellyfish stings?
What’s the best cure for jellyfish stings?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
June 2009
How do I eradicate prickly pear cactus?
How do I eradicate prickly pear cactus?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
July 2009
Charcoal or propane?
Charcoal or propane?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
August 2009
Does keeping a found twelve-pack of beer constitute stealing?
Does keeping a found twelve-pack of beer constitute stealing?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
September 2009
Will hiring a lawn service to do my mowing make me soft?
Will hiring a lawn service to do my mowing make me soft?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
October 2009
What’s to be done with annoying neighbors?
What’s to be done with annoying neighbors?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
November 2009
Is it wrong to wear your football team’s jersey to church?
Is it wrong to wear your football team’s jersey to church?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
January 2010
Why are some men wearing pink camo?
Why are some men wearing pink camo?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
February 2010
What do I do about my vegetarian son?
What do I do about my vegetarian son?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
March 2010
Is it real Tex-Mex if it is served with a black bean?
Is it real Tex-Mex if it is served with a black bean?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
April 2010
How do I break into ranching?
How do I break into ranching?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
May 2010
Do I need to stick with the one that brung me?
Do I need to stick with the one that brung me?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
June 2010
Where is the Texanist from? Here he is, age three, in his living room in Temple in 1969.
Where is the Texanist from? Here he is, age three, in his living room in Temple in 1969.
Illustration by Jack Unruh
July 2010
How do I approach my brother-in-law about the way he treats wait staff?
How do I approach my brother-in-law about the way he treats wait staff?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
August 2010
What do I tell my son when he asks me about a crop I don’t recognize?
What do I tell my son when he asks me about a crop I don’t recognize?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
September 2010
How do I confront a neighbor who let’s his dog mess in my yard?
How do I confront a neighbor who let’s his dog mess in my yard?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
October 2010
Is my son being bullied or is this a case of boys-being-boys?
Is my son being bullied or is this a case of boys-being-boys?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
November 2010
What happened to the Texas hi sign?
What happened to the Texas hi sign?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
December 2010
What is the best aisle etiquette?
What is the best aisle etiquette?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
January 2011
Can I have school spirit for a school I didn’t attend?
Can I have school spirit for a school I didn’t attend?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
February 2011
How many Gulf oysters does it take for a person to see results from the aphrodisiac qualities that they are said to possess?
How many Gulf oysters does it take for a person to see results from the aphrodisiac qualities that they are said to possess?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
March 2011
Is the rodeo really cruel?
Is the rodeo really cruel?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
April 2011
How can I convince my wife to name our firstborn son Tex?
How can I convince my wife to name our firstborn son Tex?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
May 2011
Can you pick a bluebonnet?
Can you pick a bluebonnet?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
June 2011
What are the rules of the road when it comes to driving behind a tractor?
What are the rules of the road when it comes to driving behind a tractor?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
July 2011
Is it reasonable for me to insist my husband stop using dip just because I suddenly can’t stand it any longer?
Is it reasonable for me to insist my husband stop using dip just because I suddenly can’t stand it any longer?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
August 2011
Has the quinceanera tradition been Americanized away?
Has the quinceanera tradition been Americanized away?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
September 2011
How do I introduce my Yankee girlfriend to my dad’s trophy room?
How do I introduce my Yankee girlfriend to my dad’s trophy room?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
October 2011
How do I explain topless sunbathing in Austin to my children?
How do I explain topless sunbathing in Austin to my children?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
November 2011
If I hit a deer with my car, is it legal to harvest and eat it?
If I hit a deer with my car, is it legal to harvest and eat it?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
December 2011
Is there such a thing as gravel-road etiquette, and if so, how best can I teach it to the neighbors?
Is there such a thing as gravel-road etiquette, and if so, how best can I teach it to the neighbors?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
January 2012
How do I get out of a wedding on Super Bowl Sunday?
How do I get out of a wedding on Super Bowl Sunday?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
February 2012
When can non-native Texans start saying y’all?
When can non-native Texans start saying y’all?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
March 2012
Is disciplining my niece over spilt Dr Pepper okay?
Is disciplining my niece over spilt Dr Pepper okay?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
April 2012
Are “truck nuts” appropriate?
Are “truck nuts” appropriate?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
May 2012
Do country dancers ever go clockwise?
Do country dancers ever go clockwise?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
June 2012
Being attacked by a mockingbird and other Texas rites of passage.
Being attacked by a mockingbird and other Texas rites of passage.
Illustration by Jack Unruh
July 2012
Can I shoot a rattlesnake in my suburban backyard?
Can I shoot a rattlesnake in my suburban backyard?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
August 2012
Can I keep a loose country dog?
Can I keep a loose country dog?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
September 2012
Is there a point I need to stop raising my little girl like a tomboy?
Is there a point I need to stop raising my little girl like a tomboy?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
October 2012
What are the rules for setting up in a new tailgating spot?
What are the rules for setting up in a new tailgating spot?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
November 2012
What’s the etiquette of political yard signs?
What’s the etiquette of political yard signs?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
December 2012
My husband wants to taxidermy our dog when he goes to that big yard in the sky. I don’t. Can I convince him this is wrong?
My husband wants to taxidermy our dog when he goes to that big yard in the sky. I don’t. Can I convince him this is wrong?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
January 2013
Is the secret to good healthy actually “Crazy Water”?
Is the secret to good healthy actually “Crazy Water”?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
February 2013
What’s your take on picking pecans out of other people’s yards?
What’s your take on picking pecans out of other people’s yards?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
March 2013
Should Texas license plates support rival sports teams?
Should Texas license plates support rival sports teams?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
April 2013
Is it legal to be buried on my own property?
Is it legal to be buried on my own property?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
May 2013
Should I just let my dogs loose on the possums in my backyard?
Should I just let my dogs loose on the possums in my backyard?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
June 2013
If two ranches are separated by a length of old barbed-wire fencing and that fence needs repair, who is responsible come fence-mending time?
If two ranches are separated by a length of old barbed-wire fencing and that fence needs repair, who is responsible come fence-mending time?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
July 2013
Have rural Texans always been close-minded about clothing?
Have rural Texans always been close-minded about clothing?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
August 2013
Why is driving allowed on Texas beaches?
Why is driving allowed on Texas beaches?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
September 2013
How far-reaching is the tradition of the piñata?
How far-reaching is the tradition of the piñata?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
October 2013
How does a roping team determine who’s the “header” and who’s the “heeler”?
How does a roping team determine who’s the “header” and who’s the “heeler”?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
November 2013
How do a husband and wife resolve backyard barbecuing duties?
How do a husband and wife resolve backyard barbecuing duties?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
December 2013
Do East Texas purple hull peas, if frozen and then cooked on New Year’s Day, count for good luck?
Do East Texas purple hull peas, if frozen and then cooked on New Year’s Day, count for good luck?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
January 2014
Should I let my teenaged son go on a coed camping trip?
Should I let my teenaged son go on a coed camping trip?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
February 2014
Can you recommend a cure for cedar fever?
Can you recommend a cure for cedar fever?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
March 2014
How does a parent break it to his children that they ate the livestock “pets”?
How does a parent break it to his children that they ate the livestock “pets”?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
April 2014
My daughter’s friend’s parents had me sign a waiver before she could ride a horse on their property. Is this a product of our overly protective, overly litigious society?
My daughter’s friend’s parents had me sign a waiver before she could ride a horse on their property. Is this a product of our overly protective, overly litigious society?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
May 2014
Does anyone actually have a “roll in the hay”?
Does anyone actually have a “roll in the hay”?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
June 2014
Can a non-native Texan teach Texas history?
Can a non-native Texan teach Texas history?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
July 2014
What are happening to dining traditions of yore?
What are happening to dining traditions of yore?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
August 2014
Is there “no such thing as bad barbecue”?
Is there “no such thing as bad barbecue”?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
September 2014
Are the banks of a stream free to use for camping?
Are the banks of a stream free to use for camping?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
October 2014
The word “Texan” is not accepted for play in the game Words With Friends. How can this possibly be?
The word “Texan” is not accepted for play in the game Words With Friends. How can this possibly be?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
November 2014
When did we start calling the chicken’s “second joint” the thigh?
When did we start calling the chicken’s “second joint” the thigh?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
December 2014
I’m a recently repatriated Texan. What should be on my bucket list?
I’m a recently repatriated Texan. What should be on my bucket list?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
January 2015
Tell us more about your miniature sidekick.
Tell us more about your miniature sidekick.
Illustration by Jack Unruh
February 2015
How can I get my girlfriend to live with the smell of smoke from a nearby barbecue joint?
How can I get my girlfriend to live with the smell of smoke from a nearby barbecue joint?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
March 2015
Have Texans forgotten how to drive?
Have Texans forgotten how to drive?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
April 2015
I had to hand my knife over to airport security and am waiting for them to mail it back. Is it gone forever?
I had to hand my knife over to airport security and am waiting for them to mail it back. Is it gone forever?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
Do I need to update my jeans style?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
June 2015
Can you explain some armadillo lore?
Can you explain some armadillo lore?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
July 2015
Can you recommend other Texas beaches that rival the old South Padre Island?
Can you recommend other Texas beaches that rival the old South Padre Island?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
August 2015
What should I do if I encounter a tornado while driving?
What should I do if I encounter a tornado while driving?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
September 2015
How should a Texan handle himself in the presence of a small stinging insect?
How should a Texan handle himself in the presence of a small stinging insect?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
October 2015
Do you have any suggestions for picking the country boy of my dreams out of the herd?
Do you have any suggestions for picking the country boy of my dreams out of the herd?
Description by Jack Unruh
November 2015
I used my husband’s chili pot to tie-dye some shirts. He’s understandably upset. How can I make this right?
I used my husband’s chili pot to tie-dye some shirts. He’s understandably upset. How can I make this right?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
December 2015
Is there some law that applies specifically to theft of property from the back of a truck, discouraging such crime?
Is there some law that applies specifically to theft of property from the back of a truck, discouraging such crime?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
January 2016
Is not liking Willie Nelson’s music a deal breaker?
Is not liking Willie Nelson’s music a deal breaker?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
February 2016
Whenever we are asked where we are from, we always say that we are Texans living in Florida. But recently my husband responded that we were from Florida. Will you please explain to him why this cannot continue?
Whenever we are asked where we are from, we always say that we are Texans living in Florida. But recently my husband responded that we were from Florida. Will you please explain to him why this cannot continue?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
March 2016
What do I tell my friend who insists on giving Tennessee credit for the “birth of Texas”?
What do I tell my friend who insists on giving Tennessee credit for the “birth of Texas”?
April 2016
I’ve been thinking about getting a license to carry a gun, but my wife insists this is a bad idea. I seek your counsel.
I’ve been thinking about getting a license to carry a gun, but my wife insists this is a bad idea. I seek your counsel.
Illustration by Jack Unruh
May 2016
Shouldn’t high-priced restaurant steaks be better than ones I cook in my own backyard?
Shouldn’t high-priced restaurant steaks be better than ones I cook in my own backyard?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
June 2016
My wife-to-be loves animals and now wants a miniature Vietnamese potbellied pig as a wedding gift. Is this insane?
My wife-to-be loves animals and now wants a miniature Vietnamese potbellied pig as a wedding gift. Is this insane?
Illustration by Jack Unruh
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